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If you are miserable, they can discharge you. It is not an irrevocable. Or you can be released, happens all the time, in basic training.
I think that's "failure to adapt" or something like that?
It doesn't happen very much in the Army, you're pushed through and then untold misery awaits you at your unit. I've seen guys try to get out by: getting DUI on purpose, test positive on urinalysis, intentionally get fat, intentionally fail PT tests, etc...
I don't know about the Airforce jobs situation,but whatever branch you join try to get something that when you do leave the military,will help you get a good job on the outside.
You like working with your hands and fixing things well learning to be a mechanic for some sort of industry might be good,or repairing computers,and not just desk top ones, but the big ones I assume the government still uses.Computer techs for the majority seem to find jobs because of all the electronic stuff. There maybe other things you enjoy doing that can give you a boast up on some other guy when you leave the service.
My dad was in the Airforce from 1942 t0 1975. He had a deferment since he was working at Briggs and Stratton in Milwaukee.When he told grandpa that he was going in anyways, all grandpa said was"Well if you feel you have to go,go" and just went back to reading the paper according to my dad. Daddy was 23, and as far as his father was concerned,old enough to make his own mind up. Trying to get your parents blessing might be hard,but maybe some of your relatives who served can help back up your decision if you choose to go into the military.
Daddy was a flight crew chief and airplane mechanic.While in Italy,he was recruited to spy on Tito's partisans,this led to him spending the rest of his military career working in intelligence and working with computers. So from one field,he wound up in another.He once said that the military gave him the chance to go and see places that never would have otherwise happend.Just do some reseach you may find a branch you like better.Whatever you choose,we are rooting for you.
Air Force jobs in poor state and most overmanned? Check with the other services. The Army has always offered an exact job before you sign up. Not just a field, but the actual MOS. Just make sure you pick a good one, and that is the hard part for many people...
This was precisely the reason that I chose the Army over the Air Force when I joined. I had to choose 3 different jobs that I qualified for based on my ASVAB scores, so I chose:
#1 – Animal Care Specialist (I loved animals and always wanted to be a veterinarian)
#2 – Personnel Administration Specialist (I also wanted to be a secretary; chairborne, not airborne)
#3 – Finance Specialist (I loved math and wanted to be a math teacher)
When I went to MEPS to enlist they didn't have any slots available for my first choice/Animal Care Specialist, however, they did have slots available for my second choice/Personnel Administration Specialist (it's called Human Resources Specialist/42A now), so that's what I ended up enlisting for.
Just remember there are pros and cons with each branch of the military (e.g., the Navy offers more exotic travel destinations; it's easier to get promoted in the Army; the Air Force is more laid back; the Marines are anything but laid back; the Coast Guard rarely deploys overseas; etc.), so take your time researching each branch.
The military is not for everyone, but if you think it's for you, I say go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained .
Your young and its only four years. In the past it was very easy to take college courses while in the AF. Something to understand is you have to do what's best for you. Your parents won't fund you for life. Consider the long term benefits of the military.
If you are miserable, they can discharge you. It is not an irrevocable. Or you can be released, happens all the time, in basic training.
They don't discharge folks because they are "miserable" as that would result in about 99% being discharged in basic training. Everyone is miserable and they try hard to get recruits to succeed even when they are miserable as most people are going to experience a lot of "miserable" times in the military where they will have to suck-it-up and excel.
They do discharge a lot of folks but it is mostly for medical issues along with civil issues that were not reported prior to enlisting. Of course, anyone that wanted to get out could get out by reporting something that would get you evaluated for an entry level separation (suicidal thoughts, depression, etc.) but just being "miserable" isn't one of them.
I know everyone was miserable when I went through basic training 27 years ago and my son said everyone was miserable when he went through two years ago.
I think that is one of the major mistakes I see in this forum is people talk about military service like it is going to college and hanging out in the dorms and partying on the weekends. Most military members are going to be required to work hard, make sacrifices and be "miserable" at times and that is often overlooked.
I prepared my son the best I could for the "misery" he would face yet he was shocked when he found out he was being sent to work in the cargo division on an aircraft carrier (he normally works on computers). He carries all the food from the freezers, refrigerators and storerooms to the five galleys on the ship. He starts at 0600 in the morning and gets off somewhere between 0100 and 0400. He's had several days where he was worked over 24 hours and just got to take a nap before starting it all over again. He moves thousands of boxes of food a day up and down ladders and he is MISERABLE!
This is just one example but it's like this all over the military and young people need to understand that you're not just taking a job, you're also signing up for some serious hard work and sacrifice.
First choice: Air Force.
The bottom line is that their living conditions are better.
Last Choice: Marines.
Too much time spent living on the ground in the open. Too much drilling. Too much everything.
If you can find a skill that is wanted in the civilian world.
Air traffic controllers make $70,000 to start. But that includes a 24 hour schedule/many different shifts.
There will always be a need for HVAC people, plumbers, and electricians. And computer programmers.
Air Force is easiest to continue college. Obtain college credits while in the Air Force. Many jobs in Air Force are Monday thru Friday - days.
And as a veteran you may get preference for many government jobs and some civilian jobs.
If you do join any military join from a state that offers free in state college tuition. Do a search.
There are at least 7 states that offer free tuition or tuition waiver at all state colleges and universities for veterans who joined while a resident of that state.
But you must be a resident of that state when you enlist. So do your homework. And move if necessary.
Think about what you really want to do before you join and do some research. It doesn't hurt to study for the ASVAB because the better your score the more jobs you'll qualify for. Think about it like it's a career, instead of just a way to spend some time while you get your life together, and you'll accomplish great things. That doesn't mean it has to be you career because you may find out it's not for you, but you'll leave feeling accomplished and you'll have options.
The main way to make friends and gain responsibility is through your work ethic. If you are known as having a great work ethic, a lot of doors will open for you. If you go to school, you could even apply to be an officer, and your work ethic will come into play because you'll need references.
However, for guys who tend to be slight screwups, believe it or not the Army has the most tolerance for screw-ups, the Air Force the least.
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