Anyone join the Air Force to go to college?

I don't think I'd get accepted into the ROTC program and I know I could never be a pilot. I got asmtha though it hasn't acted up for a couple years. My gramps tried out but couldn't get in the army because he had it so bad. I also was born without a right chest muscle so I don't know if I'd even get the chance to try out. Figured if I just went for an enginering job then I wouldn't have to go through as many medical exams and might just sneak by. Also the pay for an officer is good, but that's no where near what I want to be making when I'm out of the air force or college even.
Based on that said, would it be better for me just to go to a college then apply for an engineering job through that? I would love to serve my country in the armed forces, but just don't know if they'd let me in.
 

jmj6239

Member
Asmtha is going to be a limiting factor getting in to the military. you may be able to slip through, but I wouldn't count on it.
 

spiderwoman

Active Member
Originally Posted by bluering09
http:///forum/post/2667034
Can you join the air force to become a US Citzen?
In order for you to do that as a non-citizen you have to be a legal immigrant (with a green card), permamently residing in the United States.
It's important to note that the military cannot and will not assist in the immigration process. One must immigrate first, using normal immigration quotas and procedures, and -- once they've established an address in the United States -- they can find a recruiter's office and apply for enlistment
 
with those conditions i would say count out the air force and the navy because they are being really picky right now. all the way down to credit score. honestly it would probably be easier to work hard and start applying for scholarships.
 
Originally Posted by armywife1314
http:///forum/post/2668103
with those conditions i would say count out the air force and the navy because they are being really picky right now. all the way down to credit score. honestly it would probably be easier to work hard and start applying for scholarships.
Yeah that's what I figured.
 

nano reefer

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/2666472
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.
all armed services have it. now the army is giving you 40k to start a small business when you leave, in addition to college.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
I know several people who joined to do that, they are sharking colleges around here, you sign up go to school do bootcamp during the summer, and when you get out of school they have you for a few years. I thought about doing that, but my now wife didn't want that to happen.
But seriously do mechanical, structural or petroleum engineering. The NEED engineers right now in the oil industry. You know depending on what you do on your asvab, the navy will turn you into a nuclear engineer, live on a boat for a while. Then get out and make money with all these nuclear powerplans they are going to start building. That might be a serious boom in about 5-10 years.
 

bdhutier

Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/2666472
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?
No way. When you enlist, you will be working the entry level in whatever career field you get, and will be trained accordingly. Here's the way to look at it: The military will train you for the job they want you to do. If you want to go to college or anything else, that's great. But, do it on your own time. The government is paying you to be battle-ready and execute, not to hang out and go to college.
And FYI, the Army probably has the best college incentive program right now, with the GI bill (which they all have), then the Army college fund. They also have that new program with $40k you can put towards a business or house.
Other than incentive/recruiting items like that, all the services have the same benefits, to keep the playing field level.
Regarding your medical conditions, you're probably a no-go. It's possible you could get a waiver for the asthma, but not for the USAF. All recruits (enlisted or officer) go through the same entry physical. Your conditions will be a hang up. You definitely don't want to lie about your conditions, though. Fraudulent enlistment/appointment is a very big deal.
 

harris28

Member
You will be hard pressed to find a job that pays you that much as an officer right out of college especially with the economy right now. not saying it cant happen but very hard pressed. Plus that pay, you get 30 days vacation right from the start and free medical, dental, and a thrift savings plan, 100% tuition assistance. Not to mention when you move up in rank your making over $60,000 within 4 years and the top oficers get basic pay of $10,000 a month. Oh yeah that figure I gave you for the first term officer is base pay that does not include your housing allowance, food allowance and any other incentive pay you get for your job.
i see you have asthma and that is why I got out. After 8 years they said I had asthma and medically separated. If i was you just start appying for scholarships. Go for electrical, mechanical, or aerospace engineering and do interships out the wazoo!! That way when you graduate you'll have some experience and you might make the money you want quicker.
I know several engineers right out of college who can not even get jobs and are having to work as bar tenders. So keep in the books and I'm telling you get involved in engineering school projects and internships and you should come out ahead.
 
Originally Posted by Harris28
http:///forum/post/2668422
You will be hard pressed to find a job that pays you that much as an officer right out of college especially with the economy right now. not saying it cant happen but very hard pressed. Plus that pay, you get 30 days vacation right from the start and free medical, dental, and a thrift savings plan, 100% tuition assistance. Not to mention when you move up in rank your making over $60,000 within 4 years and the top oficers get basic pay of $10,000 a month. Oh yeah that figure I gave you for the first term officer is base pay that does not include your housing allowance, food allowance and any other incentive pay you get for your job.
i see you have asthma and that is why I got out. After 8 years they said I had asthma and medically separated. If i was you just start appying for scholarships. Go for electrical, mechanical, or aerospace engineering and do interships out the wazoo!! That way when you graduate you'll have some experience and you might make the money you want quicker.
I know several engineers right out of college who can not even get jobs and are having to work as bar tenders. So keep in the books and I'm telling you get involved in engineering school projects and internships and you should come out ahead.
I heard somewhere that there is going to be a big need for engineers in a couple years and that a lot of companies and orginazations are giving away scholarships like crazy.
When people always say like school projects and internships what do you mean? My school doesn't even have a wood workshop or car mechanic class. It's a Baptist Private school so all the extra ciricular progams are sports or Christian focused. Would doing something like volunteering for Habitat for Humanity be what you guys are talking about? What would an internship be?
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/2668646
I heard somewhere that there is going to be a big need for engineers in a couple years and that a lot of companies and orginazations are giving away scholarships like crazy.
When people always say like school projects and internships what do you mean? My school doesn't even have a wood workshop or car mechanic class. It's a Baptist Private school so all the extra ciricular progams are sports or Christian focused. Would doing something like volunteering for Habitat for Humanity be what you guys are talking about? What would an internship be?

Basically, they will have some sort of job search location, usually you can go out and find an internship there working for another company, alot of time it is unpaid during college. What kind of engineering do you want to get into.
 
Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2668711
Basically, they will have some sort of job search location, usually you can go out and find an internship there working for another company, alot of time it is unpaid during college. What kind of engineering do you want to get into.
I don't really know haha. Architecture intrests me the most and I think I'd enjoy it the most, but anything but plumbing or electrical basicly sounds good to me.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/2668777
I don't really know haha. Architecture intrests me the most and I think I'd enjoy it the most, but anything but plumbing or electrical basicly sounds good to me.
Seriously, petroleum, chemical, and mechanical engineers are in huge demand right now and probably will be for a while. Especially if they actually start drilling in the USA. Another thing you might consider is nuclear... If they actually start using nuclear power for power plants, that is going to be a highly demanded degree. Right now, (in the oil industry) they don't have a job pool to get aplicants from, they have to snipe em from other employeers. And you should see the stuff they do to recruit you.
 

harris28

Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/2668646
I heard somewhere that there is going to be a big need for engineers in a couple years and that a lot of companies and orginazations are giving away scholarships like crazy.
When people always say like school projects and internships what do you mean? My school doesn't even have a wood workshop or car mechanic class. It's a Baptist Private school so all the extra ciricular progams are sports or Christian focused. Would doing something like volunteering for Habitat for Humanity be what you guys are talking about? What would an internship be?
Are you still in High school? I'm talking about college. Usually the engineering department will have projects where a group of students design and test something in a competition. Internships is also something you can g o through the department and mostly you work during the summer for a place. And remember that nobody can predict the future, all you can do is prepare!
 
Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2668779
Seriously, petroleum, chemical, and mechanical engineers are in huge demand right now and probably will be for a while. Especially if they actually start drilling in the USA. Another thing you might consider is nuclear... If they actually start using nuclear power for power plants, that is going to be a highly demanded degree. Right now, (in the oil industry) they don't have a job pool to get aplicants from, they have to snipe em from other employeers. And you should see the stuff they do to recruit you.
I don't think nuclear will be the next big thing personaly. I see it more in other types of energy. Petroleum won't last much longer I don't think as long as there are liberals telling us the world is coming to an end and we need alternative energy. And alternative energy is to unsure for me. Mechanical engineering sounds interesting though.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by Sooner_Reefer
http:///forum/post/2668803
I don't think nuclear will be the next big thing personaly. I see it more in other types of energy. Petroleum won't last much longer I don't think as long as there are liberals telling us the world is coming to an end and we need alternative energy. And alternative energy is to unsure for me. Mechanical engineering sounds interesting though.
Who do you think is actually putting money into alternative energy?
 
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