Thinking of joining the Air Force...

[dmw16]

Over the past few months I've been thinking about joining the Air Force. When I was a kid I wanted to be a pilot, but I ended up going to college and then getting a job. I am currently 23 and I have a degree in aerospace engineering. If I joined I'd want to fly. I'd probably do whatever the shortest stint is (6 years if you go to flight school?).

I figure I could spend 6 years working, figuring out an exact career direction (I am working as a systems integration engineer right now). I figure that military training and experience would help if i want to stay in engineering (specifically defense) and the leadership training the military gives seems very highly regarded.

I was just wondering if anyone else here did or didnt join the military in a situation like mine and what they think looking back on it.

I also figure with the current signing bonuses I could pay off my student loans and it would also be a good way to save for a house (since the military pays for your living expenses and doesnt give you much chance to spend your pay).

I know there is a war on so of course there is a risk. And funny enough I am pretty liberal and don't agree with the direction of our foreign policy (at least not totally). But I also believe that our government is the best system going and I have a feeling like I should serve because I do enjoy the freedoms we have. Anyway, Im getting on a tangent.

So to my original question...any thoughts?

 

[CVSiN]

as an officer whose gonna fly.. there are very few downsides... good treatment of officers.. nice houseing.. decent pay.. great experience..

but i'd still look at the Navy over the Air farce =p

I did 10 years enlisted.. and Id do it again.. as an officer its way easier than it was as enlisted.. I sure as heck do it.

 

[dmw16]

Are they pretty accommodating in terms of giving you the assignment you want? Like if I want to fly F-16s or something would they put me on a path to do so? Assuming I do well in training etc? I have 20/10 vision and all that so I dont think that would hold me up. And a degree in the right field.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Ex Weapons Officer here (F15) - Came in with a BS via OCS.
Eyes would not allow a pilot slot.

They will guarantee you a slot for UPT (or what ever it is called now days). You can request for a target A/C slot.

After that point of initial flight training, you will have to compete for your preferred slot.

With all scores being equal, the Academy grads get first pick, ROTC , second and the OCS(OTC) people get the left overs.

For one who gets into flying, your engineering skills will suffer initially. Flight schools, flying and general A/F (paper)work will not allow much engineering work until you move into the field grade (less flying, more paperwork, some engineering may trickle onto your lap).

attitude will also be evaluated. Using the AF for flying and a way of killing time while figuring out your life will easily block you from a flight slot. They want people that are dedicated to flying and the service; not those that are using a commission as a ticket to the outside world.

 

[PaperclipGod]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Ex Weapons Officer here (F15) - Came in with a BS via OCS.
Eyes would not allow a pilot slot.

They will guarantee you a slot for UPT (or what ever it is called now days). You can request for a target A/C slot.

After that point of initial flight training, you will have to compete for your preferred slot.

With all scores being equal, the Academy grads get first pick, ROTC , second and the OCS(OTC) people get the left overs.

For one who gets into flying, your engineering skills will suffer initially. Flight schools, flying and general A/F (paper)work will not allow much engineering work until you move into the field grade (less flying, more paperwork, some engineering may trickle onto your lap).

attitude will also be evaluated. Using the AF for flying and a way of killing time while figuring out your life will easily block you from a flight slot. They want people that are dedicated to flying and the service; not those that are using a commission as a ticket to the outside world.

Whoa. You got to fly in those things?! Im drooling...

They still wont let you be a pilot if you get PRK/Lasik?

 

[ranmaniac]

Go for it. I heard that the military is having a hard time keeping pilots due to the lucrative salaries for commercial airline pilots.

 

[dmw16]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Ex Weapons Officer here (F15) - Came in with a BS via OCS.
Eyes would not allow a pilot slot.

They will guarantee you a slot for UPT (or what ever it is called now days). You can request for a target A/C slot.

After that point of initial flight training, you will have to compete for your preferred slot.

With all scores being equal, the Academy grads get first pick, ROTC , second and the OCS(OTC) people get the left overs.

For one who gets into flying, your engineering skills will suffer initially. Flight schools, flying and general A/F (paper)work will not allow much engineering work until you move into the field grade (less flying, more paperwork, some engineering may trickle onto your lap).

attitude will also be evaluated. Using the AF for flying and a way of killing time while figuring out your life will easily block you from a flight slot. They want people that are dedicated to flying and the service; not those that are using a commission as a ticket to the outside world.

Good information. I am very much interested in flying and serving. The benefits of the experience in the outside world are just a bonus. I had heard the demand right now is for big wing aircraft and less for fighters - true?

And what is UPT?

 

[Winchester]

BTW: If it is still the same from when I was looking... it is 6 years AFTER flight school completion which usually 18-24 months depending on the aircraft. You can not be a pilot and get out in less than 8 years.

 

[Balt]

Originally posted by: PaperclipGod

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Ex Weapons Officer here (F15) - Came in with a BS via OCS.
Eyes would not allow a pilot slot.

They will guarantee you a slot for UPT (or what ever it is called now days). You can request for a target A/C slot.

After that point of initial flight training, you will have to compete for your preferred slot.

With all scores being equal, the Academy grads get first pick, ROTC , second and the OCS(OTC) people get the left overs.

For one who gets into flying, your engineering skills will suffer initially. Flight schools, flying and general A/F (paper)work will not allow much engineering work until you move into the field grade (less flying, more paperwork, some engineering may trickle onto your lap).

attitude will also be evaluated. Using the AF for flying and a way of killing time while figuring out your life will easily block you from a flight slot. They want people that are dedicated to flying and the service; not those that are using a commission as a ticket to the outside world.

Whoa. You got to fly in those things?! Im drooling...

They still wont let you be a pilot if you get PRK/Lasik?

I'm pretty sure you can get PRK and a waiver for the Navy and still be a pilot. I have no idea about the Air Force.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Balt

I'm pretty sure you can get PRK and a waiver for the Navy and still be a pilot. I have no idea about the Air Force.

From the PRK/LASIK/LASEK Wiki:

Navy now offers free PRK surgery to Naval Academy students who intend to pursue career paths requiring perfect uncorrected vision, including flight school and special forces training. The U.S. Air Force restricts pilots to PRK[2]

 

[chrisms]

Have you ever flown an airplane before? Flight schools offer intro flights for about $50 where you get to fly around for an hour or so and even take the controls a little bit. Try that and make sure you'd be capable of controlling an aircraft before dedicating 10 years to it.

 

[d3n]

The military experience is a large leg up in any job market. Companies are full of entry level graduates with entry level positions. Military service will set you apart in a big way. Especially with the management skills imparted on you as an officer. You will come into the civilian market at a mid-level position already distinguished from the rest. It takes a certain mentality, but I highly recommend it. Also with any position that require a clearance you will have much better prospects with the big aerospace contractors. All of this applies if you wash flight school or not. I say do it.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Balt

I'm pretty sure you can get PRK and a waiver for the Navy and still be a pilot. I have no idea about the Air Force.

From the PRK/LASIK/LASEK Wiki:

Navy now offers free PRK surgery to Naval Academy students who intend to pursue career paths requiring perfect uncorrected vision, including flight school and special forces training. The U.S. Air Force restricts pilots to PRK[2]

Poorly written wiki article, at least that section. The Air Force offers PRK and LASIK to everyone in the service, but aircrew are only able to get PRK, assuming they are candidates. Aircrew also have priority for the surgery, but it does take you off flight status for awhile. PRK surgery is waiverable if you receive it prior to entry to the service, though I imagine complications from the surgery might preclude a waiver. I had PRK done this summer at a military hospital -- now seeing 20/15 in both eyes.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: dmw16
Are they pretty accommodating in terms of giving you the assignment you want? Like if I want to fly F-16s or something would they put me on a path to do so? Assuming I do well in training etc? I have 20/10 vision and all that so I dont think that would hold me up. And a degree in the right field.

EagleKeeper addressed the airframe selection process. I will say, however, that your degree, while valuable, may not serve you that well as a pilot simply because there's not a terrific amount of engineering involved. You don't build the aircraft; you don't service the aircraft.

That being said, your degree would be valuable as a test pilot, which I think requires at least a certain amount of time in an operational unit before you can apply. Also, be sure that they don't take you on and then send you to Acquisitions, which is a horrible career (I work in the Acquisitions world right now -- trust me).

Talk to a recruiter and find out if OTS is even feasible right now. The Air Force is in the midst of a drawdown and is cutting many officers right now. I'm getting out with a payout, but others are being forced out and have been already. OTS is the first officer accession path to be closed when they drawdown. Not sure how well you did in school, but I think you need something like a 3.5/3.6 to get into OTS. That number may be off, but I know it's higher than I expected.

As for the war currently being conducted, Air Force pilots are at VERY minimal risk right now. Army and Marine helo crews are at far more risk from surface to air fire.

Oh, and ignore the Squiddie unless you want to spend months on a metal boat with mostly guys.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: dmw16

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Ex Weapons Officer here (F15) - Came in with a BS via OCS.
Eyes would not allow a pilot slot.

They will guarantee you a slot for UPT (or what ever it is called now days). You can request for a target A/C slot.

After that point of initial flight training, you will have to compete for your preferred slot.

With all scores being equal, the Academy grads get first pick, ROTC , second and the OCS(OTC) people get the left overs.

For one who gets into flying, your engineering skills will suffer initially. Flight schools, flying and general A/F (paper)work will not allow much engineering work until you move into the field grade (less flying, more paperwork, some engineering may trickle onto your lap).

attitude will also be evaluated. Using the AF for flying and a way of killing time while figuring out your life will easily block you from a flight slot. They want people that are dedicated to flying and the service; not those that are using a commission as a ticket to the outside world.

Good information. I am very much interested in flying and serving. The benefits of the experience in the outside world are just a bonus. I had heard the demand right now is for big wing aircraft and less for fighters - true?

And what is UPT?

I know that there has always the "macho factor" that drives people toward fighters and away from the multi-engine heavy lift A/C.

However, a multi pilot can easily move into the civilan airline industry much easier.

UPT is the slang for undergrad pilot training.

 

[murban135]

Originally posted by: dmw16

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Ex Weapons Officer here (F15) - Came in with a BS via OCS.
Eyes would not allow a pilot slot.

They will guarantee you a slot for UPT (or what ever it is called now days). You can request for a target A/C slot.

After that point of initial flight training, you will have to compete for your preferred slot.

With all scores being equal, the Academy grads get first pick, ROTC , second and the OCS(OTC) people get the left overs.

For one who gets into flying, your engineering skills will suffer initially. Flight schools, flying and general A/F (paper)work will not allow much engineering work until you move into the field grade (less flying, more paperwork, some engineering may trickle onto your lap).

attitude will also be evaluated. Using the AF for flying and a way of killing time while figuring out your life will easily block you from a flight slot. They want people that are dedicated to flying and the service; not those that are using a commission as a ticket to the outside world.

Good information. I am very much interested in flying and serving. The benefits of the experience in the outside world are just a bonus. I had heard the demand right now is for big wing aircraft and less for fighters - true?

And what is UPT?

UPT = Undergraduate pilot training. It is the one year course to teach you to be an Air Force pilot. My understanding is that right now, the larger aircraft are going faster than the fast movers. Your follow on aircraft depends on two things: 1) What aircraft are available and 2) Your class ranking. You may be the top of your class and want an F-15 but there might not be one in your assignment drop.

It is a great career but make sure you do your research first. I think the current commitment is 8 years after pilot training.