WhiteKnight '01

The Airforce won't let you pick your rate? When I enlisted in the Navy they gave me 5 jobs they thought I would be good at, based on my ASVAB scores. I only remember 3, IT (Information Technician) CT (Cryptographer) or AC (Air Traffic Control). I wanted AC, so I picked it and got it.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I thought about Air Traffic Control, could you fill me a in a little bit more on what you have to do day to day? I've heard it is very stressful, but I would like to hear from someone that actually does it every day rather than what a pilot or a recruiter tells me.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I wish it worked that way. Basically from what the recruiter said, after I do my physical and all of that at MEPS, I will talk to a "career counselor" and I will list up to 8 jobs that I would be happy with. Out of those 8, they check the new job openings on the 15th of every month and which ever happens to open first, I will get.

WhiteKnight '01

The "very stressful" part of Air Traffic Control is a HUGE misconception. If you are working at a very large and very busy airport, for example, O'Hare, Midway, Atlanta, NYC, Heathrow, Reagan National, then yes, it can be very stressful.

I work at the BUSIEST Naval Air Station in the entire Navy, and it is not that bad. We have several different controllers, they all work different positions depending on what phase of flight the pilot is in. There is a controller who reads the clearances (direction where he's going, pertinent information, etc) there is a controller who directs him around the airfield to the runways, etc. There is a controller who launches him from the runway, there is a controller who pilots talk to when they come in to land, or if they want to circle the runway and do practice "touch and go's", and finally there is a controller who sits the supervisor position, oversees all of the ones I listed before.

So there is a LOT of different phases of flight, but it's broken up between 6 controllers, so that no one controller has too much work to do. I love my job, it's very relaxed, very easy. I tell people, I sit and talk to planes all day, that's the jist of it.

What I explained above is the tower controllers, there is also radar. Radar is just as easy, maybe easier. Approach radar control, you see dozens of different planes flying through your air space, you have to turn them so they don't intercept or hit each other, tell them to climb or descend, etc. Final control, in this one you guide a plane down to the runway, usually when it's too cloudy out for him to see, so you will tell him turn a couple degrees left or right, so he will intercept the runway when he comes out of the clouds.

That's the jist of it, hope it helps shed new light on air traffic control

WhiteKnight '01

Let's not forget, air traffic control is a very profitable job in the civilian sector. The average income is between $90,000 and $110,000 per year. The highest paid controllers make $200,000 a year, and the lowest paid controllers make $40,000 a year. Either way, you're going to be doing alright.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

That doesn't seem like it would be too bad then. I may have to check into that. Would you be deployed very often? I have no problem being deployed, and honestly wouldn't mind the travel I would have as an air crew member, but I was just curious as to what your deployment schedule has looked like. Plus that money after wards on the civillian side sounds great! Imagine putting 20 years in and then making that on top of the retirement. haha.

93Z2871805

iTrader: (5)

AF doesn't use a point system for promotion, its time-in-grade/time-in-service for E-1 through E-4 and testing + TIG/TIS for E-5 on up (+ a board for E-8 and E-9). I'm pretty sure it's still 15+ semester hours to go in as an E-2, and 30+ to go in as an E-3. If you go in as an E-1 it's 36 months until you put on E-4, if you go in as an E-3 it's 28 months until you put on E-4.

WhiteKnight '01

The deployment for an AC in the Navy is 60% shore, 40% sea. We get deployed to air craft carriers or amphib ships (which carry helicopters). Occasionally they will call on an AC to go I.A. Go over seas somewhere and usually serve with the Army or Marines. One guy I knew went to Cuba, or Haiti, forget which, he was a truck driver. Another guy went over to Afghanistan for a year, he was a guard. I.A. deployments are only 1 year.

Most guys in the AC rate do 3 years at sea, then 4-5 years shore. And then rotate back, 3 years at sea, 4-5 more at shore. When you go to a carrier you will go all over the world. Most guys I know who have been to a ship, in 3 years they visited at least 15 countries.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Wow, thats pretty cool. The travel is one of the main things I like about being part of an air crew. I've started working on my Application and getting all of my things such as medical recrods together so I can take them all to the recruiter on Monday. As far as MEPS goes, I think the 3 choices I am going to list will be in the following order:

1. Loadmaster
2. In-flight refueling
3. Air Traffic Control

From what the recruiter was saying, I should have no issue landing one of these three currently. In all honesty though, I would really prefer Loadmaster or Refueling because of the amount of travel I could do.

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, AC in the air force wouldn't be nearly as cool as the Navy as far as travel would be concerned. You'd more often just find yourself on a random base for several years at a time with the occasional deployment thrown in for good measure.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

That is kind of what I was figuring. I was really hung up between Aerial gunner and ATC, but I am really just hoping that I get one of the first two options. Either that or find one more that would allow me to be on the plane, that I wouldn't mind doing.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

Maybe something like Airborne Battle Management or ISR?

WhiteKnight '01

99SSJarhead is right. I'm not sure how much traveling you'd do with load master and refueler. But I can tell you, that being in the Navy we probably travel more than most people do in most other jobs in the military, period. Deployments (or cruises) last 6-7 months, and you will visit a multitude of countries. So if travel is what you want to do, ATC in the airforce probably wouldn't cut it for you.

I like being an Air Traffic Controller because of the lack of manual labor. It's more cognitive, learning the "air traffic control language", and using your head to see things before they happen. Sequencing air craft in a pattern, notifying them of flight conditions, etc. All the hard sweaty labor is done by people in other jobs, of course they are respected more because of that. Most people are jealous of AC's, we always stay inside in the nice cool Air conditioning.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

With loadmaster especially, I know I would travel a good bit. As far as refueler, I would still travel quite a bit, but im not sure in comparison to loadmaster. ATC seems like a great job however, and would be highly beneficial once I get out. I plan on putting my 20 in and retiring, so it would be great to make that retirement plus salary from a civillian ATC.

WhiteKnight '01

That would be an excellent plan. Unfortunately, I don't like the military all that much. It was always my plan to use the military as a stepping stone to where I want to be in life. Get the free job training, and get paid at the same time to use a skill in the civilian world earning much better money. I've been in 2 years, have a 5 year contract. Have no plans of reenlisting once my 5 years is up.

Some people do go your route though. At 20 years you can retire with 50% of your base income. Most people at 20 years are E-7 or E-8, so they make right around $4,000-$4,500 a month, half that and there is your retirement. My division officer, a lieutenant (O-3) makes around $6,500 a month and has been in for 17 years. So if he retires at 20 (I doubt he will), he'll get a nice pay check of over $3,000 a month. Don't forget, if you do retire from the military you get FULL health and medical benefits for life. And health insurance is VERY expensive.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

That is what I am thinking. I think it would really be worth it, plus after a few years I plan on finishing my degree (40 credits left) and hopefully getting into OTS. I would really like to become a Pilot and keep flying for the AF. Of course that is if everything goes to plan, which rarely happens, so having an enlisted career that I like is really important because I might be retiring from there.

WhiteKnight '01

I don't know much about the enlisted to officer programs. But I know my Division Officer, who is an O-3 E Lieutenant right now, he came in as an E-1. Worked his way up to Chief (E-7) in a matter or 8 or 9 years, then went LDO (Limited Duty Officer). He will never be a pilot, he's just in charge of everyone at the ATC building. Being an officer and a formerly enlisted member means you get a huge pay advantage. An O-3 makes about $4,800 a month. An O-3 E makes about $6,500 a month. Of course, he's been in for 17 years also.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

I really wanted to go in Enlisted mainly because I don't want to just walk in and go to OTS. There's nothing wrong with that, but I think it would give me an advantage starting as Enlisted and then eventually working my way up to being an Officer. Plus as an Officer, I think it will be a little easier to instruct people on what to do if I have already been in their shoes and have done what they are doing.

WhiteKnight '01

I like your style of thinking. That's exactly what makes a good formerly enlisted officer. They were in our shoes once, they were enlisted, they were E-1 once! They had to work their way up, so they can connect with their workers a lot better than an officer who came in commissioned would. These officers get a lot of things handed to them. 22 year olds driving BMW, Mercedes, new Camaro, etc,all sorts of brand new muscle cars and sports car.

Working your way up there, you will be much more respected for it.

Tyler_PinkertonZ28

iTrader: (1)

That is what I am hoping for. I know going in being Enlisted isn't going to be the greatest thing in the world, but as you said hopefully I'll be a better Officer because of it. The only steps I have left to get in are turning in the application (Monday), Getting through MEPS, and then signing the contract. I just really hope one of the positions I want is open fairly soon that way I can go ahead and go.