Forum: Future F-16 crew

hey everyone,

this question is aimed towards those are/were involved UPT boards, but I'd appreciate the general input too.

I have been, for some years preparing to apply for a UPT slot, I am 23, and I graduate in December, with a business degree from Embry-Riddle. I have a ton of work experience, for my age anyway. I can't take AFOQT until November unfortunately, so I won't have that number until then, but I am doing pretty good in the practice test.

I will most likely apply to the ANG, and possibly the AF Reserve.

I am Muslim. I am not naive. I know the mood is generally against Muslims and anything to do with them, thanks to the bastards in the ME and traitors in our own country here. in case you are wondering, I am genuinely a patriotic person. I am very involved in politics. in fact, I am on a first name basis with a number of state reps and senators (generally republican). I am also very involved with the Civil Air Patrol (deputy commander of a 120+ member squadron).

I really do want to serve, and I love aviation. I am NOT doing this for Airline hours, as I have no interest in an airline pilot career. I want to do this because I genuinely love this country, its military, and flying.

my question is: will my religion effect my chances of being selected for UPT?

I know the official answer is no. is that also the unofficial answer?

I would appreciate blunt honesty above anything else.

Thanks!

F-16.net Sponsor

This is from Army Equal Opportunity Branch.

Mission The Equal Opportunity (EO) program formulates, directs, and sustains a comprehensive effort to maximize human potential to ensure fair treatment for military personnel, family members, and civilians without regard to race, color, gender, RELIGION, or national origin, and provide an environment free of unlawful discrimination and offensive behavior.

As long as you qualify for the job, religious beliefs do not a matter. Since I am in Army, I cannot speak for other branches, but Army offers Muslim service as well.

I hope this will be relief for your worry.

Good luck!!

itsboy

You will never see a place for religion on any military form. You dog tags are the only ones. I have personally known a pair of muslim F-15 drivers.

Thank you both for responding. it is a relief in a way. now the only battle is to get interviews, get hired, not fail anything along the [Link pending approval]

Launcherman, were those F-15 pilots AD, AFR, or ANG? the F-15 is one of my favorite fighters.

launcherman wrote:

You will never see a place for religion on any military form. You dog tags are the only ones. I have personally known a pair of muslim F-15 drivers.

I deployed to Iraq in country two times as part of a ANG AEF rotation and we had one F-16 driver, two weapons loaders and a Crew Chief that were Muslim. Nobody gave it a second thought and it never came up cause we were all there as volunteers doing our job for our country. I whole heartily agree with Launcherman's comments (nicely said sir).

Quote:

I know the mood is generally against Muslims and anything to do with them, thanks to the bastards in the ME and traitors in our own country here.

I'd disagree with that assessment...the overriding issue is the perceived lack of willingness among Muslims to speak more vehemently against the crimes committed against Islam, and in the name of Islam. We get literally bombarded with admonitions about not holding Muslims responsible for the acts of "a few nuts", except the tolerance for violence and the unwillingness of Muslims to eradicate terrorism as a means of achieving political goals, paints large swaths of the faith with the same brush.

Islam being the most numerous religion on the planet means that if only a tiny fraction of Muslims tacitly support terrorism...that translates into a large actual number.

When Pew conducts a survey among Muslims to see what the general attitudes about violence in the name of their faith...that's an issue. When the numbers indicate support for violence that is not right near 0... that's a much larger issue.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/26/where-te ... slim-world

So, when you say "the bastards in the ME" I assume you mean the actual people willing to commit terrorism...which is a no kidding problem, but it represents an extremely small number of people. However, the real larger issue is the tacit approval for it in large portions of the Islamic world...people not willing to actually commit violence, but are unwilling to either condemn it, or help eliminate it because they are not willing to stand against another Muslim in favor of a non-Muslim.

This is a problem among Muslims...and the only real solution to it is going to have to come from within Islam.

My point is, that its easy to get wrapped up in the feeling that Muslims are unfairly painted with the terrorist brush...and they are, but there are real world numbers that bear out the fallacy that terrorism is not synonymous with Islam...and that is the fault of Muslims, not the people who recognize that the problem is far larger than its generally portrayed. Again we're talking small percentages which translate into extremely large numbers based on nothing more than the sheer size of Islam. .5% of a million people who support terrorism is a relatively small number. .5% of a billion people is a BUNCH of people.

Having said that, what you will find is that the military is probably the most fair and tolerant organization you could hope for. It has a rich tradition of embracing different races and religions long before society in general has been...and the reason is the mission is immune from such petty differences. I know pilots of as many different faiths as you can name... Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, Jews, and even some Wiccans...and atheists and secular humanists. I know a couple who for all intents and purposes seem to be dedicated Marxists. Also, remember that the Air Force employs people who aren't pilots, and who's jobs are just as important and in a lot of cases, more "sensitive" and those ranks are filled with people of all faiths as well. I know a missile officer who's a Sikh and an intelligence officer who's Muslim.

You might also recall that the military went as far out of its way as imaginable to not offend or unfairly discriminate against the guy who killed all those soldiers at Ft. Hood...despite his clear, open support for terrorism.

I think your fears are unjustified...if you want to serve, and you can make the grade and have the talent, they'd love to have you and I'll be incredibly grateful that you've chosen to place your life ahead of mine to protect me and my family, like I am with all service members, regardless of how you serve God.

Forum: Future F-16 crew

Muslim ANG/AFR Pilot?