If not aviation, then what?

[echo1]

Ag...get into crop dusting. Become a saddle tramp.

I started on my private, soloed in '68 and Ohlone JC had a Commercial Pilot Curriculum that I took classes while in HS. But guys were coming back from Nam with thousands of hours and there wasn't any way to be competitive so I quit flying. Then in '76 I got a job with an ag operation, Trinkle & Boys, Tracy, went in on a Tripacer and had my private within 3 months. Ended up with plenty of time (900 hrs), passed my commercial written, but never got my ticket. Life got in the way.

Fast forward to now, I'm retired and back in ag, for my up coming 3rd season with Jensen in Pingree Idaho. There's a demand for ag pilots, and you're not to old. PAX

[CrazyCobraManTim]

Mustard - are you at SLO, Benning or SD for accelerated OCS?

And no - don't ring that bell unless something in your life requires it. Get your bars. Rolling back to enlisted isn't a death kiss, but a percentage of SNCO's and officers may privately look at a DOR as mission failure.

I liked the suggestion of going Army Maintenance Officer - while simultaneously pursuing your VA benefits for a pilot's license (even if it is initially for fixed wing - not a lot of those in the USA / CAARNG).

I have a master aviator I can ping for more S2. He occasionally runs the field at Los Al. Perhaps Chief Murph knows a trick or two with 50+ years in uniform for the USA, USAR and CAARNG (yup - that's a Vietnam to Iraq timeline before medical sidelined him). This guy has more years in uniform on God's green earth than I do simply on this earth (and I'm passed the 1/2 century mark).

[RANDO]

Go into the coast guard make e-5 then go into the army’s helicopter pilot program. A little over 10 years ago there was a program just for that