Question for any USAF officers on here (or heck, any military!)

[SynthesisI]

Makes sense.

My ultimate calling is to get a startup company off the ground that I've been kicking around for, oh, five years now. My window of opportunity to fulfill a large market niche is still open, but dwindling as months go by. I want to start that ASAP, but if I want to do the Air Force or MBA routes, they need to be fulfilled while I'm still young. Damn all these decisions...

 

[BruinEd03]

Originally posted by: SynthesisI
Makes sense.

My ultimate calling is to get a startup company off the ground that I've been kicking around for, oh, five years now. My window of opportunity to fulfill a large market niche is still open, but dwindling as months go by. I want to start that ASAP, but if I want to do the Air Force or MBA routes, they need to be fulfilled while I'm still young. Damn all these decisions...

life is a buncha decisions. Though if u want an MBA you can do it at any point of your life and preferably after you've worked for a while. =)

-Ed

 

[SynthesisI]

Yeah, but I'd rather not do it when I'm 40 with a wife and two kids- I've seen my parents friends do that and it didn't look like much fun.

But who knows.

 

[Imdmn04]

u dont join the air force with a mentality like "im gonna pilot a f-22", only the elite of the elite gets to do those. Airforce is not all bout flying fighter planes and killing enemies like u see in the movies. This aint top gun, nothing is glory as u see in the movies. being a fighter pilot takes a lot of training, being fit, being clever and having a tough mentality.

right now u sound like a 12 year old because u want to join the air force because of the glory of flying F-22s and carpet bombing Afghanistan? im sorry but i dont want my tax dollars being wasted on someone who has an immature mentality like you.

Air Force Delta is a good game on PS2 though

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: SynthesisI

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
" Is it possible to go to Officer Training School, learn to operate a B-52 and fly carpet bombing sorties over Afghanistan,"

:Q

Yes?

I wanted to fly B52s when I was 12 because I thought they were cool looking. I changed my mind when I realized that I would probably have to kill a lot of people to do it. You want to kill a lot of people...

:Q

 

[alkemyst]

If you truly get selected to fly B52, you won't be able to get out in 4 years, you probably won't even be piloting a B52 in 4 years. OTS + basic make you a leutenant not a pilot though.

If you have business ideas, a MBA is not necessary. If you have this large niche do it. You may be surprised though that that niche isn't so big.

If you get to B52 status or beyond 'NetJets' will be way below what you should do with it.

Your salary is decent, most of the benefit is in benefits.

The rest about being in NM then Germany is fodder, no one picks where they want to be...it's luck of the draw. My buddy was told he'd be in CA for the rest of his enlistment so he bought a house, then 1 year later he got sent to Germany where is still is.

Sounds like you are looking for a 4 year get rich quick scheme.

 

[SynthesisI]

Originally posted by: Imdmn04
u dont join the air force with a mentality like "im gonna pilot a f-22", only the elite of the elite gets to do those. Airforce is not all bout flying fighter planes and killing enemies like u see in the movies. This aint top gun, nothing is glory as u see in the movies. being a fighter pilot takes a lot of training, being fit, being clever and having a tough mentality.

right now u sound like a 12 year old because u want to join the air force because of the glory of flying F-22s and carpet bombing Afghanistan? im sorry but i dont want my tax dollars being wasted on someone who has an immature mentality like you.

Air Force Delta is a good game on PS2 though

Did you not read the last paragraph of my first post?

 

[SynthesisI]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth

Originally posted by: SynthesisI

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
" Is it possible to go to Officer Training School, learn to operate a B-52 and fly carpet bombing sorties over Afghanistan,"

:Q

Yes?

I wanted to fly B52s when I was 12 because I thought they were cool looking. I changed my mind when I realized that I would probably have to kill a lot of people to do it. You want to kill a lot of people...

:Q

I don't want to kill a lot of people. I want to kill a lot of terrorists.

 

[BruinEd03]

Originally posted by: SynthesisI

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth

Originally posted by: SynthesisI

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
" Is it possible to go to Officer Training School, learn to operate a B-52 and fly carpet bombing sorties over Afghanistan,"

:Q

Yes?

I wanted to fly B52s when I was 12 because I thought they were cool looking. I changed my mind when I realized that I would probably have to kill a lot of people to do it. You want to kill a lot of people...

:Q

I don't want to kill a lot of people. I want to kill a lot of terrorists.

terrorists are still people...you need to realize that first and foremost.

-Ed

 

[SynthesisI]

Nah, I don't care. We won't go into that though.

Bump for more advice, otherwise, it's probably time to just let this thread fall into oblivion.

 

[SgtBuddy]

1. No, 8 years min, plus they will want you to stay for 20. Be prepared. Flying "your" choice of plane. Very unlikely. Heck, you could be a goat in the back of a recon plane if you aren't perfect in those 8 years.
2. You are OK
3. Pay is low, will always be low. Benefits are good. Look beyond the green money and you will see that you get paid just fine.
4. You will go when/where I tell you to go.

I say, go for 20, get out, start your corporation.

edit: <---- Enlisted aviator for 6 years, and now long haul comm weenie for last 3. Going for 20, retire at 39 and become Wal-Mart greeter living off retirement.

 

[SynthesisI]

Finally, a great reply! Thank you, sir. :beer:

 

[Pastfinder]

Preparing for final semester of AFROTC before heading to pilot training (Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training). I have a 10 year commitment to fly, but the program I am entering produces 85% fighter pilots, 15% bomber and attack pilots. Due to many pilots leaving the AF after a few years to fly commercial jets, they raised the service requirements. I'm 5'7", 147 pounds if that helps any.

 

[J0hnny]

Being a B52 pilot is not glamorous. Think about sitting in a cockpit for hours and hours just to reach a target and then not seeing anything being hit, and then fly back again for hours and hours.

I'd say go for marines or army and pilot a helicopter. That would be cool.

 

[Doggiedog]

Aren't you a little too tall to be a pilot? I always thought the AF wanted people 5'10" or shorter because airplane cockpits weren't made to handle larger people.

You also didn't mention anything about your eyesight.

 

[allisolm]

1. Go here to see military pay and allowances. 2nd LT gets $2183 per month base pay, $447.60 housing w/ no dependants, $167.20 subsistance and flight pay is $150. You don't necessarily get all of these depending on where you are and what is being provided for you. http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/pay/

2. According to the Air Force height/weight charts you are underweight, but not by much. Chart here.

3. If you want to join because "I want to kill a lot of terrorists", do us all a favor and don't. That is NOT what the military is about.

 

[Regs]

SynthesisI, goto your nearest recruiting center to find out. Just don't sign anything. Even if your only a minor, its good to get info from a knowledgeable recruiter. Even though most of them tell you only what they want to tell you. They are some times , in a sense, like salesmen.

You have to be very skilled to be a USAF aviator. The requirements to be a USAF pilot are now tremendous. You are flying a 5million-2billion dollar air craft going faster then the speed of sound. So as you can imagine, they just don't let anybody fly a bomber or fighter plane. You have to be very smart to pass the book tests and exams, and you also have to be very skilled in aviation and your awareness.

I would ask of you to talk to a former USAF pilot to find out how it feels to run bombing missions over populated areas or even helpless 3rd world nation soldiers. You may not get much information since more than half the men or woman , who've been in action over the gulf and abroad, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
Aren't you a little too tall to be a pilot? I always thought the AF wanted people 5'10" or shorter because airplane cockpits weren't made to handle larger people.

Chad Hennings was a USAF A-10 pilot and is 6'6".

 

[tnitsuj]

"Is it possible to go to Officer Training School, learn to operate a B-52 and fly carpet bombing sorties over Afghanistan, and leave after five years? "


STOP!!!!!!!!!

DO NOT PASS GO!!!!! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO JOIN THE MILITARY, ANY BRANCH IN ANY CAPACITY!!!!

You obviously haven't thought out the commitment and responsibility that comes along with it, and your maturity level is far too low to become an officer (and I know a lot of screwed up officers).

 

[tnitsuj]

And what exactly do you mean by "Air Force Life"???

Working at Bolling air force base in conracts or aquisitions? Working in a comm fligth somewhere on computers and information systems? Working in a maintenance squadron doing phases on aircraft and not sleeping for a week at a time because you need to generate X number of deployable aircraft?

 

[GTaudiophile]

My dad has been pushing me towards AF OTS. If I could be a AF computer technician in Germany for three years, save my salary, and have them pay for grad school, I'd probably jump at it. Alas, I am aware that it's not like that: I do and go where my country needs me, not where I want to be. So, I don't know if it's for me.

 

[Ynog]

Originally posted by: SgtBuddy
1. No, 8 years min, plus they will want you to stay for 20. Be prepared. Flying "your" choice of plane. Very unlikely. Heck, you could be a goat in the back of a recon plane if you aren't perfect in those 8 years.
2. You are OK
3. Pay is low, will always be low. Benefits are good. Look beyond the green money and you will see that you get paid just fine.
4. You will go when/where I tell you to go.

I say, go for 20, get out, start your corporation.

edit: <---- Enlisted aviator for 6 years, and now long haul comm weenie for last 3. Going for 20, retire at 39 and become Wal-Mart greeter living off retirement.

Great post, hit the nail right on the head.
Couldn't have said it any better

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: BruinEd03

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Join the Marines, serve a couple of years as a grunt, learn what "service" is all about and then go for flying B-52's around the globe bombing people.

You make me puke.

There's service in many ways. A cook is no less valuable than the marine out there in the fields. The sooner you learn that, the better.

-Ed

Although I've never butted heads with you Bruin, I can tell you where Happy Puppy is coming from. He is a Vietnam veteran who served as a grunt himself. I served for 17 years as an Artillery Officer and am a combat veteran myself. What HP is referring to is the difference in the way of life for AF guys and Army and Marines. I understand your point that all are valuable, but HP's point is that the foot soldiers are the guys who are sleeping on the ground battling bugs, disease, and fear while the AF and Navy guys are sleeping in their air conditioned bunks.

That's the only point that he was trying to make.

Syn, good luck to you. I can only add to the above by saying it takes an extraordinary amount of committment to achieve what you desire. If you truly want it and are willing to work hard for several years, you can do it. Lots of people told me I wouldn't like enlisting, and I did. Even more said I would hate OCS and I would never make it and I did. More said I would not cut it as an officer and I excelled. Then they said I would never make it past 1st Lieutenant and I did. See a pattern here? You have to ignore what people tell you and be your own person and set goals for what you want and work hard to get there and be willing to do whatever it takes to reach your goal or complete your mission. That's what the military is all about.

 

[no0b]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
" Is it possible to go to Officer Training School, learn to operate a B-52 and fly carpet bombing sorties over Afghanistan, and leave after five years?"

:Q

:Q:disgust::Q:Q

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: burnedout

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
Aren't you a little too tall to be a pilot? I always thought the AF wanted people 5'10" or shorter because airplane cockpits weren't made to handle larger people.

Chad Hennings was a USAF A-10 pilot and is 6'6".

What they look for is "sitting height"
I'm 6'3" and was disqualified as pilotr or navigator due to my "sitting height" measurement. Of course, my eyes kept me out of the pilot seat anyway.

As for the original post ... yeah, sounds like about a 12 year old, or in serious need of a reality check. Sounds like a recruiters dream though ... they'll blow sunshine up his ass just long enough get him signed.