So my sister joined the USAF...

And I'm wondering where she might be stationed? She just left Monday for bootcamp in TX and she signed to be a medical technician. I'm guessing she'll be stationed somewhere that has a hospital. Do all Air Force bases have hospitals or just the big ones? What are the chances she'll get stationed overseas? (I kind of hope so, that would give me ANOTHER excuse to go abroad - in my six year stint in the Navy I spent a grand total of 18 hours on foreign soil ). Renting a VX220 and taking a tour of the 'Ring sounds awesome right about now...

I know it's a little early to start worrying but I'm just wondering what some of you might think or what experience you may have in this type of situation. TIA!

The overseas stuff is drying up, but is still there. Ramstien had a large hospital, but Langstuhl (sp?) has been taken over mostly by the Army. Stateside, there are a few places that have big hospitals. Offutt in Nebraska, Wilford Hall at Lackland in TX (Where she is now). But depending on what her specialty is, she could end up almost anywhere.

Almost every base has a clinic that varies in size. Here at Schriever (The Air Force answer to office park) we have a limited clinic with maybe two doctors and ahandful of techs. There are also positions at most indocs stations in major cities (MEPS is what we called them when I joined).

Regradless, after she gets established, she can count on at least one tour in The Suck or Asskrackastan. It won't be front line stuff, but definetly in a support role.

Just make sure she does take the GI Bill. Its hurts a bot coming out of your puny check when you're first starting out, but oh god, that was the best finiacial decision I have ever made. 3 degrees later I still have some of that money left and I can use it for any certified training (I also used it to pay for my welding class.) when I retire on four years.

She probably won't find out where she's going until after her tech school, which wil be her next base after Lackland. But after 17 years of this, if I haven't been there, I have a buddy who has, so when you find out where she's headed post up. I'm also not the only current or ex wingnnut here, so I am sure there is lots of good advice.

I wish her luck. It's an old saying but it's true - You get out of the military what you put in. If she can put up with the politics and B/S she'll be fine.

I told her to sign up for the GI Bill and also the college fund if it's available to her.

I should have signed up for college earlier after getting out of the Navy, I'm about 5 classes shy of a Bachelor's and I'm running out of time. I may end up paying for the last few classes out of pocket...

Thanks for the input, I'll let you know where she is so we can help her make some friends - although I doubt she's going to have a problem, everybody that meets her likes her. She's a good kid.