Expert: Howard Lorenz - 2/5/2010

Question
This question is kind of hard to phrase in a way that doesn't make me seem like kind of a jerk, but I think you'll understand why I'm curious. Basically, I want to know how often PJ's, Controllers, or if you happen to know, even SEALs or Special Forces, actually do missions. It's likely that I'm just ignorant of most missions (and that's a good thing), but I don't want to be all excited and work hard for position on special ops just to sit around in a base doing routine work all day. Again, I know how pompous that sounds, but I hope you know where I'm coming from with that question.  Ultimately I want to be Pararescue even I knew that it would very few missions, but I need to satiate my curiosity.  
Thank you for your help if you choose to answer this question, I appreciate the time it must take for you to do this.

Answer
Well the Air Force wouldn't recruit the best for this position just to play around with your tax payer dollars. The reason you don't hear about their missions is that most of the missions that they complete are top secret.... they are in and out before the general public is even aware that there was a situation.  

The PJ program is very very tough. each class starts with around 40-60 candidates... only 3-5 actually graduate. after that you are assigned to a unit.... now these PJ's are training constantly... so your day will be kept busy. When you are needed you are sent directly and at short notice. You never know when you will be needed. The deployments are long and very busy. This is one of the hardest positions to fill, and its the hardest position to do.

So if you think you have what it takes to be a PJ.. then I say go for it.....if you dont ...think of something esle to do. You have to have the desire and the will power to get your ass beat every day and have the thirst to come back for more to be a PJ...