I can tell you this. The longest, most diverse road to being a military pilot is the Marine Corps - so if you are looking for the fastest road - don't take that path.

USMCFLYR

 

Finish school and get educated on the process of application. Beyond that you have to think about the life and if it's what you want. It's not a flying club, get your priorities straight. Even though you won't necessarily be stuck flying what you didn't want, you are an officer first and a military pilot second. You might want to get your parents involved as well as it seems like you don't have understating ones. Unless you're an orphan.. family support is critical during these early years. Take it one step at a time and go for it. It helps that you are already at the top of your class, you have to be competitive. Someone will get it, either you or them.

 

...I'm still waiting for Boeing to release Hornet variants that will replace everything on the flight deck....then we can ALL be hornet pilots!

Let's see, its a fighter, a bomber, a refueler, an electronic warfare platform...how long till it replaces the greyhound??

 

I noticed that no one mentioned the USCG yet. Obviously I wouldn't be flying fighters, but I would helos or heavies. Even though a fighter would be my preference, I really would not mind flying helicopters. My only concern with flying helos in the other branches of the military is your vulnerability while being fired at. In addition, I would think that pulling a family of four off of a sinking boat would be quite rewarding. Is it difficult to become a USCG pilot? Are there downsides to the USCG that I may not know about?

 

You need to read the post in the thread you started more carefully
There are a few threads on flyig in the USCG on the forum. Try the Search function and type in the word USCG.

USMCFLYR

 

Lol I remember reading that post but I swore it was from another forum. Oh well . Now that I'm thoroughly embarrassed, do you have to already be a pilot in another branch to fly for the coast guard?

 

No...you do not already have to be a pilot.

Those threads that will come up under the search will answer many (if not all) of the questions you have already and will answer some that you don't even know you have yet.

USMCFLYR

 

The downside would be flying in weather nobody else wants to be in intentionally. Watch "The Perfect Storm". That's an ANG CSAR unit but that part of their mission is the same.

 

What is it, do you think, fighter pilots do all day? Twirl around and do barrel rolls all day? They train for combat just like any other member of the military. Being a fighter pilot is not a low-risk profession. It seems like there's a rather large disparity between your conception of being a fighter pilot and the reality of actually being one. What you've said is analogous to somebody saying: "I want to be a fire-fighter but I don't want to go into the burning buildings, I just want to drive around in the truck."

Getting fired upon whilst flying is a risk you take when you choose to fly any aircraft for the U. S. Armed Forces. I put in bold what your real concern is, as far as what I can tell. You've been told a few times that you're at significant risk of coming under hostile fire no matter what you fly. I think you're not waking up to the reality that "fighter-jocks" as you put it are under as much risk of being killed as anybody who flies for the military, or in general. When pilots go up in the air, they're in Mother Nature's airspace. Even lowly peons like myself in the general aviation field.

I may be wrong, but it seems like you just want to fly fighters because it seems cool but you don't want the risk. If that's the case, perhaps take up a relatively low-risk career like accounting and do some aerobatic flight on the side.

Alternatively, just because we're engaged in conflict with an enemy without a viable air force doesn't mean we won't have to face an enemy with one eventually. And if you don't want to risk getting shot at, then being a fighter pilot would not be a good move for you. You could also face getting shot out of your aircraft by SAMs or any number of the myriad risks facing every military pilot.

My recommendation is to really think about this. There are so many people who would love to fly for the military because of the risk and because of the role the military plays in American life.

 

Of course not, but taking down a fighter requires large, heavy, vulnerable, and expensive weapons platforms to launch SAMs, something modern day terrorists don't have too many of. In order to down a helicopter, all you need is an RPG launcher and a steady hand, something many terrorists have. Besides, being a fighter pilot is well worth it. It doesn't seem like you get the same thrill flying a helo than you do flying a fighter.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Being fired at won't deter me, I just don't like it, just like fire fighters don't like rushing into collapsing and burning buildings.
You're damn right I don't want the risk. Its something I'm going to have to live with.

Accounting? I'd much rather be shot at. lol


I highly doubt there are many people who want to go into the military because they want bullets whizzing over their head and missiles tracking their airplane. Its something they have to live with. The people who actually enjoy the prospect of almost being killed are the minority. Its just the reality that every service member has to live with.