Welcome to the Scientist AFSC discussion blog. The purpose of this blog is to foster discussion between future Air Force officers interested in the Scientist career field and current officers in the scientist AFSC. The views expressed in this blog are solely the opinions of the individual authors and not of the United States Air Force nor the Department of Defense.
As a chemist in the Air Force, your first assignment will most likely be in AFRL. AFRL is located at 10 bases throughout the country. You will learn about managing research programs, and some might get to participate in bench level research along with program management. Your first assignment as a chemist is a good time to work on an advanced degree. An advanced degree is crucial in advancing your career as a scientist. Working in the labs is much less structured than what you will be used to here at USAFA, and you will be working with mostly civilians. Your boss will even most likely be a civilian researcher. You will attend Acquisitions training and after your first assignment should be level 2 certified. What that means, I still haven’t figured out.
So you suggested our first assignment as the best time for seeking an advanced degree. Won't it be hard juggling these two tasks? Also, do all your comments apply to being a biologist?
From my experience, because biologists are grouped in with chemists in the 61C shred, there is really no difference between the two. I have worked with 2 "biologists" and they were doing the same type of work I was as a chemist.
Your first assignment will most likely have a slower ops tempo than your future assignments. From my experience and most other's, it is definitely the best time to peruse your masters.
I did my masters classes at night, and I wrote my thesis on the research that I did for the AF as my job. You can kill 2 birds with one stone that way. Also, allot of times, your first assignment is the best chance you have to actually do research in the lab, so use it to your advantage.
5 comments:
As a chemist in the Air Force, your first assignment will most likely be in AFRL. AFRL is located at 10 bases throughout the country. You will learn about managing research programs, and some might get to participate in bench level research along with program management. Your first assignment as a chemist is a good time to work on an advanced degree. An advanced degree is crucial in advancing your career as a scientist. Working in the labs is much less structured than what you will be used to here at USAFA, and you will be working with mostly civilians. Your boss will even most likely be a civilian researcher. You will attend Acquisitions training and after your first assignment should be level 2 certified. What that means, I still haven’t figured out.
So you suggested our first assignment as the best time for seeking an advanced degree. Won't it be hard juggling these two tasks? Also, do all your comments apply to being a biologist?
From my experience, because biologists are grouped in with chemists in the 61C shred, there is really no difference between the two. I have worked with 2 "biologists" and they were doing the same type of work I was as a chemist.
Your first assignment will most likely have a slower ops tempo than your future assignments. From my experience and most other's, it is definitely the best time to peruse your masters.
I did my masters classes at night, and I wrote my thesis on the research that I did for the AF as my job. You can kill 2 birds with one stone that way. Also, allot of times, your first assignment is the best chance you have to actually do research in the lab, so use it to your advantage.
Did you get your masters online? Or apply through AFIT?
I will be entering AD as a Biologist soon at Wright Patt and I was wondering, what did you get your master's degree in?
Post a Comment