USAFA Selection Night

I'd be curious to know how many of the cadets who chose rated and then "opted out" got one of their top 3 Non-rated career choices.

If it were me, my concern would be that turning down that slot could be a direct pipeline to one of the "less desirable" AFSC's such as missles...

I believe this is the first year that CSO, RPA etc. were considered part of the rated selection so the cadets this year wouldn't have any history to give them an idea how it is handled.
 
I am not sure why they would do that unless they never want to be a pilot.

Big Blue is pretty clear on the fact that if you turn it down you will NEVER be able to reapply for rated again.

If you get any of the other three, basically you have the chance, to apply for UPT later on.
~ IE CSO.
~~ UNT is 10 months, add on another year to get through SERE, water survival, and airframe training. 2 years operational.

That puts you at 26/27. Chances of graduating at the top of your UPT class are very high. Higher than right out of the gate. Every Strike Eagle WSO I know that strained, got either a Strike or a 16. UPT was also easier for them because they know how to study the BOLD, how to brief, mission plan and once selected for UPT, most pilots in the squadron would hand over the stick for them to practice whenever possible

Additionally, nobody knows if those that went down this path did so because their career desire or not physically qualified for pilot. Many go CSO because they do not meet the FC1 physical for vision, but do for CSO.
 
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This is not the first year that RPA/CSO/ABM were considered rated career fields, but it is the first year that you were required to go "all in", meaning if you applied for 1 rated career, you had to apply for all of them. As far as those that opted out, their non rated career assignment was done with every one else's. Opting out of a rated slot did not affect their non rated job. That was dependent on their BOM score and how they fell in the quartile system.
 
I am not sure why they would do that unless they never want to be a pilot.

Big Blue is pretty clear on the fact that if you turn it down you will NEVER be able to reapply for rated again.

If you get any of the other three, basically you have the chance, to apply for UPT later on.
~ IE CSO.
~~ UNT is 10 months, add on another year to get through SERE, water survival, and airframe training. 2 years operational.

That puts you at 26/27. Chances of graduating at the top of your UPT class are very high. Higher than right out of the gate. Every Strike Eagle WSO I know that strained, got either a Strike or a 16. UPT was also easier for them because they know how to study the BOLD, how to brief, mission plan and once selected for UPT, most pilots in the squadron would hand over the stick for them to practice whenever possible

Additionally, nobody knows if those that went down this path did so because their career desire or not physically qualified for pilot. Many go CSO because they do not meet the FC1 physical for vision, but do for CSO.

I wasn't aware that if they turned it down they could never be a pilot. I guess I "assume" that the vast majority of the cadets who opt rated want a pilot position and not one of the others. But this is just my assumption.

If they choose to go rated, do they then rank their choices within the rated field? For example if they want RPA they put that as first choice? I'd think this is how it would be handled as it does not make sense to give a pilot slot to someone who wants RPA and then give an RPA slot to someone who wanted pilot... But this is the military so thinking logical doesn't count....:biggrin:

Also do the cadets really enter the rated field BEFORE knowing if they are physically qualified to be a pilot? I'd think that if they wanted to go rated (pilot) they would then go through the flight physical. If they were not qualified then they could choose to either go rated and get one of the other 3 or just go Non-rated. This is like waiting until after appointments to the Academy are handed out before sending them to DODMERB to see if they qualify.....

My apologies if these are obvious questions but I'm just trying to get it all figured out.
 
This is not the first year that RPA/CSO/ABM were considered rated career fields, but it is the first year that you were required to go "all in", meaning if you applied for 1 rated career, you had to apply for all of them. As far as those that opted out, their non rated career assignment was done with every one else's. Opting out of a rated slot did not affect their non rated job. That was dependent on their BOM score and how they fell in the quartile system.

That's how I would hope it would be done and it is good to hear that is how it is. :thumb:
 
Also do the cadets really enter the rated field BEFORE knowing if they are physically qualified to be a pilot? I'd think that if they wanted to go rated (pilot) they would then go through the flight physical.
USAFA cadets know whether they are physically qualified for a pilot AFSC before the rated/non-rated selection process. I don't believe the same is true for the AFROTC rated selection board. Some USAFA cadets that do not meet the FC1 qualifications for pilot may still choose to become CSOs, ABMs or RPAs. Some cadets that DO meets the FC1 physical qualifications for pilot also choose a rated AFSC other than pilot.
 
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