Scratch your what...?
V-less,
I am presently a pilot working at a flight school and trying to acheive the same thing that you are. I also am a 12 year veteran of the U.S. Army. I was injured last year in the fighting in the desert and have been medically separated. I also grew up loving the feeling of freedom and excitement that came from flying.
Before I say what I will, I'm not angry at the military or the government...they took very good care of me and my family for 12 years. My father was in the Air Force for 24 years. The military paid for my college. I was able to live in Asia and Europe and see sights that most people only see in books. I loved what I did and I am glad that I served...I wear my wings and tab with pride. But you need to have a perspective that you will not get by watching tv or movies. These are decisions that you should not take lightly.
Flying any aircraft for the military would certainly be a great thing. But you must have a degree...that's about all there is to it. Some Army warrent officers fly helicopters and they are not graduates...but they were enlisted for several years and got their positions after going through a rigorous selection and training process. And they do not, as a rule, fly airplanes.
If you are interested in flying jets for the Navy/Air Force, you need to go to a military academy, or be the smartest, fastest, strongest guy in the Air Force/Navy ROTC...then be lucky enough to get a flight spot which are few and far between for non-academy guys. THEN, you have to make it through the flight school. Then you have to get branched to the aircraft that you will be flying. Having a pilot's license beforehand means little, if anything, to the military...unless you have a license for an F/A-18...which I don't believe the FAA has checkrides for.
There is no...NO..."scratch my/your back" philosophy in the military. It is "Do your freaking job" and that is that. You will sign a contract and you WILL fulfill that contract in full. They will feed, clothe, house, and train you...and for that, you will go where they want, when they want, and do what they want for as long as they want you there. They do not owe you anything. The only way that they will owe you is if you get injured like I did. Then they will repair you as best they can and try to put you back into service. They are actually very considerate of what you are able to do...they will work very hard to get you up and running again. But you are a soldier/sailor/airman/marine and not a buddy that they feel that they owe. And if you get injured, you will not be flying for the military.
I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I've got about 12 years on you. If you want to join, do it. It's an exciting and rewarding life. I've lived in 3 different countries, been to over 20 different countries, learned 2 new languages, jumped out of 53 airplanes, and had a helluva time doing it all. Now I'm a disabled veteran living in the sunshine with the VA paying for most of my flight training. You will never see me speaking ill of the military or anything that I've done. But I will tell you, if you want to fly...REALLY want to fly...if there is anyway you can do it without joining the service, I think that you will be happier. It's flying you want, not the service...then fly.
If you are hell bent, like I was, to serve your country, there is no better place to find dedicated people like in the military. You may not be flying, but you can serve. And then when you get out in 4,6,8, or 20 years, you can contact the VA and they will help you pay for flight school, college, or whatever else. Or you may get married, have kids, and forget all about flying... yeah, right.
Take some time and really think about what's happening in the world today, weigh your options, and think about the rest of your life. To quote an old t.v. ad, "It's a great place to start"...but it's not the only place.
Good luck,
MG
SSG USA