Going Military (Advice/Stories?)

[BlackDeathBilly]

Just curious about those of you who have flown in the military and what advice you might have for someone applying for officer commission in the Air Force.

I have a 4yr B.S. comp sci degree and worked a year in a g*d**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** cubicle. (but thankful to have a job in these times) (24yrs old) I don't care about money (so i think, now that i have some) and just want to fly!

Right now I am taking lessons to get my PPL before I apply for an officers comission so I can prove my ability and commitment. (also have skydiving experience (126 jumps))

So basically, I am going to apply for a comission as a fighter pilot with a 4yr technical degree and a PPL. What do you think my chances are (but whatever u say still won't stop me) and more importantly is there any critical advice that I should know about or anything that should be prepared for?

So if you went military and have a good story or any words of wisdom (or folly) I would love to hear it!

Edit: Just realized like an idiot that there is a Military forum here, so if any moderators think this post would go better there feel free to move it!

Edit 2: Just read half the military forums so I pretty much have the info I wanted now! Looking forward to it.

 

[usmc33]

Advice

Go Air Force or Coast Guard. Do not go NAVY, or Marines. If you like rotary, consider the Army.

Give me a PM if you want to hear about USMC horror stories as a pilot.

 

[BlackDeathBilly]

thanks

thanks,

I'm planning on going USAF. Haven't talked to anyone about it yet though. Just going to show up when I finish getting my PPL and discuss it then.

 

[petergibbins]

start looking at the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test. there are a couple of companies that publish a prep for the test. the one i used was published by Arco, they have a web site www.petersons.com. good luck dude

 

[pilotyip]

Will not fly much

This subject has been gone over a bunch of times, remember you do not join the USAF or any military service to fly, you join to serve your country to fulfill the needs of the president by flying. You will not fly that much in the Military unless you go to a conflict, Although Army WO's do 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, 800 in 6 months during Vietnam, of pilot time and 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. I would say your focus is too narrow going for the fighter position, keep all your options open and pursue it like your life depended upon it and best of luck. It is not something you do on a lark, like Brittany Spear's wedding.

 

[Kikuchiyo]

Joining the AF already decided that you are going to be a fighter pilot will probably require that one of the two elements of that presumption needs to change.

If you have to be a fighter pilot, find a fighter ANG or Reserve unit to send you to pilot training, rather than joining the active duty.

If that's not an option, be prepared to get whatever you get.

I've seen lots of guys enter UPT that !!had!! to get a fighter. When it was all over, they were happy to have wings, and that AWACS wasn't so bad.

The fighter force isn't nearly as large as the heavy force in the AF, so we don't produce as many fighter pilots. I can't speak to today's rates, but in the mid-90's, a class graduated about 4 fighter pilots and 20 heavy drivers. My copilot here just told me he had 6 fighters and about 15 heavies (AD numbers, not including ANG or AFR) in his class that graduated in June 2002.

To piggyback on pilotyip's comments re: flying hours. Current AF guidance is that a pilot will spend his first 3 tours (about 3 yrs each) flying. After that, you're fair game for all the crap jobs. But even during those 9 years, you'll do lots of additional duties, extra TDYs, office jobs, and special projects. Your job in the AF is not to fly, it's to get promoted, regardless of your attitude towards promotion.

Good luck to you.