AFROTC Field Trainng 2014

ERAUMattmom

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My DS just informed me ( result of budget cuts) that 2014 field training has been reduced from 28 days to 26 days.

From what I understand this 2 day reduction in training time relieves the government of any obligation to pay the cadets for field training as the total time commitment is now less than a month, resulting in no stipend for the participating cadets.

Is there somebody who can confirm the accuracy of this information and/or provide information on any other changes that might be happening with the upcoming field training? (assuming that the government shutdown will have been resolved by next summer)

Pima??
 
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They do not get paid a stipend during field training, they get paid a fully taxable wage (fed taxes, FICA, state taxes). I don't think the length of time is relevant...even with stipends, partial months of school are "paid".

Not a firm answer...just my opinion.
 
I misspoke when I used the terminology "stipend". My DS said something to the effect of needing to be equivalent of 1 month for government pay to kick in. 28 days was considered 1 month, but 26 days is not. ( not that receiving pay has anything to do with why he would be going to field training)
 
They do not get paid a stipend during field training, they get paid a fully taxable wage (fed taxes, FICA, state taxes). I don't think the length of time is relevant...even with stipends, partial months of school are "paid".

Not a firm answer...just my opinion.

If it's anything like AROTC, the cadets need to be Active for a min. 28 days before they are paid wages, probably why they are decreasing the time to 26 days. Just a guess.
 
Just my guess, but what they will get paid is a per diem, so IOTW he will be paid X amt for the per diem rate at Maxwell for 26 days. Per diem is taxable. Per diem is not a lot for the cadets because room and board is provided.
 
OBTW, they may have reduced it by 2 days because that would equate into about 2 weeks. Maxwell 2 yrs ago changed from 6 to 5 and than switched back again last yr to 6. The problem with scheduling 6 classes is it starts in May and ends at the end of August. Our DS had Max 6, returned home August 26th, had to be back in school (OOS) on the 28th. Pushing it closer together even by 2 days, would mean that they would be done by mid Aug.

Right now I wouldn't worry at all about the pay because they won't receive it until Sept. Worry about being competitive to get the SFT slot.
 
I wasn't worrying about pay!

Just wanted to pass along what I had heard to other forum users in the event that it was news to them and see if anybody could confirm the changes.

Also curious to if anybody else has information in regards to any other possible differences between 2014 field training and that of previous years..
 
Honestly,

I don't think anyone is really going to know whether it will be 26,27 or 28 days for many months.

The main reason I believe that is the DoD is working on 2 budgets currently. Sequester and what they have requested. Once they know which one, than they can decide which path they will go down, and since they don't expect to know for 2 more months, everything being discussed is probably theory only based on IF....

Yes, I know we are currently in FY14, and right now they are using the budget that they requested, not the sequester budget which is 10% less. If they don't know by end of Dec., DoD has reportedly said that is when they will start using the sequester budget. They don't want to be stuck like they were last yr. with cancelling air shows, and non-essential TDYs, plus furloughing civilians which impacted the SAs and ROTC too.
 
I've also heard that the days will be reduced from 28 to 26 for FT. It is like AROTC, from what I understand, in that in order to qualify for wages, your training must last a minimum of 28 days. If the rumor is true then no, we won't get paid for FT this summer :frown:
 
Clarification needed here.

Has anyone asked if contracted cadets will be paid their stipend regardless of 26, 27 or 28 days?

Sometimes it is the question that is asked that gives the true answer.

For example, only about 20% of all AFROTC cadets are contracted prior to SFT. If by changing it to 26 or 27 days, and assume almost 20% are scholarship, that would equate into a huge savings.
~~~~ 80% of 2200 = @1740 cadets getting just a per diem and no wages.

Or is it every single cadet?

I recall our DS saying it was @700 that he got paid for SFT, but he was a scholarship cadet. I do not know if that included his stipend. Never asked, it was a non-chalant conversation in Oct. He was getting a lot of money via the AF in one month (book reimbursement, new stipend and SFT pay) and he decided to burn the money by buying a new laptop :eek:

I would also give some anecdotal info on how the budget is truly impacting ADAF.

We have 2 friends ADAF. 1 at UNT, 1 at UPT.
UNT: Original class start date was Jan, went to Feb., and is now at Mar. He
is at IFS right now, and will come back to P'cola to be on casual for @5 months.

UPT: Original class date was Nov. Now they are at Jan.

The AF is trying to squeeze every penny, and if not seeing what the ADAF is doing to pinch, think about how saying that money will trickle down to AFROTC too.
~~~ It could mean money for more ICSP or HSSP.
~~~ It could mean more money a new program at SFT, to better train the cadets.
~~~ It could mean not closing down a det that was slated to close. Would you care if it went 28 to 26 if it meant that your host det would remain a host det and you wouldn't have to go x-town?

It is a big picture to look at in the end. Every cadet that graduates from SFT will become a POC, and they will likely commission. Your perspective when you are in it, is about what you are enduring currently. Right now it is SFT. However 2 yrs ago it was scholarships and 2 yrs from now it will be ADAF.

AF's perspective is the whole picture. 2 days less of training is not a biggie at SFT. Heck, they come back in from the field. Get their phones back, call their loved ones day 26. March on the field day 27 for graduation. Fly out day 28. JMPO....no flaming, but I don't see how reducing it to 26 days to save money hurts the level of training they receive. I see it as pay issues.
~~~~ Again in 2 yrs from now while you wait to go AD, would you disagree that you feel it is a no harm/foul issue?

Would you agree if you were contracted that the 1 month pay is nothing compared to the stipend loss for the next 2 yrs. Multiply 18 months by the loss of 100 bucks. DS's stipend as as a 300 was 450, and as a 400 it was 550. How much is it now?

AFROTC cut stipends this yr. It is only natural that this is the next thing to cut from a damaging AFROTC budget POV if they have to find that 10% cut from the DoD budget.
 
Okay I am confused now. Are you considering wages as the stipend or per diem. Per diem is exactly that, a per diem. In ADAF if you are sent overnight for 1 night than you got per diem on top of your pay.

I recall our DS got around 700 bucks before taxes. The det filed it when he returned to ROTC in Sept. and he got paid in Oct.

Changing it from 28 to 26 days IMPO isn't going to change the training too much. If I recall correctly the graduation ceremony is held the day after they get back in, and the day before they leave, right there they can re-work it by one day.

Normally, yes it is about $700 for 28 days of FT. During that time we are on orders. You have to be AD for at LEAST 28 days before you can get paid per diem. Less than that you get nothing, which is most likely why they would reduce the time, so they don't have to pay us. As it stands, this hasn't been officially confirmed yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were true.
 
Field Training will only be 21 days in 2014 and that's straight from our Commander. 200s will go to Maxwell, get yelled at, go to Camp Shelby, get yelled at, graduate there and fly out of New Orleans.

I hope this cut in TDs means that the number of EAs won't drop too hard. I like the 200s I don't want to see them end up like the 2013 class did when they were 200s.
 
Field Training will only be 21 days in 2014 and that's straight from our Commander. 200s will go to Maxwell, get yelled at, go to Camp Shelby, get yelled at, graduate there and fly out of New Orleans.

I hope this cut in TDs means that the number of EAs won't drop too hard. I like the 200s I don't want to see them end up like the 2013 class did when they were 200s.

Yep. This is exactly what my commander told all of us. They're going to have to parade at Camp Shelby and then leave from there. They also aren't going to be paid at all. The estimated savings is around 2.4 million dollars.
 
I would think that the EA number is not budget driven, but personnel driven from MPC. I.E. our DS was class of 12, they had a 55% selection rate like 13 because all they wanted to commission was @2200 for their yr group.

If they want to commission 2500 and currently they have 2600 200s, than you will see a high selection rate, but if they have 3500 and only want 2000 you will see the number dropped to around the class yrs before where it was 55%.
 
Yep, my DS (also a 200) had heard that the number of days at SFT was being reduced. Also he told me a few weeks ago that six cadets (200's) in his detachment were disenrolled for not passing the AFOQT. Looks like the AFROTC is already pearing down the 200 class size before EA selections begin?
 
FlyingWildcat,

What is the size of your DS's 200 class? 6 in a det with only 50 200s would be a big hit this early in the yr.
 
Yea... 6 people failing the AFOQT is very, very high. Even for a large det. We've only had one person get kicked out of AFROTC in the 4 years I've been at my school for failing the AFOQT. He failed it twice.
 
Actually it was five disenrolled for the AFOQT and one dropped the day before, prior to the official PFT. Six total in a 2 day period. My DS's 100 year started with over 80 cadets and by the start of his 200 year they had just above 40, including 250's and 500's. As of the last time I spoke with him, they were at 28. DS told me that now you have to pass the AFOQT prior to going to Field Training. I believe he said that the cadets disenrolled can retake the AFOQT in March, but that will be after EA packages are sent in.
 
That is a huge number, @22% disenrolled before they even go up for the boards.

As I have said last yr., it may also be why the rate is at 93% while only increasing the SFT class size by @100 slots compared to the yrs prior at the 55% rate.

The dets are doing their own mini-selection board process on campus prior to sending to HQ AFROTC

If you really want to get a clue if the budget is going to impact the board, ask the cadre if they believe the SFT class size will be the same size from yrs prior?

If they say they expect under 2K, than it is not only are they shortening the length of SFT, but also fewer slots awarded...less commissioned via AFROTC.
 
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