If I became an air force pilot, would my life be over?

Stranggore

It is an interesting question. I know 35 years old is way down the road, but a better question is, would your life just be beginning. You could basically retire by the time you hit 40 years old. (assuming you began your first year in college) If you have dreams of cushy civilian job, pursue them. You may find a career in the military is a poor choice when compared to a civilian salary. On the other hand, if you really want that civilian position, have you considered the National Guard/Reserves? If you are the top of your game, ONE of the Branches will offer you a flight position. (telling the future not withstanding)

You may wish to consider the Marine Corps PLC Aviation option. The Marine Corps is the only branch that offers guaranteed shots at aviation school for officers. It is two summer training sessions followed by no commitments until after you graduate. It is not ROTC, the financial assistance is calculated differently. Under the Marine Corps PLC program, your 20 years start with the freshman training, and not with graduation.

*IRISHJEW*

my dad was a pilot in the airforce.....he was able to have enough of a life to have five kids...HAHA

and after he got out, he flew planes for american airlines, but he could have doen something else.

the only bad part was my family had to move around a lot. good luck!

NSA

No.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Plane-Crashes-in-Hudson-River.html

Tortilla1234

yes

Brandon G

no it would only be the begin a new chapter in your life and what not. Don't question or kid yourself you would enjoy it. Many of my family were pilots and others were in the navy. I hope you are able to make a good choice in your life and future.

FudgemsBox

well, when ever you enlist or become an officer, you basically are signing a PORTION of your life over to the military.

not forever. you only do how many you signed up for.
but sometimes they may call you back after your service.

if you become a pilot in the military, why wouldn't you become a pilot in the civilian world?

you would make loads of money, and you would get to fly?

you could pursue another job in the civilian world, depending on what kind of degree you got in college.

you can get a degree in engineering, and become an air force pilot, but i do not see why you would not become an airline pilot or something like that after.

your life would not be over.

my dads friend was an Indian Air Force pilot, and know he has a ton of money from being a civilian pilot, and he does civilian things, and travels a lot.
so your life will not be over. it will only get better.

Charles S

At this point, you have to have 20 years to retire from the military and if you started when you were 18, you would only be 38 when you retired. If your life is over at 38 I am in a whole world of trouble since I'm getting pretty close right now. Believe me that you will have thousands of opportunities in the military that you can use to give yourself a pretty good life when the time comes to get out. Just take it one day at a time.

jeeper_peeper321

Yea, 35 yr olds are just ancient, right ?

Heck, they have to use walkers, just to get around.

thehashbrown25

If you are afraid your life would be over by joining the US military, serving your country, doing something for the common good, improving your chances for getting a better job later on, getting a free college degree then....

YES your life would be over. Dumb question. NEXT!

Yak Rider

Many airline pilots are in the reserves. You can finish your time in the reserves while flying for an airline. Many reserve pilots do not do their reserve duty just on weekends and many get their flight hours in on a quarterly basis, not monthly.

linlyons

it's been a long time since i looked, but last time i did, you had to have a college degree to get into flight school.

as to how long to stay, retirement, and all the benefits that go along with that are good.
maybe it would depend on how much you like flying.
assuming, of course, that you're able to do that.

of course, there's no-one here who can predict what the economic conditions will be 20 years from now.
if there is, please let me know -- i'd be very interested.

john_holliday_1876

I'm a former USAF officer (though not a pilot) I have never regretted my years in uniform. In my experience, I'm a better person for having served. I became a school teacher after I left the service, and I like to think I made a difference in at least a few young people's lives. One word of warning, though - the standards for pilots are very rigorous indeed. Only a small percentage of those who attempt to qualify as pilots are successful. Dare to dream, but pe prepared to work your a** off.

Cheers, and good luck

I'm answering this based on my own personal knowledge as an Air Force Mom. My son joined the Air Force in 2002 and trained to be a jet mechanic. He became Crew Chief for the F-16's and is now a Staff Sgt. He didn't fare real well in high school ROTC, however. I can tell you that, No, Your life would not be over. He's currently thinking about making it a career. He says he sees guys in his "group" retire after 20 years, and the next day, return to the same place and do the same job for a lot more pay. Apparently the Air Force uses a lot of "private sector, contract" people.

There are lots of places you could go from being a pilot.There are much worse things than the job security the military offers, too. My favorite cousin started out as a pilot and retired 27 years later (in 1999) as a Full Bird Colonel, stationed at the Pentagon in charge of Special Investigations. He got full retirement, plus paid for continuing education for anything he wanted to do -- he chose to get his teaching certificate.. When/If you decide to get out of the military, I can tell you that people in the private sector respect that experience and you get hired quicker than the average-joe-off-the-street.

Yossarian

Good question, i'd love to hear from people about this too.

3OD

think top gun

Joy M

no, I don't think your life would be ending, I think it would just begin. there are a lot of opportunities available when you join the air force.

Dean M

Think of it this way, if you want to be an engineer, why are you applying to be a pilot, why not go for the engineering side of the military? If you want to be a pilot, it would probably be best to stay in and do your twenty years, get your retirement and you will still be young enough to start a new career. How could you consider this being the entirety of your life? You will have a retirement check every month and a whole other paycheck from your new job and still young enough to enjoy it. I would think you crazy if you didn't.

arbitrary k

No.

Your life would just begin.

giggitygiggitygoo

your thinkin way to far ahead.

Susan

Not to put you down, but that is a dead end job, and with the robotics revolution just around the corner you mite soon end up without a job. Just saying, have a back up plan, maybe a commercial pilot.

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