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There has been a lot of good advice given and I can only tell you what has worked for us.
The Air Force.
I spent four years active, as an intelligence analyst, and got some great technical training. One big plus for the AF, if you are into education, is the Community College of the Air Force. Most of the training is accredited, and you will get college credit for it. A ton of my technical training translated to college credits and was accepted by Indiana University, where I got my degree. I even got three or four physical education credits at IU because of the basic training.
I could be wrong, but I don't think all (or any?) of the other branches have accredited training.
I took some extra classes while I was in (with tuition assistance from the AF) and had an Associate's Degree before I ended my enlistment. A lot of those credits transferred to IU, where I got my Bachelor's.
My wife spent five years active (four + stop loss time) and then joined the ANG. She got her college paid for 100% by the ANG at any state school (also IU) and the GI Bill was just free money. She made it to E-7 as an enlisted troop and then got commissioned. She will probably retire as an 0-5.
The quality of life in the Air Force is unmatched by any other branch and frankly, unmatched by any other service anywhere in the world, in my experience. I was deployed with Marines and Army troops, and they were constantly telling us how good we had it.
One time I was deployed as an E-3 and I had my own rental car, while some O-3s in the Army (Captain) were waiting for the bus. I actually gave them a ride into town.
Hey, it all depends on what you want. If you want the true old school experience of war and the extreme physical stuff, don't join the Air Force and don't join the Navy.
If you want to serve and get some great training that can translate to the civilian world, with a branch that will take care of you, I think the Air Force is a no-brainer.
The Air Force has served us very well and I don't have a bad word to say about it. We have a very comfortable life now and I think some of that is due to our time in the Air Force.
Last edited by Knox Harrington; 01-02-2015 at 09:49 PM..
Also, don't discount the roll the Air Force plays in today's military, just because they aren't going house-to-house on the ground in Iraq.
Modern warfare is changing rapidly and a lot of it takes place in the air. You know when you turn on the news every other week and hear about a wanted terrorist leader in Yemen or Iraq being killed by a drone strike? Who do you think is responsible for that? It is often the pilots and analysts of the Air Force.
I'm also contemplating a move to the military. I already have a degree in meteorology and that's what career I would go into as an officer. Evidently that is in demand for the Air Force (or so I've heard). The other option would be meteorology/oceanography in the Navy, also as an officer. I had a professor that was a naval officer and forecaster with the Navy who has mentioned going in the Navy as a career path. I've heard a lot of great things about the Air Force but I've also heard many good things about the Navy. I've been looking online but the Air Force and Navy recruiting websites are obviously gonna be biased about which branch to join. Seeing the world sounds more likely with the Navy which I do like but I'm not sure how I'd like ship life (or even how much my job would require it). I know my professor got his masters and PhD while in the Navy in meteorology and that does interest me. I looked for something similar in the Air Force and didn't find meteorology.
Any pros and cons for Air Force v Navy? Officer training, benefits, vacation, anything. Also I'm still not completely sold on joining the military so any pros and cons for military life over civilian life are also welcome. Getting retirement pay in my 40s while moving to a civilian forecasting position sounds great but I'm not sure if that's worth it over just a few years of service. Thanks!
I'm also contemplating a move to the military. I already have a degree in meteorology and that's what career I would go into as an officer. Evidently that is in demand for the Air Force (or so I've heard). The other option would be meteorology/oceanography in the Navy, also as an officer. I had a professor that was a naval officer and forecaster with the Navy who has mentioned going in the Navy as a career path. I've heard a lot of great things about the Air Force but I've also heard many good things about the Navy. I've been looking online but the Air Force and Navy recruiting websites are obviously gonna be biased about which branch to join. Seeing the world sounds more likely with the Navy which I do like but I'm not sure how I'd like ship life (or even how much my job would require it). I know my professor got his masters and PhD while in the Navy in meteorology and that does interest me. I looked for something similar in the Air Force and didn't find meteorology.
Any pros and cons for Air Force v Navy? Officer training, benefits, vacation, anything. Also I'm still not completely sold on joining the military so any pros and cons for military life over civilian life are also welcome. Getting retirement pay in my 40s while moving to a civilian forecasting position sounds great but I'm not sure if that's worth it over just a few years of service. Thanks!
I originally enlisted in the Army Guard to get a baby paid for, and some tuition assistance. I ended up on Active Duty, and was going to get out every 3-4 years, but at about year 16 I figured out I was a career man! I did a week short of 26 years. I picked up a commision at the very front end of my service, and it was a good fit for me. It was an extremely accidental career, but also an extremely fulfilling one. I know the military is not for everybody, but I am sure glad I joined!
At the back end of my career, I was doing some pretty heady stuff - designing a national police force for a soveriegn nation, realigning theater level command relationships, and having a direct impact on national security in two different theaters. As a 2LT you do what your told, but you move up in responsibility pretty quickly, and you will be doing things that most people never get a chance to do in their life times - and things that matter (at least from my perspective). If you are a "doer" the military is great, if you are an "accumulator," there are a lot of better career options.
30 days leave is REALLY nice! There are several options for advanced schooling (all involve some type of additional service comitment). Family life is decent. My kids all hated being Army Brats when growing up (moves are hard on kids), and all have said they could not have asked for a better childhood now that they are adults, and are comparing their childhood experiences to their peers.
It's hard to explain just how valuable the pension is until you start getting those checks and you friends are trying to figure out how to retire on $1-2 Million and make the money last the rest of their lives, and you realize just what that monthly cash flow really is, and how much it's worth!
My daughter loves the Air Force (enlisted), but the Navy career guys all seem to stay beyond 20, so that tells me something. Not sure I could do sea duty, but a lot of Navy guys shake their heads when they think about my career as a professional camper.
Officer training is going to be tough no matter what. DO NOT GIVE UP.
If I was undecided and was offered an officer position by one branch and not the other, I'd go officer.
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