Is here a current/former fighter pilot in either the USAF or USMC? I am considering joining up and was wondering what the schooling requirements are, and the training. Please only U.S. military answers.

If you decide to join either service, I suggest that you give up right now on the dream of actually becoming a pilot. Some people do, of course, but a modern fighter aircraft fleet requires an very big support infrastructure and that is where the most personnel are actually needed.

If you got into the "pilot" reserves and your commanding officer told you that what was really needed right now was to move those four tons of gear from over here to over there without the use of pallets and fork lifts, would you ... ? Or would you do it. Sir.

If you don't mind schlepping ammunition for Uncle Sam (and, mind you, it's one job among very many that needs to be done!) then Feel Free. But if you're contemplating it with hopes of glory, instead of it being a nasty job that needs to be done, maybe you should reconsider your motivations.

It's a "for the want of a nail" thing: when that soldier's up in the air doing his or her thing at fifteen hundred miles an hour in fifty million dollars' worth of equipment, nothing must go wrong. You're not up there; you'll never be up there; but you're a small part of how he's up there and a small part of why he's going to come safely home again... Is that "good enough for you?"

The recruiters might sell you on "being a Broadway Star," (up-in-de-air..tah dahhhh) but where they need you and thus, where they put you might well be "taking tickets." If you're cool with that, and you're willing to "take tickets" like nobody's bizness, then Feel Free. If you'd feel like you'd been used or even screwed (you haven't, but if you'd think so), then Think First.

And the Marines?! "The Marines go in first, and a lot of 'em don't come back out again." Lots and lots of the names on lots and lots of memorial walls are Marines. But that's why they're there, and I'm sure that a lot of companies of regular troops owe their lives to them: the Marines took the bullets, set the bombs, and opened up the area. If you're willing to go into that with an open mind, then Bless You.

You will require a minimum of a Bachelors degree. Fighter pilots are commissioned officers.

sundialsvcs is correct. People don't just wake up one day and say, "I think I'll be a fighter pilot." It's a lifelong passion. It ain't easy and if you don't cut the mustard, and most don't, you'll be in a support role. Nothing wrong with that, you'll still be a commissioned officer and that's good. Just make sure you're prepared with a second and third choice.

BTW, the US Navy has more fighter aircraft than the USAF. Why not think about them? Never met a USAF pilot that landed on the deck of an aircraft carrier in 50 foot seas at night while rigged for black. Plus, the XO an CO of our carriers are former pilots.

Disclaimer:

I am not a former fighter pilot, I'm a former submariner from the US Navy.

I'll join the chorus of ex-submarine sailors and recommend my Navy. You do know that Marine pilots have to be flight deck qualified too, right?

I did not know that.

OK. Let me hijack for a minute. Whadya' do, what boat, where were you stationed, when were ya' in, et cetera?

I did a couple patrols on the Phoenix, then cross decked to the Pulaski - one of the old 627 class on her last legs even then. For medical reasons I had to leave the Pulaski after only one detergent patrol at the Holy Loch. Cross decked to the Holland. Oddly enough, considering a tender is supposed to be "welded to the pier", I circumnavigated the globe, crossed the equator, the international date line, spent a perfectly horrid summer in Diego Garcia, and went through both canals while on the tender. Go figure.

I did 6 and out. My wife was the career sailor and is now a retired Senior Chief.

I don't like to give too much personal information in a public forum, but for time consider this. None of those ships are still in commission and no sub has been serviced at Site One in Scotland since the early 90's.

BTW: My skippers always hated it if I referred to their beautiful ship as a "boat" - though we all did when we knew he couldn't hear it.

Small world! I was on the Phoenix from 1994-1996. I was a f***in' nuke. I was a staff instructor at the New York prototype and due to an administrative SNAFU, they forget to make me re-up. Only did 22 months of sea duty in my six years.

Yeah, I don't like to give out personal info either. But, what the hell, some two-bit burglar in Maryland is probably selling it to the highest bidder right now anyway.

Thanks for the input, I'm still not sure what I want to do, but I know that I do want to go into the reserves, if I don't decide to do piloting, I will probably be a Marine rifleman.

Talk about mood swings! From Fighter Jock to Groundpounder? How about this - become a Marine Helicopter pilot. You'll be flying but still get to shoot really cool guns.

Of course, I'm partial to the Navy - at least you eat well until you die. And you know what they say about subs; there are only two kinds of ships - submarines and targets.

Dan,

I would suggest that you go Regular Army and get your MOS in a computer related field since it is already something that you are involved in. Furthermore when you get out you will still have all your limbs and have marketable skills.

The career path for Marine Riflemen is somewhat short and typically ends in death or dismemberment. Those that do survive their deployments go on to be policemen or mercenaries.

If you don't believe me go ask a bunch of ex-marines what their careers where like after they got out.

I know several very successful former marines, and my brother is in the marines right now. The reason I'm not sure what I want to do in the military is that I am not sure how my civilian job would accomodate my reserve status, The career I have been thinking of doing already takes about 4 years of schooling, so another 2 would really be pushing it. I'm not sure what I want to do, but a rifleman has always been interesting to me because you are putting yourself in the line of fire in order to defend your country in more ways than any other position you can do. I have always admired anyone that does that and hope that I have what it takes to make that sacrifice.

What do you mean by that? Legally, they WILL accomodate your reserve status.

It's not an option, it's the law. Besides, most employers are proud to say they have employees that serve.

The life of a Marine (or should I say - Naval Infantry) is tough , but you already know that. I have tons of ex-Marine friends. One of my very closest friends and team mate on our race team is an ex-Jarhead. No, he's not a cop or a mercenary but a pretty decent human being.

It's not a choice I could make, but I'll never knock anyone for making it.

The thing about the military is that it's 100% a team effort. Instead of going-in with the assumption that you want to be this-or-that, it would be better to just go in and let the service assist you in finding a place where you are both needed and comfortable.

Everybody wants to be the "glory guy (or gal)," but the best glory-guy in the world ain't gonna be good for much if he's, say, hungry because the cook didn't feel like it. He's gonna be another name on a wall if there's a loud pinging noise in the left wing when he pulls into a turn at Mach-2 because the mechanic was playing with his iPod. And for all the days of glory there are months of sweltering in hot places. It's grim, dangerous, boring work, interspersed with moments of raw terror.

Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with someone that you know and trust. Maybe it's parents, or a minister, or even the school psychologist. Get yourself some perspective. You still have time. It's okay if you feel like you're all grown up and you still don't know what you want to be when you grow up. (That feeling never goes away! ) What you need to think about is, what motivates you? What do you enjoy? What do you think that you would be good at?

You don't have to have "all the answers," or a "final decision," or even an "epiphany."

If you decided to do the military, then pursue a degree (if you still want to by that point... your perspectives may have completely changed by then), that's okay! No one says that you have to march right out of High School and march right into The Military and/or College eight weeks later. Maybe you want to go hike the Appalachian Trail all the way from Georgia to Maine...

So if I decided to do air traffic control as a civilian, and join the military reserves, they would have to accomodate that?