What's Navy/Air Force life like?

[Mylo]

Yo all.

I know there are a few of you on here that are active duty, so I was wondering if you can give me any good info about the Navy/AF?

Basically, I've taken a good long look around, and although I'm going to uni to get my degree in audio tech, I'd still really really like to fly.

I've been to both the official sites, etc, but I wanted some info from people who actually are serving. Anything you can tell me that the websites won't will help!

Mucho Gracias!

[DavyH]

In answer to the heading: better than army life.

[JJEMMER777]

Originally Posted by DavyH

In answer to the heading: better than army life.

Lol...no joking there

[GilkyBear]

Mylo, first things first, you have to be an officer to be a pilot. That means you have to have at least a Bachelors degree just to start. There are programs out there where the military will send you to (and pay for) school and then when you graduate you owe XX number of years (not sure how many) to the service in return. Your guidance counselor can hook you up with applications for that. If you are serious about flying, go Air Force. Their quality of life is far beyond anyone elses. And be very careful if you go talk to recruiters. I was an honest recruiter (oxymoron?) but many aren't. Before you know it you could be scraping bird crap off a runway in Guam for 4 years.

[dannymills]

They'll pay for your uni education, but you owe them four years.

[GilkyBear]

Originally Posted by dannymills

They'll pay for your uni education, but you owe them four years.

I beleive it is longer for pilots due to the length of the schooling (not college, but military flight school) and the extremely marketable skill they have. It is very difficult to keep the pilots in because they can make so much more with the airlines. And the stewardesses are much nicer

[Ibateur]

My nephew back home was approached with a similar offer (USMC) college ed partially paid for in exchange for 2 years. The scholarship offer was worth 50K, with a free trip to Guam for aptitude tests (no, not a holiday). A classmate of his I believe is going to Stanford fully paid, but will owe Uncle Sam 4 years.

[dannymills]

Originally Posted by Ibateur

A classmate of his I believe is going to Stanford fully paid, but will owe Uncle Sam 4 years.

Holy sh!t!!!! What a deal!! The top privates in the US charge around $65,000 per year!!! And it's a four year education!

Wow.

Makes you appreciate our measly £3,000 fees over here

I actually love government subsidy.

[Hikey Mikey]

Originally Posted by dannymills

Holy dh!t!!!! What a deal!! . . .

I actually love government subsidy.

There are some really good deals available in the military, but they often come with strict requirements/restrictions. A recruit or officer candidate has to be really smart and ask to see the deal/policy/list of options/whatever the recruiter says in writing before he or she signs.

I never caught a military recruiter in an outright lie, and I believe that all United States Marines are people of the highest integrity. But remember how we make witnesses who testify swear to tell the truth, THE WHOLE TRUTH, and nothing but the truth? What any recruiter will do is avoid telling the whole truth. And it's always more complicated than "four years at Stanford fully paid in exchange for four years with Uncle Sam."

[ken_r152]

I had considered going that route when I was younger and I was informed that, out of every 6000 applicants who want to become fighter pilots, only one makes it. Or was it 6 out of 6000? It was extremely low. So there is a high likelihood that you could start out wanting to be a pilot, and wind up becoming something else later on. Military pay is also quite low, so there is a very high incentive to leave the military and go commercial afterwards. Your chances of landing a successful airline career is much better if you were trained in the military, but it can be done through civilian channels, too. So my point is, you have to really want it, if you're going to go that route.

Talk to some pilots if you are able to. Web sites, or chit chat at a local small airport.

I have several family members who were in the aviation industry, and I could go on, but I don't think this is the place for it. Do some research and decide what you really want to do, is my advice. You can also learn to fly a civilian general aviation airplane if you just want to learn to fly.

[GilkyBear]

Yeah, there are numerous programs out there, some for military colleges, some for regular colleges, also depends on if you have some college already done or not (if the military only has to pay for 2 years of school because you already have 2 done) etc etc.
Another option is to go in the reserves. A lot of state colleges offer free tuition to those in the reserves but it differs from state to state. And being in the reserves these days often means extended active duty time.
Dang Mylo, I just noticed you are in the UK, but I would bet it is still very very similair.

[Mylo]

Thanks for all the advice guys, mucho appreciated. I was kinda nervous of talking to a recruiter, because they DO have a job to do after all - I wanted honest advice from people.

lol @ DavyH. My friend is joining the army. I pity him.

Whoops Gilk, I forgot to say, it is the USAF and USN I'm interested in - I just live over here because my dad retired from the USAF here!

Is an english Bsc degree the same as a bachelors? I have NO idea because I've been in english schooling all my life!

Strange, no?

[dannymills]

BA = Bachelor of the Arts

BSc = Bachelor of Science

[dannymills]

Physics degree => pilot career

[Mylo]

I'll pester some of the pilots I see at work, see what they say.