Yes, if I had it to do over again I would have attained my degree prior to joining. I was always interested in airplanes and flying. Being a pilot in the Air Force requires a degree as well as making it through flight school. Not having a degree at the time I went in as a mechanic (Crew Chief) thinking I could work my way through college and then become a pilot. Well, only a few have been successful at that route. I found it to be much more difficult once in as an enlisted person. I spent 11 years as an F-16, F-4, and A-10 Crew Chief.
Much of that time I also played around with computers in my off time and even ran the second largest BBS in the state out of my house at the time. I got *very* little sleep between the hours of mechanic work and the hours of programming and running a BBS by night. I decided it was time to drop one of the two and retrained into the Computer Programming field. Best move I ever made.
The only reason I got out of the Air Force is because they gave me an assignment to Mississippi to be an instructor and I no longer had the desire to move. Actually my kids were doing very well in school and didn't want to move. So my only option was to turn down the assignment and get out after my term was up.
No problem, I immediately tripled my salary upon entering the Civilian world as a programmer/administrator. I immediately started in a job making more than my full bird colonel commanding officer was making at the time I walked out the door. So that is something you might want to think about. I agree, with the others. If possible get your degree before going in. Get into a more technical field, one that you are interested in, and one that will be marketable when you get out.
All I can say is, the Air Force was the best thing that could have happened to me regarding my career path. You get to meet a lot of good people and learn about their life experiences which will no doubt be unlike your own, and you get to see much of the world (if you want to). Not to mention the outstanding training you will get (might not realize that benefit until you get out into the real world).
I don't want to suggest one direction or the other, I just wish you luck in whatever you choose to do.
[ September 26, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]