How do I cover my ass when joining the military?

October 8, 2005 7:04 AM

I'm thinking of joining the Air Force with an eye towards a flight or airfield operations officer position, and I could use some advice on how to maintain control of my career so that I don't end up in a dead-end position in a place I don't want to be.

I would appreciate if only people who had direct stories from siblings or direct military experience chimed in here. I really don't want to turn this into a political discussion or a "so and so told me...". I mean, unless it's helpful.

I have the basic requirements -- a Bachelor's in business in operations, x years of experience managing businesses (leadership roles), and whatnot to go through the quickie OCS school. The take home salary + housing allowance + tax sheltering + travel/vacation time/opportunities total up to the kind of money I'd like to be making. Just on the surface, the discipline, availability of extra training and education, and environment seems like it would suit me. I have no problem making an 8 year committment... as long as I'm doing something interesting. Coming out after 8+ years with a security clearance and management experience would also be good for me.

I've heard horror stories about people that enter the military and are shuffled into jobs that fit their skill set but that they don't necessarily want to be doing. I've been doing IT work for the past five years, and I *really* wouldn't want to end up sitting behind a desk programming for my entire time in the military. I also really would like the opportunity to do some flight training ... even if I'm not in a flight role.

I know that recruiters will tell you almost anything to get you to sign on the dotted line. How do I do a little CYA when I'm going into this to make sure I don't end up in a position I don't want, and do end up with the things that I want in ways that will be binding on the military? What do I need to do to go straight to OCS? Are there any legal/contractual advice sites or "here's my experience so that you don't screw up the same way I did" sites that can help?

posted by anonymous to law & government (10 comments total)

first the caveats ... I was Army not Air Force, it was over a decade ago, and I went ROTC not OCS.
In my experience you never had a job that lasted more than 2 years. Most of mine were interesting, some were droll. The other balancing factor for me was the interesting jobs tended to last longer than the droll ones. In 8 years you will get a position you won't like. But if the AF is anything like the Army, you won't be stuck there. I enjoyed my service for the most part, but there were some jobs that were just mind numbingly inane. I think the experiences, training, and security clearance potential (depending on job) do set you up pretty well for a transistion to the civilian sector.
So I think what I'm saying is that in my experience the jobs varied often enough that even when I had a boring one, I could keep telling myself it was only for a few months.
Oh one other thing, it really helps to have a fairly wide social network of friends and to be a top performer to really get the best jobs. In the end, the military will send you where it needs you, but there is a little wiggle room (at least in my day).
posted by forforf at 7:29 AM on October 8, 2005

> Coming out after 8+ years with a security clearance and management experience would also be good for me

One small comment. A security clearance is project-specific. It doesn't really 'travel' with you. You gain access to documents and meetings in a project, but once you are done with the project, you are done with clearance as well.

However, your ability to gain clearance in the past is a positive indicator of your ability to get another in the future - unless your social and criminal circumstances change in the interim (eg criminal record, bankrupcy etc)
posted by seawallrunner at 7:57 AM on October 8, 2005

First note: when you join the military, they own you. If there's a war on - which, uh, there will be - and your superior tells you to go jump into a pot of boiling oil, and you refuse, they can shoot you, and they'd be in the right, not you. If you don't like this, you should stay out of the military.

Second, get it in writing. Whatever your written contract with the military is, that's something you can point to later. They can still break it! You can have in writing a promise that you will be stationed in the Bahamas, and they can send you to Alaska, and shoot you if you refuse. But at least you'll have something to point to. Oral promises are worth less than nothing.

You needn't really fear that you'll end up programming. If there's one thing the military is good at, it's not using people's previous life skills. They will pick a job for you and will train you to do it, have no fear about that. Programming is for overpaid consultant contracts with EDS, not for officers.

Every job has its own code, which the Air Force calls AFSC and other services call MOS. Read the codes and write down the jobs that sound acceptable to you. Try to find out exactly what those codes do, day-to-day. Get the recruiter to promise in writing that you will be assigned to one of those.

Note that it is unlikely that you'll be flight-trained unless you're going to fly things. There isn't a lot of cross-training like that; if your job says pilot, they train you to fly, if not, they don't.

Remember the usual rules with major contracts - get it in writing, take it home and think about it. Don't sign on the spot.
posted by jellicle at 8:43 AM on October 8, 2005

My experience: I considered going officer in the Marine Corps and did a lot of research; my ex (of four years) is a sergeant in the Marine Corps.

The only way to be guaranteed a specific position in the military is to have it in writing, and to have a lawyer read the contract over very carefully for the tiniest possible loophole. But, you may very well not be able to get this. My ex says it’s possible, but that’s from the enlisted point of view.

As an officer of Marines, the only way to be guaranteed of the job you want is to go Air (pilots, very very selective), or Law (you have to go to law school for this). The last section is called Ground, and they have their own way of doing things:

For ground, the USMC assigns MOSs (Military Occupation Specialties) to officers through a method they call “quality spread.” That is, every candidate lists his top 5 choices for MOS. Then, the class is divided into 3 parts. They give the top candidate in the top third his first choice, then the top candidate in the middle third his first choice, then the top candidate in the lowest third his first choice, and then back to the top. They do this so that the most popular MOSss don’t get all the best officers.

I am not sure if the Air Force uses this method, but it should be pretty easy to find out. About.com has very useful information about the military, and they’ll have links to official AF materials. Again, I’m not sure about the AF, but in the Corps it’s not just “quickie OCS.” After OCS there’s TBS (The Basic School, aka The Big Suck), which lasts for 6 months, then MOS school, which lasts anywhere from 1 month to 2 years, I believe. The AF schools probably aren’t so long, but they must have similar courses.

That all said, I think your reasons for going into the AF are not the right ones. I don’t mean that from the military POV, but for your sake. To be truly content in the military, I believe, you have to join because you want to be in the military and defend this country. The reasons you listed come third (second are the reasons that you want to join the particular branch). Like any job, you will end up doing things you hate, even if you get a position you love, and you can’t just quit or slack off or take a sick day. You’ll also end up in some place you hate at one time or another, and you’ll have to be devoted enough to your Air Force to last.

Ultimately, as an officer you are a leader. You have to make all of your decisions based on what is good for your men and women; you have to stay later and work harder than any of them; your family/personal life will need to come second your position.

Feel free to email me (in profile) if you want more info.
posted by CiaoMela at 8:59 AM on October 8, 2005

My personal experience was through enlistment, but I grew up an Army brat and I still have relatives in service, so I think my points will generally apply.

First, read the fine print: Make sure that OCS is guaranteed, or you may find yourself working as a cop, flight line crew chief, or short order cook. Worthy careers, all, but not if it's not what you want to do. Understand that you will start out as an airman, and if you wash out of OCS for some reason, you'll still probably have to serve out the term of your enlistment.

Assuming you get your commission, realize that a new Second Lieutenant is completely and irredeemably retarded. Retarded in the way we all are from about 13 to adulthood. Retarded in the way incoming freshmen are. Only worse. Figure out who your trustworthy senior NCOs are and listen to them. They're probably even smarter than your parents turned out to be once you outgrew your own teenaged retardation.

Second, find out from your recruiter what their (officer) shortage areas are. If they're short on meteorologists and that's something you're interested in, you may be able to get the necessary training after OCS, and the time spent might even count toward your commitment time. It's a win-win and your best bet for meeting your own expectations if you're lucky enough to be interested in something they particularly need.

Third, don't be in a hurry. If they're short on cops and you go in with warm fuzzies instead of "guaranteed enlistment" you will become a cop. I walked out of the MEPS station one Thursday many years ago because none of my top three choices were "available." I got a call the following Monday and joined through the Delayed Enlistment program about six weeks later.

The military today (and for the past several years) has had an "up or out" approach to retention. If you don't get promoted, your career length is limited. Extreme rating inflation, heavy dependence on those ratings, and a rank structure that is fairly top-heavy with career officers means that you're only "assured" the promotions that come with time in service (E-3/0-3). It also means if you get anything less than perfect, you should plan your retirement with the assumption that you'll at best hit the 20-year level.

There's also a (slight?) stigma against OCS officers, maybe even moreso against the folks that didn't come from the ranks of good NCOs. That said, if you're going the Air Force officer route, learn to play golf. US taxpayers have graciously provided many (or most) stateside bases with lovely courses, and you never know when your wing commander and his visiting buddies will need a fourth. That networking may be the biggest factor in making sure your next orders are good ones.

Pay raises are based on rank and time in service, so understand that no matter how good you are, you're never going to get a big jump. Pay might not even keep up with inflation. There was some correction made to the gross underpayment of our (enlisted?) troops a few years back, but that doesn't come along often. Veterans benefits have also been in a steady decline since at least the post-Viet Nam era, and maybe even since the first GI Bill.

Finally, and most importantly, even the written guarantees have escape clauses for Uncle Sam. We have always been at war with East Asia, and particularly during time of war, the promises are more likely to be broken. If you're not willing to take the gamble that 10 years from now you'll be an E-3 stuffing mailboxes somewhere in Baghdad, just don't sign.

All in all, the Air Force was pretty good to me when I was in. A couple of months after I left, though, Desert Shield became Desert Storm and the armed forces have had several ups and downs since then. I used to tell my kids that the military is a great place to start--or stay--but I've been singing a different tune since we invaded Iraq after 9/11. I wish you the best of luck.
posted by phrits at 9:38 AM on October 8, 2005

[Apologies for the second-hand experience]

My father was in the USAF, worked up to Staff Sargeant, Omega clearance (cryptography). He taught EE for a few years in the AF, then went on to work for a NASA space shuttle contractor, then built some nasty weapons for a stint, now works in the medical field.

The best advice I got from him in regards to the service was: 1. You must have an excellent sense of humor, but 2. You can't ever laugh. Humility and excellence are also a powerful combination of qualities to possess--and they rarely come paired up. As mentioned above, your security clearance is task-specific, and doesn't "carry over" from job to job, and certainly not to civilian life.

Unless you're already in the service, you can't just jump directly into OCS--you must first be a soldier, apply and go before an officer review board (this is a bit different for ROTC). OCS is 14 weeks long; prepare yourself physically beforehand. Also, you don't mention your age, but you do know that you have to be under 35 to apply, right? If you want to fly, you'll have to compete for a seat in UPT (undergraduate pilot training). Study this like hell. Previous flight hours will affect your PCSM score (if you fly). Do well on the AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:39 AM on October 8, 2005

Actually, for the Air Force, there is no such thing as "OCS." What we have is Officer Training School (OTS), with the subordinate Basic Officer Training (BOT) course; it is 12 weeks long, and it is pretty grueling (but far less so than Marine or Army equivalents). And you can indeed jump "directly" into OTS from the civilian sector without being an enlisted member first.

Something to consider: Air Force healthcare administrators...doesn't sound quite as exotic as flying operations, but quite a few them do in fact participate in flying missions (aeromedical evacuation), and being in the medical field is always challenging and presents unique opportunities. And, FWIW, the OTS course that they must complete is only 4 weeks long (versus 14 for non-medical officers), with a follow-on course of 11 weeks immersed in healthcare management training.
posted by davidmsc at 10:14 AM on October 8, 2005

I just got out of the Army a few months ago after serving four years on active duty. My good friend (and first sergeant) was one of the top three recruiters in the nation for a few years in the late 90's. I asked him what I should do if my son or daughter wanted to enlist when they turn 18. He told me to treat the recruiting process like you're buying a used car. I'm sure this advice applies to the Air Force as well.

- Don't be afraid to get up and walk out of the recruiting station if they don't seem to be accomodating you.

- The first list of jobs they will show you will always be "needs of the Air Force" jobs. The second list will be a little further down the Air Force's list of jobs they need filled. You probably want to look at a third of fourth list.

- In fact, you probably aren't getting a really good position unless you get wait listed. The wait might be a few months, but it will probably be worth it.

- If you cannot get OCS right away from the recruiter (I don't know if this is possible), when you finally get to your initial unit spend as much time helping your peers as you do yourself. Volunteer for extra positions and duties requiring responsibility and leadership skills. Seek out a high quality officer and ask him/her to help you assemble an OCS packet. It helps if they also attended OCS. You might also want to inquire about attending the Air Force Academy (if you are below the maximum age requirement).

Good luck.
posted by viewofdelft at 11:12 AM on October 8, 2005

Right now the AF is trying to downsize their officer corp. I don't know how that will affect you getting OCS-that would depend on your career field.

(My kid is at USAFA and I keep up on these things.)
posted by konolia at 12:55 PM on October 8, 2005

I *really* wouldn't want to end up sitting behind a desk programming for my entire time in the military.

Officers don't DO things (with exceptions: doctors, lawyers, pilots, for example). They MANAGE people. So the chances of your ending up as a programmer are essentially nil. You might end up, however, being assigned to an organization responsible for IT stuff, be that an organization actually doing the programming, or one overseeing contractors who do it. And, as pointed out above, the military tradition is to move officers every 2-3 years, to create well-rounded individuals, not narrow specialists (pilots and doctors will be more niched, of course).

your superior tells you to go jump into a pot of boiling oil, and you refuse, they can shoot you, and they'd be in the right, not you.

You, and any else in the service, have the absolute right to refuse an unlawful order, and can't be punished for that. As for suicidial orders, the US military (and particularly the Air Force) isn't known for treating its members as cannon fodder, particularly officers.

A security clearance is project-specific. It doesn't really 'travel' with you. You gain access to documents and meetings in a project, but once you are done with the project, you are done with clearance as well.

Not true. "Secret" and "top secret" clearances are generic. Higher-level security may well be project based, but very few officers - particularly junior officers - need that.

The military today (and for the past several years) has had an "up or out" approach to retention. If you don't get promoted, your career length is limited.

"Up or out" has been the policy for decades, not just the past few years. However, a very high percentage of junior officers get promoted - competition doesn't really start until the Major and Lieutenant Colonel level. (Which isn't to say that ratings for lieutenants don't matter - they do, very much, if you're hoping to make a career of things; but unless you really screw up, you'll end your career as a Captain.) The percentage promoted isn't a secret; you should feel free to ask.


There's also a (slight?) stigma against OCS officers, maybe even moreso against the folks that didn't come from the ranks of good NCOs.

You're going to enter the Air Force with a great deal more practical managerial experience than a typical college ROTC graduate; any senior officer would be stupid (and there are few stupid officers out there) to be biased against you.

Other things to keep in mind:

* The life of enlisted soldiers and officers are VERY different, and - I'd guess - recruitment is very different as well. Keep that in mind when evaluating answers that relate to enlisted soldiers. (And make sure that your contract doesn't commit you to a number of years as an enlisted soldier if you don't graduate from OTS.)

* The most you're likely to be able to negotiate for is a occupational career field (see links above) and - possibly - an initial assignment. After that, the Air Force will move you as it sees fit. In other words, the Air Force couldn't tell you, even if it wanted to, whether your first job will last 2 or 2 1/2 or 3 or whatever years, and what your second job will be, simply because no one knows - these decisions aren't made until just before a position needs to be filled. The Air Force plans for staffing by looking at the number of positions needed to be filled and then adjusting the numbers in each occupational/career group.

* As always, one of the best ways to understand your career options is to talk to someone doing the type of work you're interested in. A recruiter should be able to put you in touch with at least a few people who graduated in the past year or two from OTS; I'm sure they'd be happy to talk about their experience and expectations. And I'd expect them to be honest; they have no reason to tell you other than the truth.


I could use some advice on how to maintain control of my career so that I don't end up in a dead-end position in a place I don't want to be.

Plan on talking to the folks ("career managers"?) that make the decisions about who goes where, starting (say) a year after you get into your first assignment. Find out what's available, in general, and let them know what sort of thing you're interested in. Talk to them again every six months or so, and then more frequently as your tour of duty is coming to an end.

Also, try to get your the officers who do your annual ratings to put in a very specific recommendation in the ratings, if (a) you're doing a good job for them, so they're amendable to suggestions, and (b) you know what you want. For example, "Officer X would make an excellent airfield operations officer", or "Recommend that Officer X attend advanced schooling type ABC, and then be assigned to an OPQ position".
posted by WestCoaster at 6:16 PM on October 10, 2005