I wouldn't recommend this career to a kid but I wouldn't discourage it either. I would absolutely encourage going the military route vs the civilian way. The civilian way has become too expensive and no way I would open my wallet that much. If I had a kid I would recommend joining the military because I am never just writing a blank check for school. It is sad to think when I was doing my training it was only $40/hr for a 152 and I was able to buy a block of 100 hrs multi time for $6000(most of it split time)