Son's new career path, pretty proud father

[Sigarms]

He may need a good mentor. I can't recall the term they use right now, but sometimes below the zone promotions are easier when you check the right boxes.

Let me know if he ever gets to Wright-Patt. My brother is a high level civilian there (retired Major O-4).

We're heading up there next weekend for Oktoberfest.

He seems to have a good grasp on what is needed on his end if he wants to try to make the Air Force a career along with where he should be in another 4 years to see if he wants to stay in at that point.

He had a good mentor when he first arrived at his duty station, a Sgt who was basically his boss, but he moved onto another assignment on the base so they don't work together anymore. His current supervisor likes to micro manage, but luckily he was use to those types when he worked in high school and he knows how to go with the flow. He's very happy for some of the commendations he received even though he didn't get the BTZ early promotion, but in my mind, what was more important is that some time ago he was the first NCO that got keys. That tells me that they trust him in his job and work ethic.

I think I might have mentioned it, but when he enlisted his recruiter set him up on a "open ended enlistment" of some sort where he really didn't have a choice what MOS he was going to be given (his first two recruiters went by pretty fast as recruiters), and it seemed a good recruiter didn't get in until after he was trying to get his RAPS time approved, and it was the 3rd recruiter who he didn't help in RAPS that finally got the time taken care of... However, instead of getting pissed off and angry over getting a job he really didn't want, he's been giving it 100% and seems to be making more and more friends on base. I'm kicking myself over not asking more questions when he enlisted, but when he tells me he's got something, I'm leaving him go until he decides to ask for help.

 

[ultrarunner]

When my cousin was drafted they were given an assessment and he said he was very much s farm kid were they raised their own fowl, pork and beef…

The short of it is he became a cook… never did he think about being a cook but turned out he enjoyed it and it came with a lot of freedom….

 

[MossRoad]

When my cousin was drafted they were given an assessment and he said he was very much s farm kid were they raised their own fowl, pork and beef…

The short of it is he became a cook… never did he think about being a cook but turned out he enjoyed it and it came with a lot of freedom….

My cousin was a union carpenter when he got drafted... they made him a cook.

 

[MossRoad]

For that matter, my father in-law enlisted when he was 17 for WWII, they made him a cook, too.

 

[MossRoad]

OP, congrats on you son.

 

[Sigarms]

My cousin was a union carpenter when he got drafted... they made him a cook.

Son really wanted to become a auto mechanic in the service. The job he got however actually has some very practical use in the civilian world and he realized it pretty quickly. Besides that, he gets to carry a sidearm on some jobs, and he's not in security forces (old AKA air police) and bottom line, thinks it's cool (his mom gets on him on all the opportunities he had to shoot with me and he never really was into guns growing up).

That said, one reason why the guys like him is he helps everyone with the cars. Since he'll be away for a while, he sold his mustang (ALWAYS working on it adding new crap onto it LOL) because he can't take it with him and he's banking his money now.

He sends me this pic of a guy wishing him a happy birthday. Thing is the other guy doesn't really know how to change his tire. I had to ask my son why HE is changing someone else's tire and he explained to me that he doesn't mind getting the practice in on changing tires on different vehicles and he gets to use his tools. He went with the same guy when he traded the vehicle on a different vehicle to go over mechanically with him. They really do seem to be good friends.

This is one aspect where he made friends with his old Sgt. Sgt has a family and lives off base. Airman are not allowed to work on their own vehicles on base and off their dorms, so he started working with his Sgt on his family vehicles at his house because he's allowed to do so, then started taking his car over there to do work. He's just bummed because I bought him an electric ratchet for his birthday and he's really not using it right now LOL

 

[Sigarms]

OP, congrats on you son.

Thank you. Honestly I can tend to over compensate with him due to my other son who passed. I'm just happy that this one is doing well IMO.

 

[ultrarunner]

My uncle became lifelong friends with his marine Sargent for decades until the Sargent passed away…

Military bonds can last a lifetime and even more today with technology..

It wasn’t all that long ago letters were the only economical way to stay in touch and now 19 year olds are on different continents easily stay in touch.

 

[Sigarms]

My uncle became lifelong friends with his marine Sargent fit decades until the Sargent passed away…

Military bonds can last a lifetime and even more today with technology..

It wasn’t all that long ago letters were the only economical way to stay in touch and now 19 year olds are on different continents easily stay in touch.

The one thing that has impressed me with the military is my sons understanding of what can be and what can't be used per his cell phone.

Sad reality is they don't teach cursive in school anymore (may not be a bad thing with my own handwriting LOL) and most kids have no clue how to write a check.

 

[ultrarunner]

In property management it’s almost all gone to direct transfer for rents… still have a senior paying cash with written receipt and another thst mails a check… no one under 50 pays rent with a check is what I’m finding.

I just started writing more checks for business expenses… the online payments during Covid meant extra steps for accounting at least for me…

A cancelled check has saved me several times over the years…

Many places here no longer accept cash at all like Fast Food… they say it has greatly reduced risk of robbery…

 

[Sigarms]

Received this text from him early one morning while he is on deployment...

Given the fact that he turned 21 recently, very proud of how he is embracing his role.

I was going to bust him on being in the Air Force vs other branches as far as "embrace the suck", but I let that go LOL

If kids don't go to trade school or have the grades to get a good education that can pay back on what they owe for college in "todays times" with their college degree, the military is a good option IMO for any kid to go in to figure out what they want to do.

 

[Gator6x4]

Received this text from him early one morning while he is on deployment...

View attachment 4323645


Given the fact that he turned 21 recently, very proud of how he is embracing his role.

I was going to bust him on being in the Air Force vs other branches as far as "embrace the suck", but I let that go LOL

If kids don't go to trade school or have the grades to get a good education that can pay back on what they owe for college in "todays times" with their college degree, the military is a good option IMO for any kid to go in to figure out what they want to do.

Steer him toward working on a degree while on active duty. The US Military Branches are partnered with Educational Institutes that offer programs for Military Personnel.

 

[Sigarms]

Steer him toward working on a degree while on active duty. The US Military Branches are partnered with Educational Institutes that offer programs for Military Personnel.

He's already taking college classes online

A year ago he told me he was doing that and I was happy about it.

 

[Gator6x4]

He's already taking college classes online

A year ago he told me he was doing that and I was happy about it.

Great. Either way stay in and make the Airforce a career or get out after his current enlistment he will be a winner.

 

[Sigarms]

Great. Either way stay in and make the Airforce a career or get out after his current enlistment he will be a winner.

I feel exactly the same way. He's been given more responsibility and he's accepted it, and tries 100% to stay on top of it on his end. He was pumped because his old squadron back in the US got another coin, and he got it since he was there before he deployed, he will be getting another one, and he should be getting another stripe when he gets back.

I told him when he enlisted (he had some interesting recruiters that weren't the "best" IMO) that as long as he keeps his same work ethic as he did when he got his first job at age 15 (fun times given he wasn't allowed to drive late hours due to his beginners license and we had to drive him due to getting off later at night) that he should do good in the military.

End of the day, other than Uncle Sam owning your butt, civilian work is kind of no different than working in the military. You have good people who give it their best and some people who just show up because they have to.

 

[ultrarunner]

Steer him toward working on a degree while on active duty. The US Military Branches are partnered with Educational Institutes that offer programs for Military Personnel.

First in family RN did it through military service and benefits… she is most grateful to the military.

I hear how difficult it is to buy a home and how easy it was for parents… just about every parent used their VA mortgage benefit where I grew up… and this RN did the same.

 

[Sigarms]

First in family RN did it through military service and benefits… she is most grateful to the military.

I hear how difficult it is to buy a home and how easy it was for parents… just about every parent used their VA mortgage benefit where I grew up… and this RN did the same.

If my son gets out, I'm thinking he's going to take advantage of the same benefits his cousin is taking paying for his radiology classes now as a civilian after he got out of the Air Force.

Son still kinds of amazes me. He got some other job training that he really likes and I asked him why he got the added training when it really has nothing to do with his current job...

My wife and I joke, that all the times I've offered him to go shooting with me in the back yard when he was growing up, he wasn't into it.

I get the fact that people joining the AF most likely aren't into shooting going into a "regular" MOS, but the kid has really improved since he came back after tech school after he went shooting with me. He tells me they are training him very well in his opinion for what he needs to do.

End of the day, I guess the whole point of this thread is that if you're kid isn't a straight A student in high school and had college planned out for a major and a career after their degree after college, unless they go into a trade school, the military isn't a bad option for a young person becoming an adult.

I guess as a father you always worry about your kids, but it's getting to the point that we don't have to worry anymore (hopefully! ).

 

[Sigarms]

Apparently his NCO took him off base to try the local food.

Apparently there was beef in the sauce and he said it was good.

I'm getting old because I'd just be looking for a hamburger LOL

 

[civilian]

Just need a reminder, where is he at today? Thanks, Jon

 

[Sigarms]

Just need a reminder, where is he at today? Thanks, Jon

It's hard for me to keep up with the rules they have today on his end, but I really haven't said. Not the greatest part of the world right now IMO. Lets just say we'd feel more comfortable saying if he were in Italy or Japan LOL

I am blessed as a father though. Even though he's halfway around the world, we probably communicate at least once a week. Him and I can shoot the BS and he goes to my wife for the important stuff, go figure. Honestly, it feels like he's never left SC other than the fact that he can't drive home when he wants to on his weekends off.

Then he goes and sends me this new story, about what happened at his permanent duty station

‘Just tragic’: Shaw AFB airman, 2 others killed in Sumter County crash

An airman at Shaw Air Force Base is among three people who were killed after a crash in Sumter County.

www.wistv.com

Just goes to show that no matter where you are in the world, no matter what kind of job you have, none of us are promised tomorrow. However, as a parent who has gone through what happened to this 20 year old airman's parents (when you lose a child), at first you always believe there is no greater way to lose your kid, but you realize at the end of the day, the pain is no different no matter what the circumstances are.