Flight Training - September/October 2021 - 40

friendships made in training are very
important. " The friends that I have made
throughout my military career have truly
become my family. While it is not always
easy moving around as much as we do,
especially now with two young children,
wherever we are, we have always been
able to build up our support system, " she
said. " Military families understand the
challenges we face and are really good at
supporting one another. "
As for the amazing flying opportunities,
she said, " Most days, I still can't
believe the military pays me to go fly.
Whether it's landing the helicopter on the
back of a small, pitching ship deck on a
dark night, or firing missiles, rockets, and
guns from the aircraft, it is always a blast
to come together as a crew to complete
our mission. You will be a better person
and a better pilot for the experience. The
training and operational scenarios we
experience on a day-to-day basis are what
set military aviators apart. " FT
julie.walker@aopa.org
Jayme Warren graduated from the U.S.
Naval Academy in 2007. " After I graduated
debt-free from the Naval Academy
with a bachelor's degree and completed
flight training in Pensacola, Florida, I
didn't have an appreciation of my situation.
It wasn't until talking to my older
brother about his civilian undergrad flying
program and resulting student loans
that I realized the benefit of military
training. Not only had I been paid to train
full time in some really cool aircraft, but
I had full benefits, and a lot of fun too, "
she said.
With two children and a husband
also in the military, Warren believes the
An alternative to a service academy is an ROTC
scholarship (or CSPI with the Coast Guard). These
scholarships are also competitive and merit based.
Most colleges and universities support these scholarship
programs and candidates usually apply during
their senior year of high school, choosing the branch
of military they are committing to. It is a commitment-standards
are expected to be adhered to
throughout the four years of school and you do sign a
contract that may be hard to get out of if you change
your mind. After graduation, commitment to the
branch of military can be three to 12 years.
Officer Candidate School (OCS)-also known as
Officer Training School (OTS) in the U.S. Air Force, or
the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course (PLC) in the
Marine Corps-prepares recruits for the challenges of
officer life, from managing others to understanding
military culture and law.
Graduates from a traditional four-year college or
university, enlisted service members transitioning into
officer roles, or direct commission officers (DCOs) with
specialized skills or professional degrees attend OCS.
goarmy.com; netc.navy.mil; afrotc.com;
gocoastguard.com
40 FLIGHT TRAINING SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
http://www.goarmy.com https://www.netc.navy.mil/ http://www.afrotc.com http://www.gocoastguard.com
Flight Training - September/October 2021

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