Fighter Pilot - P47 ThunderboltIf you've always dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, then you need to realize that this is a goal that requires a great deal of time, perseverance and dedication for you to be successful. Fighter pilots are an elite group, and it requires a special type of person to join those select few. One thing that most people don't realize is that becoming a fighter pilot isn't just about flying. In fact, in order to obtain your military wings you must successfully complete your officer training, as well as your pilot training. So whether you eventually become a fighter pilot, or fill another role within the military, you are an officer first. Your primary allegiance is to the USA and defending it against its enemies. Your career aspirations and flying goals are always secondary. To become an officer, you have to attend officer training and earn a commission. There are three ways to train as an officer - service academy, Officer Candidate School (OCS) or Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). If you're a high school student and know you want to become an officer, then you should apply to join a service academy. There are four academies - the Air Force Academy, West Point (Army), Annapolis (Navy & Marines) and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. They all provide rigorous military training, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree. The curriculum focuses on advanced maths and science, so if you're strong in those areas you'll be better equipped to succeed. All the academies provide top-level training, but it's demanding, and competition for acceptance is fierce. For a cadet, you're going to need a high school grade point average of 3.8, plus a SAT score of 1300, with a minimum of 1050 for math and verbal. You'll also find that having a good record of extra-curricular activities will be useful, particularly if they demonstrate leadership or athletic ability. So the path is obvious, if not easy. If you want to earn your commission and college education at a service academy, perform well in high school, both in and out of the classroom. The application process is extremely lengthy, so don't expect to just fill in a form with a few details and walk into a service academy. You need to provide extensive paperwork, three letters of recommendation, and even a nomination from your Congressman. It's important to start preparing for your application early, and definitely not later than your junior year. You should also realize that just because you make it into a service academy, there's no guarantee that you'll be given a pilot training slot. Getting into the academy is tough - getting a pilot training slot is even tougher. Right now, however, pilots are in demand, as the Navy, Air Force and Marines do have some retention problems. So there's more of a push to train pilots, making it a little easier to obtain a slot. Another option is to join The Reserve Officers Training Corps. In this case, you study at college or university as you normally would, but also take on officer training requirements. You will need to attend military training and course, attend weekly meetings, and go to a training camp for at least one summer. Most of the time you can function as a civilian, only wearing military uniform when attending military classes. Once you've completed your officer training, you then proceed to specific training programs such as pilot training. Be warned - competition for these slots is incredibly high. There are rigorous medical, academic and testing requirements you need to meet. If you've made the decision to be a fighter pilot a little later in life, then The Officer Candidate School (OCS), also known as The Officer Training School (OTS), may be for you. OCS takes a college graduate without a military background and turns them into an officer within 4 months. You can also apply for pilot training school once you're an officer, but again, competition is tough. You should also be aware that you need to begin pilot training before your 27th birthday, so don't leave it too late to pursue this final option. |
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