My 20 year old daughter is trying to find her place in the world. She has thought that nursing was her niche but after becoming a CNA and working a little in nursing homes she is discouraged and rethinking her options. Tonight she thinks the Air Force might be the life for her but honestly I don’t think she has really given it enough thought. She has been raised in a small community and she has strong religious beliefs. She really has been protected and is pretty innocent about what things are really like in the world. I know the reason she is even thinking of the military is because she is confused and since she likes to always be in control she is grasping at straws. So anyone with military, especially Air Force, experience have any advice to share with us? What’s the life really like? The only people she’s talked to are recruiters who tell her what she wants to hear. We need to hear the truth.
Well, it’s pretty difficult to give a short answer to that because so much will depend on what career field she goes into and where she’s stationed.
If she does join, I’d recommend that she get a guaranteed job instead of going in on an open ticket. The jobs that she can apply for will depend on her score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).
All enlisted members go through Basic Training for six weeks. Basic isn’t too bad. Most of the stress comes from being in an unfamiliar environment and from having your personal liberties temporarily taken away.
After Basic she’d go to Tech School. The length of tech school depends on her Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC). You gradually regain a little freedom in tech school.
Then she’d go off to her first assignment. She can specify her preference for where she wants to be stationed, either by region, state or specific base, but there is no guarantee that she’ll get any of her choices. (For my first assignment, I requested Florida and ended up in the Philippines.)
She’d almost definitely be living in a dormitory at first. I’m not sure when people are allowed to move off base. It’s probably up to her supervisor and First Sergreant.
In case the recruiter didn’t mention it, most people in the Air Force are subject to being deployed to temporary locations overseas. So she might end up, for example, spending 3 or 4 months out of each year in a tent city in Saudi Arabia.
On the plus side, she can get good job training, make some good friends, and earn money for college, if she plans on going. And, of course, she’d be serving her country.
If you have more specific questions, feel free to post here or email me.
I am married to Airman Doors, USAF, who is in the Air National Guard.
He’s past his training, having completed survival school yesterday. He’s been to basic training (and I can give info on San Antonio, having lived there), tech school, physiological training, two survival schools (water and, most recently, land), and other assorted training. He’s qualified to work in television as an engineer, running the equipment.
That being said, she may want to consider the Reserve or the Guard in lieu of going into the active service. Airman’s bennies include five years of free tuition at state universities, and a $25,000 student loan repayment. As I mentioned, he’s now trained and qualified to work in a fairly lucrative field that would be conducive to furthering his college education, and once he’s done with that, he can apply for a commission and possibly go into the regular Air Force.
On the other hand, if she likes being in control, she’s going to find it rough in the military. She has to learn to blindly trust the people over her because they have the power to make life-or-death decisions. If she can’t do that, she’s going to be miserable. (Speaking from personal experience there.) She’s also going to have to learn to accept other people who may be different from herself. (Another reason why the Guard or the Reserve may be a good option for her.)
Airman does welcome questions about the Air Force; e-mail him. (His addy is at the end of his posts.)
Robin
Well, speaking from experience, the military can help confused, small-town innocents looking for some direction in life, find one. Yes, it will take her away from family and friends for a while but that can be a good thing too. Often to find yourself, you have to be off by yourself.
There’s a pretty good thread about this here. Tons of good info, and it does a pretty good job of answering your questions.
I’m in the Navy, so I doubt I can be of much help, but I’ll also be happy to answer any other general questions you may have.
Ditto (though Army) and I very much agree with TV time.
In my case, I’m doing what I’ve alsways wanted but couldn’t get into in the civvie world because of my lack of experience. Hopefully when I get out (probably soon) employers will find I finaly have the skills, so I can get a job I want.
Fingers crossed. 
My daughter is in the Navy and it’s been a good experience for her. There are many pros and cons. If you want, e-mail me and I’ll give you my take on it.
I have been part of the AF family, both as active duty and enlisted spouse, for the past 17 years. I joined the Air Force at 18, after a unproductive year at college, over my parent’s (okay, mother’s) objections. Turned out to be one of the best things I ever did.
I, too, was from a fairly sheltered small town, and it gave me a wonderful wealth of experience and exposure to places and people I’d never seen before. I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had (I’m still in contact with many of them, 17 years later).
She would meet many people who are very different from her. Some of them may turn out to be her best friends. Or not. But the concept that everyone doesn’t see the world as she does will not be foreign to her.
She would have responsibility. Real responsibility, including, possibly, accountability for tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, the success of her team, and the security of the nation. And it’s taken seriously. She would be expected to be mature, adult, professional, and (believe it or not), self-directed.
As a young, single female, I found the life itself to be really very good. Dorm life at first, then perhaps off base housing, depending on where she is. If she is intelligent about it, it is quite possible to live decently and to save some money.
And, as heresiarch said, she would be serving her country. And that’s really something she needs to understand up front. The whole point of the AF is to serve and protect the United States. It’s not just a corporation with uniforms. If that’s a concept she can really get behind, then I encourage her wholeheartedly to join.
Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I’ve read the other thread (thanks, flyboy) and I am in a much easier frame of mind. My daughter just kind of sprung this idea on us and it’s going to take time to get use to it. She really is a responsible, trustworthy person and strong and brave too, but we’re really worried about where this decision could take her with the world being the way it is right now. She took some tests at the recruiting office and her scores indicate that she is suited for something in the mechanical field, although I’ve never seen any evidence of this ability. She did lower her bike seat once does that count? She is attending the state university right now but she’s tired of school and wants a change. Joining the Air Force would be a change. I kind of think she just wants someone (but not anyone who loves her) to tell her what to do. As a parent I worry. Does anyone know what the chances are that she could actually be deployed somewhere. She thinks that being a woman means she’d stay in the States and work on airplanes. I know that’s wrong.
You’re right. She’s got an extremely high chance of being deployed. But try to keep in mind that, IMO, this is a great thing. I think you make friends faster when deployed, and you get to see many places. As far as danger goes, she’ll probably be in just as much danger here as she’d be, say, at PSAB in Kuwait. Out of all the services, I’d say the AF gives the best odds for staying out of no-shit combat zones.
I don’t have any advice to offer, but I just thought of something - perhaps someone with military experience could talk about enlistment periods and the like? If she’s apt to change her mind often, she needs to find out how long she has to be in for.
It might be an idea to check into the state university’s ROTC programs if they have any, and tell her it might be a better idea to start out trying courses in their program. It’ll be a more gradual guide into miltary service, and some of the programs let you try it for up to two years without being required to serve in the military.
My father was in the AF during the Vietnam war and he got stationed on a NATO base in Iceland, so there’s a chance that, if she goes through with this completely, that she’ll be stationed somewhere that’s very low risk, but there’s also an equal chance that she’ll be stationed somewhere that’s very high risk as far as survival goes. Good luck.
As far as I know, 4 years is the minimum amount of time for service.
I’d recommend that she take at least a month before she commits to anything. Sudden enthusiasms can wane, and you can’t get out as easily as you get in. If, after a month, she might still think she’d like it, then go for it.
StG
Well, the fact is that this decision may take her into harm’s way, and that is something she should understand. However, there are many other mother’s children who are out there in harm’s way, keeping the rest of us safe. I find it admirable that she is willing to do her part.
You are right, that is absolutely wrong. Just ask any of the female mechanics at Prince Sultan AB in Saudi Arabia. However, as flyboy88 says, the odds of her being anywhere where there is real danger is pretty low. Not zero, but low.
You’re supposed to. It’s in the contract they gave you when she was born, right? Painful though, isn’t it? But remember that time she went on the date with guy you thought was a real loser? or the time she was late and didn’t call? or when she went off to State U and you went into her room and just stared at it? She came through those, pretty much OK, right? This’ll be even scarier, but she’ll do great (she has in the past, right?) and you two will be even closer than ever because you let her decide, but you will worry and cry yourself to sleep more than a couple of times if she does go, but that’s in the contract too, and while you periodically want to renegotiate that contract, you wouldn’t give up the job that goes with it for a million dollars, would you? So…
TV
You’re right,** Mirrored Indigo Shadows**, the ROTC is a good place to start. I thought that it would be nice if there was someway to experience just a part of military life for a week or so to help people decide, maybe this is a way. I’m going to have her read this thread and do some pondering. All of this is very helpful.
I know so many families have loved ones who are willing to serve and we are so very grateful for them and the work they do for us all. This is a big decision but it’s hers to make and all we can do is support her and hope she’s happy. TV time, thanks, the daughter has always dated good guys and always calls if she’s late and she still lives at home but yes, she’ll be okay, if she decides to do this or not, she will make the right choice for herself but it’s hard sending her off into the unknown.
Her dad is having a hard time about this and I’ve had him read this thread. He thanks everyone for their great advice.
I don’t want to be the voice of dissent, here, but not everyone can enjoy the military. It ruined my direction and made me hate the government. I mean that quite literally. Incompetence and beauracracy were everywhere, and it turned me from an otherwise country-loving patriot to an anarchist.
The worst part is, I did enjoy my time in the service. Pretty much.
I would only recommend it if she gets certain jobs guaranteed at enlistment due to her ASVAB scores. And not necessarily jobs that “sound like” she’d like them. Be sure to get opinions from NON RECRUITERS about the jobs. Many rates in different services have terrible advancement and the recruiters may not be that forthcoming. Other jobs sound like they’d be better than they are. There was a lot of disillusionment on the ship I was on (oh yeah, I was a squid).
I don’t want to sound this negative, but this thread makes the military sound like a neutral choice. IT IS NOT. It is service, NOT a job. Obviously a great many people have gone through the ordeal and came out with a positive experience. More power to them. Again, I didn’t hate the service. But this is a pretty big decision. Stay here, have your daughter ask questions about the rates, etc.
If there’s one thing the dope can do, it is supply knowledge. And the military can be like a job, but it is not a job you can just quit. And unless you break a law they don’t fire you. This is a very heavy decision. A mistake in enlistment can cost a person 4-6 years of their life.
I’ve known several people in the Air Force. One of them has plans to be a lifer. Agian, I don’t want to sound so harsh, but this really is more than just “What job do I want to get?” The military is a commitment.
All I can say is that if she doesn’t know what she wants now, she’ll definitely know when the time comes to reenlist (or not).
Also, keep in mind that, no matter how honorable and honest they seem to be, recruiters lie. Thet are the absolute lowest form of snake oil salesmen I have ever met. They will ask your daughter to lie about any previous medical or legal history she has. They will make promises they have no intention of keeping. Make sure that anything they promise her is in writing. Recruiters lie. Do not trust them farther than you can throw them.