Great words of wisdom from "Arm out the window" (what a fabulous name
) Certainly not off topic at all.
That's exactly what I have recently been through, indirectly. One has to ask the question, do you want to be a fast jet pilot, which is the ambition of most who initially want to join the military, or do you want to be a pilot??
If the answer to the question is "fast jet pilot", then one may sit in the RAAF pool for many months waiting to even get an offer. That offer may never come and after 12 months the process will have to start all over again. However, if the answer to the question is "I want to be a pilot" then the options are also available for the other services PROVIDED the 1st preference indicates one of the other services. That is the information that many are not aware of. Preferences have to be changed to reflect another service before anyone is considered for the other services.
Hope this make sense..........and just remember, the current CAF was a helicopter pilot.
Cheers,
Bzulu