impulse,
JMPO, and throw it in the garbage can after you read it.
Bullet in the AF was deployed more than his Army counterparts over the 21 yrs ADAF.
Gulf 1, AF was there in August 91. Left Mar 92. Army came home 92/93. Didn't come back until 01. AF F15Es never left since 91 (ONW/OSW ring a bell?). Every 18 months they were gone for 4 months deployed to the sandbox. That was on top of Red Flag, WSEP. Cope Thunder, etc TDY's. Many get hit with a yr remote somewhere in their career.
Thus, when you assume that they will be home, you assume wrong. Bullet was home for our DS2's 1st halloween. (6 mos old) and not home again until he was 7. He was in SKorea for our DS1's 1st communion. 7 yrs out of 21 he missed Valentine's Day, my b'day and our 2 eldest b'day (their b'days are 2 weeks apart from mine). DS1 was 10 days old when he went to Vegas for Red Flag. He was deployed for Desert Shield when he was 5 months old.
Yes, the last decade the Army has carried the burden, but when they leave the AF and the Navy will still be doing support missions. When you take a rated officer that joined in 92, and an Army officer...counted up the days, I bet they are close to being equal. Nobody flame me. I am saying for the last decade the Army paid the toll. I am also saying for 20 yrs., the AF has as much time away from the family....just spread across 2 decades, not 1.
If you investigate ABM, you would join the Army. They are deployed 1/2 of the yr at least. ALO (not the AFA ALO type), deploys with the Army.
Just saying, this should not be a blanket statement. People plan...God Laughs, or in this case the AF laughs.
Yes, you will have family time, but like the Army, it depends on your career field. ABM family life is not the same as a T38 instructor at Columbus. C130 maintainer is going to be deployed more than the A & F officer from that same base.
Great example: DS attended no less than 10 schools, in KS,VA, NJ. NC, AK. We arrived at SJAFB 12/98. Moved to KS 5/01. His GF arrived 12/98 (Dad was Mission Support enlisted). They never moved again. She graduated in 09, 11 yrs later.)she was a townie IMPO) DS Meanwhile, moved to KS, moved to Va, moved back to SJAFB, and back to VA in the exact same amount of time. That is a stresser on family life, especially when a spouse has a career, and kids have friends.
Like I said throw my opinion in the garbage can, I am not offended if you do. I am just saying don't make the AF life appear to be easier than the Army, because for many it isn't.