Recently, I have been considering the option of joining the Air Force. I will be joining a ROTC and hope to service my country in a way that only the military can, put my life on the line. In my search for more information, I have come to believe that it is harder to leave the military than it is to get in. My question is this, if I graduate ROTC and pursue a pilot career, how many years will I be committing? The minimum 6 years of service? Does the military have its ways of trapping a pilot in active duty or do most people just continue because they love the life?

Thanks,

Augustine

Recently, I have been considering the option of joining the Air Force. I will be joining a ROTC and hope to service my country in a way that only the military can, put my life on the line. In my search for more information, I have come to believe that it is harder to leave the military than it is to get in. My question is this, if I graduate ROTC and pursue a pilot career, how many years will I be committing? The minimum 6 years of service? Does the military have its ways of trapping a pilot in active duty or do most people just continue because they love the life?

Thanks,

Augustine

It depends.

Big picture: as an enlisted guy, when your commitment (date of separation) is up, you have to put in paperwork to stay in. As an officer, technically your date of separation is indefinete, so if you don't put in paperwork to get out, then you are still in.

As for commitments, your average non-rated position is 4 years, Nav and ABM is 6, Pilot is 10. Those commitments start when you graduate/get your wings.

I wouldn't really call it "getting stuck" but if you are not aware to how the system works, you will be in for a surprise. For example, just about everything you do as a pilot carrys an Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC). ADSC work concurrently. So if you get your wings in 2010, and you have a 10 yr commitment, then you are in until 2020. Let's say after your first operational assignment, you are sent to be a UPT instructor. The school you attend to learn to be an instructor carry's a 3 yr ADSC. So that commitment runs concurrently from 2013-2016.

You could get "stuck" if you do something that incurs an ADSC past your UPT commitment.

Hope's that clear as mud.

Cap-10

In my search for more information, I have come to believe that it is harder to leave the military than it is to get in.

Hoser nailed the basics, but I will add on a thought to the portion in quotes. Your starting pay as a 2Lt is relatively low. But by your third year the AF starts boosting your pay quite nicely so that by the time you have 6-8 years in, you, with a nice house, a nice car, 2.3 kids and a dog, might feel like it's harder to leave than get in. In other words, they get you feeling so comfy that it's easier just to stay.

Your starting pay as a 2Lt is relatively low.

LOL

It depends.

Big picture: as an enlisted guy, when your commitment (date of separation) is up, you have to put in paperwork to stay in. As an officer, technically your date of separation is indefinete, so if you don't put in paperwork to get out, then you are still in.

As for commitments, your average non-rated position is 4 years, Nav and ABM is 6, Pilot is 10. Those commitments start when you graduate/get your wings.

I wouldn't really call it "getting stuck" but if you are not aware to how the system works, you will be in for a surprise. For example, just about everything you do as a pilot carrys an Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC). ADSC work concurrently. So if you get your wings in 2010, and you have a 10 yr commitment, then you are in until 2020. Let's say after your first operational assignment, you are sent to be a UPT instructor. The school you attend to learn to be an instructor carry's a 3 yr ADSC. So that commitment runs concurrently from 2013-2016.

You could get "stuck" if you do something that incurs an ADSC past your UPT commitment.

Hope's that clear as mud.

Hoser

Don't you incur additional ADSC for PCS and promotion as well? What else am I missing?

Don't you incur additional ADSC for PCS and promotion as well? What else am I missing?

You also incur additional ADSC for TA (Tution Assistance).

Don't you incur additional ADSC for PCS and promotion as well? What else am I missing?

Promotion...No ADSC for promotion for officers. I don't know about the E's. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements for retirement still apply. To retire as an O-4, you need 6 months in grade; for all others it is 3 years without a waiver (min 2 years).

Promotion...No ADSC for promotion for officers. I don't know about the E's. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements for retirement still apply. To retire as an O-4, you need 6 months in grade; for all others it is 3 years without a waiver (min 2 years).

SMSgt/CMSgt required a two year ADSC. Enlisted flyers need two years of retainability after they graduate Instructor school.

Thanks, Hoser. It really helps to know what I may be getting myself into. I will definitely discuss this more with my parents as they are concerned they will lose their son if I go into the military.

Yep, it depends.

You'll notice now that the AF is paying some pilots to leave prior to completing their comitment. They are also essentially booting thousands of non-rated officers simply because they think they have too many. So like pretty much everything in the military, timing is everything. Don't base your decision off of what's happening today, but realize that many people who were told the AF had them for 8 - 10 years after they got their wings are now back to being civilians.

And by the way, as a 22 year old 2nd LT you'll be making way more money than anyone else you graduate from college with who deson't have an engineering dergee(one you actually have to work for). Especially if you want to be a pilot and major in Political Science/Sociology/History/Basket Weaving/etc . . .

they are concerned they will lose their son if I go into the military.

If this is the case, then you need to talk with them about more than just the ADSC...

Let's say after your first operational assignment, you are sent to be a UPT instructor. The school you attend to learn to be an instructor carry's a 3 yr ADSC.

PIT incurs a 3 year ADSC?

PIT incurs a 3 year ADSC?

Not 100% sure. I went thru PIT in 1998, so I could be wrong.

I do know going thru the F-15E Instructor Course does carry a 3 yr ADSC.

Cap-10

So does a TX course

So does a TX course

Is it worth it?

Nahh...I loved the Army so much I wanted to go blue to green, but they wouldn't let me out of my UPT commitment, then FORCED me to go fly again.

Just kidding. Of course it's worth it!

Your starting pay as a 2Lt is relatively low.

LOL, quite the contrary. Unless your married or have kids (and why the heck would you), as a 2LT your pay is freaking sweet!!

WxMan

LOL, quite the contrary. Unless your married or have kids (and why the heck would you), as a 2LT your pay is freaking sweet!!

WxMan

The pay is alright. As an engineer though, I"m definately taking an initial hit. Screw it though, I'm still an officer, and that is something that none of my classmates could ever top!