mcneillaviation
Member
Title, just wondering why y’all decided on this path. Was it a dream? Was it the benefits that sold you? What brought you to this career path?
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Why did you enlist and pursue aviation?
- Thread starter mcneillaviation
- Start date
The benefits and the opportunity to do something respected by friends and family. I wasn't specifically committed to aviation, as I put Intel as my first choice, but I eventually got more enthusiastic about it once I got done with primary flight training and started learning the mission.
All I ever wanted to do was fly. Decided early on I wanted to fly for the airlines. In college, decided the easiest way to build hours to get hired was the military. Air Farce turned me down - twice. Navy took a chance. Enjoyed it enough to forego the airlines for awhile and make the Navy a career. Retired and still went to "The Show". Retired from there at age 65. I lived my dream.
mcneillaviation
Member
sounds like you had an incredible career. If I may ask, why did the Air Force turn you down?
1974. Viet Nam was over, big time RIFing was happening. They could be very picky for the selection process. I wasn't ROTC or academy, and my grades were avg. at best. After first rejection the detailer advised to try waiting a year to see if things opened up a bit. For the Air Farce it didn't. I started talking to the Navy while waiting. They took a chance and I never regretted it. I'd never get selected in today's environment.
mcneillaviation
Member
today it seems a lot more picky, but I’m glad you were accepted. Thank you so much for your reply and I appreciate hearing your story.
Incredible? No. Absolutely not. I wouldn't recommend my career path to anyone who wanted to make the Navy a career. I did many things wrong, pissed off too many people who had a say in my future, got passed over a few times. But I stayed flying my entire career, which was my goal, and not an easy accomplishment. Upon retirement, I opted out of a retirement ceremony. But the highest honor I ever received was after I retired - a bunch of chiefs who had worked with/for me through the years threw a party where they "roasted" me. That meant more to me than any retirement ceremony.
RoarkJr.
Well-Known Member
My grandfather was adopted and came from Europe in the late 1930’s. He enlisted in the USAF out of New York and did a 20 year career as an intelligence airman on B-52’s. He also loved to build RC airplanes. My father picked up the passion for aviation and building planes from him. So, I grew up watching history channel dog fights and flying sims in the late 90’s.
Fast forward to 2012, and, after going through my long hair, skateboarding and metal band phase, I’m in the food service game and going nowhere, so I go all-in and decide to follow a buddy into the USMC. Picked the Aviation option because I had a history, and there you go. Next thing I know I’m in the fleet, then picked up for an officer program, and now I’m on my way near to where my grandfather was stationed in Columbus, MS (just north of Meridian) for jets. Crazy.
Fast forward to 2012, and, after going through my long hair, skateboarding and metal band phase, I’m in the food service game and going nowhere, so I go all-in and decide to follow a buddy into the USMC. Picked the Aviation option because I had a history, and there you go. Next thing I know I’m in the fleet, then picked up for an officer program, and now I’m on my way near to where my grandfather was stationed in Columbus, MS (just north of Meridian) for jets. Crazy.
mcneillaviation
Member
Your journey sounds unique though. Thank you for sharing.
mcneillaviation
Member
Title.
I will agree that it was unique.....and extremely satisfying to me - minus the passed over parts. I have only heard of a very few who have managed to do a full career and never leave the cockpit.
mcneillaviation
Member
Yeah, including you, I’ve only heard of two people who got to stay in the cockpit until retirement. impressive feat and, as you wanted, a wonderful way to build hours towards an airline job.