Originally Posted by
rickair7777
I would respectfully disagree. The two tracks CAN complement each other. Big Caveat though...you must be FULLY committed to the military mission and lifestyle for that period you expect to serve. You'll also need to at least attempt to manage your military assignments to obtain FW (and preferably ME) turbine PIC to set yourself up for the civilian side...this may hamper your military career progression, but sometimes you can't have your cake AND you ice cream and eat them both. There's absolutely nothing wrong with honorable service for a one term followed by greener pastures, or retiring at 20 as a terminal O-4.
You need to be doing the military for reasons other than just flight training and PIC time....but nothing says you can't have the right reasons and also be interested in an airline future.
Almost every military person has to plan a career transition at some point anyway. Very, very few make it to age 60+ in the military and they don't do it by flying airplanes.
x2
I wanted to chime in and say that I agree 100%. I think the idea that you should ONLY join/not join the military for reason xyz is a little too black and white.
If you ask me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the service as a stepping stone platform to achieve your life goals, and in this case flying. It's your career and you shouldn't have to fit into someone's own version of idealism. However, if you have the attitude purposely not caring about the military and are in it for the sole purpose to achieve something else on the outside, then of course that's a poor position to take. But I think that's a little too theoretical. I've yet to meet anyone who thinks like that.
Besides, 10-20 years in the military is a decent amount of time. Your attitude, family, and entire situation will change and evolve over time. And your outlook will most likely be completely different from once you started in your early 20's.
My 2 cents.