Field Training Questions

[zachcleigh]

Hello,
I will be participating in AROTC starting the fall semester of 2016. I have been reading every possible source I can find on ROTC life, the school I plan on attending, OML and how it effects commissioning, etc. One thing that really intrigues me are the summer training exercises (assuming I have the right lingo..). When I read around I have been getting a lot of mixed information on these training. I have read about airborne and air assault which both interest me, as does CULP. so the few questions I have are:

1. How are spots are given out for airborne assault and airborne? Are a certain number of slots given to each battalion or are they awarded at the national level or a mix of both? how competitive are they to obtain a slot?

2. Is SFAS actually an available training session? I've read that a few west point cadets get the chance to go annually, but I've also read the opposite. If it is available, can ROTC cadets attend it as well?

3. Is sapper school an available training session? how competitive is that to obtain?


My school's unit will be extremely small. Probably no larger than 25 cadets, so I'm trying to understand how that plays into the possibilities for summer trainings.

Thank-you in advance

 

[Jcc123]

In a nutshell - airborne and air assault slots are given to each school by the brigade, and the school gives it to cadets based on an internal OML or some other voodoo system of determining who gets it.

CULP is based on a national application and any contracted cadet can apply. Application opens in the fall, slots are awarded around Dec/Jan.

SFAS, if still available, is WP only.

Other schools come up on occasion - such as CDQC (combat dive) and Mountain Warfare. Slots are normally extremely limited - like 7-8 for all of ROTC. If you're interested, the best thing to do is let your cadre know early, work out and prepare so you're ready to snag a spot if one comes available.

 

[AROTC-dad]

+1 Jcc123

Don't forget CIET will likely be required for all cadets who are contracted in the summer following their MS-I year and CLC (replaces LDAC) during another summer prior to commissioning.


Here is a good summary of summer AROTC programs from Central Washington University:
https://www.cwu.edu/army/cadet-training