USAF Security Forces

[TonyMang_89]

Anybody in? Hearing mixed reviews from everyone I've been talking too.

Just want some calguns opinions

[GUNNER45]

What are you hearing?

[TonyMang_89]

it's nearly impossible to get into because everyone want's too.
Hours are horrible, no holiday, no weekends, I don't really care about that
Some say at times it was the best, other's the worst

[Tom Slick]

It's a fairly varied career field. You could be the bored armed guard that has to stand next to a plane all day long, or you could go into combat arms or law enforcement or become a "Phoenix Raven". Most SF personnel I saw were security guards or patrolling for traffic infractions.

None of it interested me although combat arms would be cool. AFOSI would be cool also.

[TonyMang_89]

one of my buddy's is in the air force but not sf, said OSI was the way to go if you can get in

[Tom Slick]

OSI can directly become a civilian job also.

It's just my opinion but IIRC, SF's minimum asvab score is one of the lowest in the AF, so anyone wanting to get in but has a low score finds it appealing.

What else are you interested in?

[TonyMang_89]

Law Enforcement has always been my #1 , but I haven't taken the ASVAB yet so I haven't seen all my options. Recruiter said I will pick my favorite 5 or 10 jobs

[BoJackUSMC]

If you can score around 90 or higher. You will most likely be able to choose any kind of jobs for Air Force.

[thebloodsonthewall]

If it is anything like Military Police in the army I would say stay away. How would you like to be the guy that pulls people over on a military post to tell them that they are going 5 miles over the speed limit or any other dumb little thing. Or be the guy that is standing at the gate checking ID's. It do not help you get a job in LE either. Just having military experience helps. If you want combat arms then join a different branch.

[4 Brigada]

There are 2 tracks in USAF, there is security (SP's) and then there is law enforcement (LE's). They look a like but they are not. Also OSI looks at a lot of career fields, its changing world so language skills, computer skills, COLLEGE, are things that also can get you into the OSI.



Added later:

Dont ask for Oscar Goldman or Steve Austin if you get to an OSI interview, they retired about 9 years ago.

[Argonaut]

There is boredom and mind numbing work in any military job. I am sure that you would have to have a 4 year degree to get into OSI. I am sure that they wouldn't tell you that but you won't be able to compete with someone that has a degree to get in. It is a Very small group of people. In the USAF, something like 60% of the NCOs have a degree, unlike the Army that 60% have a high school diploma. I have 2 kids in the USCG, both have 4 year degrees and are enlisted for a couple of years before they will make it to OCS. I have one son that just left the 101st Airborne and couldn't get into the USAF because he had a GED. I think he may go back as a Warrant to fly. The Security Forces AFSC covers a broad group of jobs. It was a young female USAF SF sniper that took a Taliban with an IED at over 1000 yards a few years ago. I am sure that that incident was preceded by countless hours of boredom. In the old days they were real busy in Vietnam and there dog handlers are probably the best in the world. I would say, stop in at Edwards and talk to the guys there. They will have a lot of stories about both boredom and shear terror.

[Blacc456]

I am an SF member currently serving in the USAF stationed in California. It's a good job if you stay away from the screw ups and stay motivated. Seeing how you don't care about having to work nights, weekends or holidays then you won't mind it. Currently most of the stateside bases are going to civilian law enforcement with SF doing nuke security or flightline security and deploying. If you join SF I would say there is something like a 90% percent chance you will be doing more security than law enforcement. OSI is good, but you have to stay out of trouble in order to get in it, it is not a straight sign the papers and join OSI, you have to wait 2yrs before you can apply for OSI and you will need recommendations and no negative paperwork in your records.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

[Timbob55]

My coworker is a recently retired E-7 Force Protection guy. He says "getting into the security forces is easy, staying in is the hard part".

They hold their Security Forces to a higher standard both personal and physical.

I believe what this man tells me, he's a good guy and tells the truth.

r/

Tim

CWO3 USCG (ret)

[zeprider25]

If you want to be law enforcement officer idk if itll help any more then any other MOS.

I have been in the hiring process for LAPD, SBSD, RCSD for over a year and every single department I ever went to said that they do not prefer MP,SF,MA over any other MOS because civilian law is alot different. Military in general is a just a bonus and a burden (background checks take way longer).

I was told to get a combat MOS were guy has shot his gun in couple months more then a police officer will do in his career.

with that said I wouldnt mind going MP or SF reserve. Good Luck!

[AF_MSgt]

You do not have to have a 4 year degree to get into OSI, but you do have to be on your second enlistment (retrain only). Officers can go directly into the careerfield, but the AF really likes those to either have foreign language skills or a technical background. Having a AJ degree just doesn't make it anymore.

The big benefit of OSI is that your training is done at the FBI academy. You are immediately marketable. The question becomes: what are your personal priorities?

Security Forces is a varied careerfield. Several years ago, there were two tracks with to AFSC's: Security and LE. Now they are one. One day you can be on traffic and next week out on the flight-line. The exception to this is the K9 guys. Once you go to school for that, you usually work with a dog for several years or until you promote yourself out.

Either way... The cops are deployed ALL THE TIME. VERY HIGH Ops tempo. If you want to go into civilian LE or have a stable family life with the wife and kids, civilian LE may be a better bet.