Hey everybody! My names Roger and im a 17 year old with high hopes, and aspirations to become apart of the elite military aviation community, and eventually become the pilot of a fighter aircraft. Anyways so my question to you guys is: What is the right stuff? I constantly keep hearing this saying, and several other relevant maxims, which refer to the characteristics ,and personality traits one must have in order to succeed in the fighter pilot business. Also,if one does not carry certain characteristics, can he/she acquire them? Thank you!

Read the book?

Read the book?

No i haven't, but I recently saw the movie.

Hey Roger, there's actually a whole subforum on this site dedicated to answering your question. Anyway, here's the short answer to what you need to have the "right stuff" to be a military pilot.

1. A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Preferable with a good GPA.

2. Meet all the medical requirements to be a military pilot, and be in good physical shape.

3. A good attitude and tenacity to get through the commissioning and and pilot selection process.

4. Don't make stupid or criminal choices that will jeopardize your chances.

Take those four elements and add in a solid dose of luck and timing, and you've got a pretty good chance. May the odds be ever in your favor.

And grow a bit of skin thickness. No one will care about your feelings.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Dork.

Humility...lots of humility (reference thick skin comment).

A willingness to help out the team even when it may put you at a disadvantage (that's humility).

Make a decision quickly with confidence, don't waiver even for a second, and admit you were wrong if it didn't work out (reference humility).

No one owes you anything, and don't be a whiner even if you know you're right or you've been wronged -- suck it up (humility).

There's other obvious stuff, but the right attitude will keep you in the game.

Oh, and don't suck.

And be able to drive precisely at 40mph not 39 or 41 but 40. Whatever happened to that guy?

And be able to drive precisely at 40mph not 39 or 41 but 40. Whatever happened to that guy?

It was 30 mph.

Luckily for all, earlier this year most of the streets of Del Rio got a speed limit increase from 30 mph to 35 mph.

Last I heard he's got wings. Good on him for rolling with his own punches.

I second " Read the Book". I read it the summer I started law school. As I read the first few chapters I realized that flying jets in the military was my real calling. So, while attending my first year of law school I began the process that eventually ended up with me leaving law school and joining the Air Force,,,never looked back, and no regrets! BTW good luck with your goal of flying fighters, just be happy to graduate...toughest thing I ever did!