So it was a cadet that told him this fallacy?
Makes even more sense now. I wouldn't tell him to ask anyone in the know for many reasons.
1. I am assuming he is a C100.
Even if this was true for the 300's this yr up for rated, nobody knows what manpower needs will be in 2 yrs. No ROTC instructor would say yea or nay knowing the budget constraints every branch is facing currently.
2. If it were true, every cadet at an SMC like TAMU, VT would run for the hills. These schools have tons of engineering majors. Add in colleges like ERAU, PSU, UMich and more would leave.
3. The reality behind this idea is actually silly.
Yes, the AF needs EE's, but in day to day life as an O1 EE they will not be designing the 35. That is left to Lockheed employees who work hand in hand with O5s. Officers with Masters degrees.
An EE O1 will be sent to a base and maybe in charge of anything from maintenance to communication squadrons.
The AF is not about to hand over multi-million dollar assets for design purposes to a 22 yo.
The way this may have found a life of it's own, is somewhere along the line some of the engineers decided they wanted to do ED, but if they took ED they risked not getting UPT. Thus, it warped into the AF forced them into this path because they were EE. The AF didn't force them, the cadet chose the path.
The only 2 fields that UPT may not be an option IMPO are:
1. Nursing if they sent you on a nursing scholarship.
2. Foreign languages if you are on a foreign language majors scholarship.
Both are critically under manned personnel wise, and the AF paid for you to get an education in that field, not to be a pilot.
At our DS's college, one Foreign language major, Persian, has been told they will not get command support for the rated board because of this major.
The cadet is upset, I get it. His position is that he would be an asset in the flying community due to his major.
However, the AF's position is going to be that he is more of an asset in the Intel community due to his major. Not every Intel officer will speak fluent Farsi, but he will.
Upside, he will go far and do it fast because it is a critically under manned field.
Becareful of your major selection, because it can change fast due to the needs of the AF. You are not Pilot Juliekad. You are 1st Lt. Juliekad. Always remember the words service before self.