My son got his USAF ship date
#1
My son got his USAF ship date
My son finally got his job and ship date. It's not the job he wanted. It was the last pick on his list of 8. But the recruiter said he's locked in that unless he drops out of DEP. I think it's BS, but that's what they say.
He wanted Loadmaster but ended up with in flight refuel. But he's happy to be finally getting in.
MEPPS was easy for him. Since he's 21 and a little older and more mature than all the HS kids running around, he was treated differently. Even though he has a helleva medical history, tattoos, etc. Plus I had his medical records squared away, he went right through with no questions or kickbacks.
I told him to tell the MEPPS people, he's not there to look for a job, he's there to start his career.
Report date of 30AUG. I'm intent on booting his *** out, but he is my little race buddy. Brought him up racing MX and being around alot of drag racing and carshows. Now his Z28 is one badass AutoX machine he built himself. But he still has a lot to learn. I figure I'll just build him engines and ship them to him so he doesn't have to take ALL my expensive tools. LOL
He wanted Loadmaster but ended up with in flight refuel. But he's happy to be finally getting in.
MEPPS was easy for him. Since he's 21 and a little older and more mature than all the HS kids running around, he was treated differently. Even though he has a helleva medical history, tattoos, etc. Plus I had his medical records squared away, he went right through with no questions or kickbacks.
I told him to tell the MEPPS people, he's not there to look for a job, he's there to start his career.
Report date of 30AUG. I'm intent on booting his *** out, but he is my little race buddy. Brought him up racing MX and being around alot of drag racing and carshows. Now his Z28 is one badass AutoX machine he built himself. But he still has a lot to learn. I figure I'll just build him engines and ship them to him so he doesn't have to take ALL my expensive tools. LOL
#3
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Concur, my son wanted load or boom, neither available, ended up on the new F-35 JSF program. He is in Tech School now and he is ready to take on the world!!! We were all like that at one time, LoL.
1A3x1 Here, did 21yrs myself and very humbled my son decided to join the USAF too. He is 22yrs old.
There is a fantastic USAF boot camp Facebook group. It's for the mom's but those moms can tell you about everything, I mean everything!
Also, unlike when I went through in 1984, graduation is must attend event, the AF puts on a major four day graduation event every week!
Good luck to your son!
1A3x1 Here, did 21yrs myself and very humbled my son decided to join the USAF too. He is 22yrs old.
There is a fantastic USAF boot camp Facebook group. It's for the mom's but those moms can tell you about everything, I mean everything!
Also, unlike when I went through in 1984, graduation is must attend event, the AF puts on a major four day graduation event every week!
Good luck to your son!
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#9
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If he got picked up as a boom operator (inflight refueling journeyman or something like that) then he will LOVE his job.
Boom operators have the BEST enlisted job in the Air Force IMO.
Boom operators have the BEST enlisted job in the Air Force IMO.
#11
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/AFMoms/
#12
Thanks fellas. He's definitely ready to go. He figures the more he's in the air, the more $$ he saves for his car.
BTW, what's the promotions like for a job like this? I have no idea how AF promotions work. I think he's going in as E2 or E3 due to his college credits.
BTW, what's the promotions like for a job like this? I have no idea how AF promotions work. I think he's going in as E2 or E3 due to his college credits.
#13
Actually getting any enlisted aircrew position is pretty darn lucky, aircraft maintenances and security forces is where most people go.
He will have an opportunity to cross train down the roads if he wants to try something else.
He will have an opportunity to cross train down the roads if he wants to try something else.
#14
E-5 to E-6 Promotions are in the hands of the individual, performance and scores on a specialty knowledge test and the professional development guide. Highest overall points within the open slots gets selected. Percentages across the AFSCs are about the same, but the pool of eligibles varies. You're ranked and competing against only your career field up to E8. E-7 to E-9 is the same process with the addition of a promotion board looking at your records.
My advice is Do your job well, better then anyone else and for gosh sakes Study for the test! People score 30-40s on these test!!!
We rack and stack people now for promotion stratification, but people who do well (well above average) on the two test get selected earlier And more important than the strat. Both our #1s were not selected for E7 this year. Getting promoted in the AF is easy if you apply yourself. There are a lot of "let it ride" people who jst go in and hope for the best. These people make it easy for the motivated.
A guy with college credits should strive to complete a degree and go Officer. Enlisted pay is good, but not college degree worthy.
#15
I'm sure the AF promotions don't differ too much from the Army. I've heard the AF uses a skill qualification test based on your MOS. The Army used to be like that years ago. Then they did away with it. THE WORST mistake they ever made. I had taken them the last 2 years they were given, 88 & 89. I scored 92 and 96%. We had dumbasses who'd been in longer with more experience scoring less than 50%. SQT is the best thing there is to weed out the worthless phucksticks.
My son is planning on finishing his degree while in and I will be on his *** every week making sure he goes to the Education center to do this. He only needs a few more credits to finish it. He wants to fly enlisted first then decide which Officer route he wants to take.
He's just ready to get out and live a little. He's seen much of the world so far, now ready to do it on his own. I just hope he gets stationed somewhere he can enjoy his car. I really don't want to by him a 4WD any time soon. Or he'll try to swindle mom out of her WRX.
My son is planning on finishing his degree while in and I will be on his *** every week making sure he goes to the Education center to do this. He only needs a few more credits to finish it. He wants to fly enlisted first then decide which Officer route he wants to take.
He's just ready to get out and live a little. He's seen much of the world so far, now ready to do it on his own. I just hope he gets stationed somewhere he can enjoy his car. I really don't want to by him a 4WD any time soon. Or he'll try to swindle mom out of her WRX.
#16
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Congratulations to your son!
He may receive enough credits from basic training and tech school to earn his associates degree through the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
Promotion rates are usually much slower in the USAF after E-4 compared to the USA.
The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC=MOS) also determines promotion rates.
He may receive enough credits from basic training and tech school to earn his associates degree through the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
Promotion rates are usually much slower in the USAF after E-4 compared to the USA.
The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC=MOS) also determines promotion rates.
#17
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Congrats to your soon to be Airman. My son Left for BMT Nov. 3rd of 2015 after waiting since July of 2014 when first speaking to his recruiter. The Air Force wasn't his first choice, but due to being color blind it was his only real choice. The MOS he ended up getting was the last on his list as well and had to wait such a long time to get it. He graduated BMT on Christmas Eve. If you haven't been to San Antonio it's definitely worth going for the graduation ceremony. Beautiful city, especially the River Walk.
Because of his MOS (aircraft structural maintenance and repair), he went to tech school at NAS Pensacola. He loved tech school! He finished up tech school in May and come home for 15 days and then went to Okinawa where he will be stationed for the next 2 to 3 years. He absolutely loves it! He was frustrated during the wait period, but once he was in (even in BMT) has said that he couldn't have made a better choice.
When your son leaves for BMT, the Facebook link in the a previous post is a great resource. They have specific groups for whatever Training Squadron (TRS) and Flight (FLT) he's assigned to in BMT that keep you updated on their progress and are a great resource for things relating to the graduation ceremonies. You also may get lucky and spot pictures of your son during Basic. Once you get first contact from your son in basic (usually about the 2 week mark) you'll no what TRS and FLT they are in. You can then go to Facebook and ask to join the group.
Best of luck to your son. He won't regret his choice.
Because of his MOS (aircraft structural maintenance and repair), he went to tech school at NAS Pensacola. He loved tech school! He finished up tech school in May and come home for 15 days and then went to Okinawa where he will be stationed for the next 2 to 3 years. He absolutely loves it! He was frustrated during the wait period, but once he was in (even in BMT) has said that he couldn't have made a better choice.
When your son leaves for BMT, the Facebook link in the a previous post is a great resource. They have specific groups for whatever Training Squadron (TRS) and Flight (FLT) he's assigned to in BMT that keep you updated on their progress and are a great resource for things relating to the graduation ceremonies. You also may get lucky and spot pictures of your son during Basic. Once you get first contact from your son in basic (usually about the 2 week mark) you'll no what TRS and FLT they are in. You can then go to Facebook and ask to join the group.
Best of luck to your son. He won't regret his choice.
#18
It's gonna be a hard time to let him go. We've been so close since I came back from my last deployment in 06 then retired in 09.
It started when he was very young taking him to the drags, street racing, getting him into motocross and teaching him so much and him succeeding in all of them. Now he takes me streetracing telling me about the local seen and since I'm a little too torn up to ride dirtbikes much anymore to attempt anything stupid, he just kinda cruises around the track with me.
But I still have my 15 y/o daughter that loves 4wd trucks and rides dirtbikes and races MX too. But she's a handful with all this social media BS.
But I'll be happy knowing he's out doing his own thing.
It started when he was very young taking him to the drags, street racing, getting him into motocross and teaching him so much and him succeeding in all of them. Now he takes me streetracing telling me about the local seen and since I'm a little too torn up to ride dirtbikes much anymore to attempt anything stupid, he just kinda cruises around the track with me.
But I still have my 15 y/o daughter that loves 4wd trucks and rides dirtbikes and races MX too. But she's a handful with all this social media BS.
But I'll be happy knowing he's out doing his own thing.