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I am a current undergrad student majoring in management information systems. I'll graduate in the fall of this year, and I was looking into the OCS program. However, I couldn't get into to it until next year, so I am thinking of enlisting for the Air Force. Please help me lol
I think it is a personnel decision and it all depends on what you want. Going in as an officer will secure you a better future...better pay, etc. Once you enlist there is no guarantee you will get accepted into an officer program.
My son enlisted while in college in the Army Reserve and was enlisted. After graduation he went active duty Army and then back to Reserve after 4 years active. He is now 36 years old and should be on the promotion list for colonel next month for the active Army Reserve which he does full-time. It has really worked for him. He completed his master's degree and is certified in at least 3 other languages. The money is extremely good as is the job security and surely beats the college graduates here in town that sell insurance and real estate. Be VERY careful when talking with recruiters. Unless it is in writing, it does not count. Think everything over and read everything at least twice before signing. Never make a move to enlist under any pressure that the job will get away so just go with what is met to be is met to be. And, the Air Force?
What AnywhereElse said about not making moves under pressure and it doesn't count if it's not in writing is absolutely true!
I have a close friend who graduated from college last year and enlisted in the Army as a Combat Medic. He wanted to work in a healthcare field but by the time he realized it, he was already too deep into his business major to switch. Instead of going back to school or being an EMT he did some research on careers in the military, found that Combat Medic best matched what he wanted, and enlisted and he's currently in MOS. He seems happy with his decision so far! And he's the hard working type so I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually was able to get into an officer program down the road.
On the other hand, I have a close friend who is in OCS for the Navy, and his personal opinion is that he would never recommend enlisting over OCS.
I am a current undergrad student majoring in management information systems. I'll graduate in the fall of this year, and I was looking into the OCS program. However, I couldn't get into to it until next year, so I am thinking of enlisting for the Air Force. Please help me lol
You would graduate "in the fall of this year"? No question, get that degree...
Guess what. There are a lot of people looking at the Air Force. I suspect their waiting list might be long. Did you look at the other services and their officer programs.
I served 6 years without a degree. Then I got out and went to college. After I finished my first degree, I re-enlisted. I have served in the US Navy without a degree and with a degree. I also went on to complete an advanced degree while I was serving.
If you wish to, you certainly may. I am not aware of any benefits that having a degree provided me in terms of my Naval career.
To clarify one point a previous poster mentioned. In the context of base-pay; officers do receive higher levels of base-pay than enlisted get. In terms of base-pay officers are paid more.
However base-pay is not gross-pay. My gross-pay was normally 3X to 4X above base-pay.
As you serve longer and longer, you pickup additional duties. Among my eventual duties was 'Command Financial Specialist' / 'Budget Counselor' and 'Tax Preparer'. At the last two commands, officers above me in my chain-of-command earned less money than I did, as an enlisted servicemember. I helped them with their investment portfolios and taxes.
The idea that all officers will earn more money than all enlisted will earn, is a faulty concept. It only works within the limited context of base-pay.
The idea that all officers will earn more money than all enlisted will earn, is a faulty concept. It only works within the limited context of base-pay.
Nobody says that.
Given any two people sitting in the same office (or airplane or ship compartment or armored vehicle) with the same time in service and both with or without dependents, the officer will be making a lot more.
... Given any two people sitting in the same office (or airplane or ship compartment or armored vehicle) with the same time in service and both with or without dependents, the officer will be making a lot more.
Most people aren't in your career field, and most people don't get so many crazy special pays their paycheck is 3-4x their base pay.
For the vast majority of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, the pay they get monthly is:
Base pay
Basic allowance for subsistence
Basic allowance for housing
Or their service-specific/location specific equivalent-named allowances.
And in almost all cases, two individuals with similar length of service - the officer's pay will be much higher than enlisted soldier's pay.
Not sure what you're arguing. That you were special because you were on subs? Okay, you were special because you were on subs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner
The idea that all officers will earn more money than all enlisted will earn, is a faulty concept. It only works within the limited context of base-pay.
The idea that any significant proportion of enlisted will earn much more than base pay, BAS, BAH, or that their gross pay will be significantly more than their base pay, is a faulty concept. It only works within the limited context of people in significantly undermanned or highly skilled fields, or those with such an odd career path as to be impossible to target: submariners, some aviators, some special operators.
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Be VERY careful when talking with recruiters. Unless it is in writing, it does not count. Think everything over and read everything at least twice before signing. Never make a move to enlist under any pressure that the job will get away so just go with what is met to be is met to be. And, the Air Force?
