insanez

iTrader: (7)

Got 2e2 as a guarantee so it is time to sign. Probably only going to sign for 4 years. Please let me know if there is anything I should look for closely on the contract, I don't want to get f-ed. USAF, here I come.
Thanks
Steve

babydeuce

iTrader: (24)

Best of luck! Why only 4 years though? Sign for 6 and get 2 stripes, it will help you out sooner, after all you are supporting a family! Ask the question, dont let them give you the run around.

Jack

Z28/2002

iTrader: (27)

Don't sign up for six unless you plan on staying in. I would be getting out in two months if I only signed up for 4

ORedRoc4

iTrader: (15)

Id be getting out in 4 months had i signed up for 4...

Seriously, biggest mistake of my life enlisting for 6... Could be going to school next year....

-justin

Zeke34

iTrader: (5)

Honestly, just sign up for 4 years and see what happens within those 4 years then determine whether you want to re-enlist or get out. Alot of people sign up for 6 because of the rank you'll get and the signing bonus you'll probably get but a few years down the line end up regretting they did so because they could have gotten out at 4. I signed up for 4 and re-enlisted at my 3 year mark but will be getting out after my new enlistment is up because I have other goals in life I'd like to achieve.

TXZ28LS1

iTrader: (5)

f&ck that, man! i originially signed up for 4. but changed it to 6 at MEPS. honestly, im glad i signed up for 6 as funny as it sounds. trust me, sign up for 6. the pay isnt the greatest when you first come in, so your better off with the rank. i thought about it, even if i signed up for 4 years, i wouldnt be doing a damn thing.

lt1 hawk

iTrader: (2)

got em coach.
aim high. ha.

Empatho

iTrader: (16)

Good luck and I wish you the best

hammerdown2000

iTrader: (2)

GO FOUR BROTHA!!! big mistake for 6 on my part, i as well have a family. only go for 6 if you plan on going 20 in. my .02

socmguy

iTrader: (18)

Are you ******' kidding me? The AF will give you another stripe if you sign a six year contract? That's gay as hell! Please tell me I'm mistaken

Ruckus46Gt

iTrader: (9)

yea you can get stripes for a 6 year contract, kind of like the army was giving stripes if you got people to sign up to go in also before you left for basic

insanez

iTrader: (7)

I only signed for 4 because the wife was not convinced to sign for 6. I want to sign for 6 due to the fact im 27 years old and I am not someone that signed in at 18 years old and have not experienced the outside world like some of you. I have done it and it sucks, there's no jobs available that pay good in the field I am in anymore so I am stuck were I work, I can't afford schooling, and I hate the area I live in. If I can just convince the wife I am going to sign for 6 at meps before I leave. Alot of people I know that got out after 4 regret it, USAF people mostly, some marine, some army, no navy, and they want to return but can't, all of them are now reserve, and miss it everyday because they all have low paying jobs and have no money to thier names, as when they were in, they had plenty of money and were HAPPY. Alot of you that want to get out after 4, really pay attention to what you are losing and what you may gain, weight the benifits and think about it. The civilian world is nice for the "I can leave when I want," or the "I am not owned by the government anymore." Those are the lines you say at first, but when you realize that the government owns you, banks own you, land lords own you, ect, it is the same in or out as I see it. You have to work to pay taxes, pay your house or rent payment or your living on the streets, and if you say, "I'm moving back in with my parents," and stay there for more than 3 months, the time to get a place to live and a job, you are in my eyes, owned by them and you are not grown up yet. You have already lived without them for 4 years, why would anyone move back in with them. My cousin went in the Army and after 14 months, he asked to get discharged because he was mentally anguished, then he could not find a job for the first 2 months, got a dui because he started drinking from depression, and is living with his parents. Guess what he is doing in 3 months when his probation is up, entering back into the Army, because he hates being a civilian again, hates going to the mall, out to eat, or as he sais' it, "I hate the slow lazy atmosphere or this country." I want 6 years, I want to stay in, and I am just going to have to get the wife to agree or I just may say F*** it and do it anyways, it is what I want and for the first time in my life, I am going to do something for me, not for someone else.
Steve

01ls1lover

iTrader: (18)

I did 3 years in the Army In fantry hated every fucken second but glad I did it. Sign up for the least time as possible just incase its not for you.. Airforce is easy living tho let me tell ya.. Remember if you sign up for only 4 years you can REINLIST AT ANYTIME! You cannot take away time! If you like it inlist for more.. Start out LOW trust me.

babydeuce

iTrader: (24)

I really hate to say this, and dont take this the wrong way, but you guys give some shitty advice!

Just because you were not happy and want to get out does not mean he will be. The pro's far outweigh the cons for this guy to step up to the plate for 6 years Vs. 4. I did the 4 year thing, and hated the fact that I did not sign for 6 and get the stripes.

Lets see, sign for 4 years, start at E-1 go to E-2 in 6 months, E-3 at 16 months, and E-4 at 36 months(if he does not make BTZ)

Sign for 6 years, get E-3 out of basic or at 20 weeks/completion of tech training(depending on his contract), and E-4 at 28 months

So, lets assume that he does get E-3 out of basic
Base pay E-3 =1587.90 VS. E-1 out of basic = 1346.90

After the 16 months it would take him to make E-3 as a 4 year enlistee, he will make $443 per month more, for the first 6 months, that is $2658. The following 10 months he will make $279.90 more per month than the E-2, that is $2799 total before that 4 year enlistee makes E-3. A grand total of $5457 over 16 months.

Now lets look at the difference between E-3 and E-4 for both. He can have E-4 at 28 months(22 with BTZ) and the other guy has to wait 36 months(30 with BTZ)

Lets assume they both make BTZ, he will get 8 months of E-4 pay at $2135.00 before the other guy does. That is $345.10 per month more, or $2760.80 more over the 8 months.

Over the life span of the enlistment, he will make $8217.80 more than the other guy. No matter what, he makes more money!!! Not even going to get into the fact that he will promotion test for Staff earlier than the other guy! Financially speaking, it is the right decision.

If he does decide to get out after 6 then great, he has more on the job experience than the 4 year guy, and employers LOVE experience!
So why should he not sign for 6 years?

insanez

iTrader: (7)

babydeuce, I am printing this out to show my wife, THANKS!!!
You have made good points, 1 being a faster prom. to SS. What is BTZ by the way. By the way, you clearified that again, my recruiter was not lying.
He signed for 6 and he said he made SS at 36 months when his buddy signed for 4 and the resigned for 2 and did not make SS until 60 months. Thanks
Steve

insanez

iTrader: (7)

never mind, found it. "below-the-zone"

camaroguy_02

btz = below the zone, or "below the zipper" as some like to put it. basically, perform your job exceptionally well for the first year (i.e. get your cdc's done, dont mess up too much, volunteer as much as possible, and, if possible, do the 3 month tour with honor guard - supervision holds this to the highest regards). every brand new airman will have a BTZ package put in by his/her supervisor, so you will be pitted against the other airmen you come in with. each squadron commander is allowed to hand out an early SrA/E-4 stripe to 10% of his/her people, so if you have alot of inbound tech school recruits, you just have that many people to compete against.

BTZ is a good incentive, in theory, but nowadays - people just brownnose even harder to get it. ive seen people work hard and fake a positive attitude just to get the early stripe, and when they get it - their performance goes down the drain. if i were you man, just do your job to the best of your ability, volunteer when you got some free time on your hands (its really not all that bad, as ive found out), and help out others when they need/want some help.

you're there to get the job done - not to make friends.

welcome to the AF man. theres been plenty of days where i really wish i culd get out now, but i realize i have a steady income, a roof over my head, a vehicle that works (thank you God and GM), and i have health/dental insurance (granted its probably ranked VERY low on the customer service level of happinness charts).

01ls1lover

iTrader: (18)

Or go in for 4 years get out and get a real job that makes 5 times more!!! And something that pays overtime! When I was in the Infantry we worked avg 18 hr days! Mostly in the field.. For pennys.

jester177

36 month staff is not going to happen. anyone who tells you different is lying. you could test for staff at 36 months and by some fluke of god you made it your first time you wouldnt sew on for another 13-14 months depending on when you find out.

its your enlistment so do what you think is right. i signed up for four years and am glad i did cause the people that enlisted with me made rank quicker however only 1 of the 8 that came with me received a CJR do to force shaping, i re-enlisted at my 3 year mark and got a bonous to go with it. so thats something to think about as well. FYI i made staff my second time testing and it was 64 months total when i sewed on.

2006vette

I enlisted for 6....easiest damn job I've ever had. Working at the Burger King was harder than this. ha ha

Weather you enlist for 4 years or 6 years......GO OVERSEAS!!! The 4 years I spent in Germany was the best time of my life.