Outlawfireman

I have been thinking about a career change. I am 27 and have my certification of emt-I85 and Texas state fire commission, and around 50 college hours. Since 9/11 my field has become almost impossible to get into. Pay is horrible, jobs are rare, and bullshit is deep. I recently lost my job in my dept when I pushed for the introduction of a union. I lost almost everything I had. I got to keep my SS, but that is about it. My wife and kid stuck by me through all of this and I thank God that they did. I love service, and medical orientated jobs. My wife suggested the air force, and I'm leaning towards it. I mainly want something that will guarantee that we always have a place to live, food to eat, a decent wage, and provide a good enviroment to raise my daughter. I want to try to get into the medical field because I have been doing it for 6 years. Any informantion on married life in the airforce would be greatly appreciated.

ponyeater01LS1

if your lookin med field go NAVY or army

NightWindDriftr

iTrader: (4)

The AF deploys with far less intensity than our fellow services. That alone makes it more conducive to family life than other branches.

TXZ28LS1

iTrader: (5)

i would definitey be in the air force over the other branches hands down!! but more importantly i would be in the medical field. those guys get taken care of. plus i think there deployments are only 4 months. every other career field is pushing anywhere from 6-8 months which is f*ckin bullshit.

MrLM7

I think you should look into working for the Air Force as a civilian. No deployments, no BMT, and it is still a GS job... Never forget, the most powerful rank in the Air Force is civilian...

rabbit102

iTrader: (1)

Thats a shame man. I'm A FF/EMT/Paramedic 2 down here in South Florida. Jobs are VERY tough to come by down here due to taxes and cities/counties not hiring. I would suggest taking the AF route because from what I have read (when I was enlisting with the Marines) looking at every service, the AF was a more "cushy/dependable job". Not to say the AF is not great and they deserve all respect (Grandpa was Full Colonel in AF for 30 yrs was in SAC,GEEIA etc) but Marines was the lifestyle I wanted. Have you considered being a corpsman in the Navy ? Are you against deploying? That stuff all depends. If you have a family, I'd suggest trying to stay in the AF where you are less likely to deploy (if you do, the conditions are better)

Compg

The AF still has the deployment buckets that everyone in the AF is assigned to now. IT's a two year rotational basis with 14 months home for rocon. time for training and stuff then your AEF is on deck for a 6 month deployment. All AF is 6 month deployment now, still much better then the average 18 month deployment of our brothers in green, but to say your not gonna deploy is horse **** its coming. And as a medic your going without a doubt to Balad AB (it's o.k. there only taking an average of 7 mortor hits a day now). If your not wanting to deploy and go fight the good fight then don't join, PERIOD!
Tate

MrLM7

The "buckets" he is referring to just means when you are most likely... You don't necessarily (sp?) deploy at that time, or just at that time... Especially if you get a PRP base, which you deploy way less...

Outlawfireman

If I have to go to Iraq, so be it. I have no problem serving my country, and makeing it safe for my wife and daughter. The reason I was looking into the AF was as much for them as it was for me. From everything I have read and all the people I have talked to, they have all said that the AF is the best branch for family life, and also for my skill level. My recruter said something about getting copy's of my certifications, and letters or recomendation saying how long I have been in the field. He said that that would more than likely get me in as an E-3 with a guaranteed job in my field. Sounds to good to be true, i'm just wondering if he's full of crap.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

They are supposed to follow the AEF bucket they put you in. If your leadership breaks the bucket format to "send you" because you haven't ever gone because you've been lucky and didn't go in your rotation then you cry foul to your FAM and your Super gets nailed. Happened here at Shaw several times. Then again, we just moved to 6 months for our AFSC so we shouldn't deploy AS much. Since being here at Shaw in '06 I've been on 4 deployments already with a fifth coming in Sept. But I like deploying

ponyeater01LS1

get use to that they are all full of crap, all they are is car sales men, hate to say it but its the truth. they only tell u what you wanna hear. Me being a Marine I would not change it for all the money in the world i've had the time of my life and its gone way to fast, just put it this way i am going to hate to retire I've had that much fun.

Z28/2002

iTrader: (27)

They cut 1300 or so AF firefighters last year. The EMT cert you have doesn't mean jack unless you are nationally registered. You don't see much action on an AF base(depends on where you get stationed), Seymour's medics quit running on base calls unless it involves aircraft. We have to call the county EMS to respond on base when something happens.


FYI: I'm an Air Force firefighter

MrLM7

Next time you go to CATM to fire your gun, tell SSgt Black Barksdale misses him...

As far as the recruiter thing goes, don't believe anything he says unless it's in your contract.

Outlawfireman

I am Nationally registered. SO maybe that will count for something. How difficult is it to get into the Med field? I have seen several hospital based jobs that interest me. Do any of you know which military medical jobs transfer well into the civilian world? I am curious because when I retire from the military I want a certification and skill that will transfer into a well paying civilian career. I figure that more than likely I can put twenty years into both and draw two retirements and social security when I get old enough.

Z28/2002

iTrader: (27)

Can Do


It's funny you mentioned that because my requal is coming up real soon

2002t/a06

iTrader: (2)

Im enlisted AF and my job is a 4NO. I am a nationally registered EMT-B and I also do a lot of nursing stuff too because our scope of practice is stretched quite a bit because we are military. It is not that hard to get this job in the AF.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

You wanna save lives and have a mix of EMT with hostile environments, I have on motto for you to see

2002t/a06

iTrader: (2)

If you are nationally registered then you wont have to take registry again. hell that test was the hardest part of tech school. I new someone when i was in tech school that already had his NREMT and he didnt have to take the 4 week course again. Instead of a roughly 3 month tech school yours would only be about 2 months. Of course after that you have a 2 month phase 2 of on the job training which is a blast! Like i stated above my job (4NO) is actually the most common medical job in the air force. we do all sorts of things besides emt stuff ( IV's, blood draws, foley's, NG tubes, immunizations etc. the list goes on and you do different things at different bases) I wouldnt see any problem with you getting this job. you might have to wait a couple months for a spot to open up but you can definately get it. join the ranks of the air force's best medics!! If you need any more info just shoot me a pm or something.

Vee 6

x10!

Outlawfireman-
PJs are badass. If you're physically and mentally fit for the challenge I bet you'd love this job. The washout rate is VERY high. The EMT stuff should be cake for you. Plus PJs get all the nice ****. Not to mention you'd get to shoot stuff and get certified for scuba diving and skydiving. Only downside is you'll be gone quite a bit. Just the schools alone you have to go to for the first couple of years will keep you away from your family awhile.

I knew a couple of PJs that got out and did civilian search and rescues. I don't know how much demand there is for someone like that on the outside but that's always a possibility if you decide to get out.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

Its been considered by MANY to be the hardest school in the entire Armed Forces. Not only are you learning tactical but you also have to learn life saving. If he's an EMT, he's already a huge jump ahead of an entire class of people.

I've worked with several people in SOCOM, and they are by far the one group of guys that I prefer not to **** off they will recieve SCUBA/HALO/Jump wings and they will learn fast rope and about 20 million other things that only AFSOC can provide

Demand on the outside is HUGE! Places like Oregon and Cali crave these people like its nobodies business. Hell, depending on where he got stationed (if he received his maroon beret) he would be doing 90% civilian airlift anyways.

Keep in mind, I think 90% of the receivers of the AF Cross (2nd highest decoration outside the MOH) have been PJ's. If you wanna see them in "action" in a movie watch, Perfect Storm and Blackhawk down.