Military Choice

[Kyle Maguire]

hey everyone i am a senior in high school and the rest of my life will be military service. i am having a hard choosing exactly what i want to do. I am however definetly going into the Air Force i have already talked to the recruiter and im pretty much all said and done, all i have to do is choose a career field. i really want action, i wanna fight, and i wanna win but i just dont know what i want to do. if there are any veterans of the Air Force out there or any branch really i would love to here what you guys have to say. i have it narrowed down to either TACP(Tactical Air Control Party), a Combat Controler, an Aerial Gunner, or if anything else, Security Forces. if anyone was in one of those and can help me out id greatly appreciate it. Thanks everyone.

 

[Richard L]

Kyle,

Congratulations! I am a retired 20 year Army vet, but any service you chose today, is a good choice (well maybe not so much the Marines...:grin:



I'm sure that LaRue (a retire Air Force vet) will chime in when he sees your post, and will give you more insight as to what some of those jobs involve... Just remember that every job, Military or Civilian, has some aspect about it that most people don't like, and you have to consider everything before making your choice.



I have never regretted my 20 years of military service, and if you join with a positive attitude, you will not regret it either. The hardest part is when you are married and separated from your family for extended periods of time.



...Rich

 

[Robert Thomas]

I think I fly one of those drones. It may be the future.

 

[scott degroot]

I did 4 years in the Army, loved every minute of it. My only advice is to pick a career field that is technicial as your oppurtunities once you get out of the military will be much greater than if you were doing something that was all combat based. You don't know how things are going to play out for you over the course of your military career and by doing something technicial it will make your job transition into the civilian field that much easier. Good luck and have fun....

 

[Robert Thomas]

 

[EddieS'04]

Ditto, on what l1tech said. If I might add one more.

a tech field were you have to carry a Top Secret clearance. Will also help when you get out. Push to get the TS as high as you can.

If you work it out. you may be asked by the feds for a civilian job. Starting at a high GS pay grade.

I carried a TS. I let it expire to an intrim level. Until my total 6 yr comitment was up. I still could have used it for a GS job when I got out of a 3yr active Army hitch. I didnt know I could put my name on a fedral list. In the '70s people with TS clearance from vietnam service, went to the top of the list. I found this out 25yrs too late.

So I was an intrument tech, for over 30yrs in a stinking chemical plant.

My 22months black ops in 'Nam, and using my clearacne at the fort bliss missle training. Might have got me a good clean cushy job.



I know they still do this, 'cause. my ex b-inlaw was AF 27yrs. He used his TS clearance. Went rightback to the same job as a civilian making six figures. He is rear eshlon into cryto messaging and homeland computers.

 

[Richard L]

Kyle,

I agree with Eddie if you are looking for a Civil Service job when you get out of the military, but that does not always apply to a civilian job unless you are working for a company with government defense contracts.



In either case you will still have to update your personal history to get your security clearance approved for you new job. Even while in the military, and in a technical field, I had a TS clearance and continuously had to update my personal history every year or two to maintain my TS clearance.



I will agree with Eddie, that a Top Secret clearance will never hurt your civilian job prospects, but may not improve your chances of landing a job unless you are looking to land a job with the government or a defense contractor.



PS: As an added note: They actually do check on the references you put down for your security clearance application (at least they did check mine). I put my best friend down as a reference, but they actually interview my friend's parents...I thought it was funny because they refused to give them any information because the interviewers appeared as being very suspisious...:bwahaha:



Anyway, I still got my clearance and spend 20 years in the Army and retired from the military without any regrets. The majority of my work in the military was in the computer field, and now I am completely retire with 45 years of both Military and Civilian computer exprience.



...Rich

 

[Bo Loo]

I wasn't in the AF, so I can't comment too much on that service. I did serve 20 years in the Navy as a cryptotech with a TS/SCI clearance.



A couple of bits of advise I could give are



1. It's easy to get ahead in the military. There are those who joined "just for the paycheck" or college payments. You can easily outshine and surpass those people with a little extra effort and initiative.



2. You will have people younger than you as your boss - many times throughout your career. Get used to it.



3. No, they don't really care how well you make your bed in boot camp. All that stuff is simply a series of tests to see if you can do simple tasks under pressure. If you can't make your bed to specifications in a set time limit, what's the chance you can do something more critical under pressure?

 

[Robert Thomas]

The Army in 1966



1. Never try to get ahead (the officers get shot first). Don't outshine anyone and most important, when given a gun make every effort possible to miss the target (the best shots get sent to "Tiger Land"). :fire::fire::fire:



2. You will have people much older than you as you boss. Never let them learn your name. :grin::grin::grin:



3. Make your bed once. Steal a extra blanket. Sleep on top of the bed, that way you don't have to make it up ever again and can sleep longer.:yawn::yawn::yawn:



4. Never volunteer for anything, especially riot control.:btddhorse::btddhorse::btddhorse:

 

[LaRue Medlin]

I was an AMMO (munitions) troop from day 1. Jan 2 1979... retired 20 years later. 1 Feb 1999.... I loved the AF for allmost every year I was in. I retired as an E-5 SSGT, so I couldn't stay past 20... Could have made E-6 and stayed in for a couple more but I had 2 females working for me and they were "womanists" in a job where they should not have been doing. Won't go farther than that, let's just to say E-5 was my max attainable rank after they came to work for me. And not to be partial, I had some female AMMO troops that put me to shame. I also worked with EOD disposing of all kinds of neet stuff. The AF is the way to go in todays "war world"



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[Kyle Maguire]

Hey guys i cannot thank you enough for number one your service to our great country and two all the help and advice your giving me. Honest too god i have 4 books on surviving boot camp 6 books on military codes 3 books on military history...um....anyway its one thing to read about it but page after page after page of just you know heres how to do this and that gets really boring and aggitating. And Bo its like you said some people are in it for the paychecks and schooling, and im just in it to kick some ass take names later:fire::grin:. summed up, i would love to see top secret stuff that is my dream but hey as long as i can get it in the first place my dream already came true. I thank everyone again for everything i will be sure to make another news feed about my last day on and my chosen career field and everything when the time comes, but for now im gonna Keep On Trac'n:driving:

 

[Mark Stadnicki]

Kyle, I retired in 2009 after 22yrs in the Air Force and loved every minute of it. As a kid all I wanted to do was be around airplanes (funny, I was a Coast Guard brat). I started out as a lowly crew chief on KC-135s and worked my way to the top as the lead Flying Crew Chief on the most powerful aircraft in the world- Air Force One. I've personally met 5 presidents, handled/transported the caskets of 2 others and flown to 54 different countries with AF1. As Eddie said, if you can get your clearance, get one it will def help on the outside. With my military background I was able to land a GS-15 job in DC that required my TS/SCI/Yankee White.



I respect all military branches and believe all kids should do a mandatory stint in the military. We have grown into an entitled nation with little respect for our country, leaders and elders.



You're not my kid, but I am damn proud of you for wishing to serve our country instead of wishing our country to serve you! :supercool:

 

[EddieS'04]

If you ever get into combat. Butter up the leutenant. So he will take point. Escpecialy if he is OCS. Otherwise he will get you killed....:bwahaha:



Also if he is OCS. Take the map, compass and jeep away from him. He will get you lost and killed...:bwahaha:

 

[Kyle Maguire]

StadEMS3, my ultimate dream goal is to be on AF1. How?....................How? do you even be considered for that. is there a certain career choice i have to be to get on? And its funny you say Coast Guard cuz i grew up with my Dad being a Coast Guard vet. he still wants me to do Coast Guard but im All Air Force. Just a quick you know question............Have you or anyone on here actually been to maybe Area 51 or seen things they shouldnt? i know you probably cant tell but im always interested in that kind of stuff. Anyway ya let me know i still have some time to figure out what i want to do so please any info would greatly help. And thank you for your service i mean i know im just another teen in this world but honestly my generation sucks. i hate it. to be told that im making someone proud is really remarkable to hear so thank you very much.

 

[rod denton]

on serious note think of the long term what is you would want to do when ya happen to become a civilian again try to pick a feild that will or may transfer over to a skill /job outside the military if possible



i was a us army 13 b artillery crew man and i loved it shooting 100 # bullits

i miss it ....still not much call for a cannon crew man or you dont see 26 ton gun be ing operated down main street usa





good luck and thank you for choosing to serve

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[Mark Stadnicki]

Kyle- I already have my nephew lined up to go AF1 in 2014 after his tour in Japan. It is a special duty assignment that you apply for. You need to be on at least your second enlistment, perfect APRs (appraisals), perfect credit history, no derogatory info on you and must be able to obtain a top secret/SCI/Yankee White clearance (Presidential access). There are many career fields associated with AF1 from admin, communications, crypto, engineers, flight attendants to maintenance personal etc. I chose to be a crew chief because I am more of a hands on person. Plus if you are the best of the best a select few crew chiefs get to fly on the jet everywhere it goes. I still have all my contacts there so after your first enlistment look me up, I can pull some strings like I did for my nephew. Just remember to keep your nose clean during your first enlistment.



Oh, I have nothing to report on Area 51 :grin:



<a href="http://s80.beta.photobucket.com/user/StadEMS3/library/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j178/StadEMS3/mark.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>

 

[James Easley]

Hey Kyle! I'm signing for the Naval Special Forces this coming summer after college, make sure you are working out everyday to blow that PST out of the water to get that contract! Best of luck to ya man



I have a buddy in the air force academy now if you want to talk to someone. I'm sure he'd have no problem talking to ya about what he wants to do/what you want to do! Let me know,





:haveabeer:

 

[Kyle Maguire]

Mark you are now definately on my keep in touch page honest to God. you truely had an amzing career i bet. And J.B i wish you the very best on the Naval Special Forces God knows how hard it is to even get there, and thank you for the advice.

 

[Sorin W]

Kyle,

The decision you'll make soon will follow you your entire life. Best decisions are done when you are properly informed. A lot of cheering around about military, personally been there done that. Here is the other side of the story.

Do you trust governments with your life? Just do some research before you think you know it all. Good info at the following links:



http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0429-30.htm



http://www.createblog.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t116187.html



http://www.noisetoknowledge.com/so_don%27t_join_the_u_s__army.htm



http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2012-06-13/military-suicides/55585182/1

 

[H D]

:banghead: