Question about the Air Force?

Question

1. one of my contracts says ill start as a E-1 for 4 years is that true? is that normal or no?

2. how does one become a E-2, E-3+?

3. (officers) is it really hard to become a officer how difficult was the test and stuff?

4. can you tell me some stuff about Security Forces even though you might not be one? ( i got that job, and not to excited about the final pick )


thanks!

5. are there shots you have to get? (is it painful?)

6. (sorry one last question) i heard that some of these kinds of shots will make you insane and stuff is that true?

Answer 1

1. Yes, you'll probably go in as an E1, unless you go in with college credits or have an extended contract.

2. Airman (E-2) - Six months TIG as an Airman Basic (E-1)
Airman First Class (E-3) - Ten months TIG as an E-2
Senior Airman (E-4) - 36 months TIS with 20 months TIG as an E-3, or 28 months TIG, whichever occurs first.
After that, you will be testing for rank. Promotions will be based on TIG, TIS, decorations, EPRs, and test scores (Professional Military knowledge and Career Field knowledge)

3. Officers must have a 4 year college degree, BS or BA. There is no way to become one without the degree, no magical "test". And generally you'll need your masters at some point.

4. Sorry, don't really know specifics about the career field, just generalizations from friends who are SF. You will deploy, you will work long hours, you will work holidays. And that's pretty much true for all of the AF!

5. Shots - yes, there are shots and they are not optional. And yes, they will hurt. And you will continue to need shots throughout your career, based on assignment and deployment needs.

Addtional:
6. Please, give me a break... you'll get a sore arm with a few of them and that's pretty much guaranteed. But as for mental illness?? All shots have potential side effects, and side effects are reported if just 1 person has an issue. If any of the shots were truely causing mental illness, it would be pulled. Anthrax shots were stopped for a few years because of a bad batch. As soon as problems showed up, it was stopped, and not restarted until it was safe. Don't believe every silly rumor!

Answer 2

I think the first 3 questions have been answered sufficiently.

Did you choose SF, or is that just what they gave you? Most SF folks I know are gone overseas a lot for 4-6 month stints. The actual misison they perform should never be discussed in a public forum (need to practice good OPSEC).

As far as shots go there are a few to get when you enter Basic, but they are not that bad. Going overseas to some locations you will definitely fill up a shot card. I think the most I got was before I went to Korea. Had to get several series of different shots (Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephylitis (sp?), Antrax (had no adverse reactions), and a couple of others I cannot remember.

Good luck, and dont sweat the small stuff.

Answer 3

1: E1 with no college experience is normal.
2: advancing paygrades can be a matter of simply serving your time, especially E2 and E3. Typically every 6-9-12 months you can be promoted. each paygrade has a minimum Time in service and Time in Grade before you can promote to the next one.
3: Without a 4 year college degree, you cannot be an Officer. getting that degree while enlisted is difficult, but not impossible. However, you can expect it will take longer than 4 years to get the bachelor's degree. It is EXTREMELY competitive to become an Officer, even with the degree, especially in the AF.
5: yes, there are shots. Only hurts if you flinch.

Answer 4

1. you will most likely start as an E1....but inorder to stay an E1 for 4 years you would have to be a total screw up because promotion to E2 is automatic after 6 months. (reread the contract it probably says you start at E1 because you enlisted for 4 years...if your initial enlistment is 6 they let you start higher as an incentive)

2. E1-E4 are automatic and completely doable in around 3 years......even faster if your a good worker and get a BTZ (below the zone -when they promote you early) ......E5 and up you test for, and you have to have a certain amount of time in each rank before you are even eligible to test .....the bad part is most testing happens mar-may depending on which rank....scores come back end of summer and it could be up to another year (depending on the time you had the previous rank) before you actaully get to put on your stripe. its not like pass a test and bam you get promoted.

3. you can become an NCO (E5 and up) with no problem and how hard it is depends on the percentage they are promoting in your AFSC that year honestly. to become an officer you either have to start as an officer or get a degree then get into OCS (officer candidate school..which takes a very small number of NCOs each year to make them officers)

4. security forces is basically the police on base.....they deploy alot (usuaully 6 mos at a time minimum) and they are in the front lines when they get over there. when they arent deployed they basically patrol the base, pull people over, investigate accidents, check IDs at the gate......normal things any police officer would do

5 and yes there are many many shots.......and you will have to get more every year most likely during the time your in..my husband has been in 10 years and his immunization record is 2 pages long.

Answer 5

i've got been retired from the Air stress for 9 years now. I spent the final 10 years as an AF Recruiter. i would be unable to keep in mind that a 6 year enlistment selection substitute into obtainable for each guy or woman. there are particular profession fields which will require lots of coaching and the AF will attempt to recoop the money spent on that training with you working for them for a 6 year era or enlistment. With the conflict happening, the AF might have stepped up their incentive courses to comprise offering 6 year enlistment to greater profession fields and offering greater $ bonuses. With that selection, the only ingredient it may provide you is added rank which equates to $. In a record that I actual have only study: historic documents and tendencies point out 6-year enlistees have a greater propensity to reenlist upon final touch of their preliminary term of enlistment. That pronounced, the AF must be employing the 6 year enlistment to added improve that is already extreme retention expenses.

Answer 6

...Please... Don't get answers about the Air Force from one of your "contacts"... Get your answers from the Air Force recruiter... your "contact" is greatly flawed... This is "Yahoo", go figure....