{"id":1918,"date":"2025-03-17T19:21:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T19:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/?page_id=1918"},"modified":"2025-04-28T20:01:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:01:18","slug":"afrotc-cadet-life","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/afrotc-cadet-life\/","title":{"rendered":"AFROTC Cadet Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AFROTC Cadet Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What is AFROTC like in college?<\/summary>\n

AFROTC is a program that will challenge and train ones leadership skills. The academic class will teach military education and aerospace history. Leadership Laboratory takes place once a week during the semester and is designed to train cadets to react as leaders to various situations. Experienced cadets are tasked with leadership positions within the cadet corps and are responsible for training new cadets. You are required to wear a uniform to your ROTC classes during the week.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

How do I join AFROTC if I am already in college?<\/summary>\n

The program requires a minimum of 3 years for a student to earn a commission. You will have to sit down with the Recruiting Flight Commander to discuss your way forward. You can join the program as a first-year or sophomore student in the fall semester or as a first-year in the spring semester. We only allow sophomores to join in the spring semester in special circumstances.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

If I join AFROTC, does that mean I’m joining the military?<\/summary>\n

No. You won’t sign a contract to serve in the Air Force until you either accept a scholarship or until you complete Field Training in between your sophomore and junior year. With AFROTC, we provide you with lots of opportunities to see what the Air Force is about before signing up. And while you’re waiting, you are getting college out of the way and having a lot of fun.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Will the Air Force pay for my school?<\/summary>\n

AFROTC offers many scholarship opportunities<\/a>. Prospective AFROTC cadets can apply for a high school scholarship before entering college. Once in college, there may be opportunities for AFROTC cadets to receive an in-college scholarship.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Will AFROTC pay school loans?<\/summary>\n

No, unfortunately AFROTC will not pay any student loans.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Can I be in AFROTC if I am not awarded a scholarship?<\/summary>\n

Yes, there are many cadets that are not on scholarship who complete the program and earn a commission in the US Air Force.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

How much time is involved in AFROTC?<\/summary>\n

Your weekly requirements with AFROTC will amount to 5-6 hours of time at the Detachment as a first-year or sophomore or 8-10 as a junior or senior. You can put as little or as much time into Air Force ROTC as you want beyond that, as long as you satisfy all academic, Leadership Laboratory, and physical fitness requirements. The ROTC staff knows your studies are critical for your success in college, your success in the ROTC program, and your success in the future.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Do I have to live somewhere specific?<\/summary>\n

No, AFROTC allows you to live wherever you want: in the dorms, in an apartment, at home\u2026the choice is yours!<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Can I pursue a graduate education after I commission?<\/summary>\n

The Air Force is education-oriented and financially supports graduate studies. You can apply for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to earn an advanced degree on full scholarship. Additionally, most bases have graduate college programs, and you may apply for the tuition assistance program that pays for $250 per semester credit hour of the tuition cost.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What is the difference between AFROTC and enlisting in the Air Force?<\/summary>\n

AFROTC is one of the three commissioning sources for the Air Force. Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree and AFROTC, you will be commissioned as an officer, followed by specific training in a career field. Officers are trained to be the leaders and supervisors of enlisted personnel. Rank, pay, and career opportunities for officers are commensurate with their elevated level of responsibility. Enlisting in the Air Force is done through the local recruiter followed by basic training and prospective technical training. This avenue does not require a college degree.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What is the service commitment after completing AFROTC?<\/summary>\n

Most careers require an active duty service commitment of four years with the exception of flying and medical careers. Following the active duty service commitment, four years of inactive reserve is required.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Can I be on reserve status rather than active duty after AFROTC?<\/summary>\n

Currently, there is a limited opportunity to commission into the Reserve or Guard. The student must find a Reserve\/Guard unit to accept him\/her before commissioning. There is no guarantee for this opportunity; most students are placed on active duty status after completion of AFROTC. Once your active duty commitment is up, you can continue your career in the Air Force in the Reserve or Guard.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What is the AFOQT? Do I have to take it?<\/summary>\n

The AFOQT is the Air Force Officer Training Test that all cadets must take by the end of the fall semester of their sophomore year. <\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cadet Organizations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Arnold Air Society (AAS)<\/summary>\n

AAS is a professional, honorary, service-oriented organization consisting entirely of AFROTC and Air Force Academy cadets. The focus of AAS is to advocate the support of aerospace power and build strong officers for the United States Air Force through service to our campuses, our communities, and our corps. In addition to AFROTC commitments, AAS members must complete candidate training, attend meetings, and contribute to their respective Squadrons and ROTC Detachments. Doing so enhances the officer candidate experience of cadets as well as builds stronger leadership, organizational, and professional skills.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Honor Guard<\/strong><\/summary>\n

Detachment 845’s Honor Guard is an AFROTC organization, representative of military drill and ceremonies. As a member of the Honor Guard, you will represent Air Force ROTC in Joint color guards, honorary occasions, memorial services, and military commissioning ceremonies. The Honor Guard demonstrates military excellence through both rifle and saber skills and practices the prolific traditions of the United States Air Force.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Cadet Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cadets are allowed to pursue a Bachelor degree plan of their choice.  They are required to attend all courses relevant to their degree plan as well as mandatory Air Force ROTC courses.  These courses are described below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Aerospace Studies<\/strong>\n
      \n
    • First-Years & Sophomores – class meets one time per week for 50 minutes\n
        \n
      • Curriculum is focused on Foundations of the Air Force & leadership development
        <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Juniors & Seniors – class meets two times per week for 1 hour & 15 minutes\n
          \n
        • Curriculum is focused on Leadership Studies, National Security, & Active Duty Preparation
          <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Leadership Laboratory<\/strong> – all class levels meet one time per week for 2 hours
          <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Physical Training<\/strong> – all class levels meet twice per week for 1 hour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          AFROTC Cadet Life Frequently Asked Questions Cadet Organizations Cadet Schedule Cadets are allowed to pursue a Bachelor degree plan of their choice.  They are required to attend all courses relevant …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":625,"featured_media":580,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1918","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/author\/swlhammond\/","display_name":"swlhammond"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 1 year ago","modified":"Updated 12 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on March 17, 2025","modified":"Updated on April 28, 2025"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on March 17, 2025 7:21 pm","modified":"Updated on April 28, 2025 8:01 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","featured_img":false,"series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/625"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1918"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2064,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1918\/revisions\/2064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/rotc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}