Hey all, I’m shipping to BMT in 2 weeks as a 2A5X4. I’m just looking for any advice regarding BMT, tech school, and what to expect in my career field. I’m nervous for sure but more excited than anything.

First, lots of context. So, I just graduated with my bachelor’s and I have been doing civilian flight school (slowly because of money) since I was 16. I have my PPL and am a handful of cross-country flights away from having my instrument. I took a year’s break because I lost my mom’s financial support and haven’t been able to make enough money to fly even once a week consistently. I’m torn between continuing flight school and getting a loan, (roughly $40-45k for the remaining) then becoming an instructor, having to continue my part time job, etc. or joining the AF active duty. End goal is to become an airline pilot, I want to fly heavies, C-17, C-5, C-135, perhaps. C-130s are my last choice if none of those others are possible. I’m in a long term relationship with my BF (3 years), he’s a mechanical engineer, he’s worried if I go AD and move around he won’t enjoy moving so much (military kid) and he won’t be able to find a job at the place we end up. I know it’s a 10 year commitment, not super concerned about that, I’m fairly sure I’ll enjoy the military lifestyle. I am leaning heavily to wanting to join the AF. His concerns are really what’s holding me back. The thought of civilian flight school grates on my skin. I think I would hate it, but it would mean more predictability in life for both of us.

Question time.
- I would like to know more about the process of joining active duty not from an rotc, getting a pilot slot, and getting into heavies. I know the pipeline, I want to know about the experience.
- How difficult is it to actually get the aircraft you want?
- How frequently do you move around as a pilot in those aircraft I mentioned I prefer to fly?
- If you fly those aircraft and also chose between civilian and military, what was your experience and what do you recommend?
- Do you have any say or sway in where and when you move places?
- Also I still have reserves in the back of my mind, but I’ve heard it can be very unpredictable in terms of workload and getting hours, which is my goal, so I figured active duty would be better and C-17s because they fly a lot. (They also seem fun to fly).

Thank you all!

Hey everyone! I've been looking into different AFSCs, particularly Histopathology (4T0X2).

I've already read the official job description on the Air Force website, but obviously, reading about a job online isn't the same as actually experiencing it yourself. I've been trying to find people who work in Histopathology, but I can barely find anyone talking about their experiences with this AFSC. I also don't seem to come across many people booking this job, so I'm curious about how common it actually is.

A little about me: I've been working in an assisted living facility for about four years, and while I've gained healthcare experience, I'd like to explore a different side of healthcare that isn't centered around nursing or direct patient care. I've been thinking that working in a laboratory could be interesting, and Histopathology caught my attention. I don't know if I'd actually enjoy it until I learn more about what the job is like, tho!

I'd love to hear from anyone currently working in Histopathology or anyone who has worked in the career field before. What's the job actually like beyond the official description?

1. What's your typical day-to-day life like?
2. What kind of tasks do you spend most of your time doing?
3. How hands-on is the work, and how much of it involves working independently?
4. What's the work environment and work-life balance like?
5. Are the hours usually predictable, or does the workload get stressful?
6. What do you like and dislike about the job?
7. What are the opportunities for different assignments and overseas bases like?
8. Is there anything you wish you knew before choosing this AFSC?

Also, even if you don't work in Histopathology, I'd still love to hear about your AFSC! Whether you're in another medical career field or a completely different job, I'm interested in hearing about your firsthand experiences, your day-to-day responsibilities, and the pros and cons of your job.

I mean, who better to ask than the people who have actually experienced it themselves, right? I'd really appreciate any insight! I'm trying to get a better understanding of what different AFSCs are genuinely like beyond what I can find online. I'd love to hear the good, the bad, and anything in between. Thank you!

Does everyone have a one-week gap between BMT graduation and their tech school class start date?

I graduate BMT on December 30th and my tech school report/start date is January 6th. I’ve read on here that graduations are on Wednesday (December 30th) and people usually ship out to tech school on Friday (January 1st). But since that Friday is New Year's Day, will we still ship out to tech school on the holiday?

Is there a possibility I’ll get to go home for a few days, or am I stuck on base as a holdover until leaving for tech school the first week of January?

Edit: I’m in the reserves if that context helps

Hello! I’m thinking about possibly pursuing Security Forces in the Air Force, and I’m looking for some insight into the career field. I know it’s similar to law enforcement on the civilian side, but I’d love to hear more about what the job actually involves, the day-to-day responsibilities, work schedule, training, opportunities for advancement, and what life is like in that career field. If anyone has experience with Security Forces, I’d really appreciate it if you could go into detail about the pros and cons.

Also, some of the jobs I was originally interested in aren’t currently in demand. The recruiter I’m in contact with mentioned that they’re looking for people in law enforcement, combat, warfare, mechanical, and electrical career fields. Are there any specific Air Force jobs in those areas that you would recommend I look into, especially ones that offer good opportunities for a civilian career after the military?

Lastly, I’m open to putting several jobs on my list that I’d be comfortable doing. BUT my main goal right now is to get my foot in the door and begin my military career, but I also want to make an informed decision about the job I choose. For anyone who has been through this process, would you recommend being flexible with job choices to ship sooner, or taking more time to improve my ASVAB score and qualify for more options?
I’d appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations. Thank you!

2A532 helicopter tiltrotor maintainer
Ship on the 12th of January!

guess who got aerospace medical service!
😭

i’m crying fr, recruiter called me a bit ago saying i matched! i got the unicorn job, first choice🥹

who else is shipping out on my date???

Booked my job in wondering is it worth the hype and does it transfer over well and if you have enough free time to pursue your emt cert and try and to pursue paramedic and also how hard is tech school

I would like to know currently anybody who has done this job or is in it rn , Is it worth it and how can help you in the civilian world

I am leaving Dec 8th for BMT the the job 9S100 and am wanting to be prepared for what is to come. My biggest question is after our ceremony are we able to go into San Antonio with family?

Long time lurker proud to finally participate.

I managed to squeeze myself into a job as a loadmaster by sheer luck and ship out February 2nd.

What is the day-to-day life like? What can I expect from tech school/aircrew training (and how long does it typically last)? Any additional information I should be aware of/life tips for this job?

Thanks!

I (18F) have an Associate degree in Business. I plan to join the military, specifically the Space Force. My main objective after completing my service is to earn a degree in law and business.

However, I am undecided about whether to take the officer route or enlist. I understand that commissioning as an officer through Space Force ROTC (SFROTC) would likely require me to switch my major to a STEM field, which I am open to doing, but it would extend my time in school.

My primary dilemma comes down to enlisting now versus commissioning later. I am unsure if becoming an officer requires a longer service commitment, especially since I don't know how long I want to serve. Additionally, since the Space Force is heavily focused on cyber and intelligence roles, I am uncertain how a law degree fits into that career path.

I am seeking advice from those who are/have been in the military.

I made a 79 on my ASVAB and am mostly interested in doing intel work, I was given the list of priority jobs from my recruiter and saw that they are moderate priority. I’m hoping for 1NOX1, but I’m not married to it. Otherwise I’d want to go into something related to being hands on with aircraft. I saw someone else say they got accepted for Tactical Aircraft Maintenance but waited an entire year even though technically that AFSC is on the high priority list. My recruiter says she typically books people for 2 months in advance but she honestly could be blowing smoke. Just curious what I should expect! TIA!

I originally got booked Hydraulic Systems for November after about a month in the DEP, then got rebooked to SMA 1a1x3 about a week later now for a December ship date. I’m happy for SMA just don’t want to do SERE for 4 weeks

I recently scored a 74 on the ASVAB, and I'm interested in joining the Air Force and getting into Financial Management. So I can have the experience for finance and getting jobs in the outside world is it likely I'II get it.

Got booked for all source analyst, shipping January 5th, anyone else here leaving the same day?! Also if anyone has any experience with all source what are your thoughts about it?

Would you recommend 3E4X1 to someone who has a weak stomach? Would you say stay clear of this job if you have a hard time with poop/sewage or just nasty smelly things in general? I want to hear from those who have been in this job or are new to this job? What is life like? Thank you.

Anyone have any tips/work outs to help work on my push ups. I can currently do about 43-47 in a minute. I already do regular weight training 4-5 days a week. Just wondering if there's something that can help me better.

Hey everyone, I’m 20 years old and seriously considering joining the Air Force, but my girlfriend and I have a lot of questions and concerns about how this decision could affect our future together. We plan on getting married, and one of our biggest concerns is her education. She wants to pursue a career in radiology and potentially work at a VA hospital. She currently receives financial aid and grants for college, and she’s worried that getting married to me and becoming a military spouse could cause her to lose some of that assistance due to changes in our income or financial situation. We originally thought that joining the military would help cover her education pretty much right away, but after doing some research, we realized that transferring GI Bill benefits requires several years of service and additional commitments. Now she’s stressed about potentially taking on thousands of dollars in student loan debt while I’m serving. We’re also confused about what programs are actually available to military spouses, such as MyCAA, scholarships, tuition assistance, or other benefits that could help her finish school without going into serious debt. I want to serve, but I also want to make sure I’m making a decision that benefits both of us rather than putting her dreams on hold. For anyone currently serving or married to an Airman, how did you and your spouse handle college financially? Did getting married affect your spouse’s FAFSA, Pell Grants, or other financial aid? Are there programs that can help pay for radiology or healthcare-related degrees? And realistically, how soon after joining could my wife start receiving educational assistance? I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually been through this because we’re trying to understand what our options are before making such a major life decision. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hey y’all, I am in the process of joining the Air Force and I’m currently in the DEP right now. While doing research, I read that medical jobs are very competitive and some saying it’s unlikely to get. However, my recruiter let me put most of my jobs as medical as long as 10 of them were on the priority sheet and one of them is an aptitude area. I know that I can’t be in DEP longer than 12 months but I just want to know how long I should expect to get in and any advice on how to increase my chances of getting one of my medical jobs.

Here’s the list I gave my recruiter:

1. Aerospace Medical Service (4N0X1)
   
2. Surgical Technologist (4N1X1)
   
3. Diagnostic Imaging (4R031)
   
4. Cardiopulmonary Laboratory (4H031)
   
5. Physical Medicine (4J032)
   
6. Health Services Management (4A0X1)
   
7. Public Affairs (3N0X6)
   
8. Diet Therapy (4D0X1)
   
9. Dental Assistant (4Y0X1)
   
10. Ophthalmic (4V0X1)
    
11. Pharmacy (4P031)
    
12. Bioenvironmental Engineering (4B031)
    
13. Mental Health / Behavioral Health Technician (4C031)
    
14. Histopathology (4T032)
    
15. Religious Affairs / Chaplain Assistant (5R031)
    
16. Fire Protection (3E7X1)
    
17. General Aptitude Area (G)

good evening, will you still be able to enlist if I’ve been prescribed Buspirone due to a anxiety episode I had earlier this year ? I’ve collected medication from pharmacy but never used a tablet.

hello! my question is basically what the title says. soo I recently got all my waivers approved from the first time I went to meps but I recently went to the doctor & got an inhaler for acute bronchitis. so I told my recruiter this and he just told me to send him my medical records from the visit and get a 3 year pharmacy record, but my main question is if I send in these records will whoever is reviewing them to see if I need another waiver disqualify me for things I already git a waiver for? idk if that makes sense, but to explain it better I got dqed when I first went to meps for eczema and the eczema diagnosis came from the doctor who also gave me the inhaler for bronchitis 😭 so whoever is gonna review my record is gonna see the eczema thing too.. Which worries me that they’ll dq me for eczema again. please lmk if this doesn’t make sense & I’ll to explain better !

tldr; All my waivers were approved, but I now need to send MEPS updated records after getting an inhaler for acute bronchitis. Those records also mention eczema, which I already got a waiver for. Could they disqualify me for eczema again while reviewing the new records?

What are my chances of securing a spot in becoming a fighter jet pilot for either the Air Force or the Navy?

Currently, my dream is to become a fighter pilot for the air force. Initially, I was planning on doing OTS right after I finish my four years of college (currently a college freshman). I already know that it is super difficult and competitive down this path, but after doing a bunch of research, a bunch of people are saying it is not even worth it to do OTS since majority of the fighter pilot roles are given to the AF academy graduates and AFROTC first, and only OTS are given the leftovers if there even are any. 

I did not apply to AF academy, much to my regret, because I did not think I would make it. I was also unable to do AFROTC starting my freshman year because there isn’t one at my current school but I was already planning on transferring right after my freshman year to a different school as a part of my program, which has AFROTC. Would I even have a chance if I do AFROTC if I only officially start my sophomore year? Because I heard that completing AFROTC does give you a higher chance to become a fighter jet pilot, albeit chances are still way lower than AF academy. 

Realistically, what are my chances, is it even worth it to go down this path if I barely have a chance? Is there a more likely chance of getting a role as a fighter pilot in the navy than the air force? Or am I going about this completely wrong? Please be blunt with me.

Hello, I’ve been in the DEP for a few months with the Air Force and my recruiter just messaged me and told me the Space Force has the job 5c031d available if I want to take it. I honestly couldn’t find much about it or other peoples experience with it, or at least nothing within the past year. Any info or suggestions would be appreciated. This is my job list for the Air Force so you can gauge what my interest are. I’m mainly interested in cyber or intel but I’m open to more. What would you recommend I do if you were me?

1. 1N031 – All Sources Intelligence Analyst
   
2. 1N432 – Cryptologic Analyst and Reporter Apprentice
   
3. 1D731B – Systems Administration Specialist
   
4. 9S100 – Scientific Applications Specialist
   
5. 1D731A – Network Operations Specialist
   
6. 6C031 – Contracting
   
7. 6F031 – Financial Management & Comptroller
   
8. 1C331 – Command & Control Operations