[reefhead]

Hi All,

Im thinking of joining the USAF to be a pilot. The cost of becoming a pilot in the civillian world is too much--what are your thoughts?

[reefhead]

posted in wrong forum--sorry

[Rin]

Serving your country is admirable no matter what you choose for your field.

To be a pilot, you need to go to a college with a pilot program that is supported by the USAF. My information is several years old, but I far as I can remember you have at least three choices (there may actually be more, but I don't know about them): Riddle (sp?) in Daytona, Texas A&M, and the AF Academy in Colorado Springs. Of the three, Riddle is the easiest to get in but hard to stay in and the most expensive. Texas A&M used to have a waiting list, but from what I understand from my AF friends, the military is desperate for pilots. Colorado Springs is the premier for creating fighter jocks, but it's extremely difficult to get in and even more difficult to survive. To get into the AF Academy you need to convince 2 congressmen to sponsor you, or have a parent who won the Congressional Medal of Honor (plus meet the school's extremely high academic standards).

Another thing, you have to be very physically fit to qualify for the pilot program and your eyes must be perfect. At least 20/20, no color blindness, no problems with depth perception, and no problems with night vision. You must not have any eye surgery of any kind for the purpose of correcting your vision. You must also have pretty good hearing.

Another way to become a pilot is to get into the AF through any of the ROTC programs available any University with such a program. Once you make through ROTC and receive your regular commission, you can apply to become a pilot (or navigator--if your eyes aren't quite good enough to be behind the stick.) This method is rare, but I've seen it happen.

Lastly, before you make your first step, contact an Air Force recruiter to discuss your options. BE CAREFUL. It's the recruiter’s job to recruit. The recruiter will try to get you to join the enlisted ranks. If you do, you can't become a pilot--not easily anyway. You will, however, get to salute the pilot as he flies off into the teeth of the enemy.

Almost all recruiters will have your best interests in mind, but some are just trying to fill a quota. They don't get to fill that quota if you become an officer (all pilots in the AF are officers).

There's nothing wrong with being enlisted, though. I was for 6 years.

I hope this helps. My information may be a little dated, I got out in 1992.

Good luck.

[Firefish]

You'd be making a smart choice. IMHO the Navy or Air Force is the way to go. I've got six years in the Marine Corps. The only reason I went with the USMC is because he was the first (and last) recruiter I'd seen. If I could do it over...Air Force!! Rin is correct, recruiters are not your friends, they will make alot of promises to you that will never come about With todays college tuitions so high, it makes sense to enroll. The G.I. Bill is a sweet deal. I've used all $30,000 of my G.I. benifits. The Ironic thing is when I came home after 4 years active duty, most if not all of my friends were still tring to figure out what they should do with their lives and when I finished 2 years of college they still had no direction Here I am today, been all over the world for free, got a free edukation (the "k" was a joke) and just about every job I've ever applied for I got! Dont get wrapped up in the jazz, the bennies or the title. Remember there is a possibility that you may need to make tough decisions like...My life for my country...

[Reinhold]

There is another option: go to civilian pilot school, (the University of North Dakota School of Aviation is the Harvard of such schools,) and then join the Air National Guard. I have three friends who did that route, and all three fly F-16's with the most decorated fighter squadron in the world, the 119th Happy Hooligans.

[reefhead]

thanks ALL for the help

Looking into everything right know--what has my attention firstly is finishing school and going with the Florida Air National Guard

or

Joining now and working as an Aircraft Mechanic while going to school full time(4 classes a Sem.) and with all going well, join the Pilot Program by the time Im 30 (cutoff point--Im 25 Now)

thanks again all for the help (tough choices like this require Reefers)


Joe

[brown trout]

If you're going to pick one, the Airforce if definatly the sweetest. They've got the most government funding, so all their housing, meals, everything is just nicer. I'm a Navy corpsman and while stationed with the Marines, I crossed paths with the Airforce at Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Ja. That place is sweet. We always found an excuse to take a trip down there. For those of you that's been there, I was on Camp Schwab, so you know what I mean!! Good luck!!!