For aspiring military aviators

[Firebird2XC]

To bring even more perspective to it, think about how an ICBM crew down in a silo probably feels.

From the air perspective was far different than from the ground perspective, as I remember. The results were the same though.

Well said. I just thought to post what I did because years ago, an old Veteran confronted me with the same concept. I was a young military hopeful, and I hoped to one day fly F-16s or Apaches or whatnot and blow the snot out of 'bad guys'.

Waaaay back before the innerwebs, we had a post-by-post chat on a BBS system about the concept of killing people in military service.

He asked me if I would be so cavalier about what I was implying (killing) if it meant just walking up to a stranger and sticking a knife in his chest. I puffed up my chest and said yes, I would.

He told me I was full of it.

Many years later, I know he was right. When it's real, and you think about it, it's not so easy.

 

[MikeD]

Well said. I just thought to post what I did because years ago, an old Veteran confronted me with the same concept. I was a young military hopeful, and I hoped to one day fly F-16s or Apaches or whatnot and blow the snot out of 'bad guys'.

Waaaay back before the innerwebs, we had a post-by-post chat on a BBS system about the concept of killing people in military service.

He asked me if I would be so cavalier about what I was implying (killing) if it meant just walking up to a stranger and sticking a knife in his chest. I puffed up my chest and said yes, I would.

He told me I was full of it.

Many years later, I know he was right. When it's real, and you think about it, it's not so easy.

Absolutely right. Having seen both perspectives, and the results of each....one obviously being far closer to home than the other......you ultimately have to live with what you've done, with the results of your work and the raw truth of it; right or wrong as it may be. And it's something that stays with you. Anyone with the cavalier attitude either hasn't been there, is covering for something, or has issues with their overall sanity.

Just my 2 cents. Mileage varies for each individual.

 

[Hacker15e]

There's just no way to know how you'll react to killing another person. I know that my "attitude" about it as a young punk was the same as Firebird, but when I actually did it during OIF, it felt very different in my gut.

Honestly, that paled in comparison to the emotional experience of nearly being shot down by a SAM. That is something that puts life into perspective for you. Not to sound too over-dramatic here, but my whole attitude about he military, about war, about family, about life...all changed in an instant.

Either way, war is no joke. Most guys who haven't done it are filled with all kinds of bravado and ideas about what it might be like. The older I get, the more I see that bravado in new pilots going through the training pipeline or arriving in the squadron. To a man (or woman), they're all amped up to go on their first deployment, to go kill bad people, and "get shot at".

The reality is that its not glorious or glamorous; it's a very ugly, nasty thing. That's bravado is something that you have to unfortunately shed through experience.

 

[Hacker15e]

I used to have the biggest urge to fly an F-16.

That's like admitting that you had an urge to wear women's shoes or have your penis surgically downsized.

 

[SteveC]

That's like admitting that you had an urge to wear women's shoes or have your penis surgically downsized.

 

[Firebird2XC]

Honestly, that paled in comparison to the emotional experience of nearly being shot down by a SAM. That is something that puts life into perspective for you. Not to sound too over-dramatic here, but my whole attitude about he military, about war, about family, about life...all changed in an instant.

Either way, war is no joke. Most guys who haven't done it are filled with all kinds of bravado and ideas about what it might be like. The older I get, the more I see that bravado in new pilots going through the training pipeline or arriving in the squadron. To a man (or woman), they're all amped up to go on their first deployment, to go kill bad people, and "get shot at".

The reality is that its not glorious or glamorous; it's a very ugly, nasty thing. That's bravado is something that you have to unfortunately shed through experience.

I echo what you said about the SAM. I've had mortar rounds land near me when I was out in the open on a regular day in Iraq. One landed close enough that even though it did no physical damage, my ears rang all day.

A while later, in Kuwait, somebody slammed a freezer door in the chow hall. I jumped because I thought it was "incoming" from the sound for just an instant.

That's the other aspect of it- even if it's not immediate, mortal terror, the heightened level of awareness and tension lingers afterwards.

 

[Firebird2XC]

That's like admitting that you had an urge to wear women's shoes or have your penis surgically downsized.

Twin engine puke.

Not all of us feel the need to compensate with the size of our airplane.
You F-15 drivers are all a bunch of prissy size-queens.

For what it's worth, if I had it to do all over again, I'd want to be an A-10 driver.

 

[Hacker15e]

For what it's worth, if I had it to do all over again, I'd want to be an A-10 driver.

Man style.

 

[MikeD]

Man style.

A-10s were nice. A-models moreso.

 

[mhcasey]

That's like admitting that you had an urge to wear women's shoes or have your penis surgically downsized.

Or fly with a crewmember...

 

[Kato]

Or fly with a crewmember...

said the DA-20 pilot....

 

[Time2Fli]

So if applying for AD is there an interview other than the one from putting your packet together? In other words, is there a board interview for AD?

Thanks

 

[MikeD]

So if applying for AD is there an interview other than the one from putting your packet together? In other words, is there a board interview for AD?

Thanks

Yes there is.

 

[Longhorns]

Thanks for posting this...

 

[mhcasey]

Thanks for posting this...

No problem. Glad to see another Austinite on the forum.