I’ve served as both an Active Duty and AGR member, and while the uniforms look the same, the day-to-day life is very different. Here’s what sets them apart — and how to know which might fit you best.

Air traffic control might sound like an intense, high-pressure career — and it is — but it’s also one of the most rewarding jobs in aviation. From basic training to technical school and months of hands-on tower experience, here’s what the path looks like and how the pay stacks up along the way.

In a country of 300 million people and only 21,000 air traffic controllers, it’s easy to understand why so many people are confused about what air traffic controllers actually do. In my 10+ years of experience inside the industry…