Originally Posted by Skippy

I'm presently in the Navy Reserve with 14 years of service. The first 2 were active, the rest has been reserve time. I tell everyone who is eligible and even remotely interested to join the Air Force.

Get the job you want guaranteed in writing. If it's not in writing, it may as well not exist. Enlist for the term that gets you the job you want. You will probably have some input on what duty station you get after training, but don't be surprised if you don't get your first choice. Unless it's changed recently, the Air Force sends its ground vehicle mechanics to the same school I went to. It's on a Navy base in Port Hueneme, CA, and lasts about 4 months. The training is mostly pretty general. Air Force guys get a few weeks of specific training for some equipment they have. Then you go to your unit for the rest of the time. Pay starts out at "not great" but goes up from there. If you live in the dorm and eat in the chow hall (or the fancy name the Air Force calls it, I forget), you will have very few expenses.