Thoughts on Space ForceAnswered
So I’m a current junior and in love with anything science, engineering, and space. And one path I could choose after high school is going into the Space Force (a new branch in the military). What are the pros and cons with that, and would it be more beneficial than going to a university?
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1 answer
Before I start I'd like to say that a lot of this is anecdotal evidence from my experience with friends or acquaintances who are in the military (not Space Force) and ROTC and are in High School and College, so please take this with a grain of salt.
If you wanted to become an astronaut, I would say that joining the military (especially the Air Force) is a great start. According to Veterans United, "219 of the 330 current and former U.S. astronauts also served in the armed forces."
If you're thinking of going into engineering, I'd venture that going to university would be the better idea. Just taking a look at the careers sections on the Space Force's website would be a good start. I guess a rough term for it might be "errand" work, but, again, you'll get a better picture of what its like by looking at their website rather than listening to me. You won't be building rockets but you might get a chance to work at the facilities or help with launches. They've also got positions for engineers, but those jobs require that you have a degree, so going straight to university would be a more direct path into the space industry and STEM.
If you really do want to join the military/Space Force, ROTC is a way that students are able to pay for college and also end up in the military afterwards. Be aware that going into ROTC is a big commitment, so I'd say that the best answer to your question is to go to the Space Force's website and to research ROTC to really get a picture of what you might be getting into. If you know anyone in the military, that'd be a great way to get a picture of what the job might entail as the different branches all have the same basic structures.
P.S. If you go to recruiters their whole goal is to get you enlisted and "sell" the military to you, so their not exactly going to be giving you the cold hard truth of what enlisting will entail (even if its just the Space Force).
Sources:
https://www.veteransunited.com/network/to-the-battlefield-and-beyond-military-members-in-space/
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