Expert: James Bell - 5/4/2009

Question
i dropped out of high school when i was 16..i am almost 20 and alot wiser..i finally made the decision to enlist but was told the air force will not take me...how can i make my dreams come true and enlist... my dream has always been the air force since i was little and saw my first air and sea show...can you please give me any advice..thanks

Answer
Troy -

Many times people have written me about regretting dropping out of high school.  They don't realize how important it is until they start looking at what they want to do with their lives, then realize a simple decision when they were younger impacts them forever.

I guess the question I would pose to you is, if joining the Air Force had been such a life-long dream, why did you drop out?  Having a high school diploma is one of the basic requirements to join.

The Air Force will accept you as long as you have a GED, plus a specific number of college credits (you would need to check with a recruiter to see the exact amount, as I am uncertain).  The Air Force considers this essential as your high school education is the foundation on which your military training will build upon.  

Military training and life is much more stressful and demands more of you -- physically and mentally -- than just sitting in a high school classroom.  I would imagine that their position is, if you can't handle getting through high school, how would you be able to handle what a military career is going to put you through?  The failure rate is much higher.

At any rate, check with a recruiter to see how many college credits you need, in addition to a GED, to get accepted into the U. S. Air Force.

Sincerely,
James Bell