Grateful for the GI Bill..

[JDean3204]

I was talking with an old friend from high school today, someone back in 2002 I thought would be the next computer whiz kid to make it big. Long story short he is still waiting tables and just building computers for fun, he never had the money or motivation to finish school. It was eye opening because as a young buck, the sky was the limit for this guy. I always thought he’d be rich by 30 and I’d be the one waiting tables. I never would’ve thought he’d be where he is now nor would I be where I am. It was humbling to say the least

Since my Introductory flight in KSLE in 2006, I have devoted every ounce of energy available to make it as a pilot. Every ounce I have needed due to the lack of natural talent or gift. In that time I made more than my fair share of mistakes, made great friends and some enemies, made less money than I’d thought was possible and hated the majority of it. Even though I wanted to quit at times, now I feel lucky to be here and still flying airplanes for a living. Truth is, I was always interested in aviation but didn’t ever think I’d make it. I never thought I was smart enough, or had enough money to make it happen. Being a pilot was a pipe dream for me, for years I thought flight sim would be the closest I would get to flying a jet(I even sucked at that lol). Hell, I still remember my jaw hitting the ground in 2006, my first flight lesson ended in a conversation stating my “dream” would equal the price tag of a high end Mercedes. That was followed by the same gravitational force in my parents jaw when I asked them for some help, hence ending up on a plane and bus headed for boot camp not long after that. I didn’t know it yet, but in 2009 the new GI Bill would make this the best decision of my life

To those of you reading this that don’t think it can happen for you, PM me and let me tell you how it can. It may not be easy, you may have a lot of forks in the road, but as long as you go for it you will be better off than you are now just reading these forums anonymously.. because that was me more than a decade ago... Now let the recession/furloughs hit since I’ve jinxed it with positive energy.

I’m always curious to know how many out there feel the same as me, if it wasn’t for that GI Bill you wouldn’t be here right now.

 

[Inverted]

I paid my own way through flight training. It took longer, and was a financial hardship. When I got out of the Navy in 2006, it was very very very hard to use the GI Bill on flight training. What I will say though, is I used my GI BILL to get my degree while I was doing flight training and I am forever grateful that I was able to earn the GI BILL and put it to use. I credit where I am today largely because of the GI BILL just from the degree alone.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Sounds like your friend suffered from failure to launch - becoming an increasingly larger issue for young men, and one that has been written about extensively. A friend of mine has a son who is experiencing that right now. Is just fine living in their home, as a child, indefinitely. Since my friend and his wife are both PhDs, it's hugely alarming to them.

 

[NovemberEcho]

I’ll be using my GIB for my IFR rating. I know I’m leaving thousands on the table in housing allowance by not going to school, but I’m ok with that. I don’t have it in me to start college at 35.

 

[gliderboy]

"he never had the motivation"
This. The only question that needs to be asked is: How badly do you want it? Everything else is chaff.

As for the professors' kid mentioned above, it's amazing how dumb some smart people can be. They need to kick the Mama's boy out of the house.
(Both my parents were professors as well. Somehow I turned out okay.)

 

[Fixtur]

I never understood being ok living under anyone else’s roof as an adult.

I love my parents, but I haven’t wanted to live with them since I was about 15.

Fix

 

[WacoFan]

I never understood being ok living under anyone else’s roof as an adult.

I love my parents, but I haven’t wanted to live with them since I was about 15.

Fix

Try getting to the point you are close to being an empty-nester, and then BLAMMO...both parents start needing care. I have one needing care now - and not constant, she's improved to where she is semi-independent - but THAT is what y'all need to start thinking about. Because I DID NOT think about it. So - and I am as serious as I have ever been - talk to siblings if you have them. Talk to parents. Start to make a plan and incorporate this into your thinking now, before you need to. Because it has the capacity to turn into an unorganized, grabasstic clownshow if you don't.

PSA over.

 

[bimmerphile]

Try getting to the point you are close to being an empty-nester, and then BLAMMO...both parents start needing care. I have one needing care now - and not constant, she's improved to where she is semi-independent - but THAT is what y'all need to start thinking about. Because I DID NOT think about it. So - and I am as serious as I have ever been - talk to siblings if you have them. Talk to parents. Start to make a plan and incorporate this into your thinking now, before you need to. Because it has the capacity to turn into an unorganized, grabasstic clownshow if you don't.

PSA over.

Have to have that chat very soon.
This is kind of why I've been firewalling the career progression thing, none of my siblings are in the financial or geographical position to assist at this point in their lives. My parents will be retiring hopefully by 70, and have a familial history of alzheimer's. So I think I've got maybe 5-10 years left before they're going to need some sort of care and I'm trying to be in a financial position to assist since their retirement savings are not anywhere adequate to afford something like that for one let alone the two of them.

 

[Fixtur]

That’s actually a very good point. My parents are getting into their 70s now. Thanks for the PSA.

 

[ozziecat35]

Yeah, I wouldn’t be flying a jet or any of this without the GI Bill. I’d be stuck in IT the rest of my life wishing. My advice for someone using it now, if you’re going to have the GI Bill, get the degree while you’re in the service, so you can use the GI Bill for flying. A lot of my regret stems from not taking advantage of free classes while I was in and not getting my degree then...such a waste of a free resource, and my guess is I wouldn’t have gotten a tbnt from United’s Aviate program if I had the darn thing. Oh well. Finishing it now with what’s left of my GI Bill money, but there will be at least a few grand out of pocket.

 

[atpduck]

I paid for my flight training out of pocket while I was active duty and right after I got out. I was an E-6 with more than 12 when I left so I had the means to do so. I wasnt really able to take advantage of the TA benefits when I was active duty. My MOS was critical enough that they wouldnt let us do recruiting or D.I. duty for the majority of the time I was in, 2000 through 2012. TA was usually denied because of impacts it would have on the all mighty flight schedule, even online classes were shot down using this excuse. Even though I had to wait until I got out to start college in earnest, it has been worth it. The GI bill has been a huge help. Since I paid for my flight training on my own and used the GI bill for my degree I have no student loan debt. It also helps that my wife has an outstanding career, this means that even regional first year FO pay was not a problem. With all of that being said it was still a long road that required a lot of effort and dedication.

 

[ppragman]

Try getting to the point you are close to being an empty-nester, and then BLAMMO...both parents start needing care. I have one needing care now - and not constant, she's improved to where she is semi-independent - but THAT is what y'all need to start thinking about. Because I DID NOT think about it. So - and I am as serious as I have ever been - talk to siblings if you have them. Talk to parents. Start to make a plan and incorporate this into your thinking now, before you need to. Because it has the capacity to turn into an unorganized, grabasstic clownshow if you don't.

PSA over.

Strangely enough, this has become me.

When we came back to AK in 2016, we were going to stay with my folks for a bit until we had saved enough to get a place. Then in December I got sick and we lost everything, thankfully we were already staying at my folks place.

Fast forward a couple years, I get my medical back, but now my folks are older and my dad in particular is having breathing issues and can't do things like plow the driveway or do anything around the house, and can't work - I can't afford to pay his mortgage and pay rent/my own mortgage, so a simbiotic relationship has evolved.

My wife and I have babysitting care for the kids and my Dad's retired and my mom retires soon, in exchange I pay the mortgage on the house they can't afford while Dad undergoes treatment and I do the yardwork.

I hated it when I was sick and had to live with my folks again - especially with my kids, I felt like a total failure; I was embarrassed to go from breadwinner to what felt like I was a deadbeat. But honestly, now that my folks are getting a bit long in the tooth, I don't mind. My daughter spends most days with her Grandpa playing, and it keeps dad busy but doesn't leave him gasping for air. Dad doesn't have to work anymore, and I can take care of the snow and house stuff, it's good.

Honestly, I think this is just the way of the future for a lot of people. It's expensive and hard to make it as an individual. If you can that's great, but if something happens...well, if everyone is
together, everyone can help each other out. Hell, childcare would be enough to put us in the poorhouse without my folks, this just simplifies the arrangement a bit and now dad doesn't have to lift anything heavy anymore.

 

[ppragman]

That’s actually a very good point. My parents are getting into their 70s now. Thanks for the PSA.

Straight up... My Dad ended up going from fully capable of doing whatever to barely able to walk up the stairs at random times in about 7 or 8 months, he's not even 63 yet.

 

[CFI A&P]

Without a doubt I would still be an auto mechanic if it wasn’t for the GI Bill. There’s no way I could have earned the education and ratings I have without the financial assistance of Uncle Sam.