Originally Posted by
FloridaGator
Seriously? When I was a butter bar I got an all expense paid trip to jet camp. It was rediculous. Nearly every butter bar gets a year of UPT and 6 months of Graduate pilot training. Nobody does anything usefull until 1st LT. I was told at UPT that the two most useless ranks in the AF are 2LT and Major. 2LTs just learn a job and Majors learn how to manage an operation.
Unfortunately, 0-1 pay does somewhat resemble first year airline pay. The difference is that the benefits in the military are excellent. Airline benefits kinda suck these days.
Yeah, that's the only difference. Oh wait, what's up with that 10-yr commitment after UPT? How about we see how well a 10-yr training contract will go over with regional pilots? Then there is that no say in where you live, little say in what aircraft you fly, little say in whether you even fly an aircraft (UAV, staff, etc) - just like those regional seniority based systems. Also, others have mentioned the going to war thing - forgot about that. As long as we are at it, ask all of those fighter wingmen how many of them have 13 or more days off per month.
Are you sure you were in the USAF? I can't tell from how you framed your post - either you never were or you served in the '50's. (jetcamp?, butter bar?). If you were from the old school, UPT was nowhere near jetcamp unless the average camp has a 30% or more washout rate.
I'll have to say the introduction of military pilots into the regional discussion was a sign that the poster had nothing useful to lend to the discussion.
Edited: Gator, I found one of your previous posts that had this quote: "Yes sure I looked into Active duty....but I never desired to be in South Korea as a 10 year indentured servant. Especially if there was a better option."
Really, as an ANG person who was afraid to commit 10-yrs of your life away, you are going to attempt to comment on how "cake" and AD 2LT's life is? Priceless!