Enlisting in the military???

[coach4christ]

OK guys, here is where I'm at. I'm in my mid 30's and severely burned out in my current job. The Air Force has just raised its age limit and I am seriously considering enlisting. I am married (wife is a civilion contractor with the af already) with a 7 year old son. I'm in good shape 5-8, 175, no criminal record, no drug or alcohol use. I run an average of 10 miles a week and weight train 6 days a week, so the fitness test I should be ok on. I have written down what I believe are the pros and cons of joining. My wife is on board so that's not a problem. Could you guys who have served shed a little more light on what active duty life is like? Thanks for the help,

Will

 

[LowTwelve]

Is the Air Force your only option/consideration?

 

[Sharpsman]

If you went to 'camp' when a kid....you can make it in the AF!!

 

[VoxPatriam]

I would look at going the officer route if you have a degree. More responsibility/pay and you will probably have more leeway to spend time with your family. If you decide to stick with the enlisted route, be prepared for the scenario where a 20 year old is in charge of you. If that 20 year old is a professional and you are too, then it won't be a problem. I've seen several times where an older guy will join and react negatively when what they deem a child tells them what to do. I've rarely seen it work out well. Picture Adam Sandler in a class full of kids. That said, there are a lot of really good opportunities out there for you in the military. Take every advantage of your base education office (free tuition that isn't your GI Bill), your online, and technical education. An 18 year old in the military can get some dearly sought civilian certifications for free. The military is a good life as long as you stay positive. I see so many guys come in and whine about how they hate being bossed around, etc, etc, when in all reality if they weren't so friggin lazy, none would have to tell them anything.
The other thing to consider is that the Govt is seriously downsizing the military right now. Promotions (at least in the Marine Infantry) are tough to come by. I imagine the other services are feeling the squeeze too. Our training is becoming much more simulated and restricted. Fortunately it also allows us to "trim the fat" while being more selective in our recruitments. It definitely won't hurt if you ace the initial fitness test. Most importantly to me, personally, is why you want to join. The benefits are good and all but it's about more than that. It's about being willing to put foot to ass on a global scale at a moment's notice with your brothers at your side. Politics and policies are irrelevant on a two way range. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Redmanss]

At your age, look into the reserves. There's always opportunities to cross over to active duty later, but not the other way around.

On AD, be prepared for .mil to dictate the major facets of your life - where you live, what you do, when you can do what. If you're cool with that, then great. If not, reserves is what you should look at as it is far more flexible. First enlistment duty station dream sheets are just that, a dream. They will put you where they want, not where you want to be.

I'll yield on commenting on how it would be in USAF, but what Vox said above definitely applies to USMC life and the power tripping new NCO. It's not everyone, but it is somewhat common.

Now that I'm done with the bad shit, I'll say that military life is very rewarding. If it is your goal in life at the level where you know you won't be satisfied unless you achieve it, seek it and make it happen. If you're simply looking for a new job/career without the immense personal and family commitment that it takes to do mil, then look elsewhere.

Best wishes in your decision.

 

[coach4christ]

Thanks for the insight. Yes af is the only branch I would qualify for (age I am 37). I am interested in the cct program. I know it is pretty rigorous for someone my age, but it has what I would be looking for in the af. If I don't qualify for that, I won't enlist. I'm waiting on a call back from the recruiter.

 

[coach4christ]

At your age, look into the reserves. There's always opportunities to cross over to active duty later, but not the other way around.

On AD, be prepared for .mil to dictate the major facets of your life - where you live, what you do, when you can do what. If you're cool with that, then great. If not, reserves is what you should look at as it is far more flexible. First enlistment duty station dream sheets are just that, a dream. They will put you where they want, not where you want to be.

I'll yield on commenting on how it would be in USAF, but what Vox said above definitely applies to USMC life and the power tripping new NCO. It's not everyone, but it is somewhat common.

Now that I'm done with the bad shit, I'll say that military life is very rewarding. If it is your goal in life at the level where you know you won't be satisfied unless you achieve it, seek it and make it happen. If you're simply looking for a new job/career without the immense personal and family commitment that it takes to do mil, then look elsewhere.

Best wishes in your decision.

Thanks, for the reply. I am really kicking myself for waiting this long. I chased my dream of being a ball player too long and got into teaching/coaching. I love my ball players, but feel I have more to offer than just teaching algebra and coaching baseball.

 

[SeaLegs]

Brother at 37 I would pass on it.

 

[blurry6]

At your age, look into the reserves. There's always opportunities to cross over to active duty later, but not the other way around.

On AD, be prepared for .mil to dictate the major facets of your life - where you live, what you do, when you can do what. If you're cool with that, then great. If not, reserves is what you should look at as it is far more flexible. First enlistment duty station dream sheets are just that, a dream. They will put you where they want, not where you want to be.

THE MANY BEER RAMBLE ALERT: What Redmanss said. I'm not a vet, nor have I played one on TV, but I do know several who have done 20+ & 22+ year career service in the Navy and Army,... both enlisted NCO's and officers. From what I gather, the reserves will allow you some flexibility that an active duty assignment never will. None of the active duty vets I know speak-well of their duty once they had a family, and most didn't have a family when they enlisted. You have a family and you owe it to your wife and child to provide as stable an environment and upbringing as possible,... and that doesn't necessarily mean the stability of a government paycheck. Money has little to do with happiness although it can make its' pursuit easier, it means little if you're not doing what you want. If you want money, move to a growing economy (ND, TX,...etc.), Get a job, Learn a trade, learn the ropes, and work your ass off,... Personally, I've learned that making a good living has more to do with learning the in's and outs of providing great 'customer service' than it does anything else. I've been in commission sales for 15-years. That's right, ALL of my paycheck comes from my sales,... it's easier than you think. Learn and master customer service, and you'll do fine - employers are always looking for people that are 'customer-focused' and those that are, rise up the ranks the fastest. Honesty, integrity, follow-through, attention to detail, and a genuine desire to see happy customers is all that you need. Don't get me wrong, these traits aren't genetically endowed, it's a mind-set. I'm a firm believer in "fake it 'til you make it". If you're havin' a bad day,... STOP HAVING A BAD DAY! It's ALL mindset. Once you learn to ACT as if you're the happiest, most upbeat person on the block, EVERYONE will treat you that way and be drawn to you. They'll tell you things they would NEVER tell their spouse, parent, boss, etc. - believe me, I know it from experience. Learn to engage people, ask questions, be interested in them,... show empathy by sharing similar stories/trials from your own life and they can't help but fill you in on what they want. When I say people, I mean your friends, their parents, your wife's folks, your boss, your kids teacher,...etc. EVERYONE! They will all think you're a great guy and begin treating you as such, and sharing their insights as they will want you to do well for yourself and your family. Once you learn how to get people talking, you'll learn to steer your presentation to match. I've rambled enough,... No matter your choice/path, I wish you well,... Let me know if there is anything I can do to help... I need another beer,... NOT!

Ry

 

[bogeybrown]

Don't take this as anything other than some considerations you should be aware of:

Think VERY hard about what joining the mil means to you and your family on a daily basis. Granted, the Air Force is the least "militaristic" and has more of a "corporate" approach to things. There's less screaming and yelling and you typically get to wake up later and work a pretty typical 9-5 schedule. I'm sure they have a shitty duty station somewhere in the world but wherever that is you'd still live well beyond the standard of any of the other branches.

HOWEVER, it's still the military. That means that as [MENTION=97879]VoxPatriam[/MENTION] and [MENTION=41860]Redmanss[/MENTION] said, every facet of your life is out of your control and in many cases is in the hands of a 22yr old college graduate who just moved out of his parents' basement. When you graduate summer camp (or whatever their Boot Camp is called) then you get orders to wherever in the world they want to send you, PERIOD. It doesn't matter if you wanted to be stationed in Italy, you may get Alaska. Being an E2 at 37, regardless of the branch of service, is going to be an ENORMOUS shock. You're a teacher and a coach and have been in a position of power for many years, all that goes out the window.

The best part: YOU CAN'T QUIT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.

Think about what that means. Seriously think about what that means. If you absolutely hate where you are, what you're doing, or who you're doing it with, and you wake up every morning wanting to slit your wrists rather than go to the office, you can't quit your job the way you can on the civvie side. You are legally obligated to your first enlistment. I see this now as a contractor working with Big Army. There are a bunch of guys who hit a dead end in their civilian lives and decided "fuck it, I'll join the Army" and some of them are positively miserable. Every camp I've been on has had soldiers literally kill themselves because they were trapped in a life they thought they wanted. THAT is as bad as it gets.
[MENTION=41860]Redmanss[/MENTION] gave you some great advice. I'd think about the Reserves so you can put just the tip in and see if it's for you. If you hate it then do your weekend a month and go home to your regular life. If you love it and want more of it, then cross over to Active Duty. You can't cross from AD to Reserves, but you can go from Reserve to AD.

I'm not pissing on your parade brother. Our military needs mature people with a sense of purpose, but despite what the age limits are, being a junior enlisted guy is a young man's game; not because of the physicality, but because of the mentality it takes to suck up that much shit while you're at the bottom. I had the chance to join the Australian Army a few years ago because they were in dire need of people with one of my specialties. I knew I liked the Aussies and their Army and that I could handle the training and all that shit, but I also knew that at 40yrs old I probably couldn't deal with being a squaddie. I was a Platoon Sergeant when I got out of the Marines and knew I wouldn't be able to adjust to being at the bottom again.

Just think about it, it's one of those decisions you can't take back, and in this case it also affects your wife and child.

 

[dwtaylorpdx]

I did 4 years in the AF, many things would be done different in hind site.

They are downsizing right now.. Which means few promotions, until they level out then
the pool is smaller and some promotions are easier. Enlisted=starve with a family.

More reserves and guard are in combat now than regular military last count I saw.

Depending on your job, you can either guarantee that you'll never leave the continental US or that you'll almost never be stateside..

You'll almost have to do a remote to make ten years in service. 2 years away form the fam is tough..

I don't regret being in, but I could have made the time pay me better (Better career choice...).
I ended up in IT as my job and security police as my war-skill. IT has been good to me..
so I cant bitch, and I learned I would not make it as a cop. (Low patience factor.... )

If I was 20 again going in I'd go for Arial refueling specialist, but not if I was married,
its lots of travel.

Only pick a job when enlisting that you want to do.... The recruiters push jobs they know they are short in to get people in faster is how they get reviewed, they are selling the life..

Knowing what I know now I'd have gone Coast guard reserve and stayed in school..

Cheers.

 

[LowTwelve]

1- military service will put a terrible strain on your family. That is generally the rule, not the exception. And not necessarily in the ways you would expect.

2- it cannot be stressed enough the lack of personal freedom you will have. The reason I bring this up is because it may be a harder pill to swallow than you imagine. As a man of 37 yrs, you have been in control of your life for awhile. All of that will go out the window. Which may suit you, or may not.

If you do enlist, you will meet some of the best people you could ever meet. You will do some things that really suck. Probably lots of those things. But that's ok too.

I can't speak alot specifically about the USAF, other than the handful of airmen I met, most were pompous douche bags. You probably are not the kind of man that needs to be told this, but I will put it out there anyway. Whatever you do, do it to the best it can be done. I don't know how the USAF treats its lazy dirtbags, but the good ole' U.S. Navy has a million jobs that nobody wants. And if you don't earn the respect of your chiefs, you'll be stuck doing those jobs until your enlistment is up.

Best of luck to you.

 

[roggom]

Here is my .02

Really do not know your background or what your end goals are, but here are my thoughts.

The current military is highly technical and can be a great way to launch you into a civilian career. Sure you will have to go to boot camp, but no matter what you will be getting paid, your wife and child will have dependent ID cards with full medical and all the other base privileges.

The most important thing is to choose an AFSC or have one written into your contract (pending passing school), one that will benefit you when you get out. No matter what you choose, do the best in school and when you finally get stationed somewhere, start knocking out college courses to enhance that career.

Once you are at your permanent duty station, it will be just like any other job, you live in housing, you drive to work, you go home. You will have to pull duty, some shitty work sometimes, deployments, but the good thing is you get paid no matter what, you also get 30 days leave a year as well.

As for the reserve, its fine, but the only shitty thing is when you are activated its only you.

I am Retired Navy, but my wife is prior AF reserve. When she went to boot camp (at age 34), the AF cut her orders for each segment. So instead of one set of orders for boot camp, tech school, then clinical. It was broken up into three sets of orders. Each one was short of requirements for housing and other bennies. This might not make sense to you, but if you goal is to work hard, and have the military pay for your schooling, I would go active.

So fucking what if you will be the same age or older than your Sgt, the maturity and world knowledge should put you ahead of the game. Most young airman have no direction and nothing to lose. Since you already have a family, you an focus on advancing in rank and technical training.

I wont lie, the first couple of years will be tough, but it is for a reason. You are not an individual, but part of a team. The sooner you grasp that concept, the easier life will be. Tech school will allow you more privileges, then more as you get to your first duty station.

Lastly, have to stress the job classification again. We have a saying in the Navy, "choose your rate, choose your fate".

Good luck

 

[Mark williams]

Thanks, for the reply. I am really kicking myself for waiting this long. I chased my dream of being a ball player too long and got into teaching/coaching. I love my ball players, but feel I have more to offer than just teaching algebra and coaching baseball.

Good luck with your decision. Coaching and making impacts on kids lives is a very big deal also. It's way more valuable than lots of things. If your not happy doing it, then a change may be what you need though. Good luck.

 

[kraigWY]

I'd rather spend 8 seconds in the saddle then a life time in the stands.

That makes sense when you think about it. You have a dream, go for it. You may spend 4-6 years (depending on the enlistment) and decide if you like or don't like it - or spend the rest of your life wondering and wishing.

Only one way to find out. You'll never gain anything with taking chances.

Best of luck.

 

[coach4christ]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the responses.

 

[KYpatriot]

Don't take this as anything other than some considerations you should be aware of:

Think VERY hard about what joining the mil means to you and your family on a daily basis. Granted, the Air Force is the least "militaristic" and has more of a "corporate" approach to things. There's less screaming and yelling and you typically get to wake up later and work a pretty typical 9-5 schedule. I'm sure they have a shitty duty station somewhere in the world but wherever that is you'd still live well beyond the standard of any of the other branches.

HOWEVER, it's still the military. That means that as [MENTION=97879]VoxPatriam[/MENTION] and [MENTION=41860]Redmanss[/MENTION] said, every facet of your life is out of your control and in many cases is in the hands of a 22yr old college graduate who just moved out of his parents' basement. When you graduate summer camp (or whatever their Boot Camp is called) then you get orders to wherever in the world they want to send you, PERIOD. It doesn't matter if you wanted to be stationed in Italy, you may get Alaska. Being an E2 at 37, regardless of the branch of service, is going to be an ENORMOUS shock. You're a teacher and a coach and have been in a position of power for many years, all that goes out the window.

The best part: YOU CAN'T QUIT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.

Think about what that means. Seriously think about what that means. If you absolutely hate where you are, what you're doing, or who you're doing it with, and you wake up every morning wanting to slit your wrists rather than go to the office, you can't quit your job the way you can on the civvie side. You are legally obligated to your first enlistment. I see this now as a contractor working with Big Army. There are a bunch of guys who hit a dead end in their civilian lives and decided "fuck it, I'll join the Army" and some of them are positively miserable. Every camp I've been on has had soldiers literally kill themselves because they were trapped in a life they thought they wanted. THAT is as bad as it gets.
[MENTION=41860]Redmanss[/MENTION] gave you some great advice. I'd think about the Reserves so you can put just the tip in and see if it's for you. If you hate it then do your weekend a month and go home to your regular life. If you love it and want more of it, then cross over to Active Duty. You can't cross from AD to Reserves, but you can go from Reserve to AD.

I'm not pissing on your parade brother. Our military needs mature people with a sense of purpose, but despite what the age limits are, being a junior enlisted guy is a young man's game; not because of the physicality, but because of the mentality it takes to suck up that much shit while you're at the bottom. I had the chance to join the Australian Army a few years ago because they were in dire need of people with one of my specialties. I knew I liked the Aussies and their Army and that I could handle the training and all that shit, but I also knew that at 40yrs old I probably couldn't deal with being a squaddie. I was a Platoon Sergeant when I got out of the Marines and knew I wouldn't be able to adjust to being at the bottom again.

Just think about it, it's one of those decisions you can't take back, and in this case it also affects your wife and child.

Read this several times. You need to seriously think about this, I don't think you know what you are getting into. CCT? Oh man, at 37 with a seven year old? Even if they take you for CCT, you will be gone for two years training and then you will be deployed/TDY for 300+ days a year. Do yourself a favor and think about the guard or try and get an OCS slot and go be a transportation officer or something if you must go military, or better yet get over the mid life crises and enjoy your family.

 

[997/2man]

There is a saying: You enlist, your family gets drafted.


If you were 27, no family…


Remember, you are their dog. That can be good, that can be bad.

Good Luck.

 

[shotdown]

Like some have said, if you going in enlisted at the age of 37, be prepared to have to take orders from Airmen much younger than you. I'm 31 and a MSgt (E-7) and you'll be 37 and an Airman First Class (E-3). Huge difference. Now some people are professional an will treat you your age but rank will always trump it.

Young Airman do not get paid well until at least making E-5. If you can, go the officer side. Either way, you'll meet great people if you do enlist and you'll learn an invaluable skill set.

 

[ZLBubba]

Not to pile on, but you asked.

I enlisted at 26 into the Army and it was tough on my body after all the years of playing sports. You've got a decade more wear and tear than I did, so what's tough for a 21 year old will likely be way tougher to you. And the PT stuff is made for the young guys, not for you.

At 37 years old, I wouldn't consider enlisting if you have a family. I would only go for an OCS slot, period. When you're young and have no attachments, it's no big deal to be gone months for training and deployments. It's entirely another thing if you have a family. I enlisted after I graduated college to go to Army SOF, and it worked out just fine. But I had no attachments so going after the cool-guy dream was no issue. That's not the case in your situation. A final nod to the officer track, there's FAR less bullshit on that end that will ruin your life. But if you're an E-3 at your first duty station and get on the wrong side of an NCO, get ready for day after day of fuck-fuck games. That will take a huge toll on you, and a huge toll on your family. As someone said earlier, you can't quit after they've got your ass into a contract.

So if you're going active duty, only go officer at your stage of life. If you're going reserves, get into something you enjoy that won't take a huge toll on your family. The military is a jealous mistress, and if it comes down to choosing your family and the military, that contract you signed becomes the only choice you have. I loved my time in the military, but I'm 34 with a wife and kid now. No way I'd embark on the same path now that I did back then.

 

[devldogs55]

When I was in the Marines, we had a guy that was a former Australian Army Captain and he went to boot camp with me. They didn't give a damn one way or another about his age or prior service as an officer. It was a strange experience for him to be sure, and I think there may be some similarities to his situation and yours. If you do go, be prepared to be bossed around by kids 10 years younger than you - as other posters have said. Depending on what you make now, it could be a pay cut. You'll get some extra money for being married and having a child, but pay as an E1/E2 ain't much at all. The first few years in any branch of the military are never fun. Shit rolls downhill and you are at the bottom. If you do go, pick your job carefully and don't let a recruiter screw you into anything else by telling you it's not available. Good luck!

 

[coach4christ]

Thanks guys, you are making me think harder about it. My con for joining was family stress. The are my world and I wouldn't want to sacrifice them.

 

[High Binder]

My con for joining was family stress. The are my world and I wouldn't want to sacrifice them.

Your path is hiding among those words...


You never responded as to whether or not you have a degree so it's probably safe to assume you don't. That means enlisted and having been on that side of the equation, I can tell you that I wish I had gotten a degree BEFORE I joined, because I either would have been in a much better position or might not have joined in the first place....

 

[romad7]

Thanks guys, you are making me think harder about it. My con for joining was family stress. The are my world and I wouldn't want to sacrifice them.

Any high speed AF job (TACP, CCTV, PJ, EOD, etc) will be very hard on your family life. I left AD TACP after getting married and being promised 9 month deployments on a regular basis. CCT would be no different.

Almost as a rule, the more badass the career field, the more you'll be gone somewhere unpleasant and far from your family. Even when you're home you'll be going on training trips away from home.

Unless you'll be happy with a nice and easy job, I don't think AD is for you. Seriously look at the Guard and Reserves. I'm in the ANG now and like it much better than AD.

 

[Hairball]

I might as well chime in as it appears so many others have. The one thing that concerns me about your post is that you are contemplating joining the military at 37 years of age because you are “burned out in your current job”. Not to sound too harsh but if you are burned out now you will be beyond burned out when the military gets a hold of you and dictates every aspect of your life for the next few years. Another word of caution you need to consider is the job you are trying to secure at 37 years of age. The washout rate for CCT is very high and being the age you are, your body is going to take a beating trying to keep up with people almost half your age. Not saying you can’t do it but you better have your shit wired and be in top physical shape as they are going to try and get you to quit. It’s one thing to pull a muscle or twist an ankle in a run when you are 20 years old, totally different story at 37.

You have not discussed your current education level but for the sake of argument, let’s say you don’t have a college degree. As you are looking at the enlisted side of the house, you need to pick a job that you can carry outside of the military and stay gainfully employed. CCT might sound like an exciting gig but there is not much need for one in civilian life and that is where the focus needs to be. This is just my opinion but you really need to pick a different career path in the military. I know folks that joined the Navy and went to x-ray school and got out after their four year commitment who are now making big bucks in specialized radiology departments. Don’t look at what might be a cool job at this stage in your life; look at what is going to support you and your family after you get out.

If you do decide to go in the military, DON’T WASTE YOUR EDUCATION BENEFITS, did I say that loud enough? When I joined the Navy back in the day my old Senior Chief (Bumarch) told me to get in school right away. Heck no, I have plenty of time for that. Let me tell you, 20+ years go by in a flash. I finally pulled my head out of my ass with enough time to finish my bachelor’s and master’s degrees on active duty and now my Post 9-11 has all but paid for my doctorate program since I retired. Take advantage of TA and whatever other programs they have as soon as you can. I could go on for pages but it’s your life and your choice, just make sure you look at all of those affected by the decision before you make the choice.

 

[KYbulldog]

I'll bite…

You'd be better off signing up for Oathkeepers. Or you can go in the Feds military and spend the next few years how to get out. It's gotta make you wonder why they are having to "lower the bar". After Barry's infusion of middle aged, gender confused, I'll do whatever you tell me so I can get a paycheck(maybe) and a square meal(maybe) south of the border green card applicant, zombies…we're sure to have a first class fighting force. But if I had to choose one…I'd pick the AF.

 

[Graham]

If you were graduating from the AF academy my advice would be different, but now is not the time to enlist.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Getting on to active duty from the reserves right now is like pulling teeth.

1. Never trust your recruiter, they are like car salesmen. Some are good, some are terrible.

2. Look at all your options, even if they say these three jobs are choices. You can walk away, if you choose to walk away, sometimes you will be given better options.

3. Getting an officer slot isn't guaranteed, or even easy sometimes. You need to be better than the next guy, just like any other job interview.

4. Research, over and over and over again. The military is a tough job, hours suck, its all salary, and its really not for everyone. Unless you are prepared to play stupid games, suck up frustration, and push on when most people would quit I wouldn't bother. I'm not talking about simple little things. I am talking about pulling a 72 hour op in Iraq, then being told you have a 12 hour patrol. Come back from that patrol to be pulled out of bed after only 1 hour for a Mass Cas. It happened to me, more than once. Be ready to sacrifice your mind, and your body. If you are one who can learn to love the suck, then its for you. If your one who likes to complain, don't bother.

I am not trying to steer you away. I just want to be honest. It can at times be tough job, and times be a great job. I just want you to understand. Its not for everyone, its not always easy, but I wouldn't trade the years I have in for anything in the world. Good times or bad.

 

[coach4christ]

I might as well chime in as it appears so many others have. The one thing that concerns me about your post is that you are contemplating joining the military at 37 years of age because you are “burned out in your current job”. Not to sound too harsh but if you are burned out now you will be beyond burned out when the military gets a hold of you and dictates every aspect of your life for the next few years. Another word of caution you need to consider is the job you are trying to secure at 37 years of age. The washout rate for CCT is very high and being the age you are, your body is going to take a beating trying to keep up with people almost half your age. Not saying you can’t do it but you better have your shit wired and be in top physical shape as they are going to try and get you to quit. It’s one thing to pull a muscle or twist an ankle in a run when you are 20 years old, totally different story at 37.

You have not discussed your current education level but for the sake of argument, let’s say you don’t have a college degree. As you are looking at the enlisted side of the house, you need to pick a job that you can carry outside of the military and stay gainfully employed. CCT might sound like an exciting gig but there is not much need for one in civilian life and that is where the focus needs to be. This is just my opinion but you really need to pick a different career path in the military. I know folks that joined the Navy and went to x-ray school and got out after their four year commitment who are now making big bucks in specialized radiology departments. Don’t look at what might be a cool job at this stage in your life; look at what is going to support you and your family after you get out.

If you do decide to go in the military, DON’T WASTE YOUR EDUCATION BENEFITS, did I say that loud enough? When I joined the Navy back in the day my old Senior Chief (Bumarch) told me to get in school right away. Heck no, I have plenty of time for that. Let me tell you, 20+ years go by in a flash. I finally pulled my head out of my ass with enough time to finish my bachelor’s and master’s degrees on active duty and now my Post 9-11 has all but paid for my doctorate program since I retired. Take advantage of TA and whatever other programs they have as soon as you can. I could go on for pages but it’s your life and your choice, just make sure you look at all of those affected by the decision before you make the choice.

I'm about 3/4 thorough with my masters in kinesiology and exercise science. It's not really that I'm burned out with my job, it's that I don't have ver.y much job satisfaction. I guess someone earlier stated correctly, I'm having a mid life crisis, haha

 

[Nuke8401]

37 now:
- Do less than 20 is a waste of time unless you receive truly marketable training/skills.
- Do 20 and your out at 57; that age is not a prime time to start job hunting doesn't matter what skills/edu you have.
- Joining at your age I would plan to stay to 62 (25 yrs) medical and retirement with SS if you want it.

 

[Hairball]

Well, you could finish the degree, get a job at a local VA doing physical therapy and rehabilitation with injured vets.

 

[Morale_Gear]

I'm about 3/4 thorough with my masters in kinesiology and exercise science. It's not really that I'm burned out with my job, it's that I don't have ver.y much job satisfaction. I guess someone earlier stated correctly, I'm having a mid life crisis, haha

I'm a 29 year old E-7 and for my past three units have been the youngest senior guy there. I currently have a 38 year old E-5 working for me and a couple other E-6s in their early to mid 30s. Until those guys got to know and trust me, working for someone years younger than them was a hard pill to swallow for them in many cases. One guy who is no longer in was a 35 year old E-4 when I was a boot E-6 at 23. We had issues the entire time he worked for me because he refused to listen to either me or my 26 year old E-5. Until a couple years ago, I always hid my age because of issues like that, because some of the older guys cannot accept the fact they're working for someone so young. Not all of it was malicious, it was just a difficult thing for them to accept. I have one E-2 who is 28 and has a 4-year degree that has been out of boot for about 2 months. He is answering to an E-3 who hasn't even turned 21 yet. Again, hard pill to swallow for him.

If your main reasoning is lack of job satisfaction, I would definitely advise not joining. You may get put into a crap job you hate, and then you have to deal with it.

My brother in law just left the AF (Security Forces) because of the job satisfaction deal. When I was stationed in Charleston, a lot of the AF guys I knew who were stationed at the "Joint Base" there were pretty pissed at their deployment schedule and with them cutting a lot of junior officers, the job security doesn't seem to be what it was years ago.

Reserves or Guard may be a better option, so at least you wouldn't have to deal with the BS 24/7. Go play hero on the weekends, volunteer for one of the contracted temporary active duty stints if you're feeling froggy. I wouldn't be interested in starting fresh at 37.

 

[fx77]

It is key to know your motivation...at 37
R U moving toward something or running away from something...seems more like the Latter...

 

[Morale_Gear]

I'll bite…

You'd be better off signing up for Oathkeepers. Or you can go in the Feds military and spend the next few years how to get out. It's gotta make you wonder why they are having to "lower the bar". After Barry's infusion of middle aged, gender confused, I'll do whatever you tell me so I can get a paycheck(maybe) and a square meal(maybe) south of the border green card applicant, zombies…we're sure to have a first class fighting force. But if I had to choose one…I'd pick the AF.

I don't see the parallel between enlisting in the military and joining oathkeepers. Oathkeepers is not a paying job. Oathkeepers will not teach me a trade. I can't retire from Oathkeepers. I can't get educational benefits or health benefits.

What's the point of your post? Guys like you are the reason I stay away from them.

 

[coach4christ]

It is key to know your motivation...at 37
R U moving toward something or running away from something...seems more like the Latter...

Not following you here fx. I have 14 years of teaching under my belt, not running from anything. I have always wanted to join, but as I stated earlier I chased the baseball dream too long. I wanted to follow that dream in coaching, but it's not the same. Don't get me wrong, I love coaching, but at the end of the day it's still just a game. I just don't want sit in my rocking chair when I'm old and have regrets.

 

[KYpatriot]

Hey coach, it's funny but that's the reason I got out. I didn't want to regret missing my kids grow up. Unless you live a perfect life you are going to have regrets, we all will. The best we can do is prioritize and do the best we can where we are. You may always wish you had joined the military, but I can tell you for sure you will never regret being with your kids everyday. Take it from some one who has been there, nothing you do in the military right now is as important as being a dad to your kids. Besides there are a million ways you can serve your country and community, and frankly this country has no shortage of men it is paying to carry guns... what it really needs is a few more good dads. We will soon be handing over this country to a generation that has on the average little instruction in what makes America work, what makes it exceptional, and how to keep it that way. If your kids are squared away on this then grab a few local urchins and square them away too. That would be worth 10 years of .mil easy to a grateful nation.

 

[Tristian19]

Thanks, for the reply. I am really kicking myself for waiting this long. I chased my dream of being a ball player too long and got into teaching/coaching. I love my ball players, but feel I have more to offer than just teaching algebra and coaching baseball.

I am NOT taking anything away from serving your country BUT teaching and coaching baseball to our youth is WAY UP THERE in my book. Our youth need more people like you who go the extra mile. And as for chasing your dream, at least you chased it. Too many people out here sit on their ass and don't do anything with their lives.

I myself had an accident at age 20 playing baseball and wound up with a three inch plate and seven screws in my fibula. It disqualified me from NYPD and, as well, Armed forces would NOT take me because of this.

I say Go with your heart...

Just my two cents.

 

[Tristian19]

Hey coach, it's funny but that's the reason I got out. I didn't want to regret missing my kids grow up. Unless you live a perfect life you are going to have regrets, we all will. The best we can do is prioritize and do the best we can where we are. You may always wish you had joined the military, but I can tell you for sure you will never regret being with your kids everyday. Take it from some one who has been there, nothing you do in the military right now is as important as being a dad to your kids. Besides there are a million ways you can serve your country and community, and frankly this country has no shortage of men it is paying to carry guns... what it really needs is a few more good dads. We will soon be handing over this country to a generation that has on the average little instruction in what makes America work, what makes it exceptional, and how to keep it that way. If your kids are squared away on this then grab a few local urchins and square them away too. That would be worth 10 years of .mil easy to a grateful nation.

The BIGGEST +1 from me!!!

 

[coach4christ]

Thanks guys, it means a lot to hear this.

 

[ace_m82]

OK, I'm biased and will probably get flack for this, but this is my opinion.

I served in Combat Support (arty) in the Marines. Now, Combat Support is one thing, and the Marines are certainly different from the Air Force. That being said:

You are their slave. I really wish I were kidding here. You HAVE to do what they say, regardless of how stupid they are. They literally have absolute control over everything you do. Likely, this won't really be bad in the Air Force. But if you love your Liberty, you will HATE this. If you lose your cool and tell your idiot boss what an idiot he (she) is, they can THROW YOU IN JAIL FOR IT!

Many of the people lie. They connive. They have no honor whatsoever. They will do whatever they thinks will benefit them. I had a commanding officer who I was fairly certain would send me to my death if it made him look good to someone. He wasn't even the worst...

Your name means you're a Christian. You serve God first, and others second. More than once they tried to make me go against what I KNEW was the right thing in order to "follow orders". Boy, you can bet I got in trouble when I disobeyed that lawful (yet evil) order. If you get through without having to disobey in order to follow God, congrats. But I would say that the odds of that are very small. I'm not even talking about "big" stuff or combat. They will try to make you compromise your beliefs. I pray they don't succeed.

PLEASE don't join the military. It's just not worth it.

 

[TNT]

Coach,
I am in the process of going back on active duty after about a year of being out. If you want, pm me and I can detail to you the extreme level of admin jackassery I have already had to deal with before even reporting in. 90% of your time gets wasted on the 10% of stuff that is least significant in the overall scheme. If you are OK with being given no clear directions, having to do everything yourself, not being given the tools to do so, and the whole situation being your fault, then you will do well.

 

[KYbulldog]

I don't see the parallel between enlisting in the military and joining oathkeepers. Oathkeepers is not a paying job. Oathkeepers will not teach me a trade. I can't retire from Oathkeepers. I can't get educational benefits or health benefits.

What's the point of your post? Guys like you are the reason I stay away from them.

I'll take that hit. You're right, I didn't represent we'll. A guy asking a straight up question, and I let my distaste for what the generals let go down under the "command" of some jack wagon who never served and has no respect for the office, get in the way of plainly saying "don't do it". Heck, I shouldn't even be playin in this sandbox, as I only got as far as meps. But my point would be things don't seem to be going to well for our troops for some time and don't appear to be getting better soon. So while that volunteer gig with OK may not pay, they actually might teach u something useful for the future, it could be an experience to be just as proud of, and you won't be lookin to the VA for benefits. Not that a flyby of one of our fine fighters doesn't grab my attention every time ...but no regrets my foray into the service didn't pan out.

+1 on KYpatriot's response.

 

[Jong]

If you are really interested in going to CCT. Go to this website and get the straight scoop from guys that have been there. Pararescue, Combat Control, CRO, STO, SERE, SOWT, ALO and TACP Information & Guidance: Specialtactics.com | Forums powered by UBB.threads™

 

[KUSA]

Active duty life is basically just another job. Go for it.

 

[KUSA]

OK, I'm biased and will probably get flack for this, but this is my opinion.

I served in Combat Support (arty) in the Marines. Now, Combat Support is one thing, and the Marines are certainly different from the Air Force. That being said:

You are their slave. I really wish I were kidding here. You HAVE to do what they say, regardless of how stupid they are. They literally have absolute control over everything you do. Likely, this won't really be bad in the Air Force. But if you love your Liberty, you will HATE this. If you lose your cool and tell your idiot boss what an idiot he (she) is, they can THROW YOU IN JAIL FOR IT!

Many of the people lie. They connive. They have no honor whatsoever. They will do whatever they thinks will benefit them. I had a commanding officer who I was fairly certain would send me to my death if it made him look good to someone. He wasn't even the worst...

Your name means you're a Christian. You serve God first, and others second. More than once they tried to make me go against what I KNEW was the right thing in order to "follow orders". Boy, you can bet I got in trouble when I disobeyed that lawful (yet evil) order. If you get through without having to disobey in order to follow God, congrats. But I would say that the odds of that are very small. I'm not even talking about "big" stuff or combat. They will try to make you compromise your beliefs. I pray they don't succeed.

PLEASE don't join the military. It's just not worth it.

You are one of those people that just have the wrong attitude and therefore trouble follows you everywhere you walk.

If someone goes in the military with the right attitude they typically thrive and have no problems. I did it.

 

[bogeybrown]

One thing I don't think any of us has asked is: what is your plan if you don't make it through CCT?

I ask because your recruiter can guarantee you the school but not that you'll make it. There are a LOT of guys in the Navy doing jobs they never wanted to do because they signed up to be SEALS and didn't make it.

Just a thought for you to consider.

 

[diverdon]

Coach, if you are not happy with what you are doing change it. If you are still not happy change it again. If you join the service you will not be able to change again. If your wife or child need you, and your Sargent would like the urinal nearest his office to sparkel you will be polishing the fixture. If you complain to much that could be insubordination. I did six years, and I liked it OK, but in the end I had to give up too many freedoms.

Think about the unarmed soldiers who have been shot at fort hood among other places, They did not have the right to defend themselves with a lawfully carried firearm.

Your Recruiter is a trained expert. Much of his training is in how to tell you things so that you hear what you want to hear. Well the good ones do that, some Recruiters may just lie to you. My brother was a avid coon hunter in his youth, a unscrupulous Marine Recruiter told him that he was guaranteed the right to take eight of his dogs with him anywhere he went in the Marines, and that he could have unlimited coon hunting privileges on any military base with no seasons and no game wardens allowed on base. Even as a young man my brother had a pretty fair BS detector and did not join.

There are a lot of guys coming back from the wars hurt pretty bad one way or another. Coach, these young men may need a little help. If you could find a way to volunteer to help them using your skill set then you could really be doing a lot of good. On the other hand if that is the kind of thing you are getting tired of then look for a way to use your skills to provide a good living for your family with minimum output on your part, and spend time with your family, and get a good hobby.

 

[dariof]

I'm about 3/4 thorough with my masters in kinesiology and exercise science. It's not really that I'm burned out with my job, it's that I don't have ver.y much job satisfaction. I guess someone earlier stated correctly, I'm having a mid life crisis, haha

I have not been in the military, but know many who are. They are away from their families due to deployment. I'm talking missing years of watching their children grow. That time can never be replaced.

You are educated, but dissatisfied with your current career. So, rather than let the military control you, why don't you control yourself?

Why not continue your education to a PhD, then teach at a university? Or why not continue your education to a more desireable private sector career?

Years ago I was struggling with this. Military was an option. Instead, I went to law school, earned my Juris Doctorate, then ended up in real estate law/brokerage.

What a phenomenal career it's been, but the best parts are I have never missed ANY school functions involving my child, have always been there for the family, and do what I want when I want to do it. Today I'm taking my family to breakfast, followed by an afternoon at the shooting range.

You're well positioned to structure your own future which can ALWAYS involve your family.......don't take that power away from you and give it to the military.

 

[bogeybrown]

If you join the service you will not be able to change again. If your wife or child need you, and your Sargent would like the urinal nearest his office to sparkel you will be polishing the fixture. If you complain to much that could be insubordination.

I don't think the Air Force does bright work. I'm pretty sure they have maids and room service for those pesky tasks.

 

[ace_m82]

You are one of those people that just have the wrong attitude and therefore trouble follows you everywhere you walk.

If someone goes in the military with the right attitude they typically thrive and have no problems. I did it.

I had the right attitude. I had that beaten out of me (partially literally). There were precisely 0 people from my unit who had the "right attitude" after 4 years. We were treated that poorly.

Do you love your freedom? If yes, then don't join the military.