Howdy,

In the off chance someone reads this, how debilitating really are the neck and/or back issues from the 9G sorties? Every fighter pilot I've spoken to has basically said "yeah my neck hurts but there's ways to manage it and its cool." But one of them has a fused neck. Is it chronic pain and certain cervical degeneration that follows you even after the conclusion of your 10 year stint, renders you incapable of playing with your kids/turning your head fully, and poppin oxys for the rest of your life? Or is it a mild ache that surfaces occasionally throughout life after you're done?

I have a 99 PCSM with a PPL, a STEM degree, and some other accolades that are probably not that important. I'd like to make the best use out of my credentials for a rewarding military career, and while I am captivated by the fighter mission (like almost everyone I guess), the thought of turning my head with an effective weight of ~150 lbs bearing down my cervical spine makes me nervous. Currently deciding between pursuing Fighters AD/ANG, or Heavies ANG. I know we all pay a price in one way or another for our passions and professions, but I do enjoy being able to look around at stuff without pain.

I appreciate any and all info

For reference, I flew the Viper for my entire career, so just over 18 years of Viper time after UPT.

Neck pain is real and it will be for the rest of your life. For me it is mostly turning my nugget to the side (like checking a blind spot driving or talking down the same side of a table at a party) and then sometimes a constant low level pain after a physical day. Whiskey helps for both. Everyone that has flown fighters for more than a decade will have neck or back problems (back issues are more common in the F-15). It is likely that I will need a spinal surgery at some point due to damage that is calcifying and starting to impinge on nerves. That being said, it is manageable and it has not really ever prevented me from doing anything I want to do. I play full up with my kids, far more than most guys in their 40's. I do tons of physical things from back country hunting to working on the house, again, far more than most guys in their 40's.

There are multiple things that are and will continue to mitigate this in the future. As more F-35s come online, they will be the new F-16 as far as force preponderance. The F-35 is not the BFM machine the Viper is and I doubt that F-35 pilots will have neck issues that are anywhere near as bad as Viper guys. I'm sure an F-35 guy is going to cry foul and talk about what a great BFM platform Fat Amy is, but he'd have to be drunk or delusional to think the F-35 is on par with the 16 or 15 in a visual gun engagement because that's not the purpose for which it was built.

Another mitigating thing is the AF is finally putting it's money where it's mouth is in regards to pilot health and has started making dedicated physical therapists available just to the fighter pilots. I think this is going to be a huge long term win for guys' necks and backs and will be a huge help as guys start working with them as Lts.

Also, you are largely in control of what you do with your neck in a fight. My first two assignments I wanted to win at any cost so if I thought rolling my nugget around to the other side while pulling full aft stick would help me win, I did. After I started to get more neck pain, I got smarter, kept my helmet against the seat more, momentarily let off the g's while moving, etc. More experience let me do a couple things that were not quite as optimal in a fight and still win but kept my neck from hurting as much. I could have done those things earlier and would have had less damage.

Finally, I know plenty of people that never flew fighters that have had to have neck surgery. How dumb would you feel if you skipped the opportunity to fly fighters to keep your neck healthy and then ended up having neck surgery anyway?

I have lots of physical issues from flying the Viper for my whole career, but if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change much other than being a bit smarter with my neck when I flew. I don't think I'll be one of those guys on my deathbed wishing I'd done more with my life. I for sure won't be one of those guys looking back wondering if I was good enough to do what I had really wanted to do all along.