My two cents:
Learn to thrive where you are planted. If you can’t do this, military life will frustrate you.
If the OP reads the above posts, it should be clear there are no guarantees.
Attributed to many sources: “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”
Anecdotes from our USNA sponsor family:
- Sponsor son got Navy Air, did not get the 1 jet slot available to his group at flight school. He was #2 in the group. Got orders to rotary pipeline. Rare event, Marines needed 12 jet slots filled. He separated from and was commissioned into Marines, no loss of pay or seniority. Flew jets. Eventually separated from Marine Corps. Commissioned into and is now flying as full-time Air National Guard jet pilot, doesn’t have to PCS every 2-3 years. Very happy.
- USNA sponsor son was dead set on aero engineer, Navy Air, test pilot, astronaut career. Stood in the top ten in his USNA class. Interned at NASA. Medical issue during junior year DQ’ed him from flying. Went subs. Very happy. Got out, used GI bill, earns a very, very nice salary.
- USNA sponsor daughter didn’t make the cut for surface nuclear ship career path. Went to straight Surface Warfare career, earned Junior Officer Shiphandler of the Year award, has had two commands at sea and is in a very fast track to the top.
- USNA sponsor daughter got Marine Air, thought she wanted jets, got a taste for helos and loves her CH-53 squadron, has no plans to get out. Looking forward to flight instructor duty. She was a varsity crew athlete at USNA, and she likes the physical challenge of flying a big bird.
So, just in case you don’t get a pilot slot, look at other paths you might find acceptable, and decide accordingly.
And,
@kinnem I actually liked being “stuck on a ship” for 6 months! [emoji16]