I enlisted, get off my ass

[insertNameHere]

I recently enlisted in the Air National Guard because I have been out of college for almost two years and have not done shit with my life and need a purpose outside of my crap job, and welcome the challenge.

I am already getting sick of people criticizing a choice, especially from those I did not seek input from, as most of my friends and family support the decision. It annoys me to get put down for making the choices I make. Because I have a 4 year degree, technically I COULD have enlisted as an officer..... if they have a spot available or if I were to go Active duty instead of guard and then get to OCS. However, I prefer to be hands on and hate paperwork, which as my understanding is mostly what the commissioned officers do. The officer shit mainly comes from people my parents talk to who used to be in the military or their friends kids are in the military.

My sister is being the biggest bitch saying "I should go active duty army because if I'm going to be dumb enough to enlist at least they make you an E-4, if you don't make them send you to Officer School. Along with that Gaurd units are only for people who are pussies or have REAL jobs, worse so it being AF they just hide in the rear while the army and marines protect them."

Which sure, I don't know if I'm going to like it and figured the guard is the best way to go if it ends up sucking, after training of about 9months I only need to do one weekend a month two weeks a year. If I like it I can try to max out the amount of days they allow to advance faster. Also, after the training I now get to list my military experience, along with clearance which is more impressive than my cashiering on job aps. Along with during non drill weekends and training periods, they have a full staff that are considered full time civilian employees, even while they are in uniform which they "hire" from the members of the guard.

I am a thinker, that is mainly what the AF is, the position I'm going into is an avionics technician on F16s. In which you need to understand electronics and it sounds more fun.


My whole college career up until I joined a fraternity, I never said I would do it and all the different misconceptions up until the point I joined a fraternity and had some of the most fun in college through it. I got the same response to that decision when I made it as I am right now with the military.

Except in this case, the military said, hey if you join we gonna give you $20K, more training and a chance to actually do something with your knowledge.

end rant

[Greenday]

I thought about joining the Air Force and going through OCS when I'm done with Afghanistan. Then I talked to an officer in the Air Force about it and learned I wouldn't be able to actually do any chemistry as an officer. And I'm not joining as an enlisted airman. So I decided to opt out of it. My mom was happy.

Just do what you want to do. The military is a great opportunity. Take full advantage of it.

[Ladeeda]

Sounds to me like you've put a lot of thought into this and made your decision based on what you know of yourself and what would be best for you.

So screw 'em. Haters to the left and all that.

[Evandril]

Few points that you can use in your defense

First, you've *already* enlisted...there isn't much you can do to change your mind atm, so bitching at you about it won't do a damned thing but make things harder.

Second, as a 19 year Active Duty AF member (Crew Chief on C-130s...and will try not to give you a hard time for picking lawn darts ), and seeing how we get treated, and how the army is treated... You picked the right side. We've got a 'Wingman' concept, making sure you've got someone there for you...they tend to go with 'acceptable losses', on the whole. Might be because of the size difference, and the fact they *HAVE* to be able to obey orders without thinking about them. The AF has always taken care of me and mine, where I've friends in the army who haven't been allowed to hang around for the birth of their kids, because their unit was deploying within days of the birth...where the AF paid for my flight from Japan and back to the states for the birth of my youngest.

Third, as far as sitting back and letting others defend them...ask her who calls in the air strikes to save their hides, and who *delivers* them Army/marines kill small numbers (which is needed), the Air Force goes for wholesale fun

Forth, right now, the AF officer core is being hit hard by cutbacks...so if you HAD gotten a job...you might not have had it as long as you'd prefer. Being a tech is a good job that will GET you a good job on the outside, doubly so working on aircraft. Better on cargo planes, but avionics is decent no matter the platfom...most translates reasonably well.

[insertNameHere]

Evandril,
I enlisted yesterday after considering it for a week. Well I considered it for a day, then had 5 more days of waiting to fill out the paperwork so plenty of time to back out. So that is when most of the bitching was going on.

I also love the "being in the military won't get you a job, my bf is in the military", which you inevitably get the answer of what does he do with "Infantry" or some other killing specialty. Which sure it is impressive that you can blow my head off from a mile away with a single bullet. Outside of rouge assassin there is not much of a practical use for said skill. I know a few marines too, outside of law enforcement basically you can be a bouncer.

I'm praying that working on F16s shows a high technical skill that an employer would love to have. And fuck it, yes I'm doing it so I can get a better job so fucking what, they giving me a spot because they need it filled. I might as well use them if they gonna use me.

[Evandril]

Oh, it will, belive me... Make sure to get your certifications, and try and get as many airframes under your belt as you can. When you get done with basic, if it's mainly a job you're looking for, try to switch to heavies... Fighters will keep you *busy*, and 12 hour shifts are the norm. You'll definitally be earning your pay on lawn darts (Nickname everyone who *isn't* on F-16s have for 'em, btw *adjust halo*)

[insertNameHere]

well that is the particular problem with being in the guard, and not going full-time airforce, they don't give us anything bigger to play with. But even a lawn dart can kill a man, just not as easily as backing over him with an SUV. It still beats running a cash register at a gas station.

[gremcint]

Try: I am going to be gone for a while, I can either miss you and keep in touch or be glad I don't have to put up with you anymore and not call at all. Please choose wisely.

[Hyena Dandy]

Outside of rouge assassin there is not much of a practical use for said skill.

Hey, murdering cosmetics is VERY important!

[Evandril]

well that is the particular problem with being in the guard, and not going full-time airforce, they don't give us anything bigger to play with. But even a lawn dart can kill a man, just not as easily as backing over him with an SUV. It still beats running a cash register at a gas station.

Heh, is more a case of it only having one engine...That fails, it goes from being an aircraft to a lawn dart

[aurelemsrealm]

As long as you're happy with the choices you've made in your life, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. You're the one who has to live with these choices, so you might as well make decisions that seem most beneficial to you.

I never had any desire to join the military, personally. It's just not a prospect that has ever interested me. I've known family and friends who enlisted in the military, and did not find it to their liking. They put in their time, and were ready to get away from it and move on to other things. On the other hand, I know quite a few family and friends who've made a career for themselves in the military, and they seem happy with the path they've taken.

Life is all about finding the things that will make you happy, and going after them. If you can make a living doing the things that make you happy, then I see nothing wrong with it. Life can be tough enough without worrying about the opinions of others, so I'm selective about whose opinions matter to me.