Military Pilots Advice for their sons/daughter

[Mamma]

College isn't about getting schooling for a particular skill set, it's about proving that you're self motivated enough to further your education and succeed at it. It tells an employer you're a self starter, and won't need supervision to get things done. In a world of pilots that are a dime a dozen needing jobs, I'm sorry but you need to set yourself apart from the crowd. If I have 2 pilots side by side with equal flight experience, one with a degree and one without, I'm hiring the guy with the education every time.

Do you realize what you just said? College is not about getting and education but proving you have self-motivation! Why should one shell out 40 grand for this? Why can someone not prove they have motivation in other mediums? Say a kid graduates from high school and sets up a successful computer business? Or a kid graduates from high school and joins the military for 6 years? Or someone becomes and EMT and saves lives for 4 years? Is that not motivation? Why is college the only accepted medium in many jobs? A lot of people I saw go through college did so on daddy's dime, were drunk 4 nights a week and barely passed (my freshman year). In fact, many just dropped classes they were not doing well in and did the 5-6 year program. I think these people need supervision!!! What kind of motivation is that showing? I have a master's degree but I do not feel really motivated because of the degree. I am motivated by my goals. I have a strong work ethic instilled upon me by my parents. I make goals, map a path to achieve them and then get to work. Integrity and the Golden Rule are everything to me. That is why I am successful. Not college. I am not saying you are wrong, but just presenting another viewpoint.

 

[Mamma]

Flying for the Military, I think particularly the Navy, gives you skills beyond the cockpit. These skills will allow you to succeed outside of the military and the cockpit. You will find if you want to go the MBA route at a top school when leaving the Navy, these schools are very receptive to your management and leadership skills. So flying for the Navy is really the best of both worlds and gives you many options.

So the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard do not give you skills beyond the flight deck? Come now! I would put a battle tested Army captain up against many of us flyers any day.

 

[pilotyip]

I am Navy

So the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard do not give you skills beyond the flight deck? Come now! I would put a battle tested Army captain up against many of us flyers any day.

What else would you expect. I saw a some of my buddies get into the Harvard MBA program. I don't have much experience with other services, other than Joint Staff. My son was Army he is doing well, no harm intended.

 

[Mamma]

What else would you expect. I saw a some of my buddies get into the Harvard MBA program. I don't have much experience with other services, other than Joint Staff. My son was Army he is doing well, no harm intended.

No harm noted. Just a little banter. I have had friends from the Army and Air Force go to Harvard also. I think they like getting the occasional officer in their MBA program.

 

[SIG600]

Do you realize what you just said? College is not about getting and education but proving you have self-motivation! Why should one shell out 40 grand for this? Why can someone not prove they have motivation in other mediums? Say a kid graduates from high school and sets up a successful computer business? Or a kid graduates from high school and joins the military for 6 years? Or someone becomes and EMT and saves lives for 4 years? Is that not motivation? Why is college the only accepted medium in many jobs? A lot of people I saw go through college did so on daddy's dime, were drunk 4 nights a week and barely passed (my freshman year). In fact, many just dropped classes they were not doing well in and did the 5-6 year program. I think these people need supervision!!! What kind of motivation is that showing? I have a master's degree but I do not feel really motivated because of the degree. I am motivated by my goals. I have a strong work ethic instilled upon me by my parents. I make goals, map a path to achieve them and then get to work. Integrity and the Golden Rule are everything to me. That is why I am successful. Not college. I am not saying you are wrong, but just presenting another viewpoint.

I totally agree with you. I think a kid that joins the military, learns a HIGHLY technical skill (that I'm completely incapable of doing), and serves 4-6 years is probably smarter than most college grads out of school. However I'm just telling it like it is, now how it should be. A piece of paper over the long term is worth more than actual experience. Just look at the average pay over a 20 year career of a college grad to a non-college grad. Not saying they are any smarter, or a non-degree holding individual is any less of a person, but it's what employers are looking for. Why does the military demand a 4 year degree to be commissioned officer? There are plenty of people out there without degrees capable of leading from the front and leaning forward.

 

[pilotyip]

unless of course

I totally agree with you. I think a kid that joins the military, learns a HIGHLY technical skill (that I'm completely incapable of doing), and serves 4-6 years is probably smarter than most college grads out of school. However I'm just telling it like it is, now how it should be. A piece of paper over the long term is worth more than actual experience. Just look at the average pay over a 20 year career of a college grad to a non-college grad. Not saying they are any smarter, or a non-degree holding individual is any less of a person, but it's what employers are looking for. Why does the military demand a 4 year degree to be commissioned officer? There are plenty of people out there without degrees capable of leading from the front and leaning forward.

Unless of course that skill without the college degree is in something like Nuclear Power Plant operations, that particular skilled person will out shine most college graduates.

 

[SIG600]

Unless of course that skill without the college degree is in something like Nuclear Power Plant operations, that particular skilled person will out shine most college graduates.

Yeah well anyone that goes through Nuke power school is automatically smarter than 99% of the population.

 

[Mamma]

I totally agree with you. I think a kid that joins the military, learns a HIGHLY technical skill (that I'm completely incapable of doing), and serves 4-6 years is probably smarter than most college grads out of school. However I'm just telling it like it is, now how it should be. A piece of paper over the long term is worth more than actual experience. Just look at the average pay over a 20 year career of a college grad to a non-college grad. Not saying they are any smarter, or a non-degree holding individual is any less of a person, but it's what employers are looking for. Why does the military demand a 4 year degree to be commissioned officer? There are plenty of people out there without degrees capable of leading from the front and leaning forward.

I am not disagreeing with you on reality. I am just advocating a change. In my opinion, the concept that everyone needs to go to college after high school is flawed. College used to be something special and unique. Now it is routine and every joe-bag-o-donuts goes. Many have no idea what they want to do but go through the motions of college and drop a ton of cash (as do we as taxpayers!). They graduate being none the smarter and go off and find a job that requires a college degree...or not, and move on with life.
I think employers need to "cultivate" our young people getting out of high school. Develop their leadership potential and specific skill set and then send them to college if they see promise. They will have a much more capable work force that can meet the needs of the future vs what they are getting now. PilotYIP hires people so he probably knows a lot more about this than I do, but I think something needs to change.

 

[SIG600]

I think employers need to "cultivate" our young people getting out of high school. Develop their leadership potential and specific skill set and then send them to college if they see promise. They will have a much more capable work force that can meet the needs of the future vs what they are getting now. PilotYIP hires people so he probably knows a lot more about this than I do, but I think something needs to change.

Now you're taking crazy pills. You're giving the collective intelligence/motivation of the average 16-18 y/o way too much credit!! We've entered the generations of entitlement. No one knows what it means to "work" for anything anymore.

 

[Mamma]

Now you're taking crazy pills. You're giving the collective intelligence/motivation of the average 16-18 y/o way too much credit!! We've entered the generations of entitlement. No one knows what it means to "work" for anything anymore.

I am not giving them any credit! I am saying the average 16-18 year old has no freaking idea what they want. Many of them need to dig ditches and do roofing so they get a little "hungry" on what they want to do with life. I just don't think we as taxpayers need to subsidize their meaningless education. As Judge Smails says "Well, the world needs ditch diggers, too."