First and for most decide what career you want! Do not take whatever is available or what is available anywhere. You could regret that for a long while. Yes you could go just about anywhere (Hawaii, Germany, Florida, etc.) or you could go just about anywhere (Thule, Greenland, Diego Garcia, Iceland, Kuwait, etc.)
Skycops (Security Police) eat their own. I have talked to many of them and they regret that decision.
Crew Chief is a very rewarding career. You are involved with all aspects of aircraft maintenance and have a lot of responsibility. You also get to travel with your airplane (mostly the heavy’s C-130:p, C-17
, C-5, KC-135, etc.), which is a blast and if you don’t go overboard can get you extra cash for your car. Also heavy aircraft maintenance give you experience for work with civilian companies after you get out.
What career you choose is something to consider, because you will eventually return to civilian life. Yes it may be 5, 10, or 20+ years later, but you want to do something you enjoy. You do have to option of changing career fields while in, but it depends on availability. If you get into a hard to fill specialty you could be stuck.
Always remember the needs of the military come first.
There is no guaranteed way to get to Germany. The remote/short tour is a good option for base of preference follow on assignment. Make sure you’re the bases you choose on your dream sheet have the career fields or aircraft you want to work in, as well as where you want to be.
Unless thing have changed in order to ship a car back from overseas you have to take one over, or something like that. Not positive on that.
Another import thing to remember, get your college work done in your off time. Success is not in the bottom of a bottle, and running the clubs won’t help either. Ask me how I know this. I drank and partied my first 4 years away. I joined to go to school in my off time and become a pilot. Shot that dream all to hell.
I spent time as a KC-135A/Q Crew Chief and the rest of my career as a legacy C-130 Flight Engineer. Aside from not becoming a pilot, my only other regret is not doing an overseas tour. I have been deployed and temporary duty all over. Germany is one of my favorites. I retire this summer after 27+ years.
Ramstein AB, has most of the Air Force career fields, and flies the C-130J. But transient maintenance of most aircraft is available.
Skycops (Security Police) eat their own. I have talked to many of them and they regret that decision.
Crew Chief is a very rewarding career. You are involved with all aspects of aircraft maintenance and have a lot of responsibility. You also get to travel with your airplane (mostly the heavy’s C-130:p, C-17
, C-5, KC-135, etc.), which is a blast and if you don’t go overboard can get you extra cash for your car. Also heavy aircraft maintenance give you experience for work with civilian companies after you get out. What career you choose is something to consider, because you will eventually return to civilian life. Yes it may be 5, 10, or 20+ years later, but you want to do something you enjoy. You do have to option of changing career fields while in, but it depends on availability. If you get into a hard to fill specialty you could be stuck.
Always remember the needs of the military come first.
There is no guaranteed way to get to Germany. The remote/short tour is a good option for base of preference follow on assignment. Make sure you’re the bases you choose on your dream sheet have the career fields or aircraft you want to work in, as well as where you want to be.
Unless thing have changed in order to ship a car back from overseas you have to take one over, or something like that. Not positive on that.
Another import thing to remember, get your college work done in your off time. Success is not in the bottom of a bottle, and running the clubs won’t help either. Ask me how I know this. I drank and partied my first 4 years away. I joined to go to school in my off time and become a pilot. Shot that dream all to hell.
I spent time as a KC-135A/Q Crew Chief and the rest of my career as a legacy C-130 Flight Engineer. Aside from not becoming a pilot, my only other regret is not doing an overseas tour. I have been deployed and temporary duty all over. Germany is one of my favorites. I retire this summer after 27+ years.
Ramstein AB, has most of the Air Force career fields, and flies the C-130J. But transient maintenance of most aircraft is available.
As a Crew Chief what are the hours normally like?
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