Prior Service Opinions Needed.

[woaface]

Well, at 19 years old I've started to consider my future from now until retirement and two options in front of me right now are Air Force or Army Reserves through college and then...?

What would be an idea start for me would be a reservist through college and then applying my BS in Advertising somehow to active duty. I'm leaning towards the Air Force although I've only spoken with an Army recruiter about seriously joining.

The school I'm going to does not offer ROTC and while I might switch schools for ROTC I'd rather avoid it. My advertising degree at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale will empower me to do a variety of careers including Creative Director, Public Relations of some sort, or even Client Services. Maybe Civil Affairs in the service?

Anyways, if I could get some opinions and some thoughts or advice that'd be awesome. Please don't tell me not to join the military, I know I can make more $$$ in the corporate world, that's not what I'm going in for.

[Bluerauder]

Well, at 19 years old I've started to consider my future from now until retirement and two options in front of me right now are Air Force or Army Reserves through college and then...?

I would highly recommend the ROTC track if you can swing it. They also offer scholarships to pay for your education. The choice between US Air Force and US Army is one of preferences and life style. Do you like the Wild Blue Yonder or the on-the-ground field duty? Do you like blue or green (or desert camoflage?).

I wanted to fly fast movers and applied to the USAF Academy and was named a 1st alternate. As the fates turned out, I ended up in the US Army and served until retirement some 14 years ago. I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything.

Enlisting in the reserves now during college has no guarantees considering the frequency and number of deployments that are being required of the Army Reserves and National Guard. If I were to bet, I would EXPECT your reserve unit to be called up at least once and maybe twice during a 4-year college program under the current circumstances. I expect that the same is true for the Air Force side. The needs of the service come first and you could be cut short on your education if your reserve unit gets called up. Not so in ROTC because they want you to complete your education and become an officer.

With a degree in Advertising, you may be suited for the administrative field (The Adjutant General's branch in the Army). That's where you will find the Public Affairs folks. I am sure that there is a USAF equivalent. Army and Air Force "advertising" is done by contracted advertising agencies. Of course, if you want to expand your horizons -- there is always Infantry, Armor, Engineer, Artillery, Special Forces, etc........in the Army.

Bottomline --- if you are seriously considering the military, I'd recommend the ROTC track and change schools to make it happen. You may even be able to get Uncle Sam to pick up a large chunk of the bill for tuition and such. Of course, if the Army or the Air Force pay the tab -- they will want 4-6 years of obligated pay back time.

Of course, this is just my thoughts on the matter. I have two sons. One went ROTC and is now a Captain in the Army Engineers. The other son wants no part of the military even though I think he would make an excellent leader and soldier. More questions ?? .... drop me a PM.

Charlie

[RF Overlord]

James, I can't offer you any useful advice as I was never in the military, but God bless you for even considering serving your country. We need more people like you in the armed forces.

BTW, you're so busy you can't stop by the site and visit more often? Do we smell like cat pee or something?

[Haggis]

The other son wants no part of the military even though I think he would make an excellent leader and soldier. More questions ?? .... drop me a PM.

Charlie

Yea, George is the smart one takes after his mother.

James if you really want to join the military take it from someone who was in the realy Army and an ex 11B.


Join the USAF!!!
Aim High!!

[woaface]

Thanks Gordon, I called earlier and left a message, I was pretty sure you had an opinion on the issue at hand.

Here's the thing. I can do ROTC if I switch colleges and Reserves if I don't but I cannot be accepted in to the Air Force Academy because I'm automatically disqualified because of my allergies and grades.

[2003 MIB]

Air Force- I'm sure of it.

If I had it to do all over again...I'd still be a Marine- frankly nothing else ever crossed my mind (no disrespect intended toward other branches). If you are considering all forms of service, that means you don't HAVE to be a Marine. Go ahead and do something else.

Why Air Force? I think they suit what I know about you. You are a talented photograher who also has a keen ability to write. Those skills lend themselves to Journalism or PR. I think the USAF does a great job in those areas.

Don't think reserve units are the last called up- this is the real deal, James.

[Bluerauder]

Here's the thing. I can do ROTC if I switch colleges and Reserves if I don't but I cannot be accepted in to the Air Force Academy because I'm automatically disqualified because of my allergies and grades.

It may be possible that a "cooperative" program between your college and another one nearby will allow you to take ROTC classes at one while you attend the other. I know folks who did it that way.

I didn't suggest the Air Force or the US Military Academy was for you. I thought that your grades were pretty high and that you had lots of extracurricular involvement during high school. Are your allergies or medical conditions serious enough to impact on an assignment with the services?

Yea, George is the smart one takes after his mother

Hey Gordon .......

[Pat]

What Bluerauder said. Read his post several times in fact.
I spent nearly 44 years in the Marines, Air Force and AF civil service.
I can tell you several things to keep in mind. 1. Nothing stays the same for very long. That is recruitment policies, priorities and requirements can shift right out from under you, so keep current.
2. It's far better to be an officer than an enlisted person. Recruiters do not have YOUR interest at heart they have quota's. Don't fall for promises that say "join now as an enlisted, you can become an officer afterwards". The path to butter bars varies according to your present status and may be worse as an enlisted person rather than a college grad. ROTC is perferred.

Don't join the reserve unless you want to see downtown Baghdad before you complete college. After college you will see Baghdad soon enough.

I gather you are looking for a career. That's good that you have decided early and before signing up. Both the Army and the Air Force offer the same pay and benefits however, promotion opportunities between the two may vary widely. Rank progression from 2nd LT to Captain is pretty much the same in both services, it's from Major on up that a person's upward career is most affected by career field choice, service requirements, education (post graduate), brown nose factor and who you marry.

In the army it's the Combat Arms branch that get's the gravy while in the Air Force it's the fly boys and scientific group that ahead in the promotion game.
All services have an up or out policy for both enlisted and officer. So you must progress on their time table or it's the unemployment line.
Those are some of the things you need to check on but don't ask the recruiter ask an EM or Officer directly if you can.

Good luck. I can say I loved every minute of my service life, both peacetime and war, never had a bad supervisor or a bad assignment even though I had zippers on my duffle bag. Buddy, it's really what you want to make of it, but the opportunities are there.

Uncle Pat

[woaface]

My allergies are insignificant for service other than any Academy. My grades differ greatly depending on classes. I love learning and education but when it comes to grades and standardized testing I'm bored to death in no time and I often refuse to apply myself to subject I don't find helpful to me.

I do very well when I am writing about or speaking on subjects with which I have a particular interest or involvement. That's just how I am. Public Relations/Affairs, Creative Management, Marketing, or Client Services are all the most appealing. Nothing with math or science. The only science I ever did well in was Environmental Science AP, and that's more hands on and with less math.

I work very well with groups in which I have leadership responsiblities, I love speaking to groups, I really enjoy directing my environment and the outcome of situations pertaining to the group or organization at hand, and I love new, exciting and challenging material. I love using mechanical things (flying a plane not fixing it or firing missles and not engineering them) and I love debating topics of controversy within a group as well.

And as far as health goes, I'm in good health although I could stand to work out a little more than I have been, my allergies are only seasonal and I am otherwise untainted. I have the stamina and energy to get through the rough work.

[marauder307]

James,

I see from your sig that you're somewhere in the Lauderdale area...might I recommend the Coast Guard?

Here's some things to consider, in no particular order:

While I see a lotta USAF guys speaking up---and, for the record, I have no ill will toward the service; wanted to be a F-15 pilot but these lousy eyes got in the way---there's not a lot of USAF activity convenient to your location.

Unless you relish the idea of an 80-100 mile roundtrip to Homestead every month...or a 6-8 hour roundtrip to MacDill over in Tampa. As someone who at two points in his life was both a college student AND a working reservist (first for my B.A., then for my Master's), I can tell ya that you're not going to want to stray too far afield from the campus. College professors these days are mostly disgruntled aged hippies who may---MAY---hold your service against you. Certainly I had to deal with that as an undergrad; life was better as a Master's candidate, because I was at ERAU and their instructors are primarily retired military.

So...after some digression...you might look to the Coast Guard to help ya out. You've got three major USCG facilities close by, one "in your backyard", so to speak: Station Ft. Lauderdale, Base Miami Beach (off the MacArthur Causeway), and AIRSTA Opa-Locka. I was assigned to USCGC VALIANT, the 7th district flagship, at Base Miami Beach from 1996-99. The base is also home to Station Miami Beach; that station and the one at Lauderdale routinely trade positions at the top of the list for "Busiest SAR station in the Guard". You will get more than ample opportunity to learn the profession of seafaring, and you'll also come away with some trade experience---a lot of federal LEOs got their start in the Guard.

There's also great support for the local Coasties; the base infrastructure will support cheap shopping, although the bases are so small that they don't have gas stations. The local populace will, for the most part, view you in a good light---although I'd be careful in downtown Miami; if you go this path, you'll end up taking a lot of their cousins to GTMO for repatriation. And be VERY careful around the Haitians....

But that's all a lot of speculation at this point. I will add my encouragement to you to the growing list...whatever you choose, I wish you the very best!

[juno]

To echo previous sentiments bravo for stepping up, but do not sign anything until you make the deal you want.

ROTC is probably the best way to go. At some point your current desires for your BS and future may become mutually exclusive with going the ROTC route with one or the other. They may or may not have a use for your field at this time, but you will not know unless you ask. Again, get everything in writing and freely consult the folks who answered your thread above.

[Pat]

James;

Marauder307 has a good point about the Coast Guard (the forgotten service). With the emphasis on national security, I'm betting the Coast Guard will be ramping up in size and capability. Who knows you may be assigned to Girlie Beach in sunny southern California or southern Florida and be home in time for supper.

[natedog1284]

James-
Congratulations on deciding to take the plunge; I took it almost 3 years ago and have loved it since. I can't speak for the army, but as far as the air force goes, it offers great benefits, and an unbelievable selection of jobs. I went through what is known as the delayed entry program, where you take your ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, if you didn't already know). They then give you a list of career fields which you would be most likely to be good at; you can take some stock in this, but if you already know what you want to do, do it, regardless of what anyone says you "should" do. However, that being said, you can pretty much do anything you want to do, (although certain bases only have so many options as far as careers go). It's all the same, because you can still go to school for whatever you want. After that, you are assigned a date when you are to attend Basic Training, followed by Technical School. (Some people do split training, where you go to basic, then go home for a while, then go to tech school. I did it all at once, and IMO, it was a lot easier). Talk to a recruiter, they are pretty helpful, and at least in my case, not very pushy. (Besides, if your interest is in advertising, you'll probably end up working with them) I highly reccomend joining, and if there is anything I can help you with, just send me a PM. Take care,
-Nate

[jgc61sr2002]

James - IMO ROTC is the way to go. My oldest son was commissioned a 2nd Lt.upon graduation from College.
He did four years active duty gaining the rank of Captain.

[Brutus]

Air Force- I'm sure of it.

If I had it to do all over again...I'd still be a Marine- frankly nothing else ever crossed my mind (no disrespect intended toward other branches). If you are considering all forms of service, that means you don't HAVE to be a Marine. Go ahead and do something else.

Why Air Force? I think they suit what I know about you. You are a talented photograher who also has a keen ability to write. Those skills lend themselves to Journalism or PR. I think the USAF does a great job in those areas.

Don't think reserve units are the last called up- this is the real deal, James.

I will keep biting my lip!!