Afrotc - fsu

[Okayle]

Hey everyone, I've been reading a lot about the ROTC here on the forums. It's about time I post something : )

So I'm a transferring student from my community college.

I have a 3.0 GPA and I'm a PSYCH major. Obviously a non-tech major.

I'm transferring to FSU for the Spring of 2012 semester.

I've always had the Air Force on my mind, I wanted to join since graduating high school, but never got around to it.

Obviously years have gone by, I'm now 22 years old, and I really need to do something with my life. I want to join the AFROTC program next year at FSU.

My concern though is that as a non-tech major, I will not be selected for FT during my years in the program.

I understand about the

PFA
AFOQT
Medical Physical
Height/Weight check
GPA

according to the recruiter I'm talking to right now. Although he didn't mention anything else, regarding the difficulty of being accepted and not. He did mention that I have a 50/50 chance of being selected for FT. However; what can I do as a non-tech major to up my chances of being selected?

I've yet to choose a minor, but I'd like do something along the lines of International Affairs.

I know I can work on my GPA to be higher, that's a must of course.

Also, according to my recruiter I need to stay an extra year in my BA program. I need at least 3 years of academics in the AFROTC, my biggest concern and fear as you can see is spending all of this time, and still failing. So I'm looking at 2015 graduating instead of ending of 2013.

I guess what I'm asking is for some advice, suggestions, on how I should go about this.

I'm really extremely interested in working for the Air Force. I've always fantasize about it, but I want to bring it to reality.

 

[Pima]

Here's the truth as I see it.

You need to talk to the FSU AFROTC commander.

You are not looking to go scholarship, you are looking to be commissioned via ROTC.

HOWEVER, you cannot be commissioned from ROTC without attending SFT. A 3.0 at FSU may be high enough to get the opportunity, but it also may be too low.

The FSU commander can tell you what your realistic options are. I can tell you for our DS's college 3.2 is the min for a non-tech. SFT takes 1st sem. grades of sophs, you would have to pull something near a 3.6 for that one semester to get the cgpa of a 3.2. (3.0 1st sem fresh, 3.0 2nd sem. fresh, 3.6 1st soph = 3.2)

Have you started to study for the AFOQT? They will sub the SAT for the AFOQT if you haven't taken it, but you need to determine if that is what you feel is the best for you.

SFT is in the 55% range nationally, just to give you a ball park of chancing.

Additionally, understand it isn't over if you don't go ROTC, you still have OCS.

Talk to the FSU Commander, be honest. He/She is an AD officer and can tell you honestly that maybe graduating in 13 is better than 15 and chancing it, esp. since you are 22 currently.

Recruiters are enlisted, and do not live in the world of future officers. Their job is not to recruit officers, but enlisted. I mean no offense to them, I am just saying that the officer world is not their specialty. The AFROTC CC for your purpose is in charge of one of the ways to become an officer because you intend to go FSU AFROTC. They know the ins and outs. They are your "GO TO" for guidance.

Contact them. They are always more than happy to meet future cadets, and discuss options. They won't sell you BS just to get you because their performance evaluation involves things like how many cadets enter and how many get commissioned, or percentage of their cadets that go SFT compared to the nation. Their promotion career, and the officers that report to them are invested in getting the best candidates for their det. Taking you with no shot in Hades for SFT only hurts their stats. Taking you with a shot helps!

Good luck.

 

[becksgirl]

Recruiters are enlisted, and do not live in the world of future officers. Their job is not to recruit officers, but enlisted. I mean no offense to them, I am just saying that the officer world is not their specialty. The AFROTC CC for your purpose is in charge of one of the ways to become an officer because you intend to go FSU AFROTC. They know the ins and outs. They are your "GO TO" for guidance.

My husband works in ROTC, was originally the recruiter and he is an officer as is the one who took over for him. I'm not sure what AFROTC Det you are talking about that has enlisted people doing the recruiting, but as far as I know I haven't heard of any.

 

[Pima]

becksgirl,

The OP stated he is at a CC, did not state he talked to the ROTC unit. Nor did I state that college interviewers are enlisted.

It is a matter of perspective. Something that the OP has yet to clarify... did he go to a recruitment office near his CC or did he go and talk to FSU?

That's the problem with the internet. You read into my post believing every ROTC candidate goes to a college and talks to ROTC. A position your DH has at that college.

My position was he went to the AF recruitment office not FSU. You and I have no idea if FSU is 50 minutes away and the AF recruiters are 5 minutes. We both assumed, and we know what assume means/

I have no problem saying I misinterpreted his post. When he said "recruiter". Recruiter to me in the AD world typically = enlisted, and why I jumped to the conclusion he went to a recruitment office. An officer at an ROTC unit IMPO is not a recruiter. I would not consider Marist or Clarkson (AROTC) recruiters, I consider them AROTC instructors. Their job is to train officers, not recruit. Recruiting is their secondary job, but their primary is instructing cadets. 2 different things when it comes to promotion. Maybe your DH belongs to a university where they have a full time recruiter for AFROTC. However, look at FSU Det 145, they have 100 cadets. I would believe their AFSC code is not recruiter, but AFROTC Instructor. 100 cadets could not afford to have an officer with full time recruiting responsibilities. Again that is their secondary job, their primary is to be an instructor for X class yr.

The OP is looking at FSU, not ERAU, TAMU, VT, UMICH, VMI, Notre Dame, Citadel, etc. It is a very small det.

Before you flame me for my post please understand 2 things:
1. I am not arguing your DH's position, I am stating to lurkers and posters that small dets typically do not have "recruiter" only officers. Our DS's det is 175+ cadets and the officers are instructors with secondary jobs for recruitment.
Their OPR/PRF AFSC is AFROTC Instructor.
~~~ Big difference than AFSC Recruiter

2. Larger dets may have recruiters. I do not disagree, but large is not 100 cadets, it is several hundred.

The OP is looking at Det 145.