Yes, in short AFMPC has decided that the AFSC code for CSO/ABM is undermanned.
Yes, by taking the scholarship and guaranteeing like nursing they will go either CSO or ABM, they will be protected in a way like nursing. They meet the stds of cgpa, pft, and CoC rec it is basically 100% guarantee they will get SFT and commission.
No guarantee they won't bust IFS or UNT, but it is their way to bump up the numbers for UNT and ABM.
Finally, this should not strike you odd at all. AF and AFROTC always has a 5 yr manpower goal. They are saying we don't have enough coming down the pipeline starting with 16.
Bullet was a F15E WSO aka now CSO, as an O4 with 15 yrs in, they gave him a 6 figure bonus pay because they were so short of CSOs in his gate yrs.
That is what they are seeing now, they are short for 16, and 17 when it comes to rated CSO and ABM.
It goes much deeper because pilot and RPA for AFROTC are part of that too, but it is their way to fill all 4 rated options.
OBTW, if you look back at eagleman''s post only 30% took the CSO/ABM, scholarship. They are still the minority of the scholarships awarded to their det when it comes to 100's.
Just remember, that their det must be huge to get that amount, esp. when you add in HSSP recipients. It is not the number that matters it is the % of the cadets. 12 out of 125 cadets is 10%. If you have only 20 cadets, it is different.