Debating career paths...

[KyleScott27]

Hi, I just started on the forum and I have been pondering my future career. Can anyone help me compare and contrast a couple career options. I am 20 year old and am finishing up an AA degree. I will be completing EMT-B this summer and I will most likely attend the fire academy in the fall of this year. I know I want to get into the Emergency Services field but I am not sure what route I want to take. I have looked into firefighting locally, joining the airforce in hopes of becoming a pararescuer, and several other options. I am willing to do anything and everything which is why I like the idea of being a pararescuer, but wildland firefighting is also an interest of mine. If anyone has any input that could help me out it would be greatly appreciated!

Kyle

[KyleScott27]

Would it be more realistic(better?) to join the Airforce and try and become a pararescuer or to stay at my community college and become a paramedic and attend the fire academy here.

P.S. what other military options/other options do I have?

[cgerdes97]

Would it be more realistic(better?) to join the Airforce and try and become a pararescuer or to stay at my community college and become a paramedic and attend the fire academy here.

P.S. what other military options/other options do I have?

...I think you need to ask yourself what your long term plans are. If you want firefighting as a career, take that step. If you don't care/don't know and pararescue is your thing, join up and do it. Many incentives for a pararescue in the Air Force. You must be very fit and be determined to do it though. Don't count on recieving too many... in fact, don't count on recieving any fire certs if you wanna be a pararescue. You can count on EMT though, because, of course, that would be your job. Remember the movie Black Hawk Down? that's the kind of stuff PJ's do. Looks fun, but being deployed 190+ days of the year, each year isn't my style, I'm just fine and dany with my 130 days every 18 months.

[The1andOnly]

You're 20 years old. You won't really know what you want to do for a few more years. Even then, you could still change your mind.

There isn't anything wrong with that. One of my old professors told me while I was in Grad school, "the average person will change careers 6 times".

Follow your gut/heart. Even then your thoughts will change.

Sometimes you just have to go out on a limb and do what YOU think is right.

[KyleScott27]

Thanks for the advice, guys. Did not realize how much I would be deployed. All I really know is that I want to be in emergency services, I just don't know what steps I need to take. There are just so many different types of jobs in the emergency service field, I am basically trying to get a feel for what would suit me. I am a highly physically fit so that would be no problem, and I want an exciting job where I recieve tons of training in all different types of things. That is why being a PJ really appealed to me.