Whats your backup plan?

[Upstream]

My goal is pararescue.

I have a bachelor's degree and I'm a couple classes/direct patient care hours (EMT) away from being able to apply to a master's program as a Physician Assistant, which was my goal before pararescue started to seem feasible. Although PA is a job I could see myself in further down the line, currently, if I'm being honest with myself, the thought of years of academia and playing nice seems daunting.
That being said, I understand the reality is that a huge percentage of guys don't make it through the pipeline.

Pararescue incorporates everything I've dreamed of since I was young, where being at the whims of the regular Air Force as an enlisted airman sort of seems like the opposite of a good dream for me personally (no disrespect intended to the Air Force).
If the military doesn't work out I'd pursue PA school and continue to compete in jiu jitsu and find my way into the medical side of a civilian search and rescue organization in an attempt to scratch the itch.
If (and I'm uncomfortable even typing this out) I'm allowed to go and I don't make it through, will I most likely have to put the pursuit of PA school on hold for years while I do some random job no one chose for their MOS?

I realize I'm not stating a definitive backup plan here, but this is me trying to further formulate the backup plan to ensure I'm not being an idiot in some way.
I'd like to think I could follow the "burn the boats" policy but realistically unforeseen stuff sometimes happens. Any feedback/criticism is welcome.

 

[Red Flag 1]

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[Upstream]

When you finish up the PA program and pass all your certification testing you are a PA. At that point, you are prepared to begin practice as such. In practice, you are a newbie in that field and have just begun to develop and expand your knowledge in the field of practice you have been trained for. You will be WORKING as a PA, it is a far step away from "playing nice" you and losing sleep most nights is part of the job. If you think being a PA is a walk in the park, you are badly mistaken. If you do not continue your education in the practice as a PA, you have wasted your time and the competitive slot.

For grins, let's say you go with PA then PJ route, and it actually happens. During PJ selection, training and duty as a PJ, that is the level of medical care you will be using. You will have zero practice time as a PA. When you decide to step away from the PJ world, do you plan to just step into a PA role somewhere? If you try, they will ask to see your CV, aka where you have practiced as a PA. They will also be looking for your mandatory continuing education credits and other PA Board requirements. The reality at that point is that you are a PJ looking for a job as a PA. I don't know how long the PJ pipeline for pre selection to graduation is. The time you are in the pipeline is time away from the PA practice world and it may impact your ability if find a practice as a PA.


If you are going to go the PJ route, don't waste the PA slot for someone who wants to be a PA. It seems to me that going the PJ route is your plan A. If that does not pan out for you then the PA program is your back up plan. I would just do a fast hard boil if a PA worked for me for a couple of months and then left to do something else.

My $.02

Thank you for your response, I think I might not have been totally clear and I apologize. If I can't make the PJ thing happen for whatever reason, my backup plan is to pursue a Physician Assistant program SO LONG as I'm not at the whims of the Air Force for years on end preventing me from doing that. I don't want to graduate from PA school and THEN join the Air Force. I have no illusions about the difficulties of PA school, I have a friend who is a new PA and my cousin is currently suffering through her second semester of PA school. I know it is a challenging and rewarding profession, which is why I strongly consider it. By "play nice" I just sort of meant I'm not yet excited to spend 2 years in library study groups. I would prefer more physically/spiritually challenging life experiences at the moment, like having my head stood on in the pool until I start to black out, and I think pararescue has more to offer in that realm. You are correct that PJ is my plan A.

 

[KANGAROOS]

I i didn't make the Cut for whatever reason i would accept My failure and try again When allowed.
If you learn from your failures you become even stronger the next time if that makes sense

 

[Red Flag 1]

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[KANGAROOS]

@Red Flag 1, Thank you.

Im not gonna talk too much about SOF selection i gotta wait and see how it is if i ever get the chance.
Might have some quitter in me, in that case just gotta get rid of it before it takes over.

 

[Red Flag 1]

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[KANGAROOS]

After reading through all of your posts, I have reservations regarding your post #284 which led me down a path that probably does not exist.

You are right to not post about SOF selection. It is tempting to just delete what you have posted, but it shows more of who you are and the things you say about yourself. That having been said, what you post will stand as you posted it. The story you have told us that I believe is true is the one about the Xanax, weed, the police, and the police K-9s.

Well i tried to be honest and look for answers here, instead i get shit on pretty much. I understand where y'all coming from and im just another teenager with a big mouth, but i genuinely Belive i can achive pretty much anything with the heart and mind in it and never give up on My Goals because that is what i have been Raised to Belive, and by that i don't just mean SOF selection but Any obstacle or difficulty i may face in life.

I might not be the best writer or even have good grammar wich is something i am working on, but i have been honest and Only came to this forums for guidance for the years to come. None of y'all might not Belive i can achive Any of this but i am gonna stay on this forum and keep Posting how My path really goes down.

Kangaroos out.

 

[Grunt]

Well i tried to be honest and look for answers here, instead i get shit on pretty much. I understand where y'all coming from and im just another teenager with a big mouth, but i genuinely Belive i can achive pretty much anything with the heart and mind in it and never give up on My Goals because that is what i have been Raised to Belive, and by that i don't just mean SOF selection but Any obstacle or difficulty i may face in life.

I might not be the best writer or even have good grammar wich is something i am working on, but i have been honest and Only came to this forums for guidance for the years to come. None of y'all might not Belive i can achive Any of this but i am gonna stay on this forum and keep Posting how My path really goes down.

Kangaroos out.

Don't allow yourself to be offended by the lessons you are learning here. They may seem painful, but you are talking with serious people about serious issues who take them seriously. Learn from them because should you succeed at your goals, you too will one day be giving that same advice. Man up, go forth, and conquer....

 

[Ратник114]

Permanent Failure:
Infantry (hopefully)

Temporary Failure (year or so delay):
Whatever the Unit will let me do to stay with them and get another shot. I’ll Clean Toilets for two years and retrain if it means another shot at BRC.

I am just here to serve. Recon is a personal goal which I am dedicated too. I’ll only get there with support and giving all I got.

 

[Njonti]

Gonna try for a recon contract after I graduate from college in a year, originally was thinking SARC but I've realized I want to be a Marine more than I want to be a medical provider, and with this contract if I were to fail I'd still be a Marine (Hopefully infantry, but would be needs of the Marine Corps).

Getting scuba cert this summer, graduating with a B.S. in an environmental major next winter and have connections with research divers/ rescue divers so could be a cool path to pursue after I'd get out, then perhaps apply to become an EPA agent or something along those lines.

I can already max the pft and swim and tread for days so hopefully with another full year of training I'll be able to give it my best after enlisting.

 

[Medicmanny]

For all you SOF wanna/gonna be's out there- I know this couldn't POSSIBLY happen to you, but what happens if you go out there and don't make the cut? What if you get injured in your selection, or it turns out you just aren't ready for your services' special operations job? Have you considered the A of your PACE? How about the E?

Let's just say, for the sake of the thread, that you don't get on to a team- what then?

I don't know what the current needs of the Air Force would be, but if I didn't make the pipeline I'd hope to go to for something that I could do well. I'd be happy with anything medical, or Security Forces, but I'd be open to learning something completely new. Sometimes that's a great way to shake things up - I'd take that time to take what I learned from the pipeline to learn and grow, increase my fitness and mental toughness, and then reapply for another shot ASAP.

 

[Chronicler]

I haven’t even enlisted yet. Won’t be going to MEPS until October. If all goes well then I’ll get an 18x contract. I have multiple scenarios and paths in my head to follow in the event I can’t get Airborne on my contract (I’ll need a waiver), my PULHES isn’t good enough, I can’t get into the Army, or I can’t get into any branch, but I won’t bore you with any of those.

If all goes well and I get the contract that I want but I don’t make selection, I’ll likely try to return for another attempt or try to get a RASP contract. Or I’ll serve in whichever infantry unit I’m put in. I could also try to commission since I’ll have a degree. I’d be 24 at the time I start OSUT, so time isn’t on my side as far as youthfulness goes. I’ve got plenty of options in the event I don’t make it. I’ll just have to pick which one is best for me and move from there.

I wanted to be a SEAL when I was in high school and I had the “I’ll die before I quit” attitude. I got med DQ’d and had to scramble to figure out what to do with myself. I have since learned how important it is to have multiple options for everything that could go wrong. I have also become slightly more paranoid.

 

[Firemedic#21]

I'm not going to be signing any contract until late this year, early next. My ultimate goal is SF (specifically 18D). The horror stories of guys being nonselects, or failing the Q course has me constantly revamping my back up plan.

In my heart of hearts, I want to go 18x. In my head, I feel like I should sign a 68W Option 40, and go to SF later. If all else fails, injury or other, I'll at least be a 68W. I have several buddies who spent time in the 75th, and I have long waivered back and forth between 75th or SF. I would love to do both if possible, and if I am not the guy SF needs at the time, I would still being a Ranger. If I wasn't able to be a Ranger, I would still be able to be a medic (so I've been told).

The only downfall to this is that my buddies said that I could be perceived to be using the 75th as a "stepping stone" to SF, and that isn't taken too kindly. They said that the 75th needs guys who want to be Rangers. I don't want to be perceived as doing that, because that is not my intentions at all. I respect the 75th for all that it is, and it would be a privilege to serve in it.

As I said earlier, I'm constantly revamping, and probably will a few more times before I sign.

 

[DA SWO]

I'm not going to be signing any contract until late this year, early next. My ultimate goal is SF (specifically 18D). The horror stories of guys being nonselects, or failing the Q course has me constantly revamping my back up plan.

In my heart of hearts, I want to go 18x. In my head, I feel like I should sign a 68W Option 40, and go to SF later. If all else fails, injury or other, I'll at least be a 68W. I have several buddies who spent time in the 75th, and I have long waivered back and forth between 75th or SF. I would love to do both if possible, and if I am not the guy SF needs at the time, I would still being a Ranger. If I wasn't able to be a Ranger, I would still be able to be a medic (so I've been told).

The only downfall to this is that my buddies said that I could be perceived to be using the 75th as a "stepping stone" to SF, and that isn't taken too kindly. They said that the 75th needs guys who want to be Rangers. I don't want to be perceived as doing that, because that is not my intentions at all. I respect the 75th for all that it is, and it would be a privilege to serve in it.

As I said earlier, I'm constantly revamping, and probably will a few more times before I sign.

Don't worry about your buddies, what do you want to do? 68W to 18D is an honorable desire.
There are formers Rangers in SF and other units, all using what they learned to be better Soldiers.