Need advice about Air Force Security Forces

[Ruger6_SC]

I a currently a senior in high school this year and will be finishing my last semester this coming december and walking across the stage along with the rest of my fellow classmates in june. I have been exploring my options about what to do after high school and the one that sticks out the most to me is joining the Air Force. I plan to do security forces as my career field. I would like to get some firsthand feedback on what the security forces training and security forces overall is like and anything that i can do to prepare for it and not just from some recruiter at the mall telling me what they want me to hear. Would appreciate any feedback.

[Autism247]

What is it that you want to know? I served 6 years in the Air Force and got out in 1997. I was in Air Transportation, but had many friends that were Security Police.

[Denny367]

You too will know how many rivits are in the tail section of a B-52! Look into Pararescue or Combat Controller. You will be board out of your gourd in security.

[wevie]

USAF '92-'96 here. Not in security myself, but friends were. I'm not 100% certain how well it tranfers to a civillian job after your enlistment, but I was told pretty darn well. It is a boring job in the AF, but the training is great and the price of the training can't be beat! Add on the higher education possibilities while you are in and the GI Bill for afterwards and I say it's an EXCELLENT start to life.

As far as the above mentioned Pararescue or Combat Controller, those are AF Special forces. I had a good buddy enlist with a designated carreer. In basic he was convinced he could be Pararescue. By the time he failed out (and most do!), his designated job position was no longer available and he was assigned a job classification well outside of his interests. I'd say to have a career lined up upon enlistment and stay away from the Pararescue or Combat Controller.

I think the AF also had a survival training MOS that we were told about in basic. I always thought that would be an amazing career if one could qualify.



Oh, an afterthought. My advice to those enlisting: Stay Single. Don't become a parent. Take advantage of the opportunity to see the world. Volunteer for overseas deployment. And no matter where you are stationed, take advantage of the unique opportunities of each locale. Personally, I was stationed in Colorado Springs and I NEVER went skiing. Never been skiing my whole life. What a shame. I also didn't go see John Elway play when I was only 45 minutes down the road.

[eodtech256]

I have been in for 6 years now and while I am not Security Forces I have some friends that are and worked with them quite a bit my last deployment. From what they tell me it is a really boring job mostly driving the flight line or patrolling base.

Other things to keep in mind are that you will have a high deployment rate, low bonuses meaning that even though they are loosing Airmen after the first term they get enough coming in to replace them due to low standards. At the base I am stationed at they were at 0 for first term reenlistment for about a year. That can speak volumes about the conditions in a career field. Something else to keep in mind is some civilian police departments don't look fondly on AF Security Forces. A friend of mine ran in to several departments not accepting his time in as quality experience. I will try to find out what departments for sure.

Keep your options open till you know for sure what you want. Also keep in mind that recruiters get bonuses for putting people in career fields that need manning. If there is a base near by I would see if you can get one of the cops there to talk to you.

I agree with wevie on seeing the world and getting out and doing things. Whether your single and in the dorms or married with kids get out and enjoy the area your stationed. I personally thought South Dakota had to be one of the worst spots to be sent but now I am sad to have PCS orders. Also be smart with your money don't go out and buy a brand new car that you will owe on 6 years a lot of new Airmen do this, you should leave the Air Force debt free with money in the bank and a free ride for school. As for not getting married and becoming a parent, personally my wife and son are best thing that came out of my time in so far.

And now for my shameless EOD plug: If you want the best job in the AF look in to EOD. The school is hard and the ASVAB scores to get in are high but its worth it. We do deploy a lot but you get to do a job that makes a difference by keeping others safe. And really who doesn't want to blow stuff up for a living.

[tgoodman44]

I was in the Air Force from 74 to 78. Was not SP. but worked some with them and knew a few. They mostly play being cops. If your looking for excitment go into Para Resque, that was my job. Nothing like going in after a downed polit and hearing the bees,(bullets) passing by your ears.

[wootie]

I was Air Force 66-70. My son is now active duty AF. Try to get some college before you go in. ROTC will grad. you out as a butterbar 2nd lieut. Do you want to be the guy cleaning the toilet or the guy telling someone to clean the toilet. The AF has made three payments on my son's college bill and he is debt free as far as the school loan goes. You will also be enrolled in the Air Force College when you go in. Eodtech256 and Wevie are right about the girls, they will come soon enough. If you can get a base close to a school, like Whiteman, you can go to evening classes. Look at the civilian job market, an air base has to have every job that a small city has plus some extra. A college degree is an automatic promotion if you go enlisted. It is sad that the AF did away with their good conduct medal. I think the officers were just jellious. good luck.

[MT Jake]

Ruger 6 - I spent 20 years in the Air Force (1960 - 1980). I didn't get out because I didn't like it - I loved it. I was in electronic maintenance for the first 9 years and then based upon that training, I got into the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) for the last 11 years. I spent a lot of time with the Security Police Investigators - but you only get into that position after you have been in several years and if you are lucky. 90 precent of the Security Police jobs are totally boring and I didn't know many of them that liked their job.

There are some good job listed in some of the other posting here. Pararescue, survival, EOD, aircraft maintenance etc. I would not recommend the Security Police. If you have taken any speciality classes in high school - you may want to try to see if there is any equivalent job in the AF. Good Luck.

[mastersergeant]

Good luck on your future USAF/military career plans. I spent 23 years in the U.S. Army and rarely had the chance to work with the Air Force, except at JTFB-B in Honduras.

The SP's in Honduras were very bored driving the perimeter of the base for 12 hours a day.

Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired

[hawkbern]

Try to get into a career that will lead to something on the outside...in case the AF ins't for you.

As stated before, as an SP you will be standing around BORED about 99% of the time.

[tito48]

The survival course you are talking about is called SERE Specialist.
you can find a whole series of videos on youtube about their training. looks pretty cool.
I was stationed in Belgium at an AF base and yeah, the SP's said it totally sucked! You are basically a security guard sitting on your ass.

[The Saint]

I was AF from 79 - 87 then there were two main fields, SP or security police..."ok watch this hanger all night and dont fall asleep" and LE or Law Enforcement which were the folks that rode around i the patrol cars giving me tickets for speeding. Good luck on your choice.

[wevie]

My MOS in the Air Force was an Electrical Systems Technician. Basically my training was for installation and repair of high voltage electrical distribution systems both overhead and underground and also low voltage control systems - these used to be two MOS's that were combined into one for some silly reason.

Anyway, I very much enjoyed the controls and electronics side of my job and turned that into a civillian career. I now do industrial robotics and automation/integration. I make good money for the area I live and I've never had to look long for a job. I don't think I could possibly make any more money working for someone without a GOOD college education.

My point is, decide what you might enjoy doing, look at how the civillian market is for that career, then find the military equivilent (sp?) and sign up!

[wevie]

Ah, yeah, SERE.

YouTube- Sere Training - USAF

Being a SERE instructor, I think, would be a kick XXX job in the AF, although I don't see it converting to any civillian profession.

Also, there are 325 enlisted personnel involved. What are your chances of qualifying? Pretty slim, I think.