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Okay. Well, first of all, I'm a 26 F. Mother of an 18 month old and wife to an enlisted Airman. I'm currently working on my degree and was wondering about joining the AF as an officer. I know they have an ROTC program and am wondering how all of that works. If I do decide to do this, I have a few questions. For one, I do not want to work in combat or become a pilot. I would like to do something like services or public relations. Having my husband in the AF has its advantages and he personally wishes he had done something like services instead. Anyway, how often would I deploy? Would I be away from my son a lot? What are Officer's work hours? Pay? If anyone could answer my questions, I would be extremely grateful! Thank you.
First and foremost, you need to decide whether your heart points you to being a military officer. You will have extreme responsibility, and it will take a lot of effort. It is an increadibly rewarding experience. As for ROTC it is pretty simple. If you join in college, you will have to maintain a certain GPA average and pass a PT test. Once you contract, you must attend PT every week (I think the Air Force its three times a week). You will also be required to take a Military Science class that covers areas you need to know for becoming an officer. After your third year in college, they will send you on a 3 month training course to get you ready to command troops. There are several monetary benefits. While in school you will get free tuition, housing, meal plan, and money for books. You will also recieve a monthly stipend anywhere from 350-600 a month. Once you graduate you will be an Air Force Officer! Officers pay is very nice. First two years you will make about 28,000. If you live overseas you get free housing. Wherever you are you have very nice health coverage. After about 2 years you more than likely will become a 1st Lt. and get a nice pay bump, and within 4 you should become a captain. Once captain you'll be making over 40k, and from there on its greener pastures!
Roxatwist, forgive me for saying so, but I'm not sure the USAF is your thing... If you do not want to "work in combat" you really should complete your degree and work in the corporate world. For example, teaching pays reasonably well and it's "portable" when your husband PCSs.
You are worried about being away from your son. HE should be your first priority, anyway. In all fairness, there are MANY successful military couples with children. But I've also seen cases where the child becomes the mother's (fathers, too...) priority AFTER she enlists or gets a commission. You should already know from your hubby's service that the military is one of the greatest commitments you can ever make. I truly believe that unless you are willing to give it 100%, you should set your sights on some other career.
"What are Officer's work hours?" 24/7/366
"What is Officer's pay?" Pay charts are available widely; if you're working on a degree, you should be familiar with research...
Okay. Well, first of all, I'm a 26 F. Mother of an 18 month old and wife to an enlisted Airman. I'm currently working on my degree and was wondering about joining the AF as an officer. I know they have an ROTC program and am wondering how all of that works. If I do decide to do this, I have a few questions. For one, I do not want to work in combat or become a pilot. I would like to do something like services or public relations. Having my husband in the AF has its advantages and he personally wishes he had done something like services instead. Anyway, how often would I deploy? Would I be away from my son a lot? What are Officer's work hours? Pay? If anyone could answer my questions, I would be extremely grateful! Thank you.
Your husband is in the air force and you're asking us? Amber and Crew Chief pretty much answered the bulk...
A little more about it, everything is different. Most people deploy in the air force, there are still some who never do. You need to expect the worse; you will be away from your son. Generally, an office job has a fixed schedule, usually somewhere between 8am-5pm. Every job and location is different and is subject to change. EG, a public relations office in Iowa might have always had hours of 8am-4pm. Then you get a new commander and the hours go to 6am-6pm. There are also various training and exercises you must participate in, some will send you to another state, some will be at your home base but be very long hours.
Another thing to consider is how comfortable are you with moving to a new location and finding someone immediately who can take your child on a minute's notice, any time of day or night, and care for them until either you return or the more long-term person on your family care plan can get there to take over?
My SIL was in personnel and she had regular hours but they had exercises where she had to be in by 5am, and daycare did not open til 6 or 630, so she had to drop her child off at a friend's house at 430 or so every morning during the exercise, then the friend took the baby to the daycare at a more decent hour of the morning. Another time, she went to S.O.S and her mom came with her and stayed in temporary family style lodging and took care of the baby during the day while SIL was attending classes and mandatory social functions. Her husband was AD as well and he was gone a lot, "conveniently" at those logistically difficult times.
You will have very little time to get this kind of support together each time you move, and if the person you use is also military, you will be stuck finding another trusted person each time your trusted person moves.
Also consider the possibility of overlapping deployments of you and your husband. Do you have a sibling or parent who would take guardianship of your child for the length of the deployment?
It can be done, but there is definitely a lot to consider. Above is only one of the things dual military parents have to work around.
First and foremost, you need to decide whether your heart points you to being a military officer. You will have extreme responsibility, and it will take a lot of effort. It is an increadibly rewarding experience. As for ROTC it is pretty simple. If you join in college, you will have to maintain a certain GPA average and pass a PT test. Once you contract, you must attend PT every week (I think the Air Force its three times a week). You will also be required to take a Military Science class that covers areas you need to know for becoming an officer. After your third year in college, they will send you on a 3 month training course to get you ready to command troops. There are several monetary benefits. While in school you will get free tuition, housing, meal plan, and money for books. You will also recieve a monthly stipend anywhere from 350-600 a month. Once you graduate you will be an Air Force Officer! Officers pay is very nice. First two years you will make about 28,000. If you live overseas you get free housing. Wherever you are you have very nice health coverage. After about 2 years you more than likely will become a 1st Lt. and get a nice pay bump, and within 4 you should become a captain. Once captain you'll be making over 40k, and from there on its greener pastures!
It's now closer to $32,000 a year for an O1 <2 years. However, that is only base pay.
To the OP: Unless the AF has changed its thinking, they frown on officers married to enlisted...though they didn't forbid it.
Another thing to consider is how comfortable are you with moving to a new location and finding someone immediately who can take your child on a minute's notice, any time of day or night, and care for them until either you return or the more long-term person on your family care plan can get there to take over?
My SIL was in personnel and she had regular hours but they had exercises where she had to be in by 5am, and daycare did not open til 6 or 630, so she had to drop her child off at a friend's house at 430 or so every morning during the exercise, then the friend took the baby to the daycare at a more decent hour of the morning. Another time, she went to S.O.S and her mom came with her and stayed in temporary family style lodging and took care of the baby during the day while SIL was attending classes and mandatory social functions. Her husband was AD as well and he was gone a lot, "conveniently" at those logistically difficult times.
You will have very little time to get this kind of support together each time you move, and if the person you use is also military, you will be stuck finding another trusted person each time your trusted person moves.
Also consider the possibility of overlapping deployments of you and your husband. Do you have a sibling or parent who would take guardianship of your child for the length of the deployment?
It can be done, but there is definitely a lot to consider. Above is only one of the things dual military parents have to work around.
Married military couples aren't deployed simultaneously because of that reason; who will take care of kids?!
If the mother is deployed, the father stays at the base; and vice versa.
I personally never recommend that anyone start out as an officer.
If you really want to be good at your job as an officer, spend a tour of duty as an enlisted person first. It'll give you a whole new perspective that you simply cannot get any other way.
If you really want to be good at your job as an officer, spend a tour of duty as an enlisted person first. It'll give you a whole new perspective that you simply cannot get any other way.
Sorry, I just do not agree with that, just too many variables, but I am not going to get in a long discussion on the issue.
If you are qualified to enter military service as an officer through one of the programs available, take it.
Sorry, I just do not agree with that, just too many variables, but I am not going to get in a long discussion on the issue.
If you are qualified to enter military service as an officer through one of the programs available, take it.
Rich
Couldn't have said it better myself! If you have an officer opportunity now, you may not have one in the future.
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