How many years would I have to serve in the Air Force ?

Question

i know to retire its 20 years but not that. How many basic years would i have to serve and stuff?

Answer 1

You will serve a minimum of eight years inactive duty…that is what the recruiter won't tell you. You will serve as long as the contract tells you to serve. Read the fine print b/c once you sign they got you! And this is not a God-Damn pulpit, shut the **** up!

Answer 2

If you enlist, it is for 4 or 6 years.

If you get a commision to become an officer it is slightly different based on if they paid your way though school (ROTC/Academy vs OCS) and then their is usually another obligation based on which field you work for.

There is also what is called the inactive reserve. When you enlist, you must serve 8 years on the inactive reserve. If you enlist for 6 years, you only spend 2 years on inactive reserve. If you enlist for 4, then 4 years of inactive reserve.

While in the inactive reserve, you will only be called back to duty in case of an emergency. Usually they just call and give you the option. They will always take volenteers first (other branches can be different).

There is the possibility of stoploss where if things get really bad, the military can hold you after your contract is up. Though, the Air Force hasn't implemented this. The Army I know for a fact does it prior to deployments, I am unsure if it is being used in the Navy or Marines.

Full retirement is at 20 years. You can opt for early retirement at 15, though the benifits are hardly worth it.

Answer 3

Well the basic requirement for enlisting is 4 years with a 4 years period after the first four in which you will be in the Air Force Reserves, meaning that they can call you up if they are in short supply and need someone to deploy-chances are you wont be reinstated once in the reserves but theres always a chance. But depending on youre job, you may have to enlist for more than the basic for years, example is air traffic control. the job requires a 6 year contract because they are going to spend so much money on training you. but know that for every job, a certain amount of time can pass in which you can change your job.

Answer 4

It is an 8 year commitment. Usually 4 years active then 4 years in the Reserves. Some jobs require an initial 6 year active commitment which would only require to serve 2 years in the Reserves.

Answer 5

4 years is the minimum number of years that you will serve on active duty with the US Air Force!

Answer 6

You sign an 8 year commitment to duty. You serve 4-6 of it (depending on your contract) as Active Duty, and the remaining years you can be called back to duty if the Air Force needs you.

Answer 7

You normally sign up for either 4 years or 6. Not every career field has the six year option.

As a rule, you sign up for 8 years, four years active and four years inactive.....with the inactive, they have to have a really good reason for calling you back up...you are the only person left standing who speaks Urdi for example. If you opted to sign up for six in a career field that offered a six year enlistment, then you would do six active and two inactive.

Answer 8

Ok the basic layout is:
4 for airforce regulars
6 for critical occupations
years that can be added:
4 more for officers
8 more for pilots
2 for technicians
(the years above are guard years, my bad)
BTW: our govenment has the full authority to extend your deployment time if they need to, but this doesnt really happen often in the airforce, its mostly the marine corps and the army who get drasticly extended.
You should check out the Air National Guard, we have voluntary deployment times and many other great benefits including incentive bonuses.
Hope i was helpful!

Answer 9

However many are in your contract. I think the Air Force as a minimum four year enlistment. They seem to be good about not stoplossing people.

Answer 10

When you enlist, in any branch of the military, you are obligating yourself to EIGHT years of service. Although you may enlist for four years, the remainder of the eight years would be on IN-active reserve (the IRR), or in the Air Force Reserve/Air National Guard.