fvtc.edu in oshkosh...with them you will get bah and all that plus your not fronting any of the money...its all handled by the va and whatever is left over ends up in your bank acct...so with bah and wi gi bill checks coming in you can more than survive up there....

Thanks Herik, but I am 40 and already have a Masters degree so do I really want to go back to college? Plus, it would presumably take two years to get all my ratings, and that is even before I can time build as an Instructor.

Potentially 2 years. It can be done faster. 250 TT (brand new commercial) could theoreticaly take as little as 32 or so days (8 hours a day) but thats not realistic at all. However, six months would be an average of 1.3 hours a day. Schedule two lessons a day 5-6 days a week. say 8-10am and 1-3pm with ground lessons 10-1. Plus all the home study you could do, and its possible. Heck at that rate you could jsut do all the writtens first, then start flying. But the weather is the problem, and instructor scheduling. With weather id say plan on 1/4-1/2 of you scheduled lessons to be cancelled. Like iv said before, if you want to really get this done quick, take advantage of those nice weather days. Most new CFI's who arent booked full with clients dont mind you calling the day of and asking if they can fly a boatload that day. But better to schedule it out in advance and hope for the best weather. The other issue is getting an examiner. in MSN you sometimes had to wait a week or two for an available examiner, or fly up to the wausau area and take you ride with the guy up there. Could also find some in MKE im sure.

I got a response to the Email I sent to Wis Avn. It seems like they can accommodate all my requests (Accelerated training, using the GI Bill, doing it at Watertown, etc.). I also realize that the training will slow down dramatically over the winter, but I can deal with that.

My only worry now is what do I do afterwards. Where do I work as an instructor. From reading these forums, it seems like to get an instructor gig at a school that has a lot of students (i.e. the pilot mills with a lot of Chinese students) you have had to be a student there first. So I am debating whether to go to one of those pilot mills instead like Aeroism .

Well, pilot mills are not all that bad. I had some experience with a few of them, and the instruction wasnt half bad, but compared to WI av it sucked. Also, the cost is typically significantly higher than at an FBO. But thats what happens when you only fly seminoles for the vast majority of training, and have an add in every magazine and website on earth. My problem is the language barrier forgien kids have. I wouldnt want to teach only foreign students. But a few is ok. Most those pilot mills are not part 141 either. I know ATP isnt, so thats something to consider as well.
Also, almost every CFI at a pilot mill is just a time builder, not a dedicated teacher. they get 1500 and bail. Thats why I chose Wis Av. One of the instructors at MSN has over 13,000 hours most of it dual given.

Thanks Aviator, you bring up some great points and I have a lot to think about.

Sure, no problem. I should clarify my comment about my experience at the pilot mill. I was doing a CFII and MEI add on course, and so there was some expectation of pre requiste knowldege. In plain english, I was nit given ground instruction. I just flew, practiced the checkride over and over again, brief review of the oral portion fo the check rides then got signed off. All well and good if thats what you want. Personally for 6k in 6 days I expected some teaching, and at least some enthusiasm. Maybe I got a burnt our CFI like I said, but when I flew with a different guy he was very fun and instructional.
But the cost at least at the one I went to (now 69K for 0 time to 250 ish hours CFI/CFII/MEI) is much higher than an FBO. But they also provide 100 Multi engine. I only had 33 after I got my MEI. So thats one reason it cost more.
Anyway, Im glad to help you out, hope WI AV serves you well whether you go there or not.
Keep you head up when you feel like maybe this isnt for you. Everyone has been there. I have been there, but then i think to myself what else would I rather spend my time doing? And I feel better. haha