U.S. Air Force - Air Force Recreation, Air Force Life, Air Force Personals, Air Force Bases, Air Force ROTC

1. Can I apply for more than one program at a time?

Yes. In fact, we encourage you to apply for any and all programs you are eligible for, every time you are eligible. For example, applicants applying for Scholarships For Outstanding Airmen to ROTC (SOAR) should also apply at the same time for the fall Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ASCP) board.

2. How would I know if I am too old to earn a commission?

Check out our Age Requirements page>>.

3. What's the story on the ROTC Stipend? Why are there different amounts?

The Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2001, passed last fall, contained a provision increasing the ROTC Stipend to a minimum of $250 per month to a maximum of $600 per month, effective 1 October 2001. By then, DoD will promulgate rules governing the exact amounts for cadets in our program (i.e., freshmen may receive $250, sophomores may receive a different amount, etc.). When we find out exactly which groups of
students will receive which amounts, we will post that information on this website. Stipend amounts for all Air Force ROTC cadets will increase on 1 October 2001.

4. I have my bachelor's degree already, applied to Officer Training School (OTS) and was not accepted. Can I apply for your programs?

Yes. You can apply for the Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP), Scholarships For Outstanding Airmen to ROTC (SOAR) or Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ASCP). If selected, you would earn your master's degree and your commission. If you meet the age requirements, we can provide financial assistance through the POCI and/or a scholarship. If you apply for the FY02 One-Year POC-ERP, you do not have to complete a master's degree, just the coursework, to be a full-time student (including your Air Force ROTC requirements).

5. I already have my bachelor's degree. Can I work on a second bachelor's degree in your programs?

No. Our policy is that we prefer you to earn a master's degree rather than a second bachelor's degree. The one exception we make is for students who are pursuing a second bachelor's degree in a hard-to-fill field like electrical engineering or meteorology. If you have a specific question on this matter, please email us at enlisted@afrotc.com>>.

6. I'm an enlisted member married to another enlisted member. Can I apply for your programs?

Yes. If selected, you will have to provide a copy of your Family Care Plan to your detachment commander. You may want to carefully search out a detachment close to a military base where you can go to school and your spouse can be stationed (in some cases you can live in base housing as well).

7. Can I go through Air Force ROTC and then participate in an Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard unit?

No. Air Force ROTC's mission is to train officers for the active-duty force. Contact your nearest Guard/Reserve recruiter for information on commissioning opportunities in the Air National Guard and/or Air Force Reserve.

8. Are Air Force ROTC cadets entitled to Tricare?

No. They (and their families) are not entitled to military health-care benefits until they are commissioned and reenter active duty. Like all other college students, they are responsible for their own health-care arrangements. Many colleges and universities offer group health insurance plans for purchase or as a part of their enrollment fees. Check with the school you want to attend to see what services, if any, they offer. Please note that Airman Education and Commissioning Program (AECP) students remain on active duty and that they and their dependents are entitled to health-care services under Tricare.

9. Can I get to be a pilot or navigator through the enlisted commissioning programs?

Yes and No. Yes for Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ASCP), Scholarships for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC (SOAR) and the Two-Year Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP). No for Airman Education and and Commissioning Program (AECP) and the FY02 One-Year Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP).

10. How is it determined which career field I will be in once I graduate?

Air Force ROTC cadets interested in pilot or navigator training (see above...Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ASCP), Scholarships for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC (SOAR) and the Two-Year Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP) ONLY) will compete for a rated slot in the spring term of their junior year in college. Their application will be processed by their detachment and a central selection board makes the choices. Selection factors include AFROTC Detachment Commander's rankings/comments, college Grade Point Average (GPA), fitness test scores, pilot and navigator subscores on the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT), and the number of flying hours, if any. All other Air Force ROTC cadets (including those not selected for rated duties) put together a "dream sheet" listing assignment preferences (listing career fields and initial base choices, academic major and Detachment Commander's comments) during the fall term of the cadet's senior year in college. Selections are made by Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) taking into account the needs of the Air Force, the cadet's academic major and the cadet's preferences.

11. I have a bachelor's degree. Do I have to be a full-time student in the FY02 One-Year Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP) or can I just take the Air Force ROTC classes?

You must be a full-time student (as defined by the university or, if not defined, then taking 9 semester hours of graduate work or 12 semester hours of undergraduate work) during the Fall 2001 term. With your Detachment Commander's permission (you must ask before you do this), you can take only the courses required for your commission (i.e., only your ROTC courses) during the Spring 2002 term.

12. I'm enrolled in an on-base program at a school not affiliated with Air Force ROTC. Can I finish my degree at this school and take my Air Force ROTC classes at a local detachment?

No. You must be enrolled as a full-time student (see the above question) in a school affiliated with Air Force ROTC.

13. What happens if I am disenrolled from an Air Force ROTC commissioning program?

Of course, we hope this doesn't happen, but if it does, it is up to the AFROTC Commander whether disenrolled Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ASCP), Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP) and Scholarships For Outstanding Airmen to ROTC (SOAR) students repay any scholarship money spent on their behalf or serve on active duty for no greater than two years. Disenrolled Airman Education and Commissioning Program (AECP) students are returned to their former Air Force Specialty Code (AFSCs) (demoted to their former rank if less than E-5 IAW AFI 36-2503, paragraph 3.1) and sent to a new assignment.

14. Can I apply if I'm selected for an assignment and/or am serving an overseas tour?

Effective 1 April 2001, we will consider waivers for those enlisted members not qualified for the ROTC enlisted commissioning programs because they have not served enough of their overseas tour and/or are already selected for an assignment IAW AFI 36-2013. Members in either or both of these situations may apply for any of the AFROTC-controlled Enlisted Commissioning Programs provided that their AFSC functional manager at Air Force Personel Center (AFPC) agrees to conditionally release the member from the tour and/or assignment (i.e., Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) will release the airman from the assignment/curtail the assignment if selected). Those affected should attach a copy of an email from the functional manager at Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) to their application package. Our general rule of thumb on this issue will be that if the applicant's Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) functional manager is willing to let them apply, then we will allow it.

15. Can those applicants who have a bachelor's degree take undergraduate courses (e.g., teacher certification courses) instead of graduate courses in the FY02 One-Year Professional Officer Course Early Release Program (POC-ERP)?

Our current policy is that we prefer those who have a bachelor's degree to take graduate courses instead of additional undergraduate courses. However, we will consider requests for an exception to this policy on a case-by-case basis. Those interested in such an exception should include a letter of justification with their application package and an academic plan outlining which courses the airman would take if the request were approved.