College and the Air Force... Am I Getting Screwed Over?

[Alex James]

Ok, according to recruiting officers, if I enlist with 20 credit hours, I start basic at Enlisment Pay 2. Ok, not bad, I could use the cash advance. But then I found out that if I sign on for six years, I start Enlistment Pay 3. If I sign on with my 20 credit hours for six years, do they up my pay? If not, why is it that when someone joins with college credits and enlists for six years, they make the same as some college grad. that has none? Tell me it's not true...
ok. ok. so you're telling me that if i join for six years, and someone else with no college signs on for six years...we both make the same amount?

[Kira M]

To sum it up you're wondering why they give the 6 year pay rise to people with out college credits but not to people with college credits, right?

In the long term, people joining with 20 credits will be at an E-3 pay grade around the same time as people who sign the 6 year contract. Look at it this way, you're joining with college credits and you can get to E-3 in around 20 weeks into it with just signing for four years, where as I do not have college credits, am joining as an E-1 and in order to get that E-3 I have to devote two more years of time.

I would say that you're complaining about something silly that you dont really know anything about and you need more information.

If I have misinterpreted your question, Im sorry.

[mr1cutie2002]

The millitary values educationh simply put but with the army they will pay back all your student loans.

[hemi]

college credit can help you come in earlier...but it does not provide the same benefit as someone coming in for 6 years..they have a bigger commitment and are rewarded for it. Besides, at the end of tech school, the guy that came in for 6 years will have earned over 20 college credit hours by the time the graduate tech school..
The truth is that as an E1-E3 college is not that big of a deal, as you are mainly working directly with someone more experienced than you...and thinking, well everything you do by the Tech Order..so analytical skills are not that necessary....
A college gread would come in as an officer...20 credit hours is a good start to college, but is far from the 68 or so credit hours needed for a BS/BA diploma..which is considered a college graduate.