- Joined
- Nov 8, 2010
- Messages
- 895
+1 to the advice above.
Your question is fairly common but ultimately unanswerable in this venue. I doubt you’ll find anyone who was a cadet at both USMA and USAFA, so you’ll mainly hear about an experience at one place but not at both.
Here’s one way to think about it: If forced to go with your second career choice, are you happy with it. For example, if you can’t get Army infantry or Air Force pilot, are you enthused about option #2? What about #3? And #4...and so on? The longer the list, the more likely you’ll be satisfied with the overall experience. Ultimately the needs of the service come first, so you have to be enthused about whatever Uncle Sam throws at you.
In terms of strictness or fun, forget the reputations. USAFA will be plenty strict. USMA will be plenty fun. Don’t worry about things from that aspect.
This is absolutely spot on advice with AV related positions in particular. There are a lot of things that can be completely outside a cadet's control that will prevent them from branching aviation for AF or Army mostly due to the higher medical standards flight physicals require. For anyone looking at either service, if you want to fly and you head to an Academy, you won't typically do your flight physical (at least USMA/ROTC side) until your junior year after you've already committed to staying. If flying is what you want to do and its taken away from you for reasons completely out of your control, where else would you be happy serving?