Intro / Military Career So Far

Vermonster

Verified Military
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
3
Good Morning,

I found this forum while searching for retraining information into a combat oriented career field (USAF). I was pleased to discover an engaging resource full of information and professional people. I look forward to getting to know everyone here in the future, and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. With that, here is a little bit about my military career.

I have 10 years experience in the USAF. I joined November 16th 2004. I started my career as a crypto guy but failed out of training towards the end of tech school. To be honest, I was not focused enough to succeed in such a demanding course. I was fortunate enough to stay in, and was re-classed into personnel. My first base was Moody AFB, and I was supporting the 347th Rescue Wing until it was deactivated in 2006. After that the 23rd moved in. Things continued on about as fast paced they can for a personnelist (excruciatingly slow). I was still trying to find my place in the Air Force, and it was becoming apparent that this career field was definitely not for me.

Hoping a change of scenery would do the trick, I applied for an assignment at the USAF Academy in Colorado. I got here in 2007, and started right away supporting the cadets and people stationed at the Academy. Things were ok, but I still was not satisfied with my place in the Air Force. Since I signed up for 6 years, I was going to have to wait a couple more years to retrain. Looking for any opportunity I could to get out of the office, I took advantage of the unique Base Honor Guard program on base.

Unlike traditional Honor Guard programs where you go for a few months and are 100% dedicated, we could stay on as long as we wanted. We still did our normal job, but were required to do 2 details a month and 1 training session a week. Most of us did more than 2 details a month. Since the Academy has its own cemetery and chapel, I had the honor of serving on many funeral details. Unlike my personnel job at the time, I took Honor Guard very VERY seriously. 180+ detail hrs, and 40+ details later my time in the Honor Guard was over. The good part about this was I was now in my retraining window, and I could finally start looking for a new job.

At the time I didn't have a sparkling record. I was a good kid and didn't get into trouble, but I also didn't really apply myself. The motivation simply wasn't there. For this reason, I had yet to receive a 5 EPR. I was terrified that this would adversely effect my opportunity to retrain. Luckily for me, there was a critically manned career field right in Colorado Springs that needed re-trainees.

I re-trained into Space Operations 1C6X1 in 2010, and was determined to kick this tech school's ass. Having failed a highly technical school in the past, I was NOT going to let that happen again. I was NOT going to return to personnel with my head hanging low. So I kicked my ass into high gear and got to work. Space tech school has 2 parts. Space 100, which is an indoctrination into the career field itself, and the more technical Satellite training when you find out what unit you are assigned to. I aced Space 100, and scored a 100% on every block test except for one. I literally stayed up every night studying, and even altered my sleep schedule before tests so I could cram every bit of information into my skull. This trend continued into the Satellite training, and I ended up getting a 97% average for the entire course. I received the "Academic Achievement" award for my efforts, and a new found confidence that I never had in myself before. I would have gotten DG, but a Captain in the course had that same average I did.

I am a completely new Airman today. Not only have a received a slew of 5 EPRs, but I finally made SSgt in 2012. I also was fortunate enough to be selected for a highly competitive LEO team twice. LEO team is Launch and Early Orbit, and you are required to take an engineering level test against other SVOs (Satellite Vehicle Operators). I got to go to Los Angeles and work with Boeing as one of their Spacecraft Engineers while we launched a new WGS Satellite into orbit and brought various subsystems online. The whole process lasts a few months. Luckily for me, I was able to work back to back teams for two satellites.

Fast forward to today, and I am now a WGS (Wideband Global Satcom) SVO, Instructor, and NCOIC of a crew. Things couldn't be better, and I really feel like I owe a lot of people for helping me along the way. I am a huge believer in giving struggling Airmen a second chance to show what they can truly be. That being said, ever since I initially applied to retrain I've always had a combat oriented field in the back of my head. I'm not getting any younger, and am on the fence about applying to something a little bit faster paced.

So. Here I am. I'm here to learn all the information I can in as little time possible. I may never retrain again or even have the opportunity, but at least I can catch a glimpse into what some of you guys do for a living. I'm also here to answer any questions you may have, and give you a glimpse into my career field. There are many opportunities in this career, and things are just starting to ramp up for the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you have a great week!
 
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Hell of an intro. Welcome to the site. Like you said, you aren't getting any younger, don't live a life of what if's. If you feel a calling to move, go for it. Grab the bull by the horns and own the mother fucker.
 
Welcome to SS. One of the benefits of career military service, is the ability to explore, and train into othe areas of interest. Glad you are here.
 
Welcome, was your NSSI course on Peterson or at the facility on Woodmen before they built the new building by west gate?

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome!

I'm actually slotted to attend Space 200 sometime early 2015. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
 
Wow, quite the awesome story. Welcome to the forum, glad you are here. Good luck with everything!
 
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