So, I've done it.. Joined the Air Force Reserve

[theGinsue]

but they make me want that camaraderie, that sense of always being alert, working for something bigger than yourself.

I was told that I would but I didn't believe them when they said that, even retiring, I'd miss the camaraderie and sense of duty. They were definitely right about it though. The friendships that you can form in the military - especially during deployments and remote duty assignments - are the closest you'll ever have in your life.

... now if we could do something about the inside, lol...

Boy, I heard that. We've still got the elections this November. This is where we can make a difference.

The 302nd cops are good guys.

I got my best SF training from a 302nd reservist SF/CSPD officer. Good guys and they know their stuff.

[ryanek9freak]

Holy shit 5 pages, lol didn't think it would generate this much response.

Thank you everyone for the kind wishes, Thomas, thank you for all the info, that's exactly the things I wanted to learn before I go.

Stu, I go to BMT at lackland AFB in san antoinio, for both my 8.5 week BMT and 14 week tech school. After that, I come back to the Springs, and depending on where they need me, I may be going to either Schriever or Peterson. At this point it looks like Schreiver, my recruiter told me the 302nd at peterson is busting at the seams with people.

I had another meeting with my recruiter yesterday, and im a little upset, as he told me that now I probably cant leave until July, as they have no AIT training blocks until then. I was like "Come on man, here I am throwing myself at the Air Force like a filthy whore, and I'm being told I have to wait? what gives?" I bet that changes when he sees my ASVAB score after saturday. I plan on scoring very high. Been taking sample tests and prep guides for weeks now.

Stuart, btw, you sure as hell ain't makin anywhere near $80k as an E-1, or hell even an e-5. I am going in as an E-2 because of my college credits, and i'm only making about $1700 a month. I literally took a 50% reduction in pay just to do this, but since I will have nothing to pay for but my truck, insurance, cell phone and child support,I will be ok.

They are giving me a $15,000 enlistment bonus, paying off my existing student loans, and giving me the G.I. bill to go back to school. The benefits were just too good to ignore.

[ryanek9freak]

So after boot camp do you get to remain in the state or will you have to move? Will you deploy? I understand that Air Force Reserves are the only branch where it is voluntary. Is that correct?

Oh and yes, I WILLbe deployed at least once ( signed up for 6 years) possibly twice, for about 6 months. And it IS NOT voluntary. Like someone else said, all your training is spent teaching you how to quickly deploy. I don't care, I need the change and welcome it. I've never been outside the US, save for Canada, I (as of recently) have no wife or GF, my daughter is 12 and lives with her mother in Ohio, so as it is, I only get to see her about every 6 months anyway, so I'm not really losing out.

[Irving]

Good luck, I'd make the same decision if in the same situation.

[ryanek9freak]

Yea, I was kinda held back by my former GF, I moved out of her house and told her to piss off, so now i'm free, and have no reason not to go.

[Troublco]

I actually enjoy deployments. I dont like being away from home, but thats the only part I dont like.

You get to go out there and do exactly what you were trained to do. No simulated this and that. Just the real thing.

+1

[theGinsue]

I plan on scoring very high. Been taking sample tests and prep guides for weeks now.

That's how I prepared for the ASVAB tests (I had less than a week to prepare) - my LOW score was 85.

Since you're taking this seriously and preparing, I'm sure that you'll do great.

Be careful though. I was in a hurry to actually get in just like you. Even with a lowest score of 85, once I talked to the the folks at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) about jobs, they kept trying to convince me into taking jobs like Aviation Fuel Specialist. It's NOT what I wanted, but they told me how they could get me in immediately in those jobs. It turns out that they were critically short in those jobs and the MEPS guy had incentives if he could get the positions filled.

If you are coming in for 6 years, you should be able to come in as an E3 (Airman First Class), not just an E2 (Airman). Of course, the programs may have changed, but that's the way it USED to be for 6 year enlistees. I was 1 college credit away from coming in as an E3, but I got the E2. I asked about getting E3 for 6 years (a buddy had done it 3 months before me). The MEPS guy flat out lied to me and told me that it was only open to certain career fields and mine wasn't one of them (mine was the exact same career field as my buddy's! - turns out it was NOT career field specific).

BUT, keep in mind that EVERYONE attending BMT is an Airman Basic until after you graduate. If you come in as an E2, you are eligible for promotion to E4 (Senior Airman) the same time as those who came in As E1's (Airman Basics) - 36 months. If you come in as an E3, you should be putting on E4 @ 28 months. At least, this is how all of it works for Active Duty. The Guard and Reserves do promotions a little differently -- based on available positions.

Before completely committing and getting locked in, be sure to ask about these things. Until you take the oath and sign the actual enlistment paperwork, you can always change the terms!

[hobowh]

Thanks for your future service.

[ryanek9freak]

Yea, I confirmed this with my recruiter Thomas, he did say that I would be going in as an E-3 right out of BMT. Pretty cool.

Say, since i'm going in SF, do I need a secret clearance, or will a regular confidential do? I already have to paperwork to fill out for a secret clearance, but IDK if I will be able to obtain one (My ex wife destroyed my credit by defaulting on our mortgage, and ran up thousands in CC debt)

That stuff is still there, and haunting me, and I refuse to file chapter 7 to get rid of it.

THink it will screw me?

[theGinsue]

In the old days, it was sort of a given that EVERYONE in the AF had at least a Secret clearance. These days, it very well may have changed.

Depending on what type of work you get assigned to, you may even have to get a TS clearance. I doubt it for regular SF assigned to either Peterson or Schriever, but it's possible. If you get assigned to Schriever, I can almost guarantee you'll need a Secret.

Now, your background shouldn't be a major issue in obtaining a Secret clearance, but it would definitely be an issue for TS.