The Air Force Enlisted Job Selection may seem complicated, but it’s really not! Here’s an easy explanation.
When an applicant enlists in the Air Force Enlisted Job Selection, they will go through MEPS, gain qualifications, and give a list of preferred jobs to a counselor. Once one of these jobs is available for reservation, the applicant will be contacted and given a date for basic training.
A job isn’t immediately guaranteed. There has to be an available vacancy, and applicants must be qualified. However, with the guaranteed job program, the applicant is guaranteed training in a specific Air Force job; and under the guaranteed aptitude program, the applicant is guaranteed that he or she will be selected for a job that falls into the designated areas.
Difficulties
The Air Force is the most popular of the military services; however, it is also one of the hardest to join. They also have the highest reenlistment rate of the services, which means those who join tend to want to stay in the service after their initial term is over. This means there are fewer slots available for recruits to fill.
In addition to this, because Congress also limits the number of people allowed on active duty, the Air Force can only take on so many recruits at a time. Because of the high reenlistment rate and the limited positions available, many people who want to join or stay in the Air Force aren’t able to and are kept in reserve each year.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean it is impossible to join the Air Force. If you meet the enlistment and job qualifications and are flexible with your career choice, you can easily be accepted into the ranks of the Air Force.
Recruiting
Before you can qualify for the Air Force Enlisted Job Selection, you must first be recruited. To do this, you’ll need to contact your local recruiter– you can find yours on the Air Force’s recruiting website.
The recruiter will pre-screen you to determine if you’re qualified for enlistment. They will ask about your education level, criminal history, age, marital/dependency status, and medical history. You will also be given a medical pre-screen and a pre-ASVAB test to determine if you will meet the Air Force Enlisted Job Selection requirements. This whole process should take a few days. If there aren’t any disqualifying factors, the recruiter will arrange for you to attend MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station).
Job Qualification
Job qualification is based on many factors, the most significant is what the applicant scores on the ASVAB, or the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. High school seniors and graduates must have a minimum score of 31; GED holders must have a minimum score of 50. Because the careers in the Air Force are highly technical, applicants are required to have an above-average ASVAB score.
There are four areas of qualification in these tests:
- General: Verbal expression and mathematic reasoning.
- Mechanical: Mechanical comprehension, general science, and auto and shop information.
- Administrative: Numerical operations, coding speed, and verbal expression.
- Electrical: Mathematic reasoning and knowledge, electronics information, and general science.
Along with an ASVAB score, applicants must meet physical requirements. As part of the application process, applicants will be given a medical examination and a physical profile, which indicates their medical condition in these designated areas:
- Physical Capacity/Stamina: An overall inspection of the body’s systems (the heart, lungs, digestion and nervous systems).
- Upper Body: Checking for weakness in the bones, muscle, and soft tissue from the hips up, as well as range of motion and any general deficiencies.
- Lower Body: Checking for weakness in the bones, muscle, and soft tissue from the lower back to the feet, as well as range of motion and any general deficiencies.
- Hearing: Focusing on hearing and any deficiencies or diseases in the ear.
- Eyes: Checking the ability to see a certain standard and ability to decipher red/green color differences, as well as any diseases or defects in the eyes.
To apply for the Air Force Enlisted Job Selection, applicants must meet the minimum physical profile required for their chosen career. For tougher military positions, such as the Air Force Pararescue, recruiters will test the applicants repeatedly and often.
In addition, applicants must pass security clearance. If there is anything in the applicant’s background that may prevent clearance, job counselors are unlikely to allow the applicant to reserve the job.
Some Air Force Enlisted Jobs will require additional testing. For example, if a job requires the use of or learning a foreign language, the applicant must achieve a passing score on the Defense Language Aptitude Battery ( or DLAB) test.
Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC)
The Air Force calls its enlisted careers Air Force Specialty Codes or AFSC for short. These jobs fall into seven categories
- Operations
- Maintenance and Logistics
- Support
- Medical and Dental
- Legal and Chaplain
- Finance and Contracting
- Special Investigation
The Air Force has more applicants than they have available jobs, so it’s unfortunately common for an applicant to process through MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Stations, where an applicant’s qualifications are decided) and be placed in a delayed enlistment program without a reserved job or a specific date for basic training.
While at MEPS, applicants provide a list of their preferred jobs and aptitude areas to a job counselor. Because of this, Air Force applicants must be flexible with their job selection, and the date they’re available to report to basic training. Once they’ve given their preferences to the counselor, applicants are placed on the qualified waiting list until one of their preferences is available. This process can take several months: on average, an Air Force applicant will stay in the delayed enlistment programs for 8 or more months.
But for applicants with lots of flexibility, the Air Force has an additional program called the “quick ship list”. If another applicant drops out at the last minute, the Air Force allows Delayed Entry Program applicants on the quick ship list to take the abandoned reservation. In situations like this, the call to leave can come in less than a week.