What will the future bring?
Being a helicopter crewman doesn’t leave you a plethora of options on the ‘outside world’. Like many in our band of merry men, I would love to have a second career. The problem is though, where?
I think my dream since being a young boy was to fly commercial aircraft all over the world. Not necessarily people on board, but more than likely freight. Because they are the big old classic aircraft that aren’t suitable for pax carrying anymore and generally are the most exciting to fly. But lets be realistic, I need to achieve a Private Pilots License and a Commercial Pilots License all within the next 16 years. That isn’t going to happen whilst we’re as busy as we are right now with operations and exercises.
Writing is obviously something I enjoy as I like to bore you with posts on here, this one is probably more realistic as I could attempt an A-Level in English Language and English Literature to develop my writing skills further then attend a creative writing or journalism course through the RAF. Not sure I could make a decent living from it though as I get bored quickly and like to write about something new before I finish my current piece. That shows with all the unfinished work I have in my docs folder on my MacBook!
Teaching is something I feel I could enter without too much hassle. The resettlement program the military provide is supposed to be superb, with teaching being a fairly standard route the MOD seem to have that path covered. 2 A-Levels would be required from me, but I would love one of them to be modern history and preferably ancient history. Leading me nicely onto becoming a history teacher, but more specifically one in college or university. I don’t think I could do secondary school as I think it may become too frustrating attempting to teach people who just don’t want to be there. At least with college or uni the students have chosen your course on purpose. Eventually I would love to teach military history and draw on my own past experience too.
I feel fairly stable in where I want to go when finishing my military career, more so than a year ago when I really had no idea. For now though its flying, banter, drinking tea, enjoying the social scene and continuing to make some really good friends.
