Air Force Reserves / National Guard

[mosetti]

I would not mind deploying at all if I could guarentee getting through college. My only concern is getting deployed so often that I can not finish any classes over the next six years.

I was also told, over the 6 year air guard enlistment, the maximum total deployment time can not exceed 2 years, is this true?

Thanks again for all of the input. Some recruters here tend to beat around the bush alot and I find myself not getting the answers I need.

You certainly won't be deployed for 6 full years. I cannot say whether the 2 year max is true, as I was active duty. Typically the amount of time deployed depends on the needs of the individual service and the mission of your unit. The Army has been relying more heavily on thier reserve force than other branches, hence the deployment lengths listed by USP45FAN.

[Dons]

If you don't want to deploy, don't go in the military. Period.

That said, deployments are a good experience and going with the Air Force is not that bad. They tend to have good quality of life.

I would not mind deploying at all if I could guarentee getting through college. My only concern is getting deployed so often that I can not finish any classes over the next six years.

I was also told, over the 6 year air guard enlistment, the maximum total deployment time can not exceed 2 years, is this true?

Thanks again for all of the input. Some recruters here tend to beat around the bush alot and I find myself not getting the answers I need.

[USP45FAN]

Okay, I will try to simplify the deployemnt issue. One of our street department workers is in the Air Guard. He deployed to Iraq after I did, and he's already at home. One of the county deputies is a Marine Reservist, also deployed after me, will be home before me. I deployed first out of all of us, and I am in the Army Guard. However, the Army does year long deployments, so I have 4 months left. The quality of life in the Air Force is way better than it is in the Army or Marine Corps. In the Air Force, you will not be out greeting the locals on patrol. In fact, the Air Guard guy never left the FOB, so only indirect fire was his main concern.

It's your choice, you have to make it and live with it. The military builds a lot of good traits that are useful in law enforcement, such as uniforms neatness, punctuality, and so on. It's a good experience, but once you sign that contract you have to uphold it. The PD has been excellent with my deployment, and if a department is not going to hire you because you are in the military, they're not worth working for. The Deputy joined the Marine Reserves, after a couple of years with the SO, not all employers will try to screw you.

Deployment legnths as a general rule not always these lengths.
Army=12
Marine=7
Air Force= 4 to 6

[mosetti]

If you don't want to deploy, don't go in the military. Period.

That said, deployments are a good experience and going with the Air Force is not that bad. They tend to have good quality of life.

[Dons]

So I might be even better off to wait until I am full time LE to go into the military.

[eh19512]

Air Guard

Being former Air Guard Security, yeah I ahve to agree...don't go that route. There are better skills to learn, and you can still get into LE in civilian life.
Just remember, some of the skills you may choose may have schools after basic lasting a year or more. DON'T go into some killer skill like para-rescue, etc.. NOTHING wrong with those guys(I think that is for active anyway), but learn a skill. Most all Guards in all states have bonus incentives, and educational incentives up the ying-yang so you are good there.
I guess the only negative thing I've seen is most guard tours are 6 year deals. In today's world, with deployment and time away, departments, especially the smaller ones are taking that into consideration before hiring. They don't want to lose people. I do the backgrounds here, and even though we've had some good guys come through, my supervisors have gone with other people. It's illegal to discriminate, but hard to prove.

[Dons]

I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to respond.

About how often, and for how long are fire protection and medical peronal deployed on average. I know that it are not any set times or anything, just a rough idea if anybody has one.

[ccpd8512]

I am currently in the Ohio Air Nat'l Guard in Security Forces. It's true that we deploy alot. SFS and flight crews are the sections that tend to deploy quite a bit. My unit is a fighter unit, any time the planes go somewhere, the crews go with them. So if being a flight engineer is what you want to do, whether you are in a fighter unit or not, plan on deploying. The frquency will depend on your unit, and what is needed overseas.

[Dons]

Officer Careers

[squad51]

[QUOTE=Dons]
Also, I wasn't planning on being Security Forces. I would like to be a flight engineer (does not work on planes, helps fly them). If I can not get that, firefighter would be my next choice.

QUOTE]
with poor color vision you honestly are going to have a hard time getting into the military...um who told you what a flight engineer does? cause um yeah they uh work on the planes...ALOT and um really don't help fly them cept unless something breaks while in flight then they fix those things...

[mosetti]

There is nothing wrong with a CJ degree and many LEOs have them, I just tend to be a bit more cautious when thinking about my future and prefer to have many options. I enjoy law enforcement, but I also realize I can't do it forever. I don't know how often the ANG and AFR deploy, but I know it is less than ARNG and AR folks and shorter deployments as well. Talk to you local ANG recruiter, he can give you more info on that type of thing. I know the ANG recruiters in Maryland take you around and let you talk to the airmen that hold the MOS you are interested in.

[Dons]

I was going to go for a different degree, but where I live, Hartford, WI, I talked to afew police, and they told me that everyone at their department has a degree in LE. Im not sure if it is recomended, or if they had their facts messed up, just what I was told.

So you are saying that ANG and Reserved get deployed ALOT? How often are we talking? I would like to still go to college, so if I am being deployed then come back and am deployed during the next semister at school, it would get alittle rough to finish college. Is this likely? Do you think I should just wait until after college?

Also, I wasn't planning on being Security Forces. I would like to be a flight engineer (does not work on planes, helps fly them). If I can not get that, firefighter would be my next choice.

My life long dream always was to fly a fighter jet. I was thinking that I might have a very slim chance at this once I got my degree. I would have to get eye lazer surgery of course, but I still think that my dream is over before it begun as my color vision is not perfect.

[mosetti]

Ya know..I will agree with Delta on this what is this misknowmer about LE degrees????

What was Delta's opinion?

Having a degree will help you get hired, but it does not have to be Criminal Justice. Why not get a degree in Business and go on to an MBA or another degree that would be useful outside of LE?

[squad51]

I can only speak for Maryland, but the Maryland Air National Guard will pay part of your tuition to a State funded school on top of other education benefits, such as the G.I. Bill and Loan Repayment.

Squad is totally correct. If you are going to join do not join as Security Forces (or any other Military Police). If you join get learn a trade or get a technical skill. Communications and IT related fields are great. If you are going to go to college, get a degree other than Criminal Justice. A career in LE is an admirable goal, but you should always have a back-up plan.

Ya know..I will agree with Delta on this what is this misknowmer about LE degrees????

[USP45FAN]

In Ohio, joining the National Guard gets you 100% tuition to any state school, plus the GI Bill. If you are in a high need job specialty, you may also qualify for the GI Bill Kicker, which is an added 200 or more dollars per month. Not to mention a potential signing bonus. Take my advice, join the Air Guard, while you will get deployed somewhere in the world, it won't be pounding the pavement in Baghdad. I've been deployed with the Army Guard in the sandbox now for 8 months, the Air Force only does short 4-6 month deployments, I still have 4 months to go.