Der Meister -

I retired from USAF (20+ years) in 2008, so my experience is not terribly dated. Don't discount the stories from your grandfather {in the Army Air Corps ... just busting your chops :-)} -- I have had many discussions with military pilots from the 1930's to the present, and many of the experiences haven't changed that much. The stuff people referred to above (willingness to sacrifice, non-flying jobs, etc) are all correct -- you need to be prepared for that.

But ... you will have an oportunity to do things you would never get to do anywhere else. You will be responsible for things that are simply "taken care of" when you work for an airline. And, in many cases, you will get the opportunity to really make a difference and do things you can be justifiably proud of.

Competition is pretty steep, though. Even on the enlisted side -- those who advocate a draft simply don't understand how technical the US military has become. Many of the kids graduating from school today would be unable to contribute in a lot of jobs in the military, and theyt end up rejecting more people than you might think. On the officer side, there are many more applicants than there are positions.

If you decide to do it, you will have to go "all in" to make it happen unless you happen to luck into an oportunity. You will have to be single minded for as long as it takes to achieve the goal. Network arpound the reserve and guard bases if you can. Apply everywhere, unless you are certain there is something you absolutely do not want to do.

Good luck! Feel free to send a PM if you have any questions.

Marvin