If you don't want to be officer in the military, is it still worth it to go to a military academy?

Question

I want to go to the Air Force Academy.

But i also want to be a lawyer or maybe pursue something else non-military related.
Would I have better luck going to Stanford or Berkley even though i'll get about the same education?

Also to become a lawyer, so i have to go to law school.
If i go to the Air Force Academy, i would be going to law school during my years of mandatory service to the Air Force.

Please help. I'm trying to figure out what i want to do in life and any opinion about the Military and the Academies would help.

Answer 1

If you want to study law, you should major in English Literature and learn how to interpret literature works because you’ll do a lot of interpretation in litigation and testimonies. Studying law involves a lot of reading and it’s hard work. This is what some real lawyers told me including some Air Force and Marine Lawyers who were Officer Selection Officers at my college. So English literature is the one you should be majoring on nothing else except maybe for those who are engineer and science majors that are in those majors to be patent lawyers or environmental lawyers.
I’m not going to tell you how to get into the Academy because I never went there, other people in this thread who’ve “been there and done that” said it best. But I do know that it is very, very, very hard to get into there. You have to be like a valedictorian in your high school, score very high in the SATs, and played sports throughout high school. If you’re an enlisted servicemen, you have to be an outstanding NCO leader among your enlisted peers and score very high on the ASVAB. Not just any average Joe Shmuckatelli off the street can get in. My cousin is an enlisted Marine and is trying to get into the Naval Academy via NAPS (Naval Academy Preparatory School)
As for being a pilot, that’s not really true that you have to be an engineer to become pilot. I know the Air Force and NASA prefers pilot candidates to be engineers and science majors. But I’ve seen some Navy and Marine Corps pilots who were not engineers but liberal arts and business majors. There are high school dropouts in California, Washington State, and Alaska who are civilian bush pilots (the people who put out wildfires). You don’t need a science degree to fly a plane, maybe knowledge of basic physics and meteorology. They’ll teach you everything you need to know in civilian flight school or military flight school. Check out these websites for becoming a military pilot:
http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/
http://www.fighter-pilot.org/
http://www.fighter-pilot.org/forum/

Answer 2

West Point has one of the best educations you can get anywhere. It is training for US Army officers. If you don't want to make a career out of the military service don't apply to West Point. There are many qualified individuals waiting for an appointment to West Point and not all of them get the opportunity. It is very difficult to get an appointment to West Point so don't apply unless you are serious about a military career. This applies to the Air Force Academy as well.

Answer 3

The Air Force Academy is a great school to attend even if you don't want to make the Air Force a career.

Very few schools today meet the standards enforced by Service Schools, and very often the graduates from a service school is sought after far more than his peers from other universities.

If you plan on being a lawyer then the Air Force Academy and a short stint in the military is the way to go. The government picks up the bill, trains you, and all along pays you to do what you wanted to do in the first place.

After all is said and done your time in the Academy and in the Air Force will leave you with more connections than any other student would normally have, therefore giving you a better chance at a brighter future.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Appointment to the military academies is very difficult. You must have superb grades in school and that is just the start. Competition is very steep and only a few are ever nominated for accpetance. Once accepted you must commit to serve on active duty for a minimum of 6 years. Since the service academies only provide basic 4 year B.S. degrees, to become an attorney would require and additional three years of education that the academies do not provide at this time and would need to be secured at another educational institution. Good Luck!

Answer 5

If you are set on the military then by all means go in as an Officer. Better pay, treatment, and you are much less likely to be injured or killed during your service.

If education is your goal then the military is not the place for you. The academy will give you a four year degree and a military commission. The prospects for continuing education within the service while at war seem small to me. There are other pressing priorities.

Given the fact that, if we do not change direction in Iraq, we will be at war for many more years, it seems likely that the educational prospects would be reduced for years to come once you are in.

Remember that once you are in the military your options are reduced to those supported by the Service. If you are completing your education outside of the military, they will still be there with open arms when you finish.

Statistics show that although recruiter use education and the GI bill as major selling points, nearly half of those that participate reap no benefits at all. There are strings attached to every government dollar and that money is not just given to you to use as you want.

There are program, school and time restrictions that control who gets how much.

In addition there is no allowance made for inflation or rising tuition costs, which means the longer before the money is used, the less the money is worth.

Remember recruiters are like used car salesman - the ride you get is never the ride that they describe.

If you are dedicated to the idea of serving in the military, then you have already made your choice.

If you choose an education outside of the military then you can still join after you have completed your educational goals.

Answer 6

This may be good news. The Air Force has lawyers.

If you go to the Academy and graduate you will have a five year service obligation. If you use tuition assistance while going to law school you would incur additional service obligation years, but it's also possible to find ways to have the Air Force pay for your law school if you go into the Staff Judge Advocate field.

Being a service lawyer is a good career in a good service but it obviously doesn't pay as much as some civilian attorneys might make.

Talk to recruiters, and--if you have and Air Force base near you--try to visit with the Staff Judge Advocate office and see if you would enjoy this sort of duty.

You might wind up with a service obligation several years beyond your academy service obligation, but you can get out and practice as a civilian once your obligated years are finished.

Answer 7

If you want to be a lawyer, go to law school. Don't be vague with your education.

Military school will not train you in law. Ask yourself, why do you want to go to an Air Force Academy? It's not glorious like Top Gun. In fact, many top pilots have engineering degrees, not war tactical skills.

Of course the military and academies will tell you that they can help you. It's how you "rope a dope." Don't use your education in chasing a fantasy unless your fantasy is that career you want to work in.

Oh, interesting point you might want to consider: more history majors get accepted into law school than people who study political sciences. I dont think military graduates can hold up to either of them when it comes to passing the bar.

Answer 8

The military academy's are some of the best colleges in the US.
However, if you go, you must serve a min. amount of time in that branch of the service.
4 years of service for the USAF academy I believe.
If you can get into the Academy, it's a huge honor. And a great education. I can think of fewer more noble things to do than
serve your country for a while. I did for 8 years.

Answer 9

You have to commit to serve 5 years after you graduate from one of the service academies. You can't just go there for the education. It is very difficult to get in also. You have to have top notch grades, be involved in sports, have leadership skills. You also have to have a letter of recommendation from a Representative or Congressman from your state, which involves interviews etc. You don't just apply and get in. If you are not committed to a military career, the service academies are not the place for you.
Good Luck in your future endeavors!

Answer 10

You don't "choose" going to an academy. It is VERY difficult obtaining acceptance, usually takes a letter from someone (not your mother - perhaps the governor of your state, or senator), plus lots of other factors.

Your "years of mandatory service" won't even start until after graduation. Until graduation, you are a cadet, not officially a member of the armed forces.

Now, being in the military isn't a bad thing. You will get good training and experience, and your schooling is obviously free. But if you don't want the rigor of military life, and mandatory service to your country after graduation, then don't even think about the military.

Get student loans, and go to a regular university.

Answer 11

You cannot go to a U.S. military academy unless you sign up to accept a 5 year commitment of service as an officer in exchange for a B.S. degree.