How To Be Successful as an AS250

Lolz777

5-Year Member
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Oct 6, 2013
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So I was hoping some people could give me some tips on what I can do to succeed and stand out as an AS250. I know doing Arnold Air Society would be a good start and I plan on trying to do it. I know getting as high as a PFT as possible will help to as well as always being where you need to be and being on time. What other activities can I be involved in? I know my detachment does intramural sports so I will try to do that as well. Also, do detachments normally send out opportunities to volunteer or things of that nature? Basically what are some potential opportunities I should seek out to so that I am serious and get the attention of the officer who has to rank me? Should I hand out around the building as much as possible so they just see my face more?
 
I like your enthusiasm to get out there and do as much as possible but be weary of doing too much. You're not just being ranked on how good of a cadet you are, they're also going to be looking at your class grades. If your grades start to slip because you're doing too much it will negatively impact your FT aspirations. With that being said I know my detachment had a few volunteer opportunities, though they were more volun-told opportunities so no one really stood out for doing these things through the det. Don't just try to do well on your PFT, go for the 100 if you really want to stand out. Finally, if you do start hanging around the det, don't make it your go to spot for your downtime. Definitely spend some time talking with the cadre and getting your face known. But if you overdo it, the cadre might see it in a negative light. The cadre would always poke fun at a few of our cadets who never left the detachment. Good luck.
 
As an AS250 from last year, I will say that you have an uphill battle ahead of you. Going rated is definitely a massive plus, and you will need all the help you can get.

Most importantly, when it comes time to do your term review, you must treat it as an interview. Go in there and have questions ready to be asked, get to know the commander (or whom ever you review with). The biggest mistake is to give the impression that you're there just to be there. Ask about careers and how processes work.

Try and get involved in a lot of ECs. They want to see that you are diversified and are involved with the school. Sports are a huge advantage (at least my commander loved the athletes and would converse with them consistently) and and will help your PFA score.

Just know that they are looking at the whole package. A killer GPA won't do you any good if you are lacking in other areas. Just try to be a well rounded applicant.

Volunteering is always good but not required. I rarely volunteered due to my schedule of work and school. They understand.
 
I don't know which college you are at, but many of them will have other military organizations, so before you jump into the Arnie pool make sure you take a few seconds to see if you like the other pools better.
 
If you haven't sat down one on one with the detachment commander do so! Set up an appointment. Setting up an appointment yourself would increase your presence to the cadre and shows that you have genuine interest. Ask what the commander would like to see from you. Some commanders see Arnold Air Society as a boost to your ranking. Others see it as a nonfactor. Although some advocate for extra circulars concentrate on grades first. In my detachment you can be the Squadron Commander for AAS but if you have a 2.5 GPA it won't cut it. On the other hand you can do absolutely nothing except for LLAB and get a FT slot with a 3.7 GPA. Destroy the PFA. Outrun the fastest person in the Det during PT. Cadre usually like to see the new guys beating the POCs.
 
thanks for all the advice, I am going to try to go for rated so I know that will help but I am a non tech and as some of you know my GPA from west point was not to good. But I am hopeful. I was fully prepared to just go enlisted after leaving West Point, but my parents really wanted me to go to college so I am at least giving it a semester to see how it goes although I know I wont hear about SFT selection until next semester. To me at least, at the end of the day I dont really care if I am enlisted or an officer I just want to be in the military.
 
I am going to be brutally honest right now.

I am not sure that the I just want to serve in any branch and any rank in any position would be the position/perspective I would take, especially if you ask for rated.

Rated requires a gut wrenching year of academics and flying that makes any SA BCT/ C4C year look like middle school.

Please read raimius's blog on the AFA thread regarding UPT. It is 6 days a week studying, chair flying, and I mean 18 hours a day. The wash out rate is higher than WP. Much higher.
~ DS started with 28 at IFS, 21 completed and moved onto UPT. Started again with 28, and lost 25% before they tracked. Lost another 25% before they winged.
~~ IOWS it is a beaacchhh of a year.

Your commitment for rated is concurrent with AFROTC, but realize for rated the clock starts the minute you wing.
~ Commission in May 16, start UPT the following March 17. The clock starts @ April 2018.
~~ The clock for any ROTC grad be it rated or non-rated doesn't start until they have reported to their their 1st base. That can take up to a year.
~~~ You bust UPT/UNT/RPA/ABM and they have the option to say good bye forever!

You place rated on that sheet, than you accept the fact that you have to go rated if selected.

Sorry, but that last post gave me the :eek: You are doing this for your folks, and not because you want to be an AF rated officer?

I mean this with the utmost kindness, but if your CoC is a rated officer, they would see through this and I am not sure they would rank you very highly if you said the same thing to their face.
~ CoC is a huge chunk for SFT selection.
 
After the bloodbath this year in the FT selection process, I would definitely take to heart 3 words: Academics, Academics, Academics. Followed by PFA, attitude, and demonstrated leadership. You may not have a lot of extra time around the det - just make sure that it's QUALITY time though. Do what you can and do it well. You really need to convince the cadre that you WANT to be there as Pima pointed out and you need to stand-out among the other 200's to get that FT slot - not as a self promoting type, but as a mature, dedicated, and contributing cadet with great leadership skills.

Good Luck!

:thumb:
 
Romad brings up a good point.

Show maturity by limiting the amount of tines you say I. Replace it with WE. You will be a successful officer when you realize everything you do is part of team, especially in the rated world.

My DS spent many nights at UPT with his classmates studying as a team. If one student was having trouble, the others would be there to help them over the hurdle.

My DH, Bullet was someone that pounded into our DS's cranium that to get a jet up into the air for a mission it was teamwork that started with the A1C in maintenance working on the plane or the guy in ammo loading weapons, to the guy in weather, to the guy in Intel and to the guy in the tower. Without them he wouldn't have been able to complete the mission.
~ He didn't actually pound it in his cranium, he led by example and DS saw his Dad show respect and appreciation to all of those that served with him everyday. He didn't wear his rank or the fact he was rated.
 
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