Outsider Post: Thinking about enlisting after DD gets here?

cbooker8912 · October 2014

Hi,

Sorry to intrude, but I'm thinking about enlisting (hopefully AF) after DD gets here in November. I searched google to see if that would even be possible, but found no concrete answers. Currently I'm not married. We are engaged, and date is set for May 15. Would it be a better idea to be married first? And I'm 3 classes away from finishing my bachelor's at Ohio State. I'm thinking about trying to enlist as an officer, but if I don't pass the test well enough to be an officer, can I still be enlisted personnel?I'm sorry if I'm butchering the lingo, but I'm trying!!

Thanks for your time!

CRich15 · October 2014

If you want to be an officer, commission if you would rather just enlist then enlist. Many enlisted members have their bachelors and masters degrees. The military brings in many benefits but also a lot of sacrifice and its something that you need to take into consideration. Moving, deployments, long hours and crazy shifts. I'm not trying to scare you out of it... My husband and I been in for the past 7 years and have had both my kids while on active duty. We have had our ups and downs but as long as you have a good support system you will be just fine. Good Luck!

ufsandra85 · October 2014

I'm an officer but in the navy. I was a direct commission so there was no test. My commission was solely based off my masters degree, my board, GPA, letters of rec and whatever else the board looked at. I highly suggest you commission because well I'll be honest the pay and the respect is a lot different. You need to start working with an officer recruiter

Sammy0709 · October 2014

ufsandra85 said:
I'm an officer but in the navy. I was a direct commission so there was no test. My commission was solely based off my masters degree, my board, GPA, letters of rec and whatever else the board looked at. I highly suggest you commission because well I'll be honest the pay and the respect is a lot different. You need to start working with an officer recruiter

When did you commission? I had to take the ASTB when I applied 4 years ago and I was applying for direct commission.
Unless you're medical. Medical doesn't take a test.

kyrgyzstan · October 2014

There are branches that won't take you if you're classified as a single parent, so you might have to get married first. I'm an officer candidate in the Army National Guard. I broke both my legs at OCS, it was no joke. BCT was not a big deal really, but OCS was and will be again upon my return. Don't be an officer just because you have a degree. The Air Force has the highest number of enlisted members with a degree, so it's not like you'll be wildly out of place with a BA. Be an officer because you believe in the mission. Being an officer means you don't really get to do the fun stuff. Lots of paperwork while your Airmen go have all the fun.

ETA: Selection for active duty slots, especially in the AF (which I never thought about joining) is INSANE. It's one of the reasons I ended up with the Guard instead of AD which is what I really wanted. I still went to OCS with all the AD/R members, and it was insane how competitive it was for them. Much less so for me. But I had tried for 9 months prior to go AD, with a 99/140 ASVAB/GT. How's your GPA? Fitness? It's all a competition.

kyrgyzstan · October 2014

And don't just go officer because of the money. It's not supposed to be about that. As far as respect goes, well, sure you get saluted, but enlisted members have more real respect for each other than they do for officers (and everyone gets more respect than a candidate, lol).

Sammy0709 · October 2014

WishIcouldbeinthe'stan said:
And don't just go officer because of the money. It's not supposed to be about that. As far as respect goes, well, sure you get saluted, but enlisted members have more real respect for each other than they do for officers (and everyone gets more respect than a candidate, lol).

This is very clear when I call an elderly retired service member Sir and they say, "I'm a Gunny, I worked for a living."

kyrgyzstan · October 2014

Sammy0709 said:

And don't just go officer because of the money. It's not supposed to be about that. As far as respect goes, well, sure you get saluted, but enlisted members have more real respect for each other than they do for officers (and everyone gets more respect than a candidate, lol).
This is very clear when I call an elderly retired service member Sir and they say, "I'm a Gunny, I worked for a living."

They're all Clint Eastwood! Crazy old jars.

ufsandra85 · November 2014

Sammy0709 said:

I'm an officer but in the navy. I was a direct commission so there was no test. My commission was solely based off my masters degree, my board, GPA, letters of rec and whatever else the board looked at. I highly suggest you commission because well I'll be honest the pay and the respect is a lot different. You need to start working with an officer recruiter
When did you commission? I had to take the ASTB when I applied 4 years ago and I was applying for direct commission. Unless you're medical. Medical doesn't take a test.

medical service corps

kyrgyzstan · November 2014

OP, anyone who direct commissions is not going to have the same experience as a regular officer. My bff recently received a super awesome scholarship, is currently commissioned without having to go to any sort of OCS, and when she finishes her advanced degree, will go to a two week program that teaches one how to salute and wear their uniform. She jokes about it all the time. And yes, the receive respect because of their job, not necessarily because they're officers and not enlisted. Everyone I know respects doctors and other people in medical/health related jobs. The average officer (or attorneys)? Lol. Much, much less. And like I said above, I went through 11 weeks of OCS. I was in extensive pain the whole time. Air Force OTS is likely (I have no experience with it) less physically intensive than Army OCS, and it's shorter by almost a month, but I can guarantee that people get hurt and get sent home. I was threatened with a med board, that would have ended my career completely. But I'm very committed to the Soldiers that I'll be responsible for when I finally finish. Non direct commission officers have very different responsibilities and days than a health services professional.

I love the Army and I loved training. But if becoming an officer was about money or respect, I would have quit and stayed enlisted when my legs were broken.

So clearly I have a soapbox type feeling about this. My advice is to talk to a regular old Air Force officer who is in a job that you find interesting (I didn't get to choose my job field, but I did get lucky and I'll get to do what I want). Make sure that you keep up your gpa and PT once you're allowed to physically. Stay competitive.

laxin31 · November 2014

Everyone here has great info and different ways of joining weather it be by branch or enlisted/officer. My sister had a commission and went to ODS as a navy nurse. My husband is academy.

I think one best piece of advice is go to a local recruiting office. That way you can discuss the options for you and what will be best. Yes there are advantages and disadvantages to both sides I think it's the matter of you trying to see what the military can offer you and what you want out of the military.

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