Why Join The Air Force

WHY JOIN THE AIR FORCE?

When serving in the military, you’ll come across a lot of different people from all different walks of life. You’ll sometimes find that people joined for the same reasons as you, or they joined for reasons you never even thought of before.

Some people join because that’s what their family has always done. But for many of us, we are looking at the military as a way to serve our country but also set up our future to take care of ourselves and our family.

At the end of the day you’ll have to decide why you want to join the military, and more specifically, the United States Air Force. If you aren’t for sure why to join here are some main reasons why a lot of people do join. Which of these fit you?

To be a part of something bigger than yourself

This might be the biggest reason people join. A lot of times we can find ourselves stuck in a place we don’t want to be, doing a job we don’t want to do and we feel like we lack a purpose. The military has a huge responsibility of protecting our country and aiding others. Its mission is known and appreciated by nearly every US citizen. So don’t feel bad if you feel like your current life is lacking a purpose, many of us are or have been in your shoes. The military can definitely make you proud of what you’re doing with your life and give you a sense of meaning and accomplishment.

To Serve the United States of America

This is possibly the most passionate reason people join but it also one that comes and goes with generations based on events or family history. Some people have a family history of serving the United States. Some however have no family tie to wanting to serve but want to because of an event like 9/11. September 11, 2001 was a day this country will never forget. But it’s not a day that everyone remembers. The youngest people joining the military currently, were born after the attack on the twin towers. For many of us over the past 2 decades (including myself) we were alive and personally affected by that terrorist attack on our country and it drove us to want to do something to protect our country and the ones we love. There are many small events or situations that can cause one to feel the need to serve and protect our country.

To get an education and pay for college

This is one of the greatest benefits the military offers. Not only do you get paid to learn a new job and the training can count towards a college degree, but you can also have college courses paid for while you’re serving. You won’t be able to go to school full time if you’re active duty since you’ll be working full time, but doing 1-2 classes a semester for free is a pretty good deal if you can make the time for it. Not only that, but by serving you’ll earn the GI Bills which can not only pay for your schooling, but pay you to go to school.

A stable job and income

Let’s be honest, military pay isn’t incredible. But, it’s also not that bad. On top of base pay, you’ll also have health care, free housing or a housing allowance, and free food or a food allowance. Base pay might seem like it’s not a lot. But you also have a lot less expenses than you would as a civilian. There are pros and cons to military contracts. A con can be that you can’t just put your 2 weeks in and quit if you don’t like it. A pro could be that you know how long you’ll have steady pay and benefits. This allows you to plan your next chapter in life easier, whether that’s staying in or getting out. Stability is a huge motivator for a lot of people, especially when you have a family you need to provide for.

Health benefits

Health care is expensive. Thankfully the Air Force, along with all the military branches offer excellent health care benefits. The total cost to have TRICARE while serving is only a few hundred dollars a year. In the civilian side of things it can cost a few hundred dollars a month and that doesn’t even cover all your medical expenses. Also in the military you’ll be able to go to the on base hospital or clinic and sometimes have the option to have an off base doctor or go to urgent care locations for little or no extra cost. Health care in the military sometimes isn’t the fastest though, which some people don’t like. but when you factor in the amount we pay as service members, it is understandable. Overall the health benefits are great especially for a family. If you plan on having kids while you’re in, those expenses will be covered by the military’s health care as well. Almost no companies in the civilian side can compete with the health care benefits the military offers.

Retirement and Pension

The retirement benefits and pension that the military offers is nearly untouchable by any civilian company. Many companies over the years have eliminated their pension plans and only offer a 401k now for employees. The military has a TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) which is the equivalent of a 401k. The military will match up to 5% of you base pay if you put 5% or more into your TSP each month. The money you put into your TSP you can start to pull out when you’re 59.5 years old. It’s an investment portfolio that you are earning a return on each year depending on which funds you invest in. If you want to make the most of your finances while in the military, I have several videos in our exclusive content area to help you maximize your future money whether you serve 4 years or 20+ years in the military. Our exclusive content area also explains how the military pension works. If you are joining at 18, you could retire at 38 years old and have income and health care for your family for life and still be young enough to start another career. Overall the military offers one of the most attractive retirement plans available today.

To leave home and travel

The military can offer some amazing travel opportunities. This isn’t always true though. Some people join and get stationed at a base that was closest to where they joined from, but some people join and end up overseas. It’s a game of chance on when it comes to Air Force Base Selection. To some people, that chance is worth it. You can also get other opportunities to travel besides your home station. There are deployments usually 4-8 months long and also TDYs (Temporary Duty) which are usually short training missions that can range from 1 week to 6 months. I joined from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and thankfully there isn’t an active duty base in Iowa so I knew when joining I would at least be stationed somewhere 5 hours away from home. Luckily I got Kadena AB in Okinawa, Japan as my first base and Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada as my second base. The chances of going overseas are pretty rare but it can happen. For more information on how Air Force base selection works, sign up for our exclusive content membership.

To learn and get experience in a job

Not many, if any companies will hire a 17 year old with no job experience or skills and pay them a livable wage to learn a job and offer them benefits. The military is a great opportunity to learn something new and get paid to do it. Unlike college, where you pay to learn so you can hopefully apply and get accepted for a job, the military will pay you to learn a job and then you transition straight into working. This is a big reason many people join. For some people college is too expensive but they don’t want to be stuck doing an entry level job their whole life. When it comes to Air Force job selection. You’ll have to give them a list of options and the Air Force will give you a job on your list if it’s available. For advice and an in depth explanation on how job selection works in the Air Force, join our exclusive content membership area. If you are looking for a career opportunity that can open several doors for your finances and future then the Air Force is definitely a good option.

To live a physically fit lifestyle

The military has fitness standards while most jobs in the civilian world don’t require or care about your physical fitness levels. This results in many people wanting to join to help them maintain a certain fitness standard. If you’re looking to get physically fit for the Air Force you don’t want to pass on our BMT fitness prep guide that was designed to help you achieve above a 90 on your PT test in as little as 4 weeks. Depending on your job, the fitness standards can be different and the workout schedule can differ drastically. Some jobs and squadrons do organized PT while others do individual PT. I personally was always at places that did individual PT so I was expected to do PT outside of work on my own time. That tends to be pretty common for maintenance jobs. I was Aircraft Structural Maintenance. The Air Force also requires PT tests every 6 months if you score below a 90 on your PT test or every 12 months if you score above 90 on your PT test.