All: 10 year commitment
All: No more life-long pension upon retirment. Program now is like a decent 401K, but your pay sucks so it's not like you can put a ton away.
USAF: GOOD bonuses every so often during career
USA/USMC: crappy bonuses if they think your year group qualifies (and they make bad judgment calls about that typically)
USAF: Risk flying cargo, refuellers, AWACs, drones, V-22's, or AW139's at sucky bases with sucky missions. MANY are like spoiled toddlers and/or rich kids with first world problems both on AD and once they get out. Those that don't let themselves get brainwashed can be really cool guys. VERY risk averse, regimented, and inside the box community, though.
USA: Risk flying overly digital V-22 offshoot, crappy Airbus HAA helicopters, or a greyhound bus helicopter; Apache pilots are know-it-all idiots. Slackhawk pilots are all the kids who couldn't get FW, AH, or CH and therefore are the bottom of the barrel (their accident rates prove it).
USMC: All cool aircraft; but must go through Infantry OBC before flight training (much harder than the OBC of other services, but that's what you expect if you're a Marine); some of the sharpest, most knowledgable pilots I've met, but those that are in the service are much like Apache pilots; they at least metamorphise into really decent guys when they get out.
USA: Street-to-seat (no need for degree)
USAF: many airframes have crappy bases you're stuck at 1to 3 of for your WHOLE CAREER
USA: some bases suck but some definitely decent options throughout a career; Germany no longer OCONUS with family option for aviators anymore.
USMC: pretty much all decent bases worldwide
That's enough to stir some thoughts... please add/correct at your leisure... |