NROTC vs AFROTC

[Bentley Barker]

I'm sure this is a repetitive question. But I would like some input on the situation. I'm a high school senior who will be attending either Univrrsity of Washington or Embry-Riddle Fl. next year. At both schools I'll be studying mechanical engineering and doing ROTC. My ultimate goal is to fly jets. Now I know this is a goal sought after by many but I still have hope that it's possible. I have aprox 70 hours of flight time and my private pilots license under me as well. Which route would you suggest for someone who really wants to fly. I'd love to go navy but I'm worried I'll get stuck on a sub or some other kind of ship and not flying.

Any input would be great. Thanks again.

 

[WEGL12]

I'm sure this is a repetitive question. But I would like some input on the situation. I'm a high school senior who will be attending either Univrrsity of Washington or Embry-Riddle Fl. next year. At both schools I'll be studying mechanical engineering and doing ROTC. My ultimate goal is to fly jets. Now I know this is a goal sought after by many but I still have hope that it's possible. I have aprox 70 hours of flight time and my private pilots license under me as well. Which route would you suggest for someone who really wants to fly. I'd love to go navy but I'm worried I'll get stuck on a sub or some other kind of ship and not flying.


Any input would be great. Thanks again.

I am not in ROTC but know a bunch of people in both NROTC and AFROTC. First off search around this site and you will find that this has been covered several times. But in my opinion, you need to be prepared to be an officer first and foremost.

I know several people that only wanted to fly that got selected for SWO out of NROTC but I know more cases of people in AFROTC with engineering majors being selected for an engineering position. Neither route is a guarantee that you will fly. OCS will allow you to select you designation before you start training but you have to wait until you near graduation before you can apply. And there is still no guarantee you get selected. I will try to find the contact information of a friend of mine that did NROTC, wanted to fly his entire life but was selected for SWO his senior year. Might be worth your while to talk with him about his experiences.

If it was me, if you have a ROTC scholarship offer and you truly want to serve, I would take my chances in ROTC, bust my ass in college, and see where the cards fall come service selection time. Then make the best out/ do your best in the community you are selected for. That's my take, hope it helps.

And be prepared to receive lots of love in the near future for identifying you want to fly jets. That's a whole different discussion but I am sure it will be addressed.

 

[Wudgles]

My ultimate goal is to fly jets...

I'd love to go navy but I'm worried I'll get stuck on a sub or some other kind of ship and not flying.

As I'm sure you're aware, none of the routes into the military absolutely guarantee you anything. NROTC/USNA means you're eligible for anything from SWO to SUB to INTEL, while OCS doesn't guarantee you'll get picked up at all. However, since you're thinking ROTC of some kind, this is the big takeaway:

Which service would you be happier in if you DON'T get picked up for a flight slot?

Knowing what you want to do and having a goal in mind is great. However, you've got to think about where you'd want to be if that doesn't happen. Would you be happy as an NFO possibly? Or, maybe an AF Supply guy making sure the golf course club house has enough tiny umbrellas for virgin daiquiris?

My two cents (on my limited experience): if all you want to do is fly, the Navy isn't for you. Good luck to you, either way.

 

[statesman]

If all you want to do is fly...OCS

But understand the HUGE risk you take of there not being slots open.

OCS is a very easy way for the Navy to flex to demand in a short period of time. In ROTC/USNA the navy has to project it's needs out 4 years. If they read the demand signals wrong and they don't need as many pilots as they thought they would, OCS gets considerably more competitive. If they under estimate, it opens up.

From what I have seen ROTC has a very good track record of people getting 1390 designators... But as said above sometime it doesn't come through.

 

[Bentley Barker]

I have considered the OCS route. But speaking with an officer at UW NROTC I was told that receiving a flight slot from OCS was next to impossible and not a good route to go.

Wouldn't the AF by percentage have more aircraft to fly. Therefore allowing for more flight slots?

 

[Flash]

.....Wouldn't the AF by percentage have more aircraft to fly. Therefore allowing for more flight slots?

You would think, but........

- I think a lot more folks go into AFROTC wanting to be a pilot while in NROTC you have folks who want to do SEALs, subs, EOD, Intel, IW and even a few SWOs so there is a little bit less competition for those aviation slots.

- Then there is the service selection pecking order for the USAF that seems to be a lot more favorable for the Academy folks vs ROTC. While the Navy seems to do a good job of spreading around billets between Annapolis and ROTC the USAFA seems to get the wealth of the pilot slots and AFROTC the leftovers. I am not sure if that is officially acknowledged but over the years I have seen it first-hand.

- Finally the USAF also has a lot more O's doing other crap that the Navy just gives JO's as shore tour jobs or collateral duty, leaves it to enlisted folks (where in most cases it should be) or has civilians or contractors do it. A few examples includes airfield management, acquisitions and my favorite, MWR officer. No, that isn't a joke and yes it is an actual career field in the USAF. Granted, they also do have some categories of officers that they need that we just don't have or don't have a lot of compared to them to include Air Battle Manager (E-3 and E-8 backenders), missileers and space folks. Those two and a half career fields need quite a few officers.

 

[Bentley Barker]

Ok great. Well Im sensing an overall push towards the Navy. I originally wanted to do the Navy just because I respect their pilots a lot for their unbelievable skill. I understand that doing NROTC doesn't guarantee a slot or anything like that but I think I'm going to have to take that risk in order to succeed.

Is there anyone who disagrees with that? And how about the marines option? They seem like they have a lot of flying options out there too.

 

[WEGL12]

I have considered the OCS route. But speaking with an officer at UW NROTC I was told that receiving a flight slot from OCS was next to impossible and not a good route to go.

My recruiter keeps pushing me to give him recommendations for those interested in particularly SNA and NFO slots through OCS , I guess there is a high demand right now. I am in an OCS program and I personally know three other people selected for aviation through OCS in the last two months. So it is far from impossible but like staesman said, the problem is it varies constantly. Some months it seems like everyone that is qualified is selected while other months hardly anyone is selected. I would recommend looking at the OCS topic thread to get an idea on the selection process and stats for certain months.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I have considered the OCS route. But speaking with an officer at UW NROTC I was told that receiving a flight slot from OCS was next to impossible and not a good route to go.

Wouldn't the AF by percentage have more aircraft to fly. Therefore allowing for more flight slots?

The actual data disproves what he said as far as number of spots, the variable is how many apply for those spots, that is why OCS pilot selection has been as low as 25% and recently as high as 100%, in general it is about 50%, however those with ASTB scores at 8 or 9 have a near perfect selection rate.

 

[BusyBee604]

Putting a title like NROTC vs AFROTC on a Naval Aviation website, is like going to Yale admissions and asking if they recommend a Yale or Harvard education, no?
BzB

 

[Bentley Barker]

Putting a title like NROTC vs AFROTC on a Naval Aviation website, is like going to Yale admissions and asking if they recommend a Yale or Harvard education, no?
BzB

Haha my apologies. I didn't realize this was an all Navy forum. But thanks for all your guys help anyways.

 

[BusyBee604]

Haha my apologies. I didn't realize this was an all Navy forum. But thanks for all your guys help anyways.

No apologies, just jivin'. We enjoy helping when we can, we do have several USAF participants..., just couldn't resist that opening!
BzB

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Wouldn't the AF by percentage have more aircraft to fly. Therefore allowing for more flight slots?

Food for thought, the Marine Corps has the highest % of total pilots/total officers of all the services. I wouldn't get too wrapped around "gaming the game" as far as who has more aircraft. I would look at the jobs you could potentially wind up as if you DON'T get pilot, and I would look at aircraft/aviation missions you could potentially get if you DON'T get jets.

The AFROTC at my school carried blue pads around during PT, so if they had to do pushups or situps outside, they wouldn't have to sit in the grass.

 

[USAF_WX2USN]

The AFROTC at my school carried blue pads around during PT, so if they had to do pushups or situps outside, they wouldn't have to sit in the grass.

True story (and it's not the just ROTC, that's standard across the service)

 

[USAF_WX2USN]

Haha my apologies. I didn't realize this was an all Navy forum. But thanks for all your guys help anyways.

For an AF aviation forum site, check out: http://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/