Enlisted Air Force, storys please.

[bobs98tlr]

Hello everyone. Im new to the board but have been visiting it for sometime, very nice place. Im in the process of joining the Air Force enlisted. I was hopping to hear what some of you do and how life is for you, and what your goals are while your in.

Im working on my commercial rating right now and was going to join for the several reasons, my dad was in for a long time and now has a great job from the skills he had in the AF. The free college which im going to need to become an officer/airline pilot (down the road obviously). For fun. Ive been looking into this for a couple of years and im finally going to do it. I really want Air Traffic Control. Anyways, the floor is yours...thanks

Bobby

 

[Browndog]

First off welcome to the board. I enlisted back in 1980 myself (no "old" jokes please) with the goal of getting a degree to have a shot at OTS and pilot training. Things worked out great and after 5 years enlisted I got to OTS and a UPT slot. I flew for the next 15 years and retired in 2001. Now I'm an FO at UPS.

A few helpful hints as you pursue your goals are to first do your absolute best in every training coures you attend. You need to start building your resume on day one. Distinguished Grad from basic and tech school are all positives. Next, when you get to your first assignment you must work your tail off and be an expert at what you do. Make yourself competive for the quarterly awards at your base. You can do this by taking college courses and doing volunteer work either on or off base and also participate in sports.

The hardest thing for me was going to night school. I took up to 5 classes per 8 week semester so combine that with work you won't have much of a life but if you wat it bad enough it can most certainly be done. All too often I would see guys talk about going to college but few wanted to sacrifice there free time. Only you can make it happen but only if you have the self discipline and motivation.

I had an absolute ball during my 20 years and I was fortunate to land a super job after the military. Best of luck to you!!

Browndog

 

[SMOE]

You've made a great choice!
I enlisted in 1978 and readily admit I'm reaching old fart status very fast.
I started out as a T-38 Crew Chief and cross-trained to flight engineer after five years.
I called it quits after nearly 25 years because:
a. I had attained my goal of Chief Master Sergeant and
b. I needed to get out while I was still young enough to start career #2 as a pilot. (this flying stuff really gets in your blood).

I second what Browndog stated but would like to add the following:
- Any undertaking you do, do it because you want to do it, not because you expect anything in return other than self-satisfaction. Expecting any tangible rewards (awards, medals, etc) may leave you disappointed.
- Do your duties to the best of your ability, take the time and effort to do more than expected, and the rewards will come on their own.
- Look out for yourself as well as your collegues. They'll become lifelong friends
- Never turn down free training.
- You may find yourself someday as the sole supporter of an unpopular position. Stick to your principles. Just remember not to do anything that you can't look at yourself in the mirror in the morning
Finally, these are more than just words:
- Integrity first
- Service before self
- Excellence in all we do
I hope your time in the service is as rewarding, adventurous, and memorable as mine.
All the best...

 

[bobs98tlr]

WOW, thanks guys. My dad was crew chief on the C-130. I dont care to much what job i get in the Air Force as long as i am able to go to school. This is something i honestly need to do in order for me to get to where i want to be in life, which is right where Browndog is. I dont really need to much of a social life while im in being since ill be married at the time. Just a good job, school and come home for bed. I dont really do the parting stuff any more. Dont really care to be, just want to work hard for my goals and serve.

BTW: Browndog- Do you fly in and out of RFD much? Ive been fueling out there since May, use to be at ORD but moved in with my parents in Rockford. Ive probably ran into you a few times just didnt know it.

 

[qmaster3]

Bobs98ltr,

This squid wants to congratulate you on your decision. I am from Iowa, and am making the drive from ORD to my home as I do often in a couple weeks. Like your area, and usually stop in Genoa, and down a few with my cousins. My Uncle Buddy Shaffer USAF (ret), told me to enjoy every minute of my career, and I am. As I hope you do as well. I was going to give you my .02$, but I think your AF peers advice will be well received.

Good Luck!

 

[LJDRVR]

Hey,

First off, print Browndog's post. read and re-read the middle two paragraphs. Simple as it sounds, it's some of the best advice you'll ever get from someone who's been there and done it.

My story is simple. Lacking anything resembling discipline, I enlisted in 1986. The Air Force completely changed my life for the better. At first I started working on getting the degree so I could get commisioned and go to UPT. Much like browntail, I carried a full load of classes, won Airman and NCO of the quarter/year/epoch, coached the base youth swim team, worked part-time as a lifeguard, continued the flying lessons I started as a teenager and volunteered my time with the Base Honor Guard. Then an interesting thing happened. I met a MSgt from the USAF Presidential Honor Guard in Washington DC. After getting to know me he suggested I put in an application. I wasn't enjoying life as a supply puke, and a special duty assgnment seemed like a quick ticket out of SAC.

To make a long story short, I spent four wonderful years stationed in Washington, working in the best job I ever had in my life next to being a pilot. I watched the seasons change at Arlington National Cemetary, stood on the stones and steps of the Tomb of the Unknowns more times than I can recall, and been all over the White House, including the Oval Office. As a young E-5, I supervised up to 36 troops directly, an opportunity rarely afforded a junior NCO anywhere else in the service.

I took the early out after nine years, and have since worked as a CFI, Freight Dog, Charter FO/Captain and Director of Safety, and scheduled airline FO. I've had a blast. I've got to see and do things I only imagined in my wildest dreams, and wouldn't change a thing. (Except somehow making my parents buy $10,000 dollars in SWA stock during the IPO in the seventies.. )

Joining the military is one of the smartest things you'll ever do. One word of caution. If you're going to go the route you plan, you're going to work twice as hard as your peers in ROTC or OTS to find yourself in phase I. THe best advice I can think of is to don't let ANYBODY tell you no. There is always a way to accomplish your goals. Lastly, make sure you are doing something you absolutely love.

Good Luck!

Let me know if I can help.

 

[Wang Chung]

Those are some great responses! I dropped out of college and enlisted in the USAF, virtually on a whim. I served for 4 great years, got out and jumped back into school (as a much more focused, disciplined and seasoned student which helped me graduate with honors).

Your enlistment will be what you make it, and your attitude toward your job and assignments will make all the difference. A supervisor will quickly take notice of somebody who demonstrates integrity, leadership, and an intensity for learning and mastering the job. This will stand in stark contrast to many of your enlisted peers who have no long-term goals or aspirations who lack motivation to do their job well (there's lots of these guys). If you are smart and motivated, it will be easy for you to distinguish yourself and your career will not only be personally rewarding but it will serve as rock-solid work history.

Like others have said, develop complete expertise in what you do, go above and beyond the basic call of duty in your job and in your participation in other activities. Make friends and networking connections. Take advantage of any available training , like SMOE said. Take advantage of anything unique and special that the USAF has - when you get out, you will look back in surprise at the things you did, the places you went and the things you saw.

If you are lucky enough to get stationed someplace where there is a military flying club, take full advantage of the cheap rental rates and well-maintained planes (I got my PPL this way).

Best of luck.

BTW, Guidon Bearer is the sweetest Basic Training position EVER! It's WAY better than bed-aligner, shoe-aligner, latrine queen, or any of that garbage!

 

[Browndog]

bobs: I've only been trough RFD 2 times. I've been flying mostly international since I've been here.

I think all these posts are excellent and you can certainly draw some good wisdom from each. One thing that stands out to me is what SMOE said:

"- Any undertaking you do, do it because you want to do it, not because you expect anything in return other than self-satisfaction. Expecting any tangible rewards (awards, medals, etc) may leave you disappointed."

Absolutely right on the mark! Do your absolute best and those things will come. It is very obvious to spot airman "chasing awards" but most times they fail. I did have several quarterly awards but was not a DG from basic or tech school.

I don't know what the current career/first base assignment process is now but if you have choices let me add some thoughts to ponder. I went in with an open career feild in avation mechanics. Hindsite what it is I should have and as I found out later I could have had many more choices. Well lucky for me the AF chose the perfect assignment for me so it was easy to "keep my eyes on the goal". I was assigned Laughlin AFB in Del Rio TX to be a Jet Engine Mechanic. This was a pilot training base so my goal was always in sight. It was also great because I was at a base where we almost never went TDY. So my point is if you have choices of where/what you do pick wisely so you aren't deployed deployed all the time making college a bit more difficult.

BD

 

[bobs98tlr]

I cant thank you guys enough. Great read and deffinitly something to look forward to, as i have been.

Browndog- I was thinking of going to some bases that had flying clubs on base. Not to many places have the clubs anymore but i am aware of the ones the do. So, some of my choices (not really in any order).

Tydnall
Scott
Maxwell
Travis
Robins
Barksdale

All of which have the Aero Clubs. Im quit familiar with what base has what aircraft but not sure on the deployments. Thanks for all the help guys, i appriciate the time and storys their something to look forward to.

 

[PHX767]

Might as well throw some more encouragement in...

I enlisted in '73, worked as a crew chief on B52's and KC-135's. Cross trained to Boom Operator (inflight refueling operator) and held various positions associated with that career field until getting out one year early in '92.

Got my ratings after I got out, did the flight instructor gig, regional airline, corporate fractional, Major airline, to another Major airline, furloughed, back to fractional and who knows what's next? Going from C-150's to B767's has been a thrill and very satisfying to achieve.

A lot of great advice in previous posts. Only thing I would add would be to develop a clear set of steps to reaching your goals. I.e; finish 4 year degree, get commercial rating, get hired at regional, etc. Write them down on a card and put that where you can see it every day. At times when you are faced with decisions, look to your goals and ask yourself if making a choice one way or the other will help or hinder your progress.

A big mistake I made was not changing paths earlier in life, but there are pressures from many directions that have to be satisfied.

Good luck!

 

[Jagdflieger]

If you really want to fly for a living and do the enlisted thing, join the Guard or Reserve in a flying position and get to know the pilots who can help out when the time comes to start flying professionally.

E-7
C130 Loadmaster
10 years time in service
2600+ hours of Herk time including 250 hours combat.

Regional pilot
2500 hours...

Loving life!!

 

[3Duke3]

Enlisted from 94-98. Loved the people & the job...AMMO! I still stay in touch with most of the people I served with. My only advice to you is the advice that my dad (an old Navy guy) gave to me before I went in: "Don't be one of those guys that spends four years bitching about all the bad stuff, enjoy the experience because you will only get to do it once." This really helped me out when I found myself letting the political b.s. get me down.

Best of luck, you made a good choice.

 

[Purple Haze]

Spooky

I am in a strange parallel universe with Browndog -- except I ended up at FedEx. I also enlisted in 1980. I went to OTS in 1987 and flew the next 14 years and retired in 2001. Now I'm an FO at FedEx.

The responses you received are priceless. Rather than repeating, I will simply agree and add my 2 cents. Always do a better job than is expected - if you always give your best, the right people will notice ("the cream always rises to the top"). If you get married, make her your #1 priority - do not allow her to be #2 to your flying goal. However, if you work it right, her #1 goal will be for you to achieve your goal -- that wife is more valuable than gold (like mine ).

Be persistent and stay positive. Also have a "sharp stick" backup plan. As a pilot, you are always one sharp stick in the eye away from not being a pilot any more. You need to be able to shift gears and do something else if you hit an absolute brick wall.

The best enlisted jobs are the ones that afford you the opportunity to attend college -- too much travel makes school nearly impossible.

Best of luck to you. All of us want you to make it. You can do this.

 

[Slim]

Your approach sounds great and your attitude matches it! You'll do well.

Jagdflieger has a good point about the Guard. I'm retried Army Guard (non-rated) after enlisting in the Air Guard. A lot has changed since I was enlisted.

First, G.I. Bill benefits are available for flight training after you get your private license. Second, and this is National Guard only(!), some states (Ohio is one.) have tuition assistance programs where an enlisted member enrolls in ROTC in an approved, in-state college, then graduates with a B.A./B.S. as an Army National Guard second lieutenant.

SMOE:

Were you at Columbus AFB in 1984? Your story is familiar. If you're the one I remember, we met right after you received orders for flight engineer school. I was a 2LT, on medical hold in UPT, at the time.

Fly safe!

 

[bobs98tlr]

Slim- Thanks for the kind words. Ive been working very hard on alot of things right now to make sure things with my enlistment are moving forward and its been pretty tough. I was currious about your comment about the G.I. Bill payin for flight training after a PPL? I have my instrument at the moment and have never her anything about the G.I. bill paying for more training. I thought it just covered certain colleges. Would you please explain the details of this? Thanks

Bobby

 

[HueyPilot]

I was enlisted Army Guard in 1992 (paid for college), then a Warrant Officer flying Hueys in the Army Guard. That opened the door to OTS and UPT, and here I am now, with 1,000 hours of C-21 time and working towards becoming an aircraft commander in the C-130.

Anyways, a few words to add:

If you go ATC in the Air Force, realize that you can get out and work as a controller in the civilian world and make decent money (and that'll help when you're trying to build time for a flying career).

Other things to think about...flying enlisted jobs like loadmaster, boom operator, and flight engineer. Also check out the ANG and the Reserves. You get educational benefits (Guard typically gives you more...many states offer tuition exemption), military experience and time to persue civilian goals. You may be hellbent on going active, but I'd at least investigate the Guard/Reserve before you make a decision.

Also, being enlisted in a Guard unit will open the door to you attending AMS and getting a pilot slot...and you can fly the Air Force jets and persue your civilian career.

 

[Slim]

In 1993 and 1994, I used Chpt. 106 of the Montgomery G.I. Bill to finance training for my CFII and my MEI certificates. I had to pay the money, then apply for reimbursement. The return from the VA was roughly 60 per-cent.

You must use an approved school. This usually means a Part 141 school and VA approval. The training syllabus must also be approved. I got the CFII at American Flyers, but got the MEI at another school because the American Flyers MEI training syllabus was not approved.

Some military flying clubs (Quantico MCAS is one.) have 141 approval and VA approval as well. Your dollar gets a much better return at one of these schools. I was an active member at Quantico for several years.

When I enlisted, the flight training benefits were not available and I already had my degree. These days, some recruiters are not aware of this.

Good luck...fly safe!

 

[Swede]

So, some of my choices (not really in any order).

Tydnall
Scott
Maxwell
Travis
Robins
Barksdale

Tyndall = greatness, one of the best bases I've lived on. We had weekly beach parties on some of the sandbars and barrier islands. GREAT seafood, oysters, etc. Unlike much of Fl, it was still pretty natural, not tons of condos and such. If you want that type of fun, Ft Walton Beach is an hour away.

Good luck on your journey.

 

[bobs98tlr]

Thanks for all the replys guys, i didnt think i would get this much of a response. I did what a few of you recommended and looked into the Guard alittle further then i have done before and im going to the Peoria Air National Guard tomarrow in Illinois. I live in Rockford so im just gonna rent a 172 and fly down there for the day for a tour of the facility and such. I talked with the recruiter today and they have a loadmaster spot open. Im not putting off the active duty idea yet, but i think the guard just might be a better way for me to get where i need to go along with serving this country. Thanks for all the insight guys.

Bobby

 

[qmaster3]

Good Bob,

Any way you choose to serve is a good one.