Opening my mind to military aviation

[jamesah]

thank you for all the replies. at this point it does feel like the only way for me to pay for college will be through ROTC and or reserve scholarships. I admit that I will need to do more research.

Does anyone have any idea if there are any oporunitites to do something navy or coast guard related near Louisiana Tech University (near Shreveport).

With the input i have gotten from you guys I feel like my best option right now would be to be in ROTC my freshman year, and explore all possible options while going through my freshman year. There is no obligation to stay ROTC after my first year so I think if I choose to go another route there would be no big deal with that.

Also, I completely understand that I can be deployed at any time while in the reserves. My understanding is that it's not highly likely that would happen. (anyone have a statistic on what percentage of reservists from the air force or any branch are deployed).

 

[VIZKRIEG]

I'm not an officer yet, so apply needed grain of salt, but if you enlist, and then try to become an officer, the AF, Marine Corps, Navy, etc. has to spend the money to train you twice, rather than just once. So you can see how they may make it more difficult to get a slot at OCS from the enlisted side, it saves money. I know it does happen, I know people who have done it, but that is another thing to consider.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Also, I completely understand that I can be deployed at any time while in the reserves. My understanding is that it's not highly likely that would happen...

Hm. Your recruiter tell you that?

There's no such thing as "highly likely" in any branch of the military, except for "highly likely things will change". No matter what's going on right now, everything could change tomorrow or next week or next year if some guy up the chain has a Big Idea.

Best way to approach this is to assume that you will deploy in the near future, even in the ANG/Guard/AFRES. If that doesn't fit in with your universe, seek an alternate route.

 

[pilot06]

I was in the ANG while I was in college and was deployed during my junior year. We were supposed to be deployed for 6 months but it was shortened to 3 months. After I got back I was still on orders for another 2 months. It wasn't a big deal and I went right back to school. But don't think for a second they won't send you overseas, because they will.

 

[Junkball]

situations

Hello everyone, I'm going to be a freshman in college at Louisiana Tech University. I'll be majoring in aviation and I've been considering military service while in school and possibly after graduation.
I do not have perfect vision and I'm not sure what the 20/20 version of my vision is.
I have a -5.5 contact prescription for both eyes and I'm pretty sure I am eligible for laser surgery.
I am 6' 3" tall and weigh 137lbs.
There is an AFROTC program at my school which I can take or I can join the Air Force reserves and commute to Barksdale once a month.

I was in a similar boat as a freshman. A buddy of mine explored the AFROTC program and I was nearly convinced to join it because it seemed the only viable route to military aviation, besides a transfer to a service academy, which I also explored. It turns out though that the AFROTC program here SUCKS - we're supposed to commute to E. Lansing 2x a week, and you just don't get the exposure necessary to get recognized by the Corps leadership - an important factor in obtaining a pilot slot. I've heard no WMU students have been comissioned through it. My friend quit after basically wasting a good part of his freshman year. This guy is top-notch (and actually SNA-select for OCS next year) and said there was just no way to succeed.

We kept looking, kept our options open, and he eventually discovered the Navy's Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program - BDCP. And here we stand.

My advice to you:
1. Look into BDCP: it is far and away the best deal the military offers for undergrads.
2. Keep your options open: don't sign up for anything until at least the end of your sophomore year. This also means no MIP's! (etc)
3. Work hard, both in the classroom and on your body. Get good grades. I'm 6'4" and about 175 lbs, and I've only gained about 10 lbs since I entered college. I'm pretty lean so you've got your work cut out for you as far as packing muscle onto your frame.
4. PRK - Not a biggie right now, but if you can afford it in a few years, get it done. My eyesight is similar to yours and I think I'll be medically DQ'd for a pilot slot... and the Navy's vision standards are not as strict as the AF's, from what I understand.

 

[sonicboom]

The figher jets are bad ass but something about flying an air-bus over an ocean seems more appealing.

whaaaaa?

 

[Harrier Dude]

Hello everyone, I'm going to be a freshman in college at Louisiana Tech University. I'll be majoring in aviation and I've been considering military service while in school and possibly after graduation.

I tend to ramble so I'm going to ask questions as clearly as possible and make statements that i think can be beneficial to this post.

I do not have perfect vision and I'm not sure what the 20/20 version of my vision is.

I have a -5.5 contact prescription for both eyes and I'm pretty sure I am eligible for laser surgery.

I am 6' 3" tall and weigh 137lbs.

There is an AFROTC program at my school which I can take or I can join the Air Force reserves and commute to Barksdale once a month.

I am told in ROTC that I will be required to go active duty Air Force once I graduate and become commissioned reguardless of if I get into flight school.

I have been told that in the reserves, I am not requried to go active duty unless i want to. (this meaning that I can stay reserves and if I do not get accepted into flight school, I stay home and live a mostly civilian life)

Both routes will help me pay for college immensly and look good on a resume. The thing with either of these is that I will not be eligible for any money from them for at least a year. (ROTC has scholarships, Reserves has a GI Bill, etc).

I can't join the reserves for another year because I have to get my braces off my teeth.
ROTC requrires I stay in for a year and then try for scholarships.

To me the reserves seems like my best bet. What do you guys suggest and do you have any input on this aspect of my situation?

Eventually I want to fly for a large airline, on a large plane, get a large paycheck, and travel our large world. =)

The military seems like it would definately help me to achieve that goal.

I'm not really interested in flying figher jets because larger aircraft seem to fascinate me more. The figher jets are bad ass but something about flying an air-bus over an ocean seems more appealing.(but I sure as hell would love to catch a ride in co-pilot seat of one)

--- I feel like I have more questions but can't quite put them down--- anyone's take on this is much appreciated.

The Marine Corps has a program just for you!

Based out of Louisianna, our Airbus training program will make you in airline pilot in just 4 short years. No weekends. No deployments. No sacrifice. No putting up with leading Marines. It couldn't be any easier!

Just go to your local Marine Recruiter and ask for it by name. It's called Project 0311, but not many people know about it. Just tell your recruiter that you want to be an 0311, and he'll hook you up.

Slots go very fast, so whatever you do DON'T WASTE A LOT OF TIME READING THE PAPERWORK! You might just get the last slot, and you wouldn't want to miss such a great deal because of a bunch of silly details.

I hope this helps! Good luck.

 

[OUSOONER]

The Marine Corps has a program just for you!

Based out of Louisianna, our Airbus training program will make you in airline pilot in just 4 short years. No weekends. No deployments. No sacrifice. No putting up with leading Marines. It couldn't be any easier!

Just go to your local Marine Recruiter and ask for it by name. It's called Project 0311, but not many people know about it. Just tell your recruiter that you want to be an 0311, and he'll hook you up.

Slots go very fast, so whatever you do DON'T WASTE A LOT OF TIME READING THE PAPERWORK! You might just get the last slot, and you wouldn't want to miss such a great deal because of a bunch of silly details.

I hope this helps! Good luck.

I did this program, and all I got out of it was this lousy piece of paper that said I'm going to Iraq...Oh yeah, this is my rifle.. There are many like it, but this one is MINE.

 

[sevenhelmet]

6' 3" and 137 lbs? No wonder you want to fly an airbus. G-LOC anyone?

 

[picklesuit]

I'm not an officer yet, so apply needed grain of salt, but if you enlist, and then try to become an officer, the AF, Marine Corps, Navy, etc. has to spend the money to train you twice, rather than just once. So you can see how they may make it more difficult to get a slot at OCS from the enlisted side, it saves money. I know it does happen, I know people who have done it, but that is another thing to consider.

Umm, I think you are speaking out yer butt my friend...the Board takes a look at all of the candidates applications and picks the best ones...they don't care what money was spent on their training (one of my classmates is a 10 yr nuke E-6 who is now a super butterbar like me)
They care who will make the best leader. While I agree with the opinion that the best way to get a commission is to go ROTC/Academy/OCS, be careful when making decisions made on uninformed opinions from a forum website. Sometimes even the best of us don't know what we are talking about.

If you absolutely can't afford college, can't get into ROTC, and are backed into a wall, the GI Bill will look really good to most people. 1200 bucks for a college education is a really good tradeoff.

 

[MasterBates]

At ZERO bodyfat I weigh 188 according to the med-heads here. And I am 6'3-4"

Dude, seriosuly, go eat a footlong FEAST sub and go lift something heavier than an Xbox controller.

 

[MIDNJAC]

At ZERO bodyfat I weigh 188 according to the med-heads here. And I am 6'3-4"

Dude, seriosuly, go eat a footlong FEAST sub and go lift something heavier than an Xbox controller.

Hey, quit hating on the skinny guys

 

[BACONATOR]

Hey, quit hating on the skinny guys

Ogre SMASH!

That's a good likeness, Master! No?

 

[HeyJoe]

I'm not an officer yet, so apply needed grain of salt, but if you enlist, and then try to become an officer, the AF, Marine Corps, Navy, etc. has to spend the money to train you twice, rather than just once. So you can see how they may make it more difficult to get a slot at OCS from the enlisted side, it saves money. I know it does happen, I know people who have done it, but that is another thing to consider.

IMO, that's not the logic applied by those who control such things. The Navy and Marine Corps both need quality officer and enlisted personnel. For decades, they realized great success in identifying outstanding officer candidates among serving enlisted personnel in both services. So multiple programs exist to tap that rich pool of experienced personnel that is actually much lower risk in terms of ensuring they will adapt to military culture and discipline. I would venture the BUPERS folks look at it as an outstanding return on investment. It's certainly more competitive for sure, but they hardly make it more difficult to save money.

 

[bunk22]

whaaaaa?

Flight attendants :tongue2_1