I have a question as to whether or not AFROTC will pay to fly my son to his Det in MS from HI where we are now stationed. Yes, I have contacted the Detachment and they still have not answered the question as of this time. They seem to be giving us the runaround. My son has also sent an email to his contact person at headquarters and we still have not heard from them. I have heard conflicting information. One person has said they only will pay to fly within the continental US, but the paperwork says they will pay to get you there for the contract signing and doesn't specify. Does anyone know what the real answer is? I need to get him a flight soon and would love to know this before then. Thanks!
Gov't Paying for Initial Flight for Contract Signing
- Thread starter becksgirl
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I don't believe they will do anything up front. Usually you are reimbursed for initial travel costs when you contract. I say when because your son still has to pass an APFT and whatever else is required before he gets to sign the contract. He just doesn't get to report and coast from there.
Edit- That smiley was an accident and I have no clue how to remove it. Not the most tech savvy on an iPhone.
Edit- That smiley was an accident and I have no clue how to remove it. Not the most tech savvy on an iPhone.
I believe that is the case for AROTC, but the poster was asking about AFROTC which may have a different policy and requirements.
Pima
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I maybe missing something here. Are you under the assumption it is like AFA and orders are cut? If so, you are wrong. The 1st time they will ever cut orders is for SFT, when he is a rising jr.
The way the system works, including books and stipend is it is paid in arrears. You will have to pay it out on your own dime, and then they reimburse you after you submit proof that you paid it. Typically if he has an August date, October is when you will be re-paid.
Book the tickets, because either way you have to pony up the money 1st. He is not contracted, and will not be contracted for at least a week after his 1st ROTC class. Contracted means they sign papers at the AFROTC det...not in HI, but in MS.
I don't know which branch you are in, but I know AF has a policy that dep. children living overseas get priority on Space A 2x a yr. Parents typically use Aug and May. The only people that bump them are AD military members on PCS orders, and most of them that PCS fly commercial. This maybe why they are saying CONUS.
The way the system works, including books and stipend is it is paid in arrears. You will have to pay it out on your own dime, and then they reimburse you after you submit proof that you paid it. Typically if he has an August date, October is when you will be re-paid.
Book the tickets, because either way you have to pony up the money 1st. He is not contracted, and will not be contracted for at least a week after his 1st ROTC class. Contracted means they sign papers at the AFROTC det...not in HI, but in MS.
I don't know which branch you are in, but I know AF has a policy that dep. children living overseas get priority on Space A 2x a yr. Parents typically use Aug and May. The only people that bump them are AD military members on PCS orders, and most of them that PCS fly commercial. This maybe why they are saying CONUS.
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He is signing his contract about a week before classes even start, that I know. As for the flight, I know they will not pay in advance, just trying to determine what exactly they will pay. Thanks everyone, will let you know when I find out from someone who is in the know.
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How is he signing early? PIMA, help me out, is AF different? Do scholarship cadets sign their contract prior to any initial PFT?
I'd caution yourself with assuming he is going and straight signing a contract, unless AF is way different. I thought they followed the same procedures as other branches. Could be my mistake, it's been a few years since I've been through that process.
I'd caution yourself with assuming he is going and straight signing a contract, unless AF is way different. I thought they followed the same procedures as other branches. Could be my mistake, it's been a few years since I've been through that process.
In USAFE, Command sponsored dependents can fly to/from school one round trip per fiscal year. For our 2 sons, the one-way to school as Freshman was paid by the AF; They also had a 350 pound unaccompanied baggage allowance. The trip home at Christmas break was a new fiscal year and we asked the AF to pay for that. Summer after freshman year is the same fiscal year as Christmas and was on our dime. They have a set of orders cut, SATO booked the flights and they were put on my husband's GTC just like any other official travel. We got reimbursed baggage fees and mileage to airport on both ends. You can not choose the airports...it is whatever is closest to the school they will attend.
In USAFE they can fly space A as Category V to/from Europe with a letter from the unit commander (specific format is online). Not a good cat to be in a must get there situation. and they can not hop inside th CONUS at all. PACAF might have some different provisions than USAFE...that is how if is here.
Pima
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I think what becksgirl is saying is AFROTC at his college reports 1 week before school starts their academic yr. I don't know what college he is attending, but I do know schools like Villanova bring in ROTC students prior to opening the dorms up for traditional students.
At DS's college they did something akin to what becksgirl is stating for freshmen, BUT, like you surmised/assumed PFT did not happen until AFTER the 1st week of classes because every ROTC cadet must pass the PFT, and only freshmen were required to be there prior to classes starting. They didn't do 2 PFTs, 1 for freshman and 1 for C200-400. It was just 1. If this is the case, you are right, he will not contract before the school yr. starts, if it is like an SMC, it is possible that he will.
Just my 0.01765 cents, but typically the reason why is students have X amt of days at the beginning of each semester to drop/add. That is why they wait for the dust to settle.
homewith4,
What I was saying is they maybe saying only CONUS, because as you stated once stateside, the priority level drops, thus if they get the hop to the states, now wherever it drops them this is where they pick up the costs.
You did bring up a great point. The AF will pay for the extra luggage.
becksgirl,
My recommendation is to buy the cheapest ticket out there that is the most convenient.
Here's why:
As an AD military member you already know they will only reimburse you to the equivalent of the lowest bid they can get, regardless of how much you pay.
I am not, nor has ever been a SATO fan. I think you can get much better prices and convenience using the internet.
If I were you, I would make sure I had a credit card that gives flight miles. If you open a new one up now, many give 10's of thousands free miles when you open it up. Add in a flight from HI to MS. He will probably have enough miles within his 1st yr to get at least 1 free ticket. I love AMEX for their system.
I would also be prepared to carry that debt until at least 10/1. DS never got his book allowance reimbursed until the end of Oct. School started Wed. after Labor Day. The 1st few paychecks come in drips...stipend, allowance, etc. One time he had 4 deposits within 2 weeks totaling about 1700 (stipend, book allowance, TDY (SFT) pay and stipend again), but that came in between 10/15 and 11/1
For all incoming AFROTC cadets, you will take the PFT 2X a yr., at the beginning of each semester. For scholarship cadets, you will sign more than once. You sign for the scholarship. You sign when you become a POC (300). You sign if you accept a rated slot. You sign if AFROTC changes anything (i.e. cgpa min went up when DS was on scholarship). It is not a 1 time deal. AF like their sister ROTC branches likes to have in black and white, you agree at all times with what is happening in your life regarding the AF.
Also, for all incoming cadets, remember AFROTC is not like A/NROTC scholarship recipients. C200 yr you must compete for an SFT/EA slot, scholarship recipients get no bonus points, nor does the board know if they are on scholarship. Not selected may equal dis-enrollment, loss of scholarship. If the only way you can afford that college is with the scholarship, have Plan B in place for JIC.
Additionally, if you take the time to research the bowels of this forum, you will understand/realize that even as a 400, they can decide not to commission you, and make you pay back the entire scholarship. (Look up Gojira...they owe 140K back to the Navy, no enlistment option given). DS's best friend went to SFT. Graduated and came back to school with the decision AFROTC wasn't for him. He was a scholarship recipient, and because of that, the AF went after him for @40K.
Always, always, have Plan B in place when you do ROTC scholarships.
Pima
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If your school also required reporting early, can you give an example of how it worked from report date to contract.
I am only asking because many posters/lurkers are new to the system, and they may have assumptions that are incorrect.
FYI: For those that will be contracting make sure you have every piece of documentation with them. A copy of the BC will not do for contracting. Send them with the original, but also a pre-paid Fed-Ex packet to send back home to you after they contract. 18 yo kids rarely comprehend how significant the original BC is for life. Nor do they understand that it is a pain to replace.
OBTW, although everyone is told never to laminate the SS card, many ignore that fact. If they have a laminated SS card order a new one now because it will not be accepted.
If your school also required reporting early, can you give an example of how it worked from report date to contract.
I am only asking because many posters/lurkers are new to the system, and they may have assumptions that are incorrect.
FYI: For those that will be contracting make sure you have every piece of documentation with them. A copy of the BC will not do for contracting. Send them with the original, but also a pre-paid Fed-Ex packet to send back home to you after they contract. 18 yo kids rarely comprehend how significant the original BC is for life. Nor do they understand that it is a pain to replace.
OBTW, although everyone is told never to laminate the SS card, many ignore that fact. If they have a laminated SS card order a new one now because it will not be accepted.
I can relay the experience for my younger son, he was a 4yr scholarship cadet that started last year. Over the summer the battalion sent him a lot of paperwork, most important was the 104R form, he finished all the paperwork. DS showed up the Wednesday before school started, they had an orientation that day, then went back to the offices to review the paper work, not everyone had completed the paper work. My son checked out and got the signature from his advisor for the 104R. The next morning they had a APFT for the 4yr scholarship freshman, some SMP, and Juniors getting ready to contract. After the APFT was completed those that passed and had their paper work in order went back to the office and signed the contract, they had a ceremony that afternoon. So basically he showed up on Wed. and had a signed contract by 10am Thursday. School started 4 days later.
I know that all battalions do not work the same, even my son's battalion has done this differently in the past. All of this is for AROTC, the best thing you can do is talk with the battalion and see how they handle the contract.