Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I get a specific job? We can only offer you jobs the Air Force is hiring for and needs so it does depend on what you are looking for. We cannot make a specific job become available based on what you want. We require you to list 10 specific jobs that the Air Force is hiring for. Once matched a job, that is your job. We don’t just guarantee training, but the job itself.
• How hard is it to get a medical job? Honestly pretty hard. In 2019 the Department of Defense began a process to decrease the military’s medical forces by 25%. That was over 18,000 Air Force medical jobs. That being said, hope is not lost! You can go to school for free on active duty towards the degree of your choice! So you can work fast food and go in to debt for college, or join us and get that college free, with good pay and benefits, and you’ll be trained in your backup career path. Sometimes your dream job isn’t as great as you thought or the pay isn’t what you hoped. The jobs we are primarily hiring for set you up for making very good money when you get out.
• What is the best job? That depends completely on you! Everyone has different hobbies and interests. Some people would hate being stuck in a cubicle, others don’t want to work outside. During the process, we are going to get to know you so we can help guide you on listing jobs that are the right fit for you.
• How long are the enlistments? We have 4 and 6 year contracts.
• What if I sign up and don’t like it? That’s on you. The people we put in are having a great time and many are looking to make it a career. That being said, 4 years means a guaranteed job. A guaranteed job with pay raises every January, plus your enlistment anniversary, and each time you get promoted. There are also options for switching from active duty to the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard halfway in to your enlistment if you’d rather go part time at that point (like if you got offered a high paying job).
• Do I have to fly a plane? No. Less than 4% of the Air Force are pilots. Most of us stay on the ground supporting the flying, space, or cyber missions.
• Would I have to jump out of a plane? Very, very few career fields have this option and those are volunteer only slots.
• What is the main thing you look for in someone wanting to join? Attitude! Have a good attitude and open mind. Example, a young girl came in curious about Photojournalism. At the time we didn’t have any openings. She was open minded and qualified for mechanical jobs and listed them as well. Today she is an F-16 Crew Chief (fighter mechanic) and following an incentive flight on one, wants to fly it. She is being put in for commissioning to become a pilot now. She has a great attitude.
• Is it possible to get in faster? Yes! You can be put on our Quick Ship list to take a job leaving sooner. Sometimes people joining have issues. Maybe they broke their arm in a car accident a week or two before they went to BMT. In that case, we will have to find someone to take their contract and slot for BMT. Ask your recruiter for more info.
• Can I go Guard or Reserve first then switch to active later if I like it? This is highly unlikely. From 2018 to 2020, the prior service program for the Air Force was decreased by 90%. In 2018 all prior service slots were sent to recruiters to fill on October 1st, and were all taken by November. It’s easy to go part time later, but nearly impossible to go active from part time.
• Why is it so hard to go active Air Force from the Guard, Reserve, or other branches? Air Force retention rates are up significantly. This means more people are choosing to stay in longer than we expected. In order to keep that many people in and not exceed our congressional manning authorization, we have to decrease how many new people we bring in. If you wonder if you’ll like it, just ask yourself, why are so many people choosing to stay in?