Hey everyone, long story short, I've been trying to join the Air National Guard for about a year now. It took a while to get to meps because of some past medical issues but the MEPs doctor recommended me for a waiver saying that I would have no problem getting it cleared.
The problem comes in when I try to decide what job I am going for. My ASVAB scores were good enough to get me "Any job I want" - and I've been thinking TACP for a while, but I'm starting to think about the Ground Radio, Satellite/Wideband and Telemetry, or the Computer Systems Operations/Control.
Now, my questions:
1. What are the real day to day differences between the Computer Systems Control and Computer Systems Operations? What are deployments like?
2. Ground Radio and SWAT (satellite, wideband, and telemetry)- What are deployments like? I read that one of these positions can have you in convoys and on the more "tactical" side of things, which I like.
If I were not to go TACP, would any of those have a chance of giving any 'action'? I know that makes me sound ignorant, but I work with computers 35 hours a week at my job and I'm just feeling like something a little more exciting. Half of me is saying TACP is a bit too much, but I could probably do it if I want to.
The Air Force job descriptions are amazing at giving no real information for how long they are, I'm basically looking for stories/experiences of those that have been in any of these positions. Thanks!
I've known a few people who had been a part of Combat Comm Squadrons and to answer your question, most of them have seen some combat (been fired on, sent rounds downrange). Last I'd checked though you don't volunteer for a Combat Comm Squadron, you just got it at random. You won't deploy as often as you would as a TACP but from the people I know you may go once or sometimes twice a year to the desert, depending on the need for new Comm locations.
It all depends on what shop you work in and at what base. People from who have moved from one base NCC to another can attest to that, everything is different. Myself- I enjoy it, plus there's good money to be made on the outside, I have a friend who works the DMS/AMHS side of things who has been offered a job on the outside starting at 85K a year... not bad for a 24 year old. Comm is a good career field.
Wow, that isn't bad at all. I got a call from my recruiter today that my waiver had passed (Took 18 hours!) so it looks like I have some big decisions coming up
Trust me, if you want action it's not all about combat comm. I was there and then I moved on. My new job is much more exciting when we go out. No offense to my fellow mobsters intended. I'm speaking on this as a 2E133 (Ground Radio) and will say that if it's TACP you want to be in or around, then work your way up, get your 5-level, and volunteer for an ASOS. You could even get lucky and get sent to the one at Ft. Hood as they are the only ASOS that will accept 3-levels. BTW, a 3-level is the skill level you are assigned upon graduating tech school and you don't get 5 until you do OJT (on the job training) which lasts 15 months, and CDC's (career development courses). Also be advised that there will eventually be a merger with SWAT as you call it. We are already seeing this in renditions of the CDC's and are hearing about it from the upper levels. Either way you go with Ground Radio or Satcom you will see some of each. This is just my outlook on Ground Radio and Satcom because I know these two fields from experience with them everyday. As for other jobs like the 3C's someone else will have to clarify thier take on that.
Thanks DigitalStorm! I'm really trying to get one of these picked, I made a new thread in the TACP and Communications section with my questions on each.
I have been a SWAT for 12 years now, so i can only answer your question about them. I hate to say it but it depends on where you go TDY. If you are going to be working on vans (TRC-170 or SATCOM) you will most likely not be doing convoy duty. I have done it several times and they have always asked if you will volunteer first, if no volunteers of course someone will be selected. If you are staying with the vans, it is pretty much a babysitting job. If the equipment doenst break you will be sitting with it until your rotation is up or something breaks.
Convoy duty is not everywhere too. If you get that special deployment you will know if you might have to pull convoy duty before you get there.
Just to clue you in on the the future of the career fields.
The 2E2 computer/cypto career field and the 3C career fields will be merging in the next 5-10 years. Like wise the 2E1x1 and 2E1x3 will also be merging.
So.....it does not really matter which one you are going into.
I spent 4 years with the 1st Combat Comm in Germany (FILO!) and it was a blast! The AD combat comm units are out the door all the time. Even before the current war I spent more time deployed than I did in garrison. This may have changed with the AEF rotations...but we still have a lot of commitments that are not tied to the war.
If you really want to get dirty and be on the very pointy end of the spear...TACP is what you are looking for. If you want to get involved with the SPEC OPS then you need to look into JCU out of Ft. Bragg or JCSE out of McDill. 2E2 and SWATS are also involved with the UAV arena if you are into that.
Convoy Duty is an ILO type deployment. Any AFSC can get tagged with that. Another cushy job is TCN (Third Country National) Escorts. You spend all your time inside the wire watching contractors and garbage men.
Being a 2E1X1 I am bias toward the SWAT career feild....the ground rats are just to squirrelly for me . But as I said...if 5-10 years we will all be the same!
If you want to be more active...Don't go 3c0. I am a 3c0 currently and I worked at an AOC in Germany...It was great, but the majority of the time you spend troubleshooting software. Its a cool technical job, but If I had to do it over again, I would have definetly done something on the completley other end of the spectrum. Not bitter, I like what I have accomplished, but really want to see the fruits of my labor first hand...
Got in late, so you may already be in...but for anyone else reading, I'll add my $0.02 for half the price.
SWATS and Grnd Radio are merging. It was on the books to happen a few years ago, but Katrina decided she'd postpone the plans. When they had to shuffle schools around, it put a wrench in the works. We are being told it will be by the end of FY-07. Already expecting to test PFE only next year. We are already putting together a plan for our Sq on getting folks moved between the offices to train on each other's equipment.
TACP is also something I'd considered when I was younger. My brother-in-law is TACP and it's a pretty cool job if you are into that sort of thing. Stationed with the ARMY and you can go out with the regular ARMY infantry units, or with the Rangers. He'd go out with both - just depended on the day/mission. He was in Baghdad the day the ARMY went in. Pretty cool stuff.
You can get into SWATS/Grnd Radio and still get into some cool jobs, but it completely dependent on the job. JCU is pretty cool...Combat Comm CAN be pretty gung-ho, but it's mission dependent. When some of my fellow mobsters went into Afghanistan, they were locked and loaded and went into an airfield they had to sweep and secure. But that's only at the start of the war. Barring invading another country, we are already setup in Iraq/Afghan. So you just rotate in/out maintaining equipment that is already there. There are some equipment configuration changes, added customers, moving around base assets (which means redesigning comm network) but that's it. The site is already established and secure.
So bottom line - you have a good read on it. TACP is very high tempo and you definately can get into some scrapes...if you are with infantry, you won't get to close to the enemy (the infantry steps in) but if you go out with Rangers, you are expected to pull a little more weight (this is secondhand info). Any AFSC in a Combat Comm unit MAY get you into some hairy situations, but they are much farther and fewer between...but you CAN get into jobs that will get you into it. Choice is yours.
. But as I said...if 5-10 years we will all be the same!
lol
