First you don't need to inform them of your career field for many yrs. Actually for class of 13 they are changing it to not declaring AFSC until fall of their sr. yr(400). For previous yrs as a C300 in the fall you start the process of applying for rated fields, you found out in Feb jr yr for rated. Rated go 1st because if you don't get it you will go non-rated, so they need to clear those cadets out 1st.
IF you are selected for rated, they will then send you TDY to Wright Pat for 3 days. It is an 8 hour medical exam. Makes this DodMERB seem like a sports physical. They will do everything from eyes to EEGs to dental.
If you fail the test you will be re-examined for a higher test to determine where you stand.
If at this point right now you think you may have an eye issue, I would strongly suggest you go to a doc now, and pay on your own dime. Here's the thing, remember if you use military insurance this will be a part of your permanent records. I am not saying hide anything, I am saying that sometimes just the way the results are written can raise a flag, which will initiate the process of further testing/investigating. If you are color blind in any manner, at least you can than start the process of getting referrals from docs that are DodMERB qualified stating it is not an issue, no need for waivers.
Since your Dad is military, I would suggest that you contact the flight surgeon and discuss this with them. Flight Docs have a huge book of what is DQ. Have them administer the test. If your Dad is retired and you need to go general med., go private. No offense to general med practitioners, but since they don't deal with fliers the DQ issue is not something they deal with for fliers. I.E. that is why a flight doc won't write allergies when a kid comes in with the sniffles in April, because they know in yrs to come that may be a DQ issue, when in essence all it is hay fever.
Not for the medical/dental question. I am sure your Dad has informed you of this, but that path is very very hard. The problem is you have to fight for that spot, and the AF would prefer you to go AD 1st. They do exist, but honestly, as rare as getting a fighter in the AF is, getting med. school is rarer.
Use ROTC classes as an example.
Your det class of 15 may start with 50 cadets, 10 of them scholarship. By the time you graduate you may be down to 30. Out of that maybe 8 will get rated, 6 of them UPT. Out of those 6 statistically not even 1 would get a fighter (10% out of UPT get fighters). Thus, it is 1% get fighters out of your class, and I am saying going to med school is less than that.
The other problem for at least dental, is the dental corps has greatly been reduced. Gone are the days that every base had only AD dentists, now many are contracted civilians. Our neighbor across the street works on base, he is a contracted dentist.
The same is true for docs. Yrs ago I gave birth to my kids on base, now that doesn't exist. Yrs ago there was an ER, now you go to the hospital in your town if it is after 4:30 pm and before 7 a.m.. Again, this is why the competition is so high for med school.
Finally, you should just believe in that dream and use it as a motivator to do well in ROTC. You have many hurdles to clear in the next 3 yrs.
1. Good grades...aim for over 3.2 if you want UPT, higher if you are non-tech.
2. Good PFA scores... aim for 97+
3. Jobs in the det.
4. Join military organizations, volunteer, in other words be involved. Just like the scholarship they want the well rounded cadet, not the book smart cadet.
5. Do well on the AFOQT
6. Get SFT, and graduate in the top 10%, 1/3 at worst
7. Score well on the TBAS
8. If you want rated and can afford it get your PPL, or at least try to solo. Those hours are added into your TBAS score.
If you do all of that you should be in good shape for UPT.
Your biggest hurdle to aim for right now is SFT. This yr @50% of 200's were not selected. If you don't go to SFT you can't become a 300, and your scholarship may be revoked. They do not take scholarships into consideration when awarding points. There were cadets at our DS's school that were scholarship that didn't get a slot. LOOK at list of what to do.
This may seem entirely negative, I prefer to say I give the facts that are unvarnished.
Also, as an incoming cadet, my very best piece of advice:
You will be fine academically for ROTC...1st semester tests start off with the basics like where do you go to get a military i.d.? It is a semester filled with info you have lived for your entire life which you take as fact, including how to salute, when to salute, how to determine rank, etc.
Since you have that under your belt. Spend the summer working out so you can max the PFT in September. Practice that PFA to the true form, do it in all types of weather at different hours, including 6 am.
For DS's det. they also love to put them through butterfly kicks, and 1 arm push ups (side variation).
If you can max that PFT, and because you know AF life you will be sitting prettier than most cadets. If you can't max the PFT and they know you are a military dependent it won't look too good.
Dets can be large in size, and as a C100 you want to have them connect your name with your face in a positive manner as soon as possible. The longer it takes them to know who you are, the harder it will be to distinguish yourself.
Good luck.
