Staff Sgt.

Andrew Gobble didn't start off in the Air Force, but after two years of

college he knew he wanted a change. He visited a recruiter, joined the

Air Force and finished college. Now he is a recruiter and he wants young

adults in the area to know that if they have questions about joining the

service he is one person they can talk to.

This is typically

the busiest time of year for a recruiter. Students are about to graduate

from high school or are heading into their senior year and are getting

nervous about the decisions the have made or have yet to make concerning

their future.

"It's

a big decision," said Gobble. "My job is just to talk with them

and answer any questions they have."

Students entering

the Air Force can do school and the service at the same time. The initial

enlistment is for four years, at the end of which the enlisted can either

renew or leave. Gobble has been in for 12 years but is hoping to have

a civilian job in Avionics with Lockheed or Delta when he does leave the

military.

"The Air

Force runs on normal work hours," stated Gobble. "It is usually

7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, so there is plenty of time for school.

Some people do school during the day and work in the Air Force at night."

Gobble says

he runs into several misconceptions from the people he talks to. One is

that the Air Force guarantees jobs.

"We try

to narrow down their interests, but they have to take a test which shows

them which jobs they would be qualified for," said Gobble. "Another

big one is that you have to fly if you are in the Air Force and that isn't

true at all. There are many non-flying jobs."

Gobble finds

that almost any job available in the civilian world is available in the

Air Force.

Though there

are usually quotas that the service branches are trying to reach each

year, most of those quotas are filled since enlistment jumped after Sept.

11.

Those who enlist

in the Air Force get free tuition to the Community College of the Air

Force or any college within the range of the base, travel, stability and

experience. many people are attracted to the Air Force because of its

reputation for a solid technical background. Gobble also finds that the

quality of life in the Air Force is different from other branches of the

service. After basic, each person has his or her own dorm room and the

living and dining facilities are top-notch.

If you would

like to talk to Staff Sgt. Gobble, phone 770-997-3477 or e-mail him at

[email protected] .