Army vs AFRTOC

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MrNiceGuy347

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im currently leaning towards army but would love to see what the air force has to offer my first choice school has both army and air force. If anyone has any experience with one or the other and their differences and similarities if you could share that down below I’d appreciate it thanks!
 
What would you seek to do in the Air Force and the Army?

If you don't get your first choice, the branch with the moist attractive back-up choices may ultimately sway your decision.
 
AROTC-dad said:
If you don't get your first choice, the branch with the moist attractive back-up choices may ultimately sway your decision.
Click to expand...

This is key. Think about what you ultimately want to do. Army and USAF have some overlap, but each has a distinct mission set.

The Air Force is the least moist of the two though...
 
Tbpxece said:
AROTC-dad said:
If you don't get your first choice, the branch with the moist attractive back-up choices may ultimately sway your decision.
Click to expand...

This is key. Think about what you ultimately want to do. Army and USAF have some overlap, but each has a distinct mission set.

The Air Force is the least moist of the two though...
Click to expand...

was that a crack at the Navy and Coast Guard? don't make me get my Marine Corps friends ...
 
My DH was AF, but did 2 tours with the Army. 1 as a jump ALO with the 82nd. 1 for military education at Leavenworth as an O4.

The AF impo is much different than the Army. The running joke about the ADAF is that they are the prima donna branch that works bankers hours.
~ I would have to agree. PT in ADAF is carrying your bag when you play a round of golf. :D

You need to ask what is your career goal? Do you want to fly? If so, fixed or rotor? AF is basically fixed, while the Army is rotor. AF as a flier you will do many tours flying if you choose, probably about 15 yrs out of 20. Army as a helo pilot you have a short career, maybe 2 tours.

If you want to go non-rated in the AF such as intel, maintenance, law enforcement, cyber, etc. than it becomes a little different. The Army gives you a larger amount of personnel to manage at a younger age than the AF, partially due to the fact that the Army is a much larger organization.

The AROTC vs AFROTC program has a huge difference. OPTIONS regarding time owed upon commissioning.
AROTC you can go AD, Guard or Reserve. AFROTC unless the stars align your only option will be ADAF.
 
USAF is pretty big on PT... I see a lot more fitness issues in the Army now than I do in the USAF. Honestly the AFPFT is even harder than the Army PFT if you match them up.

And as for banking hours? I certainly have never seen that... Maybe a few admin squadrons here or there, but the bulk of what I've seen has been 10s-12s with regular weekend duty.

:)
 
Tbpxece said:
The Air Force is the least moist of the two though..
Click to expand...
:rofl:

I recall when Bullet was with the 82nd and had to a training exercise at Ft Polk. It rained the entire time. He was using the air vents of a Humvee to dry his socks out. He also slept in the Humvee because it was drier than the tent.
 
Pima said:
Tbpxece said:
The Air Force is the least moist of the two though..
Click to expand...
:rofl:

I recall when Bullet was with the 82nd and had to a training exercise at Ft Polk. It rained the entire time. He was using the air vents of a Humvee to dry his socks out. He also slept in the Humvee because it was drier than the tent.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you enjoyed that. I couldn't resist, haha!
 
LTG H.R. McMaster wanted Army Aviation as his first choice upon graduating from West Point. A vision issue kept him from getting his first choice. 2nd choice was Armor. Read about the Battle of 73 Easting, and you can see, as a young O-3, he did exceptionally well where he was planted.

Source:
The Fires of Babylon, Eagle Troop and the Battle of 73 Easting
by Mike Guardia
 
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Tbpxece said:
USAF is pretty big on PT... I see a lot more fitness issues in the Army now than I do in the USAF. Honestly the AFPFT is even harder than the Army PFT if you match them up.

And as for banking hours? I certainly have never seen that... Maybe a few admin squadrons here or there, but the bulk of what I've seen has been 10s-12s with regular weekend duty.

:)
Click to expand...

I have to disagree, but than again I am looking at it from the rated world.
I have at least 7 friends with ADAF O3 and below children (rated), mine included.

They do not get up at 5:30 a.m. to do a mandated run with their unit like many Army units do weekly.
~ LMAO the last time I stayed with my DS and DIL. He was running everyday again. I said to my DIL, let me guess he has to do his annual PFT. She smirked and said YEP, it is next week! IOWS, unlike the Army where they physically train as a unit, the AF lets them do it on their own.

My DS and his colleagues do have bankers hours if they are not flying.
~ I was just with my DS in Nov. If he was not flying he would report to work @ 7:30/8:00 and be back home by 4:00/4:30. Same with when my DH was ADAF. They did not set up meetings at 4 p.m., unlike when he was with the 82nd and that was typical.
~~Drive on any AFB at 4:01 and you will see a mass exodus. Go to any kids soccer/bball game at 5 pm and you will see the AD member in the bleachers cheering.

Does my DS do 10-12 hr days? Sure, but those are the day before when he is mission planning or the day he flies. When he is flying the chair he does 8 hrs.
~ Let's also be real, he is deployed ALOT. He is gone probably at least 150 days a yr. His airframe requires him to go away for about 10 days every month and that does not include the 150-180 deployment every 2 yrs.

Bullet works at the Pentagon, which many AF officers would rather take a remote for a yr to Korea before taking an assignment to the Puzzle Palace. He is now a GS15, but he also did a tour as an O5. He is at his desk @ 7:15. He is at the slug line pick up by 4.
NOTE that is the Pentagon.

I don't know which base you were assigned to, nor the job, but in the end of the day and impo the Army demands a lot more than the AF.

I am not trying to argue.
 
Tbpxece said:
AROTC-dad said:
If you don't get your first choice, the branch with the moist attractive back-up choices may ultimately sway your decision.
Click to expand...

This is key. Think about what you ultimately want to do. Army and USAF have some overlap, but each has a distinct mission set.

The Air Force is the least moist of the two though...
Click to expand...
I dont get it. How does moist come into play?
 
Pima said:
Bullet works at the Pentagon, which many AF officers would rather take a remote for a yr to Korea before taking an assignment to the Puzzle Palace.
Click to expand...

In the basement of the Pentagon, there is a very large work area with lots and lots of offices and a sign with Quintas Arrius' quote from the movie Ben-Hur, "Row well, and live."
 
GoCubbies said:
Pima said:
Bullet works at the Pentagon, which many AF officers would rather take a remote for a yr to Korea before taking an assignment to the Puzzle Palace.
Click to expand...

In the basement of the Pentagon, there is a very large work area with lots and lots of offices and a sign with Quintas Arrius' quote from the movie Ben-Hur, "Row well, and live."
Click to expand...
I have to ask Bullet about that.
People ask me about where his office is, I just tell them if you know where the purple water fountain is than you are near his office.
 
Tbpxece said:
USAF is pretty big on PT... I see a lot more fitness issues in the Army now than I do in the USAF. Honestly the AFPFT is even harder than the Army PFT if you match them up.
Click to expand...
I hope you're joking.
 
MrNiceGuy347 said:
im currently leaning towards army but would love to see what the air force has to offer my first choice school has both army and air force. If anyone has any experience with one or the other and their differences and similarities if you could share that down below I’d appreciate it thanks!
Click to expand...
AFROTC will be death by powerpoint. Army ROTC will be actual in-the-field training. And once you get on active duty, it will be pretty much the same.
 
Tex232 said:
AFROTC will be death by powerpoint. Army ROTC will be actual in-the-field training. And once you get on active duty, it will be pretty much the same.
Click to expand...

Like in any organization, it may vary by unit. In Army, PT in the quartermaster, finance and other support branches will be likely less "intense" than infantry, cavalry and other combat arms branches.
 
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