US Air Force Security Force question?

Question

well i didnt want this job really, i was just persuaded by my recruiter somehow, i wanted like a action/combat job and he said "join the security force you can go into sniper school" but now that i found out that security forces are long hour job and mostly waiting and no combat seems boring. i already did my oath thing in the MEPS. im just waiting to be called into basic training, and training with my recruiter.

so i got some few question:
1. is there really a sniper training in the security force or was that a lie?

2. do you think i can change my job, i dont know how it works but i had the security force as my first pick?

3. how is the tech school for SF like? hard or easy? is there a lot of studing because im not really that good when it comes to studing

4. im korean and what will my chances be if i chose korea as my first choice base?

5. pros and cons about SF

if there's any extra i need to know please tell me!

thanks again

Answer 1

answers to your questions.
1. There is a sniper training school though I don't know how or who gets selected to go.

2.( and this is the one you'll want to know about) When I went through basic in '98 about a week or two in we got some visitors from Tactical air control party / Combat Controllers and I think PJer's. Combat Controllers are AF that go in with Army troops they're the guys that call in the close air support, air traffic controllers with guns. PJers Pararescure Jumpers are the guys that go in and rescue downed pilots seen "Black Hawk Down" the guys with the black helmets are PJers. Both jobs are tip of the spear types. Both jobs are also very hard and have high washout rates. Anyways this could be your chance to get out of the SF job at basic, I've been told they go to just about every basic flight and try and recruit some new members they'll get you out of your contract. Otherwise depending on your enlistment you can try and retrain into another career field at your 3 year or 5 yr mark.

3 & 5. Most tech schools are all about studying. As for the SF career field it's a thankless job most of time. Don't count on getting holidays or weekends off. Long hours are certain. And you are held up to a higher standard since you are law enforcement on base, DUI's, underage drinking, speeding, etc are things you definitely want to avoid. And never fall asleep at your post or in your patrol vehicle.

4. Highly likely and sign up for the language proficiency pay. They'll definitely use you if they're paying you extra.

Answer 2

First, if you wanted action/combat, why did you enlist in the Air Force ?

SF is just about the only career field in the AF for enlisted, where you will get both, besides special forces.

Yes, you can be sniper qualified. But that gonna be based on how well you can shoot and your qualification scores.

Don't expect sniper school, if you don't have superior rifle qualification scores.

Changing your job after it has been assigned at MEPS, isn't gonna be easy.

You will have a chance to change it in basic, but generally, only for very hard to fill jobs, the AF is recruiting for.

You are going to have to study, no matter what Air Force job you are assigned to, during Tech School. You will have weekly written test during Tech School.

The Air Force merged SP's and LE into SF, so now everyone is trained in both areas.

Pro's and Con's:

You could be pulling guard duty at 2 am on the far side of the flight line when it is 5 degrees and snowing outside.

Or at 1 PM in Texas when it is 110 degrees outside.

The job is security, whether in the US, or deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

So you will be guarding USAF personal and equipment and Air Bases.

You will also provide security for USAF convoys moving people and equipment.

Most SF i knew in the AF, liked thier job.

Answer 3

I can only answer this as pertains to the Securitiy Specialist course of 1986 when I wen tthrough. I've been out of the Air Force since 1990 and in the Army National Guard, so my experiance is a little outdated.

Back than the Security Police field was divided into two seperate enities, Law Enforicment and Security Specialist. I was Security Sepcilist.

SS was responsible for providing missle and flight line security while LE were the base cops.

SS tech school was not extremmly difficult. You will learn quite a bit about the Uniform Code of Miliatary Justice (UCMJ), restricted area badges, restircted area security, Personal Relibility Program (PRP). You will learn about your weapons, you will learn searching and clearing buildings. You will learn how to search personal also.

Sniper school never came up my 4 years in the Air Force. We always wanted a shot at Ranger school, but that was hard to come by.

If you want to change your job there is a good chance that during basic they will be pushing an area that they have shortatges in. When I was in basic they were pushing Para-Rescue.

The SP field can have momements of extreme excitment, but most of the time is boring. I've spent more hours on my feet walking a taxiway gap on a priority A restriced area than I care to count.

With that said there is not another job other than Security Police that I would want to do in the Air Force.

BTW if you put in for Korea you will probably get it.

Chad

Answer 4

I was a member of the Air Force Security Police in the 80's. It was a great job and we deployed a lot of different places. Like anything in life, its what you make of it. If you want to be miserable you can be, I and my friends had a blast. It is a federal law enforcement position and you do have full military and civilian law enforcement authority on your bases. In recent years I understand that they have been emphasizing the special forces aspect of our training. Not suprising considering the SF is the only regularly armed ground forces in the AF.

Answer 5

There probably are some sniper jobs available since security forces will have a SWAT team. But everyone probably doesn't get to go to it.

If you speak Korean I'd say you have a very good chance of going to Korea.

Answer 6

Sniper training is a special course and very hard to look for participants.