Sure that's all true but that doesn't make much of a difference in the long run. Take me for example. I only took the FAP money and here I am paying off student loans. I have to pay off a grand total of 25K and where will that money come from? It has to come from my paycheck, of course. What makes it even worse is the fact that my pay is taxed so I lose out again. If I had taken the TAP money in college, it would have been untaxed and I wouldn't be paying off these loans now. As far as the additional time goes, if i'm going to putting in atleast 8 years as a pilot, then what will an additional 6 months hurt?