Why would I choose Airforce and not other branches?

[livingdreams]

Hello, I am in the process of applying for the airforce for the 3 year scholarship, and was wondering for those of you who are in, or simply interested in pursuing this branch, WHY this branch and not the others in your opinion?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[btizzels]

Hello, I am in the process of applying for the airforce for the 3 year scholarship, and was wondering for those of you who are in, or simply interested in pursuing this branch, WHY this branch and not the others in your opinion?

I would have gone with the AF but they were out of scholarships, so instead of losing about 80K (counting the 20K and loss of first year pay) I decided that I could live with being in the Navy over the AF. So to me it was just a matter of financial reasons. Plus the Navy usually has bases on the beach (go figure)

 

[blankguy]

From what I've heard, the AF doesn't have the crazy deployments of the Army. The bases are nicer but they may be in the middle of nowhere depending on where you end up. The equipment in the AF tends to be better(I think this might be opinionated).

 

[bass for less]

I got the impression that AF is the closest thing of being in a "civilian world" among the branches. You can live off base and come in and normally work 8-5 (or 7-4?) and go home. Not that you cannot get deployed, but the chance may be smaller. The bottom line to me is to be with my family. With a wife and possibly kids down the road AF looks like a no brainer. I do think nothing is guaranteed in the military and all you can do is try to keep the next step steady and hope for the best.

 

[SoonerFan]

I got the impression that AF is the closest thing of being in a "civilian world" among the branches. You can live off base and come in and normally work 8-5 (or 7-4?) and go home. Not that you cannot get deployed, but the chance may be smaller. The bottom line to me is to be with my family. With a wife and possibly kids down the road AF looks like a no brainer. I do think nothing is guaranteed in the military and all you can do is try to keep the next step steady and hope for the best.

I am an Army Dentist and we have the same choice to live off base (post) or live on the base. My work schedule is form 7:00AM to 3:45PM. So yes it is early but I get off early!! As far a deployments go, the latest statistics is that only 23% of Army Dentist have deployed. I have been in for four years and have not deployed. My equipment: I get everything I ask for. The reason I chose the Army is that it was/is the biggest service and at least I reasoned that it would have the most opportunity for Residencies and the like.

It is hard to comment on the services since most people have only been in one. I am not so sure they are that different!! But maybe...


SoonerFan

 

[bass for less]

I am an Army Dentist and we have the same choice to live off base (post) or live on the base. My work schedule is form 7:00AM to 3:45PM. So yes it is early but I get off early!! As far a deployments go, the latest statistics is that only 23% of Army Dentist have deployed. I have been in for four years and have not deployed. My equipment: I get everything I ask for. The reason I chose the Army is that it was/is the biggest service and at least I reasoned that it would have the most opportunity for Residencies and the like.

It is hard to comment on the services since most people have only been in one. I am not so sure they are that different!! But maybe...


SoonerFan

That's great to know.. I got the impression that Army dentists are more prone to deployment, of course that was just based on threads in this forum.

Is that the figure of who are currently being deployed, or who have ever been?

 

[dheav005]

I would suggest that Navy dentists probably have the highest OPTEMPO for the junior officer group. After our accreditation tour, all LTs are (supposed to be) operational. We have a long list of ships to man and Marines to tag along behind. Every LT I know in my local area, with the exception of two, either has been out or is currently operational.

I think the question is really how often do junior officers deploy, rather than including in CAPTs and COLs who are senior and specialists. They have already done their time for the most part and it really falls to those of us who are early in our career to bear the brunt of mission fulfillment.

 

[blankguy]

I am an Army Dentist and we have the same choice to live off base (post) or live on the base. My work schedule is form 7:00AM to 3:45PM. So yes it is early but I get off early!! As far a deployments go, the latest statistics is that only 23% of Army Dentist have deployed. I have been in for four years and have not deployed. My equipment: I get everything I ask for. The reason I chose the Army is that it was/is the biggest service and at least I reasoned that it would have the most opportunity for Residencies and the like.

It is hard to comment on the services since most people have only been in one. I am not so sure they are that different!! But maybe...


SoonerFan

Is 23% mean at any given time 23% are deployed or only 23% of all the army dentists overall have been deployed? If it's the former than its a pretty good bet that practically everybody has at one point or another been deployed.

I think what people have to be aware of is that army dentist life is relatively cushier than people who are in most areas of the army.

 

[SoonerFan]

Is 23% mean at any given time 23% are deployed or only 23% of all the army dentists overall have been deployed? If it's the former than its a pretty good bet that practically everybody has at one point or another been deployed.

I think what people have to be aware of is that army dentist life is relatively cushier than people who are in most areas of the army.

blankguy,

It is the latter. Of the current Dental Force, only 23% have been deployed ever!! (This number is subject to minor change) Again, I am not avoiding deployment (volunteered 2X) and I have never been deployed. I am a Comprehensive Dental Officer (Bravo) and out of my whole Residency class (7 of us) none to date have been deployed. We graduated 2 years ago. One of my friends in the Residency has asked, and asked, and asked to get deployed and he is finally goind in a few months. However, he is going as a General Dental Officer (Alpha). He could not find a slot as a Comp. Dental Officer!! This is contrary to what you hear.....

With regards to life of a Dental Officer vs. a combat arms Officer, my life is very, very, very, very different. I am more like a civilian, but I am still an Army Officer, therefore, not totally a civilian life.


SoonerFan

 

[futuredoc785]

General Dental Officer (Alpha). He could not find a slot as a Comp. Dental Officer!!
SoonerFan

How are they different?

 

[dentalOH]

It seems to me the Bravo group are generally those who have completed a specialty residency or, perhaps, have multiple years of dental experience. The Alpha group probably emphasizes non-specialty dental care and may have officers with many years of experience.

A 63B (Bravo) has completed the 2 year AEGD. A 63A (Alpha) has completed the 1 year AEGD or has not done an AEGD.

63 Dental Corps Officer

• 63A General Dentist
• 63B Comprehensive Dentist
• 63D Periodontist
• 63E Endodontist
• 63F Prosthodontist
• 63H Public Health Dentist
• 63K Pediatric Dentist
• 63M Orthodontist
• 63N Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
• 63P Oral Pathologist
• 63R Executive Dentist

 

[SoonerFan]

It seems to me the Bravo group are generally those who have completed a specialty residency or, perhaps, have multiple years of dental experience. The Alpha group probably emphasizes non-specialty dental care and may have officers with many years of experience.

All,

dentalOH really gave the down and dirty answer. But I will elaborate. The Comprehensive Dental Residency (AEGD-2yr.) is aimed to make the Comprehensive Dental Officer a "sub-specialist" in every field of dentistry. This is considered a Specialty in the Federal Service (i.e. Government) and is paid as such. I really do feel like the residency did accomplish it's goal (sub-specialized) for me. In my practice I really only need to refer large OR types of cases. As a matter of fact, I am currently going through the process of getting OR privaledges at my new Post's Hospital b/c I am a Comprehensive Dental Officer (Board Certification is something the Hospital looks at heavily for OR privaledges). A Comp. Dental Officer can become Board Certified (not the same as liscensed). The AEGD (AEGD-1yr.) Program is also an excellant program but it's goals of training are different.

*In the Federal Services we call the Program's 1) Comprehensive Dental Residency and 2) AEGD. It is the ADA that has asked us to call them AEGD-2yr. and AEGD-1yr., but the programs are not out to achieve the same objective.* Meaning they are not simply the same program but one happens to be 1yr. and the other happens to be 2yrs, but they are two totally different programs. Now, b/c it's still in the arena of a general style of practice they share many of the same subjects.......Dentistry.


SoonerFan

 

[dheav005]

great explanation. this post will now be the gold standard i refer to when the inevitable AEGD 1yr vs. 2yr questions come up.