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Comment by roncesvalles | Hacker News Reader

In almost all countries, military is seen as a "working class" profession, even joining as an officer. I don't think the rich and influential consider it an option for their kids.

Btw fighter pilot is extremely physically taxing. It's not for everyone. Any degree of motion sickness and you're out. Everyone joins the air force wanting to become a fighter pilot but only a small percentage can.

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> In almost all countries, military is seen as a "working class" profession

In western countries that's the case. In autocratic countries it is essential to keep control of the army by placing the equivalent of the royal family in charge.

Also, fighter pilots were historically considered as the successors for cavalry and manned by the nobility, in Arab countries this means the ruling elite

There are exactly zero places in the world where "fighter jet pilot" is seen as a "working class" profession.

And my whole point was that it's often not a profession, but a hobby.

Pretty sure US military fighter jet pilots are mostly just working class or lower middle class people. I know two who did that are they’re nowhere near rich.

You're missing the point.

It won't keep you in the working class once you get in, but the military in general only attracts the children of working class families.

There is a certain socioeconomic boundary above which your kid joining the military is unimaginable, just simply not an option.

In the UK and its numerous former colonies officers are mostly posh, up to and including the royal family.

The saying it’s true for officers seems to need greater support since historically officers were always nobility or from the leadership class. Today, in countries that are not full democracies, the leadership wants the military controlled by favorable people and that means family members.

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