So its most likely common knowledge by now that i didn't get P-3's. Most people have congratulated me and wished me luck. My personal feelings on the subject are mixed. P-3's, although no where near as glamorous or as freakin sweet as jets, have their perks (i.e. Land based, Good duty stations, Per Diem $$$$$, winged really quick, and have an all around comfortable lifestyle). The fact that i didn't get them doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that the people that did get them were from the bottom of the barrel as far as class standings go. For once in my life my grades were too good for something, which is a completely foreign feeling to me.
So here's how I see it, and ill put it in the form of an analogy. Our class of lowly flight students are being force marched up a long and arduous mountain trail ( The mountain being flight school). After several months we get half way up the mountain and arrive to a fork in the path where we take a small brake to survey the surroundings. The first path continues up and over the mountain in what only looks to be a treacherous hike full of pitfalls and pain. The second path meanders down and around the mountain ultimately reaching the same path as the first in a much shorter time and with greater ease. The CO, the man forcing this painful march upon us, looks around and individually inspects all of us to see how we're doing. He also asks us which route we would prefer and pretends to care whole heartily. After little thought and hardly any consideration for what us marchers desire, he takes the people he thinks cant make it up the first treacherous path and sends them down the easy path to P-3 land where they can take a brisk walk cozily on a bed of per diem and good food. Upon doing this he turns to the rest of us poor souls shrugs his shoulders and tells us to get moving up path number one, all the while explaining to us how rewarding this path is and how it's going to be worth the trek in the end. We all stare at each other with woeful eyes and gaze at the path ahead with little hope of seeing the end soon. So while the bottom-feeders too incompetent to continue the rough journey begin their easy walk, we keep on trucking up and up with heavy feet and meloncholy souls. Its hard to say which path will yeald the most reward, but its definently a slap in the face when the incompetent ones get off easy.
Naturally this is merely an observation on my part and there is no real proof of my claims, but i'm completely confident in my statement and back that up until someone else has a better theory. So as of right now i will continue on and try my best to avoid the E-2 hawkeye. The ultimate goal to reach the Hornet or prowler.
