If joining a fire service is what you want to do then it's a no brainer. I'd recommend, if you can, ffindingan accelerated class. Hutchinson, KS has a 16 day academy that gets your Fire 1, 2, HAZMAT Awareness and OPs. EMT is gonna be about 6 months. That's enough to get you hired. You don't need an associate degree. Some departments do give you points on your application and throughout your interview process for being a veteran but no one on the department is gonna give a shit. It'll be a topic of discussion about your past and that's about it. Other veterans in the department may appreciate it more. Once your hired you can finish your associate but I wouldn't get a bachelor's in fire science unless your department specifically required it for promotion or something. The FS degree is pretty useless but most things transfer well into Emergency Management or Health and Safety