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02 MARCH 2026, SNA/SNFO

Jhally said:
Anybody know the upcoming board schedule, got lasik in January so I can’t apply till July 22🥲
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Get documents for all your post-op visit result and have your doctor write a letter about the results of each visit. I was able to get a response for my waiver quite fast doing it this way. I think my recruiter was also able to get me a waiver for prk surgery before the 6 month post-op.
 
Gengar88 said:
I just got the call from my recruiter for SNA! I think I have to turn him down though.
Anyone want to help talk me out of it?

I earned my BS in aerospace engineering last year, 200k in loan debt. I did everything to find a job, very rough market, and was forced to consider joining the military. I only applied to the best job, aviator.

8 months go by, finally I get a job offer with Boeing, working on B-52 CERP right now, moving to Phantom Works projects soon. Fucking cubicle office job, but fun defense programs.
Not even 3 months in with this company and my Navy recruiter dangles the pilot slot in front of me...
Initially I applied to the military because I had no other choice.

Long term goals are to work on new liquid rocket engines/advanced propulsion. Maybe conducting tests. I want something more hands-on, less time in the office.

It's hard to find guidance/mentors for this. Thoughts?
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Hey there Gengar!

*insert "My steak is too juicy my lobster is too buttery" meme here* 😜

All jokes aside, you honestly can not go wrong either way.
I believe you need to hear the opinions and experiences of both military aviators and civilian engineers, take their input, and have a heart-to-heart with yourself until the preferred path makes itself clear. As long as you make the decision in full confidence, free from regret, you are setting yourself up for a beautiful, loan-free, meaningful, and exciting future!

I can tell you that personally, if I were in your shoes (well technically I guess I am, just in a parallel but very similar scenario hahaha I'll elaborate in a second) it would be an unequivocal no-brainer. With your aerospace engineering degree and even more so your Boeing experience (even if only a few months!) on your resume, like TXAGOTDR said you can always go back to the defense sector after service in the Navy - possibly enjoying and appreciating the amenities of an office job (you'll fly a desk in the Navy too, but at least you'll fly aircraft too! 😂) even more, after the unique and unconventional years of experience you'll have as a naval aviator.

But if you give up on the SNA slot...that is most likely something that will not be so easy to come back to (again, seems that TXAGOTDR has some good insight on this). Take into account also the fact that you are younger now than you will be later (what even is time), so let's say you do end up regretting it and decide to go for the military once more - better to get in on the intense SNA pipeline now, before even more of life happens to you. I'm talking wives/husbands, kids, etc...(that could be irrelevant if you already have a family hahaha but as someone who isn't there yet, thought it was worth mentioning!).

As a fellow aerospace engineer who is working as a flight test manager on UAS, though I enjoy the work and people immensely, every single takeoff and landing has me wishing I was in the aircraft, not directing the pilot-operators, monitoring parameters from a ground control station, and logging every single event and fault that arises. When you said you want something hands on and with less time in the office, it resonated with me immediately! Though that's not to say I don't appreciate my job - I love it! - but it has always been very clear to me what I want to do. It seems that many people, from a young age, grow up knowing that they want to be pilots/aviators - I'm guilty as charged...it's like a given! I know that if I don't go for it, I can and will absolutely regret it for the rest of my life. Hence it being a no-brainer, if you ask me 😉

Though the fact that you seem to enjoy your current job so much, even with its cubicle nature, as well as the fact that you were "forced" to consider the military as a last resort and aren't quite burning for that SNA slot - leads me to believe that you may not regret staying in Boeing and progressing until you eventually get to working on those sexy and advanced propulsion systems. Yet, on the other hand...who's to say you won't fall in love with naval aviation?

All I'm saying is that you can definitely get to that defense sector goodness after the Navy, that is...have your cake, and eat it too! 🍰

Whatever you decide, you are absolutely set! Best of luck and if you'd wanna discuss this more, feel free to PM me 😊
 
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