A couple of follow on questions:
What kind of aircraft does the reserve unit fly?
Will your reserve unit deploy while you're in school?
Can you take a break from school if you deploy?
Can you live on part time reserve wages while you attend school?




A-10 Unit.
Im not sure about deployments, but I assume yes which would put a big crimp in school. This is something I wonder about, like rickair said I am not sure if there is federal protection for this. I would rather not half-a$$ anything, be it school or especially the service.
I can live on dirt!

Thank you for the words.

 

This is what I was hoping to not hear. Thank you though I guess I have some serious thinking to do.

 

I do not think I will be able to go to any school if I can't even figure out how to quote other posts correctly....



But thanks for all the feedback, it all helps. I hadn't thought about some of this before.

 

Your plan sounds solid, assuming you never sleep First of all, expect 2 years for UPT/MWS school, then the unit will usually put you on long term orders for a year or 2 to get you up to speed, then there is the deployment requirement depending on what kind of plane you'll fly. I would say it might be possible but at least 3-4 years down the line, at which point your brain will be full of pilot crap and not medical crap, good luck with the Med School entrance test with MWS info in your head.

 

Hawgs are going to the desert less than every other year right now. I forget the cycle...18 months maybe. I think you can get your grad degree but as a part-time student. If you are part-time guard, full-time student, and have a real job...you'd have no life.

 

Actualleeeeee, it is a good sign you should go to UPT afterall.
You are more subnormal like the rest of us, so go to UPT and become a warrior in the Hawg. <bg>
Then, as many of your fellow warriors have done, when the time works out with the high fives from all, you will go to grad school as you desire, you will get in... believe me. And you will be much better situated. Rickair7777 is correct, no protection while a student. Only employers have to make concessions for service by Federal govt decree. .
Best of luck at UPT!

 

Shane,
If you include OTS, the time you will spend completing UPT, water survival, land survival, A-10 training and your MQT checkout at your unit will be at least 2 years. You will most likely have additional full time orders at your reserve unit which are called "seasoning days" once you are done with training. These orders could be for as long as 2 years (possibly longer depending on the unit).

You're looking at 3-4 years until you MIGHT (and I emphasize - might) be reasonably competent in the A-10. Attempting to go "part time" during those first few years and trying to complete an advanced degree while spending 12 hours/week max at your military duties is an absolute pipe dream.

The current situation in Afghanistan requires a constant A-10 presence which will most likely require regular deployments by your unit. There's no way you will be able to go through the school your are talking about and meet the commitments expected by your A-10 unit.

It sounds like you place military service above your other education goals. That's really the only way you can go. Your advanced degrees will have to be placed on a back back burner if you want any chance of becoming a successful A-10 pilot. That will be more than a full time job for many years to come if you choose to pursue that goal.

Good Luck.

 

Im starting to think that I will have to look into a part time option for school at some point, which is fine because I understand and accept the committments of the Reserve. Im just not sure how part time this medical school could possibly be.


So from what I gather, I am looking at about 3 to 4 years of full time work (including UPT) before I have to start figuring out a plan for other employment or school?

 

And once again thank you all. You guys sound like you have been there and done that, and I appreciate the help. It gives me a new perspective on things.

 

Shane......don't do either half-assed. If you want to fly in the military, make up your mind and do it. But know this: you're going to have to put the time in........it's going to take plenty, and you're going to need to focus. Habit patterns will save your life on more than one occasion. Those aren't learned "part time", which is why your unit will require you to be mostly full time for a year or two.

Break it down: Why try to do both when you don't know very much about either? If you have a slot, and if you want to fly, take it. AFTER you've established yourself in your guard unit and know something about what is expected of you, start to look into med school.......

You are obviously a smart guy, getting accepted to med school, or a guard slot are both good things.....you're getting accepted to both. Military flight school will probably be one of the more challenging things you've done. I've seen plenty of smart guys wash out......and plenty of dumb guys make it. The difference?

Their effort.

Good luck to you Shane!!!