Second thoughts SNA..

[CUPike11]

It's nice to hear it from someone else.. Because usually all I read on here is how people are all excited to be in the Navy and I never hear anyone express concern for leaving family, so I was starting to wonder if it was a bad sign.. And yea my parents were proud of me being a crewchief I'm sure they'd be ecstatic for a pilot. I think a lot of people going in it doesn't hit them until they are in or unless they've gone through it.. I remember when I first left for the USAF, I didn't think of those things until the last night before I left and when I was in boot..

Do you honestly think that NO ONE expresses concern over leaving their family? How about my friends who went to OCS (2 of which were also priors as well) with me and left behind dogs, 2-4 kids, and a loving wife/husband? To do the very same thing that you're having doubts about doing as well?

Or how about the guy or girl who isn't married and never really gets a chance to see their family at all, just due to finances or timing of training or other issues? And lets add that they haven't seen their family in almost 3 years and at one point, their family was about 100 mi from them, easily drivable distance....but due to the flight schedule and training, he had to fly and was unable to go at all.

Everyone to some extent misses a dog or kids or family or their parents. Just because we don't voice it and go "woe is me" everyday all day, doesn't mean we don't think about it. The reason that you don't hear most people talking about it is because its a common thing that EVERYONE at one point or another has or will have to go through. So why be that ONE guy who's always saying "I miss my family....." when probably 99% of everyone else has it in the back of their minds too? Yes being away from your family and loved ones suck, but you knew that coming into it and so did everyone else before you and who's coming in with you. That's just one of the many sacrifices we have to make with this job and we all know everyone misses their family to an extent, so whats the point in lamenting over it constantly?

 

[JMonte85]

All valid points, Thank you.

 

[81montedriver]

It'd be one thing if you had never joined the military. But you being prior enlisted, I guess I expected more. Pull your skirt back up from around your ankles and go fly if you want to. If not, stop bitching.

 

[JMonte85]

It'd be one thing if you had never joined the military. But you being prior enlisted, I guess I expected more. Pull your skirt back up from around your ankles and go fly if you want to. If not, stop bitching.

Well as long as they let me bring my skirt I guess I have to now

But seriously, I get what all of you are saying and I respect and thank all of you for your opinions and taking your time to respond. I think I'm over the little hiccup and back on track.. I just needed to figure some of that stuff out and hearing some feedback from you guys puts things in a better perspective.

 

[brownshoe]

Holy Smokes! I’m sure glad I’m no longer working a deck. (I could count on and trust my shipmates.) Like an old member here often said: “I weep…” Me too!

BzB, Banty, Zip and I don’t have to worry any longer. But you younger guys… RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! Eaglei22 is joining up.

 

[BusyBee604]

Holy Smokes! I’m sure glad I’m no longer working a deck. (I could count on and trust my shipmates.) Like an old member here often said: “I weep…” Me too!

BzB, Banty, Zip and I don’t have to worry any longer. But you younger guys… RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! Eaglei22 is joining up.

If what has been posted here, has truly "lit the light" for Eaglei22...well and good, it may work out. I can only caution that a "whiner" will not be long tolerated in a Ready Room, be it Flight Training or the Fleet. You REALLY don't wanna be that guy.
BzB

 

[NightVisionPen]

Leave your dog at home during OCS, but then get him (or her) for flight school. I see no reason why you can't have a dog in flight school. First squadron might be tougher during more dets and deployment, but that is what kennels and family are for.

 

[Sapper!]

On the bright side, your time away from home is CONUS and I'll just take a stab and say your deployments aren't 1 year long and you probably won't do 3 of them in one 6 year obligation term. Unless of course you get stationed somewhere you can't take dependents that might be different, but at least you will still be an aviator. I think about the guys getting stuck doing 18 month extended tours on a tiny ass COP in a valley somewhere when I think about leaving home. Sucks even more when you only get 12 off and then turn around and do it again. But I have a hunch you do know there are two wars on, because that is why we are all here right? To fight a war and not to explicitly get a chance to fly something? Dunno, screw me if that isn't the case. There you did it...... now we have Dr. Phil on a warfighter's website.

 

[eas7888]

I think about the guys getting stuck doing 18 month extended tours. . .

Yeah. . .those were fun. Both of my tours were extended. Compared to that, flight school isn't too bad. I get to see my family almost every night.

 

[Sapper!]

Yeah. . .those were fun. Both of my tours were extended. Compared to that, flight school isn't too bad. I get to see my family almost every night.

Hey brother, happy belated veterans day to you! Thanks for doing those tours, taking the time to give me advice and feedback on the navy application progress, and congrads on achieving your dreams and getting into flight school. Long road and lots of hard work to get there (not to mention those pesky ass depolyments), my hat is off to you! Good god, at least there are no more extended gigs in your future and I guess if there are it just means more hours for you!

 

[MIDNJAC]

Honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about all of that now. Get through flight school, get wings, get through the RAG, and THEN maybe think about having second thoughts. All 3 of those things are anything but a given, and many good dudes have fallen by the wayside in the pursuit of them. Keep your head in the game, and take things one step at a time. You are a VERY long way from deployments, the fleet, and anything of the like. You have been given an awesome opportunity that many would kill for, and keep in mind that the Navy would just as easily fill your shoes with the next guy if you aren't up for it. I promise you, that when you are laying on the beach pounding your 18th hurricane while waiting in a-pool in pcola, you will not have the same reservations. Shit is a very long way from getting real, and the reality is that your life will continue to mirror college, but with a whole lot more cash in your bank acct.