Grass Roots Event Candidate Participation

FutCandMom

5-Year Member
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Mar 22, 2011
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Could I please get a little insight from someone. DS will be attending the Grass Roots Event in DC as a candidate next week. What exactly is the standard format? Should he be there from beginning to end, or is it Open House timing? Is dress casual, or, if he is AFJROTC, should he be wearing his uniform? Is this an opportunity to bring an updated resume? Any particulars would be appreciated.
 
this is the schedule of events sent to my son; there will be a few USAFA cadets there

1845 Candidates, Cadets, ALOs, and guest speakers beging to arrive
1900 Welcome/Introductions - Colonel John Burling, Area 462 LOD
1905 Guest Speaker - Lt Gen (Ret) Dunn, President AFA
1920 John Wagner, President, USAFA NCR Parents Association
1930 Ann Potocnak, Staff Assistant to Congressman Wolf
1940 Cadet Briefings on life at USAFA
1955 Open Floor for Q & A
2015 Breakout for one-on-one Q&A
2100 Program finished
2130 AFA closes; Garage secured for evening


personally I would say no to the JROTC uniform
 
For others interested in the "Grass Roots Program", it varies town to town. My son (Cadet C1C) will be doing the grass roots in our town on Monday. (He has to be back for class by tuesday). This is his 3rd time doing it. He will be visiting 3 high schools in our town. Each high school will have him there for about and hour and a half. I, along with another ALO will also go to these 3 schools with him. Basically Q&A for those juniors and sophomores interested in the academy. The academy has given my son handouts and trinkets for him to give out. He will basically tell them anything they want to know about the academy from a cadet's perspective. Life there; classes; food; activities; careers; etc... He'll also give some insight on the application process. I and the other ALO will be there to talk about the selection process; nominations; air force in general; etc...

Some schools/states make it a big event. An expo if you will. Areas like here in Wyoming are a lot smaller. There will probably be about a dozen interested individuals at each school. That's why it varies for each state/district/etc... If your son/daughter is interested in going to the grass roots program to learn about the academy and air force, just come as you are. There's no need to be in your JrROTC, CAP, etc... uniform. And while I can't speak for other states/districts, I can tell you that I won't be taking resumes or anything like that from any interested individuals. I'll be more than happy to counsel them if they want to know if their grades, classes, ec, sports, etc... are on track for a competitive application. I'll help them with some decisions on next year's schedules and activities. But an ALO isn't the "Review Board". Our interview with an applicant could definitely stop them from receiving an appointment if they were incompatible with military life; but we have absolutely no say on who receives an appointment and who doesn't. Although, in many states, ALO's do assist the MOC's on their review boards for who should receive a nomination.

But again; just go as you are. It's not really going to get you any points a year from now when you're applying, because you wore a JrROTC uniform to a grass roots forum. Most ALO's in large areas with a lot of applicants, might not even remember you a year from now. That's not to say that they/we don't care, just that at a grass roots, we're trying to instill interest and answer questions for a lot of individuals all at the same time. Definitely go to the forum. It's great having an actual cadet there.They will tell you the straight up truth of their perspective. The academies have more than enough qualified applicants. They don't need to recruit. The choose cadets for the grass roots program who have been successful at the academy, but allow them to tell you the facts. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. ALO's are too far removed from the academy to give you a modern and accurate perspective about actual life there. (We're OLD!!!). So it's definitely your chance to hear about the discipline, GREAT food, classes, career opportunities, education, etc... It's definitely worth going to. Best of luck. Mike....
 
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