Hi, I'm in the DEP. and trying to get into SF. And I was just wondering how SF guys work on getting credits? is the CCAF like a regular college? or do they have classes for SF guys who have to work different schedueles.

Remember I'm only in the DEP, so if I sound stupid. sorry. lol

Yes, you will have time to complete your CCAF if you have the self discipline to manage your off-duty time. It wasn't easy but I completed my first CCAF while still in SF. Your leadership will probably expect you to complete your upgrade training first, though.

CCAF is an associates degree so I'm sure you'll want to push for more once that is complete. You can take classes through local universities or online as long as your education office confirms they count toward your CCAF.

Don't forget that CLEP tests are free and an easy way to earn college credits.

ok, thanks alot

The CCAF grants two year associate's degrees associated with your career field. For SF it used to be either Industrial Security (security specialists) or Criminal Justice(for law enforcement specialists). I'm not sure what degree they give now that the've joined the two specialties.

Credits are granted by a combination of technical/leadership training (most Air Force courses grant you some CCAF credits) as well as regular classes.

As segedeth already said, CLEPs are free and you should have time to study (once you have your initial certification training and your five level upgrade training out of the way) at work (depending on the posts you get).

One common trick is to complete one of the Leadership courses the Air Force gives you and then take an associated management CLEP in order to double dip your credits.

Most CCAF credits will transfer once you start going towards a four year degree.

Every base has an education center. They are supposed to help you as you progress towards your degrees. There is at usually one junior college and a four year college operating out of it. Larger bases often have multiple colleges, at least one of which offers Master's degrees.

In my experience, the base ed center counsellors are a mixed bag. Try to find the better ones and then work on finagling them when it comes time to do your paperwork. In my experience, the counsellors from the different college offices are better at guiding you.

Classes for the regular colleges tend to be geared towards the "office hours" Air Force, though some bases with large cop populations (and mucklucks...) do offer classes that match cop working hours. Internet classes are another option. And just sucking it up and changing your hours to match your work/education schedule is the most common approach. Who needs sleep and/or a family life?

Hey, it's free (well, you pay for the books), but it ain't easy....

lol ok thanks Frank

Hey Jimmy, how about you get in first get through basic and tech school. Then after you get to your first assignment and get a 5-level you could start asking about college and the CCAF program. That just might focus your energy in the right direction.

You're not limited to just course work in your AFSC. While I was enlisted and commissioned, I took several courses offered from Maxwell, ranging from management to computer science.
Listen to Cabo and get yourself there first. It is crucial to finish and get certified on your 5-level, and then your mind will be a little more relaxed. You won't feel like assholes and elbows, with everything being thrown at you all at once. You just have to work on time management and study around your work schedule.