Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know there are a few people here that were in the Air Force earlier in their lives so I have a few questions for them but anyone can chime in if they want. A few months ago I wanted to become a herp vet and that is all I wanted to do. However, in the paste few months I've changed directions and I want to go in the USAF and become a pilot. However, keeping snakes might not be the easiest with that job. But I could stay in for 20-30 years, retire and have the rest of my life to deal with snakes as a little hobby/business. So, basically, what do you recommend I do: Become a pilot and then keep snakes later, or become a herp vet and just deal with snakes my entire life. Keep in mind that my dream job would be an F-16 pilot. Let me know what you think.
Josh.

Well this is a big decision so im not going to tell you what you should do thats up to you and no one else i say sit down think it through for a LONG while and then decide. But i can let you in on something alot of people do not know. My little cousin wanted to be a fighter pilot for the USAF but he was denied because of his vision. They told him that to become a fighter jet pilot you have to have near perfect if not perfect vision. He was pretty upset about it thats what he wanted to do since he was a very little kid. He has since joined the army and is in training now waiting to be shipped to iraq. I know a few people over there and worry about all of them. Dont take my word on the whole vision thing it is something i would look into myself if i where you, But thats what he told me.
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B Sleeper

1.0 Chocolate Lab
0.1 ?? Normal Ball python (yet different)
1.0 04 Het Albino
1.1 06 Het Albino
1.1 06 Het Pied
1.0 06 Pastel
0.? 07 Pos Het Albino (Momma has not laid the eggs yet)

it could be the tiniest thing that will never in a million years affect my daily life but it could potentially cause a problem if I was a pilot and then, before you know it, I'm outta the runnin'. It is not an easy decision. I'm almost 16 so I've got a while to think about it. My girlfriend isn't too hip on the idea since if we make it thru highschool who knows what will happen. I need to think long and hard about this, make a final decision, and go for broke and go for my dream job.

Well its a good thing you have a while i mean this is a life long decision (or at least a good chunk of a life long decision). As far as the g/f goes just let her know the guys on the ground get hurt alot more often than the guys in the sky do. Its a honerable job i sometimes wish i had joined the marines im only 23 and still consider it from time to time but i got to much going on right now to do it at this point in my life i always wanted to be a navy seal growing up those guys are awsome i have met a couple and boy do they have some crazy stories. Maybe you can get ur g/f into balls so that she can take care of your pets when your shipped out if you go that way (assuming yous are still together).
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B Sleeper

1.0 Chocolate Lab
0.1 ?? Normal Ball python (yet different)
1.0 04 Het Albino
1.1 06 Het Albino
1.1 06 Het Pied
1.0 06 Pastel
0.? 07 Pos Het Albino (Momma has not laid the eggs yet)

I honestly think my g/f and I can make it thru highschool, we have that good of a relationship. She's ok with snakes, but I don't think I could convince her to take care of them for that long. If I go in for 20 years, I could retire and have another 30 years to deal with my snakes. I think it's a small price to pay to be able to do nothing but snakes for 30 years after the USAF, however, not many people think that way. It isn't worth that to them.

Young Man, I respect your dreams and goals... but you know, you can be face with the possibility of going to an active zone of war and politics and what they promised you may not come true... you still have a couple of years to lay low. I am a fellow aviator myself, I have been fixing these airplanes for years commercially...Meanwhile get your private, then multi Engine, then commercial and when things look more positve go for the F-16 or Stealth... The dream ... the world is yours... Do what your heart desires but there is consequences for every decisions... Good Luck Kid, I wish you only the best. The snakes are tougher than you think they will survive!!! Peace...
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Ghetto Reptiles
At a garage near you!!!
Jason...

I think that's a very personal decision, and there are a lot of factors that you need to consider (way too many to cover here). I have several family members who were career military, and I thought about it myself. I would suggest talking to someone who is in the military and preferably in the USAF if that's the branch you want to go into (not just recruiters!) before you decide. If you don't know anyone, shoot me an email. Maybe I can get someone to talk to you.

Hope this helps,
Shelly

If you want to be a fighter pilot, your best chance is to get into the Air Force Academy. Not only is your education free, they pay you a salary to go to school. It's tough to get in though. You could also be a herp vet in the Air Force.

I was in the Air Force for 7 years. I spent a year in Korea and 6 months in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm. The rest of my time was here in Colorado. I kept herps most of the time I was in.

If you want to talk, shoot me an email.
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Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

You will need to factor in more than just your vision to be a pilot. You will need to start doing things that will look good on your application NOW. You will need volunteer work, references, EXCELLENT physical conditioning, and to keep your nose as clean as possible... this means you cannot smoke, drink, party (to an extent) or drive like a nut. Believe me, if you want to be a pilot you will be facing extremely tough competition and sometimes the only way to decide who goes and who stays will be to start nit picking over the tiniest details.

Make yourself into the most moral, hard working, straight, mature individual NOW so that later when they ask about these things you will not have to try to hide anything.

Also, to be a pilot you will need to be an officer (this is something your recruiter may "forget" to mention) to be an officer you will need to get a college degree (a four year degree or higher). Keep those grades up. If you do go the Airforce route and do become an officer, when you decide to retire you will already have a good start on your vet degree. In fact, even if you go active military you will still have a chance to continue your education... this means you could (potentially) retire from the military WITH your Vet degree in hand.

One other thing to consider which your recruiter may have "glanced over"... yes, you can "retire" after 20 years, but, it is only partial or half retirement (I forget which one)...meaning that after 20 years you will get a retirement pension but it most likely won't be enough for you to live on. You have to serve longer to earn full retirement.

No matter which way you decide to go make sure you talk to as many people who have experience doing whatever it is you are considering as possible. Talk to veterinarians and find out how satisfied they are with their careers - what do they like about it? What do they hate about it? What are the hours like? The pay? Is it worth it? Do the same for the military. There are literally dozens of military themed forums online (if you can't find a pilot to interview face-to-face). Sign up for a few of these forums and ask questions up the whazoo. You will, no doubt, find out a lot more than you expected about both career choices.

In the end, I've found that the money (no matter how much) is NEVER worth it if you are not happy. Would you rather be a miserable millionaire or over-the-top happy middle-class worker?

Think about it.

Ditto what he said....and at 20yrs, it is 50%, it goes up to a max of 75% at thirty years. I was in for 8 years...and I worked f-16's for part of it. To be a fighter pilot takes allot...the wash out rate is incredible but most people never even get to the point of qualifying. First thing is collage, than OTS, then a few years of flight school...then, if you are lucky, you may be able to get to falcons. Most pilots in the Air Force go in wanting to fly fighters....most end up flying trash haulers out of Minot N.D. or other less desirable bases.

You have to be PERFECT...from now till your career is over. Don't get me wrong...if you can make it, it is the best gig in the military to have, you get all the perks, and some great pay all the while knowing that if you decide to get out you will have every airline and puddle jumper begging you to come fly for them....and pay far exceeding what someone out of a typical flight school would get. The military dumps MILLIONS into a fighter pilot and everybody knows that, but it takes years of dedication, pain, suffering, and being a PERFECT individual to get there. Work on getting nothing but A's now...get into the best collage you can, I will not mention the Air Force Academy because that is almost as hard as becoming a fighter pilot.

Personally, give up snakes now as you will not have the time for them until you get to your first duty station, unless you know someone that wants to take care of them for you.

I cannot stress enough how "perfect" you have to be. I think Milkman tried but I don't want you to miss the point.

You will need to APPLY to get into OCS (Officer School) you can enlist in the military and most branches will take you as you are. However, to become and officer the tables are turned a little... here the military has a chance to be picky. Of all of the services the Air Force is most likely the choosiest.

After you get into OCS (you can do it, I'm not trying to discourage you, but I don't want you to think you can slack and get there either)... anyways, after you get into OCS you will need to apply to go to flight school and again, the Air Force can afford to be picky. Everyone wants to be a pilot. The competition is stiff and they will gather references from everyone you can think of and they will interview these references (so don't bother lying). They are going to want to see extensive volunteer work, excellent to near perfect grades, a completely clean criminal record (a parking ticket can throw you off - so drive like someone's grandpa just to play it safe). On top of all of this you will have to interview well, look respectable, be in better shape than anyone you know, and be able to write essays in an intelligent manner.

Start working on your references now... shoot for the most respected, highest ranking people in society you can think of. Senators, State Reps, Governors, Mayors, Chief of Police, Deans of Colleges, Any one heading any type of volunteer program, City Council Members, Judges, etc. Meet these people, write to them, get to know them and make sure they get to know you.

I know all of this may seem hard or damn near impossible. The truth is: It's going to be the most difficult thing you will ever do, but it is far from impossible. You CAN do this, it will take dedication, but I promise you, you can do this.

I'm not trying to discourage you by telling you all of this. These are things I wish someone explained to me when I was 16 (or 15 even). I come from a military family (both sides) and was unable to serve due to my stupidity as a youth (I did some stupid stunts and blew out my knee the surgery helped but the damage was extensive enough that it took 3 years for the knee to completely heal... yes, three YEARS. Even now, at 28, I still walk with a limp at times). If this is your dream, go for it and don't stop not for a second. You are young enough that you can still own the world if you really want... NEVER LOOK BACK.

Remember: Anything really worth doing is not only worth doing right but is also hard as hell!

First...I'd like to say props for having such great grammar and spelling. I never knew you were 16.

Also...You're 16. Don't make a big decision yet. You've got at least two more years before you're a legal adult and can join up the air force, or go to college, or any of that. You never know what could happen in two years. I graduated highschool not knowing what I wanted to do with myself...took me two years of college to realize I wanted to work for a zoo. Not be a vet, not run a petstore, not be a dog trainer, or receptionist, horse trainer...(all of those things I seriously considered and could still do).

In the meantime, enjoy your snakes. Talk to people who've been in the airforce, learn about airplanes (all of them, including the jet you'd like to fly), learn about anything that strikes your fancy. No matter what people say, you really don't need to pick your life's path right out of highschool.

And, just a little note- I've got a lot of military friends, and one thing they tell me (and complain about all the time) is that you almost never get the job that you signed up for the military to get. They assign you a job, whatever job they think you should do or that they need someone to do. Maybe they have enough F-16 pilots...so instead you fly the cargo planes.

Your mind might change twenty more times before you graduate, and another hundred after. Just be patient and feel it out for something that makes you go "hey, you know what, I could do this for the next forty years and it'd never get old."

Good luck!

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire