My husband is thinking of joining the Air Force and was told he wouldn't get deployed as a mechanic?

Question

We talked to a recruiter last week and he told my husband that only a few major types in the Air Force would ever be deployed and we wouldn't have to worry about him going if he chose to train as a mechanic. Just wondering if anyone may have any information about this. I was told by an Army wife that they will tell us anything to get him to sign up and to be prepared for deployment within a year of signing. Before making this major decision I would love to hear other's opinions.

Answer 1

Being in the Armed Forces means being a soldier first and a mechanic (or any other trade) second. If you enlist, be prepared to be used as a soldier.

Answer 2

WOW! that's a lie if I ever heard one. I'm a mechanic (weapons loader/mechanic for the F-15 fighter jet) and I'm currently in Afghanistan.

He shouldn't join if he isn't willing to deploy. Every single airman is deployable. Reguardless of their job. Some just get sent more than others. I have a friend (same job as me) who has never been anywhere except his first base. It's been almost 4 years. Never a TDY nor deployment. He worked really hard to go on this one with me. It's all unpredictable.

If your husband is joining for traveling and school then he should get a job that is very simple and that will allow him time to study. Some kind of desk job. Even when deployed you can still take college classes at your deployed location (most of the time...you can here).
If he really wants to joing then he needs to get a job that he will like for the job, not for the "risks" of deployment and such. Even if there was such a thing as an AF job that didn't deploy he can always get sent and do another job....like move cargo around or something lame that they just need bodies for.
Every Airman must be "combat capable" and ready to deploy....so they say

FYI- deployments aren't bad. Besides Iraq this place is one of the "worst" places to be...and I'm having tons of fun. You make extra money and you bond with the people you work with a lot more when deployed
If you have more questions IM me or e-mail

Answer 3

Everyone here is right so far, and the fact that a Mechanic would not deploy...that is proof that the Recruiter will say anything to get someone to enlist. Again, once that contract is signed they can say, "well, we changed our minds"
Recruiters make a bonus with every person then get to sign up, that means $100 per head on top of their normal pay rates.
I just re-trained into Education & Training for the Air Force. I'm an instructor/ pencil pusher and still deployable. In fact, we have some people going to Iraq in the near future.

Answer 4

The army wife told you the truth. They will tell you anything to get you to sign. But there are things you can do about it.

1. Read the contract you are signing. If there is somethign you don't like, have it removed or negotiated.
2. Negotiate in things like the ability to Drop on Request (ie quit w/ out getting a dishonorable discharge)
3. he needs to be guaranteed they would send him to mechanic school first. If that is not, he may find himself reclassified as somethign more "pressing."
4. as a mechanic (depending on what type) he could be stationed at any airforce base in the world.
5. he has very little say as to where he would be deployed. The odds are he would be deployed somewhere in the world (that isn't a bad thing, you and he can see the world), but you would definately have to be willing to move as often as needed, and where they would send you.
6. a benefit of #5 is that everyone around you is going throught the same thing, and the military has very good services for moving your stuff free/cheap.

The benefit with the airforce is usually they are not near any fighting, they would be "in the rear with the gear" which is much safer.

Answer 5

Trust me every recruiter will say that. I work in LRS and I see our mechanics deploy constantly. Right now we are undermanned. Mechanics get deployed just as much as Security Forces. Every career field has the chance of getting deployed. So if he doesn't want to go then I suggest not to join because he will go sooner or later. As far as within the year, that was an Army wife. Air Force and Army work differently when it comes to deployments. He's not going to go within a year. He gets out of BMT, then he goes to tech school, then when he gets to his base he has to get his training and pass his 5 level test of his CDC's. After the first year he probably will because he has more experience but within the first year, no. They want to make sure you are ready and not send you out there not knowing what to do.

Answer 6

I am in the Air Force right now and the information you received is incorrect. Just about all jobs in the AF are deploying for 4 or 6 months and a few for 1 year. Even the guys who work at the gyms handing out basketballs are going to Iraq and Afghanistan. He will be deployed, but not necessarily to one of those. We have bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Kyrgyzstan or he could go to Korea for a year. It is not really that bad and it is very rewarding.

Answer 7

There are never any garentees about not being deployed unless you are very good friends with high political figures. Recruiters will tell you anything to get you to join. However what they tell you has to be true. So they use play on words and say things to make you assume things. Example my friend asked me if I shower in the morning, I replied doesn't everyone? With that statement I probobly got you to think I shower in the morning even though I never actually came right out and said it. Your best bet would be to ask for it in writing. I whatever the name is will never be deployed to wherever as long as I'm whatever. I'll bet you almost anything you won't be able to get it from the recruiter.

Answer 8

Become an Air Force member and you agree to "follow the orders of the president of the United States and the officers appointed over you." You are subject to deployment anytime, anywhere. If the recruiter did indeed say your husband would not be deployed, that's wrong.

Answer 9

Bull twinkies. Aircraft or Vehicle mechanic, he WILL deploy. he has to follow the equipment, and the equipment..deploys.

In fact, it's safe bet to assume that EVERY job within the military has the potential to deploy, especially withthe state of world affairs being as it is at the moment.

If you are not willing to deploy, at any time, to any where and for any reason, then don't join the military.

Answer 10

If he doesn't want to deploy tell him to join the Coast Guard. All members of the Air Force are subject to deployments and overseas assignments.

Answer 11

air stress is the superb decision. the deployments are much less and its extra kin friendly than the different branches. im a protection stress spouse. and its puzzling. however the coverage is super. on the subject of the lifeless area, existence isn't guarented. no longer something is. hes thinking on the subject of the destiny. and on occasion the protection stress pay is physically powerful and unfastened college and wellbeing care is extra effectual than residing pay examine to paycheck. my husband has long gone to iraq three times. and all i do is say to myself that god has a objective for the the two one human beings. i help my husband one thousand %, and could under no circumstances go away him reason the fact is, i understand that hes doing it for the fam. some wifes cant take care of the protection stress existence, yet to me its all approximately love and staying power and have confidence. to me, death can ensue at every time and at anyplace. in any case, air stress is a lot extra effectual. i advise he joins. he can retire in 30 something yrs and have a pension. sturdy success.