I, too, got my commission via the AVROC program in 1971. There were actually two programs, the two six-week stints at P-Cola while in college and then commissioning upon graduation from college, and the one eight-week summer at P-Cola and then, after graduation from college, joining a class of already-commissioned folks and completing it that way.
The first one (two six-week sessions) ended in 1969. I was in the first of the one eight-week stints, and was in the last of six classes who attended in the summer 1970 (Class 102-II). The guys who were in the 1969 six-week classes were told not to report for the second session and to graduate from college first and then show up. They were put into a regular class of AOCs just out of Poopyville (Indoc) and went through with them. They were commissioned upon graduation from AOCS, and not four or so weeks later, as the AOCs and NAOCs were. The AOCs had to solo at NAF Saufley before they were commissioned and the NAOCs (SNFOs) had to pass a mid-term test at VT-10 before they were commissioned.
So... I did one eight-week session between my Junior and Senior year of college, returned to graduate from college, and then was given a date to report back (kind of a dream sheet that one filled out... I got my third choice). After returning to P-Cola, the six of us from the previous summer then were assigned to a regular class in one of the Battalions, but didn't do anything with them except live among them in the rooms there. During the day, we joined up with a group of ensigns and 2nd Lts and did the preflight thing. Instead of doing the preflight survival school week, we had candidate officer week and picked up the survival school during down-time at VT-10 much later. We had an RLP just after we got there, but after that the DIs left us alone.
All in all... it's the best deal I ever fell into. Over-two for pay purposes upon commissioning was just one of the perks. Before commissioning... if you screwed up in front of the candidate officers or DIs... all you had to say was: "But sir... I'm an AVROC..." and that was enough to have them look down, shake their heads and say "get out of here....!!!"
I think that the guys at Newport had the same deal, except it was called ROC instead of AVROC. It died sometime in the late 70s of early 80s, I believe.
jk
