AFROTC... is it worth it??

[Blutonski816]

Next Fall, I will be attending UNLV for my Freshman year of college. The other day, my Senior instructor in MCJROTC discussed with me as to how I will earn my commission. Originally, I had chosen to go the OCS route after earning my Bachelors degree. Of course this was after much consideration over all the other options. The Colonel at one point wondered if I'd be interested in going to Annapolis.
After weighing all the decisions I came to the following conclusions:
1. I DO want to earn my my Wings and serve as a Naval Aviator.
2. I don't want to attend a military academy mainly because I want to be able "run wild" for a while, also because I don't want to waste Uncle Sam's time and money figuring out what I want to study.
3. I don't exactly know what I want to study in college in order to get a degree. Therefore, Instead of wasting money on going to a college with an NROTC program and ending up hating whatever major that I'd decide to study, or even hating the school itself, I'll be thrifty and take my time to decide what & where.(Originally, I was considering Politcal Science, but I'm still undecided, hence I will be starting at UNLV as an Undeclared major)

One major point that did come up was the idea of attending the AFROTC det that will be starting at UNLV next year. The Colonel suggested I could attend UNLV, take the time to select my major, take my Core classes at a lower price because I'm not Out-of state, and then when I selected where I would go next, I could transfer to an NROTC unit and continue until I graduate.
Since I realized that I wanted to become a Naval Aviator, I've always had this slight twitch in my right eye that comes up whenever people ask me, "So are you going to join the Air Force?" I've made sure that whenver anyone learned of my desire to Fly, that they knew I wanted to Fly Navy.
Prejudices aside, I did a little browsing around here and looked into what people thought of the AFROTC experience. So far, it's been pretty negative, but I'd like to get some serious feedback from anyone who has any info about AFROTC. Will the fact that I came from an AFROTC unit help me get selected to go to P-cola after graduation if I transfer to an NROTC unit before I get my Degree?
Is the life as an Zoomie cadet that good?
In short, I'm asking IS IT WORTH IT??

Or would it just be better to let the Gunny at OCS break my ego long enough to keep me from killing myself in Primary??

 

[KBayDog]

1. Is it worth it? I trust you are talking about "tagging along" with the AFROTC, and not getting an AF scholarship. If that's the case, why not? As much as we bag on each other here, the military branches aren't as different as you may think. Sure, each service has its own nuances, but it would benefit you to immerse yourself in some kind of quasi-military culture while in college.

2. Don't think that sitting in with the AF will help/hurt your chances of earning a SNA/SNFO slot. It's basically the same question as "will going to the Academy guarantee me a jet slot," yadda, yadda, yadda. If you want to go NROTC, apply for it. If you want to tag along with the Air Force, then go to Navy OCS, go that route. Take your time and make an informed decision - and remember this: Once you earn your commission, your commissioning source is irrelevant. Sure, each source has its pros and cons, and the number of SNA/SNFO slots may be different. However, the only thing the Navy cares about is "are you a good officer?"

3. A lot can happen in four years. What is valid this morning is obsolete this afternoon.

4. Have fun, but GET GOOD GRADES, and DO NOT GET IN TROUBLE!! If you want to serve in the Navy, you need to earn it. If you are in a situation where you don't have a warm fuzzy, ask yourself your own question: Is it worth it?

5. You sound like you are making a good choice, both financially and degree-wise. If you don't know what you want to do, figure it out, then play hardball. The Navy will like that you won't waste their time/money when you decide to pursue a commission.

6. Keep stopping by AirWarriors for advice, and best of luck!

 

[Brett327]

There's a quasi-famous story/summary of the differences between the lives of Naval Aviators and Air Force Aviators. I'm pretty sure I've seen it floating around one of these threads, but if someone could post it here, I think it will help you out.

Brett

 

[zab1001]

Will the fact that I came from an AFROTC unit help me get selected to go to P-cola after graduation if I transfer to an NROTC unit before I get my Degree?

short answer: no

Is the life as an Zoomie cadet that good?
In short, I'm asking IS IT WORTH IT??

I guess if you have no other option as far as exposure to a military environment, why not...

 

[KBayDog]

Then again, maybe you should just stick around MCJROTC. It's probably more like the real military than AFROTC.

Plus, as you get older, they stay the same age. (Sorry, had to say it!)

 

[Future Herc Driver]

Dude, I suggest you not look at a navy website for pros and cons on AFROTC. You are gonna get a bunch of sh1tbag answers from people who have no idea what they are talking about. Go to this website to ask question about AFROTC, the people there will be able to give you a more educated answer:http://www.dynamictruth.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?category=1
On the other hand dont ask them about NROTC because you will get a bunch of sh1tbag answers on that site too.
Nothing says you cant give the AF side a chance. The first two years are free of commitment unless you take a scholarship.

Then again, maybe you should just stick around MCJROTC. It's probably more like the real military than AFROTC.

This is an example of the sh1tty quality of answers you will recieve at this site about AFROTC.

 

[FLYMARINES]

I actually did this. I go to the University of Alabama where there is no NROTC unit. I had made up my mind before I started school that I would apply for an SNA slot through the PLC program, because I wanted more than anything to become a Marine Officer and an aviator, and PLC was the right route for me. My Dad was a former Air Force fighter jock who commissioned from AFROTC and felt I would get some good experience by joining the program my freshmen year, even if I planned on leaving to join the Marine Corps. I learned basic military procedures, marching, drill, customs and courtesies, how to command a flight, etc. etc. I feel like I will have a small edge at the beginning of OCS when I go this summer, because of some of the things I learned in AFROTC. A word of caution, because if you decide to stay in AFROTC, realize that at my unit all the in-college scholarships given out were to engineering majors, and only 2 guys got pilot slots out of 17 who applied. I actually applied for a scholarship and got it, but I knew in high school I wanted to be a Marine, so I turned down the scholarship and got an SNA slot through PLC. Good luck and and in the end do want you want to do.

 

[KBayDog]

Dude, I suggest you not look at a navy website for pros and cons on AFROTC. You are gonna get a bunch of sh1tbag answers from people who have no idea what they are talking about. Go to this website to ask question about AFROTC, the people there will be able to give you a more educated answer:http://www.dynamictruth.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?category=1
On the other hand dont ask them about NROTC because you will get a bunch of sh1tbag answers on that site too.
Nothing says you cant give the AF side a chance. The first two years are free of commitment unless you take a scholarship.

This is an example of the sh1tty quality of answers you will recieve at this site about AFROTC.

Any reason why you chose to ignore the first answer I gave him?

 

[Future Herc Driver]

Guess my SA is slipping.

 

[RevnR6]

Hey Blutonski,

I am in Vegas right now attending Nevada State College. If you are interested in flying in the Navy let me know as I am in the application process right now as well. Also I have my Private Pilots Cert and am always looking for people with similar interests to go flying with. If you want to take a cessna up with me I will be glad to take you along. Do you have any flight experience? Also I have some high up friends at Nellis that can give you some advice about AFROTC.

Mike

 

[Blutonski816]

KBD: I know you're joking about the whole "stay at MCJROTC" thing, but actually a lot of former cadets stop by frequently. Many of them decided to enlist right after HS.
Just last week, we had PT with my old Platoon Commander from my first year. He just came back from Iraq as a Marine Reservist.

Brett: You mean the Bob Norris letter, right??


Thanks for the help, guys...

 

[Schnugg]

Cha-Ching!!!

Why not go AFROTC if you just want to fly and don't care if you end a up a Zoomie....had two siblings do this at MIT and RPI.

Talk about getting your money's worth out of it. Full tuition and fees in the 2005-2006 academic year at MIT is estimated at $40,200.

 

[wink]

Herc Drivers post should be taken as reason enought to wonder about associating with the Air Force. Give me a break. He comes to a NavAir web site to ask if his detour through AFROTC makes sense if he wants NavAir. Is he going to ask that at an AF site? As to the totally expected slams of the AF in general, and AFROTC specificly, you just can't take a joke. Keeping in mind, of course, in all good jokes there is an element of the truth. Think the MCJROTC vs AFROTC comment will keep him from making an informed decision on his own? And just for the record, in terms of military bearing and drill, I would put up most any MCJROTC unit against a squad of college AFROTC cadets. I can say that based on several personal observations over many years. In the end, I expect Blutonski came here for answers because he respects the Navy point of view and those associated with it more than the AF. Nothing wrong with that. I can also assume Herc Driver feels the same way about the AF and I feel about the Navy. Except I can take jokes about the Navy.

 

[Future Herc Driver]

Yeah listening to my ranting should definitely persuade you to stay away form the AF. You should take the crusty Fo's advice. Im sure this kids next post will be what are his chances of getting jets after college. You could let him know hes got about an 80% chance he'll be flying a helo in his beloved Navair. Or...you guys could send him to the blue side and tell him if he gets a slot his chances will be nearly a 100% percent he will fly a jet. ::rant button off:: Let the games begin.

 

[wink]

I won't get into the "chances of getting jets" discussion as it is all guesssing, whether Navy or AF. But I can't let Herc get off with his comment of nearly 100% jets. When a wannabe asks about jet opportunities in the Navy he is talking tactical jets, OK? When Herc talks about jets he lumps in a heck of a lot of trash haulers and gas bags. Now go ahead and debate the relative chance of tac air jets (fighters) between the AF and Navy if you want. The AF may in fact come out a little ahead, I don't know. What I do know is that if you should go with those odds and become an AF pilot you will never ever be able to say you were a Naval Aviator. That means alot. It doesn't matter if you fly F-18s, H-60s or P-3s. It means so much more that being an AF pilot. AF pilots don't routinely purposely shut down engines at a few hundred feet 1000 miles from home like P-3 bubbas. AF helo pilots rarely see the recoveries Navy helo guys do on an almost daily basis and we all know AF guys don't land F-15s on carrier decks. On top of all that, a Naval Aviator is a line officer eligible to command at sea. Take your pick, AF or Navy. Everyone is different. It's all good. But some is gooder than some other.