if you join the air force can you choose what you are?

Question

i've thought about joining the airforce before but the only thing is that if I were to join I would want to be a fighter pilot or something of the sort. Now my question is if you join do you get to choose what you would be or would you have no choice and they put you were they want you. I'm not talking about location wise job wise could I be a fight pilot or would I have to be what they want me to be? Also would it make a great deal of difference if I got my pilot license before joining or would it not matter?

Answer 1

You are very lucky I saw your question......

I was in the Air Force in 1995 and learned so much about what I should have done. I went to the recruiter and was in basic training within 2 weeks just begging to get out of town and into the Air Force. Bad Move.

Fighter pilots are people with not only special abilities but with college educations. Do not get your info from a recruiter, they have an agenda no matter how good their intentions. If I had to do it again and had intentions to be a pilot, I would enroll in college and join the ROTC until I obtained a B.A. degree (cant be a pilot without one). This will not only make you more qualified and test your real desire to join the Air Force. Being enlisted sucks and it was clear how much better the commisioned officers lived. At the very least, go to community college for 2 years and join ROTC. When you do, you can get a guaranteed job and a guaranteed location as long as you get it in writing prior to signing (even have an attorney look at it)

Good Luck

Answer 2

The previous answers given about recruiting contracts, college degrees required for officers/pilots, and the academy are all correct, but you need a few other items for a complete picture.
1. There is a program called The Academy Prep School which, if you qualify, can take you, an enlisted person as early as fresh out of basic, send you to what amounts to a military junior college for up to two years, and when your preparation is found to be adequate, sends you up the road to the USAFA, (pronounced You-Suffer) aka the Academy. While at the prep school, you used to draw pay as an E-5, even if your actual rank is E-2. They may have changed that.
2. It used to be possible to get into pilot training through the Air National Guard of your state. President Bush did that. Check this out too.
3. Even if you get commissioned and complete pilot training, there is NO, that is NO guarantee that you will fly fighters. When a class completes pilot training, a block of openings for pilots comes down from AF HQ. The person who finished first in the class picks first, and so on. If there are no fighter openings in your block, no one gets fighters, and if you are not first in your class, they may all be gone when your pick comes.

A basic civilian pilot rating makes it pretty likely that you will survive the primary level of pilot training. Every advanced rating increases your odds of surviving through to graduation, but nothing is certain. Check with a recruiter for current information, but get answers in writing.

Answer 3

To begin with, the military doesn't need all that many fighter pilots, but there are a gazillion guys that want to be one.
So, first you need to concentrate on getting your education. Without a 4.0 GPA in high school and a 3.5 GPA in collage you can pretty well forget about it because there will be plenty of guys that do. Next comes physical profile. Take my word for it, no one will be redesigning a quarter of a billion dollar aircraft to fit you.
Having your pilots license will make no difference, you could be a fully qualified space ship pilot and you would still have to go through the Air Force pilots training schools.

Answer 4

one: PIlots are officers first and foremost.

do you even qualify to be a pilot? the physical requirements are much more stringent than a general Officer. do you have a 4 year degree in a Technical Majpor with a 3.5 GPA or better? what other qualities do you have that would make you comptetive to be an Officer?

Short answer: Needs of the Military ALWAYS take precedence. first, you have to be accepted for a Commission, then you have to pass the Flight Physical; after that.. the training, and then, they decide what plane you fly. you may ask, but they do NOT promise that you will get your first choice.

Answer 5

The Air Force allows you to make a top three choice and they will try to get you that job. if you want to be a pilot/navigator, then you will need either a college degree or qualify and pass Officer Training School. the military will train you on how to fly and fight in a fighter.

Answer 6

You have to have a college degree to be a fighter pilot, apply to the Air Force Academy, you also have to be very intelligent. You will take a test on admission into the Air Force to see how smart you are then you will be given choices on what they think you can handle, but in the long run they will put you where they need you.

Answer 7

Yes.. if you want to be a fighter pilot, you can. But of course, there are certain training and qualification that you must adhere to in order for you to become a fighter pilot. First of all, you must be an officer in order to fly planes. You must have a four year degree and complete an aviation course. There are different opportunities that you may choose from that can lead you to your goal. It's important to talk to a recruiter about this. Ask them about your ultimate goal and they will give every bit of their time to talk with you and give you as much information as possible to help you become on your way of becoming a fighter pilot. It will not be an easy process, there will be difficulties along the way. One option you have is to enroll yourself in the Air Force Academy located in Colorado Springs. The recruiter will accommodate with you with certain options pertaining to your career path. There are many options you can partake in, and you have to let the recruiter inform you with every ounce of information you can get to help you lead the way for success.

Answer 8

First, you have to have a 4 year degree to be a pilot. I know for enlisted the jobs go by the ASVAB. Depending on your ASVAB score depends on what job you can have. You can pick which job (they'll give you a list, you can choose any as long as you have a qualifying score for it.)

I am not sure how officers work, since as a pilot you'd be an officer.

Answer 9

Its my understanding that the recruitment contract will have a space for you to state what you want to do in the military.

However, if that position is full, then you will get assigned to a fall-back position (any with openings for the air force).

Make sure to put a clause in your military contract that if they cannot make a fighter pilot out of you, then you are released from the contract and the military.

Otherwise, you could find yourself manning a weather station in Antartica.

Answer 10

To be a pilot in the AF you need a Bachelors Degree. You can get it by ROTC, or by going to college or the Academy. Having your pilots license before you go may give you some points but won't get you in by itself. If you enlist, you can pick your enlisted MOS based on what you qualify for and your ASVAB scores.