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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!qantel!lll-crg!seismo!brl-tgr!brl-smoke!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Civilian aviation experience > military
Message-ID: <615@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 15-Jan-86 15:22:44 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.615
Posted: Wed Jan 15 15:22:44 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 20-Jan-86 04:32:25 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: USAMC ALMSA, St. Louis, MO
Lines: 27

This query is inspired by reading a recent biographical posting from 
someone who had extensive glider-pilot skills before joining the Navy, 
and who then mentioned spending five years in submarines. Now, this may
well be that he wanted this, so that, by itself, means nothing. However,
it got me to thinking. Is the military interested in getting young
people with previous civilian aviation experience or pilot licenses as
input to their own military pilot-training programs? Or would they
prefer to get people with skill and ability, but NO experience, so they
can teach them to do it "their way", without any "unlearning" of
previous civilian practices?

Obviously, programs like the CAP are designed to feed people into the
military aviation community, but these are, themselves, run in a
military manner. I am asking here about purely civilian experience.
Do the military services view previously-acquired flying skills as an
advantage or as a liability?

(Since the traditional career path has been for a person to learn flying
in the military, and then leave it to pursue a career in aviation in the
private sector, this is sort of the reverse. So I'm sure it would apply
to only a very few people in practical terms. It just struck me as a
question I'd like to see answered.)

Regards,
Will Martin

UUCP/USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin   or   ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA