| I'll be turning 18 next August and I'm | | | | provided with any time to yourself for child |
| pregnant right now. I was thinking of joining | | | | care. In Basic, you will be under |
| the Air Force sometime next year so I can | | | | supervision 24-hours a day for six weeks. |
| have some sort of stable career to care for | | | | |
| my child. I was thinking about joining in a | | | | Today's IT personnel are the modern |
| career of information systems. Do you have | | | | incarnation of yesterday's administrative |
| any advice? | | | | personnel. There are those who specialize in |
| | | | computers and network management, but the |
| Answer. You will need to check with a | | | | majority is your clerk/typists that fill the |
| recruiter to make sure you meet all the | | | | much needed administrative support role in |
| requirements for enlistment, as you have many | | | | every squadron. There are approximately |
| more hoops to jump through before you are | | | | 10,000 in the Air Force, of which half are |
| accepted. | | | | regularly non-deployable due to a variety of |
| | | | medical problems or other constraints. This |
| Because you would be deployable at any time, | | | | means that, when a deployment requirement |
| you have to keep on file with the base | | | | comes up, half the people have to do twice |
| personnel office, three different dependant | | | | the work. Yes, you will be deployed, and I |
| care plans: Immediate, short term and | | | | guarantee it will be within months of getting |
| permanent. | | | | fully qualified in your job. That means that |
| | | | you won't have that much time getting settled |
| The immediate plan is for when the phone | | | | into your first permanent duty station with |
| rings and they need you to come to work | | | | your child before you have to hand him/her |
| immediately. You need to have someone | | | | over to your short-term sitter and go off on |
| available 24-hours a day, to be able to take | | | | deployment. |
| care of your child for short periods of time, | | | | |
| up to a day, for the times you need to fill | | | | Every career field deploys these days. Some |
| in for someone else who was unable to work. | | | | more than others, but everyone gets their |
| | | | time in the "desert". Granted, of all the |
| The short term plan is for when that same | | | | armed forces, the Air Force deploys less to |
| phone rings; although this time you are being | | | | the "hot" spots. The Army and Marines spend |
| deployed for an extended period of time, | | | | the most time in Iraq, while the USAF deploys |
| anywhere from a week to three months. You | | | | more to support locations, such as Kuwait, |
| need to have someone available and willing to | | | | Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. |
| take on that responsibility. | | | | |
| | | | You need to look at your finances and see if |
| The final plan is the permanent plan: If the | | | | the pay scale will meet your needs. As an |
| unthinkable happens, and you are killed in | | | | E-1, Airman Basic, with less than four months |
| the line of duty, you need someone willing to | | | | in service, you will be earning $1,178 a |
| adopt your child. This is usually a blood | | | | month (current pay, due to go up roughly 3% |
| relative, mother, sister/brother, and aunt | | | | next year). After four months that pay goes |
| uncle. Again, this has to be someone willing | | | | up to $1,274 a month. An E-2, Airman, earns |
| to take on this lifetime responsibility. | | | | $1,427 a month. An E-3, Airman First Class, |
| | | | earns $1,595 after two years of service. |
| I know these aren't things happy to think | | | | |
| about, but they are required by military | | | | Realize the Air Force will provide housing |
| regulations, and you will be required to | | | | (or the funds to acquire housing), so that |
| revalidate these plans annually. Most people | | | | will offset your monthly costs. Probably the |
| choose friends and/or neighbors for the | | | | single biggest "bonus" is that all medical |
| immediate and short term plans, and relatives | | | | needs for you and your child will be provided |
| for the permanent plan. | | | | for while you are on active duty. If you |
| | | | stay in and retire, the current plan provides |
| During the period of Basic Training and your | | | | medical insurance for you and all your |
| tech schools, your child will need to stay | | | | dependents for only $460 a year. |
| with relatives. Your time and efforts will | | | | |
| be devoted to learning your basic military | | | | There are many other things to consider. |
| and technical skills, and you will not be | | | | |