Parent Questions
Believe it or not, a parent's opinion is the one that children respect above all others – especially now, as they prepare to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives. If your child is considering Air Force ROTC, chances are you both have concerns and questions. Ask us! Visit our Contact Us » section, and send us an email.
ADMISSIONS AND ACADEMICS
1. If my child joins Air Force ROTC, does that
mean they are joining the military? »
2. What is the difference between Junior ROTC
in high school and ROTC in college? »
3. Does my child have to be in Junior ROTC
in high school to be eligible for ROTC in college? »
4. Does my child have join Air Force ROTC as
a freshman? »
5. Can my child enroll if they didn't take
Air Force ROTC as a freshman? »
6. Can my child attend Air Force ROTC without
a scholarship? »
7. My child didn't receive an Air Force ROTC
scholarship before they started college; are there scholarship
opportunities while they are in college? »
8. Is preference shown toward scholarship cadets? »
9. Are there any restrictions as to what students
select as their academic major? »
10. Can my child pursue graduate education
after they are commissioned? »
11. How often can someone take the Air Force
Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT)? »
12. If my child takes Air Force ROTC classes,
are they committed to military or government service once
they join? »
13. What are the other Air Force commissioning
opportunities? »
14. Does my child receive any ROTC credit
for Junior ROTC? »
15. If a cadet encounters academic or personal problems,
where can they turn for help? »
16. Is the Four-Year Program more advantageous
for students? »
17. Will my child receive any ROTC credit
for Civil Air Patrol (CAP)? »
CAREERS
1. What is the commitment to the Air Force
upon graduation? »
2. When will cadets know what job they will
be doing for the Air Force as an officer? »
3. Do all cadets have to become a pilot or navigator? »
4. When do cadets actually receive their commission
as an Air Force officer? »
5. Will my child go on active duty in the Air
Force immediately following graduation and commissioning? »
6. Can my child continue their education beyond
the baccalaureate level? »
7. My child doesn't have 20/20 vision. Can
they still fly? »
8. Is a major in Aeronautical Science required
to become a pilot or navigator? »
9. What are the age limits for a cadet to compete
for a pilot or navigator position? »
10. Will my child behind my fellow nonmilitary
graduates after they complete their service obligation and
decide to get out? »
11. How do Air Force ROTC graduates compare
with Air Force Academy and Officer Training School graduates? »
COLLEGE LIFE
1. Will my child have to cut his/her hair? »
2. Do cadets have to wear a uniform to class
every day? »
3. How much time will my child have to spend
with Air Force ROTC each week? »
4. How are new cadets treated? »
5. How much marching and drilling will cadets
have to do? »
6. When will cadets receive their Air Force
ROTC uniform? »
7. Will my child be expected to participate
in any extracurricular activities? »
8. Can my child participate in intercollegiate
athletics while a member of the Air Force ROTC program? »
9. Where can my child attend Air Force ROTC? »
ADMISSIONS AND ACADEMICS
1. If my child joins
Air Force ROTC, does that mean they are joining the military
No. If your child got a 4-year scholarship from high school,
then the first year of college is paid for and they can quit
at the end of their freshman year with no obligation. If they
got a 3-year scholarship from high school or college then
they are not committed to the Air Force until they accept
their scholarship (usually in the fall of their sophomore
year). If they didn't get any scholarship, then they are not
committed to joining the Air Force until they start their
junior year of college.
With Air Force ROTC, we provide them with lots of opportunities
to see what the Air Force is about before signing up. And
while they are waiting, they are getting college out of the
way and having a lot of fun.
2. What is the difference
between Junior ROTC in high school and ROTC in college?
The mission of the high school Junior ROTC program is to build
better citizens for America. The mission of the college ROTC
program is to produce leaders for the Air Force. If your child
is interested in starting an Air Force Junior ROTC program
at their high school, visit
http://www.afoats.af.mil/AFJROTC/ApplyforUnit.asp.
3. Does my child have
to be in Junior ROTC in high school to be eligible for ROTC
in college? »
No. In fact, the majority of students enrolled in college
ROTC have never been involved in the Junior ROTC program.
4. Does my child have
join Air Force ROTC as a freshman
No. Any student (graduate or undergraduate) with more than
two years remaining should be eligible for our program. So,
if they're a second-semester freshman, a sophomore, or have
at least two years remaining in your graduate studies, they
can join.
5. Can my child enroll
if they didn't take Air Force ROTC as a freshman
Yes. They can enroll in Aerospace Studies 101 and Aerospace
Studies 201 (their university may have a different name) and
be what we call dual enrolled. They can also elect not to
take freshman ROTC, however, they must attend an extended
field training unit during the summer of their second year
if they take this option.
6. Can my child attend
Air Force ROTC without a scholarship?
Yes, they can. Many of our students do not start with a scholarship,
but earn one eventually. Still, at any given time, about 80%
of our students receive financial assistance.
7. My child didn't
receive an Air Force ROTC scholarship before they started
college; are there scholarship opportunities while they are
in college?
Yes. Depending on how many years they have left in college,
they may qualify for a two- or three-year scholarship. For
more details on scholarship opportunities, please visit our
Air Force ROTC Scholarships
» section.
8. Is preference shown
toward scholarship cadets?
Definitely not! The fact that a cadet may have an Air Force
ROTC scholarship has no bearing on an Air Force career. Nor
does it make any difference while in the Air Force ROTC program.
9. Are there any restrictions
as to what students select as their academic major?
None at all. In fact, we encourage cadets to take a curriculum
they are interested in and in which they have the capability
to do well. Our main academic concern is that they maintain
a Grade Point Average (GPA) above 2.0 and attain their degree
in the time period planned. The GPA requirements are different
if they are applying for a scholarship and once they are on
scholarship. Check our
Scholarships section » for those specific requirements.
10. Can my child
pursue graduate education after they are commissioned?
The Air Force is education-oriented and financially supports
graduate studies. They can apply for the Air Force Institute
of Technology to earn an advanced degree on full scholarship.
Additionally, most bases have graduate college programs, and
they may apply for the tuition assistance program that pays
100 percent of the tuition cost.
11. How often can
someone take the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT)?
The test is given several times during the fall and spring
and can be taken a maximum of two times with at least 6 months
between tests.
12. If my child takes
Air Force ROTC classes, are they committed to military or
government service once they join?
There is no service commitment for students who take our classes
with no intention of becoming an Air Force officer. For these
types of students, it's only another class. If they are interested
in becoming an officer, there is NO service commitment during
the first two years of the Air Force ROTC program (the General
Military Course) unless they have an Air Force ROTC scholarship.
If they decide to stay and join the Professional Officer Course
(POC; the last two years of the program), they'll sign an
allocation contract with the Air Force and then incur a service
obligation. For Air Force ROTC scholarship students, they're
obligated once they've activated the scholarship and have
entered their sophomore year.
13. What are the
other Air Force commissioning opportunities?
Other commissioning opportunities exist through the United
States Air Force Academy. Click
here » for the Air Force Academy's site.
Commissioning opportunities for college graduates also exist
through Officer Training School, an intense 12-week program
at Maxwell Air Force Base.
Commissioned Officer Training is a 4-week program designed
for professionals who have received a direct commissioned
appointment as a lawyer, chaplain or into a corps of the medical
service.
And Reserve Commissioned Officer Training is an intensive
13-day program designed for hard-to-recruit Air Force Reserve
and Air National Guard medical service officers.
Click here »
for more information on these programs.
Back to Top »
14. Does my child
receive any ROTC credit for Junior ROTC?
Yes they do. Three years of Junior ROTC (JROTC) are considered
equal to three semesters of the General Military Course (GMC),
and two years are equal to one year of the GMC. No credit
is given for less than two years of JROTC training.
15. If a cadet encounters
academic or personal problems, where can they turn for help?
First, they should try their Air Force ROTC detachment instructor.
While the instructor may not have a psychology degree, he
or she does have experience in counseling and can direct them
to the proper resources. Air Force ROTC instructors try to
develop a strong professional rapport with each cadet. Each
university also offers various resource offices for their
students and many services are free as part of the student
fees.
16. Is the Four-Year
Program more advantageous for students?
Yes, for the following reasons:
- It gives them more time to participate in Air Force ROTC without obligation, to gain experience and to decide whether they want to apply for the advanced program, the POC.
- They will have the opportunity to apply for scholarships if eligible.
- They can retake the Air Force Officer Qualification (AFOQT) test to improve their scores.
17. Will my child
receive any ROTC credit for Civil Air Patrol (CAP)?
The unit commander can give credit for part of the GMC to
cadets who receive the Spaatz, Earhart, and Mitchell Awards
during any academic term of the GMC.
CAREERS
1. What is the commitment
to the Air Force upon graduation?
Most officers have a four-year commitment. For pilots, it's
ten years after pilot training, and six years for navigators
after training. Air Battle Managers have a six-year commitment.
See the Service Commitment
section ».
2. When will cadets
know what job they will be doing for the Air Force as an officer?
They will compete in a selection process much like the one
of an enrollment allocation as an officer candidate. The factors
to be used will include their Air Force Officer Qualifying
Test (AFOQT) scores, their camp performance rating, their
Grade Point Average (GPA), their academic major, their Physical
Fitness Test (PFT) score, and the Detachment Commander's rating.
They will know their specific Air Force job category approximately
six months before they're commissioned.
3. Do all cadets have
to become a pilot or navigator?
No. The vast majority of Air Force jobs do not involve flying
at all. In the civilian world there are thousands of jobs
and careers – doctors, lawyers, law enforcement, engineers,
financial careers, food-service management – the list
is endless. For almost every civilian out in the work force,
there is an Air Force officer counterpart performing a similar
job. For more information about the many careers available,
check out our Careers section
».
4. When do cadets
actually receive their commission as an Air Force officer?
Cadets normally get commissioned in a special ceremony the
same day they graduate. They can expect to enter active duty
about 30 days after graduation.
5. Will my child go
on active duty in the Air Force immediately following graduation
and commissioning?
Not necessarily. They may request an educational delay if
they desire to attend graduate school at their own expense
before going on active duty. If approved, the Air Force will
postpone their active-duty tour. Delays are routinely provided
if they select to attend dental or medical school. Scholarships
also exist for students accepted to medical school.
6. Can my child continue
their education beyond the baccalaureate level?
Yes. The Air Force offers several opportunities to do so.
In many cases they can request an educational delay. This
delay between the time of commissioning and reporting for
active duty will be of sufficient length to allow them to
fulfill the requirements for a professional or master's degree.
They will assume all financial obligations. There are also
Air Force Institute of Technology programs where the Air Force
pays for their graduate school education. These programs are
explained in detail in Air Force ROTC.
7. My child doesn't
have 20/20 vision. Can they still fly?
It depends. Check out the Flying
Requirements » for more information.
8. Is a major in Aeronautical
Science required to become a pilot or navigator?
No. Academic major plays a minor role in pilot and navigator
selection. Cadets can major in any degree program and compete
to receive a pilot or navigator slot in Air Force ROTC. They
can even be on an Air Force ROTC scholarship in an engineering
or science major and compete on an equal basis for a flying
position.
9. What are the age
limits for a cadet to compete for a pilot or navigator position?
To compete for the pilot or navigator categories, a cadet
must be able to complete their bachelor's degree and be commissioned
through Air Force ROTC before they are 29 years old.
10. Will my child
behind my fellow nonmilitary graduates after they complete
their service obligation and decide to get out?
No. In fact, many companies prefer to hire former officers
over new college graduates (even those with master's degrees).
Their Air Force experience, the management skills they've
gained on active duty and their active-duty educational benefits
can give them the competitive edge they need.
11. How do Air Force
ROTC graduates compare with Air Force Academy and Officer
Training School graduates?
The Academy, ROTC and Officer Training School all produce
qualified Air Force officers. The Air Force achieves better
diversity and talent by getting officers from more than one
commissioning source. Once on active duty, the most important
factor in promotion is job performance.
COLLEGE LIFE
1. Will my child
have to cut his/her hair?
Hair must be kept in accordance with Air Force guidelines
when in uniform.
2. Do cadets have
to wear a uniform to class every day?
No. Cadets are only required to wear their uniform to their
Air Force ROTC classes and on Leadership Lab day once a week.
Occasionally, during special events, they may be required
to wear their uniform.
3. How much time
will my child have to spend with Air Force ROTC each week?
The only required time is during your Air Force ROTC classes,
Leadership Lab, and physical fitness training. (This equates
to approximately four hours per week for freshmen and sophomores;
six hours per week for juniors and seniors.)
4. How are new cadets
treated?
Very well. Many detachments assign cadet "sponsors"
to new students. They can help students find classes, get
textbooks, learn to wear the uniform correctly, meet other
cadets and learn basic customs and courtesies. It is also
the responsibility of the cadet's flight commander to help
new cadets fit into the program. Many detachments also have
tutoring programs and other forms of assistance. Hazing is
not permitted! You'll find the cadet staff and detachment
staff are concerned about your child’s well-being and
progress.
5. How much marching
and drilling will cadets have to do?
Not as much as you may think. Marching/drill is sometimes
practiced during squadron time at Leadership Laboratory. There
are no mandatory drill sessions outside of LLAB.
6. When will cadets
receive their Air Force ROTC uniform?
Within the first couple of class periods, we will issue cadets
a complete uniform and tell them how to arrange for having
alterations completed (at no cost to them). However, they
are responsible for keeping the uniform clean and presentable.
7. Will my child
be expected to participate in any extracurricular activities?
Their first and foremost concern is attending classes and
maintaining good grades. After this, they will certainly want
to examine some of the various activities sponsored by both
their university and Air Force ROTC. There's something in
our program of interest to everyone.
8. Can my child participate
in intercollegiate athletics while a member of the Air Force
ROTC program?
Yes. Generally, extracurricular campus activities and Air
Force ROTC are perfectly compatible – as long as they
do not overload with extracurricular activities. A serious
physical injury while participating in intercollegiate or
intramural athletic activities may cause them to be disenrolled
from Air Force ROTC because of a change in their physical
profile.
9. Where can my child
attend Air Force ROTC?
Air Force ROTC is offered at over 1000 institutions throughout
the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico.
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