hotrod_bljak

iTrader: (3)

Well, if I was to do it all over again and come in right after high school I would have. I have been in for almost 6 yrs, and will be getting force shaped out. I hate this, because I was planning on staying in for the full 20 and making sure that my family had good care. Well, instead I came in at the end of 2001, (I graduated high school in 98). There are days that I kick myslef in the A$$ for it. And if I was smart like you, I would go for it. I wasn't the brightest one in my class, so go for it.

Also, being away from home really isn't that bad. I still go home and see the folks whenever I get a chance and they love it. I wish you the best of luck in what you deciede to do and never let anyone bring you down.

O-townLS1

well i broke the news to my girlfriend yesterday. i got one of those "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?!?" looks. after that long pause we started talking about it and she said even though she doesnt want me to have to leave she would support me and be right there with me if its what i really want to do. so i guess the signs are pointing to "join" more and more.

O-townLS1

also, the college that i was planning on going to (jacksonville state university) has an ROTC program but it is army ROTC. im guessing that wouldnt do me any good considering i am now planning on going into the marines. any one know of any colleges near my location that would have aviation courses?

LT Malice

iTrader: (3)

Embry Riddle in Daytona is the only one I can think of in FL. It's much expensive though.

Kansas state, Oklahoma state, Univertisy of North Dakota, Michigan at kalamazoo, and one other school in west missouri are the other ones I know of. THier not very close though.

O-townLS1

im in alabama directly between birmingham and atlanta.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

Nothing against your choice O-town, but why do you want to go to the Marines for aviation type work? Nothing against my sister services, but if you want something where you are wearing a flightsuit and carting around the world on a day-2-day basis, you are kind of picking the wrong branch IMO. Not to mention we live a little cozier of a lifestyle, especially pilots! Most fighter pilots are only deployed, at most, 180 days, almost every 3 years (if not longer), and cargo pilots will not even be on the ground long enough in the AORs to even miss home. Active C-17 pilots are gone 4 months at the most, and usually have a 1 year rotation cycle with it. Of that 4 months, you'll spend 3/4 of it either at Al Udeid/Turkey then go to Ramstein/Spang or you'll just spend it all at Ramstein/Spang.

LT Malice

iTrader: (3)

I'm not gonna speak for the kid, but I can speak for most Marines. I didn't join the service to live cozy. I joined to break **** and kill people.

jester177

i asked some pilots the same question when i was deployed to al udied jan 03 and every one of them said the same thing. when you actually get to fly its the best thing in the world however thats one or two times a week depending on your base and a/c but when your not flying your writing reports or doing other monotonus paperwork and studying, if its something you are able to do go for it however i would start flying/ learning to fly now so you have a little advantage and get a degree you could fall back on, there are a lot of things that can dq you for flying a fighter.

O-townLS1

i definately know the military isnt supposed to be cozy so why try to be cozy? i just want to do what i have to do to reach my life long goals. i dont care about how hard it is. i will do it. i dont care how long it takes. i will go the distance. my determination is one thing i am known for by my friends. if i want something i will not stop till i get it. i dont want to be "cozy" and i mean no offense. all i want is to do whatever i have to do to be in the cockpit of a FA-18 hornet with the controls in my hands blowing **** up as Lt. malice said. flying my pasion, dream, and life long goal. "blowing **** up" is just a bonus.

O-townLS1

went and talked to a recruiter today. he said what i can do is during my senior year in highschool i can sign up for the delayed entry program so when i grad. highschool i can go straight to basic then start college on time. while im a freshman in college i can sign up for PLC and do the split program so i can do it 10 weeks in 1 summer or split it 6 weeks for 2 summers. i think im just going to do the 10 weeks for 1 summer and get it over with. if i keep my reserve status while im in college and do my 1 weekend a month when i graduate and change my status to full time duty i will be an enlisted officer. if i change my status during college to full time and dont do my 1 weekend a month i will be a "boot" officer. upon college graduation i will then go to Virginia for TBS then to pensacola for flight school. any one see anything wrong with this or is everything he told me correct? also i made a 51 on the EST practice ASVAB(sp) and he said people normally score 20 - 30 points higher on the actual test. is this also true?

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Don't let the fact that "some day" you will be away discourage you or your relationship with your girlfriend. Having been in the USAF as a flyer (but not a pilot), and am currently applying for a pilot spot myself, I know quite a bit of info you'll need.

#1, the degree. "Yes" you need a bachelors for a pilot in either the Navy or the Air Force. However if you don't mind getting shot at constantly, and are interested in being a Helo pilot for the Army, you only need a 2 year degree. Or there are many other ways such as ROTC, or the USAF Academy as others have mentioned. The quickest way, would just be to go to a 4 year college of your choice and take as many classes as you can as well as you can.

#2. This is a BIG one. You need to know off the bat if you are physically well enough to pass the flight physical. This includes not only good sight, but depth perception, excellent hearing, no asthma, no ailments of pretty much any bad nature. You need to be top notch before they'll let you in the door.

#3 determination. This is a MUST. As the road to becoming a fighter pilot is long and strenuous. But those who make it have the Honor to know that they made it through all of it. You can do it, even though there will be times when you feel you can't.

A pilot spot is one of the most difficult spots to get. A fighter pilot is even more difficult. Mostly becuase of all the requirements that need to be met, and the fact they are selective as hell since they have not too many slots, and TONS of people who apply. (Just to give you an idea, there were over 3500 applicants last year alone 58 made it!) Don't let this info discourage you. Let it make you want it even more, let it elevate your level of determination. Look at different options (Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force). Pick which one will be best for you. I know mostly of Air Force options since that is the branch I am in, and will be applying for myself. Trust me when I say, the Air Force gets it the best. We have the newest, best best planes, our Airmen get treated better than the other branches. And a lot of the time, we get deployed the least. Most of the fighter pilots I know are only deployed 4 months at a time out of the year (F-16's for example). Depending on what you want to fly, you may even deploy less (I know some F-15 instructors that never deploy anymore, and only used to deploy for a month). Look at the Reserves as well, as their deployments are sometimes even shorter periods of time.

After college or a degree, or ROTC, you still have some form of Officer training, then pilot training, and then after seeing how well you did in your pilot class, you have a choice of all the available airframes and bases to pick from depending on where you rank in your class. All said and done, even after you have your degree, it will be years before you will get to actually flying a fighter.

Your question was "is it worth it". You seem to have the same flame inside you that I did when I was your age and younger. When I was in your shoes a few years ago, I had only a dream, but I didn't know if it would come true. I stand before you on the verge of getting accepted myself as a pilot. I have been told my chances are very good in a very difficult seleciton board. I am telling you now, that most of this lies within you. As long as you physically are able, and you have the means and the will to do it, you will succeed. And there is no deeper joy than succeeding in life with what you feel from your very means that you were put on this earth to do.

Good luck!

Let me know if I can answer any more specific questions for you.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM!!!! The recruiter (as almost 100% of recruiters are) and enlisted recruiter trying to fill his quota of new airmen into spots into the military. They will lie straight to you and let it seem like what they are saying is the Gods honest truth, when in fact it may not be close to what you want, and are looking out for themselves.

If you go enlisted first, you will simply delay your time before you are able to get the pilot spot you really want. Trust me on this. Try to go to college, and then apply for OTS (Officer Training School), or better yet, go to the academy to become a cadet (which will one day give you an Officer rank as well, and its free). You need to head the officer thing straight on, and not waste your time enlisting. Enlisting first would be what I reccomend if you weren't fully sure of what you wanted, or didn't know if you wanted to be in for the long run. Trust me kid, you know what you want. Don't let the recruiter make up your decision for you. College will be done faster and more efficiently without having many strings attached by enlisting first.

HOHN

In some ways the Academy gets preference, as far as the sheer numbers of pilot slots and such go. It's certainly less competitive to come from there. For example, in my class, everyone who wanted to fly and was PQ medically got a pilot slot. It was over half my class! I wasn't PQ, and I didn't fly. But if you want to fly coming from ROTC, then usually it's more competitive as each detachment gets a somewhat small number of slots and you have to be higher in order of merit to be competitive for them. For example, you could have an Academy GPA 0f 2.5 and make it, while you might not make it with a 3.5 GPA from ROTC--hypothetically, of course.

As far as later promotion potential, the Academy will do little for you. The only real advantage in promotion is getting to fly. The AF is run by airheads, I mean-- aviators, and always will be. Since pilots run everything, they take care of each other and you will have the best promotion possibilities if you fly. Promotions past Major are tougher if you don't fly. Promotions past Lt Col are MUCH tougher if you don't fly. Promotions to BG for non-fliers are very rare.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more AF questions. I'm about to get out of the AF after 13 years.

Justin Hohn

USAFA Class of 2000

HOHN

I was enlisted for two years before I was accepted into the Academy. I was one of FIVE selected from the entire AF to go directly from active duty. Not exactly easy to come by! I was also the ONLY one to graduate, because the others either failed out academically, or more commonly just lost their perspective and said "screw this".

Once you are enlisted, you will get out on your own and have a steady income, and you'll start to put down some roots a bit. Maybe even pick up a G/F. These are things that will stand between you and your dream. I went from a real human being one day in the active duty, to being treated lower than whale poop for the better part of 8 months. I was in basic training-- for the second time. My monthly E-3 income of $1100 turned into $60 a month. No freedom, as I left the academy grounds 3 times in my first year. Can you handle that? You can if you want it bad enough.

As for the Academy being free, well it is and it isn't. When you sign on to go, you incur an obligation (Uncle Sam doesn't give ANYTHING away for free!). First, you will have to serve 5 years in the AF, but 10 years if you are a pilot. Next, you incur financial obligation of $7500, which they deduct from your cadet pay as you repay your "debt" over the course of the 4 years. This is the cost of your computer and uniforms and all that, and that's why even though you are paid $600/mo on paper, you see only 10% of that in your pocket until the debt is repaid.

Going to the Academy is both tremendously challenging, but also very rewarding. You will have moments of and be tempted to quit, but don't give up!

Justin

O-townLS1

well the reason the delayed program interested me is because i can sign up and reserve my slot in the program and once i grad. highschool i can go ahead and do basic and get it out of the way before college. i cant quite remember all the details as i went to work @ 6pm, got off at 8am, went to talk to him at 9am and was done talking to him at 3pm. at 3 i went to sleep and got back up at 5 to go to work so i may be skewing some of the details and please forgive me for that because im on about 2hrs of sleep for 2 days. i am very determined and like i have said before i WILL do what it takes to be a fighter pilot. i never give up on things that i want to do especially when they will affect the rest of my life. i guess i need to sit down and write everything down when i talk to him thursday. as far as the physical point, i have perfect vision, my depth perception is perfect, and i have no physical disabilities (athsma, heart probs ect...) and i have no mental disabilities. i am physically and mentally capable of taking the abuse i will have to take to get to where i want to be. in the front seat.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Listen, enlisted boot camp is SEPERATE from what you will have to go through once you get your degree and get accepted into some form of Officer School. Once you get to that point, you will be going through a different kind of boot camp all over again. Enlisting will not get anything out of the way for you, or even help you towards your goal. It WILL take more of your time, and efforts, which could otherwise be used towards getting your degree on your own, or going to the academy. What the recruiter is not emphasizing on is the fact that even as a reservest, you still will be serving time, and you still will be gone here and there. Trust me, if you do this, you will DELAY your chance to being the pilot you want to be.

HOHN

Listen to 911-- he's correct. There is *NO* program that enlists you as a means to get you to college and become a pilot. That recruiter has a quota to meet, and he just wants to enlist you.

Once you're enlisted, you'd have to either go to school while you're serving, or apply to a number of programs that are designed to help you get your degree and then get commissioned.

But there is NO program that connects the two. There is no way to enlist with any kind of preference for going to college or getting a degree. The two are separate, and there's nothing the recruiter can do to get you into college.

YOU have to get yourself into college--no recruiter can do that for you.

I was enlisted, I went to the Academy and graduated-- without going to the Prep school there, either-- this is not very common.

Not trying to toot my own horn, but you'd be wise to listen to me and the others here over the recruiter. Recruiters don't lie, but they don't mind having you under the wrong impression if it helps them get you to enlist.

JH

LT Malice

iTrader: (3)

O-townLS1-

The others are correct. If you don't have money for college, and you need to go reserves to get the Montomery GI bill, then by all means do so. If you have a means to pay for college, then do not enlist. The recruiter was telling you the "Long" way to becoming a pilot.

Right now, you need to keep yourself in shape, keep out of trouble, and get yourself into college. THat is ALL you can do at the moment to progress toward your goal. Once you are established in college, then talk to a USMC officer selection officer (OSO). He will get you pointed in the right direction. I called my oso after I got out of my first class on my first day of my freshman year.

I know your anxious to get the ball rolling on your dreams, but you have to be patient and stay focused. The enlisted recruiter will not be able to help you out in your quest. Trust me.

O-townLS1

its definatley not to pay for college. i have a full ride to Jacksonville State University for music (i play on the drumline). everything will be paid for already and even if i didnt get that scholarship i would still have the money to pay for it with no problem. how would i go about getting a phone number to reach a local OSO when the time comes?

acertx

Who the hell picks up 20-30 pts. on the ASVAB? I scored the same exact score on the practice ASVAB as I scored on the actual ASVAB. I would go to another recruiter for anymore questions but, thats just my opinion. Good luck on becoming a pilot. Those guys have scared me a few times... in a transport.