Hello Deeder,
Indeed, being a boom operator is an exciting job. I was the First Sergeant of the KC-135 Tanker Headquarters Wing for the 376th Strategic Wing (SAC) on Okinawa, Japan from 1978 - 1983. I did get to fly in the KC-135 tanker and was able to observe the boom operator in action refueling F-15s over the Pacific Ocean and again out of Chicago over Lake Michigan some years later.
If you become a boom operator you will be flying all the time on missions. Missions begin around 4 am and last until sometimes midnight before the final debriefing has ended. Often flying in the air for 8 or so hours at a time.
People who fly have to have an almost perfect medical health to pass the flight physical which is much more demanding than a standard physical for people on the ground.
But, that is only 1 of the AF jobs. Don't go to MEPS YET. First you must look at ALL the AF enlisted jobs and decide on the top 5 that you will try for. But, before you do this, I NEED to know your ASVAB scores in Mechanical, Administrative, Electronics, and General.
I don't want to hear that you got an 80 on the ASVAB. That what your recruiter told you was only the AFQT. Armed Forces Qualification Test which was part of the ASVAB. All you needed was a 36?o enter the AF. Anymore is nice to know but has no bearing on your job. I need to know your ASVAB sub-test scores to further advise you.
Now, are you an INDOOR PERSON or an OUTDOOR PERSON? All work is either in one of these two categories. IF you don't mind spending more than 50?f a duty day out of doors, like working on airplanes, cops/security police/forces, transportation, trucks, being in foul weather, flying (is an outdoor job), and such than try to get a job that is outdoors.
IF you want to work inside a building more than 50?f the day and only wish to go outside to go to CHOW and to and from work, then, you need a job that is an INDOOR job. Working in offices, dental clinic, hospital, administration, personnel, accounting and finance, legal, special services, cooks, chapel, recreation services (gyms, etc.) printing, etc. are examples of indoor jobs.
So, go here and READ all the job descriptions of AF jobs. Make a list of your Top 10 choices. Then, rank them and let me see them. Also, send me your true ASVAB scores in the four categories so we can further discuss them.
DO NOT sign a blank OPEN ENLISTMENT contract. Then, the AF will place you into whatever left over job that they can not fill. You may or you may NOT be happy for the next 4 years. You want to get a job guarantee down on paper on your enlistment contract. Anything "VERBAL" the recruiter tells you is useless. Unless it is ON PAPER, the AF will not honor, "My recruiter told me that...."
Remember the famous words of Captain Lewis to Goldie Hawn in "Private Benjamin;"
"I don't care what your recruiter told you, Private Benjamin. This is the Army."
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforceenlistedjobs/a/afjobs.htm OPERATIONS
1A - Aircrew Operations *
1C - Command & Control Sytems Operations *
1N - Intelligence
1P - Aircrew Equipment *
1T - Aircrew Protection
1S - Safety
1U - Unmanned Aerospace Systems
1W - Weather
MAINTENANCE & LOGISTICS
2A - Manned Aerospace Maintenance *
2F - Fuels *
2G - Logistics Plans
2M - Missile & Space Systems Maintenance
2P - Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory
2R - Maintenance Management Systems
2S - Supply
2T - Transportation & Vehicle Maintenance *
2W - Munitions & Weapons *
SUPPORT
3D - Cyberspace Support
3H - Historian
3M - Services
3N - Public Affairs
3P - Security Forces (Military Police) *
3E - Civil Engineering *
3S - Mission Support
3U - Manpower
3V - Visual Information
MEDICAL & DENTAL
4X - Medical
4Y - Dental
LEGAL & CHAPLAIN
5J - Paralegal
5R - Chaplain Assistant
FINANCE & CONTRACTING
6C - Contracting
6F - Financial
Read every job description and also make sure you click on the SCHOOL link on the second page and see how long the school is and what base.
I placed an * mark next to jobs that are "mainly" outdoors.
Best wishes,
Larry Smith
Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)
First Sergeant