Future airmen parent with ?'s about education

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jimmyjimmyv

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Hello, my son, junior in HS, will probably be enlisting with DEP here soon. We've talked with the recruiter, but I have a question that I've tried learning on my own, but no luck so far. My son's first choice for careers would be a pilot: plane, UAV, helicopter, etc. My question is about trying for a job that requires one to be an officer. I guess my challenge is that I don't fully understand the progression an enlisted airmen goes through on the way to their career choice.

This next bit is full of assumptions, so feel free to correct me. The way I understand the progression from enlisted airman to officer is; BMT to, Tech School to, next duty station (training for your specialty?) to, the job.

1 - If one needs to have a bachelor's degree to get into OTS, where, in this timeline, would you take classes to earn a degree?
2 - The recruiter spoke to us about gaining college credits during Tech School; how much credit is earned towards a bachelor's degree?
3 - I've read about a program, "Air Force Rated Preparatory Program" that, as of last year, was accepting enlisted airmen. Is this for any airmen, or for airmen with degrees already?
 
If your son wants to be a pilot tell him not to enlist. If. He wants to become a pilot he will need a bachelors degree as you mentioned.

About half the available pilot slots in a given year are given to graduates of the United States Air Force Academy which confers a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation. You can read all about that in the USAFA section of this forum. Most of the rest of the slots are given to Air Force ROTC graduates who participate in AFROTC at many colleges around the US during the time they are earning their degree. A small percentage of the slots go to Air Force Officer Training School graduates. This program is for those who already have a bachelors degree before deciding to try for a pilot slot.

If your son enlists he will be expected to fulfill his contract and go to Basic, tech school, and then perform his job in the Air Force. I believe the credits from tech school only counts towards an Associate degree from CCAF. He would be working for his bachelors degree on his own time while keeping up with his enlisted job. While there are some opportunities to apply to become an officer from the enlisted ranks, it is a hard road and not many make it.

The enlisted pilot programs were very small in scope and I believe they are no longer active. They were small trials to see what would happen.

To me it sounds like your son’s recruiter is trying to get him to enlist and not looking out for his best interest in becoming an AF pilot. There are different recruiters for officers. Read around these forums and ask lots of questions before he signs anything.

Stealth_81
 
Steakth_81, thanks so much for the answers and advice. I should've said in my post that AFROTC and the academy are most likely off the table considering my son's lackluster HS GPA and poor SAT scores. Joining the AF is a relatively new decision for him, so he didn't really take care of his grades, but we were hoping to make an end-run around those aspects. We'll have to keep researching. I guess it will come down to how badly he wants it. For now, here's settled on RPA sensor operator, he just needs to find a few more in case he doesn't end up with that one.. Thanks again.
 
jimmyjimmyv said:
Steakth_81, thanks so much for the answers and advice. I should've said in my post that AFROTC and the academy are most likely off the table considering my son's lackluster HS GPA and poor SAT scores. Joining the AF is a relatively new decision for him, so he didn't really take care of his grades, but we were hoping to make an end-run around those aspects. We'll have to keep researching. I guess it will come down to how badly he wants it. For now, here's settled on RPA sensor operator, he just needs to find a few more in case he doesn't end up with that one.. Thanks again.
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Never give up! Tell him to get those grades pointed upwards and read all the posts here about commissioning sources. He could apply for an AFROTC scholarship and even if he doesn’t get one he can join without it and earn one his second year. It’s not too late.

Best of luck to him!

Stealth_81
 
StPaulDad, Thanks for bringing up another option, but I would imagine, even though he hasn't had this idea for a long time, he has his heart involved now with the AF, and contemplating a different branch would feel like settling, but we will talk it over and research what you've proposed.
 
If your son wants to be a pilot advise him not to enlist. It sounds alike the recruiter is just trying to get your son to enlist for his quota. Of course that’s a little bit of a rash assumption to make, but if your son wants to be a pilot his best shot is to earn a bachelors degrees then shoot for OTS.
jimmyjimmyv said:
Hello, my son, junior in HS, will probably be enlisting with DEP here soon. We've talked with the recruiter, but I have a question that I've tried learning on my own, but no luck so far. My son's first choice for careers would be a pilot: plane, UAV, helicopter, etc. My question is about trying for a job that requires one to be an officer. I guess my challenge is that I don't fully understand the progression an enlisted airmen goes through on the way to their career choice.

This next bit is full of assumptions, so feel free to correct me. The way I understand the progression from enlisted airman to officer is; BMT to, Tech School to, next duty station (training for your specialty?) to, the job.

1 - If one needs to have a bachelor's degree to get into OTS, where, in this timeline, would you take classes to earn a degree?
2 - The recruiter spoke to us about gaining college credits during Tech School; how much credit is earned towards a bachelor's degree?
3 - I've read about a program, "Air Force Rated Preparatory Program" that, as of last year, was accepting enlisted airmen. Is this for any airmen, or for airmen with degrees already?
Click to expand...
 
jimmyjimmyv said:
Hello, my son, junior in HS, will probably be enlisting with DEP here soon. We've talked with the recruiter, but I have a question that I've tried learning on my own, but no luck so far. My son's first choice for careers would be a pilot: plane, UAV, helicopter, etc. My question is about trying for a job that requires one to be an officer. I guess my challenge is that I don't fully understand the progression an enlisted airmen goes through on the way to their career choice.

This next bit is full of assumptions, so feel free to correct me. The way I understand the progression from enlisted airman to officer is; BMT to, Tech School to, next duty station (training for your specialty?) to, the job.

1 - If one needs to have a bachelor's degree to get into OTS, where, in this timeline, would you take classes to earn a degree?
2 - The recruiter spoke to us about gaining college credits during Tech School; how much credit is earned towards a bachelor's degree?
3 - I've read about a program, "Air Force Rated Preparatory Program" that, as of last year, was accepting enlisted airmen. Is this for any airmen, or for airmen with degrees already?
Click to expand...
Hello, I know you speak of your son's lower than average grades but I would still encourage him to apply to the Air Force Academy when the time comes for him. The worst they can say is no, right? The academy offers prep school and the Falcon Foundation Scholarship to help future cadets sharpen their academics for a year. If he does well on the CFA, and submits a good application, you never know. You said your son is a junior, that is another year to bring up test scores (COVID allowing).
 
Flyer1700 said:
If your son wants to be a pilot advise him not to enlist. It sounds alike the recruiter is just trying to get your son to enlist for his quota. Of course that’s a little bit of a rash assumption to make, but if your son wants to be a pilot his best shot is to earn a bachelors degrees then shoot for OTS.
Click to expand...
Recruiter’s quota “mission” is intense. If DS is competitive academically, athletic, leadership experience... should apply for AFA, AFROTC.
 
My own DS #2 may end up with questionable SAT scores. Our Plan D, if he does not get into the college of his choice right our of HS is: community college, then transfer to four year university with either NROTC or AFROTC, then be a great cadet and win a scholarship. I believe that it IS possible to work your way back from lackluster performance in H.S. But as Stealth 81 said, don't enlist unless you are prepared to do your assigned job and realize it is unlikely you will ever get a pilot slot by going the enlisted route.

P.S. - My DS #1 has no interest in the military. He barely graduated H.S. He went to community college and then transferred to a very respectable four year State University with approximately 60 credits. If he can do it, ANYONE can. Our local State U, which has NROTC, allows transfer applications with only 12 credits from community college, so one could still do the full NROTC program after transfer. Community college would be like a prep. year.
 
Has your son considered the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard? He could do his enlisted job part-time, go to a community college to get his grades up with tuition assistance, and then apply for a 4-year school and earn his degree. He could then apply to his unit for a pilot slot and fly with them. Lots of options out there. Like the other posters said, make sure he does his research. Not every recruiter has an applicants best interests in mind, unfortunately.
 
even with bad grades/sat scores, you can still work to get into a college that has AFROTC or NROTC if you want to become a pilot. you can start college with a clean slate, and join the ROTC unit as a non scholarship cadet or mid.

after the first year, if you do well, you can earn a 3 year scholarship. even if you don't you can earn 'advanced standing' in NROTC (not sure what the equivalent is for AF) which pays you a stipend and allows to to commission when you graduate.

as others have said, if he wants to be a pilot then he should not enlist out of HS. rather, he should go to college and pursue a commission. there are many paths to become an officer, and low grades in HS does not close the doors

best of luck
 
Joining the AF is a relatively new decision for him, so he didn't really take care of his grades, but we were hoping to make an end-run around those aspects.
 
dfksdklfsd said:
Joining the AF is a relatively new decision for him, so he didn't really take care of his grades, but we were hoping to make an end-run around those aspects.
Click to expand...
My son is in his second year at a community college and just decided to join ROTC when he transfers. I spoke with the recruiter at our local university and we filled out the paper work immediately and and the ball is rolling for next year. My son didn’t do well in high school but really stepped in up in community college. So this is a good path too.
 
Community colleges are great places to do a restart. Hit the ground running and get the GPA up.

Discount knowledge at the junior college.
 
My DS has a friend who just joined an AFROTC unit as a college programmer at a State University while she is still a student at a cross-town community college. I don’t know how common these types of junior college affiliates are, but they do exist. She expects to be transferring to the State U next semester.
 
My DS has not thus far been interested in the Air Force, so I never before looked into the availability of cross-town affiliates until just now. I just learned that the host AFROTC unit at the State U in my town has cross-town affiliates at just about all the junior colleges in the area. So, the junior college route would be a good way to redeem oneself after a poor high school record for anyone interested in the Air Force.
 
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