[01GTstang11]

Well I've talked to a couple guys on here about joining the Air Force and they gave me great advice. I just thought I might as well just post a thread to get a few more tips. I was looking into security forces because I'm planning on going into law enforcement after the AF. Not just street patrol but something higher such as FBI, DEA, or ATF something along those lines. So does anybody have any other career opportunities in the AF that I should look at before I go into security forces.

[XTCNAGT]

DO NOT go in as an SP. You'll hate life.

If you plan on doing something like FBI, ATF and all that, look at OSI. They go through the FLEA like all other federal branches.

I'm not exactly sure what all needs to be done to go into OSI. Not sure if you need to have a prior AFSC and kinda cross-train into it or not. All the people I know that went had other AFSCs. I'm just telling you now, if you go in as security forces, you'll be miserable. I have not yet met ONE SP that enjoyed his job. Not ONE, and I've been on bases for almost 10 years.

[01GTstang11]

yeah, that's what the guys i've been talking to were saying. Im guessing OSI is office of special investigations like detective shit. I'm more looking into something like S.W.A.T but not that advanced first going in if you know what I mean. I wanted to start of small in the Air Force then move into Pararescue 1T2X1 or something but hell I really don't know

[whiteboycustom]

Air Force Special Operations Command - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[whiteboycustom]

To become a PJ or CCT you must male, a proficient swimmer, meet physical standards of at least 100 points on the Physical Ability and Stamina Test (PAST). This job is open to only enlisted troops. Here are the specifics minimums to becoming a PJ and Combat Control tech:

- 1.5 mile run - within 10:30 (sub 9:00)
- Swim 500m - within 16:00 (sidestroke or freestyle) (sub 9:00)
- Swim 20m underwater
- Pullups - 8 (20+)
- Situps - 50 in 2:00 (100)
- Pushups - 50 in 2:00 (100)
- Flutterkicks - 50 in 2:00 (100)


wow thats pretty intense!!!!!

[XTCNAGT]

OSI does a lot of stuff. Set up stings, go undercover in the surrounding areas for all kinds of stuff, it's really not a bunch of people sitting in an office filing papers and looking for clues.

They go through the FLEA, like I said...so you get trained in high speed city driving at night with NVGs, how to clear rooms, all that. Anything that any federal law enforcment agency does.

[slow 98]

Whatever route you decide to take make sure you have done your research.

If you plan on going SF plan on sitting at gate or on a plane, and deploying about every 6 months. I'm in SF right now, it's not all bad but I've had a lot of opportunities others haven't.

Spec ops would be awesome if you can get through the course. If you did any spec ops you would also be a certified paramedic when you were done.

I would say look into a job that would get you a top secret clearance if you plan on doing a government job when you're done with the Air Force.

To be OSI you have to cross train from another AFSC and it does not have to be SF

[dude496]

As I said in PM, there are better career fields than SF. Since you were looking at PJ, you might also be interested in TACP
1C4X1 - TACTICAL AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL
Keep in mind though, PJ and TACP require you to be in excellent shape, and the fail rate is about 60% (in other words, only 40% pass).

You can cross train from ANY career field into OSI. The requirments have changed for OSI, but below is their website with some info on what they do...
Air Force Office of Special Investigations - Home

Special Operations is just a MAJCOM...in otherwords a paper pusher could be assigned to AFSOC.

Here are a few other career fields to look at...
3E8X1 - EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL
1T0X1 - SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE, AND ESCAPE OPERATIONS
1W0X2 - Special Operations Weather (Combat Weather)

Whatever route you take, take advantage of the tuition assitance while enlisted...I go to devry online and only pay about $100 a class for books, and the AF takes care of the rest.

[Fluffy The Rhino]

Originally Posted by XTCNAGT DO NOT go in as an SP. You'll hate life. If you plan on doing something like FBI, ATF and all that, look at OSI. They go through the FLEA like all other federal branches. I'm not exactly sure what all needs to be done to go into OSI. Not sure if you need to have a prior AFSC and kinda cross-train into it or not. All the people I know that went had other AFSCs. I'm just telling you now, if you go in as security forces, you'll be miserable. I have not yet met ONE SP that enjoyed his job. Not ONE, and I've been on bases for almost 10 years.

Originally Posted by slow 98 I would say look into a job that would get you a top secret clearance if you plan on doing a government job when you're done with the Air Force. To be OSI you have to cross train from another AFSC and it does not have to be SF

This is what I was thinking would be good for you.

I've met some people in OSI that were insane. That is, they were absolutely brilliant people that were unbelievable at what they did. OSI doesn't only do your classic run-of-the-mill detective work. They are far more integrated with things you would never think of.

If you want to do some INTERESTING work with these guys, get in the AF (make sure you've got good ASVAB scores), and you can pretty much choose what you want to do. OSI looks for crosstrainees for a number of reasons. One of which is to specialize you in a certain area. For example, I was a 3C0X1 before I got out. Had I joined OSI, I'd have ended up specializing in computer forensics, possibly counter-intelligence, or something along those lines.

Another thing you want to look into... get a commission. You're better off, especially in the OSI with a commission. You will work right alongside enlisted people. Go in as something like a 3C, go to college, get your degree, get your commission, and then apply for OSI. OSI will require you to go through another type of tech school, and they have both mental and physical requirements to pass. The School is actually not just for OSI, but federal agents from multiple agencies, such as the ATF.

The reason I'm suggesting 3C is because 1, it's not a bad field to be in at all. 2, it requires a top secret clearance, which you will need for the OSI. 3C isn't your only option by the way. You could also get into intelligence, as well as a bunch of other fields.

If you have a degree and decide to do a full 20 in the air force with a commission, you could retire from the Air Force, get a great pension, and then become a GS (civil service) and stay with the OSI, or move onto another federal agency such as the FBI. Not only that, but if you wanted to go FBI, you will need a degree anyway.

To apply for the OSI, you have to basically go through a lot of the same garbage you need in order to get your top secret clearance. Lots of paperwork, fingerprints, gathering information for the agency to investigate you, and then you go through an interview, which I have done... that interview is the worst part. I've been through it, and after that 2 hour interview, I felt like I'd been in a POW camp being interrogated for a month straight. They dig into everything you can imagine and drudge up your past and you feel like you're reliving it. Oh, I forgot, there are a couple tests you have to take as well to apply. The tests aren't that difficult.

They work long hours, days/nights/holidays. The TDYs can be interesting, could be boring, all depends on what it is you have to do. I'm the kind of person that likes to dig up information, and that's what the job requires.

You usually don't wear a uniform. You will get bigger clothing allowances to buy suits. You won't feel like you're in the Air Force except for your occasional Air Force functions where a uniform is required, and doing PT. OSI will warn you that joining them may cause problems for you. The one thing I remember that stands out is that other Air Force personnel might ostracize you because you're thought of as a rat (think internal affairs from every police movie you've ever seen). That's not necessarily the case. The only people that would have a problem with you are those that are doing things they shouldn't be doing. I, as well as many of my friends were and still are fascinated by what the OSI does.

It's a very respectable thing to do, the work is very important, and if law enforcement work is what you want, that's absolutely the best place to be in the Air Force IMO.

Regardless of everything I've just said, remember that if you join the Air Force, YOU make the choices in what you want to do. Don't go to a recruiter and let him throw you in any job. STUDY your ass off and get the highest scores for the ASVAB you can get. Tell your recruiter you won't take a job that doesn't require a top secret clearance. Research the hell out of everything he tells you. If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask me, or anyone else in the Air Force here. If you do get into the Air Force and that's the route you decide to go, STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. Don't get DUIs, no underage drinking, etc... I'm not saying kiss ass and be a square. I'm saying you want your past to reflect that you can keep yourself out of trouble. This doesn't only include drinking... when I applied, they wanted to know about past relationships, marriages, financial history (they WILL run a credit check on you), and anything else that could come up, to include things you did in elementary school (which came up for me because I had an arson on my record). They wanted to know everything about why I got married. Why I split up. They wanted reasons for every action I'd taken for every thing that came up during the interview. Just something to be prepared for.

The reason I didn't get in was because I owed too much money on a credit card thanks to my second wife. Something of that nature can be considered a risk in this kind of field because there have been cases of people with clearances selling information due to financial trouble. While I'd never be so stupid to end up like that, the risk for them is enough not to chance it. Regardless of the clearance, they want an even more clean record before they'll take you.

[01GTstang11]

wow..... I really appreciate all the advice. Looking forward to protecting my country

[94bonestocker]

Originally Posted by XTCNAGT DO NOT go in as an SP!!!You'll hate life!!!

There, Fixed.

[WAR-PARTY]

FBI DEA CIA border partol; all require a 4 year degree plus military training. Go USMC they have thie highest rate of pick up for the afore mentioned.

[MDK210]

yeah Security Froces is whack and you won't learn shit. OSI is the FBI, DEA route but you need to have been in the AF for a few yrs and meet certain requirements. Don't be a PJ or CC if you want to do what you're talking about in the civilian sector! My borther has been a PJ for 16yrs and there's really no career field that translates into the civilian sector from what he says. They are very good medics so maybe a medic job but that's a huge change when you're used to jumping out of airplanes and being a overall badass. Not a knock on the USMC but they probably have the highest rate cause they want to get out of the USMC as to where the AF guys are treated pretty good and you're always learning. I can't tell you how many Marines I know and have met that claim Sempter Fidelis with a big tattoo but they got out or before the 4yr mark, lol. Seems to be more hype around the USMC than anything else. Good guys though.

[01GTstang11]

so if i wanna be in OSI what should i first go into. Im more of a active person then sitting at a desk all day. I want to go into something exciting and rewarding even if it may be dangerous.

[e3sean]

+10000000000 NO Security forces!!! even security forces says dont go there... that is where they send u if you fail out of other carreer fields.....

join another carreer field first then cross train into AFOSI thats pretty much fast track to any agency you want to go into.

here is what you do in security forces.....

pros:
-you get to wear a baret (spelling??)

cons:
-sit on a flightline for 12hrs and stare at parked aircraft
-stand atr a gate all day and check id cards
-patrol around an air force base looking for plates that are expired
-sit and wait for people speeding and give them a ticket that says go see your first shirt
-get eachother in trouble (security forces eat their own)
-deploy for 6 months out of every year
-work 4 days and off 2 (sounds fun but you have 1 full weekend every 2 months)
-work a minimum of 10 hr shifts every day 8 hour shift and 1 hr change over before and after cause you have to wait for someone to relieve you
-respond to punk teens steeling from the bx
-respond to domestic disputes and do a butt load of paperwork
-carry a heavy ass gun everywhere you go.

does that sound like fun??

[Fluffy The Rhino]

Originally Posted by 01GTstang11 so if i wanna be in OSI what should i first go into. Im more of a active person then sitting at a desk all day. I want to go into something exciting and rewarding even if it may be dangerous.

First, find out every AFSC that REQUIRES a top secret clearance. Then narrow it down from there.

[ChrisJ]

If you go into SF it is VERY likely you will never get a cleanrance...Which means no FBI or such...

Go for military intel if you can cut it...

[Ninjawafers!]

Originally Posted by whiteboycustom To become a PJ or CCT you must male, a proficient swimmer, meet physical standards of at least 100 points on the Physical Ability and Stamina Test (PAST). This job is open to only enlisted troops. Here are the specifics minimums to becoming a PJ and Combat Control tech: - 1.5 mile run - within 10:30 (sub 9:00) - Swim 500m - within 16:00 (sidestroke or freestyle) (sub 9:00) - Swim 20m underwater - Pullups - 8 (20+) - Situps - 50 in 2:00 (100) - Pushups - 50 in 2:00 (100) - Flutterkicks - 50 in 2:00 (100) wow thats pretty intense!!!!!

thats it? easy.....

[Drick]

Originally Posted by 01GTstang11 yeah, that's what the guys i've been talking to were saying. Im guessing OSI is office of special investigations like detective shit. I'm more looking into something like S.W.A.T but not that advanced first going in if you know what I mean. I wanted to start of small in the Air Force then move into Pararescue 1T2X1 or something but hell I really don't know

You "want" to start off small in the military. Bad choice man. Its harder than hell to change your jobs once you got it. You have to wait two years before you can turn in papers to change jobs then its a toss up of if they'll let you or not.

Ive been trying to get out of Aviation and go EOD but they wont even let me turn in a packet to switch for a year and then I said well make me a Seabee. They wont even do that for 2 years.

So my suggestion from a guy that went in thinking the same thing you are, "ill start off small" Well then you realize you dont really like your "small" job to much and you shoulda just went in full bore.

My suggestion is to go straight into the OCIS or whatever that is. Dont try to start off small TRUST ME! you will regret it.

Dont get me wrong my job is ok I just wish I woulda went in to what I ultimitly wanted to do in the future up front.

Edit: OSI (<doesn't know AF jobs)

[Drick]

Originally Posted by e3sean +10000000000 NO Security forces!!! even security forces says dont go there... that is where they send u if you fail out of other carreer fields..... join another carreer field first then cross train into AFOSI thats pretty much fast track to any agency you want to go into. here is what you do in security forces..... pros: -you get to wear a baret (spelling??) cons: -sit on a flightline for 12hrs and stare at parked aircraft -stand atr a gate all day and check id cards -patrol around an air force base looking for plates that are expired -sit and wait for people speeding and give them a ticket that says go see your first shirt -get eachother in trouble (security forces eat their own) -deploy for 6 months out of every year -work 4 days and off 2 (sounds fun but you have 1 full weekend every 2 months) -work a minimum of 10 hr shifts every day 8 hour shift and 1 hr change over before and after cause you have to wait for someone to relieve you -respond to punk teens steeling from the bx -respond to domestic disputes and do a butt load of paperwork -carry a heavy ass gun everywhere you go. does that sound like fun??

sounds like the lower ranking MA's on my base. There job would suck on base. But I imagine it would be like any other job on deployment