Getting in Airforce- credit

[sara71985]

So I am new here, kind of lurk a lot. I am trying to get into the Air Force but my credit needs to be improved in order to do so. I was wondering if anyone knows the best methods to quickly get my tradelines removed as I have several collection accounts (about 8 and a repossesion total debt about 11k) I will soon have the money to pay and I believe if they are updated to say "paid in full- charge off" this will still look bad on my credit and the AF may reject me. Does anyone know if they still wont let me in if I have paid ALL of my debt except the 20K in student loans I have (which are in good standing, still in school). I am wondering if I will have to try to work to get these all completely deleted or if it will be ok to show a paid charge off. I was thinking of sending pay for delete letters and offering 50% initially and upping it if they dont agree. Hopefully the AF will see I at least worked to pay it all off if they are not deleted. If not I can wait another 2 years until I am done with school and comission and most tradelines should be dropped off. Sorry for all of the questions but any thoughts are apreciated.

[criggs]

Sara

 

Who told you that your credit needs to be improved in order to join? Also what fields are you interested in?

[sara71985]

I told the recruiter what kinds of things were on it and he said to pay it off and he will check on me in 6 months. He said that with any outstanding debt/ bad credit he would need a waiver done to show it is being paid and taken care of. He said one girl had just 1 outstanding phone bill and she had to make sure arrangements were made and he had to do a waiver on her. So I know my 8 and repossesion looks really bad. I should have asked if when they are paid it will be ok as I will pay it all within 6 months, but it sounded like since he was asking how many 120 day lates I had it will matter. I think if they are paid and they do a waiver I will be ok writing a letter as I have what I think is a good reason, I can tell them I was a single mom (will be married before I join) underemployed and I have a judgement against me so was garnished for medical bills in 2007. So coinciding with that time I opened credit card accounts in order to pay rent/ buy food and couldnt pay them back until I was finally more gainfully employed in the last year or so. Hopefully if I show I am now improving making an effort and paid everything back it will be ok. But I want to drop them off just in case. And as far as what I want to do I am sure it does not require any kind of special clearance as I am going to school to eventually be a nurse and I would like to be an Aerospace medical aprentice which is basically like a medical assistant until I can try to comission to be a nurse.

[criggs]

Sounds like the Recruiter blew you off to me. Credit is not a qualifing factor to enter the service only for clearances, or jobs dealing with money.

 

By chance did you take a practice test in his office? and if so did you score abovea 50?

[sara71985]

I didnt even go to the office just called and was asked all of the qualifying questions. I did tell him I had over 30 college credits so even thought I didnt take a practice test he should know I wouldnt have a terribly low score, since I have taken all college level math, english etc. I know there is other stuff on the test, but there should be no other reason I am not qualified that he is blowing me off. I did read a few different places that AF does credit checks on EVERYONE just to be sure of their integrity, character etc. But the other branches only do checks for clearance, so maybe that is why. So mostly my concern is if my chances are better to just pay off everyone in full quickly and try to get in soon, though im not in much of a hurry but would be nice to start putting in my time, or if I should send pay for delete letters and wait for responses before I pay. I guess if the letter says 15 days it wont be too long and seems worth the time and effort to try and just be patient. Oh I also chatted with a seperate recruiter on the AF website who said pretty much the same thing that credit is looked at.

[swanky]

While there is not a credit score requirement to join, the Air Force does have an obligation to ensure that all

financial obligations are met. Since the recruiters are aware of finanical issues they are obligated to

address them as part of the "recruitment" process. The AF does not want collection agencies

and creditors blowing up their phone lines at Basic Training and Tech School's. The recruiters also

know that new recruits do not have a lot of money and would not be able to focus on training/job

with financial issues. No offense but if a recruiter sent me a new troop like that I would

have his @@@. The military is the LAST place you want to have really bad credit. Creditors

know they can call your leadership and you will get in deep trouble. MUCH worst than

being a civilian with bad credit. This is from experience.

 

BTW, credit is checked EVERYWHERE in the military. Everyone is required to get

a government travel card...yep credit check. In the AF a LOT of jobs require a

security clearance...yep credit check. etc, etc.

 

Swanky,

SMSgt, USAF

[neonlinux]

I have no idea about the USAF. Though when I joined the Army, about a week after signing contracts and being sworn in at MEP's, an inquiry popped up on my credit report. Said it was from the Gov and it clearly states for Employment purposes on it. I have a collection account for $539 which is currently waiting on a reply to my DV letter. I was asked at MEP's if I had any bad credit and I was honest about that one thing. He asked what I was going to do about it and they let me go on and sign contracts.

 

If you do not like the recruiter, you can always go in person to a different one.

[swanky]

I have no idea about the USAF. Though when I joined the Army, about a week after signing contracts and being sworn in at MEP's, an inquiry popped up on my credit report. Said it was from the Gov and it clearly states for Employment purposes on it. I have a collection account for $539 which is currently waiting on a reply to my DV letter. I was asked at MEP's if I had any bad credit and I was honest about that one thing. He asked what I was going to do about it and they let me go on and sign contracts.

 

If you do not like the recruiter, you can always go in person to a different one.

 

Could you even imagine trying to go through basic and AIT while trying to deal with major credit issues? That stuff is hard enough as it is.

Then bringing all that baggage to your first base...how long would a young troop be able to keep that under control.

[sara71985]

I am not worried about having the outstanding debt as before I try to go in I plan to have it ALL paid off except the 20K in good standing student loans. I just am a little worried that if I pay if all off they will STILL reject me because they show as paid collections meaning at one point I had collections. I guess I will try to clean them off completely as much as possible and see what happens.

[swanky]

As long as they are paid for you should be ok. You can get a military deferal for the student loans if you want also.

You would have to be real careful on what job you pick. There are very few jobs in the AF nowdays that do not

require a clearance at some point. That is where your credit really gets picked apart. I Just wanted you to be

aware that there is a lot of stress involved with having bad credit in the military. Don't get me wrong, there are

PLENTY of people in the military with awful credit...it is just a hard way to live. wish you the best

of luck and hope you join.

[Phlogistawn]

I am currently USAF AD member...

 

The recruiter is correct, a credit waiver would be necessary even after the fact of the paid off debts... here was my story going in

 

Was in college early 90's got a Circuit City card cause the salesman said i get an extra % off the price... and there was also no interest no payments for such n such time... asked if i could make payments early w/out getting charged interest in which they said yes... so i make my payments and soon afterwards i notice interest charges showing up for no reason... at any rate whether it was my fault or not i was mad and defaulted the remaining measly 83$. In early 2000 i bought a house, while getting the mortgage, condition was to get this taken care or else the loan would be harder to approve... ok so situation taken care of... a few years later, i think right before the thing fell off the credit report i walk into the recruiter and try to join airforce. He pulls credit and what not see's this item and wants all the paperwork surrounding it to prove it had been taken care of and what not... and with all of this i STILL needed a credit waiver. also because of this credit waiver i missed out on the 5 top of the 8 jobs i wanted... i got 99's accross the board on the MEP's ASVAB test so the only thing that stopped me was that waiver :{

 

Long story short... AF takes credit very seriously, there are many mid to high security level jobs... Credit issues will disqualify for all jobs requiring top secret clearance... The AF out look is, you become a threat to national security with credit problems and they feel that if offered a certain amount of money you can be bought and sold for secrets.

 

it may sound strange but even being a flight attendant/stewardess requires TS clearance.

 

basic training = you have NO free time and are basically cut off from the outside world for about 5-8 weeks so there is no time to be thinking or attempting to pay bills nor do they want you to think about that

 

your specialty training isnt as bad but its close... and depending on your job you can be in training for that anywhere from 1 month to 24 months.

 

Recently i know of a troop who got into serious credit problems... She was issued an Article 15, UIF (unfavorable information file), and had her security clearance pulled. Resulting in her getting removed from her current job for a min of 6 mnths and is not approved for promotion consideration this year.

 

I know it sounds bleak but just wanted to offer some more insight from personal experience....

 

now hopefully this will be some good news...

depending on your current age you probably have some time to fix your issues

27.5 for enlisted

34.5 for officer

 

so get to work on those debts and i would get more assistance/advice from the recruiter... if you dont like him/her go to a different one...

and check back with them monthly/quarterly to show them your progress :}

 

good luck to ya and see ya on the other side in the blue :}

[hinklesc]

Good luck on this!!!

 

When I went into the military, I was 17 so I was a blank slate.

 

I never really thought of this, but many of the younger people (18-21) could really care less about credit.

 

Even when I was on Active Duty all I applied for and received on my own was an AT&T calling card to call home. Everything else was denied (either limited history or LOW income!).

 

Thank you in advance for your service (Even if in the Chair Force).

[swanky]

Good luck on this!!!

 

When I went into the military, I was 17 so I was a blank slate.

 

I never really thought of this, but many of the younger people (18-21) could really care less about credit.

 

Even when I was on Active Duty all I applied for and received on my own was an AT&T calling card to call home. Everything else was denied (either limited history or LOW income!).

 

Thank you in advance for your service (Even if in the Chair Force).

 

Hey now...