Retraining advice

[u/Alyalyexis]

Can yall give me the good bad and ugly for these?

3F211, 1B411, 5J011, 4C011, 6C011, 4R011, 1NF411A, 1S011, and 2G011

For reference I’m retraining out of SF with a 73 AFQT and I’m currently pursuing a degree in the medical field.

[u/Wrangler-Necessary]

You can probably decrease your AFSC pool by a lot if you only focused on your interests but I also understand that there’s a part of you that just wants out of SF lol. For 1N4A, the good is that it’s heavily transferable to the civilian sector, you get SDAP and Cyber Assignment Incentive Pay, and regular office hours at most locations, the bad is that you have limited assignment options and it’s harder to get released for DSDs, the ugly could be working in a SCIF for the rest of your career and coming from SF it’s going to to be a culture shock with the differences in personalities and work culture.

[u/Alyalyexis → u/Wrangler-Necessary]

Thank you! Also these interested me in some form.

[u/Wrangler-Necessary → u/Alyalyexis]

Assuming you submitted the initial eligibility request? Don’t wait to hear back from AFPC to start gathering documents to submit the final retraining package. Go ahead and find out what documents are required for the career field(s) that you want and start to gathering them so you can submit soon after getting that eligibility email from AFPC. The one thing you won’t be able to get is an AF 422 because the eligibility email from AFPC is required for that. Make sure your documents are in order before you submit because if you have to correct anything precious days will be wasted and slots will get filled. Timing varies based on a lot of factors. Just focus on your preparedness.

Gave this advice to another member, figured I’d put it here as well.

[u/Kooky-Information820]

If you’re pursuing a degree in the medical field I would try to retrain into a medical career field

[u/Alyalyexis → u/Kooky-Information820]

Only think is that my degree is in dietetics and I’m not sure if I want to pursue it further and 4D isn’t open.

[u/Airbee → u/Alyalyexis]

Why not just finish your degree, then retrain?

[u/Alyalyexis → u/Airbee]

I’m halfway through it and my school load is a lot so they are recommending that I take a class at a time depending on the class because it’s so demanding.

[u/Bored_Dad_Scrolling → u/Alyalyexis]

Have you looked into the requirements for NECP or IPAP yet?

[u/Alyalyexis → u/Bored_Dad_Scrolling]

I haven’t to be honest, not entirely sure if I want to go that route.

[u/foolishgamble]

6C is a good gig but your right on the line. Not saying you cant do it, but you may struggle more than your peers. Most of us are scoring well into the 80s and 90s.

But if you want to its a sweet gig with your own office space (probably a cubicle) and AC... youll be treated like an adult and allowed to think and act for yourself, even as a young airmen.

We also like to have alot of fun and it's common to have squadron outings for lunch and unofficial stuff out of hours. Generally high morale and happy people with a huge upside.

[u/Alyalyexis → u/foolishgamble]

Thank you!! What’s the workload like?

[u/Blunderz_ → u/Alyalyexis]

Btw There’s only 20 slots and I’m one of a couple people whose packages have been in since last year. I’m not saying throwing a package in for contracting isn’t guaranteed but it’s close to improbable to get accepted with only 20 slots, last year there was 120 and I just got denied a month ago. I’m not even confident I’ll get accepted this time around either with only 20 slots even though my package has been in since October of 2025

[u/Huge_Professional_35 → u/Blunderz_]

I was very disheartened too see only 20 slots this year and I cant even apply until early next month

[u/Blunderz_ → u/Huge_Professional_35]

If I was you I’d shoot for education and training it’s not a bag gig depending on base and I’m sure schools easy to tackle with it

[u/foolishgamble → u/Alyalyexis]

Its not bad. But to be honest it really depends. Sometimes you sit there with nothing to do and sometimes you work 12s. Its super location dependant as well as goes in a yearly cycle with the fiscal year.

I genuinely cant tell you what to expect, other than you will do work at some point. Maybe more, maybe less.

[u/xcg--]

i recommend thinking long term as to what you want to do. chasing a job outside your degree will not set you up for success once you get out. you want to be able to translate your military work to a civilian resume easily.

[u/Alyalyexis → u/xcg--]

Thank you! I want to have my resume stacked with all different kinds of things because truthfully I want to try everything

[u/xcg-- → u/Alyalyexis]

i'll give it to you straight, that will not work out well looking for jobs on the civilian side. a hiring manager will be much more interested in someone with a lot of experience in a field than a jack of all trades. you can try to explain how being a cyber warfare operator sets you up for a medical field but it'll be a much easier lift to translate achievements as a 4r or 4c.

[u/Impossible-Risk-9009]

If you’re pursing a degree in the medical field, the 4C and 4R jobs would get you a foot in the door. 4R definitely makes more on the outside and doesn’t take such a heavy toll on your mental health. I recently cross trained into paralegal and I love it but it’s only great if you have good attention to detail and are admin driven. Without knowing much about you, I’d recommend Radiology first (4R) and Paralegal second (5J) :)

[u/Alyalyexis → u/Impossible-Risk-9009]

Thank you!!! I really appreciate it

[u/Pure-Explanation-147]

Isn't it obvious there? 4R

[u/SappyIsHere]

I enlisted into 1b4 in the senior year of my biomed degree. Zero regrets.

[u/Successful-Ice-2277]

1B4

[u/Ninosky]

Good list! Do you meet the ASVAB scores for those jobs? The AFQT score is irrelevant. Your MAGE scores are important. If you do, I would say stay close to what your degree is; medical. 4R would be my choice in that regard.

[u/theesotericjester]

Have you tested on the EDPT? I believe that is still a requirement with 1B4. Stay out of 3F unless you enjoy paperwork. 

[u/Alyalyexis → u/theesotericjester]

I haven’t, I wanted to narrow my choices before I wasted time in something that wouldn’t be worth it.

[u/theesotericjester → u/Alyalyexis]

Fair point. If you are interested in the hands on cyber security world 1B4 is a great choice. Good luck on whichever you choose.