How do I Enlist in the Air Force?

The procedure for enlisting in the United States Air Force is similar to that of many countries. It involves meeting with a recruiter, undergoing a medical exam, taking qualification and aptitude tests, and selecting a job. Recruits may wish to obtain security clearance. If you pass the required tests, you will then take the oath of enlistment. These steps to enlist in the Air Force generally take less than a month with no complications.

You can start the process by searching for the nearest Air Force recruitment office online or through the telephone directory and arrange a meeting with a recruiter. The recruiter will conduct a preliminary screening to check whether you are eligible to enlist in the Air Force. To do so, he will interview you regarding your age, medical history, educational level, marital status, dependency status, financial status, criminal history, and drug history. You may also be required to take a drug test.

He will also measure your weight to check it against the Air Force requirements, and have you take an initial sample of the computer-based qualification test. The results of the screening will be sent to the pertinent departments, who will then clear you to continue with the process if there should be no disqualifying factors. If there should be any such factors, the recruiter may then ask you to sign waivers in order to proceed.

The next step to enlist in the Air Force is to visit a processing station, commonly known as Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) in the US, where applicants undergo a battery of tests. You will first take a vocational aptitude test, known as the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Several of the test categories will determine your ability to succeed in the Air Force training, which will qualify or disqualify you for proceeding. Other categories will establish your strengths and weaknesses relevant to jobs in the Air Force, and will be essential in the job selection process later.

Once you have completed the ASVAB, you will undergo a thorough medical exam. This involves writing out your medical history in detail, providing urine and blood samples, having your sight and hearing checked, and generally being examined for any potentially disqualifying health factors. If you should have any such factors, you may obtain a temporary or a permanent disqualification. A temporary disqualification means that you have a current medical issue that does not allow you to enlist in the Air Force at present, but which will not prevent you from reapplying in the future. A permanent disqualification states that you did not pass the medical exam, and that the reason is not a temporary condition or one that may be remedied.

After the medical exam, you will then be interviewed for security clearance. Security clearance is not a strict necessity for you to enlist in the Air Force as there are certain jobs that do not require it, however your job options will be severely limited without it. The interviewer will ask you questions about your finances, drug or alcohol use, criminal history, and other topics. He will then determine your potential for security clearance, and his recommendation will decide what jobs will be available to you for selection. The actual clearance results can take months, which is the reason the interview process attempts to predict your clearance results and serves as the basis for your job selection availability.

Upon completing the clearance interview, you will then meet with the job counselor to select potential jobs. The two classifications for you to choose from are guaranteed job and guaranteed aptitude area. Guaranteed job means there is a specific job listing you can select and apply for.

Guaranteed aptitude area means that you select an unknown job that falls under the combination of aptitude areas you select, and will only find out the specific job you obtain on the last day of training. Guaranteed job slots are much fewer than the number of candidates, and you will likely receive an aptitude area slot. The selection process will require you to select at least one aptitude area slot when listing the slots that interest you.

Go over your contract with a counselor prior to taking the oath of enlistment. Note that the contract is a preliminary one that does not include details like enlistment bonuses or dates as your job is most likely not yet known. You will be receiving a more detailed contract after your training. Once you take the oath of enlistment, you will have completed the enlistment process.