Air Force Test Pilots

[Scrapdog]

Going to ROTC or OTS vs. the Academy will certainly not hamper your ability to get a fighter. In my unit (and in the other fighter units I've been in), the ratio is about 50/50 ROTC/OTS to USAFA grads.

But realize the USAFA is like a big mixing bowl/fraternity. It will certainly not hurt you in having connections or possibly a slight edge over your peers in both the military and the professional civilian world. When I go up to another AF member and he tells me he's a grad as well, we have a certain bond already regardless of his background, age, or job. This is undeniably true.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Going to ROTC or OTS vs. the Academy will certainly not hamper your ability to get a fighter. In my unit (and in the other fighter units I've been in), the ratio is about 50/50 ROTC/OTS to USAFA grads.

But realize the USAFA is like a big mixing bowl/fraternity. It will certainly not hurt you in having connections or possibly a slight edge over your peers in both the military and the professional civilian world. When I go up to another AF member and he tells me he's a grad as well, we have a certain bond already regardless of his background, age, or job. This is undeniably true.

That's true for ANY alumni group, not just the USAFA. Your common bonds with your USAFA buds include getting your butts chewed out by some master sergeant, ironing your uniforms to get that perfect crease before Saturday morning inspection, bouncing quarters off racks, pledging your shoes, and trying to cover up for a fellow cadet that murdered his sweetheart's rival back in high school, etc.

Alumni from UofM share bonds like how they felt when the lost to App State, pledging a fraternity (not shoes), that awesome kegger at the end of sophmore year, where to score the best weed, the girls of Tri Delta (especially Allyson), etc.

I'll take the UofM bonds.

 

[Deuce130]

, and trying to cover up for a fellow cadet that murdered his sweetheart's rival back in high school, etc.

.

Your post started off funny enough, then this statement came out. Some people just can't help but be dicks. You're apparently one of them. Way to f*ck up a perfectly good thread. Tool.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Your post started off funny enough, then this statement came out. Some people just can't help but be dicks. You're apparently one of them. Way to f*ck up a perfectly good thread. Tool.

Joshrk22 don't forget about the thin skin bond that most USAFA Zoomies seem to have too- as perfectly demonstrated by Deuce130.

Hey Deuce130... lighten up dude. Did I hit a nerve? Why don't you use your ascot to dry your tears. Let's not forget about the USNA middy that demanded that the USAFA Zoomie kill that poor gal. Feel free to make fun of her (or any other USN scandal) at any time and on any message board and watch as I laugh along with you... you dork. Here I'll give you some examples:
Tailhook
Cheating
Drug dealing
Chaining girls to urinals

Feel better? Talk about effing up a perfectly good thread. Isn't there a FOD walkdown somewhere missing their hall monitor? Why don't you go and try and find it.

 

[Joshrk22]

LOL..

Speaking of USAFA, I received my nomination in the mail today. I hate that I keep second guessing myself. I just want to throw both into a hat and decide that way..

 

[stonewall]

Tailhook
Cheating
Drug dealing
Chaining girls to urinals

Tailhook and chaining girls to urinals (along with hiding in closets) can certainly be humorous. Drug dealing and cheating...maybe. Murder? That just isn't really funny. Nobody is sensitive about it and everyone at USAFA/USNA is familiar with the story. It just isn't funny. If you want us to laugh at you...be funny.

I agree that every alumni group has its bonds. It's just that in the AF about half your squadron will be from one alumni group. Everyone else might be an alumni group of one or two. Like the -15E guy said, it no longer helps you advance in your career (at least I haven't seen that).

As far as civvie connections go, it does help. One laywer buddy go hired at a prestigous firm because one partner was USAFA. Another bud got a job as a financial analyst through Academy connections, and I've written about 10 recs for Academy buds for my airline.

Anyway, U of M is a great school and I think you'll be as competitive as anyone for a UPT slot. The driving factor for the ROTC guys four years from now is going to simply be the number of slots available, not GPA or major. Of course, if you keep a 4.0 in engineering, you should be safe no matter what. Good luck.

 

[stonewall]

So go Big Blue kid. Major in basket weaving, break some hearts and never look back. There is a place for you in the USAF.

That sounds like a bad line from a Top Gun movie. Cheeseball.

BTW, what's an ascot?

 

[Oh-ryan]

That sounds like a bad line from a Top Gun movie. Cheeseball.

BTW, what's an ascot?

Alright, Alright... no humor in murder. Standup is my weekend profession. Still a work in progress.

An ascot is a feminine hygiene product that the USAF has found other uses for.

Now whadya say saw we take a shower, towel off and play some volleyball together?

PS
Jshrk22- if you are having a tough time making this decision, let me help you. Go to UofM. Not because of all the career crap that we have been taking about on this board, but because if you are not 100% dedicated to being a cadet at the USAFA chances are you are not gonna make it. Period. If you do you make it you will spend the next four years being miserable and always thinking "what if".

 

[Joshrk22]

PS
Jshrk22- if you are having a tough time making this decision, let me help you. Go to UofM. Not because of all the career crap that we have been taking about on this board, but because if you are not 100% dedicated to being a cadet at the USAFA chances are you are not gonna make it. Period. If you do you make it you will spend the next four years being miserable and always thinking "what if".

Fair enough.

 

[DaveGriffin]

Yeah, either that OR the 100-million-a-day war overseas.

The cost of the Raptor fleet is peanuts compared to the cost of the GWOT (TWaT).

It's game time Mud. You guys got your share of the budget that Congress sees fit to allocate all the services. The AF fighter jock leadership made choices on how to spend their budget and chose the F-22 and fewer Airmen. Now you have to live with that decision.