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Until the OP provides more info this question can't really be answered. All we know is the guy is 23 years old. HS graduate? Post high school education or specialized skills or training? Job experience? Crime or drug history? What is the OP interested in?
Until the OP provides more info this question can't really be answered. All we know is the guy is 23 years old. HS graduate? Post high school education or specialized skills or training? Job experience? Crime or drug history? What is the OP interested in?
I already have my bachelor of arts from an accredited school but I don't think I will be going the officer route. I don't think my application to OCS would be competitive enough to even try. No specialized training, a bit of work experience as a tutor and teacher's aide but I have only been out of college for about 15 months. No history of crime or drug use whatsoever. For some reason, I am interested in being a mechanic even though I have virtually no experience working on engines, not even car engines but I think it's something I would like.
I already have my bachelor of arts from an accredited school but I don't think I will be going the officer route. I don't think my application to OCS would be competitive enough to even try. No specialized training,
You don't need any specialized training. If you meet the prerequisites, then apply! You may be offered various training options.
Lol, I heard so many people when I started out stating they were going to make a career out of it, and ended up getting out after their first enlistment. Fact is, you are not going to know until you are already in, but it is a great idea to act as if you are going to make a career and not screw up your chances for advancement. The first step in this is researching your rate/MOS and making sure you select one that has a historically great advancement rate, and no strange bottlenecks at the e5 level or something, though things like this can pop up after you are in.
As for which branch, hard to say, all of them have their pluses and minuses, I think it is more job specific than actual branch for which one is the best.
Also, you should try all you can to go officer, my opinion but enlisted life generally sucks compared to officer life, no offense to the enlisted, I was enlisted for 12 years, but officers have in much better.
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Above all, try to get a job that will be agreeable to you and pay well after retirement (you probably don't care about money now, but you will as you get older). I guess the Air Force would be best for that.
Avoid anything that could bring you close to combat (another youth thing is wanting the "glory" of killing a bunch of enemies in some brilliant way). You might get killed or worse - maimed for life, a paraplegic with dain bramage for one example. You're not being paid enough for that, and our Fatherland doesn't need any Defense from you at this time. We're not being attacked.
Another vote for the Air Force. I checked them all out in the 70's and went Air Force. I got the chance to work as a civilian on an Army Base in the 80's and it was clear that the Army was a total different thing than the AF. Like the difference between night and day. I never checked on the Coast Guard so if I were you I would include that. Air Force is more quality of life but depending on your career goals, etc., it would be worth checking them all just to compare. Above all, remember this, if it is not in writing, it doesn't count and even then remember that the needs of the military trump the needs of the individual. We had a female who put in for a guaranteed job but something was amiss and she was told after going through basis that it was a no can do and they offered her to go back home or go into another career field. She had entered because she had a child with special medical needs so she stayed and took what they had to offer. Recruiters say a lot of stuff and some are decent but others, not so much. Always make sure you understand exactly what they are saying. We had a female in basic that couldn't deal with not having a private room and claimed her recruiter said she would have one. She freaked at the bays and was sent home.
The bigger issues with getting a commission in the Air Force will be the BA vs the BS. Right now, the focus for those getting commissions is on the Sciences vs the Arts.
That being said, you can always enter non-com and work towards your BS in something using some of the credits you already have earned, and then apply for bootstrap for a commission. The Air Force requires you complete a certain amt of upgrade training before they allow you to start college classes once you are on Active Duty, which is only fair. You need to get your 5 level in your AFSC before you are cleared to focus on other training (ie, college courses).
Good luck to you, I too would recommend AF if you are looking at going the distance, but with some of the changes being brewed over by Congress right now, the sooner you get in, the better for you potentially. Historically, they have opted to "grandfather" members already serving to changes being made regarding benefits/retirement plans, but who knows how that will pan out in this day and age of budget cuts.
I'd avoid the Marines - as a former Marine, I can tell you I met alot of people who intended to retire but ended up being medically discharged due to non-combat injuries.
I agree. Wish I had gone into the AF. Much higher class operation and they treat you like a human being.
My Ex GF Son went into the AF because he was struggling on the outside. He liked it so much that his wife joined too and they ended up with a great life, and two homes. He is a lifer now.
I am a Navy vet. Once upon a time I was given the choice of going to Vietnam or on an ice breaker headed for Antarctica. (Note - this was pretty much my fault.) I chose 'Nam. After an interminable trip on a WW2 Liberty Ship from Norfolk to Vung Tau I wound up unofficially on the river boats. I learned a lot on that duty. The downside was exposure to Agent Orange and PTSD.
If I were a young man thinking of joining any military service I would, now knowing my personality a bit better, decide not to. For someone that can tolerate the discipline and the, sometimes mindless, orders I would choose the Coast Guard. The most important reason is they have a very important job as a rescue service and law enforcement. The secondary reason is they are mostly stationed in the US even though some did gallant service in 'Nam.
As an alternative I suggest the OP consider college or a skilled trade, including a Union Apprenticeship, instead of the Service. The pay is better and, unless you are a cop, you have less chance of getting shot.
The bigger issues with getting a commission in the Air Force will be the BA vs the BS. Right now, the focus for those getting commissions is on the Sciences vs the Arts.
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I recently worked with a pilot on a deployment and his motto was, "Poli-Sci to fly". They care about grades more than majors.
As for the OP- you have to answer the question yourself. Just because someone on here did 20+ years in a particular service doesn't mean you'd also enjoy that service. There are so many factors that go into it. If you know that you want to make it a career, do yourself a favor and do a lot of research on job opportunities, duty locations, promotion rates, etc.
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