OUCH. I know AFPC has completely stopped pulling fighter pilots due to manning shortages in our career fields, I was unaware they were still dragging our heavy bros down.

No worries, you have valid examples. In fact I'm a living example that you are correct -- I was always a pilot first & officer second kind of guy which has made my 20 years challenging. That said, I ALWAYS wanted to be a fighter pilot, and I looked at all the military officer stuff I had to do as the price I had to pay to fly fighters. What I'm trying to illustrate is at least I was living my dream when some of the military BS was getting me down -- somebody whose primary desire is to fly for the airlines will have it even harder if they go in with the intention of building an airline resume.

Yes, people can change but a 10 year commitment is a huge gamble just to build a resume. Assuming we really are looking at a pilot shortage (and no significant terrorist event/economic collapse) a 10 year commitment will put the OP at the very end of this massive hiring wave.

 

I'm wondering if someone can weigh in for me on this question as well. I've got 2500 TT, 1000 pic and am considering doing the majors for a few years after I spend the next 2 years as an FO on the Dash 8 (I just signed a training bond, so forget about it before then..).

My end goal is the majors, but being just 22 I want to get out and experience a few things life has to offer. Would it be worth it to go do some time in the military, not just to get a check mark on my resume for the majors (And on that note, can anyone explain to me why military time is so valued? I realize this may seem obvious, but to an American who grew up in another country that has almost 0 military, it's not...) but also for the experience and possibly to retire there?
I would likely have to go through ROTC or ROTP (Can't remember which is Canadian and which is American...) to get my degree which is not complete, but that's another factor.

Anyone who can enlighten me with some good insight/information, I'd appreciate it. It's purely something I'm trying to research. I've always gotten good advice from a number of posters on this board and I thank them for that. Feel free to PM or reply.

*edit* I see the poster above's post. From that post, I gather there is a 10 year commitment, and I understand his opinion. If anyone has any others feel free to weigh in

 

AD or guard/reserve?

Pretty sure Navy charges 8 years of your life for wings, it is 10 in the USAF. So go in with eyes wide open, it's not just "some time". The majors like the military because we are a known quantity. They know the training we get, the discipline that is instilled, and they know the military weeds out a lot of the people who might have a hard time completing their training.

 

This makes sense, and completely understandable. It's also a great way to reward people for serving their country!

Sorry, I'm not sure what AD or guard/reserve are. And also the difference between Navy and USAF. I figured all flying was done through the Air Force.

 

Crazy Canuck,

If you are Canadian, it shouldn't make sense. Here's a primer:

AD = Active Duty, just like the Canadian Forces, full time. USAF has pilots, but so does the USN, the US Marines and even the US Army. Every service has pilots down here. The only surprise for me is that the Navy kept a lock on subs. The Army has loads of boats including tugs, btw.

The Air National Guard is a state military component that flies real USAF planes including such things as the B-1 and the C-5. There is an F-22 ANG unit, associated with the 1st Fighter Wing (AD). At one time the Ohio ANG was one of the largest air forces outside of the USAF and NATO.

Every service has Reserves that fly planes of all sorts. USN and USMC has whole carrier air wings in the Reserve. All the C-5s are Reserve now. Some AD wings have Reserve wings attached.

Finally, the USAF Reserve and the ANG can send student pilots to Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) to fly their unit's planes.

GF

 

Navy as of a few months ago was 8 years post wings..
So really look at 10+ years between OCS/API/Flight School.

When you get your wings at the end of flight school, the counter starts.

I winged on January 31st, 2003, and February 1st 2010 was the earliest I could get out.
Yes, the math doesn't jive, but at the time, it was 7 years for Helos/Land Turboprops/Land Jets, and 8 for Carrier based Jets/Turboprops, which had a longer training track to boot.

It's 8 for all as it stands now, mostly to ensure people have to do a second tour past their initial "Shore Tour".. It used to be common to go Training -> FRS/RAG (Fleet Aircraft specific training, 6-15 months depending on airframe) -> Fleet Tour (3 years) -> Shore tour (2.5 years), and being able to bail at the end of your shore tour.

I was one of those guys, I went through flight school really fast, winged as an Ensign, and got to the fleet still an Ensign since I was accelerated for holding a Comm-Helo ticket and got lucky with no big delays. I got "Extended" on my sea tour, once the 7 year clock was running, to catch up to my peers in seniority and get a LT FITREP before I left, so my PRD from the HTs (Helo Training Squadron) was up I could have bounced.

That being said, the current crop of Navy guys coming out are going to have a lot more trouble being current on the Gov't dime than it used to be.

 

Canuck,

Wow, 2500 TT & 1K PIC at 22 years of age? Impressive.

If you're committed for two years with your training bond, you may have another problem--age. For US armed forces, you need to have your college degree prior to being commissioned (via ROTC if you're in college, or via an Officer Training/Candidate School if you already have your degree). If you would need to spend four years getting your college degree, you'd be too old for Navy/Marine Corps (26) and pretty close to the USAF limit (30 to start, 28.5 to meet the selection board). Don't know what Canadian rules are, but definitely something to consider if you don't already have a degree.

I've enjoyed my military career immensely, though it hasn't been without challenges & disappointments. I've been very fortunate to be retiring at a time when the airlines are beginning a massive hiring wave. No one can predict with certainty where the airline industry is going to be a decade or more down the line, so if that's your priority, you may want to rethink the military option. However, Slam is right when he says the airlines do like military experience due to it being a known quantity.

 

Whoa...!
Wait a minute!

Did you ever see "Top Gun"? "The Great Santini"? "The Bridges at Toko-Ri"?
Were you raised north of the Arctic Circle, where there is no such thing as "movies"?
Did someone kick you in the head, and you now have amnesia?

 

Huggy, that really made me laugh...

 

In addition, you are going to have to look up the citizenship requirements. You will need to be a US Citizen, and if you have a dual citizenship status, you might have to drop one.