army rotc or afrotc?

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081412j

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Here's a little background about me: I'm a 3 sport varsity athlete, senior girl in high school and I want to double major in Intelligence Analysis and Computer Science. I plan on applying for a 3 year rotc scholarship during freshmen year of college since I need to work on my fitness a little more.

I'm stuck between Army and Air Force rotc since I have limited knowledge of what each are like. My top 2 schools are Dayton and JMU & I like that you can stay at both for Army Rotc, but I also like how AF has easier physical requirements. Is it a pain to commute to crosstown for AF classes? Also, which branch would be better career wise if I want to do intelligence/CS? Anyone have recommendations for me? Thanks!
 
You can do some research on officer job career fields for both branches. Find the jobs you are in interested in, whichever branch offers it, you should go with that. Physical fitness should not be a major factor in choosing which branch to join for ROTC. Both programs have requirements for PT. AFROTC PT requirements may not be as hard as Army PT, but like I said that shouldn't be a deciding factor. Research the career fields in army and AF and go from there. Generally though AF, is more competitive for jobs and ROTC.
 
Kudos for your interest in serving!

What 3 sports are you involved in? Curious as PT / physical fitness is a concern you have raised.

Generally speaking the Army is much more PT intensive than the AF. Not just the Academies, but speaking of life in each branch after commissioning (or enlisting). Nobody in the AF outside of possibly PJ's/Combat Controllers are EVER going to have to hump 12+ miles with a full combat load. EVERYONE in the Army gets to experience that particular joy at least once or maybe annually or biannually based on your unit, pretty much regardless of MOS/specialty, with obviously grunts doing it all the time, at much greater distances. Regular, every day or several times a week PT is also very common in all Army units, versus almost never being a part of the regular duty day in the AF.
 
Bubby'sDad said:
Kudos for your interest in serving!

What 3 sports are you involved in? Curious as PT / physical fitness is a concern you have raised.

Generally speaking the Army is much more PT intensive than the AF. Not just the Academies, but speaking of life in each branch after commissioning (or enlisting). Nobody in the AF outside of possibly PJ's/Combat Controllers are EVER going to have to hump 12+ miles with a full combat load. EVERYONE in the Army gets to experience that particular joy at least once or maybe annually or biannually based on your unit, pretty much regardless of MOS/specialty, with obviously grunts doing it all the time, at much greater distances. Regular, every day or several times a week PT is also very common in all Army units, versus almost never being a part of the regular duty day in the AF.
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Then again CCTs and PJs don’t do that as often because that’s not crucial for their mission set. The ones who do hump a lot would be TACPs because they’re assigned with army combat teams. Special recon does the most rucking. If you want more conventional but not TACP and still on an Air Force base security forces is the closest to “light” infantry that you’ll get. Especially with the massive overhaul in SF it’s incredibly likely that another BDG will be converted soon.
 
Tyman said:
Then again CCTs and PJs don’t do that as often because that’s not crucial for their mission set. The ones who do hump a lot would be TACPs because they’re assigned with army combat teams. Special recon does the most rucking. If you want more conventional but not TACP and still on an Air Force base security forces is the closest to “light” infantry that you’ll get. Especially with the massive overhaul in SF it’s incredibly likely that another BDG will be converted soon.
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The quoted part pretty much sums up the differences in services.

Note I also said "outside of POSSIBLY PJ's/ COMBAT CONTROLLERS. Never served in the AF and not claiming to be an expert. I thought combat controllers were the AF guys who had been sent to Army Airborne and Air Assault school and who were assigned to Army units on our post - usually just saw them at the PX. Friends who served in the AF told me they basically NEVER did PT, and they couldn't believe that in the Army we did PT EVERY DAY. RAIN OR SHINE. FOR YEARS.

Even all of the high speed low drag snake eating stuff aside, even day to day operations in terms of what is expected for PT is a world of difference between the AF and the Army. Same thing applies to Blue side Navy being more like the AF in terms of what is expected in terms of physical fitness/ readiness.
 
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081412j said:
Here's a little background about me: I'm a 3 sport varsity athlete, senior girl in high school and I want to double major in Intelligence Analysis and Computer Science. I plan on applying for a 3 year rotc scholarship during freshmen year of college since I need to work on my fitness a little more.

I'm stuck between Army and Air Force rotc since I have limited knowledge of what each are like. My top 2 schools are Dayton and JMU & I like that you can stay at both for Army Rotc, but I also like how AF has easier physical requirements. Is it a pain to commute to crosstown for AF classes? Also, which branch would be better career wise if I want to do intelligence/CS? Anyone have recommendations for me? Thanks!
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You really haven't told us very much, like about (1) your academic credentials, (2) what are your sports and (3)what are your outside interests.

1) Intelligence Analysis and Computer Science with a high GPA would be a golden ticket. Cyber and Intel "sound" cool to me, but I'd never make it through Calc 101. Changing majors can be difficult In AROTC. Can't comment on AFROTC, but I would assume it's at least as difficult. Also your GPA is the single largest component of your OML (ranking). Your OML determines your branch assignment based or your stated preferences.

2) Did you/are you lettering in any of these sports. I am presuming that PT shouldn't be an issue for you in either ROTC. Maybe the time commitment for AFROTC PT is a little lighter in which case you'd appreciate the extra free time pursuing a demanding double major. One reason my son chose ROTC was the required PT would keep him off the streets and in bed at a reasonable hour.

3) What do you do when all your homework is done and you don't have practice or a game on any given afternoon or evening?

081412j said:
Is it a pain to commute to crosstown for AF classes?
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That would depend on the length of the commute. Do you own a car? I would refer back the time commitment stealing away from your academics.

081412j said:
which branch would be better career wise if I want to do intelligence/CS?
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The Army is the larger and more diverse branch. Therefore, it would have the larger variety of jobs. It also would have a larger ground (cool guy) component. Don't forget however, that as an officer, you would be a manager.

I think your best bet is to find someone from intel/cyber in each branch to give you a lay of the land.

If you are fit, smart, a good listener and work well with others, you'll do great either place.

Best of luck!
 
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Tyman said:
Air Force does have cyber as well and in my opinion are expending much better than the other branches.
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Interested what drives that opinion. I work in the cyber community and I think all five service cyber components are currently scoped and growing to support their directed missions. There are some cultural nuances as to how each service has established their cyber component community but wouldn't say that any one is better than the other. What is your experience that drives your statement. For a quick overview I think fairly you can look at each service as follows

Fleet Cyber/10th Fleet- Currently focuses effort on defensive mission to protect naval platforms. Cyber is a component of their cryptological community so sailors would move back and forth between more traditional roles and cyber roles in that field.

Army Cyber- Integrates cyber, electronic and information warfare. The Army has 40+ teams operating offensive and defensive missions as a separate branch for officers and enlisted. The Army is currently developing significant capability to support tactical conventional and special operation forces globally.

Air Force Cyber- 16th Air Force is a combination of the cyber and intelligence communities. Air Force mentality much like the service focuses very much in the strategic defensive realm.

Marine Forces Cyber- Small but growing community and they are beginning to develop separate career fields. I think they will probably end up following a model to support Marine Forces under the new Deputy Commandant for Information which oversees the Cyber and intelligence functions for USMC.

Coast Guard Cyber- A small but active community supporting the branch's homeland defense mission.
 
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