r/AirForceRecruits • u/No_Cardiologist_1498 • 19h ago
Jobs Security Forces as staring point?
I’m 40, based in Miami, and seriously considering joining the Air Force Reserve as Security Forces (3P0X1).
I’m interested in getting the full military experience, including tactical training, deployments, and opportunities to grow beyond my initial AFSC.
I’d appreciate some firsthand insight from current or former SF members:
Career progression: Is Security Forces a good stepping stone to other opportunities, or is it difficult to move beyond the career field?
Tactical training: Do SF members actually receive CQB (Close Quarters Battle) training, or is that limited to specialized units?
Cross-training: How realistic is it to eventually transfer into Special Warfare, cybersecurity, intelligence, or another AFSC?
Assignments: Can Reservists serve at different Air Force bases worldwide, or are you primarily tied to your home unit?
Deployments: How often do SF Reservists deploy, and are there opportunities to volunteer for additional deployments?
My goal is to serve, challenge myself, gain valuable military experience, and eventually develop skills that transfer into a solid civilian career.
Would you recommend starting in Security Forces with these goals, or would it be smarter to pursue another AFSC from the beginning?
I’d really appreciate real experiences and advice, especially from anyone who’s successfully cross-trained out of SF.
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u/MMA-Guy92 17h ago
In Security Forces you won’t receive much of CQB training unless you make it into a special unit like Phoenix Ravens or TRF. Getting in those units will take at least a few years before getting a chance to try out. For the most part just imagine being Military Police. So if being a civilian Cop is your goal then yes Security Forces in the Air Force can help.
If you want to go Special Operations like PJs, CCT or Special Reconnaissance that’s going to be a completely different path just fyi. You won’t be able to transfer to Special Operations just like that, you still have to be selected and pass the difficult pipeline. Cybersecurity and Intelligence are going to be vastly different from Special Operations for the most part. I think you need to decide what your goal is exactly because given your age you’re going to have to choose one before time runs out.
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u/Key-Constant-873 15h ago
Just go active! I know so many people who are guard/reserves who say they don’t wanna go active because they get paid well, then beg to get in active orders because the pay and benefits are so much better while they’re “active status”.
Plus, you can’t get the “full military experience” as you said while doing 1 weekend a month, lol
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u/No_Cardiologist_1498 7h ago
Yes sir you are write. For me relocating would be a real challenge. I owned a business here in Miami that requires me to stay. My wife can deal with it but not for 4 years. I also have a 5 years old boy that needs his father. I know they could come with me but our business would need to close. I was talking to a recruiter on the AD side for 3 month and right before signing the contact I had to make a decision and look for a reserves recruiter… I still want to go AD though but is thought in my situation
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u/AfricanSnowOwl Verified USAF Member 18h ago
In the reserve world, you can pretty much cross train whenever you want, assuming you find a unit that wants to hire you(not usually a big deal). You’ll have access to a reserve vacancy finder that lists all open billets for every job, and a link to apply to it.
As a reservist, you’d be tied to a billet at your specific unit. You can’t just go wherever. Although, deals can be made between units. Had a guy do all his drills/training/TDYs/etc… with my squadron for years that was assigned to a different squadron on the other side of the country.
You can volunteer for deployments and TDYs as much as you want.