Air Force Pilots

[meyers9163]

Currently I am a Junior in College and finishing up my Psychology degree business admin minor and have this passion to fly. I have started my PPL here and was looking for options out there. After spending a week with a buddy of mine and his uncle who spent 20 years in the Airforce it made me wonder about it as an option. I am more so curious if there is anyone out there who would tell me more about OTS and doing flight training through the airforce and commitments and the basics. I really do want to get married and have a family and I am just unsure if going through the Airforce for my flight training and OTS would be a good route or if the FBO and training would be a better route for my situation. Of course I want to get a quality training which i would get through the Airforce but am unsure about the commitment and life. Any thoughts and comments on this would be great. Also pay and exactly how to read the scales on the website would be appreciated as well.
Thank you

 

[USMCAirWinger]

Currently I am a Junior in College and finishing up my Psychology degree business admin minor and have this passion to fly. I have started my PPL here and was looking for options out there. After spending a week with a buddy of mine and his uncle who spent 20 years in the Airforce it made me wonder about it as an option. I am more so curious if there is anyone out there who would tell me more about OTS and doing flight training through the airforce and commitments and the basics. I really do want to get married and have a family and I am just unsure if going through the Airforce for my flight training and OTS would be a good route or if the FBO and training would be a better route for my situation. Of course I want to get a quality training which i would get through the Airforce but am unsure about the commitment and life. Any thoughts and comments on this would be great. Also pay and exactly how to read the scales on the website would be appreciated as well.
Thank you

How about:
A) Wanting to serve your country
B) You are always an officer first
C) You may have to blow shiat up and kill people

It seems that you are just looking for a way to get your training so that you can move on to an airline or whatever. If that's the case then I would not want you serving next to me.

 

[CFIIer]

As somone that's currently in UPT, I would say that if you don't want to be here 100%, then they'll hand you your A$$. This training is no joke, and it requires ever bit of energy that you've got...

Good Luck with your decision

 

[Pistlpetet]

Contact the Civil Air Patrol

 

[Draginass]

. . . . . . I am just unsure if going through the Airforce for my flight training and OTS would be a good route or if the FBO and training would be a better route for my situation. Of course I want to get a quality training which i would get through the Airforce but am unsure about the commitment and life.

Your honesty is commendable, however, the answer is clearly, "No," . . . . you should not consider the military. The military is not someplace to get your flight training. If you are not enthusiastically and 100% committed now to a military lifestyle and the duty and obligations that are attached to it, do not consider the military. You will not be happy and they will not want you.

There are many highly qualified and enthusiastic candidates standing in line for just a shot at UPT.

 

[pilotyip]

This subject has been gone over a bunch of times; you can do a search. Remember you do not join the military service to fly, you join to serve your country to fulfill the needs of the President by flying. You serve at the pleasure of the President. You will not fly that much in the Military unless you go to a conflict, Although Army WO's does stay in the cockpit more than any other service, and there is tons of office duties and family separation. In 11 years of Navy Active duty I got 2500 hours, 750 hrs in 7 months during Vietnam, then I averaged under 200 hrs a year. I was gone from home for nearly 4 years. Saw my son for about 11 months between his birth, which I almost missed, and his third birthday. If you go into fly, you will have a 10-11 year obligation, which as an officer will include at least 3-4 years of not flying and doing office duties, or standing phone watches at a command center evening and weekends. It is fantastic training and equipment but it is not a lot of flying.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Here's my .02. It's just a bad idea to go into active duty military aviation with your objectives and concerns; you'll be one miserable dude.

The active duty guys and gals I'm around (who are happy and enjoy what they do) all have a serious fundamental motivation to make a contribution to the mission. This isn't lip service. These guys and gals really do prioritize the mission above their families and personal lives, going TDY more than they're home, and when they're home they work hard in office and staff functions, putting in extra hours. If this doesn't sound like something you're interested in doing, then you might consider some other career.

From the tone of your post, my guess is you would probably find yourself dissolusioned. But I don't want to stereotype you. If you think you are going to "use" the Air Force, for their training or whatever else, think again. The Air force will get every bit of investment back out of you and then some. If you are already concerned about what the ramifications of an active duty career will be on your family and personal life, then you've already got your answer.

I think this is why posts like yours get flack. A lot of these guys laid it on the line, and gave it up big time, and the last thing they want to see is someone coming in and asking about what they can get out of the deal, and showing personal concern.

Granted, I am speaking from a reservist's perspective. So I'm not judging or criticizing you in any way. I'll admit I wasn't up for a ten year active duty commitment. But I have nothing but utmost respect for the guys and gals that are. And if you are it too, I'd have the same for you. Hope this helps in some way.

Best wishes...

 

[pilotyip]

Thank you Karma could not have said it better myself. It is about giving not taking.

 

[michael707767]

just another perspective, but as long as he fulfills his commitment and does the best job had can do while he is there, what's wrong with using the Air Force to get his training and then move on? The military advertises all the time for people to join the military and get training for a future civilian career. You see the commercials all the time. Why is it different for a pilot?

I went to UPT with every intention of leaving as soon as my commitment was up. I did not have the money to get flight training any other way and did not want to go deep into debt. But, I did my job to the best of my ablities and I served out my full commitment without complaint. Yet, when I declined the pilot bonus and turned in my papers to get out I was treated like a criminal. Never understood that.

 

[dtfl]

just another perspective, but as long as he fulfills his commitment and does the best job had can do while he is there, what's wrong with using the Air Force to get his training and then move on? The military advertises all the time for people to join the military and get training for a future civilian career. You see the commercials all the time. Why is it different for a pilot?

I went to UPT with every intention of leaving as soon as my commitment was up. I did not have the money to get flight training any other way and did not want to go deep into debt. But, I did my job to the best of my ablities and I served out my full commitment without complaint. Yet, when I declined the pilot bonus and turned in my papers to get out I was treated like a criminal. Never understood that.

I agree. He must be committed 100% to doing his job, but he can also have a plan for getting out. Even doing 4 years is more than most Americans. You have the voice of reason of someone who has been there and done that...vs other folks....