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Military service
16 years ago
I've been thinking about it on and off for many years, and it's finally latched onto me. Aside from the possibility of dying, the terrific opportunities presented by our nation's armed forces are simply not available in the civilian world, or are much harder to obtain.
I'm considering joining the Air Force sometime during Summer 2010.
Have you ever served in the military? Do you know anyone who has?
What's your impression of the Air Force in particular?
I'm considering joining the Air Force sometime during Summer 2010.
Have you ever served in the military? Do you know anyone who has?
What's your impression of the Air Force in particular?
It's not bad, really - if I had to choose a service to go into, it'd be that or the Navy. The medical military readiness wing is the one I'm most familiar with as an adult, but in general, it's not onerous.
Now, that said, I have a friend I met fifteen years ago who was working in that wing, and he's been over in Iraq for, well, most of the war off and on.
There's definitely furs in the armed forces to ask - I can point you to a few I know or who had just gotten out to ask about more recent trends.
I was born as a part of the Air Force -- my father was stationed in Taiwan for a few years before using the G.I. Bill to fund his medical school tuition. He rose out of abject poverty thanks to our armed forces.
That being said, this is not my reason for picking the Air Force -- I have researched all the branches, and the Air Force has not only the highest quality of life but as well the highest quality of cadets -- they have the second-lowest acceptance percentage of applicants behind the Coast Guard, reportedly, demanding a very high score on ASVAB/AFQT for admittance.
The only concern I have is whether it'll be a good fit. Who doesn't worry about this? With a mandatory 8-year enlistment period (active and inactive duty), and I'll be 28 when I join, the prospect of 'starting anew' at age 36 is very frightening, not to mention that I'll not have much savings (a 10-year officer only pulls in around $55k).
It's hardly an easy decision.
But I need the discipline and lifestyle training badly enough that I'm willing to contemplate it. If I can enter as an officer (4-year degrees are a basic entry requirement) then I could be in for a lot of responsibility, tough decisions, and hard service.
Whew...
Self-discipline, life training, a marketable skill outside music (that can feed back into music once/when I an discharged), and perhaps a permanent job. At the low income of the military, however, I'm probably not going to be interested in sticking around to make 1/2 what I can in the civilian world.
Mostly, the personal development. I'm the type of person that will work hard at any job, so I'll serve my country well as long as I know I'll be served well.