Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 7/12/2009

Question
I really want to join the Airforce, but i didn't finish high school cause i got pregnant, then i had to work to support me and my baby, I'm 22 now and really want a change in life. I read that i could still be accepted in with a GED, 15 semester hours, and 5 classes at 3 credits each, is that true, and is there any advice that you can give me as to what to do? my cousin and my sis in law are both in it now and they were trying to find out info but it was very difficult.

Answer
Stephanie,
I'm glad you asked an expert, friends and family usually give bad advice on these matters.

Each of the services strictly limit the number of high school dropouts (which includes GED holders) who can enlist each year. This is because years of military enlistment statistics have shown that this category of enlistees fail to complete their entire first term of military service at about twice the rate of those with a high school diploma or those with college credits.

The Air Force is the most strict on this matter.  The Air Force allows less than 1% of annual enlistments to be recruits without a high school diploma.  The Marines have the next highest standards.  No more than 5% of Marine recruits can be GED-holders. The Army and the Navy both allow no more than 10% GED enlistments each year.  So your chances of joining with a GED is better with the Army or the Navy.  They both are having difficulty getting enough recruits while the Air Force isn't having any problems

There are always many more GED-holders who want to enlist than there are available slots, so -- even to be considered -- a GED holder must score much higher on the ASVAB, than a high school diploma recruit.  However, if a recruit has 15 or more college credits (which is 5 classes because each class is usually worth 3 credits), he/she is in the exact same enlistment category as a high school diploma holder.

However, there are many factors enlisting with a GED as opposed to enlisting with a traditional High School diploma.  These are:
- You must obtain a 65 qualifying score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude
Battery (ASVAB).
- GED applicants must wait on slots to become available, and this can sometimes mean
waiting periods of up to one year.

Getting 15 or more college credits is tricky because you can't even get into college without having a GED first.

So here's what I recommend:  
Start working on your GED right now.  Forget the Air Force, realistically you'll never make it.
Then on October 1st go see an Army recruiter.  That's because all the recruiters get their new quotas for 2010 on October 1st.  You want to be first in line so you know for sure the recruiter hasn't possibly reached his quota yet.  By then you'll have made progress on your GED and you can tell him when you expect to complete your GED.  Don't worry about college classes, get that GED first.

Don't be disappointed about the AF.  Life in all the Services is basically the same, just different missions…ground, sea, air, etc. plus you want to increase your chances of getting in don't you?
I'm sure you and your child could use a steady paycheck and the benefits can't be beat.  It's a great way to raise a child!
Best wishes,
Colonel H