Briefly... nobody can sum up for you what will be your retirement package...the military changes. We have had 3 different retirement programs in less than 20 yrs., your retirement was based on your entry and retirement date.
Here's the typical rule though.
20 yrs 50% of BASE pay, realize that BAQ, BAH, Flight, Jump are not included.
For every yr after 20, you get 2.5%, maxing at 75%.
The military can do SERB and force you to leave before maxing.
You and your family will have medical bennies, but you pay for your family regardless. Tri-Care coverage is the medical insurance program for the military. It is not an option for your spouse to go to the base without Tri-Care.
Also, the minute you die (AFRET) that pension goes buh-by for the surviving spouse.
Honestly, you are way too young to give two flying figs about the retirement package. It will change mark my words, and it is not a reason to join or stay.
I am with CC, those who loved, and I mean truly loved the military, never cared about bennies. The friendships forged, the laughter and tears shed were worth tens times more than any retirement packet.
Put Bullet, Flieger and CC in a room for an hr to relive their AF stories, and you will walk out thinking you spent the whole time doing butterfly kicks, because that is how bad your stomach will feel from laughing so hard.
I also agree my AF family was there for me in the best and worst times. Bullet and the entire squadron was sent to SKore for 120 day +/- with 3 days notice. I had a major medical issue that I was placed on complete bedrest and my best bud was a bottle of Valium (slipped playing crud causing my back to spasm so badly that it bruised my internal organs). My AF family, other wives/moms, came to my house every a.m and took the kids to school (3 under 7), picked them up from school, fed them dinner, brought them back home and tucked them in bed. The Flight surgeon would stop by my house everyday and check on me. The commander overrode the system (it was a 10 minute a week phone call system back then), and made sure Bullet was allowed to speak to me daily. Few weeks later when our DS1 was receiving his 1st communion, it was a wife holding my hand as I wiped away the tears of joy. I remember saying I never thought this was how it would be.
At Bullet's retirement it was the wives who stood up and gave him a standing ovation because he acknowledged that they were always there for us as a family.
Even now, it is my AF family that I call to announce great news like I do with our siblings.
This may sound strange, especially to one poster in particular, but Bullet and I believe our marriage is as tight as it is because of the AF. We were forced to rely on each other, I don't know if we had the easy out of running back to the folks that we would be still this much in love and best friends.
I could give a rat's butt about the bennies for retirement, because as far as I am concerned we already got them, and we are on the retirement pay program!