I read more sob stories on this website, I guess it's true what they say, APC is for airline pilots crying. Then again, I'm not an airline pilot so I might cry too. Military pilot though and being away from family is the norm but of course I chose my life.

As for the ERAU kid, why not try military flying? It's free...so to speak. You will pay for the training in other ways but the flying can be like nothing else.