New Senior Member

[Jepoy005]

I have to echo something that was said earlier.... Why wait to enlist?

Don't delay your enlistment to get advanced rank.

Here are my reasons you should enlist sooner than later:

1. Many schools accept military ACE credits. This might eliminate some BS classes you have to take.
2. Scholastic benefits (tuition assistance, GI bill, book grants etc)
3. You might not be able to enlist later. I joined (CGR) after 2 years of college. Between basic training and "A"  school I got stung by a bee and found out I was allergic to bees. I very likely would not have been able to enlist ( if I was lucky a waiver, but that is unlikely.....) if I waited until after I finished college like my parents wanted me to.
4. Get your reserve career started now.

Don't join the reserves if you plan on going AD enlisted later on. You will be considered prior service and last I checked the AF does not take prior service.

With that said, being a CAP cadet helped me at basic training, not tremendously, but it did help. I did not mention it to the company commanders, but I doubt they would have cared or said any snide remarks because they asked for anyone with cadet experience.... E-3 wasn't bad either, but I would have got that with college credits anyway. A lot of people make basic training seem really hard core and worse than it is. True, it does suck, but one year later you will forget almost everything.

While recruiters don't lie (or at least not supposed to) they withhold the truth sometimes. My recruiter hooked me up pretty good, but I have heard some horror stories. Get everything in writing before you sign.

I am going to be honest, I don't think you will gain too much from the cadet program at your age. While cadets have joined at 18, the ones who are successful are the minority. (no I don't have any hard data on this, based off personal experience in CAP over 9 years) If you are joining CAP to help you in the AF, then perhaps you should talk to your squadron commander and see what CAP is all about and if it can truly help you. As I mentioned earlier, getting E-3 is not as big as it seems. I would not wait to enlist so I could come in at E-3.

My reserve experience is with the Coast Guard, so the AF may be slightly different.

Hope this helps.

Mark
Former Cadet
Current CGR and Senior Member

My parents wanted to at least get a degree first before joining the AFR...

So did you join CGR after u graduated? Which one would be better? Join and take off 1 year off college or finish college first (2 years)?

Tnx

[BillB]

IF you do join as a cadet, you qualify for the Free Cadet Uniform. IF you join as a Senior member you can't be an officer until age 21. Join as a cadet if your unit lets you and learn about CAP which will help you more in AFR than if you join as a Senior member (drill, customs and courtesies etc that are more involved in the cadet program and less in the senior program but needed if going into military)

[Ford73Diesel]

My parents wanted to at least get a degree first before joining the AFR...

So did you join CGR after u graduated? Which one would be better? Join and take off 1 year off college or finish college first (2 years)?

Tnx

I joined about midway to my BS degree, which is coming close to completion.

There are pros and cons to both.

Pros of joining now:

1.The government will pay for a fair amount of it depending on your schools price.

2.The ACE credits may count towards your degree, and they are free (well actually you get paid for them since you get paid to do BMT and technical training. )

3. You will be farther along in your reserve career by the time you complete your degree if go now.

4. You don't know what may happen in the future- you may tear an ACL, find a new allergy, or be unable to join two years from now.

Cons:
1. You may get deployed. I was planning on graduating this spring, but found out that probably is not going to be happening
2. It will take longer to get your degree.
3. School is not a valid excuse for missing reserve duties

I would look at it like this:

3 years from now you will achieve two things- college and AFR initial active duty for training.

If you will enlist now, you will have 3 years time in service already by that date, with a good chunk of your education paid for, and an associates degree. (obviously if you get deployed that may not happen as fast)

If you wait, you will have one year TIS and the money from school will have been out of your own pocket.

But as I said earlier DO NOT enlist in the reserve if you plan on going AD enlisted.

Hope this helps.

[Jepoy005]

Oh ok. Thanks for your help

One question.... I talked to the unit commander and she told me that they could loan me a BDU. But how about those other uniforms for senior members? Like Service Dress, Long Sleeves shirts, Short Sleeves Shirts, Pullover Sweater,  and etc.... Do we have to buy it out of our own money?

Thanks

[SarDragon]

Oh ok. Thanks for your help

One question.... I talked to the unit commander and she told me that they could loan me a BDU. But how about those other uniforms for senior members? Like Service Dress, Long Sleeves shirts, Short Sleeves Shirts, Pullover Sweater,  and etc.... Do we have to buy it out of our own money?

Thanks

If they don't have loaners, and you need to be wearing a specific combination, then you pay for it.

[Jepoy005]

Oh ok. Thanks for your help

One question.... I talked to the unit commander and she told me that they could loan me a BDU. But how about those other uniforms for senior members? Like Service Dress, Long Sleeves shirts, Short Sleeves Shirts, Pullover Sweater,  and etc.... Do we have to buy it out of our own money?

Thanks

If they don't have loaners, and you need to be wearing a specific combination, then you pay for it.

oh ok tnx alot man!