Part 2 Military Questions

This is really for people who are or have served in a military branch.

I've decided I'm going to go for the Air Force, everything seems alright with it and me for now, I'm just kinda nervous about basic training, I hear 'eh it's not so bad' and 'omg it's ***** hell dude!!!!"

Can anyone post their experiences in it? Try not to be vague

ok!

Repub...I left you a message do if you wanna chat and you have any messengers (AIM, MSN, Y!, Skype) let me know. I will give you a fair and HONEST appraisal to include the good and the bad

With that said...

I registered on Sept 10, 2001 (interesting I know but I promise a coincidence)

You will go to your recruiter and he'll ask you some questions (education, criminal background, tattoos, drug use...blah blah) then when it's satisfactory he will show you jobs available and you choose either a specific job or what they call open...do NOT go open because they will throw you into the first crappy job they find.

After all that and some paperwork you go to MEP (processing) You'll do a short strength test, physical, and then the ASVAB test. This will determine what jobs you can get. I can give you a link to do a practice test if you want.

Once you are done you will more than likely go home and wait for your leave date. Then that day comes...the night before you go to MEPs again. Stay overnight in a hotel usually then the next day you leave (typically by plane) for San Antonio. You get there and then the fun begins. You'll sit in the airport for hours, then get yelled at and blah blah...

After some paperwork you'll get some sleep for a little while then it starts. In basic you will go through modules (Physical training, history of the AF, rifle training, basic infantry training and so forth)

Once done you will go to your tech school. Depending on the job it could be as short as 4 weeks or as long as a year.

Once you leave tech school you'll be at your first base. You will fill out a dream sheet of where you want to go and inevitably not get a single one of your choices.

Those are the VERY basics of it.

My experience is a bit different though

I was a 2W2 (nuclear weapons specialist)

During basic I took a couple days out to call and get info because I had to go through a Top Secret clearance and then a bit extra for the weapons design and such. However if you get a high clearance job count yourself lucky :-p

In basic all high clearance jobs spend two days calling all their friends and family asking questions and you get to talk to them...was a nice break trust me

I left for Sheppard AFB in Texas after basic. I was there for 11 weeks training on the various nuclear components and delivery systems. Then I left for Minot AFB (North Dakota) and settled into to the Minuteman ICBM. Essentially my job was to build and repair the nuclear tips on them.

It's difficult to relate that job to normal Air Force because we have a different life. We never deploy to war, we don't answer to the same chain of command on many occasions and as opposed to working for one Wing (the level of command that owns a base) we answer to 2. I will say now I have never been to war. I switched jobs when I left active duty to become a 3M0 (Chef/cook/fitness center manager/mortuary) though like 95% of us are chefs/cooks.

AFSC List

basic jobs list

What I would like to do is chat with you live. Like I said...no BS...I will tell you the good and the bad....U2U me if you have any messengers

-Kyo

reply to post by KyoZero

You will go to your recruiter and he'll ask you some questions (education, criminal background, tattoos, drug use...blah blah)

I am really curious as to why they ask you about tattoo's. Not trying to be funny or rude here but at the present moment I am unable to come up with a reason for asking this.

I guess I am missing something here but is there a good reason for this?

Originally posted by tribewilder
reply to post by KyoZero

 

You will go to your recruiter and he'll ask you some questions (education, criminal background, tattoos, drug use...blah blah)

I am really curious as to why they ask you about tattoo's. Not trying to be funny or rude here but at the present moment I am unable to come up with a reason for asking this.

I guess I am missing something here but is there a good reason for this?

Image, I have a tattoo but it's just above shirt on the arm part, so it's not visible in a short sleeved short, but say you had a big tattoo of satan on your forearm that makes the Air Force look bad. It's a job too.

reply to post by KyoZero


Alright I'm going to take an Astrophysics Exam now, but then I'll create a AIM address and contact you with more questions

Thanks for the help.

reply to post by tribewilder


it's not even something I like honestly...

They want a clean look. The rules are as follows (going on memory so bear with me)

Tattoos must not be offensive in nature (no swastikas, anti-black, anti-gay...anti-anything really)

No tattoos can be visible on the face or neck or throat

Tattoo's are ok on the lower arms so long as they don't cover more than 25% of the exposed limb...HOWEVER this just changed

NO TATTOOS at all on the saluting arm....I have the symbol of Isis on the inside of my right wrist so it is grandfathered in

-Kyo