I was in the USAF for 5 years as an enlisted troop. I enjoyed myself but never reallyt thought about making a career out of it. I, like most enlisted guys, always wondered what it would be like to be an officer. It’s hard to understand unless you have been an enlisted guy. To make that switch over is a very big deal.
I seperated in 99 to go to school. I am now 2 semesters away from finishing my BSEE. I have been planning to re-enter the USAF with a commision for 4 years or so just to see what it is like. I have taken the AFOQT and have my package assembled to go before the selection board on January 10th of 2003. I do not doubt that I will be selected as the AF is desperate for engineers right now. I also have a 3.8GPA and 2 years of engineering experience under my belt. So its not a question of WILL I make it, it is SHOULD I do it.
I am 26 years old and will be 27 when I finish OTS. I look extremely young for my age so I won’t look like some really old butter bar. The thing that has me thinking now is that I know I can make some pretty good money with this degree on the outside. I will start out making around $40k a year as a 2nd LT in the AF, but I bet I could get at least $60K a year on the outside in a civilian job. I wonder if I am selling myself short income wise.
But the lure of living life on the other side of the fence is very strong. I would be lying if I said that the added prestige of being an officer wasn’t enticing. The thought of all of the sudden outranking EVERYONE that I was underneath when I was enlisted is intoxicating. Everyone that gave me shit, as well as everyone that was cool to me. Not that I would try to shit on the people, but just to see the look on thier faces as they whip out a salute to the guy that they used to crap on would almost be worth it to me. I think any enlisted person can understand where I am coming from here.
Also, my grampa is retired Army and he was very proud of me for enlisting back when I did. I really think he will shit himself when I send him my first set of gold bars to put on his wall. He’s getting really old and I think it would make him happy too.
I don’t want to make it sound as though I am going back in SOLELY to be above everyone of my past bosses, thats not even close to the case. Its just an added bonus. I really did like being in the military and enjoyed the atmosphere and would like to get my engineering feet wet in the military. I just don’t know if it is worth sacrificing the potential income at my age.
What do you think? Anyone ever been in this spot?
Also, anyone who has been thru AF OTS let me know what to expect. I don’t know that I could keep a straight face in Basic Training again after having been in the RL USAF.
IMO, your description of how ‘intoxicating’ it would be to outrank your old peers or seniors seems a little too… avid. You say it’s not the only reason, but after reading that I see it as the main reason.
That’s a pretty shitty motivation for going back, speaking as an officer. You also mention impressing your granddad. Nowhere did I really see any desire to serve your country, bring something to the fight, and be a part of a great organization. Your motivation seems to be to impress other people.
My guess is the ‘prestige’ of being an officer will wear off quickly, especially when you start getting shit on by the officers above you.
Sorry to be so negative. If I’m off base with all this, then by all means, submit your package.
I did my time as an enlisted guy. I went to all the worst places I could go in such a short time. I did all the worst things I could do in such a short time as well. I have just about as many medals and awards as you can possibleyget in 5 years, including meritorious service which is normally reserved for SSgt and above. I had a line for SSgt when I seperated. The only thing I didn’t have was a Bachelor’s when I enlisted. There was absolutley no way for me to finish one in the AFSC I was in (CE) and I liked being in the AF, but wanted more than enlisted life was going to offer me.
I can see why it appears that I want to do this to impress other people, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t at least part of my motivation. It is something to be proud of and is a major accomplishment for an enlisted guy to make that jump. I know that it is going to be surreal pinning on them bars for the first time or the first time someone salutes me.
Of course I want to be in the military and serve my time with honor other wise I wouldn’t be going back. I did not have an easy enlistment my first time thru like alot of people have. I barely spent any time at my PDS. I was TDY to the desert so much that as soon as I got back I had orders for my next deployment. I am not talking about going to the desert to sleep in the dorms at Al Karj or in the villa’s at Eskan, I am talking about sleeping under the wing of a C-5 for a week because your tents havent shown up yet and its too hot to sleep in the bay. Then I got sent to Kunsan which any AF troop will tell you is the worst assignment in the AF. Then on to Kosovo once I got back to the states. I know it is not glamorous, but ANY enlisted guy that makes the crossover is doing it because he does NOT want to be enlisted anymore. There is nothing wrong with that.
You sound like you went straight in out of college and there is nothing wrong with that. But you can’t understand what it’s like to be in this position. As an enlisted guy you answer to EVERYBODY, especially those first 4 years. To say that getting out from under the pile shouldn’t be a motivation to crossover is being unrealistic about human nature. There is a reason that officers are treated so much better than the enlisted guys and it ain’t because they are better people.
No disrespect intended at all, but I think that the things I accomplished while enlisted, coupled with my upcoming EE, entitle me to a commision more-so than any ROTC kid or fresh grad. YMMV.
I think it’s a helluva idea…I was enlisted, and I’m going back in as a nurse when I graduate this spring. And I’ll be a 36 year old butterbar, so ease up on that “really old” crap, junior.
Do you understand what I am saying about the crossover? I don’t want to come across power hungry in this thread because that is not what it is about. Like I said, I don’t think I can explain how its gonna feel to pin on those bars for the first time to some one who was not enlisted at some point.
On a side note, I am looking at a September OTS class date, so maybe I will see you there!
I thought the cutoff was 35 years old? According to the OTS site its non waiverable. They say that you must have your commision (which doesn’t actually happen till you graduate OTS) by your 35th b-day.
My ex was USAF commisioned after undergrad and prior to med school. She graduated med school and put on Captain’s bars. I think the nurse corps may do the same thing.
Sounds like you got some really crappy duties. My enlisted time in the Navy wasn’t bad at all. It was tough to get a degree, but whenever I was at the college office, I was one of maybe 4 or 5 people actually taking advantage of their assistance, and I did get my degree.
Most of the former zero’s I talk to these days say junior officer’s have all the headaches of enlisted, plus the responsibility. I imagine the backstabbing, climb the ladder, office politics in the zero world are intense, especially in staff positions.
But, all that being said, I would have gone OCS if I hadn’t become disabled.
Oh, on further reflection, I definitely wouldn’t pull the “I’m prior enlisted!” card from the deck unless you want to see how it feels to be completely isolated from the officer and enlisted communities.
Get yer ass in here, and quit complaining. You’ll have too much fun at work just being busy that you won’t have time to even think about it. The ‘intoxicating’ part isn’t from outranking people. It’s the sheer volume of work you can get done in a single day, and that you can feel really really good about it.
I have put serious thought into trying to get back into a CE squadron, but I don’t know if that will be a waste of 4 years with my degree. I tired of constant deployments, PRIME BEEF, and exercises that came with being in CE. Not to mention the horrendoues AEF turn around time for my old AFSC. I was Power Production. I liked the job, but the constant deployment schedule was too much for me and my family.
And flyboy, thanks for bowing out of this thread. You obviously don’t understand where I am coming from at all, so you are right that you don’t have anything to add to it. Hopefully I won’t run into too many uptight officers like yourself once I am back. Although I am sure I will, I can still wish.
I’m not sure it’s the “being in charge” thing I’m looking forward to so much as having the chance to make a difference and take care of my people. I saw many enlisted people get the shaft from uncaring leadership, and I’d like a chance to do it right.
The Medical Corps cutoff is 40, 'cause they are so desperate for people. And I don’t have to go to OTS, I get a direct commision.
Hooo doggie, that’s a way to make friends. . . :rolleyes:
Rest assured, you will definitely put your EE degree to use. I put my BsEE. And being Power Pro, I can’t see you anywhere else but CE if you don’t fight it. But I’m sure they’d give you a choice.
Hell, I like CE. I wouldn’t be anywhere but else.
Tripler
But I wouldn’t make any pals by calling people “uptight”.
That is a sweet deal. My sister is thinking about it too. She is finishing up her pharmecutical degree at Drake. She would go in as a 1st Lt. And get that 4 week OTS quickie too.
I liked being in CE for the most part. Just no chicks and the damn deployments. Heck, all the chicks IN CE were all enlisted anyway, and I won’t be able to mess with them anymore. Never saw one female office in all 4 CE squadrons I was in. Power guys were second only to Firefighters and SP’s for rotations into the desert.
