Question about USAFA class of 2008

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WAMom68

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I was told that not all of last year’s graduating class was commissioned because there was not enough officer slots available in the AF. Is this true? If it is, what do they do about the service commitment of the graduates not commissioned?
 
I have been trying to find an answer for you on this question, but I haven't found anything definite. The cadets that I talked to do not know anything about it. I talked to a couple ALO's and they didn't know anything about any cadets not being commissioned due to lack of slots. One of them knew of two graduates who did not commission due to 'other circumstances' which he wouldn't elaborate on. He did say that those two would owe the Air Force the 4 years enlisted duty that they committed to when they signed their contract.

If I find out any more, I will post it.

Stealth_81
 
Thanks for trying. My concern about this is regarding my younger son who wants to do AFROTC. If the AF doesn't have the slots to commission all the academy grads, I am concerned that the ROTC grads would have even less opportunity.

I too have searched for the answer. The person that told me this normally has reliable information but I wanted to see if I could verify it. I was hoping to get ALO input since they should have the most up-to-date information. Maybe my source misunderstood the circumstances of the cadets that did not commission.

I guess it really doesn't matter because I will not discourage my son from doing AFROTC if that is what he wants to do.
 
*I am not an authority on this topic so take this with a grain of salt."

My dad is a retired Air Force major who did the ROTC program. He told me that the Air Force has three methods of selecting/training Officers: USAFA, ROTC, and Officer Candidate school (OCS). The Air Force is constantly looking into the future and trying to determine how many officers they will eventually need based on many different factors. USAFA will always have 1,300 per class, ROTC numbers will change depending on the need for more or less officers, and OCS numbers will depend on the previous two. So if the Air Force predicts that they will need less officers in the future, they will start cutting the number of people they except into OCS first, then ROTC, but won't touch USAFA.
I don't know about the part where students did not receive commissions after they graduated from USAFA, but to me that sounds highly unlikely. I may be wrong though so take my opinion for what it's worth.
 
I heard a rumor that they may get rid of OCS (at least for non-medicine and law type positions). Or, the rumor might have been to have OCS with no pilot slots available.
 
It makes sense to me that they would cut back on commissioning OCS and ROTC grads before the academy grads.

Like I said before...I will quit worrying about it since my son wants AFROTC and I'll support him. Who knows what will happen in the next 4 years.

Thanks for the input from everyone.
 
Some interesting reading. "Title 10; U.S. Code"

http://supct.law.cornell.edu/uscode/10/usc_sec_10_00009342----000-.html

Basically, it shows the maximum number of cadets allowed at the academy; provisions for the secretary of the air force to allow the number to exceed; where and how each nomination is considered; etc... These questions come up a lot. The maximum number (Traditionally) for the academy is 4,000. Since 2003, the secretary of the air force has been allowed to increase that number TOTAL at the academy to 4400. (That's probably where the no more than 1000 comes from). Anyway; forums are great places to learn, but I recommend reading this link and the full updated U.S. code. later... mike....
 
Christcorp said:
The maximum number (Traditionally) for the academy is 4,000. Since 2003, the secretary of the air force has been allowed to increase that number TOTAL at the academy to 4400.
Click to expand...

The current Cadet Wing strength is 4,525, so that "limitation" in the official US Code is being ignored.
 
The wing strength is not being ignored.
US Code states the wing strength is determined on the day before graduation.
The AFA has until then to get their numbers down to 4,400. 125 cadets must separate before then.

USAFA will always have 1,300 per class,
Click to expand...
No, no, no. Don't count on this. Congress can change the wing strength. They can put the number back to 4,000 if they so desire.
These days, far fewer cadets separate than 10 or 20 years ago. As the attrition rate decreases there is a need to admit FEWER cadets in subsequent classes.


About cadets not being offered a commission - I am skeptical. US Code dictates that graduates receive a commission:
http://supct.law.cornell.edu/uscode/10/usc_sec_10_00009353----000-.html

I do know back in the 1990's during the drawdown in the Army it was extremely difficult to get an Active duty commission from ROTC. The vast majority were commissioned Reserves. As/if the Air Force continues the RIF - this could happen in AF ROTC.
 
No reason to expect any cuts. Air Force hasn't ballooned in recent years like Army and MC has had to. We really still look like the peacetime air force of the 1990s with some new gadgets. A draw down further could actually be really bad as they started to realize with the deep RIF.
 
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