College degree matter? Also NVS time?

napoleonpp · October 11, 2015

As stated in a previous post, I have recently graduated Army Flight School. I will soon start on my college education and wondering how important this is for my career outside the military. It's pretty much mandatory for me to get a degree while I'm in the Army. However is it important what I get a degree in for the civilian sector? For example if I got a degree in something aviation related would that make me more competitive vs something outside aviation? Just curious because I'd be interested in getting my degree outside aviation to have a few options for my second career once I retire.

I'm flying the AH-64D and curious if NVS time transfers in any way once I get out of the Army? I heard from a guy the other day that some employers may transfer that to being equivalent to NVG time, but I'm not sure how reliable this information is. Thank You in advance

kona4breakfast · October 30, 2015

College is a waste of money unless you go full-time to a university and major in STEM. If it's not your money, go ahead and waste it.

Worry about getting good at your current job, not retirement. What's with you Army guys spitballing 20 years in the future? I don't know if I'll have a job in 3 months.

If you want to be a good helicopter pilot, set aside some cash and get your Robbie SFARs done, and keep current-ish in that airframe over your career with 1 hour flights with a very stoked CFI doing EPs every so often.

If you want to be a good instrument pilot, get your Instrument ASEL and rent an IFR bird on the regular. It'll make you a much better instrument pilot if you fly IFR in IMC somewhat regularly. Bonus, you'll get out of that shithole you'll be stationed at on active duty.

By the time you have enough hours as an Army guy to get hired on the civilian side, you'll have more NVG hours than anyone requires, even if they don't credit NVS.

TachedOutOffRoad · October 30, 2015

Heres a thread on degrees

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/forum/1-general-helicopter-forum/

JHart · October 31, 2015

College is a waste of money unless you go full-time to a university and major in STEM... What's with you Army guys spitballing 20 years in the future?

I'll offer an opposite view from Kona - as a soon to be retiree. Never too early to think about your future. Having an idea of where you want to go - in the Army, and in the future as a civilian - will enable you to set goals and give you the motivation to achieve them.

As far as a degree being a waste of money... Sure, if you remain a helicopter pilot your entire working life, that may be somewhat true (still tend to disagree). But I absolutely would not want to be facing the civilian workforce without a degree. Check the block a lot of the time, sure, but that block check is at the overwhelming majority of employers.

Food for thought - pros and cons of 121 flying aside. Plenty of RW guys who transition to FW 121 after retirement. One thing that can hold a WO back from making the jump to the majors (at least Delta that I am familiar with) is a degree.

Matt321 · November 4, 2015

I'm a planner myself but sometimes you can spend too much time planning for the future and too little on the present. I would recommend the degree, might as well use tuition assistance while your active if they still offer it. I wouldn't worry too much about nvs vs nvg; who knows what we'll be using when you get out in 20 years. Find a track you like, get qualified, and have a blast flying an apache.

eagle5 · November 6, 2015

Definitely get a degree outside of aviation, those degree programs only exist to get people qualified for funding! Research where the good paying jobs are and get a degree in that field.

Flying Pig · November 6, 2015

I'm getting my AS in firefighting and will probably do my BA in some sort of management. Mostly just because I have tuition reimbursement where I work, so may as well.

napoleonpp · November 8, 2015

If it was up to me I wouldn't go to college, due to my busy schedule and trying to spend time with my wife. However, with promotions becoming more difficult in the military a degree is becoming a unsaid requirement to be more competitive. As a result of me having to get a degree while in the military, I was curious as to if any degree could set me up better for a job as a civilian pilot job than another.

Flying Pig · November 11, 2015

A degree to set you up as a civilian pilot? No degree specifically that I've ever seen or heard of. Nobody really cares what your degree is in.

kona4breakfast · November 29, 2015

If you wanted a fallback, especially one that pays good money, you could track safety and get an ERAU degree in Human Factors or aviation/occupational safety. I don't agree with it, but if the bean counters want to be suckers, let them. You won't really have time to learn anything outside the scope of aviation while you're active duty, and you won't have an opportunity to develop experience in another field either. Not unless you want to ditch the family. So I'd recommend that route. Just before you track safety, read Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. Twice.