HELP!

Air Force Academy or NAVY ROTC

  • AF

    Votes: 9 60.0%
  • NRTOC

    Votes: 6 40.0%

  • Total voters
    15

rd2849

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Messages
23
My son just got accepted into the Air Force Academy. While this is great news, his dream and goal is to become a Naval officer and get into the Naval Academy. (was rejected this year). My question is this. Does turning down appointment and choosing Plan B (ROTC at SDSU - non scholarship) and reapplying to the Naval Academy next year look negative to Admission board in any way shape or form? It will be hard to turn this great opportunity down.....It will be ultimately be his choice. Thanks for your feedback!
 
If I'm wrong someone please correct me, but as far as I know, the service academies do not coordinate to find out if candidates receive appointments to the other SAs. I do not believe USNA will know he was appointed (unless he tells them).

Tough decisions for you/him ahead - best wishes!
 
Bird in the hand. I would take the USAFA slot.

But, I don't think USNA would look at it negatively if you turn down a USAFA appointment (assuming they would even know). In fact, it could look favorable if you tell them. Your DS can say, "Hey, I want to go the Naval Academy so badly, I even turned down a USAFA appointment."
 
Bird in the hand. I would take the USAFA slot.

But, I don't think USNA would look at it negatively if you turn down a USAFA appointment (assuming they would even know). In fact, it could look favorable if you tell them. Your DS can say, "Hey, I want to go the Naval Academy so badly, I even turned down a USAFA appointment."
But that opens the question of why he even applied to USAFA if he didn't want it....
 
Voted nrotc based on his stated goal. Either USNA or NROTC will get him where he wants to go. USAFA, while a great option, will not fulfill his desired service selection. Maybe upon further reflection he'll decide the service academy experience, regardless of branch, is ultimately what he wants? Good luck.
 
Congratulations on Air Force. I agree with the Bird in Hand unless he is completely not interested in USAFA. Although he will have control over his GPA and test scores, one never knows how the nomination process will play out during another cycle. If he was nominated for USAFA and didn"t accept the appointment how does that look to the nominating board. Will they give him another slot this year?
 
He can always go to USAFA then cross commission to Navy after he graduates

May I recommend adjusting this to: He can always APPLY to cross-commission. A narrow path dependent on needs of the Navy and needs of the Air Force. It happens, but not in large numbers and no guarantees it can happen in a given year. It is an option, but a slender one.
 
May I recommend adjusting this to: He can always APPLY to cross-commission. A narrow path dependent on needs of the Navy and needs of the Air Force. It happens, but not in large numbers and no guarantees it can happen in a given year. It is an option, but a slender one.
Ahhh okay I've talked to several people about it and they make it seem likes it's not too hard to do
 
It is very, very hard to do, few and far between. As MJ said dependent upon the need of each service.
 
Ahhh okay I've talked to several people about it and they make it seem likes it's not too hard to do
Agreed - process is not hard, and if both services are fine with it, and only a few request it, it does work. That does not mean that will be the case in 4 years. Over the years, cross-commissions have cycled up and down. As long as the person can see themselves in career paths out of the SA they are at, if a cross-commission does not get approved, then all is well. People unhappy in their service and their warfare path can be poor officers, if they don't manage it well.
 
If his goal is to become a NAVAL OFFICER he should take the NROTC spot and reapply to USNA, no two ways about it. Of course, if he also wants to become an Air Force Officer, then by all means he should accept his USAFA appointment. Just make sure he doesn't accept the USAFA spot if he doesn't truly want to be an Air Force Officer. Sure, he could cross commission, but he would still be in the Air Force for 4 years.
 
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