I need some advice

[Buzzkillington]

Hi all, I'm really hoping you guys can set me straight here. I was picked up for an AD pilot slot last year and am waiting to go to OTS later this year. I currently have a great finance job at Lockheed and they are literally begging me to stay. While I don't hate what I do, I've spent the last 4 years of my life wondering... is this really it?? Am I just going to make my way up the finance ladder, then retire and slowly rot away? That caused me to apply for a pilot slot, as it's something that I've always wanted to do and offers a meaning to life that I don't think I'd find in many other places. 

Now, a year after being accepted and waiting in the OTS pipeline... It has been one disaster after another... the amount of incompetence I've seen is incomprehensible and now, the rose tinted glasses are slowly coming off and I am reading some of these posts more carefully and it seems that I'm really only just getting started. I thought I'd be able to put up with it as long as I was flying and doing cool/meaningful things but I'm sure most people say that and end up getting fed up.

So here's the question, do you regret your decision becoming a pilot? Will I be crushed by all the queep and BS that gets thrown at me for 12 years? Or will I have an opportunity to grow as a person, experience cool things, and be a part of something bigger (sorry for being cheesy but it's really what is important to me).

I always get stuck in these paralysis by analysis situations but I am making some HUGE sacrifices career-wise, all for the sake of being a part of something bigger. Thanks

[BashiChuni]

God damn it. Fucking do it. 

[BashiChuni]

No I don’t regret it. I’d do it again in a second. Is it a fucked up organization? Fuck yes. But I got to be America’s Combat Olympic team on the reg and it fucking rocked! Do something and be a part of something bigger than yourself  you won’t get that behind a cubical  

*Vodka infused response. 

[M2]

Are you serious?

[Duck]

I’m my experience, the incompetence that you have experienced is really just the tip of the iceberg. It’s a wonder the Air Force even functions at all.

Having said that, flying in the military is phenomenal (most of the time) and few things can top it. The people in your squadron will be the best people (most of them) you will ever work with. Everything else pretty much sucks on Active Duty. Complete lack of focus on anything resembling actual combat effectiveness/efficiency, bases shutting down for the dog and pony show for the next 4-Star asswipe who comes to town. Who pretends to care about the people but really you are just a number on his bio and an asset to be bargained with.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there is this organization called the Air National Guard and while some units are more like AD than others, it would allow you to keep your Lockheed job and be apart of something bigger. I would never in a million years let my son join the AF, but would actively assist him in joining the Guard.

Bottom line it’s your life and your decision but there is a reason there is a mass exodus of pilots right now. However I do have 2 friends who enjoy it and are planning on staying in.

[raimius]

It is a screwed up bureaucracy, but we still get to do some good work.  

 

Sounds like you aren't really happy where you are.  Would you stay there by choice?  Is the AF the best alternative for you?

 

...grass is always greener, but ANG does look green...

[SurelySerious]

 

In the AF, you have a little of column A and a little of column B. In accounting, you only have one. 

[drumkitwes]

1 hour ago, Buzzkillington said:

Hi all, I'm really hoping you guys can set me straight here. I was picked up for an AD pilot slot last year and am waiting to go to OTS later this year. I currently have a great finance job at Lockheed and they are literally begging me to stay. While I don't hate what I do, I've spent the last 4 years of my life wondering... is this really it?? Am I just going to make my way up the finance ladder, then retire and slowly rot away? That caused me to apply for a pilot slot, as it's something that I've always wanted to do and offers a meaning to life that I don't think I'd find in many other places. 

Now, a year after being accepted and waiting in the OTS pipeline... It has been one disaster after another... the amount of incompetence I've seen is incomprehensible and now, the rose tinted glasses are slowly coming off and I am reading some of these posts more carefully and it seems that I'm really only just getting started. I thought I'd be able to put up with it as long as I was flying and doing cool/meaningful things but I'm sure most people say that and end up getting fed up.

So here's the question, do you regret your decision becoming a pilot? Will I be crushed by all the queep and BS that gets thrown at me for 12 years? Or will I have an opportunity to grow as a person, experience cool things, and be a part of something bigger (sorry for being cheesy but it's really what is important to me).

I always get stuck in these paralysis by analysis situations but I am making some HUGE sacrifices career-wise, all for the sake of being a part of something bigger. Thanks

Are you seriously asking a bunch of randos on the internet what to do with the rest of your life? If this was your first ride at UPT, you’d hook for SA and judgement/decision making. You should  probably stay at Lockheed Martin. 

[IMUA]

I imagine your employment is “at will” meaning they could fire you no notice right? 

Regardless, there are federal protections that SHOULD require LM to hold your position indefinitely until you return. But here’s the sticky part you already disclosed...so that could complicate things.

I had a union prior to entering active duty however, I dealt with the “military leave” with my company direct, dropped orders on the desk at HR and said peace out. The union asked me for orders like a year after I entered AD. It could be worth getting legit legal gouge and seeing if u can go on “mil leave” so you stay an employee basically forever as long as you’re on orders. FYI been out 5 years and i’m still on the payroll and get the yearly medical enrollment paperwork.

As for flying on AD you better god damn do it. I dont agree with people who are given this crazy opportunity to fly cool jets and do cool stuff and just “give up.” Not that you care but for every one of you who “aren’t sure” there are 100 dudes/dudettes who are 101% sure and would give a left nut (or boob) to fly for the AF...myself included.

 

Edited February 3, 2018 by IMUA

[Buzzkillington]

I think I just had a bad streak of threads that I came across where it seemed like literally 75%+ people were saying how they regretted doing it. I'm ready to go into this 100% but just wanted to get some outside perspectives from people who have already made a living out of it. Seems like the consensus is that it's a stupid question to even ask...

[Kiloalpha]

Well, you're going to get people like @Duck and @BashiChuni, giving their completely valid and "right" responses to your question. It's a completely subjective question, man. Two people can work the same job, with the same pay and the same perks... but come home at the end of the day and feel vastly different. That's life. No one is going to tell you anything here that you don't already know, or can't google already.

At an absolute bare minimum, you need to be visiting Guard/Reserve/AD bases in your area. Talk to every person in a bag that you see. Ask questions, pick their brains, learn the lessons that they have to offer. Gain as much experience and info as you can and then sit down with yourself and hash it out. 

[BADFNZ]

Am I punching the second I am eligible?  Yes.

Do I have regrets?  Fuck no.

 

[ColoradoAviator]

Go fly jets in your 20s while you still can.  The finance industry will still be here when you're done.  Unlike some industries (ex: airlines) finance is not purely seniority-based.

Get the best of both worlds and go Guard/Reserve.

Don't let @Duck get you down.  He'll still be on BODN and bitter long after he's out and managing the Chick-Fil-A of his dreams.

[MooseAg03]

Keep in mind you are risking being non-vol’d to spend time in RPAs. I spent half of my commitment operating out of a shipping container. I was a UPT DG and upgraded to aircraft commander with min time. The manning draw to RPAs was just too great when I was up for my second assignment. Luckily manning was good last year and I made it back into the cockpit, but they are seeing their pilot numbers decrease and are looking at having to force guys to stay permanently. A lot of the 18X guys are coming to the end of their commitments and most are leaving for lucrative contracting jobs on the outside.

If I had it to do all over again, I would go to the guard. My kids are older now and each move is harder on them, so this is my last assignment on active duty.

[YoungnDumb]

100% worth it.  I could write a shit ton about how much fun it is to fly and how all the queep and SAPR shit sucks, but in the end man it's up to you.  To me flying and being a pilot in the AF is the greatest thing I've ever done and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

[rancormac]

I was in your shoes.  I worked for one of the top defense contractors for 8 years as an engineer.  The money was great, benefits, super flexible work schedule.  Almost zero accountability.  After over a  year dealing with idiotic shoe clerks in the accessions process, you begin to wonder "wtf am i getting myself into??".

I can't decide for you, but from my personal experience, after the crappiest, 12 hour day filled with BS at UPT, I'd go back to my 200 square foot mold infested "dorm" room and think to myself "This is still a thousand times better than sitting in a cubicle all day".  At the office, I used to stare at the clock.. trying to find ways to fill the time until I could clock out.  Now, you're getting paid to learn about, and fly, aircraft.  Sure beats paying $120/hr to rent them like before.  First takeoff in the -38... first flight in a fighter... that made it all worth it.  Amazing to think thats your job now, not being a cube dweller.  Makes you forget all about that office job.  Even everything outside the flight... studying tactics, briefing, debriefing.... it's a long day, but its hours spent (and getting paid) about doing the coolest job in the world.  But maybe you're super in love with that you do now... do you go to the bar after work and talk about finance?  Is that your dream job?  Do you read finance books for fun?

I'm in the guard, so USERRA law applies.  I'm not a huge expert in it, but AFAIK, the company must hold my position (or provide a similar one) upon my return, with me being on orders for up to 5 years.  Mandatory training for your military job (i.e. UPT, IFF, B Course) are technically USERRA exempt and do not count towards your 5 year time.

The tip of the iceberg comment was spot in, in my experience.  When dudes aren't flying, they are trying to fix the mistakes of other peoples jobs.  Getting 5 month old travel vouchers paid, trying to get paid for orders they were put on 2 months ago, getting Comm to un-F your computer permissions, etc.  It's frustrating, especially when you can compare it to how a Fortune 100 for-profit company runs its business.  Tech support would fix issues within the hour.. travel vouchers paid within a week of getting back, etc.  There will always be incompetence and inefficiencies in the military.

 

[Plus15]

Do it.  If you've always wanted it, don't go the rest of your life wondering....take the leap.  It's that's simple.

[akang2006]

I was in the ANG/RES/AD conundrum with a happy wife/happy life with my current job as a commercial lender in a small community bank. Bottom line for me was doing what I loved (I was a CFII that barely kept my IFR currency by begging flights from friends with planes). I knew I wanted to fly, and ANG was the best fit for me. 

Best career decision of my life. If you go AD, you’ll have a wider array of options for pain and pleasure. If you join ANG/RES, you’ll have no gamble on what you’ll fly, but some career options will be closed to you (certain assignments and programs).

I understand your place and thoughts. I pressed and never looked back. Having been a key player in a small, profitable bank, I am often mind-bottled at the not-for-profit way the AF support world functions. Good luck with that!

 

[dream big]

Go be a pilot man! I have zero regrets and some of the proudest moments in my life were in an Air Force aircraft.

However, have you considered the guard or reserves? Scroll through the threads to see all the shinanigans on active duty.  You’re tying yourself to a 10 year commitment and you have no clue what aircraft you will fly.  I strongly recommend looking into some guard or reserve units.  You can still serve your country and fly military aircraft without some of the admin headache of active duty. 

[Duck]

Am I punching the second I am eligible?  Yes.
Do I have regrets?  no.
 

Same here. Also, go Guard.

[Buzzkillington]

Thanks for all the insight and words of encouragement guys! 

1 hour ago, dream big said:

Go be a pilot man! I have zero regrets and some of the proudest moments in my life were in an Air Force aircraft.

However, have you considered the guard or reserves? Scroll through the threads to see all the shinanigans on active duty.  You’re tying yourself to a 10 year commitment and you have no clue what aircraft you will fly.  I strongly recommend looking into some guard or reserve units.  You can still serve your country and fly military aircraft without some of the admin headache of active duty. 

I do wish I had looked into Guard or Reserve from the start rather than jumping in headfirst to AD. However, I think at this point I'd be throwing away a "sure thing" on the chance that the guard/reserve may or may not pick me up... in addition to stretching out my timeline even more (getting close to age critical, I'm 27). That doesn't seem like a smart thing to do.

[Homestar]

Flying in the Air Force is a good job.  It pays well.  At least once you make Major, which is a foregone conclusion now.

There are costs.  Some are high.  Guard flying sounds like it is a lot more fun than Active Duty flying.  The Air Force has a way of sucking fun out of everything, including flying sometimes.

 

[pawnman]

15 hours ago, Buzzkillington said:

I think I just had a bad streak of threads that I came across where it seemed like literally 75%+ people were saying how they regretted doing it. I'm ready to go into this 100% but just wanted to get some outside perspectives from people who have already made a living out of it. Seems like the consensus is that it's a stupid question to even ask...

It is interesting how so many of the people telling you to fly for the Air Force are in other threads talking about the fastest way out.

[matmacwc]

1 hour ago, pawnman said:

It is interesting how so many of the people telling you to fly for the Air Force are in other threads talking about the fastest way out.

I just wanted off active duty, ANG life was grand.

[Duck]

I love my job. I hate the Air Force.