College or military?

My youngest will be getting ready for his next step in life soon. We have time but right now he really has only express interest in mechanics. When we went to the airshow, one of the soldiers showed him the engines. The kid could talk mechanics and it really gave him a sparkle in his eye. Bottom-line is my son wants to do something in mechanics. There are a few specialty schools that will educate him on developing and building jet engines etc. Huge cost with these schools but many of their employees go on to work at Lockheed Martin. We have military and civilians here on the site so I ask you. Military or college/trade school?

What would be the benefits of going into the military vs. school? What are the down sides? I know many look back at your time in the military with fond memories but was it really a good time? I hated college. I spent 4 years waiting to get done so I could start working and living. I am thinking of introducing my son to the idea of going into the air force but thought I would ask what you all thought- military vs. college/school?

 

I wonder if the military still matches money put away towards a school. I think the military is good and a support role is fairly safe.

 

Military is definitely a lifestyle he has to be willing to do, and you have to remember that they will teach him what THEY want him to know, which is not necessarily what he wants to learn. Heard that line of comment from ex-servicemen I went to school with.

There is also a long distance between Mechanics as a hobby, "mechanicing" as a job, and having an actual say in how the field of mechanics moves forward, and all of those require different levels of understanding/education and career paths. Be sure which one he is on, and then make sure it is going to the correct goal.

Good luck. I will add that my college experience was horrible, and the only thing that I took away from it was a family and enough borrowed time to realize I suck at working for other people.

 

Have you Son take the ASVAB ( or what ever they call it now days) and talk to an A.F. Recruiter, if he does well on the tests, he then has a good chance of getting a good training slot, I advise NOT going to "engines" as in Aircraft, that's a 1 way ticket in any branch of the Mil, your stuck working on just one engine type I.E. F-15 P&W TF-100 - what ever they are up to now days, THATS IT, and you don't learn much beyond that, and certainly few marketable skills in the civilian world out side Pratt&Whitney doing the exact same thing! Better to get into Airframes or Avionics for something later on, especially the more mundane transports, as that's going to translate better later on! I would then parlay that with the G.I. bill and do one of the civilian schools, such as Aviation Technology | Pima Community College, Tucson, Arizona
And here is ( One of the better options) where you learn the REAL skills for the civilian world of aviation!
I did all the classes on engines and propellers and related, as well as general airframe and advanced structural, I now hold a full F-385-C card, which if I wanted I could write my own ticket at most companies! Your Son is going to be much better prepared with a military back ground, and if done carefully, he can actually get most of the above civil training while enlisted! Really wanna make some money, ether get into Rotary Wing, or become a certified engine technician ( Servicing, repairing, and overhauling) to full FAA specs for certified, and light sport aircraft and get in a shop with that specialty to build experience and then open a shop of your own! I could make 10 to 15k PER engine, for a standard overhaul and certificate on a small Lycoming O- series 4 cylinder, and up to 30k for a single Turbo-Prop!

 

Military now college later. Don't go to college to "find yourself". Go to college when you know what you want and can pursue it like a heat seeking missile. Otherwise you are almost certainly wasting the small fortune ti takes to get a degree. Every exceptional person I work with has those two things in common - military & college. Don't discount the discipline, exposure to different people and environments, and being required to finish the job no matter what. The education benefits, loan programs, 20 year retirement than can be combined with a federal retirement, and hiring preferences are huge incentives.

 

Both.

 

As much as possible, get written guarantees from military recruiters whenever it involves signing a contract, and make sure those guarantees are in the contract. Recruiters can keep their spoken word-----or not. Make sure the contract outlines, as much as possible, a training path from basic training through all the necessary tech schools as required to fulfill the mechanic / maintenance MOS (Army) or AFSC (Air Force) that your son has demonstrated qualification for based upon his aptitude test scores.

Understand the service time obligation incurred by getting advanced technical training in a job specialty requiring a serious investment from Uncle Sam. The higher the skill set of training you receive, the longer your obligation to the Big Green or the Big Blue will be. Dot Mil does his thing, so you get to do yours.

 

Avoid most jobs in the airforce that start with 2A.

 

For any thing aircraft in any branch, you want a training path that opens up opportunities for more training, ideally you go to the basic engine school, and then you are offerd different opportunities that you may not have known of, Areas such as Fire Apratus, or Ground vehicle maintenance, to more specialised areas such as moble power generation, or auxiliary power, or motive power, can all open doors for your Son. Another trick with the A.F. at least, is to put in for the nasty duty stations that no one wants, you usually get your wishes for jobs and training! Places like Alaska, or Iceland come to mind, or some other odd place no one really wants, but gets assigned to to fill needed slots. If he decides on Rotary Wing, he should really look at the Army, that's where all the really cool Rotor Heads are and he will get better training there then any of the other branches. Unless he likes danger or wants a hyper specialised assignment, stay out of the other branches! I don' care what folks say, carrier duty Sukz, and Coast Guard duty aboard a Ice Breaker is almost as bad, with Big Green, your going to be right up front where the Marine Air units are, usually some place Hot, Wet, and Nasty! Some guys love that though, so choose, but choose wisely! Lol

 

NO school will teach "Building " just wiping them & stuff. You would need my tickets . NEXT

Out of asking BUT ! memories yes , Great instructors , All Colonel's that knew , the young one's afterwards were a WASTE OF MY TIME !!
They also have gone the way of demie school & PC crap with the public school system (total FU system) ..

Me was trained .MIL England to Canuk ,

IF & IF
he gets a bunch of REAL Instructors And like me,, Colonel's that are real instructors , Mine are all dead .

They wound TAKE NO CRAP , the young replacements couldn't teach electrical plus , I did the class when the dip wad left after he said "read chapter XX" Fvck-Nut .. I got shit , but I tore a strip also ( Ranked Officer , but as in private state)..

I know the .MIL , the Public schools are looking for money feed payers .
Sign In - TechStop

My forum ^^
Ya must be this high in wisdom & trades to be here , And it's hard , & around the world with internal translation .. on the forum ..

So it's a hard thing . ,

I know many tech schools push out (nightmare kids with high numbers ) & .MIL will kick your A$$ into ??


My Colonel's taught brain thought to opening doors & helping forward !!!

Sloth

 

Agree also

Sloth

 

I'll be the odd man out and recommend against joining the military.

You might get some good training, or not. It may relate to the civilian world, prolly not.

There are any number of good quality programs, focused on a specific trade - diesel engines, and so on.

Many of the trades offer an apprenticeship program, where you get paid while learning - and don't get shipped to some 3rd world shithole and get stuck driving trucks, no matter your MOS.

So. pick a possible path and add "apprentice" to it - like this "marine mechanic apprentice" Do a web search. Lots of programs, many sponsored by major manufacturers. I would stay any from "trade schools' Esp for-profit schools.

welding, plumping, carpentry and all the other trades offer these programs as well. CAUTION - before signing up for an apprentice program have the program of training spelled out in writing. Also, sad to say, find out how bad the drug problem is within that trade.

If you feel the military is the must-go route, look hard at the Air Force with the firm idea that it's 4 and out....

Good luck!

 

Air Force would be a good place for him if that's what he wants to do

 

I joined the Marine Corps on a Z4 mechanical/electrical guarantee, spent six months in school to be a Fuel and Electrical Systems Specialist and then spent two years as an assistant harbor master, a campground NCO and a marksmanship instructor. ANY service is going to assign people where needed. The needs of the Marine Corps kept me out of the shop and really doing some more interesting stuff for most of my career. I was in the school house as an instructor for years, and the training that we offered was far and away superior to anything that I got in college.

If I had it all to do again I'd do it in a heartbeat. Miserable conditions, harsh treatment, uniforms rotting off in tropical heat, old busted up equipment and no parts, never knowing where I'd be ordered to report next. It made for an interesting career, and I retired just about as broken as I could be and still cut it physically.

For anybody else contemplating a military career I always have one recommendation. Join the Air Force.

 

Trying to guide or respond is difficult, think of any group as a cult The military is diplomacy by force. In order to excel you have to drink the kool aid believe the unbelievable one set of examples are Korea that ended in a tie, Vietnam that was a total waste of time they still believe they were on the right side now they want us back for our dollars. Grenada -- why ? did we need another island protectorate. Panama of course this is my opinion but the drug dealer we set up as president did not share the wealth as he agreed. Afghanistan we installed a warlord as president and in 2 years he told us to leave, we did not have an opioid crisis until we went to Afghanistan consider that, The whole middle eastern theater is crazy town, we have chosen differing sides we pay for both in some sideways shape or form our leaders have their own agenda and most wouldn't know the truth if it bit them in the leg some are still spouting, "religion of peace" has a nice ring to it but daily acts that kill women and children of their own torture murder and hate others in the same religion but a different sect proves there is no peaceful intent by any of them. This is the longest war and we still have no end game they still hate each other and us it's a bigger mess now than ever and the people that made all these decisions from Korea to now you want to hand them your son -- or daughter ?

Some other factoids that are very unpleasant, after WWII we gave half or the European nations to Russia as a gift ? setting up the cold war that cost billions and years of trouble we brought in thousands of Nazi's under operation paper clip that ened up becoming professors in all our colleges and you can see the slide into social disorder on our campuses. we sent men to die in Korea they did not have proper winter clothing there were not enough men because the intel was China would not enter the war another stupid assumption by our best and brightest that led us to keep a standing army in Korea costing more billions. Vietnam if it were not so tragic and so unexplainable where could you begin the French using the Foreign legion one of the best and ferocious fighters could not turn them away from communism but we in all our arrogance presumed to take a war that lasted 40 years and do the same fire base scenario and win --- really when other nations ganged up with North Vietnam we refused to fight them allowing our enemy a place to hide plan and lick their wounds and come back again and again and kill more of our soldiers. Does anyone remember our little foray into Somalia to bring aid and comfort food to the little kiddies you know the ones carrying the Ak-47's for their father so he could fire his RPG. They didn't have food but mil intel forgot to tell anyone they had plenty of weapons and bullets.

Read up on what happened to the WWI soldiers who decided to have a sit in on the White House lawn and what Black Jack Pershing did that some fine reading more recent the V.A. hospital slow rolling hundreds of vets 400 died -- did you hear of anyone going to prison for being an accessory to that ? loosing their pension --anything.

Let us not forget our deeper state was caught numerous times flying in dope fast forward Mina Arkansas except this time instead of south east Asia it's coming from south America the deep stooges have had a foothold there for decades fast forward Afghanistan again we were influential there when we were supporting the Mujahadin to fight the Russians we were told they were our friends LMAO I don't think so they morphed into the Taliban and under the vision of Ossama Bin Ladin who we knew and was an asset at one time well the rest gets real tricky how does a ex Mujahadin become a Taliban leader then recruits over a dozen people from Saudi to learn to fly on 911 ? I just want to know why we had our troops guarding and or protecting Afghani land and on that land they don't raise turnips or carrots.

These are only the tip of the iceberg the families that run each organization is hand picked follow the money power and where there is money there is the worlds oldest profession at the top are madams and pimps if I could get a dollar for every lie and contortion of the truth I have heard from on high I would be filthy rich,

I am not anti American I am not even anti military but if your going to stick your finger in a light socket at least know if the switch is on, know what side your bread is buttered what skin you got in the game. I understand the excitement, being part of a team, the thrill of danger all the toys, testing your metal and the ability to say I was there I also see the sign on the wall and a flat panel tv commercial explaining that if your a veteran of Afghanistan or the Iraq war you get 5 years of treatment from the V.A. relating to your service repeat (5 YEARS) ? why is that ? what happens after 5 years ? well they fail to address that I guess that the over 200 non military or government supported veterans groups take it from there ? you fall off the radar live under a bridge ?. Before daylight I have seen veterans waiting for their methadone comes in somewhat normal leaves so doped up can hardly stand.

Personally I think I could have made more money had more upward mobility in lets say a burger company, work hard save my money be part of a team become a supervisor then a manager have some war stories to tell about the fat catching fire save some more money and buy my own burger joint become a millionaire in about 35 - 40 years sell out and live the good life -- and the veteran well they want you to mortgage your home at 100% of its value to pay some bills remodel your home take a well deserved vacation in debt again like a rat on a wheel I saved the best for last I can visit my friends and family at the V.A. cemetery I've got a spot there eventually where I don't know but in one of those nice little rows with perpetual care many nice people placing flags or flowers on mine and their graves -- of course we won't know or care we'll be just as dead as the one next to us.

tell your son If you want to take a risk cheat on your taxes -- don't get me started on taxes -- and you pay tax when your in the military LMAO including state tax even if your not there but in some dung hole I can't stand it it's so funny vicariously we paid / pay for our own equipment and bullets If this were not reality it would be a Kurt Vonnegut novel.

 

Military first then trade school or college. It's at least as important to learn discipline / self discipline, motivation, and gain some maturity as is the vocational training he'll receive in the military. Living here close to Ft. Hood and also having younger vets and active duty in the family I almost daily see the difference. I'm in no way saying that the ones who jumped straight to college without those things and having a more immature view of life in the real world turned out bad, they just seem to be more often than not somewhat left behind by the vets. Of course that said, it will be his decision which path he takes. All you can do is suggest and guide.

 

Twenty four years ago my son had the same questions, only he was not sure what he wanted to do.
He went to the local community collage for 2 years, then joined the Air Force. After his first enlistment he went back to collage under the ROTC program and the military paid for it all, plus he was drawing E-5 pay. The day he graduated from collage he was appointed a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force. He will be retiring from the Air Force this September. at 41 years old with all the benefits.
As far as mechanics in the military you son might ask about the Navy Seabees. They get trained in and work on everything from cars up to some of the largest construction equipment there is.
I am a retired Seabee Heavy Equipment Operator Chief with 2 tours in Vietnam I have first hand knowledge of what I am saying

 

I have many relatives that served in the military. Army, Navy, Marine corps, and Air force. The only one whose experience appears to have been negative was the one who made a 30yr career of the Air Force. He got to travel around Europe, and retired with an MA in poli-sci on my tax dollars. My cousin's son likes the Navy, He commissioned the Illinois and is currently commanding it. Does the military provide tuition assistance while active? Can you still earn monies for schooling after your enlistment ends also? Right now If I were starting out I'd apply to the IBEW for an apprenticeship. That card will give you an opening everywhere in the country. You can go on to further your education, but you always have a SKILL to fall back on..