Want to be an Air Force Pilot? This is How You Do It

[@SamEckholm]

I'm so excited to announce the Air Force Academy Blueprint! My online course where I cover everything you need to do to prepare, apply, and survive the Air Force Academy- the best place you can go to become an Air Force pilot. You'll have access to over 60+ video lessons, downloadable resources and checklists, access to a private community of other applicants, and so much more. Sign up here: www.academyblueprint.com/

[@arctrooper3518]

I have to be a US Citizen ?

[@mrnoodle3777]

Unfortunately I’m 27.. was super bummed when I found that out.

[@Zizuthecreatorlamarwest]

how do i be a part of the USAF MC and jet to fly fighter jets?

[@cesaralcantara324]

yeah but to join the academy ur SAT score gotta be insane and have like a 4.5 gpa lol

[@IZRedeemed]

Is this possible for someone who's already graduated high school in 2020? How can I get accepted into the academy. In colorblind but I am very dedicated of becoming a pilot.

[@squidward9440]

When he said you don't have to be good at math, my soul left my body in happiness.

[@aidenkeane8802]

Same I rolled out of bed with relief

[@darkcap2326]

You need it to get there tho, wich is sad.

[@nappy_hair_chris4205]

@@darkcap2326 dammmm

[@gatorscoops3861]

euphoric

[@themagicnerf]

As a person who's just waiting for the day I'm eligible to maybe enlist, I gotta agree.

[@lukeeckholm]

U forgot to mention the other method of sneaking into the Air Force base in Grand theft auto 5 and stealing the f16

[@SamEckholm]

Fair point. Cargobob is my fav

[@joshamico580]

The titan is pretty cool too

[@andy.666]

@@joshamico580 a pain to get out of the base in time before being shot down by tank

[@joshamico580]

andy 666 you can get one from lsia

[@andy.666]

@@joshamico580 oh yeah It always spawns in the hangar

[@alexanderswander8176]

I will come back to this video in 5 years when I become a Pilot. I will be enlisting in the Air force on Thursday after completing my ASVAB and Physical. I cannot thank you enough sir for this extremely valuable video. The recruiter didn't explain the process as simple as in this video on how to become a Pilot. Now, I understand exactly what I must do. I will get a Refueler Maintenance job, while actively pursing a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering fully online at SNHU, and go on to enroll in Officer training school after I complete my 4 years active duty and bachelors. I will be a pilot someday in the near future. Wish me luck. 1/30/2023 Edit: I passed the ASVAB with a 92 and passed Physical Next week I will sign on for 5th Gen fighter maintenance 11/21/2023 Edit: Have passed BMT, Passed Tech School, Got to First Duty Location for some months. Still pursuing. Doing Crew Chief things learning more and more about how these jets work. It's all working out so far. 2/25/2024 Edit: Everything is still on track. Going to become an officer in 2.5 - 3 years. Still on the trajectory to commission, going back to college soon and trying to stand out as a crew chief as well as do volunteering and make myself pronounced so when I submit my OTS package I stand out versus the thousands of other applicants who are trying to get pilot spots through OTS. I'm competing with people who have masters and doctorette degrees, far more years of experience, more rank than me, more volunteering hours, more deployments/tdy's, more things they can put on their resume.... so it will be tough, however that won't stop me from trying. There's something called the CCAF, which takes most people a while to get, however I will get it far earlier than others by using CLEPS and continue my education even after my bachelors. 2. The 5 level thing, I will have gotten far earlier than others, proving I know my job and I know my job well and can do all those tasks. 3. Leadership has noticed my will and determination everyday, how I show up an hour early everyday, leave an hour later, work hard everyday and am willing to do whatever I am tasked with, am willing to work whenever, whatever shift they put me on, and on top of all of that I never complain, I just put in the work and learn everyday so I can become a better leader and also go on to help others. I will also do everything in my power to get BTZ, below the zone, allowing me to rank up 6 months earlier from an A1C to an E-4 aka SrA which also looks very good on the resume and package needed for OTS. The air force provides something called AF COOL which I'm going to use to get some flying hours in probably a small Cessna that contributes to my private pilot's license. Also going to try and get certs to make my resume look nicer. There's something called an A & P license from the FAA which I will get later on but that's like 2 years from now. So, I'll literally have a license to fix a plane but also another license to fly said plane. To go back to college you need something called a 5 level and there's a bunch of mechanic tasks you need to complete to start school again. I'm 90% done should be fully complete in march allowing me to go back to school. The cool thing about applying to become a pilot through officer training school is you technically don't even need your degree yet, you can submit your paperwork if you are 1 year away from getting a bachelors degree you just need some special paperwork. This will allow me to try two times to submit an OTS package or more if I intend on extending thus giving me more chances at a spot and bettering my odds despite how slim they are. Also, the whole process is very political at least if you're like me and become enlisted before becoming an officer. Basically, you need to stand out and create good relationships between the leadership and superiors wherever you work because they will have to sign your papers and guess what, if they don't like you they won't sign your papers to even get a chance at OTS to even get a chance at trying to become a pilot. That's pretty much it. Trying to eat healthy and go gym everyday so I am more than capable and physical fit later on down the road especially for the required class 3 flight physical. Will start studying for the AFOQT and TBAS tests as well. Will post another update later.

[@AceInitiative]

Getting a aircrew job like that is very very rare, most likely they aren’t going to have aircrew at all for you to choose. I would suggest either 2A333 or 2A337 both of which are aircraft mechanic jobs if you qualify for them.

[@alexanderswander8176]

@@AceInitiative What you said is 100% true. I passed the ASVAB three days ago with a 92 and passed the physical the next day. I have no history of asthma, my eyes are pretty good around I think they said 20/40. I guess I would need Lasik? I don't need glasses or contacts and can read and see really far or close don't have any problems whatsoever. I am 6'2" as well so I hope I'm not too tall. (The guy mentioned the height problem is a myth and most people are around 6 foot anyway right? I'm not 6'6" so I guess I should be fine right?.) I was given a list of jobs to choose from and chose 17 in numbered order of which I favorited more. Tactical Fighter maintenance (5th gen) was #1, Tactical fighter maintenance (Jets older than 5th gen) was #2, UAV maintenance #3 and then I applied for whatever other avionics maintenance/etc maintenance/hydraulics around aircraft I could select including helicopters and such. (Pararescue sounds like fun too but not as cool as a pilot) I also liked the Blackhawk gunner/rescue position. The recruiter told me the jobs weren't available right away but put me on a wait list and said things could change this Monday as then I could accept one of the 17 job listings and go to BMT the following week. I was just wondering if working on jets counted as work experience for your resume. If things don't work out becoming a pilot, I figured I always would have my degree (Mechanical Engineering) to fall back on and hopefully get hired by Boeing or Lockhead Martin asap if I wasn't in the military because of the experience from maintenance. Explosive ordinance disposal was my last choice if none of the maintenance jobs were available. Do you have any advice for once I'm in and sent off to BMT or my job training? I'm trying to absorb all the information I can like a sponge. And sorry for the long reply/rant. It makes sense I should also do maintenance to get to know exactly every component on the jet and how it works so when I become a pilot I am familiar with actually what is what. Just like a racecar driver should know every thing about the racecar he's the driver of. It's what separates the good drivers from the best drivers because the best drivers can fine tune everything given that they know more about their vehicle. Right?

[@TheFirebirdFactor]

I will do the exact same🙏 Hopefully all goes to plan and i will finally fly a jet and show all those "War thunder is free" mfs what's real. Just gotta finish 2 more years of highschool 😒

[@thatboieddy242]

Congrats!

[@arcturus4762]

You can do it king!

[@elmocotton3078]

I was in the Air Force Reserve with great job reviews. I had a BS degree in Aeronautics 121 ASVAB a pilots license AND an Airframe Power Plant license and was a liaison engineer on the C-17 as a civilian. I tried to apply but I soon found out that those pilot slots are reserved for friends of the commander, government officials kids and other "insiders" .

[@mleobviously]

make more money as a civilian, and live where you want

[@snuff4207]

I've been in the USAF 19 years total with 16 of them as a flyer. I'm somewhere north of 2000 hours now and it's been an absolute blast. *Edit* To clarify, I have been an aviator all 19 years. 16 years are operational and 3 were spent in training. It’s a long road, but worth it.

[@jeremiahlee2554]

what do you fly? f-15 from the picture?

[@snuff4207]

Jeremiah Lee started life as an F-15E WSO, but transitioned to RPA.

[@jeremiahlee2554]

@@snuff4207 like a predator? that's so cool. I fly the f15 in DCS lol

[@snuff4207]

Jeremiah Lee Predator and Reaper.

[@snuff4207]

Jeremiah Lee DCS is pretty cool. It’s better than some of our early gen flight sims.

[@OLKIEMTB]

Imagine going through all that just to be told you are going to be a drone pilot. I would be pissed.

[@teemu3981]

I would take it

[@telecomanda]

And then do a barrel roll from reflex and rip the drone's wings off and get fired hahaha

[@byson8628]

@@telecomanda haha

[@jordanzamora9486]

That doesn’t happen anymore, separate tracks.

[@quadbrothers5801]

Jordan Zamora good to know.

[@SamEckholm]

So if you guys were to become Air Force pilots... what would you want to fly? 😏

[@kienle4785]

F-22 Raptor!! 😍😍

[@timruskowski4923]

Sam Eckholm B-1, C-5, F-15, or F-22!

[@Yaboibrett32]

F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lighting

[@SQUINTY]

B-1 or F-15, if those are still in service

[@SamEckholm]

Kien Le Great choice haha

[@VersaceKid]

My mti once said, “ we’ll damn, you can major in underwater basket weaving and still become a pilot!”

[@josephpullium5026]

Lol it’s always basket weaving that’s used as an example

[@michaelbateman8469]

Yep. The snobbery of academia.

[@schwabentalsocorro6070]

So if you guys were to become Air Force pilots... what would you want to fly? 😏

[@defaultgamer34857]

Is that just a Dave Ramsey thing or is it older than him?

[@slitor]

@@michaelbateman8469 Try "rigour" of academia. They are not gonna waste a seat for thousands of hours of complex training in both theory and practise. Unless they know you can pull through.

[@michaelbosisto6259]

I dreamed about being an Air Force pilot in the early 80’s. All I ever thought about was fighter jets, and how I would get there. I didn’t have any real resources back then other than a school councilor who basically told me to get really good grades, play in sports, be well rounded and then get an engineering degree. I started to see my dream slip away because I wasn’t that good at school, nor as an athlete in my small hick town. A recruiter would come out our way once or twice a year, and didn’t have time to tell me all that I needed to know. By the time I barely passed high school all the damage has been done. I ended up being a grunt in the USMC, became pretty physically fit, but hatted everyday as I seen harriers and F-18 hornets fly by. Not saying the Marines in general is bad, it wasn’t what I wanted at all. I wish I had the resources that you all have now...you have a clear path how to get there.. take advantage of it, otherwise you’ll be like me ... watching people do what I would of died for on KZbin. I did get my private pilot license , turn out I’m a good pilot, not Air Force good though.

[@Leoboy34]

Damnnn

[@Master_K14]

Damn dude

[@CaelWallace]

Dude, that was like a movie reading this glad you still got to be a pilot though.

[@jankutac9753]

Maybe lucky though. Don't get shot down by some stupid drone . But it is pretty discriminating. Who needs good grades to be good at flying. Shows that the recruitment system is headed by some idiots. A bit sad considering it's the 21st century, and the USA being already more practice oriented than most other countries

[@WeaponsGG]

I dont doubt that you would have been Air Force good if you had joined as a younger you. Age plays a huge effect on your skills and abilities. Kudos to you for getting your pilots license and at least living some part of your dream. The power of positive thinking can help you get anwhere.

[@WillOnSomething]

Shortcut: You can fly in formation with fighter jets, all you need to do is squawk 7500 in your civilian plane.

[@jaycebough4882]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@NachoFatty]

Funniest comment I’ve ever seen 😂

[@quinlansmith5857]

Lol

[@8wheelsracing]

LOLLLLL

[@8wheelsracing]

7500 in an SFRA, party time!

[@Audisebas21]

this video is made to perfection. Not only is the cinematography really well placed but it is also very well in tune with the information provided. Thank you very much Sam for this video I'm alot more confident and understanding with the steps, process and requirements to become a U.S Air Force Pilot.

[@baboon_92]

Me sitting on the couch: "Yeah, I could do this"

[@Ghosty249]

@Jose skool II I was going join the Air Force so I didn’t have to have a collage degree *crying softly

[@Houston_Smh]

You can though

[@CidKagenoOfShadowGarden]

@@Ghosty249 😂😂

[@khaleesidelacruz7905]

@@Ghosty249 me too i am homeschooled I'm in high school and I don't plan on going to college

[@Chasing72]

Put down the bong…😂

[@clwatts]

I enrolled in AFROTC in 1971 with the intentions of becoming a pilot. I enrolled my second semester of college and had a 4.0 GPA majoring in Aeronautical Engineering. The command staff of our ROTC nominated me for the (then) USAF scholarship that would pay my college tuition, books, fees, and $150/month stipend. To receive the scholarship I had to pass the medical physical. I took the physical and was told I was rejected for "excessive refractive error". (Color blind). The AF Major took me over to the US Army command because they had the same program for the Army. The Lt Col. in charge looked at my medical records and contacted the Army medical people. After a discussion with them, he turned to me and said I would not even pass a draft physical. I am still disheartened by that after all these years.

[@MarkTheDrunkenSailor]

man you lived my nightmare, i hope your doing well and know it wasnt your fault

[@bumdum2113]

Hey, I to am color blind and was wondering if there is any possible waiver that would dismiss failing that test, like color blind glasses?

[@MarkTheDrunkenSailor]

@@bumdum2113 al though you arent able to wear the color glasses its likely you would get a waiver if coming from usafa, usafa has no color vision requirements so all you gotta do is keep your grades up and hope for the best, believe me its possible

[@corvus5801]

​@bumdum2113 not for your flight physical, so I'm sorry but you probably won't be able to fly for the Air Force. For your dodmerb (required to contract) you can definitely get a waiver and pursue a different career path. There are plenty that allow you to be in planes and work on planes without normal color vision

[@brandor763]

I wish I could be a fighter pilot. Used to be my dream job as a kid. I love military aviation and going to airshows every year. Unfortunately as I get older, I realize I may not have what it takes to be one. Its more than I thought.

[@jaluntaylor4596]

Work hard and you can.

[@Deimos_the_Autist]

How old are you?

[@patriot524]

Don't say that man! Like the first guy said, it all comes with the will to push through, and I'm sure you can do it. I'm in phase 3 of pilot training right now (I actually have my first ride in the T-38 on Monday)! I'd be happy to answer any questions! At what point in life are you? High school? College? etc.

[@ShutterContinent]

@@patriot524 turned 28 in October, no degree. If I joined and went to school as soon as it was available would i still have a shot at becoming a pilot? I know where there's a will there's a way, but I've let a lot of good years get away from me

[@patriot524]

@@ShutterContinent It looks like it could still definitely be in the cards if you seriously get on it quick and put in all the hard work it's gonna take! I would certainly talk to a recruiter ASAP to get the ball rolling because it looks like you have to have all qualifications completed prior to reaching 33 years of age. And that being considered, if I did my math correctly, you would have exactly the amount of time you needed if you started next academic year. Everything else you'd be able to take care of concurrently with your degree. USAFA is no longer an option, unfortunately. I would highly recommend finding a school with a ROTC program. You would apply to the ROTC detachment as well as the university. I highly recommend this because they will keep you on track with everything you need to do concurrently with college to reach your goal. I would not do OTS because that would load everything *_after_* college rather than concurrently when you already have very little wiggle room. Furthermore, your chances of getting a pilot slot out of ROTC are higher than it is out of OTS. Roughly half of the yearly 1,000-1,200 pilot slots are given to the USAFA graduating class of about 1,000 every year (effectively everyone at the Academy that wants to become a pilot gets a slot), and the rest are dispersed to ROTC programs across the country, with a handful given to OTS. Pilot slots as a result end up being highly competitive in ROTC (whereas USAFA graduates already did most of their competing for a slot by getting into the Academy and surviving their 4 years there) and even more so out of OTS, from what I understand. They will rack and stack you based upon college GPA, fitness test performance, military/commander's ranking, field training performance, and AFOQT and TBAS scores. This isn't to scare you, but rather to motivate you to get the ball rolling and work your ass off to be sure you get that slot!

[@Ridder97atattnet]

I recently joined the Air Force myself and this is a great video for those who want to be the pilots to the aircraft but i also want to bring to light that pilots aren't the only ones who fly. there are a handful of enlisted jobs that also get to be up in the air alongside the pilots and they are just as cool. These jobs have lots of training that accompanies it too but they might be a good route for those who still want to fly but might not have college as a viable first option. I had the privilege of getting to meet a few of the instructors and students who became fliers and they are a really great bunch. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants to walk among the clouds. Maybe you can do a video sometime on the enlisted aviator jobs available too. I think that would help a lot of people see a broader view of the force as a whole.

[@hcplsmf]

Yes please it would be great to see the broader range of jobs you could do and fly. Im almost junior year of mechanical engineering school. My dream is to be an avionics engineer. I think there are avionics technicians in the Air Force? Would you be able to fly being one?

[@hey9433]

How much money did it all cost from the day you graduated high school to the day you were hired as a pilot?

[@escape808]

Enlisted don't fly, they ride. Same way all civilians do when they visit grandma.

[@Ritzylamma]

OCS, or officer candidate school, is the best route to go from enlisted into an aviation billet. In my time undergoing naval flight training I'd say roughly 1/3 of my class who selected intermediate/advance fixed wing training were former enlisted. The airforce structures things a tad different, but all in all its a similar process.

[@dhvoith]

It's all about timing. I was in ROTC, scored well on all the tests, passed the physical....up to the eye test. My vision was around 20/25. That was it. Couldn't be a pilot. If I was 30 years younger my vision would have been OK. I ended up doing everything on the civilian side of things. Eventually flew 747s all over the world. If you want it enough you'll make it happen.

[@illcrimsonill6224]

my vision is good with glassses

[@jeankashikov7830]

You know that PRK is not a disqualifier right? Only LASIK is.

[@JohnDoe-zw3xs]

How old were you?

[@melonizer1165]

@@jeankashikov7830 that’s not true, had a guy in my squadron get lasik before flight physical and he was fine

[@dhvoith]

@@JohnDoe-zw3xs I was 18 or 19 but this was back in the early 70's. Vietnam was winding down, pilot slots were low. 20/20 vision was required and lasik was untested. Last I heard the Air force was taking candidates with 20/70 vision as long as it's correctable to 20/20.

[@aceloveskrabbypatties]

Thank you a lot. You don’t realize how much this helped. I have to wright notes for a sequence of events essay. Usually I have to watch multiple videos, but I think I got all the info I need here.

[@brandonrichard8091]

Hey sam you might remember me, I was the kid who commented on your last tik tok asking for some tips on becoming a fighter pilot. And I would just like to say thank you so much for making this video!

[@SamEckholm]

Of course man!

[@chopx-nick5116]

insanity same but i’m a freshman in high school

[@Yhil_nn]

karinaElsa 1234 same

[@Yhil_nn]

karinaElsa 1234 I was addicted at dogfight games, so I wanted to be a pilot, since I am a Filipino, I’ll be PAF or Philippines Air Force when I am big or 18+.

[@chopx-nick5116]

@insanity the a340👍🏽

[@SwiftestScout]

Hey Sam, 28 year old enlisting after my civilian life took a turn. Thanks so much for your videos, you give even those of us at the upper end of quali that much needed push.

[@timtimber5271]

How’s it going?

[@maybecole]

@@timtimber5271 I'd be interested in an update. 26 and feeling like this may be the right path.

[@thegrumba2907]

Did you get it man?

[@everettfuller3571]

Also curious how this is going, just turned 28 and I’m about to join, wishing I had done it at 18 but we live and learn!

[@octavia1amazing]

Curious too!

[@toobasaurus23]

I applied to the RAAF back in 1997 when I finished high-school. I was bounced on my family's medical history. I passed every other test they had. I was very good at physics in school. Flying an F-18 is all I ever wanted to do since I was 13 years old. I studied hard in school, and trained in the gym every week with someone my neighbour recommended. My neighbour was an RAAF F-18 pilot and gave me incredible instruction. I still didn't make it based on my parents medical histories. I couldn't control that. I believe the entrance limits are different now, but being a fighter pilot is all i ever wanted to do. 25 years later, I do have a very lucrative career but I am not pulling Mach 1 daily. Respect to the men and women that get to live my dream everyday. 🙏

[@IVosc0p3d]

Correction: You are not required to have a scholarship for ROTC (at least not for AFROTC). Wish this vid was around when I was in high school haha. Still made it to pilot training though

[@BearDubya]

That’s still dope do u know what you’re flying?

[@beyondthesmp8972]

What type of ASVAB score do you have to get to be qualified?

[@mitchell3671]

@@beyondthesmp8972 The ASVAB is for Enlistees, the AFOQT is what Officer take and it has a pilot section which is the most important part for this area.

[@beyondthesmp8972]

TheDom ah, okay.

[@IVosc0p3d]

@karinaElsa 1234 ROTC = Reserve Officers Training Corps and AFROTC = Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps

[@evangelstrategies]

Sam, loved your video and your enthusiasm! I retired from, and served for 36 years on active and reserve duty, the Navy (as a Chaplain for 25 of those years). So proud to see young women and men like you serving their Nation. Keep up the great work and kudos for all your successes! By the way, I'm a fan of Swayne Martin's channel also. Both of you are fantastic.

[@matthewteachout4182]

Just enlisted in the Guard, if I don't get a pilot slot with my unit after I graduate, I'm finna pull a swayne martin and be an airline pilot.

[@adilmyrzagaliyev5922]

I’m an international student at college, I always had a dream to become a pilot :( So I figured a plan on how to become airman, first I would finish my college, get the legal job, afterwards get the “green card”, citizenship, and then serve to great nation of American people! Thank you for your video once again

[@bad-hr8ol]

i love how you wanna serve america when most people hrere dont like it

[@ringofdreal1374]

@2020bad just because you see a lot of people on the internet whine about the U.S. doesn't mean everyone thinks the same as you.

[@danielfranklin3773]

Hahaha me too, my friend. I really don't understand how can someone born in USA and do not go to Airforce or Army, because there is the biggest in the world, and there are a lot of opportunity for to learn a job or do something relevant for society… I just do not understand this. I also have this deram, to be a pilot in USAF, but now I am 25, and I am a Lawyer in Brazil, so, age are coming fast, maybe it gona be for next life 😢

[@rnmultimedia7162]

I wish i heard this information when i was younger - in middle school i was told both by teachers, recruiters, and school advisers that my vision was too nearsighted to be ever able to fly for the military… i gave up from that moment on… im now 42 and although military flight may be off the table- i am seriously considering attending Liberty University’s Aviation major- my hope is that this amazing video will reach those who have this af pilot dream… All the Best and Thank You To Cpt. Eckholm for Your Service, Selflessness and Sorties and Sound Advice… Fly - Fight - Win

[@tman0604]

Love this video! I'm currently pursuing my goal and longterm dream on such a time crunch. Right now I am enlisting in the Florida ANG as I finish my degree in physics. When I was 20, my mom talked me out of joining, and what a surprise this Christmas it was to tell her I've joined 🙃. This video is great! With this motivation, I got a 4.0 gpa my last semester and moving forward stronger than ever. Thanks for this guideline!

[@brokenback8378]

Lol, “if there’s a will there’s a wavier” gold

[@tanicwhisper0647]

First off I just wanted to applaud you for your skills in editing. Secondly, I came to your video because I currently live in Del Rio Texas which houses Laughlin AFB. It’s funny to see it on the list because my whole life I knew it as the base for pilots to train lol.

[@Michelle_5189]

He was exactly right when he said watched top gun or went to an airshow. I went to an airshow about three weeks ago. I am 13 and I am super interested in the Air Force. Totally looking forward to it.

[@FrankieMankie]

18 to 33???? Wow, here in Spain the maximum age is 23.... Also, here you really must have PERFECT vision, you guys are so lucky....

[@archangel5723]

Don't forget perfect califications/luck+knowing people. Nepotism rules here , duh.

[@latenightthinker4737]

Prolly would have to lower the requirements here because they're in need of more pilots I heard

[@rohan6502]

In the USAF you can wear lenses to correct your vision

[@andreasbonaparte8171]

Move to US and get US citizenship

[@fredcollins8919]

Most USAF & US Navy pilots DO have perfect vision

[@boochi1994]

Thank you for this info. I served as an infantry man for 4 years. Got out used my gi bill. In May I’ll have my BAS in mechanical engineering technology. Flying a jet is my ultimate goal. Once again, thanks for this info my friend and thank you for your service.

[@asleepingturtle4943]

Did you make it? I think it would be cool to do infantry for a few years and then become a pilot

[@boochi1994]

@@asleepingturtle4943 unfortunately I progressed with my civilian career. Due to combat related Injuries my reentry code required a waiver to go back into the service and I lost all motivation. Good luck with your path!

[@jasonlaguna9921]

you forgot to mention that to qualify for ots as a college graduate you have to have had a 2.5 GPA. my dreams got crushed when the recruiter told me this

[@backtoshellac6459]

Shiiiit I didn't know that. I guess all of us in dumb gang can cry together 😭

[@huseyin59260]

When I was a child, I wanted to be in the American Air Force, but my biggest obstacles were being Turkish and my family's financial situation. That was my dream back then, but now I'm at the Turkish Air Force Academy, fulfilling my dreams. However, I wish I could have done this earlier, not in the turkısh Air Force, but just pursuing this path sooner. Greetings from the Turkish Air Force Academy

[@rehanfauzan4623]

your looks and style are straight out of the 40s.

[@CarbonFiberToiletPaper]

It's the air force dude

[@mattxgaming4053]

@@CarbonFiberToiletPaper classic and drippy, as always

[@oskar23]

I soon as he said that you don't have to be good at maths or science, I fell off my chair with relief.

[@wildcat1998able]

If only I was American, i would love to be a fighter pilot

[@oskar23]

@@wildcat1998able If your country has an Air force then you still can be a fighter pilot

[@wildcat1998able]

@@oskar23 oh yes we have an air force that's slowly gaining traction after being long neglected, but not as advanced as US

[@StandOFF20056]

@@wildcat1998able country?

[@wildcat1998able]

@@StandOFF20056 philippines. Our last supersonic fighter was the F-5. Then it downgraded.. hard... Right now they got their shit together and bought some FA-50s to get back to supersonic level.

[@ajmc01167]

Hey Sam, F-15C pilot here. Thanks for the video. Good info for aspiring pilots. As I’m sure you’ve seen in other comments, you do not need a scholarship to be in ROTC or get a pilot slot through ROTC. Also, PA has gotten quite a bad reputation in the fighter communities lately. Lots of misidentified aircraft and incorrect information in official AF social media postings. It’s been getting worse throughout the year. I hope to see guys like you breaking this trend and putting good info out to the public. Cheers!

[@SamEckholm]

Andrew Marshall appreciate it!

[@AV4Life]

Thank you sir god speed

[@ThomasCallahanJr]

You mean the USAF doesn’t fly Flankers?

[@Lobsta01]

Babbbbbyyyy Shark doo dooo doo doo. Miss you buddy get home soon

[@adventurewithleonel3497]

Hey Sam coz some one from Tanzania 🇹🇿 decide to join the usaf?

[@M1vlover]

Hi sam my name is Alexander and u have encouraged me to join the air force i have been watching your videos and doing my research and i think this is gonna be my one life goal

[@schwabentalsocorro6070]

DUDE I don’t know how to thank you for all your super helpful information. i’m wanting to become a F-22 Raptor pilot. i think this video answered all the questions i had and even some more information i didn’t even know. PLS PLS more videos man, KEEP IT UP!! 💙💙

[@thetraileraviatorguy]

I'd choose phase 3, fly Helicopters has been part of my dream since I was a kid. May God help me because I won't give up anytime soon

[@Zenith-iq7fh]

Not sure if you know already but the army has helicopters too, you would go through basic and then go to Alabama to train to fly a Blackhawk, Apache, or a Chinook. Army helicopters are often more in the action (which could be a advantage or disadvantage for you) but the major upside of the army instead of the Air Force is that in the army you usually get promoted way more often because there are not as many pilots in the army. Again just letting you know..

[@mr_beezlebub3985]

@@Zenith-iq7fh Please do not recommend the Army. As someone who is currently serving, I can tell you that the Army has low retention for a reason, and that reason is how miserable it often is. Anyone with a college degree who wants to fly should look to the Air Force or any of the other branches.

[@jonathanwatson4859]

@@mr_beezlebub3985 including the marines?

[@mr_beezlebub3985]

@@jonathanwatson4859 Perhaps.

[@jonathanwatson4859]

@@mr_beezlebub3985 1 question for you and idk if you would know but is the air force the best for transitioning to civilian life

[@debrakleid5752]

My dad was never a pilot but he did go to OTS as he had his 4 year degree thanks to the GI Bill. He was able to go through the GI Bill because he was enlisted in the Marine Corps for 6 years (and hated being a Marine and not to mention he enlisted when he was 16). He was in the USAF for 20 years and was stationed at Vance AFB in OK which is where I was born. This is some really incredible information about how to become a pilot. Even if I wanted to enter now I’m too old but I did enlist when I was 24 but had to get a medical discharge but I had planned to do 20 years and then retire like my dad did. When I was medically discharged it was a month before 9/11 which relieved my parent however I chose to go into EMS as a medic and that I did do for about 10 years and loved. I chose that thanks to 9/11 and my dad didn’t think I was strong enough to do and I proved him wrong. I had actually told him I wanted to get my EMT-B which was required to even get in the paramedic program and he tried to discourage me. After I got my EMT-B I told him I was going for paramedic and he again didn’t think I could do it. After 8 years I got into the respiratory therapy program and did that for 5 years. When you have the Will to go after something you can do it.

[@BEricAvnerJoshua]

YESSS! THANK YOU, I started wearing glasses and my dream of becoming a fighter pilot was crushed. You saved my life.

[@テイラーサム]

Hey Sam, good video 👍🏻 just a slight point of correction at 6:24: if you are prior-enlisted, you don’t _have_ to go to OTS; you can still go to the Academy through the LEAD program, or ROTC. Source: that’s how I got to the Academy, where I think you and I had a few classes together. Hope you’re well!

[@watsgwaps6811]

I'm from the Philippines and am inspired to be an airforce pilot in the US. I'm not good at math and science but I do love solving equations in algebra and formulas in science.

[@Nordic_Sky]

My son is a USAF pilot currently training to fly the F-35A. He was ROTC undergrad. It is a long road, but he feels definitely worth it.

[@gramerly]

im half iranian, rip my background check 😂

[@k3nz1e73]

Ahaha lol

[@lillianmarkovitz8723]

Omg hahaha

[@armedwithwings3953]

Lmao

[@Samshafiz]

I’m 100% Iranian I served four years in the United sates marine corps best days ever

[@gramerly]

​@@Samshafiz nicee

[@BIGSRG]

I am in high school myself, and this is really what I want to do. I’m planning on going through the Academy route first after High School. Hopefully sometime in the future I can become a pilot.

[@SpookzOnFN]

This is exactly what I am doing as well. Good luck

[@Marco-ip5cw]

>need college degree welp thats already out of my budget

[@spaceman5089]

Enlist and go to school while enlisted (its free) then apply (its the easiest way to become an officer)

[@kubloif7345]

Space Man What do you mean? just go to college while enlisted? or try to ask to become an officer?

[@leandro4916]

Would you have enough time? Being enlisted and in school at the same time?

[@leandro4916]

Space Man would you have enough time? Being enlisted and in school at the same time?

[@rick9529]

Once you're done with enlisted tech school and upgrade training (about 2 years), you'll have time to work AND take classes. Of course, it also depends on your work schedule. If you have a job that works 0739-1630 and no weekends, that's the best possible scenario. If your job requires you to bounce between nights and days with weekends, it'll be nearly impossible. If you can do find some online classes, that makes it easier.

[@Raptors0524]

If I could have done my life all over again I would have joined The United States Air Force. I always wanted to be a pilot but was too scared to pursue it. Thank you for making this video.

[@BeanBurrito69]

Another amazing video! I recall being so nervous researching all the steps to become a pilot years ago, yet, here I am now in my Senior year of AFROTC one step closer to (hopefully) receiving a pilot slot! For those wanting to follow the route(s) Sam discussed, I highly advise you study, study, study! The AFOQT and TBAS are important, just are any tests that rank you among your peers. ROTC is definitely competitive, and mind you this is only the beginning to the beginning. To give you an idea, when I entered ROTC my freshman year in the Fall of 2017, there were 100+ of us freshmen (AS100s) in the room, but today out of those initial 100+ only seven of us remain. With hard work and dedication anything can be achieved!

[@kmmediafactory]

Seven??? Really? Do that many people drop out or fail??

[@BeanBurrito69]

Krishna Films It’s either one of two things: a.) They find it’s not for them and they drop. Or b.) They don’t meet the requirements to stay in (GPA, Fitness Assessment (FA) scores, AFOQT failure). Don’t let that intimidate you though, if you put in the effort and show that you wanna be there you can definitely make it.

[@kmmediafactory]

Jesus R. Gutierrez wow! Thanks for the info. And don’t worry, nothing is going to stop me 💪 🇺🇸

[@thanojon1]

Did you get a slot?

[@BeanBurrito69]

@@thanojon1 I ended up receiving an RPA (remotely piloted aircraft) pilot slot. Nonetheless, I’ve still got a promising future! 😁

[@llcooljay3776]

Its been my dream to be an airforce pilot every since I was a kid. I've never been to an airshow or even seen top gun. I've always found it really interesting. Sadly I don't think ill ever get to that point, im a high school drop out trying to get a GED. But its always been my dream, but dreams are just dreams

[@sabercooler5024]

Why did you drop out? But if you get a GED you can still get a fulfilling career in the Air Force

[@llcooljay3776]

@@sabercooler5024 grew up in a really rough area. School was like prison. Know dreams are always possible. Just far too late now. I'm 24 with 0 flying experience. I know they want young guys over me

[@sabercooler5024]

@@llcooljay3776 that sucks man, but don’t give up you can do it.

[@ringofdreal1374]

@@llcooljay3776 I don't know about that. You aren't that old. It's totally possible for you to become a pilot.

[@SpeedDemonExpress]

The college degree requirement is pretty stupid, being that you can study literally anything. If the degree isn't related to science, mechanical engineering, or something related to flying, it makes no sense to have this requirement.

[@mgskinny1847]

Yeah I think that’s stupid too but maybe it’s to show that you can commit to study hard or something idk.

[@wowmonstaa2981]

not really, having a college degree in any field shows analytical and organisational skills along with demonstrating consistent work rates and motivation

[@Viktor_Navorski]

It also lets me have a backup plan that I enjoy

[@calebroberts8877]

This just stressed me out so so bad. Being an Air Force Pilot has been my dream my entire life and if I can't live up to that then I am gonna be so lost like deadass

[@nitoginko2187]

Me too. I want to become a fighter pilot. If this won’t work out, I’ll try to become an helicopter- or an airfreighter pilot and if this won’t work out, I’ll be so lost like deadass.

[@CrispyMuffin2]

thank god. i was worried that my motivation, passion and childhood dream would be for nothing because of my vision.

[@Leo-jy5qm]

first step, get rid of that pfp.

[@xxiwra1thixx213]

Leo 🤣

[@CrispyMuffin2]

@@Leo-jy5qm fun fact, i remember i saw a jet online with some interesting artwork. turns out the pilot is a furry and his fursona was printed on the plane xD so imma keep the pfp either way. its nice

[@Leo-jy5qm]

@@CrispyMuffin2 idk seems kinda not brave

[@masonboi0382]

Me to

[@AXXEMEASE]

My dude this is gonna help me live my dreams these are the exact questions i needed answers for, some are a given like the college degree but i was confused on the little things thank you so much for this video

[@moongo156]

I’m hoping to be an airline and maybe even an Air Force pilot in my career someday, and this video really showed me how to follow those dreams plus brought my hopes up haha. Thank you for making this video!

[@SpookzOnFN]

Same with me. After seeing this video my hopes went up a lot. Now that I seen this I kinda think that I have what it takes and now I have everything in my head to know.

[@frog1443]

I’m 14 years old and Canadian and all I wanna do is fly “a-10 thunderbolt II”s and until recently I thought you had to be born in the USA to be in the usaf

[@americansoviet9908]

Sadly the a-10 is going to be phased out in 2022. RIP A-10 Thunderbolt II

[@gotanon8958]

Rip......or not The A-10 is getting upgraded...

[@patrickdennis3231]

R.I.P. “The Hog”

[@FilthyFish313]

@@americansoviet9908 No it's not.

[@Andromedon777]

Hello

[@Jaystarzgaming]

Might as well put everyone in a flight simulator to play Warthunder. No point taking the test if you understand litres instead of gallons for liquid measurements millimeters centimetres and metres for measurements for what you want to measure and degrees Celsius instead of Fahrenheit for temperature for speed Km/h instead of knots or M/h

[@memoryisthekey]

Everyone’s fine with War Thunder until you need to pay 1,000,000 silver lions just to buy a jet

[@forsaturn4629]

@@memoryisthekey you don't need to do that when you can play dcs and buy a module for 80$

[@MetalFalcon99]

Also for those below 18 (preferably 11) obtaining Eagle Scout can help you with a plethora of things

[@modiehipatricia620]

This video has given me hope in becoming a pilot in the USAF

[@Hazmat-assassin]

You've given me so much hope T.T thank you!

[@OscarA.BenitesNavarro]

This is for very good grown people ❤

[@pigybak]

thank you! i’ll remember this in my next life!

[@bena2357]

Why not this life?

[@ZacharyHarpel]

Dude! You are awesome. You literally answered every question I had about the Air Force. I want to fly a F-22 Raptor for sure!

[@ScrotalSlug]

I hope you realize how tiny of a chance it is that you will even see an f-22

[@ZacharyHarpel]

@@ScrotalSlug It's actually kind of a large chance because I'm going to the Air Force Academy for the sole purpose of flying the F-22

[@ScrotalSlug]

@@ZacharyHarpel you can't just pick to go for one plane, also the f-22 is no longer being built and there are very few in service even compared to a newer plane like the 35

[@ZacharyHarpel]

@@ScrotalSlug Agreed you can't just pick out a plane to go for, you have to work for it and be the top 33% of your class on average to get the plane you want. Also the F-22 is the 3rd to 1st most used plane in the air force depending on where you look.

[@SOCALAVIATION2K]

Awesome video! I am a HUGE avgeek and want to be in the Airforce so this helped.Nice F-22 raptor model in the background! That’s my favorite fighter plane

[@jefffaller8474]

Sam, This is a really informative video, that discusses the process of becoming a Pilot in the Air Force, which is what the purpose clearly was. I don't disagree with the steps you discuss, and I realize that this information is based on book facts and your limited experience in the USAF (just the reality not intended as an insult) . However, as a 20 year USAF vet with 5 AFSCs over the course of 20 years, ranging from Flight Crew (in the cockpit- not in the back) and other flying support roles, I really find the way you discussed the process nearly misleading by the amount of reality that's omitted. The devil is literally in the details, or in this case the career landmines are in the details. Let me elaborate, If I was 18 years old and just graduated from High School I would watch your video and say to myself that the process seems pretty straightforward and linear, like all I have to do is apply for ROTC, then I apply for Flight School , then I'm a Pilot - just a series of checked boxes like a syllabus. Hmmm... I don't want to discourage anyone's dreams, because with enough determination, sweat, and action you can achieve it. You could also have aspirations to be in the NFL and either do the hard work that others won't do or not, just to get you A CHANCE, not a GUARANTEE. However, there was so many points that you made that I could literally pick apart, like the subject of ROTC ("Option 2" and the best option IMO by far). For example, yes, there's ROTC as a pathway into becoming a pilot and NO you're not going to get to select your major unless its one of about 5 Majors which can be summarized as STEM based majors. If you heart is set on Psychology or the humanities, your not going to get an ROTC Scholarship to pay for school and a fast pass to UPT. DO YOU have the drive and scholastic ability to make it through an Engineering course of study? If you're not interested in getting an Engineering/Science degree, your flying career with an ROTC path just stopped there. Secondly, telling people that you have to be between 18-33 years old doesn't mean in a 100 years that you have a shot as a 30+ year old to fly a fighter or even get accepted to UPT its not that simple as meeting requirements. As a matter of fact, in the fighter world by the time you hit 33 you're on the down hill swing as a fight pilot (squadron leadership duties, desk duties will take priorities) regardless of your skills, much less starting out at that age. I know for a fact that if your applying to a Reserve or Guard unit as a fighter pilot after about 25 your not going to make the cut and no waiver, political connections or "my dad is a General" is going to matter one bit - you're application is not competitive, period. Why? Because there's already 20 other applicants who are 23-25 years old and by the time you get done with the long list of training and get back to the Guard unit, you've been gone for nearly 2 years!!! and havn't even started yet at 27 The Guard in particular can hire exactly who they want, its not a democracy and the hiring process includes many factors some of which are known soft requirements and some are unknown tests. Can you join the Guard as an enlistee and over time become a pilot in the unit- Yes. Is it common to try that path and then NOT do what it takes to have your aspirations become a reality?- absolutely and most likely 95% of the time! because most people aren't willing to show any action beyond being present in the squadron and trying to create relationships with pilots (schmoozing is the popular path to failure) when what they want to see is action and a history of extreme excellence, ASK IS THIS YOU? Lastly, telling people that there's waivers for everything is just misleading, period. Is there waivers for someone who has a speech impediment? peanut allergy or has a hard time with fitness because of the hand in life they were dealt? Noooo....I've seen good people booted out and careers ended over stupid stuff that don't have waivers. Yes, a peanut allergy will end your pilot career path instantly Here's my 2 cents based on 20 years in USAF aviation if you really really want to be a pilot: STEP 1 Do your homework, find a Reserve base or Guard base and talk to literally a dozen USAF pilots (AND NOT JUST FIGHTER PILOTS who care only about their world). You can reach out to any bases Public Affairs office and they'll get you in touch with the right people. Listen to the Pilots who are doing the job, take notes about the various stories and various pathways, look for consistent themes and ask insightful questions especially to the younger pilots not just the Pilots on the middle or top since they have a different view of the kingdom. STEP 2: Develop a plan and take measurable steps to ensure you are one step ahead of the requirements and be prepared to be competitive and work hard with laser focus and determination at each step - ITS NOT EASY and WON'T BE FOR MANY YEARS. STEP 3: This step cannot be over emphasized: YOU HAVE TO WANT IT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE and be DEDICATED at a level that you've never experienced before towards anything. Your 20's are the time in your life when you can ignore everything except focusing on your career aspirations which broken down will include: school, eating, studying and sleeping for a long time and if you fail on Friday, there may not be a Monday. There's a reason that many people who want to achieve something this hard don't get to the goal, its hard and takes more effort than their willing to do. Unlike the physician who came in last in there class who still's called Doctor, there is no, "i'll take that class over" or pick it up next semester" opportunity in the Pilot career path, you get one chance, and stepping on a landmine because you decided one day to take a mental siesta might be enough to end a career aspiration permanently. We live in a world that many things that were once hard to learn can be Googled or back doored, or fast tracked if your smart, this isn't one of them, you still have to do the work and sacrifice about 10 years of your life to get those fantastic moments of peace above the clouds. Yeah, its worth it.

[@braydonpetty4362]

Ik this comment is a year old but thank you for breaking down the things he missed and had gotten “wrong” it put a whole new perspective of what I’d be getting myself into if I choose to go this route.

[@rswg14]

Wow, that is some of the worst grammar I've seen in years.

[@mjapusa4948]

This was very informative, thank you! And thank you for your service!

[@harrisonbrandt]

Thank you so much for a more realistic description of what it’s really like.

[@tomsellout9576]

I always wanted to be a fighter pilot. It was the only military career I wanted, those dreams were dashed in second grade when I found out I suffered from two forms of color blindness. After that I got glasses and learned a hard lesson about reality early on

[@lesedixz]

1:45 if only I heard this 11 years ago...

[@wifflewaffel]

"you must have at least a bachalors degree" me: well damn

[@brodinigotmagic5972]

"AirForce > Navy" Had me rolling lol.

[@Altair6306]

saw a few Top Gun clips and now my feed is filled with pilot videos. Ok, it was alot of clips!

[@4thanonymous_robloxianfami917]

In only 12 and I'm already preparing and researching on American airforce websites with my ultimate goal becoming a blue angel and inspiring other children about wanting to be a an airforce pilot

[@iczyred4498]

He I want to fly aswell but the blue angles are a part of the USN

[@vaanesie]

Hi, I'm 13. I would like to become an air force pilot. I'm just trying to find a person to write about it with and you're the only one in my age.

[@AV4Life]

This was super to the point and you listed a lot of useful information. Thank you so much

[@Nyra890]

Well my dream job is to fly an f22. I now only fly f22s from msfs and i hope one day i will see one in person or even better fly it. Very helpful video my man appreciate your job!

[@jesselowe5346]

Lofi Airforce videos is an odd genre for KZbin to start recommending but I ain't mad

[@ryanjohnston2607]

Wow man, this video was so helpful. It’s strenuous trying to find the right route sometimes but this video gave me an extra pep.

[@mikelouispr6270]

What's the difference between being a pilot in the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve? Nice video btw this helped me a lot.

[@SamEckholm]

Similar. But guard is owned by the states so you apply to their unit and won’t move around at all. Reserves also generally don’t move, but you’re still attached to the overall “Big Air Force.” Both great option if you want to fly part time and have another career as well.

[@joeschmo8755]

I have hundreds of hours of fighter pilot experience…. In Ace Combat: Skies Unknown. That’ll help me just as much to become a fighter pilot as having a college degree that has no requirement in what I major in.

[@jacobbennett7891]

Imagine Getty to chose what plane you fly! - this post was made by the RAF pilot gang

[@dylanmoore2438]

“Air Force > Navy” Laughs in Navy Seal

[@khecky8691]

Laughs in PTSD

[@patriot524]

Laughs in PJ

[@Andromedon777]

Completely different fields

[@vert8739]

@@Andromedon777 fr

[@JoseBeBoxingFr]

Badass bro

[@blackhouse7646]

My son is thinking about becoming a pilot. We live near an air national guard. Before pilot training, should we go to that base and see if he can flight the plans from there? He want to become a commercial pilot.

[@SuperBossGiovanni]

I have various physical disabilities that prevented me from military service in general, but I would have loved to fly just about any fighter or bomber in the USAFs fleet. They're all cool as hell

[@Calebs_Aviation]

Great video! If I flew an aircraft in the USAF it would have to be the F-15 gen 2 Strike Eagle! Also I didn’t know about the AF Reserve path good to know! Thanks so much Sam! 😊

[@Joepy_Gomez]

Yahh thank you for that "if theres a wil, theres a waiver"

[@AzharYahya-jp9tz]

Thanks for watching and listening....

[@Andromedon777]

I was at USAFA but decided to finish at a civilian college in my home town (which was ultimately the correct choice for me) but I am working to network at my local Air Guard unit and apply. My biggest thing is wrestling with my journey. But all is well. Just have to keep pushing and make them tell me no. Fly high

[@iEatMunsters]

OTS is EXTREMELY competitive (especially reserves) and can take up to 2 years to be accepted. Definitely do ROTC if possible!

[@mgtowacademy8433]

@Sergio Avalos didn’t know about this, thank you!

[@jefffaller8474]

AGREED take Option 2 from his list of 3 paths. I've flown with literally dozens and dozens of USAFA grads over the years and you want to know who is sitting in the cockpit right next to them with the same rank pinned on their shoulder? the ASU Grad who had a great time in college.

[@datboimech]

I cannot trust myself the amount of times I have missile tked people in war thunder is immense. Most times it’s accidental but sometimes it’s been on purpose

[@MrMynt-cj6fv]

Goddamit Todd, you know not to steal my kills. You know that engines looking pretty hot there. Fox 2

[@ZacharyHarpel]

Dude you are the best! Thank you! And also, I said "Yep that looks incredible" because I saw Top Gun Maverick 😂

[@hauptfachhauptfach6202]

The USA flag in the background sorry for your loss 0:48

[@TheGamerdude007]

a folded flag is not only used for people who have died

[@hauptfachhauptfach6202]

Jackhiy oh ok didn’t know

[@ChickentNug]

@@TheGamerdude007 i wasn't aware of that, actually

[@A.RDGZ93]

I'm 29 in December and after I saw pearl harbor as a kid I always wanted to learn to fly. Unfortunately my aunt told me I needed to be good at math(which I wasnt) and just didn't think of it again. But always watched in awe whenever I'd see a plane even till this day. I'm married and have a daughter but enrolling in flight school soon. The regret of not atleast getting my commercial license and attempting to atleast fly for fedex is not something I want to live with. But dang, a f35 man....would that be cool 😎. Thanks for your vid!

[@creamking2618]

Thank you so much this was so helpful

[@jimbeaux89]

I really wish I would’ve seen this video 10 years ago 😭 Going to be 33 in august and being a pilot for the AF has always been my lifelong dream.. especially flying the F-16.. oh baby, what a sexy plane

[@eitkoml]

I'm wondering why I bothered watching this when there is no way that I would be selected to be an Air Force pilot.

[@zachtarrant6605]

Not with that attitude. Keep charging forward and make them tell you no!

[@bagelbob3979]

im not old enough but i may join the air force if not then the army or marines

[@eitkoml]

​@@zachtarrant6605 I have some health problems which make me unable to do that job.

[@larsfreeburg1535]

Glacier The Husky F-18s are typically naval based fighters

[@theimpostor4317]

zach tarrant same, especially because I’m not American

[@oceanntye5678]

Watched your videos and wanted to stop drinking/using any drugs etc and went into a rehab 30 day treatment prior to recruitment process and am now disqualified from the military for getting HELP! They accept people with DUI’s and drug related charges though. I’m pretty sick rn it’s been my dream to fly and I’m truly heartbroken..even if I couldn’t fly that would’ve been fine but now I lost my chance to have any military career at all. If you’re curious as to what drug it was social cocaine use which I tested positive for during in take so again I got help never harmed others and never had legal trouble but lost my chance at the military this has got to change I feel more than capable to be a force in the military 😞 💔

[@oceanntye5678]

As hard as it was I had been honest and up front with my recruiter about this and he respected the heck out of me for chasing a better life but was still disqualified. Yeah I know I was wrong for using drugs but I don’t see the wrong I’m getting help..especially considering it was for alcohol more than anything and just happened to test positive for cocaine due to use the last time I drank it is really sad 😞 thinking that if I had a DUI though it might be different.

[@2Noah_Bear9]

The F-22 looks like a great fighter! If I get into USAFA, get a pilot slot, and do well in UPT I just might be able to fly the Raptor!

[@ronnie1784]

does it matter if u are slightly colour blind?

[@Fgoose123]

I've got the same issue...

[@momoyuntian]

It really matters,it has a very high Standard for pilot.

[@Skulllcruncher]

Yes unfortunately

[@3.0_karter]

I really wanna be a pilot, but they thing is my ADHD is holding me back, when it comes to things I’m not interested in I don’t do well in, but things I am interested in I do extremely well in.

[@carterfaison5272]

Have a few questions for you. I’m already in the military (Army), who would I go talk to about switching over once my contract is up. Also I already have 117 college credit hours so what would be my next step. Are you guaranteed a pilot slot when you join?

[@mitchellpowell3406]

He forgot to mention, fighter pilots do more briefing and debriefing than actual flying. If you want to fly, I would recommend the bigger planes such as c130 or kc135. Those planes may be huge, but still fun to fly. And you get more flight time in them. I’m not trying to make anyone angry, that’s what I’ve learned from fighter pilots and cargo pilots. I’m an AF brat btw, I’d like to fly, still don’t know what yet, but I’m thinking of C130

[@brn2fly777]

Thank you Sam for this awesome video and your quick response. You truly are amazing individual!