Any Air Force officers in here

[MIKESTANG_SVT]

Just wondering if we have any AF officers on the site? I was interested in what the requirements were to become an officer. I was told(have no idea how true it is) that you can get right into officer school if you have a 2 or 4 year degree. Reason why I ask is my brother in law works on Wright Patterson AFB as a civilian(served his 4 yrs.) and was always interested in the AF. Before I go talk to a recruiter, I just wanted to know from the guys that are experienced in this. The recruiters always tell you the plus side, but svtp tells it all. I would appreciate any info/advice.

 

[FordSVTFan]

- Joining the Military - Military.com

 

[MIKESTANG_SVT]

- Joining the Military - Military.com

That will help.
:beer:

 

[noahsark2012]

you are more likely to get in with a 4 year degree. not sure on all the req's but you have to go through 3 months full time, or 6 months part time? (i think) of OCS (officer candidate school), and some other training stuff.

 

[68gtscode]

I separated from AD a little over three years ago. I was a Capt in the Medical Service Corps, so my experience is going to be a little different than a line officer. The MSC is a "direct commission" program (same as Medical Corps, JAG Corps, Nurse Corps, and the Chaplains)... meaning I received my commission BEFORE Commissioned Officer Training School (easy version of OTS). Most officers don't receive their commission until they successfully pass OTS. Regardless, I understand it is relatively competitive right now to be accepted to OTS due to the economy. A 4 year degree is going to be required, although I put together a few packages for folks that had earned their degrees on line. If your brother in law is serious about going AD, he is going to need to work with a recruiter to put a package together. The quality of his application, test scores, GPA, etc, will all come into play.

If you're looking for feedback on how being an officer is... your brother in law should have a pretty good idea of what is expected since he's been in this environment. He is going to HAVE to be willing to move around a lot, and be away from home for relatively long periods of time. Career development will be a lot better as an AD officer. Civilians (at least all the ones that worked for me) tend to be the ones that stay put for a while in the same job, creating stability and a foundation for the organization.

Overall I think becoming an officer is a good career path. I knew a really sharp SSgt in my last duty station, and she was deciding between submitting a package for commission, or separating to take a new civilian position we were creating. She decided to separate and take the civilian position... I think she's still at the same job, and probably will be until she quits. I always thought this was a real shame, she would have been developed a lot more going the officer route.

Just my two cents, hope I provided some useful input!

EDIT- I forgot to mention... Your brother in law should probably talk to the officer and/or commander of his organization. They should be able to provide some useful input into his competitiveness, and having the support and recommendations from the commander would strengthen his application.

Matt

 

[MIKESTANG_SVT]

I separated from AD a little over three years ago. I was a Capt in the Medical Service Corps, so my experience is going to be a little different than a line officer. The MSC is a "direct commission" program (same as Medical Corps, JAG Corps, Nurse Corps, and the Chaplains)... meaning I received my commission BEFORE Commissioned Officer Training School (easy version of OTS). Most officers don't receive their commission until they successfully pass OTS. Regardless, I understand it is relatively competitive right now to be accepted to OTS due to the economy. A 4 year degree is going to be required, although I put together a few packages for folks that had earned their degrees on line. If your brother in law is serious about going AD, he is going to need to work with a recruiter to put a package together. The quality of his application, test scores, GPA, etc, will all come into play.

If you're looking for feedback on how being an officer is... your brother in law should have a pretty good idea of what is expected since he's been in this environment. He is going to HAVE to be willing to move around a lot, and be away from home for relatively long periods of time. Career development will be a lot better as an AD officer. Civilians (at least all the ones that worked for me) tend to be the ones that stay put for a while in the same job, creating stability and a foundation for the organization.

Overall I think becoming an officer is a good career path. I knew a really sharp SSgt in my last duty station, and she was deciding between submitting a package for commission, or separating to take a new civilian position we were creating. She decided to separate and take the civilian position... I think she's still at the same job, and probably will be until she quits. I always thought this was a real shame, she would have been developed a lot more going the officer route.

Just my two cents, hope I provided some useful input!

EDIT- I forgot to mention... Your brother in law should probably talk to the officer and/or commander of his organization. They should be able to provide some useful input into his competitiveness, and having the support and recommendations from the commander would strengthen his application.

Matt

Good info. I'm the one who was considering the whole officer thing. I only have a 2 year associate degree in Science right now and I am 7 classes away from my bachelor degree. Just kind of wondering what options I have. I like the whole gov. retirement and paid housing. And after being a steel worker, I won't have to worry about having a job from week to week. That shit gets old quick.

 

[68gtscode]

Good info. I'm the one who was considering the whole officer thing. I only have a 2 year associate degree in Science right now and I am 7 classes away from my bachelor degree. Just kind of wondering what options I have. I like the whole gov. retirement and paid housing. And after being a steel worker, I won't have to worry about having a job from week to week. That shit gets old quick.

Oh, I'm not sure how I missed that- sorry! Regardless, the same generally applies, except obviously you haven't been working as a civilian for the USAF!

Regarding the additional information you just provided- you're not going to be able to apply until you earn your degree. You'll need to finish your last 7 courses first. You could enlist right now, but that's a choice you're going to need to make. If you want to be an officer, I would recommend getting your degree now, not enlist first.

As for the benefits- they are pretty good. You don't really get paid housing, I'll explain. Your salary is made up of a few different types of "pay." Your basic pay depends on your rank, and time in service. It is taxed. You will also get a "housing allowance" which also depends on your rank, time in service, and where your duty assignment is. Obviously this is going to be a lot more if you're stationed in an expensive area. This is not taxed. You will not receive this pay if you live on base, so most of the time you can do better living off base in a cheaper place, and pocketing the extra money, which is agian tax free. You also get a small substinance allowance (around $100 per month?) that is also not taxed. I believe all of these numbers are available on line, so you should be able to get a better idea of what you can expect. There are also quite a few things that are relaxed while you're on AD. For example, I was first stationed in FL, and established residency there. I then moved to AZ, but kept my FL residency so I didn't have to pay state taxes. All the while I had my cars registered in NM (where I'm originally from) so I didn't have to worry about emissions. This is all allowed, and no one questions it- even cops.

If you stay in for 20 years, you can retire and earn 50% of your base pay (housing, etc, is not included in this). You get more than 50% if you stay in longer than 20 years. I believe this maxes out at 75%. You also get good medical and dental coverage, and I feel a relatively high quality of life. Generally the work as an officer is interesting, and you professional development is better than any organization I have ever been exposed to. You will spend a lot of time in training, and your commanders will generally look out for you (make sure you are doing the right things to be promoted), etc. Job stability is generally high, and I would say it's pretty hard to get "fired" although it does happen. People that are dead weight tend to be forced out one way or another. Of course, some people slide through like most organizations. Right now, there's a good chance you'll receive an all expense paid vacation to the desert, so keep that in mind too.

Sorry agian for my confusion, hope my rant is useful!

Matt

 

[MIKESTANG_SVT]

Oh, I'm not sure how I missed that- sorry! Regardless, the same generally applies, except obviously you haven't been working as a civilian for the USAF!

Regarding the additional information you just provided- you're not going to be able to apply until you earn your degree. You'll need to finish your last 7 courses first. You could enlist right now, but that's a choice you're going to need to make. If you want to be an officer, I would recommend getting your degree now, not enlist first.

As for the benefits- they are pretty good. You don't really get paid housing, I'll explain. Your salary is made up of a few different types of "pay." Your basic pay depends on your rank, and time in service. It is taxed. You will also get a "housing allowance" which also depends on your rank, time in service, and where your duty assignment is. Obviously this is going to be a lot more if you're stationed in an expensive area. This is not taxed. You will not receive this pay if you live on base, so most of the time you can do better living off base in a cheaper place, and pocketing the extra money, which is agian tax free. You also get a small substinance allowance (around $100 per month?) that is also not taxed. I believe all of these numbers are available on line, so you should be able to get a better idea of what you can expect. There are also quite a few things that are relaxed while you're on AD. For example, I was first stationed in FL, and established residency there. I then moved to AZ, but kept my FL residency so I didn't have to pay state taxes. All the while I had my cars registered in NM (where I'm originally from) so I didn't have to worry about emissions. This is all allowed, and no one questions it- even cops.

If you stay in for 20 years, you can retire and earn 50% of your base pay (housing, etc, is not included in this). You get more than 50% if you stay in longer than 20 years. I believe this maxes out at 75%. You also get good medical and dental coverage, and I feel a relatively high quality of life. Generally the work as an officer is interesting, and you professional development is better than any organization I have ever been exposed to. You will spend a lot of time in training, and your commanders will generally look out for you (make sure you are doing the right things to be promoted), etc. Job stability is generally high, and I would say it's pretty hard to get "fired" although it does happen. People that are dead weight tend to be forced out one way or another. Of course, some people slide through like most organizations. Right now, there's a good chance you'll receive an all expense paid vacation to the desert, so keep that in mind too.

Sorry agian for my confusion, hope my rant is useful!

Matt

It was very useful:beer: I'm def. going to finish my degree first.

 

[68gtscode]

It was very useful:beer: I'm def. going to finish my degree first.

No problem, and I think you're making the right choice... especially if you have a family to feed and/or bills to pay! Feel free to PM me if you want to chat further, I was in and my brother is an officer in the Navy. Good luck,

Matt

 

[mellor_21]

i'm goin navy nuke and will try to get commissioned as often as i can, if you ever question whether becoming an officer is worth it just remember that the master chief petty officer of the navy (e-10) is technically required to salute an ensign (o-1) i doubt he would, and it would take some serious balls for an ensign to even suggest it, but its still true lol.
wish we had some of those air force women though.. good luck! make sure to get physically prepared for ots

 

[FordSVTFan]

i'm goin navy nuke and will try to get commissioned as often as i can, if you ever question whether becoming an officer is worth it just remember that the master chief petty officer of the navy (e-10) is technically required to salute an ensign (o-1) i doubt he would, and it would take some serious balls for an ensign to even suggest it, but its still true lol.
wish we had some of those air force women though.. good luck! make sure to get physically prepared for ots

Even more disparity is that an O-3 with the same number of years in the navy as a Master Chief Petty Officer makes slightly more than the Master Chief.

 

[68gtscode]

i'm goin navy nuke and will try to get commissioned as often as i can, if you ever question whether becoming an officer is worth it just remember that the master chief petty officer of the navy (e-10) is technically required to salute an ensign (o-1) i doubt he would, and it would take some serious balls for an ensign to even suggest it, but its still true lol.
wish we had some of those air force women though.. good luck! make sure to get physically prepared for ots

Don't take this the wrong way, but your words are clearly ignorant. An E-10 must solute an O-1, and will ALWAYS do so! Not doing so is a clear violation of good order and discipline- something that the E-10 has obviously spent a distinguished career building. An E-10 would NEVER have become an E-10 (or an E-2 for that matter) if he/she went around not soluting officers.

I would agree the AF has more attractive females than the other services (from what I've seen)... focus on the Medics for the most bang for the buck! ;-)

Matt

 

[68gtscode]

Even more disparity is that an O-3 with the same number of years in the navy as a Master Chief Petty Officer makes slightly more than the Master Chief.

We all make decisions in life and must sleep in the beds we've made. This is life, even in the military.

Matt

 

[mellor_21]

An E-10 must solute an O-1, and will ALWAYS do so!

Matt

yeah i'm not in yet so i didnt know if they did for sure, thanks for clearing that up :beer:

 

[bunk22]

i'm goin navy nuke and will try to get commissioned as often as i can, if you ever question whether becoming an officer is worth it just remember that the master chief petty officer of the navy (e-10) is technically required to salute an ensign (o-1) i doubt he would, and it would take some serious balls for an ensign to even suggest it, but its still true lol.
wish we had some of those air force women though.. good luck! make sure to get physically prepared for ots

Okay, Rant on :whine::

Here's the thing, the MCPON will salute the brand new Ensign (O-1) because that's the game. He sets the standard for all his enlisted sailors. As do officers for their sailors. If an officer is smart, not necessarily new, they will listen to their senior enlisted as well. On my last deployment as an OIC of C-2A Greyhound Detachment, my det was probably one of the best, if not the best, det at VRC-30 (based on number of sorties completed vs lost, maint hour per flight hour, no FCF's in 5 months, etc, etc). The Det succeeded not because of me alone but because of the overall team and the absolute quality of my senior enlisted leadership. I made the ultitmate decisions but I listened to their input, listened to their advice. My Senior Chief (#1 of 4 or 5 in the squadron) had about 6 years on me but he still saluted me for he set the example, set the tone for the rest of the sailors. Thats the name of the game. BTW, half of the squadron's sea going
First Class Petty Officer EP players were in my Det alone, along with an EP E-7 and the #1 E-8 (sea) of the squadron. My Maint officer was top notch but only one of my pilots was top notch. Two were no loads and the others were at least able to fly airplanes :bored:

Rant off

 

[68gtscode]

yeah i'm not in yet so i didnt know if they did for sure, thanks for clearing that up :beer:

No problem, you'll learn soon enough! E-10s (and a lot of other senior enlisted) are some of the best folks you'll ever meet. They take their jobs and role in the military seriously. The ones I used to work with generally felt it was their responsibility to mentor and assist young officers become successful. The ones I knew took pride in this.

One thing most people might not realize is that a majority of senior enlisted have earned college degrees. They probably could have received their commission long ago if they wanted to, but decided not to.

Good luck in the Navy!

Matt

 

[68gtscode]

Okay, Rant on :whine::

Here's the thing, the MCPON will salute the brand new Ensign (O-1) because that's the game. He sets the standard for all his enlisted sailors. As do officers for their sailors. If an officer is smart, not necessarily new, they will listen to their senior enlisted as well. On my last deployment as an OIC of C-2A Greyhound Detachment, my det was probably one of the best, if not the best, det at VRC-30 (based on number of sorties completed vs lost, maint hour per flight hour, no FCF's in 5 months, etc, etc). The Det succeeded not because of me alone but because of the overall team and the absolute quality of my senior enlisted leadership. I made the ultitmate decisions but I listened to their input, listened to their advice. My Senior Chief (#1 of 4 or 5 in the squadron) had about 6 years on me but he still saluted me for he set the example, set the tone for the rest of the sailors. Thats the name of the game. BTW, half of the squadron's sea going
First Class Petty Officer EP players were in my Det alone, along with an EP E-7 and the #1 E-8 (sea) of the squadron. My Maint officer was top notch but only one of my pilots was top notch. Two were no loads and the others were at least able to fly airplanes :bored:

Rant off

Well said. The enlisted force is the back bone of the military, and officers won't get too far without respecting their advice.