Signing up??

[JungleJett]

True...and there is more to it. I took just an excerpt from the statement.

You can credit Mr. John Stuart Mill, an English economist and philosopher for that particular quote.

 

[Rook]

I can't fault you for quitting, it didn't sound like you were right for the job. I can fault you for taking a slot that many folks would do anything to get but will probably never have the opportunity you had, and you took it so lightly.

You got that right. I'd Kill for that opportunity, but being on the remedial college plan, I just reached the cutoff age after I walked with my B.S. But to serve the country in any capacity, is an honor. Wish I had that guys A.F. slot.

Rook

 

[pilotyip]

Why are you joining?

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 and fulfill the needs of the President by flying. You serve at the pleasure of the President and the military. They assign you to the aircraft that needs pilots. In the Navy helo is the biggest pipeline, in the USMC most flying is helos. You will not fly that much in the Military unless you go into 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 You may fly once per week and spend the other 4 days in the office 8-5 doing paper work, Then in the USN and USMC you can be assigned weekend watch duty, so you will have something to do over the weekend before you come back to the office on Monday. In 11 years of Navy Active duty I got 2500 hours of pilot time, 800 hours of it in 6 months during Vietnam. 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 fourth 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.

 

['LUVIN LIFE]

Capt,

Back to your question.

I'll do my best to give you a true representation of the Navy flight program. My background? Flew Hornets on two deployments and am now at the training squadron teaching new guys how to fly them as well as the new Super Hornet. Getting out end of this year to fly with Southwest as well as continue my current job instructing in the reserves.

Graduated with a degree in Psychology (because the Navy doesn't care what your major is) with something over a 3.0. Got a pilot slot and headed to Pensacola. From that point on it is all competition and TIMING!!!!!! More on that later.

As far as prior flight time goes what you'll get from that is, more than likely, doing exceptionally well in primary flying the single prop T-34. That's good because it should put you at the top of your class which lets you pick between jets, props or helos. Then from there you compete again at the end of jet training for E-2/C-2, Hornets, Super Hornets, Prowlers. Once again based on how well you do.

Now for the kicker. You can be the best pilot they've seen in the last ten years, but if there is no jet slot or hornet slot the week you graduate then you are S.O.L. That's the way it is. So when you join, be sure it is because you absolutely want to serve your country. And besides what the "yahoo" in this thread said, there is nothing better than flying fighter jets off carriers into bad guy land to prevent them from coming over here and doing damage. You will NEVER have another chance to do what we do. You will only "wish" you had done it if that's what your heart desires.

Commitment is eight years from wings (for jets) which equates to about a total of ten years. And as far as civilian aviation goes when your done kickin #@* and taking names, at my squadron we are 16 for 16 in guys getting hired by SWA. Coincidence? I don't think so.

So that's it. Good luck in all you do and remember you only get one shot at life!

 

[hindsight2020]

I agree with all the posts above. I'll play devil's advocate a little though and warn you that different airframes have different lifestyles and people like Luvin'Life had the opportunity to luck out in this life. I do not question his commitment but I dare submit that until he has been in the situation where he/she has the grades for the jet and timing gets the best of the situation and you end up in an E-2/AWAC/J-STARS/whatever going "where did my life take a turn?", he/she has no more leverage than me, looking on the outside of the fence, to argue that people should be happy with what they get.

I commend him for being straightforward and honest about that same fact, that shows good character, most pointy nose drivers tend to eat sh!t and talk all day about how their hot hands got them the Hornet/Eagle/Viper/Hog/Talon/Buckeye etc etc. And the fact of the matter is, that contention is far from the truth.

More people than they care to admit punch holes in the wall when they get home because they got screwed out of a particular assignment, or like Luvin' pointed out, the slots weren't there to be given out. So I would warn you against going active in Navy, Air Force and USMC if you are unsure of your flexibility of assignment. I too, suggest you check out baseops.net regarding this question, those folks go for months on the "WTF didn't I get a T-38?!?" thread.

As it relates to your hesitation about avioding a helo, go Air Force. Navy and Marines are, statistically, rotorwing dominated when compared to the Air Force, so narrowing it down to Air Force would be wise at that juncture. Other than that, life is a gamble, most people recognize it's a huge break to catch a military flying slot these days and most deal with what they get, but others do struggle with their fates and for no fault of their own. So consider yourself warned.

Good luck in your decision, also try out the Air Force Reserves and Air National Guard side of the house, their benefit is guaranteed airframe, which simplifies the contention, but of course it ain't that easy of a solution, you have a better chance of catching bronze in olympic synchronized swimming than getting a freggin' Guard slot these days.

 

[Pirate]

I hate to bring up old topics but I have not checked the forum for a while. I hate people who say they have served but never did. I think Chas1000 is not telling the truth. First the whole OCS vs OTS thing. I don't think it was a honest mistake. I also don't believe that anyone who attended Air Force OTS would call themselvs a "soldier". I think you were looking for a place to get on a soap box. The straw that broke the camels back was the use of the word "flippant". This is not a military word and I do believe, in my office, you would get your butt kicked for saying something like that.

The use of emotion to get someone to break contact is weak.
Your first post:
"then voluntarily left before getting commissioned. To make a long story real short, I decided civilian life was MUCH better, for lots of different reasons"

Second Post:
"I left for reasons external to the military. A family member was in a coma while I was there."

To lie about military service is very dishonorable.
I don't buy it. Maybe you should tell it to Oprah.

 

[G100F16]

You must accept that you may be flying only a couple hundred hours a year, and you may not even be flying your whole career in the military.

Good comments from others about the disasterous 'critique' of the military by chas1000. I won't comment further other than to say if you don't have military experience or training at the task (dropping bombs, etc) better to keep your mouth shut.

I will say this about chas1000's other quote that I selected...

after my mil and civilain flying...NOT ALL HOURS ARE CREATED EQUAL!

Get that in your mind right now. I would never compare my fighter time to my 'lunchbox time'.

Sorry for those of you that might now think less of your hours (take offense)....but it's true. If you are looking to pad your logbook with x number of hours, then yeah...there are quicker ways to get hours and then you can feel good about your 'hours'. I wouldn't trade my 2000 fighter hours for 10000 "A to B" flying hours. Apples and oranges...