If you were on our August Afterburner Club call last Wednesday, then you’ve heard all about how it is not only necessary for you to keep up that motivation for becoming a fighter pilot, but also making sure that you have the right kind of motivation.
Chris Pope was a guy who dreamed the same dream that all of us on the Afterburner Club do. He wanted to be a fighter pilot and when an Air Force recruiter told him that he had virtually no chance of becoming a fighter pilot, he decided to look at other avenues.
Even though Chris already had a four-year degree and thought at first that Air Force OTS was the way to go, he was fortunate enough to meet with a pilot at an airshow who told him that he should seriously consider a two-year ROTC program. This would give him the opportunity to show the ROTC commander, and thus the service, that was truly officer and fighter pilot material.
Notice how “officer” came before “fighter pilot” there. To become a fighter pilot, you do have to become an officer first. And as an officer, you are a part of the leadership team!
Chris’s two years at ROTC helped him to realize this and he also began to realize why he was rejected the first time: he had gone in with the attitude of what the service could do for him, not what he could do for the service.
This time, Chris focused on what he could do to help others. (To listen August’s Afterburner Club call with Chris Pope, click here) He realized what the true role of a fighter pilot was: to support those who were below him on the ground and flying right beside him. With that attitude, Chris had proven that he had the right stuff to be selected for pilot training, and will be doing just that this coming spring.
Sure, becoming a fighter pilot is great and glamorous (I can tell you that from experience), but glamor should not be the reason you want to do it. If it is, a recruiter is going to pick up on that and turn you down. Remember that it is a service you are joining. It’s about what you can do for your fellow wingmen and the troops.
What is your motivation for becoming a fighter pilot? What do you think you can offer your brothers and sisters in uniform?
Hunter McGovern says
I love helping people, I have an entire blog that I made to help people with basically any issue in their lives. Well when I put that together with me wanting to be a pilot and wanting to serve in the USAF I personally think being a Fighter Pilot will be a great thing and experience for me.
Thanks for posting this, I enjoyed reading it.
~ Hunter
Nicholas Adams says
I don’t think OTS (or OCS) for Navy guys should be discounted. I for one only decided two semesters before graduation that the military was the route for me. I want to be a citizen and serve my country and its people before joining the work force that I will soon be fighting to protect. Obviously the Academy was out, it was too late to go to NROTC, so my only option was OCS. I’ve met a few Academy graduates and they almost seem like some of them feel that I’m not worthy by going the OCS route. I’ll start out at Ensign like those guys did when I get out, the only difference is I wasn’t dedicating four years of my life to it like them. What do you guys think? Are OCS/OTS guys given less respect?
Anonymous says
I have always loved flying and have wanted to be a fighter pilot since I was seven. I will do anything to protect the ground troops and wingmen. The ground troops are the main role in war, I would love to help them win a battle by dropping a bomb on the enemy, not to kill people but to protect our troops and our country. And the wingman beside you, is there to do the same thing, and protect you like you would protect him. You are a team and both depend on each other.
Paul McGee Jr says
Hey i read your articles an this one seemed to help because i really want to be an airforce fighter pilot but the thing about flat feet the navy an army turned me down for a waiver for flat feet so some type of motivation would be good an if not a fighter pilot just a pilot in the airforce would be what i want to fall back on but they said what would help if 2 years passed an my phyiscal at meps would be expired an i can try again after them 2
years or if i do it now i need an officer high rank to help so he can tell them to over look flat feet because i have no problems with it and i did civil air patrol which is like jrotc an we did lots of stuff like marchn an i den have no problems either. what should i do.
Randy Shine says
This was a good format for the newsletter. Either way is fine for me.
marlon jualaton says
I wanted to become a pilot before but we came from a poor family I always wanted to become part of the usaf but i never attain that or becoming a military analyst of the american forces or to work at the pentagon my favorite subject is history especially about military stratedy about war armaments and logistics
Devlin says
i have always wanted to fly jets, and i have always helped people. I am hoping to be a pilot in the USAF, but im still in high school. Any sugestions???
Paul Kamakande says
Hi Brother Head,
I am a citizen of Papua New Guinea in the Pacific where the second world war air combat was fought by the USAF and had defeated the Japs over mid-way.
Since primary school when I first got the first price in science, it was a book titled “What is Air” I interest in reaching the skies and the moon arose. That was in 1972. Now in my early 40’s, I still longing to be a fighter pilot. Over the years, I gained training as Radio Mechanic in 1982 after high school. Completed Matriculation in 1986, after a one year stint with the Papua New Guinea Defense Force undergoing military training in 1985. In 1993 I graduated in Science majoring in Geology. Yet I still burn to be a fighter pilot even though my country is a small commonwealth nation and does not have F18s in its air defence.
With my brother “Head’s” advice, I see some light at the end of the tunnel in my everlasting drive to fly to the USA and be a resident citizen and make or even pave my way to the air force as an officer before dating with F18s.
How could I be advised or helped up in this regard.
Thanks a lot Head (Ed) and may God of Israel continue to Bless you and America.
Paul Kamakande
Future F18 Command Pilot
Joseph Lareau says
This is asking a piece of advice, not necessarily from Mr. Rush. Would joining the Royal Air Force that the english have be too
much of an oddball thing to do? Because of all of the electronic wizardry for id that exists nowadays, I probably would not be able to fool anyone about my nationality, but it perhaps might be an interesting path to pursue. Although the USA and the English
fought a war (or two) against each other in the past the two nations are like blood brothers now, (in a sense).
Joe Lareau
Anonymous says
thanks ed for your advice.may God bless you.
David Taylor says
How do you get into a ROTC program?