Military Pilots

Certification or Licensing

The military does not offer certification or licensing for military pilots. During the advanced portion of your civilian flight training, though, you must pass the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) guidelines and regulations. If you hope to someday transfer your military skills to a similar job in the civilian sector (for example, with a commercial airline), you may need additional training and/or certification or licensing.

Other Requirements

To join any branch of the military you need to be a U.S. citizen or have permanent residency status (that is, hold a Green Card). To enter the Army, Navy, and Air Force, you must be at least 17 years of age. The maximum age to enter the Army is 35; the Navy, 41; the Air Force is 42; the Coast Guard, 41; and the Marine Corps, 28. (The maximum age limit is subject to change depending on such factors as the nature of the military service and the demand for recruitment.) You also cannot have a criminal record. There are height and weight standards that you should ask your recruiter about since they may vary among the services. Some jobs have special requirements, such as certain vision standards, which you will also need to find out from your recruiter.

Stable physical and emotional health is essential for the aspiring pilot. Military pilots are expected to remain calm and levelheaded, no matter how stressful the situation. The physical requirements of this profession are very strict—you must have 20/20 vision with or without glasses, good hearing, normal heart rate and blood pressure, and no physical handicaps that could hinder performance.