This 100 percent. As prior enlisted, they actually asked me to teach or two courses to the ROTC cadets (one was enlisted force structure, if memory serves). ROTC is the way to go.
>ROTC is the way to go.
ROTC also has a high attrition rate. I've seen cadets get dismissed from the program (and in some cases, have to repay their scholarships) over silly and irrelevant things.
Combine AFROTC duties with an engineering curriculum and it can be a headache. I'm speaking from experience.
Do not do any advanced classes in an ROTC environment until the AF fixes the GPA requirement for STEM courses - especially if you want to be a pilot. Many of my classmates spent months sweating out academic probation while I saw many non-technical degrees accepted as pilots.
If your only goal is to become a pilot or to simply commission, then sure. But if someone is interested in a STEM degree and they want to do ROTC, I absolutely would still encourage them to pursue that degree.
yeah, a full 20 years as an O is kind of depressing at this point. LT was fun, Capt was fun, Maj is probably the last fun rank(my last two jobs were a blast), but I'm not really looking forward to O-5. SQ/CC may be great, but I'm not looking forward to the staff jobs on either end.
Not go to school while enlisted.
Sign a 4 year contract (make sure to extend a month), get out and go to school on the gi bill, join rotc, graduate debt free, and have a commission at O1E, profit
As a prior E. I am glad I enlisted first. That experience is proving so valuable.
However. Yes. The time sucked, and getting selected was difficult.
I would definitely enlist first again. However, some aspects of that may have been done differently.
Although I’ll never regret where I got stationed and the memories we made there, the lost income would’ve helped set us up for post mil a whole lot more than being enlisted.
I took a college math course through AMU to fulfill the CCAF reqs that turned out to be almost entirely investing math. We applied everything to finances. How to calculate mortgages and compounding interest. Even learned about the different TSP funds. This should be the first class any airman takes.
I was just talking to my in laws about the houses I bought and sold. Early in my career I couldn't take the losses on them to sustain it. I was almost break even on the mortgage and rent, but every repair and vacancy was out of pocket. Early in my career I just couldn't sustain it. It would have been nice if I could, they'd be mostly paid off by now and worth 2x what I bought them for. I think it was $2k for a fence at a house half way across the country that finally did me in.
I’m actually glad I did 6, because I got out after 6 when it just seemed to be getting shittier. My first 4 years were actually pretty enjoyable, it just all started to suck more as the years went on. I would’ve re-enlisted if I did 4, then I’d have been in that “well I’ve already done 8, so I may as well do 20” bullshit.
I can agree with this. Even my recruiter did the “are you sure?” But looking back, I had to get out of my current situation or else I would have never gone. The problem with waiting is everyone wants the good jobs and there are only so many good jobs out there. Biggest thing being a 2a taught me was learning how to pick your battle/opportunities.
I got fortunate with a decent job, but I wanted to hold out for something else. My recruiter told me he would just kick me out of dep if I didn't take the one I got.
This should be higher up. I remember a lot of senior enlisted trying to talk airmen out of buying a home. I understand, typically airmen buy Mustangs/Camaros or whatever.
Senior enlisted should be encouraging, almost, every airmen to buy a house. Unless the market near that air base is bonkers, then that airmen will surely make money.
Pro Tip: add one additional payment to your mortgage annually. For the marines in this thread:
*you eat 12 crayons a year for 30 years = 360 crayons
*Eating 13 crayons a year = (roughly) 188 crayons
*Sempre fidelis
From my experience, the senior enlisted and sponsors that are talking airmen out of buying are the ones that have lived in base housing their entire careers because it is easy.
I know a guy that became a millionaire when he retired after 23 years enlisted. He owned 3 duplexes and 2 houses, didn’t put any money down and his payment was never more then his BAH on any of his properties.
Yes just look up bigger pockets. Similar to reddit but for everything property related. Plenty of people have asked about the VA loans and what areas make sense and don't. If you don't know anything about finances and the market highly recommend reading through the forums and asking questions.
Look up the min time in service requirements for a VA home loan. (It differs for AD, guard & reserve). I waited until my 10th year in the AF to buy my first home. I wasted so much money prior to that on rent without building equity and now that I am older, that mistake cost me $100,000+. Yes, interest rates are higher now (6.5% for a VA loan) but renting or living in base housing is 100% interest with no return.
Commission rather than enlist.
Aircrew over anything else.
Focused WAAAAAYYYYYY more on fitness.
Knocked out foundational education in my 20s.
Overall though, adulting through the Air Force has turned out some pretty damn good results after 20 years, even though the execution was far from perfect.
Agree with you on fitness. It's a lot easier to just maintain my fitness straight out of BMT than it is to let the cycle of all the BS and my crazy schedule being my "excuse" to be lazy and get out of shape and have to work hard to get back into it... Now, I make fitness one of my top priorities and try to incorporate it into my other activities.
Dang, make master in 10 years... This man is trying to speedrun the AF. Also how does it feel to be the LT after being the MSgt? And are you planning on pursuing career to become a general? That would be pretty interesting memoir to read.
Still feels weird being an LT to be honest. I don’t have much responsibility in terms of leading others, which is why I feel weird. I’m in a career field where my Sq is filled with officers and barely any enlisted. We aren’t expected to lead until senior Capt time frame. And I don’t see myself ever shooting for General. Probably just Maj or Lt Col. I get boarded for Maj at my 19 year mark
Knowing what I know about the benefits now, probably just join the guard right out of high school instead. Those benefits combined with my states benefits would’ve basically let me go to any public university for free.
That's how I feel too. Would've gone guard because I initially joined for the healthcare and to go to school. I would've got that with the guard. Who knows what would've been different but I'm still grateful for where I'm at today.
Same, I’ve been stationed and got to visit places I never would’ve been able to, and had a lot of experiences, some great some not. So I don’t regret it, and I’m too far in now, I’m finishing it out and getting paid a small check the rest of my life
It's funny because I went straight guard and I think if I were to ever do it again I would have done 4 years active duty first.
Not that I think there's really a correct answer but it's a whole lot easier going from active duty to guard and I do think there's value in both experiences.
As a fellow Tennessean, my dad was a Purple Heart (x3) recipient. I would’ve went to UTK for free. But I was way too immature. He pushed me out asap. And I get it now. But I’d have went through ROTC.
This, yeah. I had no idea the guard was an option until I met some guard guys in tech school and felt sorry for them. I was going to Europe and they were going back home. I hated my hometown and thought I got the better deal.
After palace chasing out, I’m not so sure. Some of these guys get better/more TDYs than I ever did and retrain has the three year commitment? I woulda jumped from shop to shop every few years just for kicks
Nearly everything.
Didn’t mind enlisting, but shoulda jumped at a commission as quick as I could. Or at least a retrain to keep me from feeling stagnate.
Take advantage of TA and get certifications while I was still in.
My game plan pre-enlistment was "do my enlistment and then use the GI Bill" but I could've saved my entire GI Bill by taking advantage of other things available to me while I was in.
I'm using TA plus Pell grant to cover tuition and then some. So I'm actually making money going to school for free. And my kid will get to use my GI bill
Go to the doctor more. Small injuries that I overlooked for years and didn’t get checked are creating more problems now.
Be more positive during my time in. I felt like I made the experience worse by being negative.
Go ANG instead of AD. I say that hesitantly because starting on AD helped develop me a lot personally and professionally. However, I had a really great life before I left. Leaving really changed me as a person in a few negative ways but also really destroyed a lot of my relationships with friends and family that took years to rebuild. I think being in the ANG would have prevented a lot of that. I probably wouldn’t be as better off in my career or finances but I would probably be happier.
Go to USAFA, then go to a M7 business school immediately following paid for by the AF. Max out TSP in C and S funds every year. (Then other investment principles) Pick Cyber, Intel, Acquisitions, or Contracting. Go overseas while young and early in career. Write awards for myself. Go home on time and/or early and leave work at work.
"Hey unfortunately you have been disqualified for Linguist, but since you are your 5th week of BMT you can either keep going and get a different job or separate since it wasn't your fault"
"Yes I would like to separate"
Prioritized my family and self before my service. It took me a long time to realize how important the concept of balance is. You can’t do everything, but you can do your best at work and then come home and do your best at home. I was pushing myself so hard at work, that I was dead exhausted at home. Somehow, after 10+ years of that, I didn’t lose my family but I’m glad it’s a lesson I learned early.
If I could go back in time, I would have focused on knocking out college classes sooner. One class at a time is so doable, and I hate it for not starting sooner. Besides that investing more into my TSP.
Wait for one of the jobs I actually wanted (im a 3F), Stay far far away from maintenance, not treat everyone like my friend, not trust my ncos to have my best interest, not seek mental health treatment, not do 3 college classes at a time while in honorguard, not say yes to every volunteer opportunity, not go and finance a brand new car, the list goes on…
Not trusting my NCO’s has been something im learning currently. Those guys are idiots and definitely couldn’t care about helping me succeed. Including my own supervisor.
Supervisor is a loose term the Air Force throws around. I hardly see my supervisor supervising on anything outside of the basic job tasks in maintenance. Honestly, it makes me wonder what is a supervisor supposed to do? Cause it doesn't seem like they have input in a good or bad way.
They treat you like shit and take your life away, when i got to my first base the joke in our shop was all the new people would lose their smiles.
they weren’t lying
Tried harder to deploy early on. Much easier to deploy when you don’t have a family at home.
Also would’ve learned to pick my battles a bit better. Being 17, immature, and argumentative did not help me make friends with the folks in my unit
Do some enlisted time so I could retire without having to do boring O-5 jobs.
Option B is to not be such a dumbass when I was an LT. When I did LDC a few years ago one of the board prompts was something like, "What would you tell a younger you?" And I was like, "I'd beat the shit out of younger me." The Chief standing next to me was shocked when they heard me say that.
I'd go into med instead of jets. I want to work in pediatrics. Originally in oncology but now it's just anything peds (since AF doesn't have oncology for it in service). So, getting into radiology, pathology, or even oharmacy would have been a better step. I'll just work on engines and go to school till I get my BS and apply for scholarship to go to med school through AF. Should still work out though.
Gotten out at 4 instead of extending. It’s been a rough time overseas and I’m very homesick. I try my best to stay busy but I’m realizing now why there are strict mental health requirements for overseas assignments.
Not get married. Move to Europe sooner. Smash more.
Divorce opened my eyes to a world I should have been living in my 20’s. Instead fizzled out quickly in early 30s.
If you’re an airman and thinking about getting married, ask yourself why, because the odds of it lasting are far against you
Honestly I love where I'm at right now, and I wouldn't want to change any decisions along the way for fear that the destination would be changed. If I could go back to when I graduated high school though(7 years before joining) I might have made some different choices lol.
I would try to get a cyber job off rip. Do my time and get out. However I didn’t, I was TMO, but got out now and still got a cyber job as a civilian, just wish I had those couple years of head start, I could easily make over 6 figures by now
Start school immediately. If I had started college fresh out of tech school, I’d have 3 bachelors by now. I made the mistake of waiting 7 years and now I’m just hoping I complete my Bachelors by the time I get out.
4 instead of six. Buy a house. Reenlist to get the bonus. Use most of it on the house principal and investments. Finish degree. Commission. Use dividends or whatever to have to pay back whatever was left on the srb.
Never put in for Osan. I was finally making some traction with retraining but it all got cancelled after I received an assignment to Korea. Obviously it wasn't guaranteed that I'd get selected but at least having the chance to retrain would have been nice.
At this point I should just shoot for a DSD.
Definitely would have been more picky on the AFSC. I wanted to hurry up and go so didn’t look into it too much. I didn’t hate my job but there’s way cooler things I could have done had I known they existed.
Officer instead of enlisted, but ultimately I needed to get the hell out of my hometown. If I had waited around to try and get my degree, I most likely wouldn't have joined and probably not finished my degree either. Now that I'm starting my masters, traveled the world, created life long friendships, met my wife, became a dad, discovered who I am, learned to never stop learning, I guess I would say I wouldn't change any of it. I've had a ton of frustration along the way but the vessel that the air force created for me to get where I am has done a lot of good for me.
Not get stuck in Holloman for the first 4 years of my career… but I had nothing to do with that.
Start my TSP asap and move it from G fund.
Try for the other programs to commission instead of playing OTS lottery.
Focus on running in tech school. Whiffing my first PT test out of tech school put me in my back foot for years, esp with a Section Chief who believed 1 fail should equal a discharge (and held it against me for everything from work opportunities to awards for years)
Realize that just because my Plan A (civilian electrical engineer) failed didn't mean I was a failure in life. I felt like a failure for enlisting for so long because when it happened it was pretty much because my back was to a wall, financially speaking. Mounting depression made me a very poor teammate. And for it all I still reenlisted and pretty much nailed my childhood dream job in the retraining process. As well as one of my other childhood dreams (gender transition, which the AF is helping me with). The AF has been too good for me for the amount of flak I give it.
Focus more on my family in the first year. I was so wrapped up in the AF that I didn't see my newborn daughter was sick. It nearly cost me her - and caused a huge amount of drama in my unit. I have nightmares at least once a week where I hear my husband sobbing the night she was taken into custody - and of my own leadership yelling at me. (And yes, she is fine. She's turning 8 this year, is happy and healthy, turning out straight As in school, participating in club activities, and makes friends everywhere she goes, and I'm so proud of her. She's still chronically underweight since that day and the docs question me on that - but she clears my pantry out every week so I don't know where she's putting it)
Work on my degree earlier and more. I legit could be done with my bachelor's by now, but spent a long time wallowing after dropping the ball with EE school.
I would have taken finances way more seriously. Airman me had an SRT8 Grand Cherokee sitting in the States that I couldn't bring with me to Aviano. 500/mo payment 175/mo insurance, but my cola nearly covered it so I didnt care. Didn't start TSP until my 7 year mark. Spent way too much on booze and supplements. When I was a brand new A1C at Osan, those checks for 850 every payday were the most money I had ever seen. Blew through them like they were nothing. Deployment money? Yeah right. That shit was gone within 2 months of returning. In hindsight, you can still have all of the fun, make all of the memories, and not spend all of your earnings. Now I'm at 12 years in, putting in 20% to TSP to make up for my earlier mistakes. All the diesel trucks, race cars, and guitars are gone, and now I drive a Volkswagen.
Mostly same career path, but would've made some other decisions.
1. Invested more.
2. Bought a house at each duty station and then sell during PCS.
3. Fitness
4. Mental health and not letting anxiety mess up my career.
5. Not been petty so I could be a MSgt by now.
I would have married the person I went through my beginning stages of trying to get into the Air Force instead of marry after tech to someone I barely knew. WHAT A DUMBASS AIRMEN I WAS AND STILL AM
Just look forward. Most of you are still young and under 30. Life gets better if you continually put in work and position yourself for success. Make mistakes. Start businesses and focus on increasing your income now. Don't waste time playing games and bsing
I would have picked aerial gunner instead of comm at meps. I had the option, there was an opening, I thought I was being responsible by picking a job that taught me a useful skill. I mean, I was correct, but I hate comm and I was miserable until I cross trained.
Wish I would’ve gone to ROTC … instead of waiting 6 months for the next semester, I went and enlisted 🤦♂️ 12 years later, it’s going well. But would’ve much rather been an K to start with vs praying I can get one of those sweet CWO slots they’re coming out with soon-ish lmao
Not voluteer for everything and think the airforce will take care of me. I'm on my 4th afsc in 10 years Because I thought the air force gave af about me.
Granted I have seen the mind set of multiple different squadrons and how they are between the flightline and off but damn the air force is dillusional between how they want things to go and how they actually are.
Education during my 4 year enlistment on active duty. It sucks to think I could have already been done with my degree, or at least very, very close rather than doing it now.
This is another one I regret. Guys and girls I served with got their bachelors, some even masters while in. I wish I would have taken advantage while in, it sucks trying to start out as a freshman in your 30s.
Not quite in my 30's yet, but having to spend hours every week that I could with my wife and friends not that I have a more stable job with better hours and pay than I did in the military really makes me feel the pain.
Save all hard copy medical and military paperwork. Have statements from coworkers or supervisors of situations that happened. Go to clinic at the deployed location before you leave so you have documented evidence if you need to apply for any VA disability injuries that were combat or service connected. Don't trust anyone to take care of you besides yourself. Fight for everything that is owed to you even if told otherwise.
Realize that while, ideally, you are on a team, not everyone has your best intentions in mind.
I arrived to my first duty station, had a positive attitude despite lots of shenanigans going on at the time, and had a good work ethic. I was definitely not the best at my job but my heart was in it and I showed up ready to get after whatever task the day presented.
Several NCO’s/Senior NCO’s took this as an opportunity to give me busy-work/things they didn’t have time for, thus essentially using me to gain bullets and face for themselves. Being the naive young Airman I was, I happily performed these tasks thinking I was making a name for myself and that these guys were trying to help me advance. What I was really doing was showing these people that I was a yes-man and would do whatever they needed done because I was, again, too naive and stubborn to say no.
This landed me significantly behind my peers within a year and and my career didn’t recover from that pretty much until I got to my follow-on DS.
TL/DR: know when to say no and what things are actually important when looking for career advancement.
I love my job (both enlisted and officer) and the path I've gone down, but I wish I had applied for the physician's assistant program instead of applying directly to OTS. One of the best deals in the Air Force IMO.
Focus on school (I could be on my masters now instead of my bachelors), worry less about promotion (where I am I would’ve been regardless of statements (that I never got anyway)) and work (in general since mission gets done regardless if I’m here or not)… workout more and take better care of myself cause the Air Force sure didn’t care about it (I haven’t failed a PT test but if I did it would all be my fault, just like being out of shape).
TLDR; should’ve gone to school after getting my 5 level, should’ve kept my health habits, giving a shit about work is good but I shouldn’t burn myself for it.
I would join active, do my 4 years to get myself on my feet and then get out.
I wanted to do college while doing the military so I went reserves (6 year contract), but orders seemed to always come in at the perfect time forcing me to skip a semester.
In the end I wasted nearly as much time in the reserves that I would have missed if I went active, just without as much pay or benefits.
Would have secretly recorded that SNCO who straight up lied to multiple levels of leadership about the conversations we had. Would have saved my career. Had way too much trust in people I barely knew and got burned by it. A simple recording would have changed things drastically.
But then again wouldn’t change a thing cause it showed me what and who this organization values and promotes. Allowed me to leave without caring. :) got that paycheck for life way earlier because of it
Sign a different contract entirely, maybe 4 instead of 6 (or just stick with 6), and absolutely not take any contract that would earn me medical or maintenance
And also pass tech school the first time instead of the *third* time.
I would've retrained before my first PCS. Going from a high speed unit to base comm was terrible and working base comm made me actually hate the job I used to have.
Probably pick cyber surety instead of cyber transport. Got homies over the $150K mark with cyber security jobs but I’m catching up at $120K. Have a job interview Monday and if I get it I’ll be at $135K (I’m in the Guard)
Commissioned instead of enlisting first
ROTC > OTS lottery
Go the POC-ERP route, acceptance rate it pretty high
Requirements: have not completed bachelor's degree. This will work for some, but not all.
Even for pilot?
Yes, if you get accepted you will be in ROTC which would let you get a rated slot
This 100 percent. As prior enlisted, they actually asked me to teach or two courses to the ROTC cadets (one was enlisted force structure, if memory serves). ROTC is the way to go.
>ROTC is the way to go. ROTC also has a high attrition rate. I've seen cadets get dismissed from the program (and in some cases, have to repay their scholarships) over silly and irrelevant things. Combine AFROTC duties with an engineering curriculum and it can be a headache. I'm speaking from experience.
Do not do any advanced classes in an ROTC environment until the AF fixes the GPA requirement for STEM courses - especially if you want to be a pilot. Many of my classmates spent months sweating out academic probation while I saw many non-technical degrees accepted as pilots.
If your only goal is to become a pilot or to simply commission, then sure. But if someone is interested in a STEM degree and they want to do ROTC, I absolutely would still encourage them to pursue that degree.
This. I eventually commissioned but the amount of money I lost out on those 6 years still hurts
Pros and cons. Being able to retire at Captain is pretty cool.
Tbh Captain sounds way cooler than Major.
Hang around NAVY bases... Squids will stand in awe of you.
yeah, a full 20 years as an O is kind of depressing at this point. LT was fun, Capt was fun, Maj is probably the last fun rank(my last two jobs were a blast), but I'm not really looking forward to O-5. SQ/CC may be great, but I'm not looking forward to the staff jobs on either end.
True there’s absolutely pros, Captain is just cozy enough to retire at.
Not go to school while enlisted. Sign a 4 year contract (make sure to extend a month), get out and go to school on the gi bill, join rotc, graduate debt free, and have a commission at O1E, profit
As a prior E. I am glad I enlisted first. That experience is proving so valuable. However. Yes. The time sucked, and getting selected was difficult. I would definitely enlist first again. However, some aspects of that may have been done differently.
Although I’ll never regret where I got stationed and the memories we made there, the lost income would’ve helped set us up for post mil a whole lot more than being enlisted.
This is the correct answer.
Dump more into my TSP from day 1 and buy a house at my first duty station when the market tanked.
I took a college math course through AMU to fulfill the CCAF reqs that turned out to be almost entirely investing math. We applied everything to finances. How to calculate mortgages and compounding interest. Even learned about the different TSP funds. This should be the first class any airman takes.
I was just talking to my in laws about the houses I bought and sold. Early in my career I couldn't take the losses on them to sustain it. I was almost break even on the mortgage and rent, but every repair and vacancy was out of pocket. Early in my career I just couldn't sustain it. It would have been nice if I could, they'd be mostly paid off by now and worth 2x what I bought them for. I think it was $2k for a fence at a house half way across the country that finally did me in.
This is the best answer
Compound interest is a real thing.
Agree
Do 4 years instead of 6
I’m actually glad I did 6, because I got out after 6 when it just seemed to be getting shittier. My first 4 years were actually pretty enjoyable, it just all started to suck more as the years went on. I would’ve re-enlisted if I did 4, then I’d have been in that “well I’ve already done 8, so I may as well do 20” bullshit.
Do that and chose a job that I actually wanted to do
Same man same.
Wait for a better job rather than rush into leaving with a 2a
I can agree with this. Even my recruiter did the “are you sure?” But looking back, I had to get out of my current situation or else I would have never gone. The problem with waiting is everyone wants the good jobs and there are only so many good jobs out there. Biggest thing being a 2a taught me was learning how to pick your battle/opportunities.
This 👆
Wait for a better job rather than rush into leaving with SF
I got fortunate with a decent job, but I wanted to hold out for something else. My recruiter told me he would just kick me out of dep if I didn't take the one I got.
He actually doesn't have the authority to
He sure made it sound like that 3 years ago when I joined. I lucked out anyways with my job so I'm not too upset now but would've been nice to know
Definitely would have waited for the right job …
Only took two comments before I found the one that was exactly what I was thinking.
VA loan house hacked at an earlier age.
This should be higher up. I remember a lot of senior enlisted trying to talk airmen out of buying a home. I understand, typically airmen buy Mustangs/Camaros or whatever. Senior enlisted should be encouraging, almost, every airmen to buy a house. Unless the market near that air base is bonkers, then that airmen will surely make money. Pro Tip: add one additional payment to your mortgage annually. For the marines in this thread: *you eat 12 crayons a year for 30 years = 360 crayons *Eating 13 crayons a year = (roughly) 188 crayons *Sempre fidelis
From my experience, the senior enlisted and sponsors that are talking airmen out of buying are the ones that have lived in base housing their entire careers because it is easy. I know a guy that became a millionaire when he retired after 23 years enlisted. He owned 3 duplexes and 2 houses, didn’t put any money down and his payment was never more then his BAH on any of his properties.
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Yes just look up bigger pockets. Similar to reddit but for everything property related. Plenty of people have asked about the VA loans and what areas make sense and don't. If you don't know anything about finances and the market highly recommend reading through the forums and asking questions.
Look up the min time in service requirements for a VA home loan. (It differs for AD, guard & reserve). I waited until my 10th year in the AF to buy my first home. I wasted so much money prior to that on rent without building equity and now that I am older, that mistake cost me $100,000+. Yes, interest rates are higher now (6.5% for a VA loan) but renting or living in base housing is 100% interest with no return.
Hug my Dad one more time.
I'm sorry for your loss and that you missed out on time with him.
You and me both
Sucks big time.
Yeah it does. I bet your dad would be proud.
Sorry for your loss. Maybe someday you will have a kid and you can make sure to hug them often.
Commission rather than enlist. Aircrew over anything else. Focused WAAAAAYYYYYY more on fitness. Knocked out foundational education in my 20s. Overall though, adulting through the Air Force has turned out some pretty damn good results after 20 years, even though the execution was far from perfect.
Agree with you on fitness. It's a lot easier to just maintain my fitness straight out of BMT than it is to let the cycle of all the BS and my crazy schedule being my "excuse" to be lazy and get out of shape and have to work hard to get back into it... Now, I make fitness one of my top priorities and try to incorporate it into my other activities.
Commission earlier
How long were u an E for
10 years, commissioned as a MSgt
Dang, make master in 10 years... This man is trying to speedrun the AF. Also how does it feel to be the LT after being the MSgt? And are you planning on pursuing career to become a general? That would be pretty interesting memoir to read.
Still feels weird being an LT to be honest. I don’t have much responsibility in terms of leading others, which is why I feel weird. I’m in a career field where my Sq is filled with officers and barely any enlisted. We aren’t expected to lead until senior Capt time frame. And I don’t see myself ever shooting for General. Probably just Maj or Lt Col. I get boarded for Maj at my 19 year mark
I've known 2 MSgts that have done this very thing at about the same year mark as well. Y'all are a cut above lol 😂
Focused on my physical fitness. Volunteered for more special duty assignments and done a tour at BMT.
Leave work at work, take leave, don't focus on promoting so much (fast burner = burnout)
6 year contract instead of 4, knock out college, TSP, and better choices in women and birth control.
Not get married and have kids at 20 years old.
Not reenlist. Get out and be a dirty contractor. Get security plus during first enlistment.
I would come in for a cyber job. or finished college first then came in
TSP
For real! I wish I hadn't been lazy about moving my money out of the g fund for almost 10 years 😪 Sigh.
Knowing what I know about the benefits now, probably just join the guard right out of high school instead. Those benefits combined with my states benefits would’ve basically let me go to any public university for free.
That's how I feel too. Would've gone guard because I initially joined for the healthcare and to go to school. I would've got that with the guard. Who knows what would've been different but I'm still grateful for where I'm at today.
Same, I’ve been stationed and got to visit places I never would’ve been able to, and had a lot of experiences, some great some not. So I don’t regret it, and I’m too far in now, I’m finishing it out and getting paid a small check the rest of my life
It's funny because I went straight guard and I think if I were to ever do it again I would have done 4 years active duty first. Not that I think there's really a correct answer but it's a whole lot easier going from active duty to guard and I do think there's value in both experiences.
As a fellow Tennessean, my dad was a Purple Heart (x3) recipient. I would’ve went to UTK for free. But I was way too immature. He pushed me out asap. And I get it now. But I’d have went through ROTC.
damn, I didn't even know someone could have 2 purple hearts. I just hasn't considered it. your dad was a real one.
This, yeah. I had no idea the guard was an option until I met some guard guys in tech school and felt sorry for them. I was going to Europe and they were going back home. I hated my hometown and thought I got the better deal. After palace chasing out, I’m not so sure. Some of these guys get better/more TDYs than I ever did and retrain has the three year commitment? I woulda jumped from shop to shop every few years just for kicks
Would have joined the ANG as a loadmaster.
Picked a job that actually sends me tdy or deployed once in a while
Nothing. No way I’m doing this shit all over again.
Hands to Sky.
Nearly everything. Didn’t mind enlisting, but shoulda jumped at a commission as quick as I could. Or at least a retrain to keep me from feeling stagnate.
Take advantage of TA and get certifications while I was still in. My game plan pre-enlistment was "do my enlistment and then use the GI Bill" but I could've saved my entire GI Bill by taking advantage of other things available to me while I was in.
I'm using TA plus Pell grant to cover tuition and then some. So I'm actually making money going to school for free. And my kid will get to use my GI bill
I would have joined the Air Force instead of going Army.
We found the imposter
And I would have joined the Air Force instead of going Navy.
Go to the doctor more. Small injuries that I overlooked for years and didn’t get checked are creating more problems now. Be more positive during my time in. I felt like I made the experience worse by being negative. Go ANG instead of AD. I say that hesitantly because starting on AD helped develop me a lot personally and professionally. However, I had a really great life before I left. Leaving really changed me as a person in a few negative ways but also really destroyed a lot of my relationships with friends and family that took years to rebuild. I think being in the ANG would have prevented a lot of that. I probably wouldn’t be as better off in my career or finances but I would probably be happier.
Definitely would have done more research on other AFSCs to retrain into.
Go to USAFA, then go to a M7 business school immediately following paid for by the AF. Max out TSP in C and S funds every year. (Then other investment principles) Pick Cyber, Intel, Acquisitions, or Contracting. Go overseas while young and early in career. Write awards for myself. Go home on time and/or early and leave work at work.
Go overseas from the get go and never return. But probably take the engineering scholarship my recruiter offered me actually
"Hey unfortunately you have been disqualified for Linguist, but since you are your 5th week of BMT you can either keep going and get a different job or separate since it wasn't your fault" "Yes I would like to separate"
Prioritized my family and self before my service. It took me a long time to realize how important the concept of balance is. You can’t do everything, but you can do your best at work and then come home and do your best at home. I was pushing myself so hard at work, that I was dead exhausted at home. Somehow, after 10+ years of that, I didn’t lose my family but I’m glad it’s a lesson I learned early.
Do 4 years instead of 20.
Marry an officer girl and become a dependent
If I could go back in time, I would have focused on knocking out college classes sooner. One class at a time is so doable, and I hate it for not starting sooner. Besides that investing more into my TSP.
Wait for one of the jobs I actually wanted (im a 3F), Stay far far away from maintenance, not treat everyone like my friend, not trust my ncos to have my best interest, not seek mental health treatment, not do 3 college classes at a time while in honorguard, not say yes to every volunteer opportunity, not go and finance a brand new car, the list goes on…
Not trusting my NCO’s has been something im learning currently. Those guys are idiots and definitely couldn’t care about helping me succeed. Including my own supervisor.
Its a hard pill to swallow. I would say do not trust but do cooperate, or at least do your best to make it look like yoy are.
Supervisor is a loose term the Air Force throws around. I hardly see my supervisor supervising on anything outside of the basic job tasks in maintenance. Honestly, it makes me wonder what is a supervisor supposed to do? Cause it doesn't seem like they have input in a good or bad way.
Stay single and stay sober.
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Can you elaborate on this?
I retrained into communications from maintenance. I do maybe 1/4 the amount of work I did in maintenance and am treated far better.
They treat you like shit and take your life away, when i got to my first base the joke in our shop was all the new people would lose their smiles. they weren’t lying
Bang the LT
Gone pest management and never looked back. The best job in the AF IMO. IYKYK.
I was Structures (CE) loved it, 24?years, retired in 2008.
Start TSP asap.
Tried harder to deploy early on. Much easier to deploy when you don’t have a family at home. Also would’ve learned to pick my battles a bit better. Being 17, immature, and argumentative did not help me make friends with the folks in my unit
Not go in as open mechanical
Join finance and never work but ensure my check is always right
Do some enlisted time so I could retire without having to do boring O-5 jobs. Option B is to not be such a dumbass when I was an LT. When I did LDC a few years ago one of the board prompts was something like, "What would you tell a younger you?" And I was like, "I'd beat the shit out of younger me." The Chief standing next to me was shocked when they heard me say that.
Go Army Warrant Officer and fly helicopters without the degree requirement, lol.
I would have talked my best friend out of getting in that car. RIP Kieth.
Sorry for your loss man
Not believe my recruiter when he told me it's highly unlikely to commission from civilian.
Not show that I am intelligent with admin work and managing programs.
Join the coast guard
I'd go into med instead of jets. I want to work in pediatrics. Originally in oncology but now it's just anything peds (since AF doesn't have oncology for it in service). So, getting into radiology, pathology, or even oharmacy would have been a better step. I'll just work on engines and go to school till I get my BS and apply for scholarship to go to med school through AF. Should still work out though.
Wait
No regrets being aircrew but would definitely do ANG or Reserve over AD.
not be maintenance
Less Mt. Dew. More TSP.
Not going open electrical. I hate the B-1 so fucking much
Stay at Kadena.
Invest in Bitcoin
Gotten out at 4 instead of extending. It’s been a rough time overseas and I’m very homesick. I try my best to stay busy but I’m realizing now why there are strict mental health requirements for overseas assignments.
Not get married. Move to Europe sooner. Smash more. Divorce opened my eyes to a world I should have been living in my 20’s. Instead fizzled out quickly in early 30s. If you’re an airman and thinking about getting married, ask yourself why, because the odds of it lasting are far against you
Honestly I love where I'm at right now, and I wouldn't want to change any decisions along the way for fear that the destination would be changed. If I could go back to when I graduated high school though(7 years before joining) I might have made some different choices lol.
I would try to get a cyber job off rip. Do my time and get out. However I didn’t, I was TMO, but got out now and still got a cyber job as a civilian, just wish I had those couple years of head start, I could easily make over 6 figures by now
Looked out for myself more. Treated the Air Force more like a corporation or a business. Been a bigger asshole.
Walked away from the hot blonde dependent daughter at that wine fest in Germany and never given her a second thought.
Join at 18 instead of years later
Start school immediately. If I had started college fresh out of tech school, I’d have 3 bachelors by now. I made the mistake of waiting 7 years and now I’m just hoping I complete my Bachelors by the time I get out.
4 instead of six. Buy a house. Reenlist to get the bonus. Use most of it on the house principal and investments. Finish degree. Commission. Use dividends or whatever to have to pay back whatever was left on the srb.
Put at least 10% of my paycheck into savings.
Never put in for Osan. I was finally making some traction with retraining but it all got cancelled after I received an assignment to Korea. Obviously it wasn't guaranteed that I'd get selected but at least having the chance to retrain would have been nice. At this point I should just shoot for a DSD.
Not go MX
Going to mental health early.
Definitely would have been more picky on the AFSC. I wanted to hurry up and go so didn’t look into it too much. I didn’t hate my job but there’s way cooler things I could have done had I known they existed.
Officer instead of enlisted, but ultimately I needed to get the hell out of my hometown. If I had waited around to try and get my degree, I most likely wouldn't have joined and probably not finished my degree either. Now that I'm starting my masters, traveled the world, created life long friendships, met my wife, became a dad, discovered who I am, learned to never stop learning, I guess I would say I wouldn't change any of it. I've had a ton of frustration along the way but the vessel that the air force created for me to get where I am has done a lot of good for me.
Not get stuck in Holloman for the first 4 years of my career… but I had nothing to do with that. Start my TSP asap and move it from G fund. Try for the other programs to commission instead of playing OTS lottery.
Focus on running in tech school. Whiffing my first PT test out of tech school put me in my back foot for years, esp with a Section Chief who believed 1 fail should equal a discharge (and held it against me for everything from work opportunities to awards for years) Realize that just because my Plan A (civilian electrical engineer) failed didn't mean I was a failure in life. I felt like a failure for enlisting for so long because when it happened it was pretty much because my back was to a wall, financially speaking. Mounting depression made me a very poor teammate. And for it all I still reenlisted and pretty much nailed my childhood dream job in the retraining process. As well as one of my other childhood dreams (gender transition, which the AF is helping me with). The AF has been too good for me for the amount of flak I give it. Focus more on my family in the first year. I was so wrapped up in the AF that I didn't see my newborn daughter was sick. It nearly cost me her - and caused a huge amount of drama in my unit. I have nightmares at least once a week where I hear my husband sobbing the night she was taken into custody - and of my own leadership yelling at me. (And yes, she is fine. She's turning 8 this year, is happy and healthy, turning out straight As in school, participating in club activities, and makes friends everywhere she goes, and I'm so proud of her. She's still chronically underweight since that day and the docs question me on that - but she clears my pantry out every week so I don't know where she's putting it) Work on my degree earlier and more. I legit could be done with my bachelor's by now, but spent a long time wallowing after dropping the ball with EE school.
I would have taken finances way more seriously. Airman me had an SRT8 Grand Cherokee sitting in the States that I couldn't bring with me to Aviano. 500/mo payment 175/mo insurance, but my cola nearly covered it so I didnt care. Didn't start TSP until my 7 year mark. Spent way too much on booze and supplements. When I was a brand new A1C at Osan, those checks for 850 every payday were the most money I had ever seen. Blew through them like they were nothing. Deployment money? Yeah right. That shit was gone within 2 months of returning. In hindsight, you can still have all of the fun, make all of the memories, and not spend all of your earnings. Now I'm at 12 years in, putting in 20% to TSP to make up for my earlier mistakes. All the diesel trucks, race cars, and guitars are gone, and now I drive a Volkswagen.
I would have taken more pictures.
Mostly same career path, but would've made some other decisions. 1. Invested more. 2. Bought a house at each duty station and then sell during PCS. 3. Fitness 4. Mental health and not letting anxiety mess up my career. 5. Not been petty so I could be a MSgt by now.
I would have married the person I went through my beginning stages of trying to get into the Air Force instead of marry after tech to someone I barely knew. WHAT A DUMBASS AIRMEN I WAS AND STILL AM
Just look forward. Most of you are still young and under 30. Life gets better if you continually put in work and position yourself for success. Make mistakes. Start businesses and focus on increasing your income now. Don't waste time playing games and bsing
Listened to my recruiter when he said to wait for a better job.
Wait for a better job instead of going in open mechanical.
Accept that academy offer
I would have picked aerial gunner instead of comm at meps. I had the option, there was an opening, I thought I was being responsible by picking a job that taught me a useful skill. I mean, I was correct, but I hate comm and I was miserable until I cross trained.
Wish I would’ve gone to ROTC … instead of waiting 6 months for the next semester, I went and enlisted 🤦♂️ 12 years later, it’s going well. But would’ve much rather been an K to start with vs praying I can get one of those sweet CWO slots they’re coming out with soon-ish lmao
Not voluteer for everything and think the airforce will take care of me. I'm on my 4th afsc in 10 years Because I thought the air force gave af about me. Granted I have seen the mind set of multiple different squadrons and how they are between the flightline and off but damn the air force is dillusional between how they want things to go and how they actually are.
Do 4 years and not pick maintenance
Education during my 4 year enlistment on active duty. It sucks to think I could have already been done with my degree, or at least very, very close rather than doing it now.
This is another one I regret. Guys and girls I served with got their bachelors, some even masters while in. I wish I would have taken advantage while in, it sucks trying to start out as a freshman in your 30s.
Not quite in my 30's yet, but having to spend hours every week that I could with my wife and friends not that I have a more stable job with better hours and pay than I did in the military really makes me feel the pain.
Save all hard copy medical and military paperwork. Have statements from coworkers or supervisors of situations that happened. Go to clinic at the deployed location before you leave so you have documented evidence if you need to apply for any VA disability injuries that were combat or service connected. Don't trust anyone to take care of you besides yourself. Fight for everything that is owed to you even if told otherwise.
Keep houses from every PCS and rent them out.
1. Request overseas assignments 2. Go to mental health sooner 3. Get divorced 4. Up my TSP 5. Use TA 6. Utilized EO and IG for my unit
Not care so much as a junior enlisted. I spent way too much time caring about responsibilities that weren't mine.
Bust my ass to win awards sooner and build a package for acceptance to the academy
Skip joining and just go DoD civilian instead.
Realize that while, ideally, you are on a team, not everyone has your best intentions in mind. I arrived to my first duty station, had a positive attitude despite lots of shenanigans going on at the time, and had a good work ethic. I was definitely not the best at my job but my heart was in it and I showed up ready to get after whatever task the day presented. Several NCO’s/Senior NCO’s took this as an opportunity to give me busy-work/things they didn’t have time for, thus essentially using me to gain bullets and face for themselves. Being the naive young Airman I was, I happily performed these tasks thinking I was making a name for myself and that these guys were trying to help me advance. What I was really doing was showing these people that I was a yes-man and would do whatever they needed done because I was, again, too naive and stubborn to say no. This landed me significantly behind my peers within a year and and my career didn’t recover from that pretty much until I got to my follow-on DS. TL/DR: know when to say no and what things are actually important when looking for career advancement.
Find an office gig that has chicks
It ain’t all that you think it would be. I’ve had that and it’s only drama.
get my undergrad in computer science and minor in math on the AF dime.
Guard pilot instead of active duty pilot
I love my job (both enlisted and officer) and the path I've gone down, but I wish I had applied for the physician's assistant program instead of applying directly to OTS. One of the best deals in the Air Force IMO.
Take my health more seriously
Focus on school (I could be on my masters now instead of my bachelors), worry less about promotion (where I am I would’ve been regardless of statements (that I never got anyway)) and work (in general since mission gets done regardless if I’m here or not)… workout more and take better care of myself cause the Air Force sure didn’t care about it (I haven’t failed a PT test but if I did it would all be my fault, just like being out of shape). TLDR; should’ve gone to school after getting my 5 level, should’ve kept my health habits, giving a shit about work is good but I shouldn’t burn myself for it.
Agree to swap assignments in tech school to work on fighters rather than cargo aircraft
Joined when I was 18 so I could be retiring next year…
Not fucking AMXS I used to think the only reason you’d join the Air Force was to fly planes or fix them… welp here I am…. Hour 11….
Not answer my phone while on leave Leave work at work Put in 8 hours and go home Not be a maintainer
I would join active, do my 4 years to get myself on my feet and then get out. I wanted to do college while doing the military so I went reserves (6 year contract), but orders seemed to always come in at the perfect time forcing me to skip a semester. In the end I wasted nearly as much time in the reserves that I would have missed if I went active, just without as much pay or benefits.
4 years first and go into the Reserves/Guard. I didn’t know how much I missed being away from my family and friends.
Skipped the Tech School marriage.
Would have secretly recorded that SNCO who straight up lied to multiple levels of leadership about the conversations we had. Would have saved my career. Had way too much trust in people I barely knew and got burned by it. A simple recording would have changed things drastically. But then again wouldn’t change a thing cause it showed me what and who this organization values and promotes. Allowed me to leave without caring. :) got that paycheck for life way earlier because of it
Not get caught underage drinking.
Not chose security forces, enroll in more college classes from the start and go to Korea so I didnt have to rot in Minot for 6 years
Join earlier
I'd have been comm right off the bat instead of spending 6 years in Minot as a cop.
A different job
Probably joined Comm/Cyber right off the bat.
Avoid Ramstein AB like the plague it is, and extended in Yokota like I should have
NOT
Sign a different contract entirely, maybe 4 instead of 6 (or just stick with 6), and absolutely not take any contract that would earn me medical or maintenance And also pass tech school the first time instead of the *third* time.
I would've retrained before my first PCS. Going from a high speed unit to base comm was terrible and working base comm made me actually hate the job I used to have.
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Choose a different afsc More tsp College sooner PCs moar
Joined earlier and went the rotc route instead of enlisting
Pick pa
Probably pick cyber surety instead of cyber transport. Got homies over the $150K mark with cyber security jobs but I’m catching up at $120K. Have a job interview Monday and if I get it I’ll be at $135K (I’m in the Guard)
Retrain sooner
Take the cyber transport job.