A little update on my Quick Ship situation. Quick Ship is basically like being on a cancellation list- if for whatever reason someone can’t ship, that slot opens up and you have a chance to ship at an earlier date.

Last week I got a call from my recruiter saying a spot opened up to ship August 28th under a Guaranteed General Aptitude Area. Many say that by going in “Open General” you have a better chance at receiving a Medical job- BUT this is not guaranteed. Unfortunately my braces treatment had been extended to August 29th. I’ve paid A LOT of money for these braces and my teeth have come a VERY long way- I don’t want to risk removing them before it is recommended. I also scheduled a CLEPP Exam for August 30th that I cannot reschedule. The CLEPP Exam is an exam offered by colleges allowing you to test in a subject you already know in exchange for college credits without having to take the full course. I wanted to do this because I am only two credits away from being able to enlist as an E-2 Rank. Passing this exam will give me 3 credits. So I let my recruiter know that I can’t ship the 28th and luckily they were able to take me out. I am kind of bummed that I was taken out for October 2nd, I was starting to get excited about the intel job I had received. I have to wait for the August job list to come out which should be within the next few days or so. Then from there I will receive a new ship date (Fingers crossed for October/November) and a new job (Fingers also crossed for something medical or Emergency Management). But everything happens for a reason and I have faith that whatever God has up his sleeve will be beneficial to my future in the Air Force.

Yup- you read that right. Those close to me know that I have always talked about joining the military since high school. I was involved in an Army Junior ROTC-like program my senior year and wanted to join the National Guard after high school. Unfortunately, I was caught up in a relationship and life got in the way. Seven years later and here we are!

Why I chose the Air Force:

I want to go back to school
But like most of the population, I have zero dollars to do so. Joining the Military gives me the option to pursue a degree. What really caught my eye is that the Air Force is the only branch that from day one you are earning college credit starting with Basic Military Training (BMT).

I have a handful of friends in the Air Force
I have a good amount of friends in the Military in general. I made sure to ask around and get their opinions on different branches. All of my Military friends from branches other than the Air Force told me “Definitely go Air Force”. The friends that are currently in the Air Force told me the same.

My experience with the recruiter
When deciding which branch to join I ultimately narrowed my options down to either the Navy or the Air Force. I first met with a Navy recruiter based out of my local mall. He asked me why I wanted to join and basic questions about me. He also had me take a practice ASVAB to determine whether I would be eligible or not. He then gave my mother and I the opportunity to ask him questions. A few days later I had reached out to my friend Jake who is currently in the Air Force Reserves. He referred me to his recruiter and I contacted her to set up a day to meet. The office was much nicer, the recruiter was super nice, overall a much better experience than when I met with the Navy recruiter. It was also awesome that she was female.

So what are my next steps? I’m going to turn my application packet in on Friday. I have the diagnosis “Asthma” attached to my Medical Record I need to go have a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) done to prove that it isn’t an issue. I have never had an asthma attack, I was only prescribed an inhaler and used it on two occasions in which I had respiratory illness/infections. So once I have the “ok” from that test then I will hopefully be able to get a MEPS date and take my ASVAB! I’ve chatted with my recruiter and we’re going to aim for May of this year to get things processed- this also gives me time to get in shape and reach my goal weight of 170 lbs (15 lbs to lose).

I am super excited to begin this journey and document every step of the way! I hope that by sharing my journey I can help other females (males too!) along their Military journeys.