Air Force ROTC Cadet Life
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There are three aspects to the Air Force ROTC program: air class, lead lab and physical training. These three aspects occur throughout the four-year program with upper-class and under-class cadets playing varying roles in those aspects.
- Make friends for life.
- Family/team atmosphere.
- Leadership opportunities day one.
- Personal growth and development.
- Challenge/push yourself outside your comfort zone.
- Variety of majors, career field options and development tracks after graduation.
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- Medical, dental and eye care benefits included.
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- Retirement benefits (401K). .
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- Travel the world (personally and professionally).
General Military Course
The first two years of the Air Force ROTC program cadets are General Military Course members. Their main role is to participate and learn as much as possible. The time commitment for a General Military Course cadet is: one-credit-hour class, two hours leadership laboratory and two hours of physical training each week. One officer development training must be completed during the first two years. Examples include: base visits, incentive flights, Air Force Academy summer programs and much more.
Field Training
Air Force ROTC cadets from across the nation compete to attend field training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, during the summer between their sophomore and junior years. Field training is advanced military training where cadets transition from the General Military Course to the Professional Officer Course. It is a unique and transformational experience aimed at evaluating and preparing cadets to lead at their Air Force ROTC detachments. Field training curriculum includes physical conditioning, firearms training and survival skills. Completion is required to continue in the program and selection to attend is based on GPA, physical fitness score, class ranking and the detachment commander's recommendation.
Professional Officer Course
The final two years of the Air Force ROTC program cadets are Professional Officer Course members. Their main role is to organize and plan the leadership lab and physical training each week. The minimum time commitment for Professional Officer Course cadets is: three-credit-hour class, two hours leadership laboratory and two hours of physical training each week. The time commitment increases with the class moving from one hour to three hours and the amount of time required to plan the labs and physical training. Another officer development training must be completed during the Professional Officer Course years. Cadets do not have to be on a scholarship to enter the Professional Officer Course and become an officer in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force.
Graduation and Commissioning
Every cadet that graduates from the program (scholarship or not) becomes a commissioned 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force. Cadets incur a minimum four-year active duty service commitment after graduation. Some specialty career fields require longer commitments based on training and education.
Cadets will automatically compete for three-year scholarships during the spring semester of their first year in the program, no application required. Scholarship award decisions are based on college GPA, physical fitness scores, class ranking and the detachment commander's assessment of the cadet's leadership. The number of awards varies from year to year.
All cadets who are invited to continue in the program past the sophomore year will be offered the Charles McGee Leadership à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, which provides two years of tuition and fees (up to $18,000 per year). You read that right — 100% of upper-level cadets are offered a two-year full-tuition scholarship! They just need a passing fitness score and a 2.5 GPA to activate it.
