<p>You are 1000% correct eagle. If you have the talent you will get just as far in the flying world and that is why I used the examples that I did. Each and everyone of them entered at what was deemed “late”, yet look at them now. They surpassed their classmates even at an early point. Mike was picked up for TPS with only 1 op tour, (3 yrs), he was an O3 and not even up for O4. He made NASA from TPS as a freshly minted O4. How many AF officers who graduated DG as a 1st LT can say they were on a Space Shuttle? Very Very Few. Mike Goode btw was not a DG nor was he number 1 in FTU, but he had timing and was a good stick. </p>
<p>Timing too is a key component. Sometimes you have control, and sometimes you are caught holding the short stick. You need to accept that not everything is in your control…very hard for those TYPE A personalities, but it is true.</p>
<p>You have the right mindset, the big picture is more important sometimes then the little glimpse.</p>
<p>Good luck, and I am sure in 2030 You will have a bird on your shoulder! ;)</p>