Need opinion on ADT locations

[sethco]

Hi,

I am new to this forum, but I have a couple of questions. I am currently deferred for 1 year while I do a transitional year. After this, I will be doing a 4 year Flight surgery tour (I did not get chosen for an Anesthesia spot, but that is a totally different story). Anyway, I was about to sumbit my "rank order list" for base locations, and I have an overwhelming number to chose from. So my question is what is the difference between air combat command, air education and training command, air force materiel command, air force space command, air force special ops command, air mobility command, pacific air forces, us air forces in europe, and air force reserve command. I was mainly looking for answers regarding responsibilities, mission types, and (most importantly per my wife) chances of deployment. Any help I can get from people who would know anything would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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[bogatyr]

What, no Missile Command? That game was sweet! Not being in the Air Force, my vote is for Space Command.

 

[zeusdoc]

Sethco,

If you have the option, go with a Training spot. As a flight doctor your chances of being deployed are directly linked to the squadron that you cover, thus if you provide healthcare for a training squadron, your chances of being deployed are very much decreased, almost zero since they don't deploy "training" individuals.

A friend of mine did 2 years with the Thunderbirds and then 2 years at the Air Force Academy. Both pretty sweet gigs, plus a very low probability of getting deployed.

MHO, hope it helps.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

So my question is what is the difference between air combat command, air education and training command, air force materiel command, air force space command, air force special ops command, air mobility command, pacific air forces, us air forces in europe, and air force reserve command. I was mainly looking for answers regarding responsibilities, mission types, and (most importantly per my wife) chances of deployment. Any help I can get from people who would know anything would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

ACC, PACAF, and USAFE all have a very high speed, anal retentive, perfectionist, kind of mentalitity. You WILL be deployed. However, if you like flying fighters these are the commands for you (unless you get stuck at a bomber base).

AETC is even MORE anal rententive, doing things by the book, no exceptions (even for common sense). If you like never ending reams of paperwork and administrative headaches, this is the command for you. plus side is, you probably won't be deployed at all.

AFSOC is full of snake eaters. You will be deployed all the time. Upside is no-nonsense attitude and low tolerance for BS.

Space command is sleepy command. You will have a much slower pace here. Downside is the possibility of getting stuck at a ICBM base like Minot.

It is obviously more complicated than I've presented it here, but hopefully what I've said is of some help. Good luck to you!

 

[sethco]

Thanks to all for the responses. I can't begin to tell you how many choices there really are for flight surgeons. Which leads leads me to a couple more questions. If a base serves as a training location and a combat command location, which one would I get assigned to (ex. Minot AFB)? What is the deal with the air force material command (i.e What do they do?) What does the space command do?

BTW, ZeusDoc, are you talking about Dave (an Anesthesia resident at WHMC/BAMC)? I believe he was stationed with the thunderbirds and at the AFA before going into residency at San Antonio. Are the thunderbirds out of Nellis?

Seth

 

[FliteSurgn]

Please remember that your list is pretty much just to make you feel like you have some input. The AF will stick you anywhere they want. Most of the time it will make no sense whatsoever.

For example, I did my civilian internship in the same city as a large AFB and really wanted to stay there as a flight surgeon. I met the flight surgeons when I went in for my flight physical. They were desperate for more physicians and were elated to hear that I wanted to be there. The chief flight surgeon and I both called the assignment people to help grease the wheels. I got my assignment and it was 500 miles from where I wanted to be. At flight surgeon school I met the 2 flight surgeons that got the assignment that I wanted....one of them had that base near the bottom of their list and the other...well he didn't even turn in a list. When I asked the assignment person about that (he was brave enough to come to the flight surgeon's course one day), he said that it must've been because there were fewer moving expenses with the way he chose...because that is one of the deciding factors that he uses. He got real sheepish when I told him that I was living in the sme city as the base...my moving expenses would have been ZERO dollars. The look on his face, PRICELESS. A$$hole.

 

[sethco]

Oh...Just one more question. What is mobility command?

 

[sethco]

Please remember that your list is pretty much just to make you feel like you have some input. The AF will stick you anywhere they want. Most of the time it will make no sense whatsoever.

For example, I did my civilian internship in the same city as a large AFB and really wanted to stay there as a flight surgeon. I met the flight surgeons when I went in for my flight physical. They were desperate for more physicians and were elated to hear that I wanted to be there. The chief flight surgeon and I both called the assignment people to help grease the wheels. I got my assignment and it was 500 miles from where I wanted to be. At flight surgeon school I met the 2 flight surgeons that got the assignment that I wanted....one of them had that base near the bottom of their list and the other...well he didn't even turn in a list. When I asked the assignment person about that (he was brave enough to come to the flight surgeon's course one day), he said that it must've been because there were fewer moving expenses with the way he chose...because that is one of the deciding factors that he uses. He got real sheepish when I told him that I was living in the sme city as the base...my moving expenses would have been ZERO dollars. The look on his face, PRICELESS. A$$hole.

 

[zeusdoc]

Sounds like the same one, though I don't know all the residents there. Yes, the Thunderbirds are stationed at Nellis, near Las Vegas.

 

[FliteSurgn]

Oh...Just one more question. What is mobility command?

AMC=Air Mobility Command

AMC is responsible for moving (mobilizing) assets. Lots of cargo planes and refuelers. Easy to get your flight hours since most flights are at least 4 hours long. Deployed frequently, but rotate out on fairly regular basis. When I was a FS in AMC, we'd go for 45 days at a time every 6-12 months. This has probably changed though with the current Bush policy.

If you don't want to deploy, AETC is probably the best bet. Docs in AETC can and do get deployed, but not flight surgeons.