MikeF16

USMCFLYR is correct, you are an officer first and a pilot second. That said, your motives are your own and if you can adapt to the military lifestyle then flying for the military is an experience like nothing else.

Which leads me to this post.

Think Yoda here. There is no try, you either do it or you don't unless you consider a 10 year commitment part of 'at least trying'. Yes, you are paid for flying. You are also paid to move every 2 years. Get your belongings broken/lost every two years. Force your wife to get a new job every 2 years. Force your kids to change schools every 2 years. Rent a new house or lose money when you're stuck selling yours every 2 years. You get to do those officership things that you thought would be NP when you just joined to be a pilot. Throw in undesireable duty locations, extended periods of time away from loved ones in awful locations, square filling to get promoted, and maybe even get shot at a bit and the military is not something you just try.

JamesNoBrakes

And to build on this, you can go enlisted, do your degree online or while serving, they pay something like 75% of the cost when you take classes while you are in, which saves the GI bill for something more important when you get out. If it's the AF, you join the flying club and get your certificates through that. Usually it's a good bit cheaper than a flight school anyways, and you are earning money the whole time as a soldier/airman. There are so many SMART ways to do this, ways that some of us didn't exploit. Be smart and do it right and not worry about getting into the industry in "3 years", because you're going to lose a lot more than you gain.

Kilder

Get an aviation degree and enjoy the classes, you want to be a pilot or an accountant?

Make yourself chase an aviation life, don't have another degree and stop trying when things get hard, I know of many that stopped their dream because they could, only to lose any chance they had to ever be a major airline captain.

I went to Parks College and enjoyed the Aviation courses and Jesuit education.

hypoxia

Start off at a local flight school where you live! Solo or even better, finish a private pilot license! Then come back to the forum and talk.

Hawker445

I originally aimed for the aviation degree, soon figured out it was useless when i found out i wasn't going to get the restricted license since i did my commercial under part 61 and instrument under 141. No biggie. I know a few people with airplanes.

I've talked to recruiters at Skywest and don't give a rats ass about what degree you get. They hire person first pilot second.

This industry is all about who you know. Whether it be flying traffic watch, flying someone elses airplane, charter parachute drops, anything you just have to gain those hours and it can go VERY quickly.