<p>This question is directed particularly to those people with either AFA or actual Air Force experience (including spouses). If you were considering a career in the Air Force (and applying to the AFA) what jobs would you consider other than being a pilot? I know it would depend on the individual interests of the person applying, but my son (HS Junior) would appreciate some ideas of jobs that you might recommend (perhaps something you think you might have chosen) OTHER than being a pilot. It’s not that he doesn’t want to fly, it is just that he is curious about other career choices within the AF. He has (like most applicants) perused the Air Force site many times during the last year to get some career ideas…but he would definitely welcome some experienced suggestions. He is considering a couple of different engineering majors.</p>
<p>I think there were four non-rated career fields that I at least considered, however briefly. Those were maintenance, intel, analyst, and OSI. There are really a lot of different things you can do in the active duty AF. If he wants to go the engineering route, there are several viable options there, too.</p>
<p>Check out [this</a> link](<a href=“http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjobs/a/afoffjobs.htm]this”>http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjobs/a/afoffjobs.htm) for more info.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link and opinion. I’ll pass it on to him.</p>
<p>The Air Force has lots of other careers. Civil Engineering allows AFA grads to work in the building and construction fields. Logistics has several opportunities for grads running the Ariel Ports, and making sure materials reach thier destinations. Force Support overseas the base facilities like Dining Halls, and Athletic Facilities. OSI is the Air Forces version of the FBI. Security Forces Officers oversee the bases law enforcement agency. Thier are research and science specialties. If your really good you can get a slot in Grad School or Med School.</p>
<p>Thank you ds52262! Do you have any experiences (or know anyone that has) in any of the above jobs?</p>
<p>aglages, I’m sure a lot of us here (either active (like ds) or retired (like me)) would love to provide you with their perspectives and tons of information about the different opportunities your son could go for in the AF. But the question is so open ended as there is so much to choose from. Sort of like asking, “my son wants to drive something. Which vehicle would you select?” </p>
<p>I think the best would be to look at some of the links provided, a little google search of his own, and try to see what excites or interests him beyond the flying part of the AF. We’d be happy to either tell him our experiences in that field, or point him to the person we think would provide the best information. </p>
<p>As for me, ex-flyer, back-seater in F-15Es. But I have lots of experience dealing with a LOT of different fields in the AF Ops and Support world, from Air Battle Manager to Tactical Air Controller, to Air Field Manager, to Maintenance Office. Plus at least a “stayed in a Holiday Inn Express” level of knowledge in quite a few other areas from Acquisition to Engineer. After he does his research, have him feel free to PM me (if he wants), or feel free to ask away yourself.</p>
<p>That’s what this site is here for, knowledge…</p>
<p>Thank you Bullet. I may have worded my initial question incorrectly. Maybe I should have asked instead: “What jobs would you avoid in the AF?” Some jobs sound interesting / challenging until you actually have an opportunity to work in them and it is helpful to get someones first hand experience. Let me give an example: I have an acquaintance whose son went through the Navy’s Nuclear Engineer Program…on the surface it sounds like an interesting job…but his son hates it…he says it is the most boring thing he has ever done (in his limited years) and cannot wait to get out of the Navy and leave it behind (according to his father).</p>
<p>I realize my question is open ended and very broad, but I am hoping that people with AF experience might share their opinions pro/con about some of the career fields in the AF.
If this thread provides us with some additional insight (above what perusing the web already has), I’m thinking of starting another thread asking the forum members to recommend a wife for a person they have never met (my son)…just kidding…sort of…
Thanks again.</p>
<p>Hey pm flymom if you want a beautiful wife for your DS. Her DD is gorgeous, smart, sweet, etc and better yet will understand the AF life since she is at the AFA. The downside is she will be 2 yrs ahead of him and every time they meet outside in public when in uniform he will be required to salute her, or at least that will be true for close to a decade :D</p>
<p>Remember, bases are cities and they need all kinds of people in different fields. As was mentioned above, AFA grads go on to medical school, dental school, law school and various graduate programs. There are many opportunities in many different fields. Your son can pursue his interests and abilities and the military can find a place for him to use his degree. He should look at the AFA as a college and see if they offer what he wants in terms of majors and programs. If it doesn’t, he can pursue his passions in many colleges that have ROTC programs.</p>
<p>
You mean all husbands are not required to do that? I need to talk to my wife…</p>
<p>Well, it really depends on the person.</p>
<p>Some people would hate being an R&D project manager. Others would hate being a Security Forces commander. Some people really want to be one of the above. A guy in my squad is going to be a cost analyst. He is very happy, because he gets to live in Boston and has very good prospects outside of the AF, whenever he wants to leave. I wouldn’t have asked for that job, because I wouldn’t want it. I’d rather be a pilot. It’s very dependent on what one’s priorities and interests are.</p>
<p>I visited Elmendorf AFB this summer. In every squadron I visited (minus one), someone said, “This is the best job in the Air Force.”</p>
<p>I will say that many people I’ve talked to don’t consider missileer a top choice.</p>
<p>Our neighbor is an AFA graduate. The Air Force is paying for him to get a PhD in meteorology.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, raimius, what kind of squadron was it up at Elmendorf?</p>
<p>Thanks Raimius for the information.</p>
<p>Probably an F15 E squadron…bc Bullet said he served up there.</p>
<p>It was the 90th, and yes, back then it was an F-15E. It now is a 22 squadron.</p>
<p>The squadron where I didn’t hear “best job in the Air Force” was the AWACS squadron. </p>
<p>Do you seriously think F-22 pilots would forget to mention how great their job is?</p>
<p>I have known some AWACS people (they were stationed at ELmendorf too). None of them ever said that. They loved it when they 1st got in, but within a few yrs the majority of them said enough! They are gone alot and wears on them. This was yrs ago, so maybe it has changed, I doubt it because we are fighting 2 wars now.</p>
<p>
Plus, it is hard to complain about your job if you are the golden child of the base and the AF. All of those pilots know that their career is made, and especially for the newbies that are 1st time operational.</p>
<p>Ha! I am prior service AF and AWACS, and this sounds like how things were 20 yrs. ago - and may be today. The job was alright, but not something I wanted to do for a career, so I separated after a few years. The constant deployment schedule always kept things disorganized to some degree, and at points there was no morale whatsoever. Plus, a number of Air Battle Managers either washed out of UPT or never got a slot, so that also factored into the attitude. And the civilian opportunites that relate directly to this job are slim and none. But I enjoyed the whole experience overall, and what is most important is finding the job that <em>you</em> want to do.</p>
<p>^^
Thank you LAGator. I appreciate the insight and will pass it on to my son.</p>