AFROTC Disenrollment

bob

5-Year Member
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Feb 3, 2013
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2
I am currently an AS 200 wanting to dis-enroll from AFROTC. I am on a 4 yr type 7 scholarship. I will wait until we find out if we get EAs for field training because it is my understanding that if I don't get one I will be able to drop with no penalty. However, if I do get an EA for field training and wish to decline it, what exactly are the penalties? It is my understanding that I will either have to pay back the money or be forced to enlist. Do I have a choice? I would prefer just to pay back the money but I don't have thousands of dollars lying around to pay back immediately. Am I able to make payments over time with interest or something? Thank you for the help
 
I am sure they work out some type of payment plan with interest. They are not that cruel.
 
They will give you a payment plan and it will have interest.

They typically will determine the option offered. I will say because of the budget issues and AF having enough personnel it is highly unlikely they will make you enlist.
 
I am currently an AS 200 wanting to dis-enroll from AFROTC. I am on a 4 yr type 7 scholarship. I will wait until we find out if we get EAs for field training because it is my understanding that if I don't get one I will be able to drop with no penalty. However, if I do get an EA for field training and wish to decline it, what exactly are the penalties? It is my understanding that I will either have to pay back the money or be forced to enlist. Do I have a choice? I would prefer just to pay back the money but I don't have thousands of dollars lying around to pay back immediately. Am I able to make payments over time with interest or something? Thank you for the help

I agree that its unlikely they would make you enlist. However it is a possibility and I know people who've had to do it. Keep in mind that they won't let you make the decision on enlisting vs. re-payment. That decision will be made at the Holm Center down at Maxwell and they'll base it on a lot of factors, like your Det/CC's recommendation, your ability to re-pay the scholarship, and the needs of the AF. Good luck, I hope it works out for you.
 
nick brings up a good point if that major is in a field they consider critical manning they may say you will enlist.
 
Alright thanks for the info. I guess I will just hope I don't get selected for field training but if I do i might as well stick it out and try to commission rather then take the chance of having to enlist.
 
Have you talked to your adviser?

They are going to be able to assist you more than anyone else here.

Was this long time coming in regards to wanting to leave, or is it the thought of reality hitting you?

Is there something in particular that isn't fitting/sitting well with you? I.E. Reality and what you expected don't match up? If so, please remember AFROTC life is not identical ADAF. You will not be doing PT as an ADAF O1.

Or is it the career path you thought you would go into no longer appeals to you? If so have you talked to your adviser about other career paths?

Have you discussed this with your parents? Some cadets try to sort this out on their own before talking to the folks. The fact is 18K+ means financially finding that shortfall AND repaying the debt already owed.

In no means, way, shape or form am I saying stay. I am saying that if you need the scholarship to stay at the school, talk to folks about how you will be able to pay that amount. Can they co-sign a student loan?

I don't know your stats, and honestly if you have only maintained a 2.5 cgpa (scholarship min), the fact is it is highly unlikely you will get an SFT slot.

If you decide to stay the course please heed these 2 pieces of advice:

Your SFT ranking will be part of your OML for AFSC. Give 110% because now when you meet that board a yr later, it can be the difference of getting your 1st choice AFSC or the bottom choice.

FYI, I don't know if for non-rated the OML impacts base assignment. Nick4060 can probably answer that. I know for rated, at least as it has been explained to me, it impacts your class start date.

TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN. Mid July in Alabama can be 100 degrees with 95% humidity. Running in those conditions can feel like your lungs are on fire. PFT is part of the score.

Heck June and August aren't pretty either especially if you are from Maine! If you don't live in the South it can take a while to acclimate to the heat/humidity.

OBTW also remember how the system works for AFROTC grads...you could wait @ 6-9 months to report. AFA grads go 1st. Your buh-bye date is not commission, but report. IOTW 4 yrs+. Now if they ship you off to AK or Germany 1st tour, you might have a problem. The assignment would be @2 yrs., and because you still owe time, it won't be non-vol. That means they can send you back stateside to TX for 3 yrs. Now you are at 5 1/2 yrs. Meanwhile you take your last TA at the 3 yr marker. It runs concurrent, but still it is 3 yrs pay back, so you are at 6. We are again at a new problem. They can PCS you at 4 yrs 10 mos.. you don't have a non-vol option since it is more than 1 yr. , so you move again this time to Florida for 3 yrs. You are now at 9.

You want to return home to CA. Hard to interview from Florida. You are now 31/32, married with a child. Do you leave that safe paycheck?

Life has a funny way of getting in the way! What is that old cliche? People plan, God laughs!

I know this comes from AROTC, but something you might want to think about because it illustrates what I am trying to say.

mbitr said:
And its very easy to get sidetracked this way. I should know, it happened to me. I left college after a year to enlist thinking I'd be back and in a year I'd sign an SMP contract. Six months after finishing BCT/AIT I was in Iraq. I'm back now, five years, a wife and two children, and three years of active duty enlisted time later. I'm not saying it won't work out perfectly for your son but a lot of the things mentioned in this thread are risks a nineteen year old really isn't going to be able to grasp.
http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=30255&page=2

He was 19, your age. I think you need to also realize leaving 4 yrs after the day you commission is not easy. Are you ready for it?
 
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