Thread: should I get a job as a programmer, or join the air force?

Originally posted by kermi3
You'll get an ok sallery,

Err... not really. Airmen with familys have to use food stamps.
You'll get the same income as one who just graduated college with no experience.

Also, consider this, a Chief Master Seargent (final E grade I think) makes less than a Captain (O3).

If you go into the Air Force you probobly won't be risking your life at all.

Ah.. Yeah, because in Australia you can join as an officer as long as your have decent civillian qualifications - so as long as your between 17 and 24.5 years of age and have comleted year 12 sufficiently - you can fly a fighter.

So how do you become an officer in the US airforce?

I was thinking (since I am a year too old to become a pilot) - intelligence officer. I know that my History Channel influenced view of what an intelligence officer is, is quite removed from what one actually does (just sifts through a lot of paper work), but it has a kind of cool ring to it.

You get paid ok(I get paid more now though), and the newbie infantry and airmen/women have to salute you

Don't do it. You'll probably die. And it probably won't even be
for an important reason. You won't die protecting freedom. No,
you'll die the same way 99.9% of all military people die: in some
stupid training accident. Honestly, the things you hear about make
it seem like the military is full of complete morons. They're always
killing people on accident. If not themselves, than civilians...

That jet that severed an Italian Ski Tram. Killed 10.
That submarine that ran into a Japanese Fishing Boat. Killed 9.
The F-16 that dropped a bomb on some canadians. Killed 4.

And here in Utah:
October 25th, 2002: Two jets crash into each other. One dead.
November 13th, 2002: One jet crashes. Kills one.

And these are just off the top of my head...

Oh, and they'll probably make you exercise...

That jet that severed an Italian Ski Tram. Killed 10.
That submarine that ran into a Japanese Fishing Boat. Killed 9.
The F-16 that dropped a bomb on some canadians. Killed 4.

And here in Utah:
October 25th, 2002: Two jets crash into each other. One dead.
November 13th, 2002: One jet crashes. Kills one.

Yeah... but 40,000 people a year die on US roads - 650 people a year die from falls in the bath tub... so unless your going to do nothing for the rest of your life there is quite a high probability that you will die for no good reason or cause.

Originally posted by ethic
Don't do it. You'll probably die. And it probably won't even be
for an important reason. You won't die protecting freedom. No,
you'll die the same way 99.9% of all military people die: in some
stupid training accident. Honestly, the things you hear about make
it seem like the military is full of complete morons. They're always
killing people on accident. If not themselves, than civilians...

That jet that severed an Italian Ski Tram. Killed 10.
That submarine that ran into a Japanese Fishing Boat. Killed 9.
The F-16 that dropped a bomb on some canadians. Killed 4.

And here in Utah:
October 25th, 2002: Two jets crash into each other. One dead.
November 13th, 2002: One jet crashes. Kills one.

And these are just off the top of my head...

Oh, and they'll probably make you exercise...

What a stupid post. The people in the military are not all morons. You're a big moron for believing media progoganda.
Maybe 0.1% of military people die in training accidents.

What a stupid post. The people in the military are not all morons. You're a big moron for believing media progoganda.
Maybe 0.1% of military people die in training accidents.

Some of these mistakes are almost comical (when you don't
think about people, a lot of the time innocent people, dying).
Accidentally dropping a bomb on your allies? That's not the
smartest thing you can do in war...

If they were just killing themselves, I probably wouldn't have
said anything. But they're killing civilians, too (on accident.). And I
really don't care how few died. The point is, they're dead because
the military screwed up. 0.1% may not mean anything to you,
but those are actual lives.

Media Propaganda?... <-laughing at you.
It isn't propaganda. If you aren't able to define a word, you really
shouldn't be using it.

:claps:

Ladies and gentlemen... ethic!

Although it is nice to have the degree, if you can PROVE to an employer your programming skills-you are in the door.

There are a lot of talented programmers out there with good jobs who just had the balls to show their skills, and not a certificate. A lot of Uni graduates know lots about nothing.

So, it is up to you wether to sign up to the services or not. Bear in mind what I have said though.


Fountain-source of free advice.

Although I don't think the armed forces are for me, it sounds like they are for you, so more power to you, Terrance. After the Air Force, employers will probably be much more likely to hire you. There will always be applicants with degrees, but you're gonna have experience. If you decide to join, thank you for serving our country and protecting my cowardly ass.

Originally posted by Nick
You should not join the airforce thinking that
you will get a free degree. You have to be prepared
to kill and invest a huge amount of your time to the
goverment. You also have to be prepared to
have significant decisions about your life made for you by
a stranger.

Yup, and nothins better than free college...(exept maybe gotos and fflush(stdin) being outlawed in ANSI C++ )