Reply #77: Based on family members that

[LWolf]

have served in the Army, the Navy, the Coastguard, and been deployed as civilian support for the Airforce, and having lived near an airforce base for 30 years of my life:

If you want to join the military, any branch, decide if you want to enlist or go in as an officer. An enlisted person will not have the same opportunities.

So some self-reflection and make sure that you are ok with acts of killing and destruction on someone else's orders, whether those you are killing are guilty of anything or not. Are you ok with dropping depleted uranium on people?

How is your stomach? If you get carsick, don't count on becoming an airforce pilot. Can you handle mastering all of the skills needed? Access to stealth bombers or fighters, or other such craft, is for the cream of the crop. Those who don't make the cut may end up handling drones. That's the civilian support I mentioned; I had a family member who was deployed to fix what airforce guys broke, and keep predator drones in the air. I was told that too many of those assigned to the predator drone were less than competent, and too many resented the assignment, as well.

Last week I visited with a young woman who just finished all of her training and is being sent overseas. Airforce, but she opted for the firefighting division. She got all of her firefighting training done, can attend college (paid for) while she is serving, and come home with lots of benefits, and already well-trained for a civilian job. She's happy with her choice.

Look at everything carefully, and make sure it is a choice you can be happy with in any eventuality.

If it is, good luck!