Originally Posted by
Brit43
I'm 18 and currently in college and I'm thinking about joining the national guard. I'm obtaining my flight ratings and wouldn't mind being in the national guard. I attend kent state university and I'm from Cincinnati. National guard seems like a good side job and extra stream of income. Any advice would be appreciated.
Good advice from all. My 2 cents: avoid the temptation of the army guard's high school to flight school (zero to hero) program. The recruiter will try to hook you on a direct pathway to flight school and a rotary wing billet. It's true, you go this route and you'll be a pilot by the time you're 20-21 with no college required. But in the long run if you want to fly for the airlines or even just career fixed wing military, going Army/Army guard is a bad idea. Enlist in the air guard, go get a bachelor's degree, then get a guaranteed job with a fixed wing air guard unit flying C130's or C17's. Best deal there is.