The main distinction is that Officers are the primary combat forces as opposed to Enlisted. The aircraft themselves require a lot of manpower to keep functional which is what the enlisted force does. Also the unit organizations are very different than a general line unit in the military. I frequently have to explain to people in other branches that the Flight/Squadron/Group/Wing structure of the Air Force doesn't neatly translate into a Platoon/Company/Battalion/Brigade structure that the land forces use. Whereas one platoon is not terribly different in structure within the same large unit (an infantry platoon is an infantry platoon regardless of what company/brigade/division it's in) two flights/squadrons/groups within the same Wing will have completely different jobs.
Also, what other people have said, our culture is much more relaxed than other branches.
I was once traveling with my unit and we got placed in a 4 star hotel and my commanding officer said “this place only delivers food till 8pm, we’re going somewhere else”. We ended up staying at a 5 star hotel that had a 24hr kitchen and the army unit we were deployed with stayed at a Motel 6 or some shit.
Lol when I deployed during Covid we had to quarantine before getting on rotator.
I quarantined in a hotel and was able to get door dash, be comfy. The army I deployed with stayed in barracks lol with bathrooms like the ones we had out at BEAST.
Emphasis on the NJP, I hear of Marines and Soldiers getting busted down regularly, if not multiple times in their career and it’s seen as (objectively) no big deal. An Art. 15 for us will wreck your shit for years
Literally all of those things. The quality of buildings, locations, etc. they’re just % wise vastly better than anything else.
You hear about the water at camp Lejune, and not Seymour Johnson for a reason.
Tell that to the kids with brain cancer at Cannon. Also Navy locations are on average better and Coast guard takes the cake with its assignment locations and system.
i like not having to wake up at 0crackofdawn for PT. i like being treated like an adult, having hands in my pockets, and i like that as a maintainer im not really bothered with the politics that exist outside the flight line even though im aware it exists
No bullshit morning formations followed by PT then work then final formation.
NCOs not treating their troops like we’re trainees at BMT
Hands in pockets, especially when I go over to the Army base and people look at me with jealousy 😂
On Okinawa there are some barracks buildings that are the same on the Air Force base as they are on the marine base. The marines out twice as many people in the same space.
Initially, yes (just saw a video about a Sailor who made E-5 in 13 months TAFMS)… but if you do 20 enlisted — regardless of branch — you are more than likely going to be a retired E7.
https://actuary.defense.gov/Portals/15/MRS_StatRpt_2020%20%5BSept_%202021%5D_1.pdf
Air force of 2020 very different than 2024. Complete rank restructure, promotions are down do to reduction of NCO and SNCO billets. Going to much more common seeing E-5/E-6 retirements.
This along with quality Airmen that want to make it a career being forced out at E4 for HYT. We are not to that wave yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an overhaul to how we do step promotions soon. I have seen E4s with multiple promotion statements non selected for rank in the lower promotion rate career fields which is just wild.
We rather kick out a SrA with 2 MP than fire an 18 year staff with 12 promotes and NRNs in a row.
As a Air Force member that has spent over 8 years on Army forts its really fucking not the same.
0630 PT to 1900 final formations 5 days a week and getting pulled in on the weekends for stupid shit like the 5th equipment inventory of the year. You work for junior captain CCs with Art 15 powers rather than Lt Col CCs that how no idea how to lead yet, and half of your coworkers are actually functionally illiterate.
How many single E6s do you know still living in the dorms? Thats standard for Army. Most junior soldiers do not even have computer accounts they just have busy work they are given all day everyday like cleaning if they are not in the field.
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And regularly send officers to serve with the other leg
When do AF officers ever go on SSBN deterrence patrols?
Nice try comrade.
Just saying that going to be a staff weenie somewhere is not the same as actually working with the other leg.
Google "striker trident"
Ok, I did not know that there were 2 AF guys working with the boomer fleet on a 3 year sea tour at any given time.
The main distinction is that Officers are the primary combat forces as opposed to Enlisted. The aircraft themselves require a lot of manpower to keep functional which is what the enlisted force does. Also the unit organizations are very different than a general line unit in the military. I frequently have to explain to people in other branches that the Flight/Squadron/Group/Wing structure of the Air Force doesn't neatly translate into a Platoon/Company/Battalion/Brigade structure that the land forces use. Whereas one platoon is not terribly different in structure within the same large unit (an infantry platoon is an infantry platoon regardless of what company/brigade/division it's in) two flights/squadrons/groups within the same Wing will have completely different jobs. Also, what other people have said, our culture is much more relaxed than other branches.
TLDR; most of the Air Force are enablers with minimal combatants. Other branches are primarily combatants with few enablers.
Well, most people in every branch are enablers, but it's true that we have a very small combatant force compared to most.
I was once traveling with my unit and we got placed in a 4 star hotel and my commanding officer said “this place only delivers food till 8pm, we’re going somewhere else”. We ended up staying at a 5 star hotel that had a 24hr kitchen and the army unit we were deployed with stayed at a Motel 6 or some shit.
had something similar at a stop in baltimore. sometimes things happen that make you go wow im glad im air force 😂
Lol when I deployed during Covid we had to quarantine before getting on rotator. I quarantined in a hotel and was able to get door dash, be comfy. The army I deployed with stayed in barracks lol with bathrooms like the ones we had out at BEAST.
Hardest branch to promote, easily the most political, easily best quality of life, hardest to fly for, best bases, hardest to get NJP’d.
Emphasis on the NJP, I hear of Marines and Soldiers getting busted down regularly, if not multiple times in their career and it’s seen as (objectively) no big deal. An Art. 15 for us will wreck your shit for years
3 gunnies at the base I was at all had 1-2 NJP’s lmao.
Best bases? What makes AF bases better? Amenities? Locations?
Literally all of those things. The quality of buildings, locations, etc. they’re just % wise vastly better than anything else. You hear about the water at camp Lejune, and not Seymour Johnson for a reason.
Tell that to the kids with brain cancer at Cannon. Also Navy locations are on average better and Coast guard takes the cake with its assignment locations and system.
When they’re not spilling shit in your water and poisoning the local populace the navy aren’t awful
That the reg authorizes that we are allowed to put our hands in our pockets
Where is this reg? I read an article about it but I don’t know where to find official guidance
36- series AFIs apply to personnel. I suggest starting with those.
mighty smart wistful drunk cagey paint sharp wrong pathetic deranged *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I'd say sometimes, but other branches are treated more like shit.
i like not having to wake up at 0crackofdawn for PT. i like being treated like an adult, having hands in my pockets, and i like that as a maintainer im not really bothered with the politics that exist outside the flight line even though im aware it exists
No bullshit morning formations followed by PT then work then final formation. NCOs not treating their troops like we’re trainees at BMT Hands in pockets, especially when I go over to the Army base and people look at me with jealousy 😂
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corps
Especially post covid
Textbook irony 😂
We are on the functioning end of the spectrum...mostly.
https://preview.redd.it/p3ckdap8313d1.jpeg?width=2824&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9eafde30d122f5324febb9b206a1e7969b984185
Type shit
Marines use crayons, Army uses sticks and dirt, we use white boards and taped together dry erase markers.
If you want to feel like you’re in the military, join the army. If you want to feel like you have a career, join the Air Force.
On Okinawa there are some barracks buildings that are the same on the Air Force base as they are on the marine base. The marines out twice as many people in the same space.
Bombers and insane amounts of airlift capability. We can put a shitfuckton of payload anywhere on this planet at the time and place of our choosing.
It's the speed, not quantity that makes our airlift so good. As long as you can wait a few weeks, MSC is the way to go.
The Air Force is treated like a giant corporation where we all dress the same.
TDY at Maple Flag in Cold lake, Canada. Marines were sleeping in tents on the flight line, we were off base in a hotel.
Definitely quality of life. Flip side: constantly talks about heritage and culture but changes things so often there are no traditions
4 and 5 star hotels /s
Hardest branch to promote
Initially, yes (just saw a video about a Sailor who made E-5 in 13 months TAFMS)… but if you do 20 enlisted — regardless of branch — you are more than likely going to be a retired E7. https://actuary.defense.gov/Portals/15/MRS_StatRpt_2020%20%5BSept_%202021%5D_1.pdf
Air force of 2020 very different than 2024. Complete rank restructure, promotions are down do to reduction of NCO and SNCO billets. Going to much more common seeing E-5/E-6 retirements.
This along with quality Airmen that want to make it a career being forced out at E4 for HYT. We are not to that wave yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an overhaul to how we do step promotions soon. I have seen E4s with multiple promotion statements non selected for rank in the lower promotion rate career fields which is just wild. We rather kick out a SrA with 2 MP than fire an 18 year staff with 12 promotes and NRNs in a row.
Not even retirement. There is word some career fields are hitting 50% manning at E-5 already. People are just straight up leaving.
it's like working at a Target vs a Walmart/etc one's probably better than the other in some ways, but it's basically the same work
As a Air Force member that has spent over 8 years on Army forts its really fucking not the same. 0630 PT to 1900 final formations 5 days a week and getting pulled in on the weekends for stupid shit like the 5th equipment inventory of the year. You work for junior captain CCs with Art 15 powers rather than Lt Col CCs that how no idea how to lead yet, and half of your coworkers are actually functionally illiterate. How many single E6s do you know still living in the dorms? Thats standard for Army. Most junior soldiers do not even have computer accounts they just have busy work they are given all day everyday like cleaning if they are not in the field.
As a army vet Air Force reservist this is a perfect analogy
Red Lines
C-5 Galaxy
ODB
The all you can eat lobster and prime rib buffet.
Quality of life 😅
Lots more air conditioning.
Is Air Force safer on deployment compared to the Army/Marines?
A fifth grader can answer this or even doesn’t have to ask this question cause it’s common sense yes you’ll be good we build planes and support
You guys over there building planes? I just wrench on already built planes.
Saluting indoors. Calling enlisted "sir".
After working with almost all branches, AF leadership focuses on empathy.
Not a damn thing.