I wanted originally to become a fighter jet pilot in the Air Force as that seemed like something I wanted to do. Now I have interest in Army Infantry, but I would still want to fly and be able to be on a ground mission once in my military career. Is this possible, because if so I would seek to join that branch and apply for its' respective academy.
Need help deciding which branch is right for me.
- Thread starter Magii
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Interesting question!
The Army doesn't use fighter aircraft, very few fixed wing, and mostly helos.
The Air Force does deploy PJ's and Combat Controllers who are definitely on the ground in harms way.
The Navy has SEALS, which in itself is extremely hard to get assigned to. I don't know how many SEAL officers would be allowed transfer to Pensacola and become a Naval Aviator. I do know of a Marine Pilot who later became a Naval Flight Surgeon.
You might want to consider the Marine Corps as their philosophy is "every Marine is a rifleman." Also all Marines must go through TBS which involves infantry tactics. Also the Marines do have a need for fixed wing fighter pilots. Someone else will have to chime in on the chances of starting out as a Marine Infantry officer and then transferring to flight training. I'm sure it has been done, but I don't know what the chances are.
But remember, the needs of the Corps (or whatever branch you serve in) will come first.
The Army doesn't use fighter aircraft, very few fixed wing, and mostly helos.
The Air Force does deploy PJ's and Combat Controllers who are definitely on the ground in harms way.
The Navy has SEALS, which in itself is extremely hard to get assigned to. I don't know how many SEAL officers would be allowed transfer to Pensacola and become a Naval Aviator. I do know of a Marine Pilot who later became a Naval Flight Surgeon.
You might want to consider the Marine Corps as their philosophy is "every Marine is a rifleman." Also all Marines must go through TBS which involves infantry tactics. Also the Marines do have a need for fixed wing fighter pilots. Someone else will have to chime in on the chances of starting out as a Marine Infantry officer and then transferring to flight training. I'm sure it has been done, but I don't know what the chances are.
But remember, the needs of the Corps (or whatever branch you serve in) will come first.
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One can get a USMC flight contract while in NROTC. There may also be chances at the end of TBS, but that's extremely rare. Keep in mind a flight contract only guarantees you get a chance to go to flight school provided you pass all the very rigorous flight physicals. If you go Marines and are not able to go to flight school, you'll be doing something else and it's a bit of a crap shoot.
In any service your are assigned an air-frame during (close to the end?) of flight school. It will in part be determined by your size and also your ranking on the OML. There is never a guarantee for fighters in any service. In fact, getting fighters is pretty difficult. You could end up flying C-130s (not that there is anything wrong with that. Hell you're flying, right!!!!)
In any service your are assigned an air-frame during (close to the end?) of flight school. It will in part be determined by your size and also your ranking on the OML. There is never a guarantee for fighters in any service. In fact, getting fighters is pretty difficult. You could end up flying C-130s (not that there is anything wrong with that. Hell you're flying, right!!!!)
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Soldiergriz
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Infantry. The answer is quite simple. 
That sounds like something I would want to do, I will look further into it thanks for the info!.
If I followed the path and let's say I get past everything and get the pilot slot, if I ended up flying something I didn't like could I transfer out of being a pilot?
Sledge
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UT had a guy who had earned his trident as an enlisted man, then walked on the football team, got his degree, and commissioned as a naval aviator. Cool, but certainly not a normal or easy path.
I remember seeing an alumni magazine picture of him as an officer. Quite the chestful of gold - Trident and Aviator Wings.
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Marines allow pilots to go be FACs, or forward air controllers, with ground units. Your primary job is being an aviator, but you spend 1-2 years working with an infantry unit. While on the ground side, FACs coordinate air strikes and air support for their ground unit.
The caveat is that this is not always a great job to have. When done during a pilots first fleet tour, it takes them out of the cockpit for a year and slows progression (you get an extra year in squadron on the backside). Sometimes it may involve relocating to a less favorable duty station like 29 Palms. However it is a common path taken.
The caveat is that this is not always a great job to have. When done during a pilots first fleet tour, it takes them out of the cockpit for a year and slows progression (you get an extra year in squadron on the backside). Sometimes it may involve relocating to a less favorable duty station like 29 Palms. However it is a common path taken.
USMCGrunt
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Hurricane, you beat me too it. Some of the most miserable Marines I ever saw were the Forward Air Controllers assigned to our Battalion during field operations! As a Grunt, it was comical to see them struggle to channel their inner "infantry" self after multiple years of being a "fly-boy"!!
To the OP: you want both air/ground? If the stars line up on the flight side, you can always follow the path Hurricane has outlined above in the USMC. But be advised, you have a very specific set of desired roles and would require a lot of luck to accomplish them.
To the OP: you want both air/ground? If the stars line up on the flight side, you can always follow the path Hurricane has outlined above in the USMC. But be advised, you have a very specific set of desired roles and would require a lot of luck to accomplish them.
raimius
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ALO is now a separate career field. The skill sets between ALO/CCT and pilot are different, and the military is usually better served by having experts in one or the other.
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Not in the Air Force. You will sign your contract for the 10-year ADSC before drop night and you won't be able to back out of it because you don't like what you are selected to fly. Since the Air Force will spend somewhere between $3 million and $6 million to make you a pilot, they will make sure they get a return on their investment. One way to almost guarantee that you will get your choice of airframe is to work as hard as possible and graduate #1 in your UPT class. That part is totally in your hands. Of course, no one can guarantee that there will be the aircraft that you want on the drop list for your class, but the AF generally tries to make sure that each class gets at least one fighter. Lately there have been 3 or 4 fighters per class, but that cannot last forever.
Stealth_81
Oh I know it seems to be a lot of work but I want to do both air/ground. Hurricane’s plan seems exactly what I’d what to do.