Son's new career path, pretty proud father

[Gator6x4]

I don't know what the medical profession is like in the military now, but I know from first hand experience that pretty much all of the branches have great medical doctors 30 years ago.

That said, I don't have the air force figured out. Son doesn't have any heat in his dorm room and apparently the mess hall on base has been shut down for a couple of years now and no clue when it will re open.

Apparently housing for enlisted men is becoming an issue as well.

I laughed pretty hard when he told me he has the "hurry up and wait" figured out now.

The Mess Hall at Shaw Air Force Base is closed and will be closed until 2026.

The BAS for enlisted men is,

Enlisted Members​

• $465.77/month .

A friends son was stationed at Ramstein Air Base when they closed the Mess Hall for renovations. He said his son and others has to attend financial counseling when the Mess Hall was reopened and BAS was discontinued for those living on the base.

Something about learning to live on the salary amount after the BAS was discontinued.

 

[garry1p]

1957 I went into the USAF when graduating from basic training four from our class went to washing DC to stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solder the rest were split 1/2 to Air Police and I along with the other half to Fire Departments spread through out the US.
Returning from Vietnam I was allowed to retake all the entry test, the AF was looking for computer techs I ended up reenlisting to take advantage of the training.

Base pay in 1957 was $83.20 per month.

 

[Gator6x4]

I will have to ask for update…

One of our doctors at age 50 accepted a commission with the VA.

He really made it sound just like that… although he did have prior military service nearly 30 years prior… and did go through basic training… he did not become a doctor and go to medical school until after he separated from service.

I posted before about the Doctor that was our Chief of Staff.

He was in medical school with no intention of serving… quite adamant about it until the military came for him after he ignored them.

Doc said no one had explained his options so clearly as when 2 soldiers were at his dorm room.

His options were arrested as a draft dodger while his conscience objection plea went through the system or finish his medical degree and report for duty… he opted for the later and upon graduation reported and was on a transport to military hospital in Germany…

He said military life as a Doctor serving in Germany was nothing like he imagined and was content patching up soldiers for the remainder of his service and made lifelong friends…

“The VA is a civilian system, so all of its doctors are civilians. In addition, some of their hospitals are affiliated with medical schools. sp some of the school physicians work with the VA. The military has its own medical system and is not connected to the VA.”

 

[ultrarunner]

S. Clarence Obituary - CA

August 19, 1926 – April 24, 2008 Clarence Avery passed away suddenly on Thursday, April 24th. He was a prominent local general surgeon practicing in the East Bay and had a distinguished caree…

www.eastbaytimes.com

When I asked Dr Avery about his decision he said he was recruited to serve again and unlike the first time he was now an officer.

Unfortunately, I can no longer call him for details but it was big news here.

If you say there are no military doctors at VA hospitals how can I prove otherwise?

I grew up with many prominent African Americans and Dr Avery is one that was highly respected in all fields.

 

[Sigarms]

The Mess Hall at Shaw Air Force Base is closed and will be closed until 2026.

The BAS for enlisted men is,

Enlisted Members​

• $465.77/month .

A friends son was stationed at Ramstein Air Base when they closed the Mess Hall for renovations. He said his son and others has to attend financial counseling when the Mess Hall was reopened and BAS was discontinued for those living on the base.

Something about learning to live on the salary amount after the BAS was discontinued.

It's no longer called a mess hall LOL It's the DFAC (I had to ask my son LOL).

The dollar amount you listed is also higher for compensation when the mess hall isn't open, at least in my son's case. That said, I guess you got your information here?

Basic Allowance for Subsistence

I'll have to ask him about it.

 

[Sigarms]

I did have to ask my son why he was the one that got picked to train this high ranking official.

He looks at me and says "I don't know, I'm just the one who trained my commanding officer, so they picked me".

At least the kid apparently has half way decent communication skills.

 

[Sigarms]

on graduation day when we all stood there, he had more medals on his uniform than even our chiefs had. I later found out that at the last minute the Navy allowed him to move into a deep sea diver position instead of a cook. I was happy for him.

I really wish my son would have explained to us that he was on an "open contract" basically allowing the military to put him in any job they wanted, but I do think he was mislead by his original recruiter and he didn't even realize it himself at the time (but figured it out after he was at his first duty station because he mentioned it himself).

I remember when I enlisted, and my dad told me do NOT trust a recruiter. Then again, I didn't listen to my dad either. Go figure...

First recruiter left before my son left for basic, he got another recruiter. That second recruiter screwed up his RAP time (Recruiter Assistance Program where my son worked with the recruiter after tech school) and couldn't get it corrected. Second recruiter didn't last long and was replaced by a 3rd recruiter. What took the second recruiter months not being able to fix the 3rd recruiter took my sons first text and had it corrected in less than a week.

The whole reason for this post is I remember summer of 2023 out in a hotel in Monterey California (family vacation before our son left for basic) when my son got his "job list" from the second recruiter. What we thought was it was 10 jobs that he could chose from per his ranking, but what it really was (I think) was 10 jobs that they could assign him to depending at the time of his graduation from Basic.

The one job he didn't want? Being a cook and he was so relieved that wasn't on the list.

BUT like I told him, even if he were working in the mess hall, take pride in your work, give 110% and work well with others, and he would be fine.

The military sure has changed over the last 50 years (in the air force, they now have bathroom stalls in the latrine for basic, as well as a phone to report ****** harassment, go figure), but I'm hoping what hasn't changed is you put in your first stint, do well where the military sees you as an asset vs a liability) and then the doors may open up if you want to leave and not re up because they (the military) wants to keep you. Long term planning vs short term planning IMO.

I remember when we were at his graduation at Lackland and him telling me his grandfather would be disappointed in the things they do differently now. I know I fell over dead when he told me they had stalls in the latrine for basic and a phone to report ****** harassment. Heck the military training instructors at Lackland are not even allowed to curse at the recruits.