Here's the problem:



  Right now I'm deployed with the Army N.G. I love it and am having the time of my life, but our deployment is almost over.

  I also had a little over half of a degree in business finished at college before I got deployed. I'm also enrolled for the next semester starting this month.

BUT

  The thought of going back to college honestly makes me want to puke. I hate it and  definitely picked the wrong major. I do good in it, but it is much too boring and I REALLY don't want to spend the rest of my life working in some office. I made a HUGE mistake.

  Also because of the deployment, it has also been 2 years since my last class, and I forgot most of what I have learned, which is bad, especially when my next class is Intermediate Accounting, and I don't remember the first thing about it.




So the other day I realized that the PERFECT job for me would be helicopter pilot.
I talked with our aviation guys, and they laid it all out for me, and were extremely helpful and excited, it seems very doable.


The only problem is, my vision SUCKS, but is correctable to 20/20.




So I'm coming to you all for advice,

Is there any way around the vision part. It seems like there isn't, but my sergeant always said, "Where there is a will, there is a waiver"
I have no idea how to get it though, or who to talk to.

Even the aviation guys here don't know.


Also, if I can't get the aviation thing, now what?
I really have no interest in aviation other than being a pilot.




Do I stay in college with a major that I hate? switch?
(To what? Nothing there interests me!)
Drop out and get a job until I figure out what I want to do?



I know everybody is going to suggest this, but I don't want to go active duty at all.
Garrison life SUCKS.



That's what I like about the Guard, you are either there all the way, in war, or not there at all!




Best part is, I have around 4 days to decide what's going to happen, or I lose some serious cash.






So now what do I do?

Flip a quarter. Thats a hard decision.

Mr. Happy:

There is no rule that says you are locked into a major forever. Go back to school and continue along the path you intended if it is too late to change your classes.

But that doesn't mean you can't keep your eyes open for other things that interest you. My advice is to use the next semester you can enroll in to try classes in different areas to find one that really grabs your interests and passion.

Nothing says that you have to graduate from college in 2 years.

If being a pilot really interests you, you can spend time persuing that while you are also taking classes and might even be able to take some classes that will help you persue that. (Math classes are good, as pilots need math.... )

Quoted: Finish the degree - even if you believe you'll never use it.  Simply having the dang thing will open doors for you in areas you would never have expected.

Precisely.

The degree is important to have as it is the bottom line qualifier for many jobs. Just having a 4 year degree in anything gets you lots more places than no degree at all.

Can your vision be corrected with the "Lasic" [sp] method ??

As I understood it (both uncles were chopper pilots, one in VN cobras with the silver star and purple heart)  there is no waiver for the vision. At least this was the last time I checked but it may have changed. At one time there were so many people wanting to be pilots that only the best of the best were allowed in.  I know that none of the ones I still know wear lenses.

You could do the lasik or corrective surgery thing but thats no guarantee that your eyes won't go bad again.

When I was in, I tried to go Warrant.  Eyes were 20/25  no waiver was possible.

So I got my degree.  My wallet certainly thanks me, but I would have rather been a pilot.

Check to make sure that if you get your vision corrected, you can fly.  If so, there is no better job in the military.

Either way though, you need to finish SOMETHING, and get a degree.

Good luck.  


TXL

Dont think you can get LASIK, you will have to get PRK instead.  You are gonna have to look it up in the regs to find out all the details about flying with corrective lenses/correctable vision. I Dont know about the army but in the Air Force its harder to switch jobs and/or get out and come back in becuase of force reshaping.  I want LASIK but the AF wont let us, I heard it was becuase they dont want the flap on your eye to come loose in the event of a crash, and they give PRK the ok because they sand away the lense and let it grow back.  Oh yeah, get all the facts together and on paper before making any decisions, dont go off of rumors that other people say.

It is not very productive to pursue something you know you do not want.  If you do not want a degree in business, do not pursue it.  I seriously doubt you will get a vision waiver for pilot school.  I understand it is very competitive field, so there isn't much need for the military to make allowances.

I would rearrange your school and take core classes you will need anyway, math, english, etc.  Explore keeping business as a minor, you may have enough credit to do that already, or you may be able to take enough classes for it to qualify as your minor and be done with it.  That should give you time to decide on a different major, prevent you from dropping out of school, and keep you moving forward.

My .02.

It sucks, but I guess that's what I'll have to do.


I have my first 2 years finished, and might be able to get accounting as a minor.


Then major in something else, I have no idea what though.






The thing is, I'm 22 and just starting my junior year, after doing this deployment I really just want to get out and start doing life, not just sitting at a desk for another 3 more years. This shit is killing me.




Being a pilot would have been sweet though. That really blows.

I am considering the Army WCO helo program.  I'm Navy Aircrew.  As stated above, Lasik is a no-no in the military but PRK is good to go.  my vision is 20/20 but depending on the day I might dip to 20/25 in my left eye.  never failed a flight phys because of that..

I would look into getting it waivered with PRK...

I hear the Army is also looking for WO's in other fields, besides helicopter pilots...

Just about everything is waiverable. It depends on how bad they need people. All waivers have to go through Ft. Rucker, so get online and do some research.

We had an E-7 recently, 17 years in, who went to flight school. He needed every waiver imaginable.
Eyes, age, time in service, you name it (I don't know whose ass he had to kiss to get them, but he did get them........pucker up).

It can be done.

Quoted: Quoted: Finish the degree - even if you believe you'll never use it.  Simply having the dang thing will open doors for you in areas you would never have expected.         Precisely. The degree is important to have as it is the bottom line qualifier for many jobs. Just having a 4 year degree in anything gets you lots more places than no degree at all.

The degree opens doors, after that it's up to you, but you can't prove yourself if you can't get hired in the first place. Even if you're hired without a degree, chances are you won't be started out at the same salary as a college graduate.

Just having an accounting degree will open doors you dont understand.

Here is the scenario:

I have a degree in Finance from a top business school.

The school was a mix of accounting, finance, and some marketing.

I knew plenty of finance and accounting people.

Do you wanna guess which people got hired for finance faster than Finance degree people?

Drumroll please...

Accountants.

Most accounting people I graduated with years ago got into jobs that had NOTHING to do with accounting.

The degree just seemed to open WAAAY more doors than Finance did.

Just lettin' you know, if you can hack the degree, it is good stuff.

Just like engineering, if you can hack it.... absolutely do it. It will open doors to other fields.

Remember a degree does not doom you to that specific job.

At all.

A degree is telling people who know, that you are capable of certain things and successfully finished them.

A learners permit if you will.

A permit that will allow you in the door to learn your REAL job.

Dram out

Quoted: Finish the degree - even if you believe you'll never use it.  Simply having the dang thing will open doors for you in areas you would never have expected.

Couldn't agree more.  Finish the degree.

The FBI needs accountants.

Quoted: ....I really just want to get out and start doing life, not just sitting at a desk for another 3 more years. This shit is killing me....

Don't forget part of being a success is paying your dues.  Everything you can accomplish upfront will come back to you on the back end.  That whole "delayed gratification" thing.  It does suck, especially when you are told you can have it all right now by advertising and government.  The successful people are the people who grit their teeth and grind thru the hard stuff.  The everyday working schlub who gave up quickly when it got tough has crap.

If you want to fly civilian helos, go for it, you need corrected vision and a truckload of money.  A degree in something, such as aviation business, wouldn't hurt either.

If you want to fly for the US Army, you'll have to check their rules.  See if you can set un an appointment with a flight surgeon to get a no BS rundown on the medical requirements.

Memorize the eye chart prior to your physical...it worked for Donald Southerland in that crappy movie about the old men returning to space.

Finish the degree

Use the college credits you already have and apply for a position in Law Enforcement.
(The PA State Police requires college credits.)
Most state police also use helocopters...

...Just an idea.