Congratulations and condolences. I've been watching this thread because, whoa boy, do you guys have it harder than we do. Keep in mind that an officer is an officer and the United States Army is still in business. While we do most things (like flying) much slower, some of the non-select stats I've seen here would easily be in the top half or third of their year group in AROTC.
AFROTC EA due date
- Thread starter tp92
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I did not get an EA slot this year. This puts me at a crossroad that I am having difficulty deciding what to do.
My GPA going into the selection process was 2.89, but at the end of this year plus summer school, I am projected to have a GPA of 3.23. My PFA score is 95.7 and my AFOQT is 99 across the board with the exception of piloting and nav. Oh and I am a Chinese language major.
I have roughly 3 options.
1. Continue on as an AS500 keeping my major and hope that I can be competitive enough to get an EA next year.
2. Switch to AROTC and still graduate under a 4 year program.
3. Drop AFROTC and switch majors to something more useful in the civilian world. Maybe apply for OTS, maybe not.
Can anyone please share some advice or opinions?
My GPA going into the selection process was 2.89, but at the end of this year plus summer school, I am projected to have a GPA of 3.23. My PFA score is 95.7 and my AFOQT is 99 across the board with the exception of piloting and nav. Oh and I am a Chinese language major.
I have roughly 3 options.
1. Continue on as an AS500 keeping my major and hope that I can be competitive enough to get an EA next year.
2. Switch to AROTC and still graduate under a 4 year program.
3. Drop AFROTC and switch majors to something more useful in the civilian world. Maybe apply for OTS, maybe not.
Can anyone please share some advice or opinions?
Reading these posts I begin to realize how different AFROTC is when it comes to ranking cadets.
AROTC has a pretty set number system; 40% GPA, 15% APFT (PFA for AF), a list of items that are checked of if completed, and then the Battalion ranking. This system is also used to determine if a cadet receives Active Duty or is forced Reserves. A 3.0 and Mediocre APFT would most likely not get Active Duty no matter what the Battalion ranking was.
It is interesting to see just how much weight is put on the Commander's ranking when it comes to EA slots. It's confusing to see some Tech majors with a 3.6 and high PFA not selected when some with much lower stats, non tech/rated selected. Seems the fate of most cadets rest almost soley in the Commanders hands.
AROTC has a pretty set number system; 40% GPA, 15% APFT (PFA for AF), a list of items that are checked of if completed, and then the Battalion ranking. This system is also used to determine if a cadet receives Active Duty or is forced Reserves. A 3.0 and Mediocre APFT would most likely not get Active Duty no matter what the Battalion ranking was.
It is interesting to see just how much weight is put on the Commander's ranking when it comes to EA slots. It's confusing to see some Tech majors with a 3.6 and high PFA not selected when some with much lower stats, non tech/rated selected. Seems the fate of most cadets rest almost soley in the Commanders hands.
You will lose your scholarship, the plus side is that the AF has not been asking for re-payment of the first two years of the scholarship, at least not yet.
With the results of EA's we were given a piece of paper that had the average stats as well as a note that said those not selected must be disenrolled, however it will be a non-investigative disenrollment. It also said that according to regulations they can ask for repayment, but historically they have not.
Has anyone else heard this? This could mean nobody could return as an AS500...
Not to mention Much Lower, better to take in the scenery.
I agree with mbitr, might be time to strike up a conversation with the AROTC Recruiting Officer at your school, I have a feeling they're about to be real busy so don't wait too long if you have an interest. Spots won't be unlimited.
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Your cadre are making you wait till Thursday too? Bummer, our cadre are doing the same thing. At least now I know we aren't going to be the only ones still waiting 2 days for now. We're all on pins and needles here too, Thursday is going to be a hard day to take. Getting sad just thinking about it, looking at the stats that have been posted it looks like I'm going to be saying goodbye to some good ROTC buddies, and my bestie is pretty close to that fence
...I may be too if a 3.1 tech isn't good enough anymore. This really sucks, especially if the option to come back as a 500 is out.Does dis-enrolled mean dropped from AFROTC completely? How is AS500 status granted?
Yes he will and after licking his wounds for a little bit - He 'll get right back up on that horse and do what he needs to do.
V/R
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Usually it's up to the det commander to decide who can come back as a 500, but if HQ is taking that decision away from commanders then there's nothing they can do. I haven't heard of this being the case, so maybe afrotc16's det commander has just personally decided not to bring anyone back. Hopefully HQ wouldn't take that option away, obviously though there can only be so many 500s and they have to have a strong chance of improving enough in a year to get an EA the next time around so not everyone could come back anyways.
Highflyer,
If you don't mind, what were your DS's stats?
If I were in your shoes I'd do the AS500 route and add a focus on western Chinese dialects to your Chinese major - you know - the kind that are spoken where western China meets SW Asia (the Stans). Very interesting region that will cause the Chinese a lot of trouble in the future. Someone who has a working knowledge of the region and its dialects would be very useful...
Look at AFROTCI 36-2011 (google it - it's a large PDF) section 8.14 (pgs. 146-147). I guess that's the official word about AS500's. I think it's up to the detachment to decide whether a cadet can continue but everything's been messed up this year - HQ could be telling everyone not to let anyone come back as AS500's for all I know. I think I might have misunderstood what the paper said (it was taken out of context from AFROTCI 36-2011).
FlyingWildcatDad
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My DS said that all the cadets at his Det that did not receive an EA had to sign a document that they were being disenrolled. No AS500 year option will be given this year:
I don't know if I know all the stats accurately. What stats are you looking for? He was ranked in top 5 of his AFROTC class, at one of largest Det's in country. Has very strong PFA scores, like 98. GPA suffered fall semester, was like a 2.7 in Aero Engineering, has considering a change of major, still tech, to get it up. Was Arnold Air Society and on training staff last fall. Also scored very well on the AFQT (?) like a 93. Make sense?
Guess I wasn't mistaken then. That's really too bad.
FlyingWildcatDad
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Not sure if this was Det specific or on a national level. Really sad though because it takes away another option from these unfortunate cadets.
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Not really, that your DS didn't get picked I mean. Any other year before this and your DS would have still had a pretty good shot. Many sub 3.0 tech majors got EAs last year. We had a cadet go with a ~2.6 cgpa, they were definitely top 5 with great AFOQT, Arnold Air, high PFA, actually they were aerospace engineering too. What sucks is that if your DS had went up for an EA just one year ago he would have been fine. I truly wish the best for you both.
Thanks for the nice comments, unfortunately he/we heard those same words 2 years ago when he did not get an appointment to the AFA. "any other year", it stings. Plus he's 5 hours away from us, so while we want to help him right now we are relegated to the phone. We appreciate your kind words.
I think chance for AS500 is Det specific. Just spoke with my DS and his Det told him that was an option for him.