Air Force guys!!

[cbarr300]

Well, I went to meps and took the test, physical, etc....and ended up getting a 91 on the test with a 96 being my highest (mechanical) and an 89 being my lowest (general science). I'm on DEP right now and they said I should be going active duty in aprox. 4 months.

I've decided to go for one of two jobs...either jet engine mechanic...or....crew chief (f-15 or f-16 would be nice)

sooo, which one would you do?

I've been talking around and I remember eades saying he was a crew chief so I figured I'd get some e-pinions.

 

[SeventyMach1]

I am in a different branch. I am in maintenence myself. If I were you ... I'd do crew chief. But then again, I love flying. It's all what YOU want to do.


FIRST ... think about the service. Do you want to retire? Or just a few years and get out? If the latter .... choose a job that may help you in the civilian world once you get out.


Also look at incentives. Some jobs give NICE initial enlistment bonuses ... as well as re-enlistment bonuses.

 

[cbarr300]

Well, I'm shooting for retiring out the airforce...Which is why I was leaning towards the crew chief. I think I'd really love doing that...I'm just not 100% sure just yet.

What's all involved with being a crew chief?

 

[mootang]

wish i could help you out but i don't know a whole lot about those two jobs.

 

[wytstang]

If either one of those jobs requires you to fly choose that one. Flight pay+Per diem+combat pay(tax free)+Seeing the world=Best job ever. Assuming any of those jobs takes you out of the U.S.

 

[bimmertech]

Well, I'm shooting for retiring out the airforce...Which is why I was leaning towards the crew chief. I think I'd really love doing that...I'm just not 100% sure just yet.

What's all involved with being a crew chief?

i was a crew chief on F-15E models at seymour johnson afb.

it is a fun job, but it can get old real quick. long hours and alot of hard dangerous work. the thing that always made me mad was i was out on the line bustin my hump every night for 12 hours and i was getting paid the same as some pencil pushin desk jockey. how many times did that *** have a put out a fire from a shelled out jfs, or have to run ground in the hush house.

there is no doubt you will like it, but for how long is the question. i prefer the F15E over the older 15's and the 16's, however the 16's are easier to work on. older c/d model 15's are piles and you will quickly find your way around unified fuel controlers and pullin engines.

imo engine shop is the way to go. inside a climate controlled building all the time, deployments are fewer, etc..

 

[SeventyMach1]

Well, an Army crew chief is totally different than a Chair Force (j/k) crew chief. So I can't speak for that position. But I agree with Danny. Do something where you get to fly alot. He listed the benefits of that.


Ben ... you were at Seymour Johnson. LMAO. Did you see more Johnson? (hehe, j/k again)

 

[cbarr300]

ah, does a crew chief see any fly time?

 

[qballenko]

Make sure that the job you choose can not get you attached to an Army unit in any way. Im in the Army, and right now Im over here in the suck(icrap). Ive been here for a year now and have seen four Air Force personnel come and redeploy from the same exact duty position. So choose wisely and make sure there is no way you can end up attached to Army. Like wytstang said the money is nice, but after twleves months with three more to go it just sucks. Oh and another thing this being true even for the air force make sure your mos is one that will be long standing, because i know the air force was getting rid of a bunch of people in a whole bunch of moses (which means reclass into critical mos.) Do the research yourself dont trust your recruiter. Oh and one thing I cannnnntttttt stress enough if you make your decision to join a certain mos and they are not giving any bonus money for the mos have them wait. Cause I came in with no bonus then two months later they offered $15,000 to $20,000 enlisment bonus for the same job.

 

[SeventyMach1]

I'm sure you know this ... but for record ... when he says MOS (Army), he is talking about tech skill (USAF). I agree. As a former recruiter (for a year) ... I can tell you ... don't always trust a recruiter. Search things out for yourself.

And as far as being attached with the Army ... the Army & Air Force work together ALOT. Kinda like the Navy & Marine Corp. More importantly ... pay attention to your possible duty locations. If you get stationed at ... say ... Pope Air Force Base, NC ... you are right on Fort Bragg, NC. They are attached. You WILL be doing things with the Army, lol.


And our crew chiefs do fly alot (albeit, helicopters mostly). I can't speak for the Air Force's ... but Ben made it sound like they don't fly as much.

 

[cbarr300]

yeah, my recruiter is a pretty good person....but I'd still rather hear from other people. I've been asking people around here that have been in the air force and also figured I'd ask the best sub-forum on the net.

Thanks for the help so far guys

 

[mootang]

What are your true intrests? would you rather be at a desk working 7 to 4 or working outside even if it is long hours and hard work? do want to spend a lot of time travelling or do you have a family that you don't want to leave all the time? There are alot of awsome jobs i would like to retrain to but I don't want to be separated from my family for 3 weeks out of every month! If you let me know what your prefrences are I can suggest a few jobs and let you know which of the two listed you would prefer. I can tell you that working as a crew cheif you will have a much better chance of receiving an insentive flight.

 

[bimmertech]

fighter crew chiefs don't fly. but like mootang said i did get an "incentive flight" which consisted of 1.5 hours in an F-15E that was well worth any crap i had to endure in my short 4 year stint as an airman.

i was lucky and got my ride early in my career and in unrestricted airspace---so i broke mach, faux dog fought, etc. i'm not gonna lie it was def the coolest thing i have ever done.

i say do it. i've been out for 8 years now and i am prolly gonna join the reserves as i just miss working on stuff that has huge guns and missiles on them.

 

[mootang]

I just wish my career feild recieved insentive flights. Its pretty rare for an ammo troop to get one

 

[cbarr300]

I love working on things and I don't mind being away from home all that much. (though...I'd be away from my car too ) I've heard the hours are pretty long...but I've also heard that the job is very rewarding as well.

I think I'm gonna go in as a crew chief, I still have a while to decided though.

 

[mootang]

if you like to travel and fly you could always go in as an Aerial gunner. they are critically manned (not sure for what ranks) but it would be a fun job and will probably have a signing bonus when you reinlist. If I wasn't married i would cross train to this job for sure!

 

[SeventyMach1]

On hours & overseas duty ....

Once again, I can't speak for the Air Force. However, my cousin is a C-5 loadmaster in the AF. His job is awesome. He is currently in Hawaii and his next stop is Australia. He is actually stationed in Dover, DE. He goes all over the place. But when he goes to Iraq, Spain, Germany, Kuwait, etc ... he stays for a maximum of 2 weeks. Usually 1 week, though. When he is not flying, he sits in his dorm all day in Dover or does whatever. That's right, DORM, not barracks!