Navy Versus Airforce Who is truely better

[kendallbea183]

My uncle was recruiter of the year for 2 years in the Air Force, and my best friends dad was recruiter of the year for one in the Navy. Both tell me compleatly diffrent stories about stuff and im compleatly confused what service i want to be in. I want to become a pilot, im not shure what service to join in. The deciding factors are, Who flies the most. Who gets to see more of the world. Who gets the biggest baddest jets. Which one takes more skill.

I have read in this forum 2 opinions,

the AF tells you what you can do, the Navy tells you what you can't

and the exact opposite.

Id love to be incontrol of a Jet, have the handbook that tells me im not allowed to do this, this, and this. but anything i can think of thats not listed as "not allowed" i can do. I want alot of flight time also. i heard that the navy carriers rarely let 1 pilot get alot of flight time.

I can join eather one throught ROTC, and i will do good in collage and try to get a pilot spot, but also what one has more availiable spots.


IN CONCLUSION-- What one would give me the most out of bieng a pilot? and I want to be the most Bad Ass pilot, what service can give me this title? I'v heard navy pilots are the best and iv heard air force pilots are the best, whos more respectable?

 

[raptor10]

I would suggest you look into the Air Force. they have many programs that seem like they would be right up your alley.

 

[Fly Navy]

Guys, he's 15, be easy on him.

 

[Lonestar155]

LETTER ON WHETHER TO BECOME AN AIR FORCE PILOT...... OR A NAVAL
AVIATOR......

The piece is written by Bob Norris, a former Naval aviator who also did a
3 year exchange tour flying the F-15 Eagle. He is now an accomplished
author of entertaining books about U.S. Naval Aviation including "Check
Six" and "Fly-Off". In response to a letter from an aspiring fighter pilot on which military academy to attend, Bob replied with the following:


22 December 2005

Young Man,

Congratulations on your selection to both the Naval and Air Force
Academies. Your goal of becoming a fighter pilot is impressive and a fine
way to serve your country. As you requested, I'd be happy to share some
insight into which service would be the best choice. Each service has a
distinctly different culture. You need to ask yourself "Which one am I more
likely to thrive in?"

USAF Snapshot: The USAF is exceptionally well organized and well run. Their
training programs are terrific. All pilots are groomed to meet high
standards for knowledge and professionalism. Their aircraft are top-notch
and extremely well maintained. Their facilities are excellent. Their
enlisted personnel are the brightest and the best trained. The USAF is
homogenous and macro. No matter where you go, you'll know what to expect, what is expected of you, and you'll be given the training & tools you need to meet those expectations. You will never be put in a situation over your head. Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family events. Your Mom would want you to be an Air Force pilot...so would your wife. Your Dad would want your sister to marry one.

Navy Snapshot: Aviators are part of the Navy, but so are Black Shoes
(surface warfare) and Bubble Heads (submariners). Furthermore, the Navy is
split into two distinctly different Fleets (West and East Coast). The Navy
is heterogeneous and micro. Your squadron is your home; it may be great,
average, or awful. A squadron can go from one extreme to the other before
you know it. You will spend months preparing for cruise and months on
cruise. The quality of the aircraft varies directly with the availability
of parts. Senior Navy enlisted are salt of the earth; you'll be proud if
you earn their respect. Junior enlisted vary from terrific to the troubled
kid the judge made join the service. You will be given the opportunity to
lead these people during your career; you will be humbled and get your
hands dirty. The quality of your training will vary and sometimes you will
be over your head. You will miss many important family events. There will
be long stretches of tedious duty aboard ship. You will fly in very bad
weather and/or at night and you will be scared many times. You will fly
with legends in the Navy and they will kick your ass until you become a
lethal force. And some days - when the scheduling Gods have smiled upon you - your jet will catapult into a glorious morning over a far-away sea and
you will be drop-jawed that someone would pay you to do it. The hottest
girl in the bar wants to meet the Naval Aviator. That bar is in Singapore.

Bottom line, son, if you gotta ask...pack warm & good luck in Colorado.


Banzai


P.S.: Air Force pilots wear scarves and iron their flight suits.

 

[HighDimension]

I want to be the most Bad Ass pilot, what service can give me this title?

Welcome to the Forums.

 

[A4sForever]

....I want to be the most Bad Ass pilot...

 

[Kickflip89]

It's probably going to be very difficult for you to make a good decision about something like this until you're a little older. Being a pilot isn't really about being the most bad a$$ d00d in town, as far as I can tell. It's more about hard work, and working with whoever you need to to accomplish a MISSION (i.e. cargo planes transport stuff, ECMOs do their E&M thing, strike/fighters blow stuff up, helicopters do...whatever it is they do). Being a bad a$$ is a side-effect. Accomplishing the mission is the main goal.

Also, from what I have gathered, there are probably two things you should be aware of. First, if you go the NROTC route, there are only 2 communities that will put you in a plane for SURE (NFO and Pilot). You are not guaranteed either of them. Instead, you'll have to be selected for a community as you approach graduation, and if you are selected for something else, you WILL do what you are selected for until your commitment is up. So, even though I don't know much about the Air Force, I'd say you'll have a better chance of becoming a pilot through AFROTC.

Second, most pilots in the Navy don't fly jets, and even if you do fly jets, that doesn't mean you'll be flying fighters. What is great about the Navy, from the standpoint of an almost college graduate, is the community and the atmosphere. Ultimately, I chose to apply to the Navy not just because of the Aviation community, but because it's the branch I thought I would enjoy serving in the most. Travel, ships, the sea, other countries, and probably life-long friends--that's what made my mind up, not whether I'd get to fly really cool jets.

Of course, you're still pretty young and have a lot of time to figure out what you'd like to do. There are a lot of people who know a lot more than I do about the Navy and Naval Aviation (like your local officer recruiter). So keep doing research and try to figure out what is most important to you, and where you would be able to achieve YOUR goals.

 

[Gatordev]

Well said, Kickflip. If you truly base your decision on just being a pilot, the Navy probably isn't the place to go. Lots of your time will be spent in a ground job and, potentially, taking care of a lot of enlisted guys. It takes a lot of time and effort, on top of actually getting the "biggest baddest" quals in your "jet."

Secondly, know that regardless of service, it's not all Jets and collared polo shirts (and god forbid, ascots). There's a very good chance you can be flying helos or Cargo/Lift.

 

[tiger84]

I faced a similar dilemma when I decided to get serious about trying to become a military pilot. My grandfather was an Air Force pilot in Korea and Vietnam, so I had always imagined I'd ending flying for the Air Force. Well, when it came down to it I decided to go with the Navy because, above all, I feel like I'll enjoy my career and its many twists and turns better than with the Air Force. The Navy seems to be more diverse in terms of assignments and locales, which is a plus for me, plus I applied having zero flight time, which is ok for the Navy but a big minus in the eyes of the Air Force. Its hard to make a decision based on something like "what percent get jets" since both services fly more cargo/transport/support aircraft than fighters. But in the off chance I wind up in jets, it doesn't get any better than flying off a carrier. That's something the Air Force just can't offer. The bottom line is, figure out what your priorities are and talk to as many people as you can about what each service is like. You'll get a good idea of where you want to end up eventually.

 

[BigRed389]

I faced a similar dilemma when I decided to get serious about trying to become a military pilot. My grandfather was an Air Force pilot in Korea and Vietnam, so I had always imagined I'd ending flying for the Air Force. Well, when it came down to it I decided to go with the Navy because, above all, I feel like I'll enjoy my career and its many twists and turns better than with the Air Force. The Navy seems to be more diverse in terms of assignments and locales, which is a plus for me, plus I applied having zero flight time, which is ok for the Navy but a big minus in the eyes of the Air Force. Its hard to make a decision based on something like "what percent get jets" since both services fly more cargo/transport/support aircraft than fighters. But in the off chance I wind up in jets, it doesn't get any better than flying off a carrier. That's something the Air Force just can't offer. The bottom line is, figure out what your priorities are and talk to as many people as you can about what each service is like. You'll get a good idea of where you want to end up eventually.

To be fair, that really seems to be more of an issue for the OCS/OTS hopeful types.

From the USAFA recruiting pitch back in the day, it seemed like if you wanted to and were physically qualified...and didn't totally suck ass, you'd get to fly.

 

[tiger84]

To be fair, that really seems to be more of an issue for the OCS/OTS hopeful types.

From the USAFA recruiting pitch back in the day, it seemed like if you wanted to and were physically qualified...and didn't totally suck ass, you'd get to fly.

Good point. I applied straight up OCS so I have no experience with how the academy/ROTC side works.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

So, even though I don't know much about the Air Force, I'd say you'll have a better chance of becoming a pilot through AFROTC.

I disagree with that. People join NROTC for every which reason-- Marines, SWO, Subs, SWO-N, and Pilot and NFO.

Yeah, in AFROTC there's a sprinkling who want to be Intel, Medical types and so forth... but guys join the "Air" Force largely because they want to fly... and most of them WILL be disappointed, because they can't make them all... or even a majority... pilots.

I agree with your sentiment, though. Joining the USAF because you'd rather fly the F(not A)-22 than the Rhino is a little ludicrous...

 

[Lawman]

I agree with your sentiment, though. Joining the USAF because you'd rather fly the F(not A)-22 than the Rhino is a little ludicrous...

Be like the people who choose which service they want based on how the uniform looks.

 

[Fly Navy]

Be like the people who choose which service they want based on how the uniform looks.

Oh, you mean Marines?

 

[Lawman]

Oh, you mean Marines?

White Uniforms dont show the sea gull droppings.