u/Straight_Ad9856

I wanted to share my Air Force journey so far with anyone who's feeling discouraged.

Walked into the recruiter's office August 2025

MEPS September 2025

DQ'd at MEPS

First waiver submission October 2025

November 2025- April 2026: Continuous waiver information requests and testing

May 2026 waiver approved

August 2026 #1 Job booked for Nov

I know it's hard; I would spend countless nights sitting and reading this subreddit. Sometimes it helped; other times it stressed me out more. I turned down a lot of opportunities while pursuing the Air Force, and now I don't regret any of it. You got this; it takes time. Give yourself some grace and take a deep breath. Something I wish I had done more throughout this process.

I got offered a new job that pays about $20k more than what I make now. I'm about a month into DEP after waiting 7 months for a waiver.

I'd like to take the job if I'm going to be in DEP for a while, but I'm worried it could hurt my security clearance since I've already had several jobs.

Has anyone taken a new job while in DEP? Did it cause any issues with your clearance or enlistment process?

I’ve heard mixed answers on here about how job assignments work and just wanted to pick everyone’s brain.

I know recruiters have a draft style system for assigning jobs depending on where applicants fall on their list. I’ve heard this usually only happens once a month, except for quick ship jobs.

But I’ve also seen people say they got assigned jobs randomly throughout the month that weren’t quick ship openings. Can you really get assigned a job at any time/day, or are most jobs only assigned during the monthly booking cycle?

^(Heres my job list,)

^(Any comments/recommendations?)

^(What job am I most likely to book?)

What's on everyone else's list?

1. Fire Protection

2. Diagnostic Imaging

3. Aerospace Medical

4. Physical Med

5. Emergency Management

6. Aerospace Physiology