While I don't agree with a lot of what Shy has to say, this is over the top. I looked at the military when I was in high school as well. Learned I wouldn't be guaranteed a flight slot, decided it wasn't for me (in retrospect, probably not one of my brighter decisions).

When I was looking at it, I wasn't really interested in fighters - I wanted to be an airline pilot, so to my way of thinking transports would have had a lot more in common with that than fighters. Ironically, now when I go to an airshow I think, "I'd really like to do that for about a week..."

I'm not a psychologist, I didn't play one on TV, nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night; but I'm pretty certain I'm not just saying that to "lessen the mental and emotional pain..." in spite of the fact that I would have targeted MAC. Of course, looking back I fully realize that I might have changed my mind after I had the chance to "bank and yank" and "turn and burn," but that's another discussion.

Back to the actual topic of the thread: One doesn't get respect by buying their job, nor by getting into a large cabin business jet on their looks.