Your weekly requirements with AFROTC will amount to 5-6 hours of time at the Detachment. You can put as little or as much time into Air Force ROTC as you want beyond that, as long as you satisfy all academic, Leadership Laboratory, and physical fitness requirements. The ROTC staff knows your studies are critical for your success in college, your success in the ROTC program, and your success in the future.
Cadets can pursue any four-year degree; however, certain scholarships are reserved for specialty degrees. AFROTC staff can help students know exactly what scholarships are available for their particular degree.
In order to enroll in AFROTC classes with Detachment 145, you must either be enrolled full-time at FSU, FAMU, or TSC. Since TSC is mostly a two-year college, you may have to transfer to FSU or FAMU after your first two years of AFROTC in order to complete the program with Detachment 145.
The program requires a minimum of six semesters for a student to commission. You will have to sit down with the Recruiting Flight Commander to see how many credit hours you have left in your undergraduate degree. As long as you have six semesters worth of credit hours left in your degree program, you can join the program as an AS250 student and take your AS100 and AS200 classes at the same time. If you have already completed your sophomore year, you may choose to double major or begin a graduate program to complete AFROTC timeline requirements.
The Air Force is education-oriented and financially supports graduate studies. You can apply for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to earn an advanced degree on full scholarship. Additionally, most bases have graduate college programs, and you may apply for the tuition assistance program that currently pays for $250 per semester credit hour of the tuition cost.
The AFOQT is a requirement for all AFROTC cadets to pass. It is a standardized test similar to the SAT with the addition of sections that test for aviation and flight-related knowledge. The AFOQT measures verbal and math skills as well as your aptitude in academics, pilot, and navigator/technical areas. Testing requires about 4 1/2 hours. The AFOQT will determine eligible career fields based on your score.
The test is given several times during the fall and spring and can be taken a maximum of two times with at least six months between tests.
Scholarship cadets must maintain a 2.5 GPA, and all cadets must have a 2.0 GPA, to enter the Professional Officer Course (POC - for juniors and seniors).
There are several different types of scholarships available through AFROTC. You can apply for four-year ROTC scholarships while in high school. In-college scholarships are available once you've started college. The scholarships are based on merit, not need. See http://afrotc.com/scholarships/ for more information. You can setup an appointment with Detachment 145 staff to review your current academic pathway and what scholarships may exist.
Yes in the form of a stipend. Cadets on scholarship receive $450 per semester for textbooks. You'll need to have an active bank account in order for the Air Force to directly deposit both of these allowances in your account.
Cadets may change their degree once on scholarship, but this is a very complex process and should be attempted only after you have given it much thought. Depending on your current major and your proposed major, you may lose your scholarship benefits. Contact the detachment staff for specific details and procedures.
No, the scholarship does not pay your room and board.
As a scholarship cadet, your monthly stipend starts when you contract with the Air Force. This stipend amount varies depending on your academic year. In addition, cadets on scholarship receive $450 per semester for textbooks. You'll need to have an active bank account in order for the Air Force to directly deposit both of these allowances in your account.
Yes, absolutely! Most students who enter the program do so without a scholarship. We will work hard to qualify you for potential in-college scholarships, if you so desire.
We participate in many activities to expose our cadets to team and leadership opportunities, as well as to expose them to diverse experiences to help them become well-rounded leaders. Some of these activities include:
Our cadets also have opportunities to participate in numerous Professional Development Training activities such as:
Application for AFROTC at Florida State University begins with enrollment into your first classes, AFR 1101/1102. All freshmen will enroll in these classes, but sophomore and transfer students will need to speak with the Recruiting Flight Commander to plan out the remainder of their academic plan for graduation and commissioning. Contact the Detachment to make an appointment.
To qualify for the General Military Course (your first two years in AFROTC), you must:
1. Be a full-time student (12 semester credit hours, minimum)
2. Be a United States citizen or in pursuit of citizenship
3. Meet Air Force ROTC height/weight standards
4. Have good moral character
5. Be at least 14 years old (17 to contract with the Air Force) but not older than 30 years old by the time you commission
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a commissioning program designed to give college students the opportunity to train to become Air Force officers while completing their undergraduate degree. The AFROTC program is designed to prepare men and women to assume positions of increasing responsibility and importance in the Air Force. Air Force ROTC is available at over 700 institutions of higher learning around the country and consists of 145 host institutions, like Florida State University. Air Force ROTC is a four-year program that can be condensed to three years, if necessary. The General Military Course (GMC) is the first half of the four-year program, and students generally take these courses during their freshman and sophomore year at FSU. This program allows students to "try out" AFROTC for up to two years without incurring any military obligation (EXCEPTION: scholarship students fall under different rules). As you attend class, you'll learn about the Air Force and the historical development of airpower in war. The last two years of AFROTC are called the Professional Officer Course (POC) and are required for all students qualified and wishing to seek commission. All POC cadets are contracted with the Air Force and obligated to serve active duty following graduation and commissioning.
Field Training is AFROTC's version of "boot camp" with a heavy leadership component. Students will be put under stress, have their military discipline tested, and challenge their emerging leadership abilities. Field Training is four weeks long and takes place between a student's second and third year in the program. Not every student will attend Field Training; students must compete against cadets from around the country who also want to attend Field Training.
Leadership Lab (LLAB) occurs weekly. This is a mandatory class where officer skills are developed and fine-tuned. This course is instructed by junior and senior cadets with guidance from active duty officers. Cadets will learn and practice the skills to become an officer in the Air Force.
Along with staying in good physical condition, all cadets must conform to the maximum weight and body fat standards as established by the United States Air Force. For additional information click the following link for fitness standards.
You are required (get) to wear an Air Force uniform all day on the days of Leadership Lab. You will also wear PT gear during PT, unless otherwise specified by the Detachment Commander or the Operations Flight Commander.
No. Air Force ROTC will issue the Air Force uniform to you.
Yes. Generally, extracurricular campus activities and Air Force ROTC are perfectly compatible. Cadets need to learn to develop sound judgement on the number extracurricular activities they can manage.
It varies per career field:
1. Rated Career fields (Pilots, CSO, RPA, ABM) will find out typically in the spring of their Junior year.
2. Non-Rated career fields (Engineer, Contracting, Nursing, Force Support, Security Forces, etc) will find out typically in the spring of their senior year.
Normally, undergraduate students must have at least three or more years remaining in their undergraduate studies to participate in Air Force ROTC. If you are a second-semester freshman, a sophomore or otherwise and have at least three years remaining in your undergraduate studies, you are likely able to join the ROTC program. Depending on current program offerings, exceptions can be made to allow students with less than three years remaining in their studies to participate in Air Force ROTC. Contact the detachment to inquire about current programs and related timelines.
Yes. You will attend Field Training for AFROTC cadets, which is two weeks long held at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. You will not attend any other type of basic training such as enlisted basic training.
No. The only time anyone in the program incurs a commitment to the Air Force is if they have signed a contract with the Air Force. Contracts are only signed to accept an AFROTC scholarship or for a student to join the POC following Field Training. All other students can walk away from the program at any time without incurring a financial or military obligation.
The only required time is during your Air Force ROTC classes, Leadership Lab and physical fitness training. (This equates to approximately 5 hours per week for freshmen and sophomores; 6 hours per week for juniors and seniors.)
My experience so far at Detachment 145 has been extremely memorable. Initially, my
expectation of the program was that it would be a stricter, more advanced version of the Air
Force Junior ROTC course I completed in my high school years. I can say that AFROTC at
Detachment 145 has definitely met this expectation and beyond, since cadets are held to high
performance standards, but also have room to have fun, make mistakes, and experience quality
self-growth. The most noticeable difference for me was how impactful it is to be surrounded by
others who genuinely want to pursue an Air Force career. Getting to know and work alongside
these like minded cadets of all classes really makes the dynamic at Detachment 145 so
impressive and inclusive. As a first year cadet, I’m inspired everyday by peers that are engaged
and dedicated to what they do, whether that be in physical training, drill, or just being a good
wingman to others. And AFROTC provides countless opportunities to do that: To grow as a
leader, to venture beyond your comfort zone, and really, just to strive being the best version of
yourself, as long as you’re willing to put in the hard work and the effort. Undoubtedly, I can say
this detachment embraces that and more.
I did not have many expectations coming in to AFROTC. I figured I would get a bit more physically fit, but other than that, I was actually unsure of what to expect. Other than a lot of exercise, I was unsure of whatever else AFROTC did.
This program has completely changed me as a person. Before AFROTC, I did not have a lot of confidence in myself, had zero time management skills, and no leadership skills. Through this program, I was able to gain confidence. Every semester I realize I can handle more responsibility while keeping up good grades, and I get to directly lead 25 people every single day. However, the best part of AFROTC is the fact that I've been able to pay for the majority of my college tuition with the Air Force Scholarship. I'm the first person in my family to go to a big institution like FSU, and it feels amazing to do it with a scholarship. In this program I'm in the best physical shape I've ever been in. When most of my high school friends have fallen victim to the freshman 15, I've been able to drop 4 minutes off of my mile and a half time!
My expectations leaving this program are to commission into the World's Greatest Air Force. I hope to be able to travel the world while serving my country and to spend 20 years in the Air Force.
Special Tactics Officer career fields, (Special Tactics Officer, Combat Rescue Officer, and Air Liaison Officer), are extremely competitive and difficult to enter coming out of Air Force ROTC, Officer Training School, or even any branch of the military. For the sake of this FAQ, I will be focusing on FSU Air Force ROTC cadets.
To be hired for one of the Special Tactics (ST) Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs), a cadet must submit a flawless application – to be frank. The board looks for “the complete package” -- a competitive GPA, flawless AFROTC record, a strong person with a high level of endurance, interpersonal skills, certain personality traits, and, above all else, strong leadership skills. If the application passes, the cadet will move on to an in-person assessment. It is a week-long selection course to prove they have what it takes in the career field. To check all of these boxes takes a lot of time, discipline, and devotion to the career field. A cadet must commit themselves entirely to successfully get hired.
Because of the sheer competitiveness of the careers and having successfully completed both assessments, I took it upon myself to build a program for FSU’s AFROTC program. This program is to help better prepare interested cadets in the different ST career fields. Simply, I wanted interested cadets to have a better understanding of what the application process entails to ensure they are as prepared as possible.
My only expectation at the beginning of the program was to give me everything they had, each day in the program. From the start to now, I have seen changes in not only the cadets’ physical abilities, but their attitude toward school, college, and life. I have seen leadership growth in each cadet, especially the more senior cadets. I am confident there will be more individuals attending, and hopefully getting hired out of Detachment 145.
The program itself consists of: biweekly meetings (to discuss calisthenic form, expectations for selection, nutrition information, the application process, and more), a weekly water confidence session (to teach cadets how to maintain composure in high pressure scenarios under water), a weekly ST related physical training session, and weekly ruck march with or without the Army Ranger Challenge team.
After I commission this May, I hope the cadets will continue chasing excellence in every facet of their lives. No matter what career field they choose, this program will help to ingrain a sense of excellence in their lives. I have no doubt, cadets will be successful in whatever career field they choose. That is how I will measure the effectiveness of the ST program that I created at FSU AFROTC.
Coming into the program, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t come from a military family, and in leaving high school I was sure I wanted to study biology but not sure where else I was going to apply myself in college. It wasn’t until I talked with several family friends about a possible career through ROTC that I considered it as an option. It was a stroke of luck that my school of choice (FSU(Go Noles!)) had an ROTC detachment in the branch I preferred and with a fantastic reputation behind it, and I decided to put my name in. At the very start, my expectations were that this was four years of Basic Training, that I’d be balancing academics against a punishing training regimen and a cold and unforgiving group of “soldiers”. I had almost twelve years of Boy Scouts to make a very general basis on what to expect, but I knew that ROTC would be a whole different ball game from what I was used to in the Scouts.
I was apprehensive at first, but when I truly integrated myself into the Wing, all of my initial expectations were shattered. It is true that the training we go through is demanding and very daunting to the average college student, but the notion that ROTC is too difficult, abrasive, or unforgiving could not be anything further from the truth. In my first two years, I wanted to grind through my academics as hard as I could and knock out the hardest classes I could handle, however I sacrificed being able to participate to the fullest extent in the Wing. I was very reserved and tried my best not to get in anyone’s way, opting not to take any volunteer opportunities for events or to reach out at all. When the Spring semester of my sophomore year came around, I realized that many peers in my class was going through the same struggles that I was going through, and that I was not alone in my apprehensions. In that semester in particular, I saw how the Wing acts to build cadets up and make everyone competitive - not among each other - but as officer candidates across all ROTC detachments. I realized how ROTC is far more of a nurturing and learning environment where the aim is not to break cadets down and weed out the weak, but push everyone to reach their limits and exceed them.
In the end, I understand that the program is just the starting point for a military career; I may graduate in May to leave my life at Florida State behind, but it is hardly the end of my learning in life. Over the summer, I spent a ten-week internship at Kirtland AFB and was able to see the lives led by over a dozen officers and just as many enlisted Airmen, and ROTC is accurate in some respects, but far off on others. Thus, my biggest expectation for the Air Force once I commission is that I must be ready to adapt to whatever environment I am put into, and quickly; chances are it will be a unique experience and I may be caught off guard. I intend on following through with my pilot slot and competing at UPT next autumn, which puts me back in the classroom but under a completely new set of circumstances. For this reason, my final expectation is that all of the training and effort that I have invested into my time at ROTC will set me ahead of the curve when I am at UPT, and I will be able to adapt to whatever challenges I am faced with.
AFROTC Offices are located at Harpe-Johnson Hall: 103 Varsity Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306
All non-scholarship cadets will require a sports physical from their physician or FSU Student health Services documented on an AFROTC Form 28 - Click Here.pdf.
If you are selected to receive a scholarship, you will be scheduled to complete a medical examination. Scholarship winners and their parents are advised that no scholarship will be activated until the individual is medically qualified for a commission. The process is lengthy and may involve several months of processing and correspondence.
The Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB) is the medical certification agency for Air Force ROTC scholarships. Scholarship winners will be scheduled for an examination by DODMERB and DODMERB will determine whether or not the individual is medically qualified for a commission. If you are found to be medically disqualified, but believe there are extenuating circumstances that justify consideration of a waiver of our medical standards, you should follow the DODMERB instructions (with the notification letter) regarding rebuttals and waiver processing. In such cases, DODMERB will discuss your case with AETC/SGPS, the medical waiver authority, to determine if a waiver to the standards is feasible. The final decision is based on the nature of your condition or defect and specific medical parameters and protocols that have been established.
For those selected to receive a scholarship, DODMERB will send you complete instructions. If you cannot meet the scheduled date, request another date. As a candidate, you are responsible for all costs of travel, food and lodging related to the medical examination and personal interview. If you wear hard contact lenses, remove them a minimum of 21 days before the examination; remove soft lenses 72 hours before the examination.
Once you have been scheduled for an examination, if you have a medical question, DODMERB is your only official source of information.
There are more than a hundred careers in the Air Force to choose from. A list of careers can be found at http://www.afrotc.com/careers.
Maybe. The Professor of Aerospace Studies may waive some or all of the GMC if you were prior enlisted. This is determined by the amount and kind of experience you had when you departed prior service.
You may want to attend the sophomore Air Force ROTC classes and/or the preparation sessions for Field Training with the sophomores to see what Field Training with Air Force ROTC is all about. Prior service cadets must meet the same commissioning requirements as other cadets and be selected to attend field training.
