I personally have been in the AF for about 2 years and contrary to what many have said here, I have an excellent job. I know that not all bases are like mine and I really do feel like I've gotten lucky. I sit as the top level administrator for my base on a team of 5 people. My career field is a 3C0X1 and that basically means I'm a software and computer configuration guy but I also do a lot of 3C0X2 work which includes routers, switches and what have you. I work directly with microsoft and since we have recently done a consolidation of 13 bases to one giant domain(we lost a little control over the network when they took control of the domain) there are on site microsoft, and dell engineers who help us with things all the time. I really feel like my job couldn't get much better. I handle all WINS, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, RAS, e-mail gateways, and many other things. It's really a life consuming job but the learning involved is incredible. We have about 8000 users and 5000 computers on my base and it's constantly growing. I don't think that I'll ever see another job like this in the future.
There is a downside though, not everyone gets into a good position, YOU'RE IN THE FRIGGIN MILITARY, you contantly have to bend over and take one for the team, and the pay sucks. And I almost forgot to mention temporary duty to places like Florida, this is where I'll be for the next four months :(. These are some reasons why I will be leaving in a couple years. But you have to take it for what it's worth, you get some of the best experience possible if you apply yourself.
I think that anyone decently knowlegeable could really do something good for themselves coming into the AF, you have an opportunity to really do a lot. It's funny though, since not to many people do anything with their career. I guess it's just to easy to slack off. If you are a really determined to make something of yourself then go for, come join me in New Jersey and learn. This is definately an experience that I could never have gotten somewhere else.
If anyone has any other questions to ask me or would like some more insight into how things really are just drop me a line.
