- Joined
- May 29, 2008
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Hi everyone--
I am actually doing some research for my hubbie and I have lots and lots of questions...
My husband is an O-3 in the AF with 6 years of service come next month. He got his undergrad and MS degrees at highly reputable engineering schools and works as a flight test engineer as a 61A (Scientist). He is at a point in his career where he is trying to decide if he should continue down this path of unrated officer into the realm of SPOs and aquisitions or if he should perhaps break off in a different direction and get his MD so that he can continue in the AF in the medical profession.
So, I started my search to first see if there was any time in service limit or age limit and what any prereqs there were and I found myself delving into this website and learning much much more about the whole system. I was under the INITIAL impression (assumption on my part, really) that if he were accepted, he would be keep his time in service and rank and all of that jazz. Seems like that isn't the case? I can see that everyone is made a butter bar, but perhaps the pay is the same? Moreover, the whole time towards retirement is throwing me for a loop...how does that work? If he ends up starting school with 9 years in just after making O-4, can you please explain to me what happens with his rank, pay-grade, and how that will effect retirment? Do those 4 years of school not really count, so he is more on a leave of absense? Hmmm...
My next biggest question is that it seems many people aren't thrilled with the whole gig. Are hours just nutty (as an FTE, he works odd hours for 12+ hours some days, so it might just be the military)? What are the promotion rates? How does one decide (or the decision made for you) what your specility will be? Finally, do you deploy A LOT?
Lots of questions---trying to decide if this is a good idea, or if it might be best to just try the whole med school thing as a second career as a civilian.
Thank you so very much!
I am actually doing some research for my hubbie and I have lots and lots of questions...
My husband is an O-3 in the AF with 6 years of service come next month. He got his undergrad and MS degrees at highly reputable engineering schools and works as a flight test engineer as a 61A (Scientist). He is at a point in his career where he is trying to decide if he should continue down this path of unrated officer into the realm of SPOs and aquisitions or if he should perhaps break off in a different direction and get his MD so that he can continue in the AF in the medical profession.
So, I started my search to first see if there was any time in service limit or age limit and what any prereqs there were and I found myself delving into this website and learning much much more about the whole system. I was under the INITIAL impression (assumption on my part, really) that if he were accepted, he would be keep his time in service and rank and all of that jazz. Seems like that isn't the case? I can see that everyone is made a butter bar, but perhaps the pay is the same? Moreover, the whole time towards retirement is throwing me for a loop...how does that work? If he ends up starting school with 9 years in just after making O-4, can you please explain to me what happens with his rank, pay-grade, and how that will effect retirment? Do those 4 years of school not really count, so he is more on a leave of absense? Hmmm...
My next biggest question is that it seems many people aren't thrilled with the whole gig. Are hours just nutty (as an FTE, he works odd hours for 12+ hours some days, so it might just be the military)? What are the promotion rates? How does one decide (or the decision made for you) what your specility will be? Finally, do you deploy A LOT?
Lots of questions---trying to decide if this is a good idea, or if it might be best to just try the whole med school thing as a second career as a civilian.
Thank you so very much!