General question from a curious college student

CK_Sawyer

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Nov 11, 2015
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San Diego, CA
Hello,
Here is my situation. I am a junior in college, and plan to join the Air Force, where I want to pursue a career in combat rescue. However, I had not considered the military until I got to college. I was always told that I have to go to college to do this and that and all that jazz. When I realized what I wanted to do, I was already ending my Sophomore year. So here is my predicament. I am conflicted between going in enlisted or getting a commission. I want to do the more hands on job of the PJs, and I fear that as a CRO, I would not be given opportunities to jump into hell and pull out my brothers. But I also feel that if I do go enlisted, then I will have wasted my time at college. Any thoughts, comments, and general pieces of knowledge and advice are greatly appreciated.
Thank you
 
If you have invested two years in undergrad work, my suggestion is to finsh out your undergrad time. While there, you can begin the physical prep work, and that will take time and dedication. This site is the best networking site for the military plans that you are making. Look at our mentor program, and get involved with that. Use the search function to gather more info. You could not be in a better place, and the next two years will pass quickly. I do urge you to finish out your undergrad studies, it will not be wasted. I wish you the best of luck in your plans.
 
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There is nothing to say you can't be enlisted and have a bachelor's degree. I know quite a few that do, especially NCOs.

Accoding to AFPC:
Enlisted Academic Education
59.8% completed some college
24.5% have associate's degrees
8.5% have bachelor's degrees
1.6% have master's degree
0.016% have professional degrees

Airmen Tier
80.17% have some college
5.009% have associate's degrees
2.974% have bachelor's degrees
0.098% have master's degree
0.002% have professional degrees

NCO Tier
51.37% some college
38.618% have associate's degrees
8.782% have bachelor's degrees
1.113% have master's degree
0.010% have professional degrees

Senior NCO Tier
10.17% some college
52.534% have associate's degrees
28.330% have bachelor's degrees
8.877% have master's degrees
0.087% have professional degrees

Depending on the degree/circumstances, it may even qualify for enlistment at a slightly higher grade (up to E3).

IMHO, college degrees are really about goal setting. They help provide evidence to the story that you can set and achieve goals. In achieving those goals, it's also likely that you built a framework of desirable/useful skills. That said, several years after graduation, you'll find many people working in careers that have little to do with their undergrad degree. It doesn't mean their effort was wasted. Degrees open doors, sometimes ones you didn't know existed.
 
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So here is my predicament. I am conflicted between going in enlisted or getting a commission. I want to do the more hands on job of the PJs, and I fear that as a CRO, I would not be given opportunities to jump into hell and pull out my brothers. But I also feel that if I do go enlisted, then I will have wasted my time at college.

Slow down, Killer. "Jump into hell...." makes for sorry pulp fiction and is laughable on the Internet. Don't do that again.

Wasting time at college....Not bloody likely. Get your degree, do well, and study like your life depends on it because statistically speaking it will. Statistically speaking you're a failure looking for a reason. Injury, lack of heart, failure to perform....whatever. The degree opens doors in and out of uniform, so finish the degree. Like the Doc said, it also gives you time to train and get ready.
 
Slow down, Killer. "Jump into hell...." makes for sorry pulp fiction and is laughable on the Internet. Don't do that again.

Wasting time at college....Not bloody likely. Get your degree, do well, and study like your life depends on it because statistically speaking it will. Statistically speaking you're a failure looking for a reason. Injury, lack of heart, failure to perform....whatever. The degree opens doors in and out of uniform, so finish the degree. Like the Doc said, it also gives you time to train and get ready.
My bad, I will be sure to keep that in mind, thank you.
 
Slow down, Killer. "Jump into hell...." makes for sorry pulp fiction and is laughable on the Internet. Don't do that again.

Wasting time at college....Not bloody likely. Get your degree, do well, and study like your life depends on it because statistically speaking it will. Statistically speaking you're a failure looking for a reason. Injury, lack of heart, failure to perform....whatever. The degree opens doors in and out of uniform, so finish the degree. Like the Doc said, it also gives you time to train and get ready.
Really wish I could agree with this more. CK, I hope you read this and are taking it to heart. Experiencing and doing well in college and completing your degree will serve you well on multiple levels regardless of what path you choose.
 
First of all, an education isn't wasted at all. It's still going to follow you both within, and outside of the military. It will be something that you have already accomplished.

There are plenty of personnel across the entire DOD that have degrees and that are enlisted. I could point to quite a few seriously bad-a mf'ers that would take rather serious offense to that commentary, specifically that a degree is wasted as enlisted. Having been at the hip of an officer for literally everything for a little bit of time as a platoon RTO.... there's nothing a LT actually does that requires a degree. Does some college level english help with doing paperwork? Yes. That's about it though, and I read/helped/proofread everything that my LT did, just because he wanted a second set of eyes to make sure stuff was done right the first time and wouldn't get kicked back... You will get taught through whatever program you go into either enlisted or officer, what you do/need/must know to do your job. Everything you know from elsewhere can help, but generally is semi-esoteric.

Now, having gotten out of the way, this would be a huge personal decision. If I were in your shoes, and this is speculation and expansion upon it therefore could be utter and total horseshit.... Education is easier when you stay in that mode. You're used to homework, you're used to the environment, you're used to how things are done. Shifting from that type of environment into the military with it's completely different environment is a huge shift, and while thousands of veterans (including myself) are in college post-service, I think that it would have been "easier" for me to just have gone HS->College->Military than what I have done, which is HS->Military->Civilian employment->College. Being honest, I'm only in college because I can, not because I really ever have wanted to attend college. Effectively just blind hope that I learn something useful I can leverage in my personal life or possibly in a business venture.

Completion of college once your are in it will give you a document and associated positive stigma with regards to employment anywhere. It also gives you the latitude to enlist later on and see if you even enjoy the military experience of your chosen branch. Furthermore, that degree IS recognized by the military and you will come in with a higher rank and associated level of pay due to it. Following that, having a degree also gives you the latitude to more easily "Mustang" ie Officer Candidate School of your chosen branch, should you enjoy the military but have a desire or drive for being in a commissioned leadership role.

So, in short, if I were in your shoes, already IN college, I would continue on with things. Especially as a junior in college. You've already taken a big chunk out of what you need to do to earn your degree, just finish it off and perhaps look at using any bonuses/etc you may get for signing once you have your bachelors and enlist, to help pay off any debt you may have from college. Then, you can use education programs to be able to come out (provided your end unit's optempo allows) with even more education as well as training and experience that will increase your marketability once you do eventually enter the civilian workforce. Everyone gets out of the military at some point...
 
Agree with @Freefalling @Ranger Psych @Red Flag 1 et al above.

Stay in college. Smoke that shit and get a degree. If you want to enlist, that option is out there, I work with many NCO's with Bachelor's degrees and I am completing mine.

The only thing I will pile on is this- CRO's have their own problems and growing pains, but they lead and work with the teams. You're creating a false dichotomy by saying, "I wont have the opportunity to get missions or experience as a CRO." That's just not true.
 
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