My name is James Happensack. I am currently an Air Transportation major, but I started out in Aviation (the engineering one) and then switched to Air Management before I finally switched to Air Trans. I chose the Aviation major(s) because coming out of high school I wanted to fly. After looking at a few school’s engineering programs my junior year, I realized that engineering wasn’t something that I wanted to pursue, but I wasn’t sure exactly what else I would do. Then I visited Purdue and saw their aviation program and I knew I wanted to be in the air. I then toured Embry Riddle and OSU after and ended up choosing OSU as it was the cheapest option and close to home. Even with my Air Force scholarship, the other two schools would be too expensive. Coming to OSU was a great choice. It has put me in a great position for my future as the aviation program and the AFROTC program are two of the top in the country.
Looking at my future, at least for the next 6-12 years, I will be in the Air Force. I say 6-12 years because I am not sure what the length will be until I find out what job I get. If i get my number one choice, Air Liaison Officer, I will go into a 2 year training pipeline and then have a 6 year commitment after I’m done with that (and ALO is Spec Ops that call in air/artillery strikes from the front lines for the Army spec ops(rangers and berets) and the Marines/Navy). If I am not selected for this position, I hope to get a pilot slot, which has a 2 year training pipeline and then 10 year commitment after that. Finally, if neither of those happen, I would like to be an Air Battle Manager (ABM) which controls the air in certain parts of the world and direct our air forces, and that would be an 6 year commitment. So, it really depends on which job I get. After my first “enlistment” is up, I’m not sure what I will do, I could re-enlist or I could come to the private sector. But, I have plenty of time to figure that out.