BTDT
Dear Batrakio,
"Has anyone here joined The Canadian Air Force as a pilot? What did you go through to get there?"
Short answer to your first question ... yes. To answer your second question requires more than a "little" introspection, but I'm gonna try...
I don't ever recall a time that I didn't want to fly. By that I mean, fly for a purpose (in my situation, serve my country as an aviator). No romance, no BS, no cliches, just felt in my heart it was what I was meant to do. (I assure you the military has other plans…!!)
I wasn’t by any stretch, the brightest kid in my class, however I set goals for myself, and worked my "A** off" to achieve them.
Applied for a pilot slot and was accepted straight out of high school. Jumped a "ton" of hurdles during training and graduated. (Once upon a time in Canada you could do this.) With respect to University, I have two undergraduate, and one masters degree, which I completed after enrollment.
In my mind I’m not a better person, for all this school’n, just more “rounded”.
With all sincerity, there truly is alot more to being a Commissioned Officer and pilot than just flying...
Some make a career in the service, others will pursue parallel paths in civilian aviation, while others leave aviation (full-time) or forever, in pursuit of other personal ambitions.
I have friends that are now Generals, (they don't fly as much as they once did, but are superb in their current role.) Friends that are ex-service but still make their living in aviation with civilian operators, (large and small carriers), and Friends that left flying completly to pursue other professional opportunities (Medicine, Law, Entertainment, etc..).
If someone had told me twenty + years ago that I wouldn’t still be flying a fighter jet full-time today, but pursuing another dream, I would've laughed.
PM anytime, and I'll do my best to help direct you. You will read lot’s of very sound advice on this site.
May Your Dreams Come True
Regards
Bill