Student Life

Being a member of Air Force ROTC will immediately connect you with great people who care about you, making this big city seem a little smaller. Here, you will be with other motivated students and staff who share your goals and who want to help you achieve them. Although ROTC only requires cadets to participate five hours per week, most students become much more involved in the many extracurricular activities and teams in ROTC.

There are many activities you can choose from to include aircraft orientation flights, color guards at home games, Air Force Base visits, air shows, honor guard, a national community service organization, Civil Air Patrol aviation, intramural sports teams, etc. During the summer, some of our cadets volunteer and are selected to ride in Air Force fighter jets, sky dive at the USAF Free-fall School, observe active duty operations, learn foreign languages abroad, participate in internships with three-letter agencies in Washington DC, and much, much more.

We recognize that you are a college student first, and we encourage you to take advantage of the many opportunities to learn, grow and contribute while here at Det 320. Our students are also involved in campus and local area groups such as Volunteer Firemen, various honor societies, fraternities and community service organizations.

Whether you complete the three or four year program, Det 320 Air Force ROTC offers the same commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force as cadets who attend the military academies (West Point, Air Force/Naval Academy). We also offer the same career opportunities. A notable difference, however, is that Det 320 Air Force ROTC cadets get the college experience that many 17-32 year olds seek. For example, our cadets march in Mardi Gras parades, join university clubs, and enjoy many other opportunities that are unique to Det 320 and Air Force ROTC.

Another notable difference is that ROTC is an elected college program incorporated into your normal college experience. Cadets are only required to participate a minimum of five or six hours per week. This includes one or three hours of class per week, two hours of military/leadership training, and three hours of physical fitness training. Most cadets choose to be much more involved. You will have the opportunity to compete for many exciting travel and training opportunities around the United States and overseas. Cadets will attend a four-week intensive Field Training at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL during the summer between your sophomore and junior year.

Students may enroll in the first two years of the program without incurring any military obligation. Entry into last two years is competitive and requires a commitment to the Air Force. Textbooks and uniforms are issued to cadets without cost. Cadets can qualify for a monthly stipend of $300-500 per month and a book stipend of $450 per semester.

Upon graduation and successful completion of the program, you will be commissioned a second lieutenant and have a four-year active duty service commitment (longer for a few specialty career fields such as pilot, navigator, and air battle manager). Although some graduates choose to serve only four years, many go on to serve 20 to 30+ year careers. These currently include generals, and dozens of colonels who are graduates from Det 320, now serving in key leadership positions around the world.

The AFROTC does offer scholarships on a competitive basis when funding is available. The scholarships are in a wide area of academic majors. They cover tuition, university fees, and textbook costs. For additional information or to check eligibility, contact us or go to http://afrotc.com/scholarships/.

Academics are our first priority. Our students come from all over the United States and major in most offered disciplines including Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Science, Russian, German, Nursing, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Information Sciences and Technology, Music Education, and many more. We offer tutors in math, physics and chemistry (at no cost to you). We have a high-speed computer lab, and offer a quiet place to study.

Physical fitness is also an important element of becoming an officer. Our fitness test consists of running 1.5 miles, push-ups and sit ups. Our cadets lead weekly Physical Training (PT) sessions. We have many success stories of cadets who have come to us totally out of shape, and within six months can pass our PT test.

Of course, results vary according to your personal effort and how much you do on your own as well, but almost everyone gets in better shape and sets personal fitness records. Our standards are high, but do not worry if you are not in shape, we will help you get there.

Our goal is to produce the best Air Force officers in the world. They will lead tomorrow's young airmen in executing and supporting our country's operations in air, space and cyberspace. To do so, our students learn to lead through hands-on experiences including small group exercises, deployment scenarios, tactical movements, airpower exercises, and much more.

Air Force ROTC combines traditional undergraduate education with military instruction that will prepare you to tackle the leadership challenges awaiting the Air Force in the 21st century. Our emphasis is to produce proactive leaders who know how to achieve their mission while simultaneously taking care of their people.