Went to college right out of high school and did a year before deciding it wasn't the right time, so I left and joined the Air Guard. Fast forward 2 years and I'm looking to re-apply to the same school in Spring of 2009 and parti****te in ROTC so I can finish my bachelor's and commission. I'll have over 50 transfer credits when I plan to go back - here are my questions...(I know I have to get a conditon of release from my Guard unit)
-If I don't go on AF scholarship, can I choose any major I want and still do ROTC? - Can I start ROTC in the Spring? - Can any of it be waived for prior service? (I only ask because I can complete my bachelor's in 3 years, possibly less). - When would I take the AFOQT?
My fiancee is a CPT in ad Army and is deploying again mid next year (another reason why I want to knock out school while he's gone) and we'll be married shortly before he leaves, so when it comes time to do my "dream sheet", will they work at all to get us assigned to the same area (thankfully the Army and AF have bases that are usually near one another). I know it's never a guarantee. Ok, sorry for all the questions, just trying to work it all out. Thanks for any info you can give me!
-Nicole -
This message has been edited. Last edited by: nicole_3257,
To get a commission through ROTC only the last 2 years are required. If you are not on scholarship I believe you can choose any major but keep in mind that your major will play a big part in what job you get in the AF. Yes you can start in the Spring.
I can't really speak to how assignments will be handled. I have know people that were married and in different services and it seemed to be hit or miss with getting stationed close.
I would recommend that you talk with the ROTC unit at your school to get the details and good luck!
You can choose any major you want. Just watch your GPA and you'll be fine. You can start ROTC any semester really, unless their detachment is different to the one I went to. We had lots of prior service in our classes, but they still had to complete at least 1 semester as an lowerclassman (AS100-AS200) level classes before going to field training and entering the POC and taking the 300 and 400 level classes. The only exception to this was tech majors, who could go straight into the POC and commission in 2 years. You take the AFOQT generally within a semester of joining ROTC. I don't remember the specific requirement but they offer it usually in the fall and spring.
I was wondering this myself, I have completed all training and have enrolled back in college, I have 56 total credits. Is there a program in ROTC in the Air Force in which I can be Commissioned in the Guard, or does AFROTC only commission through to active duty?
You can be commissioned into the Guard through AFROTC, but it all comes down to the needs of the Air Force. As I understand it, they were even allowing scholarship cadets to skip the payback entirely a few years ago because of force shaping. Who knows what will be going on when you get ready to graduate?
Re: Assignments. Normally, your career managers will work with you to try to get you and your spouse stationed somewhere near. Like someone else said, there are no guarantees that you'll be stationed nearby each other, but they do try. The closer I got to the end of my career, the more married (mixed service)couples there were trying to be colocated. A good number of these came out of Joint Command assignments (OK--who coulda seen THAT coming???) and they often wound up in another Joint Command assignment.
At some point, you and your husband may have to make a decision as to which of you will have the "primary" career. Depending on your respective career fields, promotion opportunities, command opportunities, etc., either you or he may have to sacrifice what would be a significant career-enhancing assignment because your spouse has an opportunity for a better assignment--one that would lead to a command opportunity, or a desirable service school, etc.
You're doing well; it's good to be thinking about these kinds of things early.
If you do not plan on getting an AF scholarship, you can pursue ANY degree/major you want.
The only careers which even care at all what your degree is in are the technical careers which actually use your degree (engineering, meteorology, etc). If you want to be a pilot or any other career, you can major in whatever degree plan you think is interesting or easy if you're more concerned about your GPA.
I tried to read through all the other posts to avoid duplicating comments here...but I may have missed a word or two here and there...
Two things for you to consider. First, as someone else mentioned, you may be able to commission directly into the ANG out of AFROTC. However, let's take that one step further and look at your OWN Guard unit. You may be able to avoid AMS, and become an Officer in your own unit by completing AFROTC. You would never be contracted to enter active duty.
Speaking of contracts...IF your plan is to be an Officer on active duty, you will have to be released from your ANG contract in order to enter the Professional Officer Course (POC) with your school's AFROTC detachment. In other words, you cannot be a Guardsman AND be contracted as a "regular" AFROTC cadet at the same time. I don't suspect that has changed, but you might want to double check on that with the cadre there at your Det.
Good luck with school, and hope things work out with AFROTC.
