Study abroad with 5 year approved major

[maxib7]

Hello soon to AS200 here, first off no I have not talked to my Cadre yet. I plan to either bring up or request to do a semester abroad this year or next. My only rationale to bring it up next year instead of now is because my French will be much better, I'll be a POC (hopefully, LEAD is never guaranteed), and my GPA should be much higher (last semester I pledged Pershing Rifles with some very hard math classes and my GPA dropped)

I know that it is always better to bring things up sooner rather than later but what do you think about my reasoning? Also is there anyone here who has or knows someone who has done a study abroad with an approved 5 year plan. The only reason I think this will effect me is because the Air Force is already allowing me to spend an extra year to finish my degree and they may think I shouldn't have time to spend a semester studying abroad because of this.

Other than that it should work out great because 5th year cadets don't take an Air Science class and "pretty much" just go to PT. (I know for our det. they work on special projects like dining out). Plus my 5th year classes are just gen ed requirements (which I can do in France) because I crammed all my major classes into my third and fourth year.

It wouldn't be crushing if it isn't possible. I'll still continue to learn French, but a semester abroad would skyrocket my fluency and provide invaluable experience which will hopefully be useful to the Air Force.

Thank you

 

[AJC]

Ask your Cadre. No harm in asking, worst case is they say no.
If you don't ask they answer is no too.

 

[Pima]

I am not sure how valuable the AF would find you being fluent in French. Otherwise just ask there are many cadets that do go overseas for a semester. Just remember that it can have some other impacts that you have yet to think about.
~ The fall semester is when your career field will drop. You will be doing this all via email with the det.
~ What if the school in France ends May 25th, but meanwhile your school ends the 22nd. Most dets will commission within a few days between graduation and commissioning. You will need to work that out.
~ The last semester is also about getting all of your paperwork in order, such as your EAD, your USAA loan, your exit DoDMERB exam. BUYING your Blues, ABU and rank. Hard to buy those in France, but I suppose you could take the chunnel, rent a car and go to Lakenheath in the UK.

I understand your desire, and I don't really think there will be an issue for doing a semester abroad, but I would also say that for the AF being fluent in French compared to Farsi, Russian, Japanese or Chinese is really not on their top must haves, afterall can you name 1 AF base in France? My DS took 4 yrs of french in HS, 2 in college and I bet he has never needed it for his job in his 5 yrs. He is a pilot and goes overseas a lot. Bullet (my DH) also took the same amount of French (AFROTC grad like DS and you). In the 21 yrs he served he never needed to use French. Than again, they both went rated, so maybe it is different if you are going non-rated.