Why did The Bachelorette contestant Aaron self-eliminate?

Aerospace engineer Aaron also dropped a major bombshell before exiting the show

*Warning, spoilers for ‘The Bachelorette’ season 21, episode three, to follow*

The Bachelorette contestant Aaron Erb decided to remove himself from the competition during Monday’s (July 22) episode.

Before the group date with Jenn Tran, the 29-year-old aerospace engineer received a call about an opening for fighter pilot training, an opportunity he said he’d been waiting over a year to hear about.

“My flight training dates are ready for me and I have this opportunity – I’m in the Air Force. On the other side, I want to fall in love more than anything else,” he said in the episode. “I wish I could do both.”

Ahead of the rose ceremony, Aaron explained to the cameras that he had spoken to Jenn the night before and put “it all out there” but didn’t receive the validation he needed.

Sitting down again with Jenn during the cocktail party, he explained to her that he had decided to follow his childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot over continuing his journey on the show.

“I totally appreciate your honesty, and I totally understand following your dreams. I wouldn’t want to be a source of resentment, ever,” she responded.

“And I think if this is your dream, and you’ve been working so hard for this, like I want to cheer you on and do that, and I can’t thank you enough for the amazing times that we have had together. If I were you, I would do the same thing.”

Before he left, Aaron warned Jenn to be careful of some of the men, who he claimed weren’t there for the right reasons.

“[Aaron] told me that there are some people who are here for the wrong reasons and aren’t ready for an engagement,” Jenn announced to the rest of the contestants. “I just want to tell you guys that I need you to sit here and really think about it because this is my life. I’ve made the wrong decisions in the past, and I’m not gonna do that anymore. So if this is not the place you think you should be then you need to get out.”

Besides Aaron, Jenn sent home Thomas A and Hakeem in the third episode.

The day after the episode premiere on Monday, July 22, Aaron posted an update on his Instagram, sharing with fans that he is now a second lieutenant in the Air Force.

“For the ‘wow the show is so scripted’ crowd,” he wrote on Instagram, alongside pictures of himself in uniform. “Phase 1 of the plan is in motion. Introducing for the first time 2nd Lt Erb. Next stop Air Force pilot training.”

The Bachelorette continues airing Mondays at 8pm EST on ABC, with episodes available to stream the next day on Hulu.