Specifically in the air force. I see that when you join up at 18, you start as the lowest of the low and a true maggot. This is for any service. Any way, I saw with a bachelor's degree I can become an officer if I get accepted into the Officer's training school. The pay is much higher I believe, and the benefits are amazing.
Are there any pro's to enlisting at 18?
2006-12-19 07:41:33 · 11 answers · asked by Lord of the Apocalypse 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
First of all, no matter what rank you are as an enlisted or officer, you are always going to have to answer to somebody. There are no maggots in the branches of the United States Armed Forces, everybody has to pay their dues and be a soldier before they can move up from there. You will be a private or a lance corporal for up to two years, depending on how weel you work with others, behave, respond to orders and act as a soldiers, airman, or sailor. it appears you may want to join the military for all the wrong reasons.
If you want to become an officer, it's definitely, by far not all a free ride. getting your Bachelor's Degree in whatever you wish to study in, in the military you still have to undergo intense training, just like everybody else. Those who are in college and go through ROTC have to keep their grades up and maintain all the requirements of the ROTC program. When you enter the military as a 2nd lieutenant, you have to undergo that branch's special training as well. ROTC if just a preperation course for becoming an officer. Plus, if you think that becoming an officer is going to get you off of performing work or duties, you better think again.
Officers are in charge of military units. 2nd Lieutenants command platoons, which usually consists of between 26 and 44 soldiers. They are given certain duties and training they must carry out, as well as expected to maintain their hierarchy of being an officer. They are in charge of all enlisted personnel under their appointed command by an superior officer. Basically, either way you go, you are going to have to be answering to somebody higher than you anyhow. As a second lieutenant, the lowest junior officer grade available, you have to work extra hard to get to first lieutenant. The requirements are stricter, stronger, and lengthier in time to get to each superior rank.
The pay is great. it's better than being enlisted, but still it's only about $900 to $1300 a month. Compared to other ranks, captains and majors for instance, make upwards of $2200 and $3000, and $3500 and $4100 a month. The benefits are better for officers than they are for NCOs. However, most officers, regardless of branch of service still have to go and servie overseas. There are colonels and brigadier generals overseas in Iraq.
2006-12-19 07:58:41 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Enlisting first means you probably won't get your degree and commission as quickly (if that's your goal). Also, strictly speaking from a pay perspective, the highest ranking enlisted member makes less than a low-midlevel officer (junior Captain). On the other hand, if you just want to serve your country for a short while (not a career), get money for college, do something you can really be proud of, and make lifelong friends, then enlisting is a great way to go.
One note if you enlist in the Air Force. Unlike the other services, the enlisted members who see combat are generally functioning in an Army role... As opposed to the other services, the pilots (only officers can be pilots in the Air Force; no warrant officers) are the primary combat force...
2006-12-19 07:57:51 · answer #2 · answered by C D 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am an Air Force veteran. I was in 8 years and had a really great time. Even when I was in basic training we all got treated with respect. No one is treated like a maggot in the AF. It was a great experience and if I had it to do over, I would definitely do it again. The pay is actually pretty decent once you move off base, too. You get a salary, plus the AF pays for your housing and food and various other things. I got to visit places I never thought I would, gained work experience, a free education, and friends for life. Not to mention countless other benefits.
*** The Air Force treats its enlisted better than any of the other services and I'll bet no one that has been in will argue that.***
In case you are wondering why I got out.. I wanted a stable life for my new baby. I was deploying for a few months of every year. Fun for me when I was single, but not good for my baby.
2006-12-19 08:34:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say the pros of joining when you are 18 would be that: 1 you're only 18 years old and if you decide you don't like it then you're only 22 when you get out and still have a lot of life left to decide what you want to do. 2 Yes when you enlist you start at the bottom but depending on your mos and how quickly you learn to be a good solider you can move rank quick, 3 the pay for an E1/ E2 isn't great but as a single solider you are more than taken care of you don't pay for food you live in the barricks on post and you're making extra money on top of that.
I don't really see any cons of enlisting at 18, other than you're rank issue, but again you can move rank quick : )
2006-12-19 08:10:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pros to enlisting at 18:
- Top level job training in any technical career field with out a degree.
- 100% tuition is paid for while in the military
- G.I. Bill when you get out.
- Air Force has better living conditions compared to other services.
- If you decided to make the military a career. You can retire at age 38 and have a paycheck for the rest of your life.
- Easier to travel around compared to officers.
Cons for enlistment;
- Depending on what career field you go into you can have up to 4-6 month long deployments (you do get extra money)
- You make less money than officers
USAF Active Duty for 12 years Enlisted
2006-12-19 08:36:31 · answer #5 · answered by Raptork9 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Learning self-discipline, a good work ethic, how to deal with people you don't like (and you have to work with them), how to stay cool under pressure. I could go on. There are a lot of pros to joining up. and almost everyone who enlists starts as the lowest of the low.
I do feel obliged to say that just because you a degree, that doesn't nessesarily mean they'll take you into officer training school, nor on graduation are you guaranteed a commision.
2006-12-19 07:51:39 · answer #6 · answered by serious troll 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not everyone starts out enlisted as the "lowest of the low". There are quite a few jobs where you will graduate your A School, AIT or whatever you want to call it as E3 or E4. There is also accelerated advancement, which you can do while in DEP so you can leave for boot camp at a higher rank.
2006-12-19 09:05:14 · answer #7 · answered by onelo150 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is just me speaking here but here goes. As an enlisted member you will get a true feel for the service as it operates once you turn officer you will get the operation side of things. Or in other words as an enlisted member you will make things work and as an officer you will plan things and then get someone to get it to work. Hope that clarifies the differences. By the way, the current military is not the optimum area for those that value money.... heh heh heh. Good Luck.
2006-12-19 07:46:51 · answer #8 · answered by DietrichVonQuint 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, the fact that you don't have to wait 4 years to get your degree before coming in! You can join the service and work at your degree when you are in and then go to O.C.S. That way you will know what it is like to be a bottom before trying to hit the top.
2006-12-19 07:46:33 · answer #9 · answered by jamie d 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You get a great GI bill when you get out. You get to serve your country. You (possibly) gain a lot of discipline and work ethic.
2006-12-19 07:47:20 · answer #10 · answered by ftz 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋