History

border heading Bottom
The Early Years
1862 Passage of Morrill Act (Land-Grant Act) established military training at land-grant colleges and universities.
1916 Passage of the National Defense Act created both a formal Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and Junior ROTC.
1920-1923 Army Air Service establishes separate Air ROTC units at the following colleges with strong engineering departments: Texas A&M, University of California-Berkeley, University of Illinois, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Washington, New York University and Georgia Institute of Technology.
1932 Air ROTC purchased out for budgetary and other reasons; last until discontinued in 1935.
1946 Seventy-eight AFROTCarrow-glossaryAFROTCAir Force Reserve Officer Training Corps units are established by War Department General Order No. 124, signed by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Army Chief of Staff. A few months later, on November 15, Army Air Force Headquarters transfers Air Force ROTC from Air Training Command (ATC) to Air Defense Command (ADC).
1947 Arnold Air Society founded at the University of Cincinnati.
Air Force ROTC in the 1950s
1952 Air University assumes responsibility for Air Force ROTC with 188 units and 145,000 cadets.
1952 Angel Flight founded at the University of Omaha.
1956 Flight Instruction Program authorized.
1956 Experimental Women's Air Force (WAF) ROTC inaugurated.
Air Force ROTC in the 1960s
1961 Initiation of crosstown and consortium agreements with the Air Force ROTC host institution.
1964 Air Force ROTC Vitalization ACT of 1964 authorizes the two-year program.
1969 Air Force ROTC program is established for women at four selected universities.
Air Force ROTC in the 1970s
1970 Air Force ROTC women cadet program expands on a national scope.
1975 Fourteen Air Force bases are designated as permanent Air Force ROTC field-training sites.
1978 Air Force selects Air Force ROTC women cadets to take part in a test program in undergraduate pilot and combat systems officer program.
1978 Air Training Command assumes command responsibility for Air University and Air Force ROTC.
Air Force ROTC in the 1980s
1981 Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and Undergraduate Pilot Training Helicopter programs implemented.
1982 First publication of the Air Force ROTC Leader newspaper.
1987 Air Force ROTC begins offering three-year scholarships to high school seniors.
1988 Four-year Nursing Scholarship Program initiated.
1989 Private Pilot's License Screening Program initiated - allowed selected cadets to obtain a private pilot's license and provided screening to determine if necessary flying aptitude existed to proceed to undergraduate pilot training.
1989 One-Year College Program offered - program is designed to attract qualified students in the fields of nursing, meteorology and law on either a scholarship or nonscholarship basis.
1989 Cadet Laree K. Mikel of Wright State University is selected as National Commanderarrow-glossaryCommanderThe officer in charge of running an Air Force unit's day-to-day operations. of the Arnold Air Society; she is the first woman to hold this position.
Air Force ROTC in the 1990s
1990 Pilot active duty service commitment increases to 10 years, and combat systems officer active duty commitment increases to six years.
1993 Air University becomes a direct reporting unit under Air Education and Training Command.
1997 Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools are created, realigning Air Force ROTC and Officer Training Schools under one organization.