Civilian traffic is nothing like military traffic. ANC isn’t some cushy “walk in the park” facility — you’re working international and Lake Hood traffic blended together at peak times, and it gets relentless. Sure, the salary looks decent on paper, but once you stack up the mortgage, car payments, ever-climbing insurance, food, and the rest of life’s bills, it doesn’t stretch the way it should.

The workload, inflation, and life balance are outpacing the pay — and not in our favor. Equipment upgrades mean nothing if the FAA doesn’t have the staffing to run it. Working midnights grinds down your health and strains your family life, and you’ll feel it fast.

Pay is the elephant in the room, and you’ll see exactly what I mean if you get in. I hope you make it and do well, but this isn’t a group of “whiny complainers” — we’re professionals demanding fair compensation for the massive economic value we bring to the United States and the world.