tabuc,
tabuc said:
He was told by his Captain that he could get a waiver from the commander if doesn't meet weight/body fat requirment by December, but it would ruin his chances for getting a scholarship, and hurt his chances for getting commission spot??
That is what I was saying in my first response to your post. If he gets a waiver for next semester, it may impact him regarding SFT and this fact is being used as a motivation. i.e. " I understand the fear and concern, but also realize that the unit is probably setting the bar for 1 yr from now...SFT selection."
Leave the scholarship alone for a second, and the commissioning aspect too.
tabuc said:
doesn't need to decide to commit until summer after his sophomore year
As a C200 they meet an EA/SFT board. Their packages are submitted right after fall semester sophomore yr. He can leave May 2014, but the command is making their decision regarding support way before that. I bet my beloved Myrtle right now every AFROTC command is starting to rack and stack their C200's for SFT. It is Oct 1st. 4-6 weeks into the fall semester, but still they are now looking at them very seriously in every aspect for the boards.
If he is not selected for SFT, there is no C300 aka POC. There is NO commissioning. Basically come May 2014 it could be over with AFROTC because he was not selected. They made the commitment decision for him. In this case he didn't make the decision.
I get the scholarship and how it impacts your family financially, but the bigger pic is SFT selection.
AROTC does not have that critical MUST attend SFT in the summer of their rising jr., otherwise they can be dis-enrolled. It is mixing apples with oranges. Just like AROTC does not guarantee AD and the AF does for 100% of AFROTC cadets.
I understand he is a great student, I get your perspective, but now let's do some reality checks.
SFT ranking is part of their OML when it comes to their career field assignments. It is a good chunk of the score, more than their cgpa.
PT scores are part of their SFT ranking. They are awarded points for DG, top 1, 10, 20, 30, 50 and below 50% for SFT.
They have a legitimate worry and stress this issue to him, because as I stated before our DS was told do not lose weight or they will turn you back at SFT. DS went Max6, which was @ 2 1/2 months after school ending. They are worried that when they select him, send him home for the summer, he won't be doing PT 2-3 times a week and his weight will crop up again to the pt when he hits Maxwell, he is above the weight limit and even taping him he doesn't meet the requirements. OBTW that will also be their concern come next fall if they award him a scholarship. Will he be able to contract?
They selected him. They paid for his airfare and per diem. Gave him uniforms for SFT, etc. They have spent manpower hours regarding submitting board packages, board decisions, cutting orders, and transit, all for what? For him to be sent back the day he arrived due to his weight.
They still have an ADAF manpower need for 16, and they are predicting their goals on SFT for AFROTC.
Like I said Army does not mandate every cadet go through this type of program as a rising jr. They do not mandate that every AROTC cadet go ADA. They have other routes for AROTC cadets upon commissioning that AFROTC does not.