HawgDriver wrote:
Thanks, JC. Yeah unfortunately I have a feeling I'm going to run into the same problem. Every single assignment cycle we hear the exact same thing from Big Blue: "The AF needs fighter pilots doing fighter pilot jobs, even if that doesn't mean flying fighters." So i.e. being ALOs, flying Preds, being UPT instructors, etc. While I understand that (they did invest a lot of money in every pilot), the rigidity of the "no career-field release" kills me. They still technically say it's a case-by-case basis, though, so I'm hoping that if my Sq/CC and Gp/CC are on board and pull for me (it's either that or they tell me to pound sand and I immediately achieve black sheep status), there may be a slight glimmer of hope. If not, I've got 6 more years left on my contract before I can get out and go to law school. But then I won't graduate until I'm 37. Ugh.
-HD
Yupp, fighter pilot stuff includes some very un-fighter pilot stuff. At least you can actually shoot things with preds now...
Age wise, 37 isn't bad at all. I will be a LOT older than that myself. The areas I am looking into don't care though so better late than never. (And Rotor is my example that has actually been through the process since I am a couple weeks into 1L and know nothing yet.)
HawgDriver wrote:
I can't help but think someone with several years of flight experience, to include combat time, would make an incredible addition to the JAG Corps. Nothing against most of our current JAGs who came straight out of law school - I know several and they're all great people and by all accounts great at what they do - but a JAG who is a former pilot simply brings a whole different perspective to the table that can't be matched. This is particularly true when it comes to advising commanders about LOAC and dealing with things like FEBs and aircraft accident investigations.
-HD
I completely concur but will the brass and AFPC?
HawgDriver wrote:
Anyway, rant switch - off. 11B, huh? I'm assuming that's bombers? BUFFs or Bones? Did you just ultimately separate and enter law school or are you still in the AF in some capacity while in law school? I'd love to hear your story and that path you took to get to your 1L year.
-HD
You asked so here goes but it is long and circuitous and somewhat of a mix between a bad pilot cliche and a couple Dos Gringos songs.
Lets see, first I was a Bone driver. Was either the first or second 2LT to go straight into it. (There is some debate on this.) My call sign is Crack Baby so that we can dispense with the formalities.
The story starts before that though. When I showed up at UG I planned on going directly to LS then walked into the ROTC office one day and asked if I could fly jets. They didn't have a slot but gave me a tech scholarship on the spot. Did well enough in Field Training where I picked my career field.
UPT -> Bones -> UPT as an IP -> PIT at Randolph. While at Randolph there was a C-130 crash in Jackson Whole and the USAF said it was strictly a pilot/crew error accident. I disagreed and thought the way the USAF trained its pilots was flawed and the cause of the crash. Raised concerns as best as an 03 could but got no where until I brought my hypothosis to the Advanced Instrument School CC and he agreed with me, hired me on the spot and I spent the next couple years getting the training program changed via a grass roots effort. While doing this I wrote for Flight Safety Magazine, Torch and a became a contributing editor at IFR Magazine. Used the I don't want to be a Major clause to try and get out and fly Bones for the GANG. USAF didn't let me palace chase to the GANG though and kept me an extra year.....
Got out and was hired by Midwest Airlines. Got bored driving buses and joind the KANG on the side flying Bones. Was going to quit Midwest but Rumsfeld took our Bones away and gave us Tankers. First I tried to go fly Hawgs with Battle Creek. They were going to hire me but couldn't get an IFF slot for years and since I was a bomber puke, I was SOL. So, tried to go be a CRO (officer PJ) but my knee had issues. Sooooooooo, I went back to the airlines and flew tankers.
Still liked the idea of LS but had no way to fund it. Was active in the union at Midwest. I was awarded the national Superior Airmanship Award from ALPA for an incident where we should have died and taken the NJ Devils with us. (Which was my PS BTW.) Was an FFDO in the airlines and helped build a close quarters combat course for transport pilots in the USAF. We did that on our own in the KANG and tried to get it funded nationally but never did get that through.
Then, got outsourced at Midwest and I was DONE with the airlines. Retired as a Major from the KANG and became a mil contractor. The contract was terminated with one week notice for the 20 or so of us laid off. I though, FUCK this working for others and went in and asked the education office how much my GI Bill would pay towards LS. (This was last Dec.) I decided to try it and signed up for the Feb LSAT. Bought LSAT for Dummies looked at it for a few hours the week before the test. Bombed LSAT, (OK, I was above median even taking it cold, but relatively bombed it.)
Applied to several schools on March 15th. Was accepted at the two I would have considered going to and was rejected at some well below those two. FWIW, I DID get in purely based on softs as most URMs at my school have better LSATS and there is only one lower than mine for my school on LSN. I will announce to the world what that LSAT is after I book my first three tests.
Oh, and the cliche, I have three kids, two ex wives that have all my money, am married to a flight attendant and eat Ramen noodles for dinner.
That hurts my head just looking at it all.
My general goal is to either go into criminal defense OR go into a boutique that specializes in aviation law. Big law in general unless it was specifically aviation holds NO interest to me at all but I do reserve the right to change my mind.
And there ya have it.
Signed,
Crack
One year to go until I get my degree though. I'm taking the LSAT in October, so right now I'm just practicing hard and reading these forums.
And you likely will outperform your grades as far as callbacks and offers go, thanks to your military experience. I landed a v20 in the "impossible" DC market despite being medianish at Berkeley and other vet friends found similar boosts.
