From Army MP To Pro Pilot
09-13-2009, 01:31 AM
#31
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by jgdeleon09
Hey man, first of all, thank you for serving.
Well here is a little story for you and I hope it helps you out.
I've been in the military 9 years now, I'm also a grad from ERAU, but i didn't learned how to fly there. I did my courses thru erau at the military campus. Most of my time I was overseas. Well I'm in the army reserves right now, I currently hold a MOS of 11 bang bang, but I'm in a Drill SGT Unit.
I always wanted to fly and well I didn't do my reserch in the merilitary and went infantry, so a few years ago I decided to go ahead and start training no matter what. So I went down to Flight Safety Academy, great school, and great people there, well I got my pvt, instrument and multi there, and I used the GI BILL, It was not a bad gig, right now I'm in debt about 12k that's it. Well I decided to switch school to personal reasons and I'm at ATP in daytona right now, I enrolled in the new GI BILL Prog post 911, In order for me to go all the way to CFII I'm only going to need about 5k and everything is will be reimburst by the va, including examiners fee. So what I'm trying to tell you here is that is flying is what you want to do, go ahead and do it, follow your dreams and we do get a big reward for serving our country. The VA can be diffifcult most of the time, but they sure pay off.
Good Luck with everything. Keep us post it.
Well here is a little story for you and I hope it helps you out.
I've been in the military 9 years now, I'm also a grad from ERAU, but i didn't learned how to fly there. I did my courses thru erau at the military campus. Most of my time I was overseas. Well I'm in the army reserves right now, I currently hold a MOS of 11 bang bang, but I'm in a Drill SGT Unit.
I always wanted to fly and well I didn't do my reserch in the merilitary and went infantry, so a few years ago I decided to go ahead and start training no matter what. So I went down to Flight Safety Academy, great school, and great people there, well I got my pvt, instrument and multi there, and I used the GI BILL, It was not a bad gig, right now I'm in debt about 12k that's it. Well I decided to switch school to personal reasons and I'm at ATP in daytona right now, I enrolled in the new GI BILL Prog post 911, In order for me to go all the way to CFII I'm only going to need about 5k and everything is will be reimburst by the va, including examiners fee. So what I'm trying to tell you here is that is flying is what you want to do, go ahead and do it, follow your dreams and we do get a big reward for serving our country. The VA can be diffifcult most of the time, but they sure pay off.
Good Luck with everything. Keep us post it.
Thanks everyone for posting but most definetly thanks to you. You are the person that is actually doing what I am getting ready to almost the same way I want to. Comment Much appreciated!
09-13-2009, 11:42 PM
#32
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: CRJ200, CRJ700, CRJ900, Left Seat
Posts: 71
Tough Decisions
You have very valid concerns. It is always difficult to move from "secure" to the unknown.
Anyway, at 35 I left a secure programming job to become a pilot. This was before 9/11. The airlines were hiring and upgrades were coming fast. I had my "airline" job flying for ExpressJet (Continental Express) and life looked good. In 2-3 years I expected to be able to upgrade to captain and then move on to a major. After 9/11, I was fuloughed and promptly back on the street looking for a job. I didn't want to go back to programming because I didn't want to lose sight of my real goal...flying. Now almost eight years later, I'm a captain at a regional airline on the CRJ.
To say the least, I didn't expect to be where I'm at, I expected to be at a major, but things could be worse. Am I glad I did it? Yes and no!
Anyway, it's a tough decision.
As for you, you will have to make the call, but here are a few thoughts:
1. If you are in (serious) debt now, don't do it. Get out of debt FIRST. But consider Prosper.com in order to get a loan if you want to go forward.
2. Get your bachelor's degree first, then get into flying. Use your MGI for that.
3. Have a backup plan to provide for you and your wife financially. If that requires staying in the military for another enlistment while you get your certificates and ratings then that is what you have to do.
There have been a lot of good posts. Good luck!
Jeffrey
Anyway, at 35 I left a secure programming job to become a pilot. This was before 9/11. The airlines were hiring and upgrades were coming fast. I had my "airline" job flying for ExpressJet (Continental Express) and life looked good. In 2-3 years I expected to be able to upgrade to captain and then move on to a major. After 9/11, I was fuloughed and promptly back on the street looking for a job. I didn't want to go back to programming because I didn't want to lose sight of my real goal...flying. Now almost eight years later, I'm a captain at a regional airline on the CRJ.
To say the least, I didn't expect to be where I'm at, I expected to be at a major, but things could be worse. Am I glad I did it? Yes and no!
Anyway, it's a tough decision.
As for you, you will have to make the call, but here are a few thoughts:
1. If you are in (serious) debt now, don't do it. Get out of debt FIRST. But consider Prosper.com in order to get a loan if you want to go forward.
2. Get your bachelor's degree first, then get into flying. Use your MGI for that.
3. Have a backup plan to provide for you and your wife financially. If that requires staying in the military for another enlistment while you get your certificates and ratings then that is what you have to do.
There have been a lot of good posts. Good luck!
Jeffrey
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