Air Force ROTC Commissioning Options

eagleman

eagleman

10-Year Member
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Jun 3, 2011
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I was wondering if anyone has heard any word as far as commissioning options for AFROTC, class of 2016? As many are probably aware of, last semester, those commissioning in May 2015 are/were given the option to commission into the Reserve/ Guard. I believe this is an effort to reduce the number of commissions for AD officers due to budgeting concerns.

Does anybody know if such a program will exist for those graduating in 2016? I understand no one has a crystal ball, but have there been talks about this at other Dets or in other social circles? For those wondering, I have posed this question to my cadre, but they personally have not heard anything. I do also understand 2016's field training selection was signifacantly lower than 2015. Thus, there may be no need to push for commissionees to go Reserves/Guard.

To be clear, the ability to go Reserves or Guard is, in fact, something which interests me as my priorties have changed slightly throughout my college career. I do still have the aspiration to serve, but active duty may not be the route I want to take. That said, I am not looking to skirt my obligation. Simply, I am just looking at different avenues.

Thanks for the help.
 
Just my opinion from someone that belongs to other forums. I doubt they are going to offer 16s the walk away option. I have already read not only here, but elsewhere that the cadets that signed rated and not picked up may or will be placed into a review board to disenrollment.
~ I say may or will because from what I have read some detachments say they will, some say maybe.

Did you sign rated paperwork? If so and you get picked up my guess is this is not going to be an option.
 
Pima,

I appreciate your opinion. I did not sign rated paperwork. Flying has never been a desire of mine. Additionally, I recieved a nonrated, nontech slot to FT, so going rated is not even an option for me.
 
Pima said:
I have already read not only here, but elsewhere that the cadets that signed rated and not picked up may or will be placed into a review board to disenrollment.
Click to expand...

Not knowing much if any on how the Air Force works, I was just curious about this statement.

Are you saying that if an AF Cadet signed for a Rated slot, and they do not get this slot, that the AF will possibly disenroll them from the program and they will not be allowed to commission. Does that mean that the AF would not just switch them to a different commissioning option but release them outright. Is this done after they complete Field Training?
 
There is a thread running here currently and it is in question. Years past cadets not selected would go to a nonrated board.
 
Pima said:
There is a thread running here currently and it is in question. Years past cadets not selected would go to a nonrated board.
Click to expand...

It seems like it hasn't changed much this year assuming there actually being an available non-ea slot for the prospective nonrated cadet to get. If there isn't then the cadet is investigated for disenrollment. That's how our cadre have explained it to us this year, anyway.

As for 2016's walk away option, as far as I'm aware it's nonexistent. The way our cadre explained it is that the class of 2015 was only presented that option because they had an EA already at the time and weren't about to forcibly disenroll cadets from the get-go. The class of 2016 made up for this by cutting that massive amount of EA slots so they wouldn't have to give that option to the cadets which is why selection rates were drastically lowered.
 
I am not following you. How can you commission without attending SFT? To the best of my knowledge you are disenrolled if you do not attend SFT. I was talking about if the cadet is not selected for Rated than HQ has the right to disenroll the cadet or offer them a non rated position. In years past they automatically sent them to the non rated board. This is one reason the rated board meet around now the 300 year and the non rated go in the fall 400 year. That plus those selected for rated must pass the FAA FC1 physical and it is given during the summer. Thus, if they fail the exam they can than go up for nonrated.
 
Pima said:
I am not following you. How can you commission without attending SFT? To the best of my knowledge you are disenrolled if you do not attend SFT. I was talking about if the cadet is not selected for Rated than HQ has the right to disenroll the cadet or offer them a non rated position. In years past they automatically sent them to the non rated board. This is one reason the rated board meet around now the 300 year and the non rated go in the fall 400 year. That plus those selected for rated must pass the FAA FC1 physical and it is given during the summer. Thus, if they fail the exam they can than go up for nonrated.
Click to expand...

I was meaning to say that if a cadet who (either voluntarily or involuntarily) does not accept the rated position even though they were selected for a rated EA slot, then they're put up against that board if there's an available non-rated slot for them to take. Otherwise they're disenrolled.

The only reason the "walk-away" option was presented to the class of 2015 was because if they were cut then they would most likely have to repay the Air Force. Through the walk-away option, there wouldn't have to be any repayment for those cadets who chose to do so. To not have to worry about the walk-away option for the class of 2016, they instead cut those slots out of Field Training as opposed to waiting a year and having to cut them then and make them repay funds.
 
The walk away option was because the AF was over manned for that year group. They never, impo, would have forced any of those cadets to repay the scholarship. It was the AF that broke the contract. At least they have never done that in the past, if they separate you via RIF, such as was the case for 14 grads than they don't come hunting for the money.

If you decline a rated slot and that is the cause than yes, they can because in that case the cadet broke the agreement, they did not.

The OP was selected for SFT as a nonrated, non tech major. That means this portion of the equation is moot. If he declines the nonrated slot they could very well go after the money, no matter what.

The new twist here is that in all of the years I have been here is that they never have stated that cadets not selected for rated are now up for investigation of disenrollement. It had always been they were sent straight to the nonrated boards. Yes, if they declined the slot they would or could be placed into investigation of disenrollment and repayment of the scholarship.
~ JMPO, pretty crappy on the AF for doing this. LY they forced their hands to sign paperwork to go rated as a 200 to increase their chances for EA. Now they are being told they may not be safe.
~~~ Personally I can't see them cutting. I don't know the actual number that signed the paperwork, but the amount of cadets attending SFT was the lowest in years, hundreds less. Additionally, if it is indeed true that less than 400 pilots will be awarded, add in maybe 300 other non rated (CSO, RPA and ABM) you have a lot that could be up for disenrollment.

If I was the OP I would assume that as a 2016 grad be prepared to be in until 2021. I say 2021 because it is not uncommon to wait 6-9 months for the EAD.
 
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