A lot of people have had that dream of becoming a fighter pilot. The dashing officer; flying at super sonic speeds, defending the nation etc. But life is never that simple. Indeed, for those who aim to start the long haul into the service life, there are some points which need to be observed.
First and foremost, you have to train to be an officer. No matter which branch of the service you want to join Air Force, Navy & Marines or Army – all demand that basic officer training is first carried out.
Probably the easiest route into training, in High School, is to apply to join a service academy. These are the famous West Point, Annapolis or the U.S. Coastguard Academies. The training is rugged, tough and difficult, but you end up with a Bachelor of Science degree at the end of it. This is absolutely necessary and if you can handle advanced math and science, then you stand a great chance of proceeding to your dream.
The math and science skills are a must. There is no way around that. You need a four year college degree. It really does not matter what it is in, however mechanical engineering is the pedigree degree for a pilot for numerous reasons. Join an Air National Guard Unit and let them pay for college while you are going. From here you can get a job working around pilots and aircraft while going to college.
Now this may sound like a simple step, but the competition is very fierce. Protocol demands that the cadets must have a SAT score of 1300 with a grade point average of 3.8. Also, on top of this is the requirement to have a minimum score of 1050 for verbal communication and math.
So where do you start this long haul into the skies? Well, it starts even as early as junior year in high school. It is also not as easy as just filling in some forms and being chosen either. Three letters of recommendation are required, along with a commendation from your Congressman plus a whole pile of appropriate paperwork to just stand a chance of getting into one of the academies.
Even if you happen to make it into the academy of your choice, life doesn’t become any simpler. These positions for pilots are highly sought after so there is no guarantee that you will be chosen for this type of training. However, there is a glimmer of light here. Since the US has several wars going on right now, the need for more trained pilots is higher than usual, so you stand a much better chance of being accepted at the moment.
One other route into this elite club is to join the Reserve Officers Training Corps. You carry on at your college as usual but you also attend the officer training classes. Weekly meetings, at least one summer spent at camp and military training courses make up this segment but once you have completed this, applications` to specific training courses, pilot training included, is a little easier.
However, medical and testing requirements, plus the academic testing are very thorough. Perhaps the most surprising fact is that you must be in training before your 27th birthday. This truly is a young man’s game so for those who are determined – get started right now!
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