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Officer Options: Air Force Officer
The Air Force commissions only U.S. citizens with a
bachelor's degree. Some career choices require additional academic qualifications
(e.g., a graduate degree, specific courses). Applicants for a commission must
also be physically fit and of high moral character.
Typically, men and women earn commissions through the U.S. Air Force Academy,
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) or Officer Training School
(OTS). Individuals in some professions may obtain a direct commission without
attending one of the above commissioning programs.
U.S. Air Force Academy
Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains near Colorado Springs, the Air Force
Academy annually accepts about 1,200 young men and women into its four-year
program. Graduates earn a bachelor of science degree and an Air Force commission.
The program is intense, with a well-balanced curriculum that includes the physical
and social sciences, humanities, and math. In addition, the academy provides
cadets with a background in aerospace operations through courses such as astrodynamics
and aeroengineering. Admission to the Air Force Academy is generally made through
nominations from United States Senators or Representatives, but other avenues
to receive an admission appointment are available.
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC)
The AFROTC gives college students a unique opportunity to earn a commission
while completing their degree. The AFROTC offers four- and two-year programs
at more than 750 colleges and universities. You apply for the four-year AFROTC
program by simply enrolling in the aerospace studies course at the time you
register for your other freshman courses. You may apply for the two-year AFROTC
program if you have at least two years of undergraduate work remaining. Each
cadet receives $150 a month tax free during the final two academic years. Scholarships
are available for all programs on a competitive basis. Scholarships pay for
most tuition, laboratory and incidental fees, and textbooks. Scholarship cadets
also receive $150 tax free each month during the school year. High school students
interested in the four-year scholarship should apply late in their junior year
or early in their senior year of high school. College freshman and sophomores
can apply by contacting the professor of aerospace studies at their college
or university.
For more on military educational benefits, visit the Education
Center.
Officer Training School
The Officer Training School
at Maxwell AFB near Montgomery, Alabama, provides people with a bachelor's degree
to earn a commission. Its rigorous 14-week program guides college graduates
or degree airmen to commissions as Second Lieutenants. Direct Appointment The
Air Force directly commissions men and women in certain professions, including
certain medical, legal or religious fields.
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