ROTC—U.S. Air Force
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is a college-level educational program that gives students the opportunity to become Air Force officers while completing their degrees. AFROTC offers post-collegiate opportunities in more than 100 career specialties. Air Force officers are challenged with organizational responsibilities and experiences not often available to new college graduates. This program is for students who want to challenge themselves as Air Force leaders and managers while serving their country in a professional, high-tech environment. High school students seeking scholarships should review requirements and submit an application via www.AFROTC.com before December 1 of their senior year. College students seeking scholarships should contact UMD’s AFROTC unit at 218-726-8159.
Lecture courses are available to students not joining the ROTC program.
Four-Year Program
The four-year program is divided into the General Military Course (GMC), primarily for freshmen and sophomores, and the Professional Officer Course (POC), primarily for juniors and seniors. The GMC allows a student to “try out” AFROTC without incurring an obligation (unless she or he is receiving an AFROTC scholarship). At UMD, the GMC consists of a one-credit hour lecture, a 90-minute leadership lab, and a mandatory physical fitness program every week with some requirements outside of scheduled times. Students learn leadership and officer skills; Air Force career opportunities, educational benefits, and the life and work of an officer; the organization and missions of the Air Force; and historic development of aerospace doctrine and strategies. In the second year of the GMC, cadets compete for selection to Field Training before entering the POC.
Enrollment in the GMC does not confer military status. Normal course progression for GMC students is AIR 1101, 1102, 2101, and 2102. Students take AIR 1000 each semester.
After successfully completing Air Force Field Training, cadets enter the POC. They take a 3-credit hour lecture, the 90-minute leadership lab, and a mandatory physical fitness program with some requirements outside of scheduled times. In the POC, cadets get advanced training in leadership, management, and communication skills focusing on Air Force situations. They examine a broad range of American, domestic, and international military relationships within the context of American national security policy development and implementation. The class is combined with the leadership lab where the POC cadets plan, organize, and direct the cadet corps. As a POC student, participants receive a tax-free allowance each month in school. Normal course progression for POC students is AIR 3101, 3102, 4101, and 4102, along with AIR 3000 each semester.
AFROTC prefers students who can attend all four years. A three-year program is available for qualified students. Please contact the detachment for additional details.
Veterans
Veterans may use prior military experience as credit for advanced placement. They may also take full advantage of all veterans’ benefits they have accrued in addition to the financial aid they receive from AFROTC.
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