<p>What is the differences between the AFR and AF? Which is more favorable? Which is a better path to take for a student looking to pay for college and starting his own career? Additional information on both fields is welcome!</p>
<p>The extremely basic difference is that one is a full time job and the other is a part time job. When you enter the military, you do your basic training of six to sixteen weeks (depending on your branch and specialty). From there, if you are on active duty, you will perform your duties as a full time job; if you are in the reserves, you are called to active duty one weekend a month and two weeks a year, unless there is a war time need for your service, in which case you would be called up for nine to twelve month stints of active service at a time.</p>
<p>From a financial perspective, there are a lot of different factors.</p>
<p>If you go to college and do ROTC, you will be required to serve on active duty for as many years as they paid for (with that in mind, you do get paid while in school), meaning you would need to do four years of active service before joining the reserves (someone correct me if I’m wrong about that, please). If you go to college and do not do ROTC, you have no formal commitment before you are commissioned as either an enlisted man or as an officer, and once you are commissioned, you are firmly committed in whatever capacity you choose until your term expires, at which point you can choose to extend your term or to be discharged.</p>
<p>The pension system of the military is pretty tremendous. While I don’t know the exact financials, I do know that after twenty years, you qualify for a pension beginning at age 60. The amount of that pension is depends highly on the number of days you spend on active duty. That means that if you are in the reserves, you will only have 34 active days per year, as opposed to 250 as an active serviceman.</p>
<p>Military service is a great and honorable thing, and if it is right for you, it’s great that you’re thinking about it!</p>
<p>military retirement starts when you get out after 20 years… tons of people retire at 40, start taking their retirement pay, and get another job with the federal government making ~$100k on top of their retirement. Then when they hit 20 years of federal government service, they can retire and collect on that pension also.</p>
<p>what do you want to do? The military is a great employer and active duty members are VERY well compensated when you include all the benefits, despite what you read sometimes. The tax free housing money is extremely generous. If the career you want longterm has a comparable career track in the military, I would go active duty.</p>
<p>The downside of active duty is obviously that they can send you wherever they want.</p>
<p>whoops, I stand corrected! Thanks for that!</p>
<p>The difference is the required commitment and time. The reserves only require the time to go through training then a few days a month. Full time active duty Air Force requires you to be an airman and adhere to the demands of active duty. Both will pay for college so the real question is what your long term goals are. You could commit to active duty Air Force long enough to earn your degree while getting paid. Then shift into the reserves to shoot for your retirement and advance your schooling while going into the private sector and work force. The term in active duty will also look much better on your resume.</p>