You’ll likely get to sleep in a little bit the first day, so you can expect to get up around 5 or 6 in the morning, at least that’s when I was woken up the next day when I arrived. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. ... SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. As a regular you have plenty of options when choosing where to live: a barrack block or ‘Mess’ on base, commute from home, or rent nearby – all of which are subsidised by the RAF. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Yes. But first they have to meet the minimum qualifications for that job, including a minimum score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB. If you’ve always … The Lackland school is responsible for graduating about 55 specialists who then go … The AFROTC is offered at more than 1,100 colleges and … You will be given 28 days to improve your fitness after which you will be retested. Once you submit your choices just let the chips fall. The article ranks the top five best air bases in the country based on local school quality, cost of living, access to shopping and entertainment and other factors. You will have a easier time getting-in if you apply as an OR nurse. At the tactical or personal/direct level, members of the Air Force master their … Most Regulars choose to live on base with hundreds of others and their families. The Navy can pretty much guarantee a single room for junior enlisted assigned to shore duty, and they are working hard to give rooms to junior enlisted assigned to ships (when the ship is … An officer is expected to have a certain degree of experience within his or her career field. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. If you're going to commission, you can try to get a LEAP assignment, but otherwise you're just rolling the … If you go to about.com, you can look up your AFSC and it will show you all the bases you are elgible to … I ship in 2 weeks and would love all of the extra advice! Hi! I had the money to spend so I found myself just buying whatever I thought I would need in advance and I used almost all of it. As part of a short term post you could see people and places you’d never normally see, and find yourself stretched and challenged in ways an average civilian job could never offer. We’ll adapt your uniform, catering and duty roster to meet your religious requirements, where possible. However, if you choose to apply as a 46N-S (OR), then you'll have to serve as an OR nurse for 2 assignments or 4-8 years; that means no clinics in that time. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. The only thing you can do to increase your odds are to pick jobs which generally have a lot of slots available and try to get a pulse for how Big AF allocates quotas. When enlisting in the Air Force, all new recruits are able to select a job, called Air Force Specialty Codes, or AFSC’s. The RAF recognises the value of a person’s ability no matter their ethnicity, nationality, national origins, social background, religion or belief, gender identity, sexual orientation or marital status or civil partnership. I submitted my eight choices for my first base but I ended up getting a base that wasn’t on my list. Today, all Air Force junior enlisted enjoy a single room at most bases, and the Army is just a little behind the Air Force. You’ll find the same comfortable accommodation and quality food. That said, regulars are not nine-to-fivers; they do what’s needed to get the job done, which could mean working round the clock, going on a mission at a moment’s notice, or transferring to a new location. TLDR, if you want to get overseas, take a Korea. Author has 10.9K answers and 3.6M answer views. Unfortunately, if your AFSC is not one with many choices or many bases opening up at each overseas cycle, you can only get whats on the list. You … Base(s): Fort Buckner, Torii Station, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Naval… MAKE THE COMMITMENT Once you've met eligibility requirements and taken the ASVAB exam, you're ready to start becoming a member. Another word of caution: the Air Force rarely releases OR nurses to … Find out which one is right for you. The assignment preference profile is called Airman Development Plan (ADP). Know what to expect and arrive ready for Air Force training. Once you submit your choices just let the chips fall. For instance, if you are an armor crewman like I was, you can only choose to go to … Religious counsellors are on hand and you will never be too far from a multi-faith prayer facility. Don’t sacrifice your family for an assignment which may help your career. Most Regulars choose to live on base with hundreds of others and their families. Once you know the process, do the research and make your decision. When you are hot for an assignment you submit an in-depth assignment preference profile and your counselor will contact to personally work your assignment. I tell you this to point out that you have to begin to think about other factors as an officer. Toward the later part of my career I married my beautiful wife and had a few kids, so my priorities changed. Being that you have been active duty for a while, what things do you look for when deciding what your base choices would be? As an RAF Regular you could be sent on short-term overseas duty to use your skills to help with specific, temporary projects. I will start by talking through some of the things I thought about over the years. You have to be at a base for 1 year before you can go overseas, and 2 years before you can be reassigned to another stateside base. By this time I knew what I wanted for city size, I knew how close I wanted to live by my parents and I was fairly familiar with the missions across the Air Force. Throughout your career your future is actively encouraged. The Air Force’s SERE specialists are part of Air Force Special Operations, but unlike combat controllers or pararescuemen, their job does not involve direct combat. If you’ve ever dreamed of living in paradise, look no … You work normal five-day weeks and have evenings and weekends to yourself. Families can live on base, if they choose, but whether they live on base or not, they have access to the Army or Air Force Exchange, where they can shop for home goods, electronics, clothing and accessories as well as the commissary where they can shop for groceries. The Air Force is going to do what it is going to do, and fighting it will only make your life more difficult. As a regular you have plenty of options when choosing where to live: a barrack block or ‘Mess’ on base, commute from home, or rent nearby – all of which are subsidised by the RAF. By Senior Airman Melissa Estevez, 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs / Published April 19, 2018. You buy a house. Airman 1st Class Khennan Richards is a former gang member but now part of the 375th Force Support Squadron. Traditionally, in America, you get married. Yes, you can, but you are also at the mercy of “the needs of the Army.” Your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) also will narrow your ability to choose which duty station you get. The Air Force variant is you get married, you buy a house thinking you’ll be stationed in the area for several years and then it gets suggested to your AF spouse that he/she apply for a job 1,500 miles away as it will really, really be for the best. The only thing I can think of right now that I didn't bring enough of is civilian clothes. For example, my wife and I thought that proximity to family, quality, etc would be important. U.S. Air Force - Life on base In short, your career progression plays a larger role in where you go as you progress. Once you submit your eight choices you are at the mercy of the available quotas outlined by AFPC. PHOTO DETAILS / DOWNLOAD HI-RES 1 of 2. Air Force Basic Military Training, or BMT, is the first step if you choose to enlist. Hickam AFB, HI. We also provide a network of support for your partner and children while you’re away from home, but most regulars tend to take their dependent family along with them. You may think it is all to chance but you should know. Both Army and Air Force offer many base amenities for both enlisted members, as well as for their families. Get into what is fun to locally do there, don’t gripe about not being able to do what you used to do. Hanscom Air Force Base Compared to the other bases on this list, Hanscom is in an area with good schools and low crime. The assignments flow to your local military personnel office then to your commander for official notification. Take a look at the post and let me know if you have any questions. Although the above process and priorities aren’t much different for an officer’s first assignment, the process changes more and more as you progress through your career. This is a really tough question to answer because it really depends on what your priorities are, what career field you are in (or going in to), and what you want to do with your career. I knew people who were stationed at the same base for their … I will separate this by enlisted vs. officer because the process or approach taken should be treated very differently for each. Know the assignment process. It is not uncommon that your first choice has no immediate need for someone of your rank and AFSC, but there are other places that do. Regardless of what you do, stay true to your own personal values. Zach, I hope to meet you one day as well. Once I got there, I began to realize there are a few factors which directly relate to your quality of life at that base. Additionally, saying no to assignments can close doors in your career that can never be re-opened. Here are a few other factors which began to play a role in my PCS decisions. Location: Key West, Florida. Overseas duty can vary in length from a few days to a few months, depending on the job. The top 2 performers in my C school (Navy) did get to choose what base they wanted to go to, though Missile Techs (subs) only serve on 2 bases. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). It is recommended that you prepare yourself before arriving at 1RTU so that you can achieve well above these minimum standards." Regardless of which Air Force OA job preference you list, you will go through exactly the same selection process. An average deployment cycle will include months of training at their home base and at these specialized courses. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Meeting anyone in person who I have helped through this blog would mean more to me than you know. Each situation will be different. Closest major city: Honolulu, HI. If you say no to an assignment you could be saying no to O-6 even though it is years down the road. If you are enlisted there are ways you can get a pretty good idea of the manning at each of the bases you are interested in and that can help you with getting the assignment you want. Our vast choice of sports and activities on and off base means you can take part at all levels. You should be making an informed decision based on what is important to you. Embrace your next assignment. From gang member to Air Force Airman: You can choose your destiny. Once you know the process, do the research and make your decision. This probably goes without saying, but the higher your rank, the less say you have on where can you go (lots of Lt slots but very few General slots). As part of the RAF you will receive unrivalled career options, world-class training opportunities and constant support. They will have different types of traini… Therefore you may want to only list one Air Force OA job type in your preferences therefore leaving your other preferences for other non-OA job types or for Army and Navy preferences. Sharing my journey through Air Force Officer Training School (OTS) and beyond. These are listed on each role page throughout the website. The Air Force is going to do what it is going to do, and fighting it will only make your life more difficult. Embrace your next assignment. The RAF recognises the value of a person’s ability no matter their ethnicity, nationality, national origins, social background, religion or belief, gender identity, sexual orientation or marital status or civil partnership. I looked through your blog (very helpful and well written), and couldn't find any advice on packing. Again, always have a positive attitude. You are of course limited by available openings, but you have to know the general gist of how you want the next chapter of your career to fit into your total career. When you graduate from basic military training (BMT) and Technical Training (TTGs) the base requests are considered, but the needs of the Air Force will always win—sometimes they match. If you have your heart set on one career field and do not like the above option, one other option is Guard/Reserve. Live chat The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Programme is for individuals who choose to complete a 3- or 4-year college degree and commence a career in the USAF at the same time. Its easy to do. Our structure is dedicated to giving you responsibility. Instead of the enlisted process of ‘submit your preferences and see what happens,’ each officer has a career counselor (I can’t remember the correct name). DON’T WORRY ABOUT THIS until you are well into your career and have an idea what you want to do with your life. Beyond that you’ll get to experience a place you normally wouldn’t, and have the opportunity to travel during peacetime posts. Would you mind talking about what you brought, wish you had brought, and didn't need as someone that is now on the other side? Welcome to Air Force Basic Training! Many soldiers will do pre-deployment training at large training centers such as the National Training Center, or NTC, the Joint Readiness Training Center, or at specific training centers located at bases across the country. We believe the talents and skills of individuals from different groups make for a more efficient RAF. This isn’t as important for your second assignment, but becomes extremely important as you progress. I received the following comment on a post and I thought it would be beneficial for all to hear. Once you are in the Air Force stationed at your first base, you can look up the Assignment Swap list and trade places with anybody that has the same job and rank as you. Military Branch: Joint base. By the way thank you for the feedback, and congrats on your selection! Gain Leadership Skills. Past short-term missions have included airlifting supplies to a snow-bound mountain village, rescuing stranded crew from enemy territory and providing help to victims of natural disasters. Make every assignment decision with your family and not on your own. Depending on your job, you can sometimes choose exactly where you want to be stationed after you complete training, but I suspect this is a rare occurrence in the military. On the flip side, you don’t want to be a floater with no depth of experience. The basic criteria of these choices are PCS timeline, quotas (slots available) and rank. The standards detailed above are the minimum. If you’re in the Air Force and looking for your next dream station assignment, then you’re going to want to read this article by Stephen Losey for archive.airforcetimes.com. If you’re on the officer path, you’ll go to officer training to prepare for an officer’s responsibilities. If you have done a job already, it would be bad to do the same job at a different base. Air Force. You fill it with crap. Soldiers can deploy in large or small groups, or even individually. If your hobby isn’t available there, find a new one. After you've selected a career, you can visit your local base to make an appointment with a recruiter to talk about becoming a member. Welcome to the United States Air Force. I can wholeheartedly say every assignment I have had was better than all previous. If you fail at this point your services in the RAAF will be terminated. Here are a few I learned from my earlier assignments. If there are literally no hobbies, go back to school. You should be making an informed decision based on what is important to you. You can always grow and develop, and each base can define your life in a positive way. MORE WAYS TO CONTACT US. Here are some tips which I have employed over the years to have the best assignments. Learn about great opportunities for enlisted airmen, officers and health care professionals. As an RAF Regular you could be posted at locations all over the globe for two to three years, sometimes getting the opportunity to work alongside our coalition partners like NATO. Not necessarily. If you go overseas, the assignments are usually 2-4 years. However, the RAF does have eligibility criteria for entry which everyone needs to meet (Medical and Nationality/Residency etc). We do everything we can to cater to your personal requirements, including religion. We believe the talents and skills of individuals from different groups make for a more efficient RAF. When you first enlist you write down eight base choices available for your career field, but that is basically the extent of your personal influence on the situation. Overall I think I pretty much had everything I needed. Naval Air Station Key West. When you become a Regular in the Royal Air Force you don’t just get unrivalled training and career opportunities, you’ll also make friends for life, go on endless adventures and challenge yourself daily. However, the area of Bedford, Massachusetts, is extremely expensive. I didn’t figure this out until several years into my career. Along with subsidised food and great sports facilities, there are also lots of socialising opportunities. The Air Force offers programs such as the Soft Book program that offer traditional high school juniors a chance to process for the Air Force and reserve their place in select Air Force careers. This is very helpful. Life on long-term post tends to be similar to living on a base in the UK. We have operational bases all over the UK and abroad. They usually ask you for your preferences, but the needs of the Air Force come first. I wouldn’t worry about this at first but just know that things change as you progress through your officer career. By giving us your email, you are opting in to the Air Force Times Daily News Roundup. http://journeytoairforceots.blogspot.com/2015/11/preparing-for-ots.html. I hope one day to meet you in person and thank you for all the work you've done to help us all. I am slightly hesitant with doing this post because I don’t think it is right to nitpick your assignment or dread an assignment because it wasn’t what you were expected (or didn’t provide what you thought was important to you.) If you need to make sure 200 personnel are fed in less than two hours or are responsible for the maintenance of 20 typhoon jets you will be given these opportunities earlier than … Thank you very much. You can receive an assignment within the Continental United States (CONUS) as well as overseas, specialities distributed equally among the commands. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Based on your choices and your relative priority among those in the same grade and AFSC, names are matched to the bases. So you sell the house, move, and then repeat the cycle, except next time, you rent. Soldiers with specific skills may go individually or in smaller units.

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