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I apologize if this similar has been asked before, I have searched the forum and can't find a situation like mine.
Here's what I think you should know to answer me the best:
I am looking at the Intelligence Officer position. The Navy has it posted on Monster dot com; the USAF, I went to their site and looked. I am 38, will be 39 in less than a month. I have an Associates Degree in Business, a Bachelor's in Social Science and a Bachelor's in Forensic Chemistry. (Yeah, I like learning). So I guess that gets me in as an officer. Both sites mentioned I needed to be less than 40.
I have no problems going to training in another state, etc. And quite frankly, I just moved "here" in July, so I guess I'll move just about anywhere.
What will this new life for myself bring to the kids? I have 10 and 7 year old boys. I'm a girl, BTW. I pretty much have to make a commitment for 4 years active, then another 4 reserves. Not a problem, but am I pretty much kissing them goodbye for 4 years?????
Oh, I'm not married...but have been "shacking up" with their Dad for the last 12 years.
What "tricks" do I need to know about the recruiters? If I tell them not to give me the "18 year old pitch", will they honor that generally?
Which (navy or AF) would be more condusive to family life?
At your age and with your life experiences I would not be too worried about dealing with a recruiter I would just go talk to one. I would talk to one from each branch of the service and listen to what they have to say.
The Air Force would be more conducive to family life hands-down. I really don't know what life is like for an intelligence officer, but on the enlisted side I can tell you you will have deployments that will last 7 months every year and a half. On top of that you also have training missions and workups which can vary in time span from 1 week out at sea to a month at sea depending if you're going on a training mission or conducting drug interdiction operations. As a junior officer, you'll also have to stand watches underway, but everyone stands watches, except for the ships supply division.
However, you may get lucky and get stationed at an NSA or other shore command that allows you to go home everyday, although you'll probably stand watches on shore duty also, it's practically a cake walk compared to being underway (being at sea).
As for recruiters, you need to know exactly what you want to do--let them know that you want to go through the direct commissioning program (DCO). Don't let them dissuade you into not going officer and going enlisted. If you get the run-around go to another recruiter in the area.
I'd have to say USAF. I retired last summer with 24 years service. As an intel officer you will be deployed for about 4-5 months a year. In the Navy you will be sea duty and be gone longer. You will have to have a dependant care plan to take care of the children when ever you get sent away. You and the family will be transferred every 2-3 years as an officer. If you like to travel it is great. We moved our family 11 times in 24 years. We lived in TX, IL, Korea, Philippines, TX, Turkey, VA, SD, Germany, and two bases in NC.
Currently the deployment schedule for Air Force Intel Officers and enlisted 1N0s is 6 months home and 6 months deployed. One of the most deployed jobs currently in the Air Force. Unless you are stuck in the UAV world at Creech were currently you will never deploy or PCS.
As an Army wife, I would have to say AF. A friend of mine, her Dad was in the Navy and she has told me stories of how much she moved. We have had the privilidge of living in AF housing and I have no complaints. It was actually some of the nicest housing we have been in.
It is true that your kids Dad will not have any health or other entitlements with the military. The only way he would be is if your married. If you do decide to join the military, make sure that you go to a JAG office (if you live near a base or post) and get all the neccessary paperwork in order so your kids Dad has no issues getting things taken care of for them.
on the enlisted side I can tell you you will have deployments that will last 7 months every year and a half.
Thanks for that laugh! My son-in-law is retiring from the AF in December. It can't come soon enough! He has been deployed 4 time in the last 5 years. He missed his 3 daughters' growing up. He was asked to accept a position at the Pentagon for 4 years. He would have been deployed 32 months of that. He said no thanks!
In the 20 years he has been in, they have been stationed at 3 AF bases.
I'd recommend talking to AF recruiter immediately to see if it's even an option...I'm enlisted in the AF and have heard it's extremely hard to gain a commission unless you have an engineering, lawyer or RN+ degree...4/5s of AF officers went through ROTC...
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Joining the Air Force vs Navy
I'd have to say USAF. I retired last summer with 24 years service. As an intel officer you will be deployed for about 4-5 months a year. In the Navy you will be sea duty and be gone longer. You will have to have a dependant care plan to take care of the children when ever you get sent away. You and the family will be transferred every 2-3 years as an officer. If you like to travel it is great. We moved our family 11 times in 24 years. We lived in TX, IL, Korea, Philippines, TX, Turkey, VA, SD, Germany, and two bases in NC.
