Question USAF

[ColKLink]

Do what your guts tell you to do. Its your dream and your career, my uncle was a fighter pilot in the u.s.a.f. for 30 yrs...(end was desk time, he didnt care for) he got out a major or light col, with 502 combat missions over n veitnam, hell of a good guy, extreamly smart, follow your dream. He has flown for commercial airlines after retiring,  its a great career. not just a job.

[ColKLink]

btw, the family wanted me to go air force, I being the hard head i was at 17 told a highly decorated fighter pilot, "I wanted to be the best there is"...(u.s.m.c.) It took me 20 yrs to realise what a foolish statement I made to him, at the time,. His response some 20 yrs later was "when you said that to me, I knew the marines were still putting out fine marines. heck of a good guy.

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by ROC
Mind you, your parents are your foundation, they are your flesh and blood and there is no way my above comment is suggesting you Not Listen and Respect them.  Now, if you are of age and want to do this, and it burns your blood, then do it.  If you are unsure and uneasy with the notion of your parents disapproval, then no, it's not for you, you will just get yourself or someone close to you hurt with the hesitation and uncertainty.

...er...I, uh...I think this is bad advice, ROC.

Redman555, probably most of us, at one time or another, wanted to be fighter pilots.  It's a worthy ambition to follow, and I think everyone here encourages you to continue.  But you would be a rare sort indeed if you were wiser than your parents.  There's nothing in the world that is wrong with listening to them and very seriously considering their objections to your plans.  I would worry about your common sense if you didn't.

- oldman

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Serenity
Just do what you wanna do, when you turn 18, its no longer their choice.

It may not be their choice, but they can still have a large influence on your choice.

Unless you earn a full scholarship, your tuition will have to be paid by someone. You parents may not want to pay for something they object to. They may not be willing to co-sign for student loans.

Don't be so silly as to start burning bridges at 18 years of age.

Go to college, declare a major that has some serious value to the military. Then, after you graduate, when you have matured some, make your career choice.

My regards,

Widewing

[Shifty]

Originally posted by redman555
i dont need info on how to join i know everything, i got to do, private traning, then gotta get bacholrs degree then do officer training then flight traning
i was also considering flying in a Cobra or Apache but idk yet

Not to be rude, but first off you don't know squat. Discipline , Education, Commitment, and Attitude, are keys to the success in the path you're choosing. Seeing that, first and foremost you need a BA to even get into USAF OTS. I would start with college, by the time that's finished, your age won't require your parents approval. Also if you've got the grades, ability , and drive, seek an appointment to the USAF Academy. That's usually the straightest road to a USAF cockpit.

As far as Apaches- Army, Cobras- USMC, those are different paths, but a degree is going to be your first step.

Good Luck I hope you make it.

[cleve]

Originally posted by redman555
Hey so i want to go to the USAF and hopefully fly a FA-22 Raptor, or an A-10 but my parents lets just say arent so..... excited about my choice... i want to server my country tho, any tips on convincing my parents?


Fa-22

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/02032/poze/fa22raptor_1.jpg

A-10

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/a-10/images/a10_2.jpg

BigBOB1

If flying for the USAF is your dream then by all means follow it, as far as things you need to do to gain appointment in the USAFA..

1). Become active in local politics, you'll need a appointment with your local congressman if I am not mistaken. Need to keep those grades up plus get involved in extra-curricular activites...sports....church. Stay out of trouble LOL cannot emphasize that enough.

[SKJohn]

A friend of mine went to college and joined the Air Force ROTC.  They paid for his college, and after he graduated he went to flight school.  Now, not only does he get paid to fly F-16's (lucky bastige!), he's also got a university degree with no student loans to pay off.

[Bucky73]

Originally posted by moneyguy
its easier to fly in the navy or army (helicopters) than it is in the airforce.

What are u basing that on?

[RTR]

The navy flies seafires and the army flies woobiecanes?

cheaters!

Seriously, Widewing is spot on with his advice.  Get the education.

cheers,
RTR

[EagleDNY]

Originally posted by RTR
Seriously, Widewing is spot on with his advice.  Get the education.

That is for sure.  Nobody is going to put a multi-100 million dollar aircraft (Gawd, what does a Raptor cost now?) in the hands of anyone without a serious degree.  

Also - I wouldn't be looking for A-10s in the USAF by the time you get there.  If you want to fly a Warthog, find out where they are all ending up (Air NG maybe?) and try that out.

Being near Annapolis, I've always had a special spot for the Navy.  Don't put arbitrary limits on your choices at this point - look around.  If you want to fly, all the services have needs, and you just set yourself up for disappointment if you bet it all on flying F-22s or A-10s and don't get them.  

Also - might not hurt to learn how to fly while you are in college - going in already knowing how to fly would probably be an advantage.

[Roscoroo]

What you do is work out the 2 to 1 dollar earned College deal with your parents .
after a year they We're beggin me to enter the Service ... it worked for me


Well now days its more like 4 to 1 deal .

[KayBayRay]

Get a Degree and then apply to the Academy. I would choose something easy like Undewater Cake Decorating or 3 Dimensional Art Forms, not Chemistry like I did.

Later,
KayBay

[balance1]

same here, reddman exept I am just in it for the A-10 Thunderbolt II, last true stick and rudder A/C left in service. If its Decomissioned before I can get into the service than F-that, im becoming a bush pilot! im 15 and gonna be 16 in 2 months and on my 16th B-day im going to solo and get my student pilots certificate!! god bless you sir and just do it!

[Daubie]

When you get done with high school, enlist.  Grow up and get away from mom and dad. You can start your college in service and does GI bill still have educational benefits when you get out?  Go get an engineering degree, then reapply as an officer candidate.  I hated basic training.  I think the officers get a little bit more extra heaping measureful for their indoctrination into it.  I watched the other night what Marine Corps officer candidates have to go through to Quantico.

I was a bit of a pacifist as a kid.  I was 22 when I enlisted in the Bees, Navy needed carpenters.  My draft number never came up during 'Nam. The process changes your attitude to respect this country to do what is necessary, well it did me.  My WWII Pacific Marine wife's uncle would only talk to me in all of the family as I was the only other military guy.  He told me a lot of what even the movies never show.  He never talked about the war, except to me.  I asked him early on if he remembered it.  "Like it was yesterday!" is what he told me.  What he told me was strictly between him and me, even still, now that he died.  I trained with the Marines to Camp LeJeune so we kind of had common ground to stand upon.

Russian Air Force before you even get very far stick you into a centrifuge.  Whether you biologically can handle the G forces they expect, is what allows you to go further or not.  

So you may wish to fly fighters or a certain type of aircraft, but the selection process may prove otherwise.  My Navy boards of testing I actually qualified for Annapolis, but my color blindness disqualified me.

Daubie

[68Hall]

Originally posted by redman555
Hey so i want to go to the USAF and hopefully fly a FA-22 Raptor, or an A-10 but my parents lets just say arent so..... excited about my choice... i want to server my country tho, any tips on convincing my parents?


Fa-22

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/02032/poze/fa22raptor_1.jpg

A-10

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/a-10/images/a10_2.jpg

BigBOB1

1. Learn to write and spell correctly
2. Do yourself a favor and research the number of USAF flight school grads that are selected for jets, much less fighters, versus those who wash out of flight school.
3. Make sure you have the eyes to do the job in the first place. It is more rigorous than just having 20/20 vision.
4. See number one. The fastest and most successful route to fighters goes right through Colorado Springs.
5. Search the number of total applicants to the Air Force Academy versus the number of those accepted. It is an exceptionally low number.
6. Those that do make it to the Academy are ALL at the VERY TOP of their HS classes. Search for the number of those who flunk out, or are otherwise asked to leave/quit the Academy. Again, that number is startling.
7. Virtually EVERY pilot candidate wants jet fighters out of flight school. Guess how many get them? Search is your friend.
8. You can go to college on an ROTC scholarship. An officer is an officer, but remember that there are damned few ROTC programs as rigorous as any one of the U.S. Military Acadamies. You had better be the very best of the best coming from ROTC, if you want a real shot at competing for a fighter slot.
9. When you get older you will come to realize that very often it is not what you know as much as it is who you know, that gets your foot in the door. That's why the Academy guys get the best treatment.

Good luck. I wish you the best; but buckle up RIGHT NOW, or it will be nothing more than a pipe dream.