It's different today, especially for officers drawing incentive or specialty pay. The pay is very competetive with all but the most lucrative jobs in business and industry.

Did I mention that the Marines fly Hornets, but not Intruders?

And did you get that beer yet?

Boomer

Go Guard! Baseops.net Flight Planning and Aviation Weather

Just FYI

I was talking to a navigator on the B-52 the other day. He told me pilots on the B-52 average about 100 hours a year.

Officer first, pilot second.

Could be different for other aircraft I guess. Do what you want.

You also have to score high enough on your initial test to get into USAF flight school and you can only take it once.

So I am probably too old, but is there any chance I would qualify for a flight slot in any of the armed forces? I am 31 and given the state of the industry I am actively seeking alternatives both in and out of flying. I think I remember reading one time that you could get a helicopter slot with the army up till 32?

Do NOT attempt a flying career in the military as a "fallback" to your regional, especially on the ANG level. Recruiters that work with Pilot candidates can see straight through the BS...plus you'll have to be in good to great physical shape and be qualified well beyond simple flight hours on your resume. The process is long and arduous even if you are a competitive candidate...most boards only meet once or twice a year and it'll take you at least 3 months to get all the paperwork and tests completed.

Every day I damn my thick corneas for causing my ocular pressure to read high and causing me to lose my ANG pilot slot three weeks before AMS...

Check out the Marines' ads. Their approach is a little different from the others. Never mentions money for college or a job skill that transfers to the outside.

Every enlisted is a future SgtMaj of the Marine Corps and every Officer (though you won't see commercials for them either) is the next Commandant.

I have to totally agree with Slice though. Having the military as your Plan B is going to be very tough to swallow when you are sleeping in a fighting hole with the rain pouring down on you. You're going to start to wonder where you went wrong. It was my Plan A and I still wondered!

USMCFLYR

The military pays well, has great benifits, and a fantastic retirement if you stay the long haul. But, there are times that are just simply is not easy. Long deployments, working under "that guy", and sometimes things just dont make sense but you gotta do them anyway. Military flying is undoubtedly the most exiting flying you will ever do. I say go for it, but you have to meet the criteria first:

1. Are you over the age limit (29 to be an officer, which is required to be a pilot)?
2. Can you tolerate military life?
3. Could you stand to be away from your family for long periods of time? (Usually 6 months minimum per deployment)?
4. Are you within the body fat criteria? (no more than 22% body fat)
5. Is your vision correctable to 20/20?
6. The military flight surgeons are much more strict on medical screenings than your local flight doc. Will you pass a flight physical?

Those are just a few of the things you want to consider. To be a pilot- your a great candidate if you pass all of the above. You will likely have your pick of planes upon graduation with your experience. As an officer, I dont think you will get the GI Bill, but your pay will be much higher.

Hope that info helps

They also check to see if you know your military aviation history and current opposition general aircraft. They want to see that you have a passion for military aviation. A buddy of mine took the test there and didn't know any of the military history answers, like "What was the first serviceable US Air Force jet?" (Don't answer that because we'll never know if you just googled it and answered it that way) I'm just say'n. Needless to say my buddy was not sellected.