At the end of your commitment for flying for the Navy/Marines, do you think it was worth it?
Yes. I'm now about 6 months past my original commitment, and have no intention of hanging up my spurs anytime soon.
What were some of the other career paths you considered?
Never really got serious about anything else. Engineering grad school (ended up doing that along the way anyway), sailing in the Merchant Marine (did some of that too). If I hadn't got into flight school, I'd probably be some kind of engineer, maybe managing an oil rig or something.
What was the peak experience of your career?
Here's what came to mind in no particular order- stuff I'll remember long after I'm old(er) and (more) senile:
1.) First solo.
2.) First landing on the Boat.
3.) First flight in a fleet jet.
4.) Providing close air support to friendly troops in contact with the enemy.
5.) Being accepted to TPS, and the year-and-a-half adventure that followed.
6.) Flying 20 different aircraft in a year, including helos, gliders, and everything from WWII warbirds to some of the the newest Navy aircraft.
7.) Flying the U-2 to over 70,000 feet during my TPS final project.
Right now I am a premed who has a good shot of getting into med school. But I think I would always regret it if I didn't go for a pilot slot and try to fly for the military.
If there's one thing I'd say, it's that to have peaks, you have to have valleys. This business (like most, I'd imagine) is what you make of it. It's not for everyone, but neither is med school. It just depends on what sounds better: treating patients, or flying some pretty amazing aircraft? Nothing wrong with med school, but if you think you'd always regret it, for me that's usually a sign I've made my decision. Both courses will have their own unique brand of bullshit, and their own peaks. What's stopping you from applying to flight school right now?
