Joining the Air Force vs Navy (maintenance, best, aircraft, retired)
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In my squadron it takes one shop to pull an ejection seat in an F-4 Phantom not so in the Air Force. It would take at least two shops to the same job and it takes longer.
I know it works for them but I don't know how they meet the flight schedule.
Turkeytrot, we in the USAF have finally come around to the USN/USMC way of thinking in aircraft maintenance! When I enlisted in 1974, we had a specialist for every system on the aircraft. Few could do someone else's job. Nowadays, the Air Force has combined AFSCs (MOSs) so there are probably one a third of the what we used to have. Nowadays, if you're a "radar" guy, you pretty much work on all of the avionics. If you're a "Crew Chief", you now work on the hydraulic system, too. (Briefly, the engine AFSC was combined was the Crew Chief AFSC, but the Powers-that-be realized that you can't teach troublshooting of an afterburner blowout sitting underneath a jet...
As for the F-4 (and other fighter ejection seats) I BELIEVE (been retired 13 years now; it may have changed)) that Life Support has to come out to take care of the pilot's O2 bottle and seat pack while Egress Shop dearms and removes the seat. The Life Support folks are attached to the flying squadron and maintain all of the pilot's helmets, masks and other protective gear. While Egress shop is assigned to the maintenance squadron.
Last edited by Crew Chief; 12-05-2009 at 08:19 AM..
My husband is in the Air Force and loves it. He has a brother in the Army who is in Iraq right now, A sister in the Navy (who hates it), Brother in Marines. Air Force is a good family branch. Chances of getting deployed are lower. Its all about what you want to do. Navy you get to travel a lot, Air Force not so much.
To the OP, every branch has it's seperate missions. I think getting the advice from several others that have served is OK, but in the end it is what YOUR head and heart tell you. I served in the Marines and did a couple of years with the Army national guard, and I can tell you it was a big difference. The differences were both good and bad. I tell people the only reason to join the Corps is if you want to kill people and break things, but in reality breaking things was alot more common. I had the good fortune to attend schooling on several differented bases. Lackland AFB, Kadena AFB, an Army base outside of Aniston Alabama, toured several Navy bases and I found people who were extremely happy and unhappy at all of them. The military is what you make of it, no matter what branch it is. I do wish you well in what ever decision you make and let you know in a previous post but want to say it again. The fact you are considering serving makes you a Great American and I thank you for that.
If you want a long-term career and a better chance at a stable home life, generally the Air Force is the way to go.
That said, remember that:
One enlistment will get you a full four-year college ride afterwards with a monthly stipend to live on, so you can simply not re-up.
And...
You can switch services. When I was in the AF (81-07) we had folks from all the other branches who saw the light.
This is the perfect time to enlist. I joined in a recession (you don't feel those in the military) and now retirement ensures I won't feel this recession or the long, slow, grim economic recovery and the next recession after that. (Recessions are inevitable, by the way.)
While most other folks have to work into old age or until they die in harness like an abused mule, you can enjoy a military career and be retired debt-free free before age fifty.
At least in the Navy you can say you were in the military, lived the military life,maybe not the Marines but still military.
USAF is about as military as the Girl Scouts, their cookie sales are probably harder, but if soft and easy is how you roll, the AF is for you.
Nice, I'll remember to share that with my AF counterparts during my next deployment to Afghanistan, many of whom have been assigned to support Army taskings for convoy duty and other duties outside the wire. There are more and more AF members with "boots on the ground" than ever before. Pre 9/11 your statement may have held a slight amount of truth, but not so much any more.
If you want a long-term career and a better chance at a stable home life, generally the Air Force is the way to go.
That said, remember that:
One enlistment will get you a full four-year college ride afterwards with a monthly stipend to live on, so you can simply not re-up.
And...
You can switch services. When I was in the AF (81-07) we had folks from all the other branches who saw the light.
This is the perfect time to enlist. I joined in a recession (you don't feel those in the military) and now retirement ensures I won't feel this recession or the long, slow, grim economic recovery and the next recession after that. (Recessions are inevitable, by the way.)
While most other folks have to work into old age or until they die in harness like an abused mule, you can enjoy a military career and be retired debt-free free before age fifty.
'Before 50"?
Try 42!
Enlist at 18, serve 4 to 6 years and get out, attend college for 4-years, Re-Up and retire at 42.
Nice, I'll remember to share that with my AF counterparts during my next deployment to Afghanistan, many of whom have been assigned to support Army taskings for convoy duty and other duties outside the wire. There are more and more AF members with "boots on the ground" than ever before. Pre 9/11 your statement may have held a slight amount of truth, but not so much any more.
the crazy thing is many people still feel this way and actually join the AF b/c of it, then are shocked/surprised when they find themselves over in Afghanistan or Iraq for a year. Another recruiter just tolde me he came across this kid he tried to put in the Marine Corps a few years back, but his mother didn't want him to join the Marine Corps for the fear of him going on deployment as soon as he got out of boot camp. He joined the AF and is gearing up to go over for a third time.
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When I enlisted in 1974, we had a specialist for every system on the aircraft. Few could do someone else's job. Nowadays, the Air Force has combined AFSCs (MOSs) so there are probably one a third of the what we used to have. Nowadays, if you're a "radar" guy, you pretty much work on all of the avionics. If you're a "Crew Chief", you now work on the hydraulic system, too. (Briefly, the engine AFSC was combined was the Crew Chief AFSC, but the Powers-that-be realized that you can't teach troublshooting of an afterburner blowout sitting underneath a jet...
