opinions on my options for enlisting

[dumspirospero]

I recently reached a cross-road in my life and am considering joining the Air Force. I currently am 19, have a decent job, and a girl friend of 2 years. I am not quite ready to get married and am worried about the effects this would have on our relationship. Are there any options outside of the obvious? e.i. don't join, or break up. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[ringjamesa]

ummm join and don't break up? Don't join and break-up? Those would be the four options. With that smart@$$ed comment out of the way, Why do you want to join? Have you spoken to a Recruiter? Have you considered the Reserve? What do you want to do? Have you taken the ASVAB? What do YOU consider a "decent job?"

[dumspirospero]

well i want to join for the benefits that come with it. I would get free school, a skill, decent pay, and military experience. I have spoken to a recruiter and overall i liked the idea of joining after my own research. I only took a practice test which i scored a 70 on. I've always been someone to try and push my future forward, i graduated high school last year and now work as a safety technician in a chemical plant. I am completely independant and support my girl friend and myself. This may be irrelevant but I don't see this job pushing me up very high and I don't see affording college without stacks of loans. I don't have many options and the miliatary seems to be one of the best. The girl friend issue is the only thing really holding me back.

[ringjamesa]

Ok. So. You said the benifits that come with it. Not very specific but from the rest of what you said, I gleaned that you are looking to pay for school and possibly a career. Now you need to decide if you want full time or part time. Both can help you pay for school but have different programs. It depends on when you want to go to school. Also, is your girlfirend willing to move? Do you even want her to? You can always go AD and then switch to the Reserve later down the road if AD isn't your cup of tea. No one can make the decision for you but you are correct, the mil can be a way to offset at least some of the cost of advanced education and the AF is the only one that actually gives you college credit for your training.

[dumspirospero]

I was looking into full time, go big or go home right? she may or may not go with me but if she did she would have to get her own place considering i would more than likely be living on base in a 1+1 right? i dont know if she could afford that depending on the location. I want to atleast get an associates while in and if i choose to not re-enlist i would get my bachlors after.

[ringjamesa]

Well, then do it. Yeah it would probably be a couple of years before you could live off base and get BAH. That is something you need to figure out. How important is the relationship to you... Find the answer to that and you will have your decision. If you decide that you don't want to leave, that doesn't mean you can't join the Reserve and still get most of what you want from the AF.

[troyale]

RINGJAMESA - are you officer recruiter in Vegas? I need to speak with you.