AFROTC Rising AS 300

bruiser617

bruiser617

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Joined
Apr 22, 2022
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20
Good Evening.

I am going through an agonizing battle of accepting my EA for this Summer versus accepting an admission offer to USAFA. What can I look forward to as a fresh POC Cadet that might show me what lies ahead or what I have worked so hard for? Thanks
 
What do you want to do in the Air Force? If being a pilot is your goal, then USAFA gives you a slightly better chance at achieving that than ROTC. Though this advantage is negligible if you have a competitive PCSM score, good GPA, etc. through ROTC. If you’re not interested in flying, just stick with ROTC.

Either way, if it were me, I would probably stick with ROTC anyway. Do you really want to start all over at the beginning and add an extra TWO years onto your college education? USAFA’s a great school but you’ll have to be a cadet for another four years, this time in a more stressful environment and while having to play the military game full time. Not to mention you’ll owe 5 years on active duty if you graduate from the academy vs. 4 with ROTC. I honestly don’t see the benefit of going to the academy at this point. Unless you’re aiming to be the next CSAF, then you better damn well be an Academy grad.

Enjoy your college life as a civilian. You’ve got your entire active duty career to be miserable.

Edit: Just saw your other post that clarified it’s a USAFA prep appointment. That should be an even bigger reason to stay with ROTC. That’s seven total years in college dude. Take it from this former Air Force officer, it’s not worth it. Keep the sure thing you already have.
 
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It looks like you are cross posting similar but a bit conflicting messages in the USAFA and ROTC forums on the same day. Just so you get the best advice though, if your other post is correct, you were given both an EA invite in AFROTC (Field Training Ticket) and also a week ago an admission offer to the USAFA Prep School class of 2025 - that is of-course different and not a USAFA acceptance. Details matter - Jack Reacher. Also, don't claim it until you earn it- it's not a good optic. Please don't waste time for those trying to help implying you were accepted to USAFA (unless something changed yesterday afternoon) since if you had a USAFA acceptance in hand, your path would be one year shorter, more guaranteed, and the guidance likely would be different than what might best help you.

Your choices are to continue on for 2 years in AFROTC (which you have been invited to do), or, to go to prep for 1 year, with a high percentage shot but no guarantee to get admitted to USAFA where you would complete all 4 years, to graduate in 5. OK, with that in mind, if anyone has additional guidance, please share that with the OP.

For reference "About two years of college and AFROTC under my belt... received my EA (Field Training Ticket) yesterday morning, and also a week ago an admission offer to the USAFA Prep School class of 2025."
 
Staying with AFROTC. Details absolutely matter, was thinking bigger picture and did not intend to mean I got an appointment, big difference. Thank you to everyone here. Two years until I commission granted I meet all requirements.
 
Late reply, looks like you made up your mind already, but I'm adding my two cents anyways:

As a current AFROTC senior commissioning in a few months with a pilot slot set for EAD this August, current wing commander for my AFROTC detachment, AND a past applicant to USAFA.... I'd highly encourage you to stay on the AFROTC path. POC years are awesome man. AFROTC is obviously much smaller than USAFA, so you get leadership training on an extremely concentrated level. Would I be wing commander if I went to the Academy? Nope! Wing staff? Probably not. The leadership training you get in ROTC at the organizational level is unparalleled (in my opinion) because you know each and every single one of your cadets much better and get to see how what you're doing impacts not just them, but the entire wing since it's much smaller.

As far as what to look forward to... So many milestones in your POC years, first you get to contract, you get to do PDTs, go to your IFC if you're rated, select jobs, select bases, etc. All this is stuff you do at the academy too, but they're important milestones in a civilian atmosphere because it reminds you why you're putting up with getting weird looks from all the students on campus every Friday!

Anyways, contact me if you have questions.
 
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