Air Force and Climbing

[Erik]

Greetings,

This may seem like a strange question and forgive me for going off topic.  However, I just saw that the Air Force has raised the enlistment age to 39 and have always considered serving in the military.  I'm currently 35, just transitioning from teaching overseas for sometime, and was wondering if it is possible to continue to progress in climbing after enlisting in the Air Force.  I know it may be a shot-in-the-dark to even be accepted, and is a different career approach for someone my age to take, but if they accept me, I'll go.  Anyway, any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks.  

[MarkAnderson]

Erik,

Interesting question. Forgive me if you already know this, but I served in the USAF for nearly five years, and improved more in those years than I have in any other similar-length stretch of my career. But that's nothing. Mike has been in the Air Force for the last 20 years (including his Academy days), and is currently a Lt. Colonel. So yes, it is certainly possible.

That said, it completely depends on your career field, your assignments, and your duty station. Imagine I said that several times because it bares repeating.  You could spend most of the next four years working 8-5 at a desk, or you could be pulling 16 hour shifts at all hours of day and night, with barely enough energy to sleep at the end of each grueling day.  You could be stationed in a climber's-paradise like Las Vegas, or you could spend most of your tour in Afghanistan/Iraq/Guam/North Dakota or some other place where you have no access to gyms or rock.  Those factors will go a long way towards determining how much a military career helps or hurts your climbing.  

The good news is, you chose the USAF, so your odds of a sedentary, stateside work environment are much greater.  I imagine the Navy would be the worst-case, spending 6-months or more at sea each year (and from what I hear sailors work long hours even when they're on shore).  You probably won't have much control over your career field, regardless of what your recruiter tells you.  You will have even less control over your assignment and duty station, so consider it a gamble.  Even if the cards don't fall in your favor, where there's a will, there's often a way.  Mike was able to keep right on training during a 6-month stint in Afghanistan, and sent one of the hardest routes of his career 3 weeks after he returned.  But, Mike is an officer and he has a lot more latitude than a typical airman.

[Erik]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the reply and on Valentine's day to boot!  Did you go in as enlisted?  Since my background is in business as well as education, I was hoping to get into logistics or administration.  Ever consider making some training devices for the military climbers?  Something you could use at tech school, or when you're in the dorms.  Anyway, thanks for the advice.  I'm planning on talking to a recruiter soon.  

Erik 

[MarkAnderson]

I went through ROTC, so I was an officer during my entire time on active duty.

We have not considered making training devices for military climbers, but we have written extensively on our blog about how you can make things for yourself, including the apparatus Mike used to train while in Afghanistan.

[Charlie S]

Another option is a civilian career with the USAF. That gives you a little more control over your location and career choice.

There's a very large logistics contingent at Hill AFB in Ogden, UT. Can't speak for CO, but there are at least 3 bases plus USAFA, if I recall correctly.