I don’t have any detailed information about the Air Force. But FWIW I can say that I grew up surrounded by military types, and still am to this day. Of all the services, people in the Air Force seem to have the best quality of life. They always seem to be the happiest people.
Odds are that a Coast Guard member will never see those shores.
We’ve attempted to meet with a USCG recruiter, but no luck thus far. Seriously, trying to pin this guy down for an appointment is harder than catching a greased hog. Plus, rumor has it that the USCG is one of the most difficult to get into. I’d prefer USCG, but it’s not my decision.
At this point, Hallboy is aware that he’ll need a Bachelors degree to fly–but also that if he qualifies, the Air Force will pay for that degree and the training.
Lucretia, thanks for sharing your experience. I think of the possibilities of what could happen to my son every single day, and that includes some of what you’ve seen in your own experience. There’s a radio ad that’s been playing recently for paralized veterans, and every time I hear it, my stomach clenches. I can’t help but read articles I come across about servicemen and women who come back in body bags or with missing limbs, missing minds or worse. There’s a whole big world out there that’s waiting for an opportunity to fuck over anyone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can’t protect my kid from that–in the service or out of it. But what I can do is make sure he’s very aware of his options–and that includes all of them–and is educated about the benefits and risks. The ultimate decision is his.
My dad enlisted in the Air Force, served 3 years, got a degree, went to officer candidate school and became an Air Force pilot (C5s, C130s). He retired a full Colonel. So…it can happen!
My dad seemed to greatly enjoy his career in the Air Force, he has amazing friends all over the place and they always seemed to have great parties and stories. It led to a great after-AF career at a defense contractor (where he recently retired, again).
CG has pilots, too.
I am still wearing the uniform. It has always been a possibility that I could come to harm doing it. And I still do. And I’ve always been in Combat Arms. Another Afghanistan deployment is probably around the corner. I could have gotten out long ago. I’m past retirement age. I’m still here.
There are dangerous jobs in the Coast Guard. Going after drug dealers in the Caribbean. Search and rescue in the North Sea. There are a lot of jobs in the Air Force that are not dangerous. Probably most. Unless my child went into some very specific jobs in the AF I would not be worried any more than if he was off on his own at college. I kid my Air Force brothers and I do understand they have an important job to do. But please don’t over react and think its the same as the Infantry guy on patrol or kicking in doors. Very few AF jobs have any where near that kind of danger. Those jobs do exist but they are rare compared to the entire service and usually you have to volunteer and work towards those positions.
I have specifically asked Hallboy to not include Gunner as one of his requested jobs.
True. Only the AF has the brains to be the QB.
Soldiers are, needless to say, lineman.
Few jobs in the Army, Navy or MC do either. The majority of jobs in ALL services are not combat-specific.
They teach piloting in college?
Some universities have flight schools associated with them, but for civilian licences, not AFAIK for military pilot training.
Then why do pilots need to go to college?
Just make sure he understands this means a VERY long commitment, even if he does qualify. You should find out how long he will have to be in the Air Force to get through this, and what options there are for getting out earlier if he doesn’t qualify.
You got me – all I know is that when I went to UI-Urbana in the 70s, it had a flight school. Perhaps is was associated with some kind of aeronautical degree, or perhaps it was an elaborate and pricey extra-curricular program. Where I live now, in Madison, WI the university supports programs that teach sailing, life saving, etc.
I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it because pilots are officers and officers have college degrees?
Sorry, my first answer misinterpreted your question, and I think that Erdosain got it right. A degree is certainly not required for civilian pilots. Also, my guess is that a HUGE number of kids who go into the military dream of becoming pilots, so the military can be very picky about who they train for it. A college degree represents the ability to at least maintain some longer-term goals and a willingness to jump through hoops on command, if nothing more, and those are certainly useful traits for the military.
exactly
It’s not about “being picky.” Only officers can become pilots, period.
Of course it is. Part of being picky is saying pilots have to be officers, and part of being picky is that saying officers need a college degree. I’m not saying this is wrong, I’m saying they can afford to be picky when there are probably far more applicants than there are slots available.
I’m not sure how universal the “pilots must be officers” thing is, though I know that the RAF had sergeant pilots during WWII, and I think the first one as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is no longer the case.
I think “pilots must be officers” is pretty much universal, but “officers must be college graduates” isn’t.
Yeah, my parents wouldn’t sign my paperwork to get into the Army. They would only let me go into the military if I went Air Force. So I did.
I was a helicopter gunner with over 60 flights.
As I was freezing my balls off in Iraq on Christmas Eve I thought to myself, “yeah, I sure showed them.”
Oh, and don’t be surprised if your kid doesn’t get a signing bonus or anything. I don’t think Air Force even does that. Air Force recruiters don’t really even have to work hard; they’re usually turning people away. Hell, the AF is doing whatever it can to get a lot of already enlisted out. Despite being in a war they don’t need people.