Anyone join the Air Force to go to college?

sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
I was thinking of the idea of joining the air force once I'm out of high school and get a BA or MA in engineering while being in the Air Force. Just wondering if anyone did that and if they think that was better than just going to a college. I know that if you served in the armed forces you're pretty much able to get a fedral job. Just trying to figure out what I want to do after high school and what classes I need to take in high school. I looked up job careers and what the Air Force does to help your college education on their website so I have done some research, I just wanted to get some perspectives from people who have done that. Oh and I guess I almost forgot to mention, I'd try to be an enginer in the Air Force and get training from them as well as getting a college education in enginering of some kind.
 
mie

mie

Active Member
Good luck with your ventures, just be willing and ready to go fight if need be.
The military is a FIGHTING force, school is an incentive.
 
kevintheshrimp

kevintheshrimp

Member
didnt join the airforce but I did join the Coast guard to go to college.... and many people I work with do the same. Now the fact that I did join to go to college near 4 years have gone by and no college, only because I love my job and now and really have no interest. some day I will go, but joining right now is a great time because the GI bill is amazing right now. if you dont use it you can pass it on to your children or spouse :)
 
schnutzzy

schnutzzy

Member
I am ex Air Force and my youngest son is in the Navy, they put him through college and now he is an officer and helicopter pilot. It was a blessing and my son is in his eigth year now and loves it.
 
jmj6239

jmj6239

Member
I am a veteran of the Air Force (2000-2004), I got my associates while I was in could have gotten more if I had put my mind to it. Engineering is a very broad range of careers, from Firefighting (what I do) and bomb technicians to plumbers construction workers and engineers. if you are looking for an advanced degree youd be better off going commissioned, vs enlisted. but if your going for the gi bill go enlisted. as an engineer you WILL get deployed!!! and its not as peachy as some people will tell you. You may be attached to units from other branches of the military, in Iraq we were part of the northern push with the 173rd, in OEF we were a rescue base between afganistan and the indian ocean.
 
michael1972

michael1972

Member
Some states will give you free schooling after you get out.
IL will give you a 4 year scholarship of a state school if you move back there with in 6 months of getting out with a horn able discharge. Then you can collect your GI bill money and put it in your pocket for saltwater expenses.
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Originally Posted by schnutzzy
http:///forum/post/2666085
I am ex Air Force and my youngest son is in the Navy, they put him through college and now he is an officer and helicopter pilot. It was a blessing and my son is in his eigth year now and loves it.
I didn't know the Navy had that kind of program. Navy sounds the most appealing to me but I had a guy who was in the Navy and he made it sound that the Navy gets some of the worst benefits compared to like the Air Force or Army.
Wouldn't the Armed Forces send you to college in the states and give you training in the states before depolying you to a position where you'd apply the training and education you got at college?
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
my dad was in the military and got 20% disability for his back and i had my BS degree paid for classes and books...i paid for my masters and am almost done but i am thinking about joining the navy to get them to pay for my phd based on the GI bill...do my 4 years then get a job with NMFS
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Originally Posted by jrthomas40
http:///forum/post/2666507
my dad was in the military and got 20% disability for his back and i had my BS degree paid for classes and books...i paid for my masters and am almost done but i am thinking about joining the navy to get them to pay for my phd based on the GI bill...do my 4 years then get a job with NMFS
What are you getting your degree in?
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
i have my BS in marine biology, all i have left of my masters in marine fisheries is my thesis and i would like to get my phd in marine aquaculture or marine ornamental aquaculture but would eventually like to teach at a universtity but if i do that then i should go with a phd in oceanography which the navy has then i could join the office of naval research for a job if i decided to stay in and not teach
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Originally Posted by jrthomas40
http:///forum/post/2666541
i have my BS in marine biology, all i have left of my masters in marine fisheries is my thesis and i would like to get my phd in marine aquaculture or marine ornamental aquaculture but would eventually like to teach at a universtity but if i do that then i should go with a phd in oceanography which the navy has then i could join the office of naval research for a job if i decided to stay in and not teach
Man you got lucky, I'd love to do something in marine fisheries and aquaculture. But enginering is probably more realistic for me.
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
i know if you do jrotc and do well you could apply to do high school to flight school. my husband is wishing he knew about that when he was younger. one of the best things to do to see what you could do before you really make a choice is to take the asvab and see where you are and what you need to work on, your still young enough to really apply yourself where you need it to get almost whatever job you want. they give you job options based on your scores so you definetly want to see where you are and where you need to be.
 
harris28

harris28

Member
I was in the AF and loved it. I also used it to pay for school but I spent alot of time in the sand box too so be ready. I also used the GIbill so when I got out I finished my BS and have started my MBA all for free. Really a good deal. However If I were you and like the post above me check into ROTC at OSU and join the civil air patrol. This way you can be a commissioned officer and be making a good bit of money right out of college. And keep your grades up and the ROTC might even pay for most of it. Then go be a pilot in AF!! Thats what its all about. I work on the Flight simulators and they are awesome and even got a few flights and it great.
Go to www.wantscheck.com and look into ROTC and being an AF pilot, trust me you will not regret it. If I knew about that stuff when I went in I would have gone that rought!! Good luck!!
 
sooner_reefer

sooner_reefer

Member
Well there are a bunch of things limiting me here. First of all my freshmen year in highschool's gpa was 3.05 because I was a lazy butt, but I'm smart enough, took the SAT when I was in 7th grade and did pretty good in the english reading section. Was able to take an online course with the Duke TIP program in some social science politics class. Almost made it in science to take engineering and science programs with them based on my SAT score.
Also what exactly is ROTC. I looked on their website but still don't know what exactly everyone is talking about.
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
reserve officers training corps. what i would do is to go to the af/navy/army/marine whoever you wants website and check out the local recruiting stations and ask where the nearest rotc is then get in contact with someone there and start asking questions. if you can get into an rotc program do it!
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
go to afrotc.com <not a competitior site and look under admissions and look at the requirements i think you could do it! then look for schools near you.
 
ibew41

ibew41

Active Member
Wouldn't the Armed Forces send you to college in the states and give you training in the states before depolying you to a position where you'd apply the training and education you got at college?unless you go to a military school no you don't go to collage first,but you go to train in an occupation a few weeks to 1 year depending on your mos then off you go to where the need you
 
harris28

harris28

Member
Originally Posted by IBEW41
http:///forum/post/2666914
Wouldn't the Armed Forces send you to college in the states and give you training in the states before depolying you to a position where you'd apply the training and education you got at college?unless you go to a military school no you don't go to collage first,but you go to train in an occupation a few weeks to 1 year depending on your mos then off you go to where the need you
When you join the military they will never send you to college. That is just a benefit you have to go if you want. When you join you are given a job and after completing basic training you go to school(military) for your job in a very fast pace environment. If you cant pass the school you either get re trained into something else or your out.
I was in the air force (8 years) and it was like a normal 7-4 job. Deplyoments were tough but being home was cake. But I would seriously check on being an Officer. Seriously, your life will be better trust me!!!
Your 3.05 in your freshman year is really not limiting. I dont know what grade your in now but get active in school programs and take your SAT again, dont give up, yeah its competitive but if you get in, a free education and a guaranteed job will that pays good with all the beenies is more than your friends will have. Check out the pay scalehttp://www.militaryfactory.com/military_pay_scale.asp
Now this is in 2008 so it will be higher but you can be an E-1 making $1347 a month or an officer starting out at $2557. As enlisted it will take you 8 years to get to what a first term officer makes. Which would rather and that providing you make the rank in the enlisted corp.
So again my recommendation is the Air Force and become an officer.
 
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