Just to chime in on the 9 to 5 work day.
Just got back from visiting our older son in Hawaii, great trip by the way.
His work day was anything but 9 to 5, on the days he worked he would get back home around 7:30pm, left for work at 5:30am. He was lucky enough to get leave for Mon. and Tues. On both of those days we had to make U-turns to head back to the base for something he had to deal with. The joke among those in his Squadron is that when you take leave...leave the Island or you'll be called in for something.
Son has said he usually has to work at least one weekend day every other week, sometimes more, sometimes both days. The weekend we arrived one of his helicopters crash landed in the boonies, he had to do security until they could get it lifted out.
Point is, it won't be a 9 to 5 job for a lot of the time you are a JO, that hasn't changed much since I was it it seems.
EDIT:
Son is Army Aviation, If you happen to branch Aviation just remember that the studying never stops, your tested all the time and your expected to get a 100% all the time. Son has said that he actually had more free time during the day at flight school then he has as a JO PL. His comment was that you never want to actually count the hours you work in a week, you would be shocked at what your hourly pay would actually be. Of course he says it's worth it....most of the time. It doesn't take long for the Rose colored glasses to fade a bit.
Just got back from visiting our older son in Hawaii, great trip by the way.
His work day was anything but 9 to 5, on the days he worked he would get back home around 7:30pm, left for work at 5:30am. He was lucky enough to get leave for Mon. and Tues. On both of those days we had to make U-turns to head back to the base for something he had to deal with. The joke among those in his Squadron is that when you take leave...leave the Island or you'll be called in for something.
Son has said he usually has to work at least one weekend day every other week, sometimes more, sometimes both days. The weekend we arrived one of his helicopters crash landed in the boonies, he had to do security until they could get it lifted out.
Point is, it won't be a 9 to 5 job for a lot of the time you are a JO, that hasn't changed much since I was it it seems.
EDIT:
Son is Army Aviation, If you happen to branch Aviation just remember that the studying never stops, your tested all the time and your expected to get a 100% all the time. Son has said that he actually had more free time during the day at flight school then he has as a JO PL. His comment was that you never want to actually count the hours you work in a week, you would be shocked at what your hourly pay would actually be. Of course he says it's worth it....most of the time. It doesn't take long for the Rose colored glasses to fade a bit.
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