Recent content by T-37IP

Flight hours add to their PCSM (pilot candidate selection) score, but that is really the only advantage besides trying out for the flight team. A PPL in UPT adds just about zero to being successful. One of my worst students had 6000+ hours of multi, commercial, instrument time, and he was...

The real value of the volunteer hours is in the nomination interviews showing leadership on the local community but not all volunteer hours are the same. For example, my son's were both volunteer fireman and volunteer boy scout lifeguard/instructors versus picking up trash alongside the road...

There is plenty of opportunity to go home with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring break, and summer break. Parent's weekend is a long weekend for your family to come to you, plus multiple three-day weekends to ski, camp, sponsor family, friends, etc. You will quickly learn that, although the...

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, former Army chief of staff and United States Military Academy (USMA) superintendent, best articulated the athletics-combat relationship: “Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of...

The SAs use the whole person concept (Athletics, Academics, and Leadership) AND they build a class from applicants across the country. They don't just pick the top 1200 candidates. Obviously do your best in everything but it is more than a test score.

Junior Firefighter, lifeguard, teaching swim lessons, work leader, camp counselor, NYLT staff, all have leadership aspects

USAFA “builds a class” and doesn’t take 1-1200 in numerical order. For whatever reason they would like him in next year’s class. Take a moment to let the sting of the rejection fade and make an informed decision. As a side note, his ALO should not be one based on your description of his actions.

TPS doesn't happen until your second or third assignment. You will "need" a graduate degree in engineering to attend and not all attendees are pilots. Medical school can happen immediately after graduation BUT it is extremely competitive (20 ish) per class. My son's GF is currently in this...

The only advantage to cutting your hair ahead of time is so your parents can get pictures of it from all angles, especially quartering away so the can better find Waldo on web guy. If you know, you know🤣

Yes.

Years ago, as a UPT IP.... Student wife, with an unusual first name was pregnant. My student with the same unusual name was not. A mixup at the med clinic resulted in several hours of panic.🙂

He will need to validate a bunch of classes to free up his schedule otherwise there isn't enough time. Why physics and aero? They aren't that closely related and would be a huge amount of work. He might be better off to do a minor in a "soft" area to broaden his scope. A language, history...

First, well laid out thought process, so here are a couple of thoughts...... 1. There is no path to Chaplain or medic via USAFA (to the best of my knowledge). There is med school, but that is open to very few and they are on a pre-med (think biochem majors) not engineering/physics track. 2...

Academics. Athletics. Leadership. Those are the triad. Your resume seems thin on leadership. Same as above for everything else.

Let me put my annual plug for Drum and Bugle Corps. If you're a musician you can play. Both of my boys are woodwind players by nature but easily picked up brass. It is a time commitment but, especially for doolies, it is a break from "military life" and, if you like music, can be a daily...