Another reason I advocate ANG over the Reserves. Most Guard squadrons work 4 day work weeks. 4x10s provides an amazing QOL. Now, if your squadron has an alert commitment (fighters), it changes things a little. But as long as your leadership doesn't have an active duty mentality, you can still run a great squadron and have a good QOL.

It's still great, but times are changing...some good, some bad. Today's Guard is not the one I entered over a decade ago. The biggest complaint I'm hearing is leadership that have never been part timers (total foul in a community of part timers) or leadership that have never dealt with part timers, and apparently have chosen not to...

^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sounds like the Army isn't the good deal it once was.

Flew OV-10s 2 years, then Eagles full time for 10 and another 6 in the ANG as a part timer.

Active duty is tough. Being a wingman wanting to be a flight lead is tough. Being a flight lead upgrading to IP is tough. Deployments are hard. Exercises can be a drag. And losing a friend or two along the way is a bear.

All that said, life has chapters. I've met the guys out there who were airline pilots at 23, and captains at 30. There are some great guys in that crowd. There are also some who I am convinced will never enjoy or appreciate what they have because its all they know, and all they've done. I think part of the reason I love my job so much now is I did pay the dues in the fighter squadrons, and as a result a nice layover is Paris or on the West Coast is all the sweeter.

What you do want your photo album to look like when you are sixty? If you just want it full of toys, condos, travel, etc then don't bother. If, like me, you made models of every fighter out there, watched Baa Baa Black Sheep over and over, knew every jet that flew in Vietnam and a little about their missions---and you want a few pictures on the ladder of a fighter….then come on over and embrace the work. Its not a flying job, its a life. I have a great job and career now, and I love it….and I always wanted to be an airline pilot. Looking back, however, I sure loved getting to be fighter guy too, even when the days were long.

The good news is if you don't want to fly a fighter…relax. Someone else does. There are a ton of great ways to fly and make a living, and other options even in the military. Some days…even flying an F-15 could be a pain in the ass…nothing to do with the jet or mission just standard AF silliness. Still, looking back at the albums and walls with pictures…nothing else I'd rather have done in my 20s and 30s, and the memories will last a lifetime.

Twooop! :p

Nicely said (but don't limit it to your 30s). ;)

I couldn't agree more!

There's no civilian job at which you can do the things you do in military aviation. You can be the world's richest person and you will not be able to do what a 20-something aircraft commander/fighter pilot gets to do in the military.

Like Albie said, it's a chapter along the way for many of us. Happy to have done it, made the friends and have the memories.

Happier still to be in the next chapter...that life is for young pups!

Yeah me too! I feel very fortunate for having been part of Uncle Sam's aviation fraternity and am very proud of the fact that I served in the world's greatest military. However, I like my life as an airline dude much better. Airline flying is.... well, pretty dry as ya'll know but QOL and the money is exponentially better on this side of the fence.

I'd go back to military flying in a second if there was a job to be had. I think it is time for civilian contract instructors to be in the FRSs/RTUs :D

I second that. I would jump at the chance to fly a clown jet or something grey with two seats!:D