I've been an Air Force wife for almost 9 years. If you live off base, you will get a housing allowance based on what the cost of living is in the area. That doesn't mean that what you get will cover your rent and electricity. We live in base housing in Florida. You may or may not immediately get into base housing when you get to your duty station. So you might have to get on the housing waiting list and live off base for a while. If he can get in with a higher rank because of his degree, go for it--he'll make more money. The pay can be crappy, but the health insurance is great, especially since they paid for my surgery. Whether or not he would go to war depends on his career field. My husband has been lucky and hasn't had to go anywhere. He volunteered to go to Iceland once for 3 months several years ago. When my husband was in basic training it was 6 weeks long. Then his tech school was 3 months. You don't get to join him until he goes to his first base unless it is a very long tech school (like a year or something). The military doesn't pay your rent while he is in basic or tech school. As a matter of fact I had a hard time getting any of his pay. He had to send it to me. And well he had other things on his mind. But then again this was almost 9 years ago. I think now you have to have direct deposit set up first. Initially he will get to fill out a "dream sheet" of bases that he wants to go to. There is no guarantee that he will go to any of those bases. They will send him where there is an opening. I don't think there is a base in France, but there are in Hawaii, England and Germany. As a matter of fact we are moving to England in August. Not everyone moves alot. Eglin was our first base and we have been here almost 9 years. My husband put in for the move, that it how we ended up getting England. I can't wait. I hope I answered some of your questions. Brandi

Hey!! Wow thanks for all the info!! I thought I understood everything but now I am left a little confused so please help me clear up my head some. You can go in as enlisted (what does that mean?) or go in um the 'other' way (haha what is that way called?) and there is a difference in how u go in? Like money wise? Can you tell me more about that? He does have an associates degree in um Computer drafting/autocad, he went to a two year technical college, but wouldn't mind doing more schooling in the military or he'd like to do a job that he can use his degree for. I was thinking if he went to school in the air force then he wouldn't be sent out (deployed) lol and when he was done with the schooling then he could get a better job in the af and make more money. But then he is thinking the coast guard as well because they (from the info I've gathered) kind of stay here in the US and hmm we'd probably be living on a coast (can't hate that lol) The reason I am researching so much online and trying to talk to people is because this way when we talk to recruiters we are alot more informed and probably won't be bull****ted by them, we'll know what we want and how to get it kwim? I have been trying to talk to as many people about the af and coast guard as humanly possible so we are completely prepared for a recruiter to bull**** us and tell us what we want to hear (not that they all do). So I really appreciate it when people educate me!! I won't mind moving, I hate this town I'm in, it's run down and everyone is becoming heroin addicts..yuck!! And I don't think I'll have a problem with moving every so often, a change of scenery is always nice. Thanks again to you and everyone who has helped to educate me I truly appreciate it!! ~Tema

I had heard this somewhere I think on OH can't remember I have talked to sooo many people about the air force and coast guard..things got a little mixed lol! Anyhow I thought one lady who was trying to help me understand things better had said that the air force was downsizing and not really taking people. Can anyone else agree with that? Usually if more than one person tells me the same thing I drop it and assume it's true lol. ~Tema

Sorry it was late, i misread it, my apologies. The coas guard is a good option, Always by a beach! Still all the benifits of the military. Sorry again, good luck

I am an Air Force wife of 6 years, this is what I can tell you: yes you get a housing allowance, it does not always cover your rent, so you make up the diffrence. i will be frank with you, the pay sucks, compared to the civilian world. You said you hoped he got sent to a war zone for the money! You need to reevaluate that. Trust me no ammount of money is worth his life, my husband has been to Saudi once, we have been lucky. You stop watching the news, you fear every knock on the door will be 2 uniformed officers with bad news. Yeah it's better pay but at what price. Food allowance is around 200 a month, boot camp is 6 months. When he goes to school tou will move with him only if his school is a certin length. You can be sent anywhere, anytime, without warning. If he has a 4 year degree i would have him look into becomming an officer, you get paid about 3 times as much, but you move about every 2 years. Now on a brighter note, I love the Air Foce. We are an air force family though and through! We love the challange that comes with every new base. We take advantage of the programs, both my husband and I are getting our school paid for. I am getting my surgery paid for.It truely takes a certin kind of woman to be a military wife. Good Luck. and don't believe anything a recruiter says!