3/4 years good investment for military?

[Hornetboy]

Hey guys,

I'd hate to be told I'm in the wrong place on my first post, but I've been busting for some military guys' advice here. (No adequate fighter pilot role models down in the bottom part of Australia you see! :D )

Ok here's the annoying little question that has been ripping my guts out lately....university or not? Now I've followed a post on the wannabes forum where basically everyone was telling the guy he can choose between a likely dead end or a uni education. They said airliners want (or will soon want) a higher education. Well I'm far from lookin at airliners. Like all red-blooded, testosterone pumped, yet very mature (of course) young pilots, I have my sights set on fighters. Perhaps that's an understatement. What I meant is....for the past 6 years I've spent every moment of my life striving in every single thing I've done, for one thing....to be a fighter pilot.

Now, as university applications are being demanded, the decision must be made....spend an extra 3 or 4 years doing 'more' school, to cover myself for any possibilities in the future, while hoping with every cell in my body that my health does not deteriorate in that time, and dreaming every day, every minute, every second spent in class of someday reaching out and touching the skies....at a greater speed than my current Cessna. (oh yes, and that's what my parents would like me to do....along with ENTIRELY GIVING UP THE DESIRE to fly those pointy fast thingys) OR, I can choose to take my chances, aim for the air force. Aim for the skies. And in the 1% chance that I get accepted into pilot training, embrace it with everything I have, giving it every bit of my heart and mind, as soon as I can....so I never have to look back and wonder...."What if?"

Now, I'm asking anyone who can offer me advice, please tell me, will not having a uni degree severely affect my chances of even gettin in the AF? If I were to make it, would not having a degree affect career progression in the armed forces? What do you think? What should I do?

Thanks in advance for any advice offered. It will be greatly appreciated, and is much needed. It's just one of those annoying life-affecting decisions I fear I shouldn't jump into without consulting the *professionals*. (Yes, that's you guys.) The clock is ticking....

[Gash Handlin]

Sorry chap, can't really comment on how the system works dunnunda but have you considered applying to both the RAAF and the Uni's and see what offers you get. If they both offer you a place then you've got a decision to make, if not you can continue with the path left to you.

Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

PS if you post a similar thread on the Godzone and Dunnunda forum you may get a better response from serving or ex oz fast pointy mates.

[Line Abreast]

My suggestion - apply for both. If you get into the RAAF you can defer your uni degree and keep deferring it until you pass pilot's course (so that if, god forbid, you don't pass the course you can always go back to uni). Once you're in the RAAF you could always do a degree by correspondance (with monetry help from the RAAF). Best of both worlds then!

[gashman]

Don't confuse uni with school. Social life is awesome. you may think you are mature now but wait till you stumble out of uni with three years of looking after yourself under your belt (and the associated chaffe that entails). If you learn how to look after yourself, develop your personality, opinions and alcohol tolerance, you will find your basic training easier in places. The brainwashing element will be harder to swallow though.
Living outside the RAF for a bit makes you a more worldly wise geezer, so I would argue it would make you a better officer.
Lastly, don't think that joining up is the end of school. The exams just keep going, and they are not as interesting as you may think. Being taught exactly why and how your aeroplane's wheels go up and down last thing on a friday afternoon is dull. It is a looooooooooooooooooooooooooong road, but at the end of it all I reckon that the job rocks.
Good luck, I know it feels like a tough choice, but don't rush in. There will have to be a life after the RAF too.
:cool:

[Arm out the window]

Why don't you apply for ADFA mate?