Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps

The Holm Center, formerly known as the Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools (AFOATS), retains direct responsibility for both AFROTC and OTS.

[3] The National Defense Act of 1920 continued ROTC, and units to train aeronautically rated officers for the then-U.S. Army Air Corps were created.

[3][4] Air Corps officers were subsequently accessed via either the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York or via the Aviation Cadet Program at locations in Texas, California, and Alabama.

In 1971, women were admitted to the Air Force ROTC program, having been previously limited to commissioning only via Officer Training School (OTS).

[3] AECP replaced the former BOOTSTRAP program and provided a full AFROTC scholarship in addition to whatever Veterans Administration educational benefits these Airmen were entitled to.

Future astronaut, Colonel Eileen Collins, USAF (Retired) was one of the first AFROTC cadets selected for pilot training upon graduation.

This restructuring placed oversight for three-quarters of Air Force officer production under one command and facilitated the sharing of manpower and expertise with minimum effect on the day-to-day operations of either organization.

[3] AFROTC units at colleges and universities are called "detachments," and are headed by an active duty USAF officer in the rank of colonel or lieutenant colonel who functions as both the Detachment Commander for USAF purposes and with the nominal title of professor of aerospace studies (PAS) within the institution's academic community.

The POC is a two-year course, consisting of AS300 and AS400, designed to prepare cadets for active duty as Air Force officers.

For POC cadets, LLAB furthers leadership and followership skills learned at FT by planning and implementing the activities under the supervision of the active-duty cadre.

Professional Officer Course – Early Release Program (POC-ERP): Offers active duty Air Force enlisted personnel an opportunity for an early release from active duty to enter AFROTC and receive a commission as an Air Force officer.

Members selected for POC-ERP will separate from active duty, sign a contract with AFROTC and become full-time college students.

Enlisted personnel selected for POC-ERP may use their Montgomery GI Bill benefits while in the program along with any additional grants or scholarships for which they may qualify.

NECP cadets may participate in the program for up to 24 consecutive months, depending on prior academic preparation and age limitations.

Their Air Force Reserve enlisted ranks will range from Airman Basic (AB, pay grade E-1) to Staff Sergeant (SSgt, pay grade E-5) with higher grades based on prior enlisted military experience in the Active Component or Reserve Component of the U.S. armed forces or other qualifying credentials (i.e., senior Civil Air Patrol cadets or former high school AFJROTC cadets with four years of participation enlisting at Airman First Class {A1C, E-3}, etc.).

During these additional years these cadets (AS700 or AS800, if on scholarship) are only minimally required to participate in LLAB and maintain retention standards.

The cadets will not attend aerospace classes, Physical Training, or Leadership Lab during their co-op blocks (they will be on Periods of Non-Attendance) and otherwise complete the program like any four-year major.

Before the beginning of exercises, cadets receive a safety briefing on the "importance of hydration, heat stress disorders, and prompt reporting of any problems to a cadre member.

Within 72 hours of taking the FA, cadets have their height, waist, and weight measured to calculate body mass index (BMI).

Completion of this boot camp-style training is a mandatory program for all individuals qualified to pursue an Air Force commission through AFROTC.

Active duty FT staff are typically selected from cadre at AFROTC detachments and serve in four to six-week rotations.

While normally a two-week event, FT 2023 marked a 17-day program that includes PDT or incentive flights for selected cadets—giving insight into the daily operations of an AFSC.

Cadets who are ranked among the top third or better in their flight are recommended for CTA duty and have the option to apply to become CTAs the following year.

AFROTC cadets can apply for various career fields, to include aeronautically rated Pilot, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), Navigator/Combat Systems Officer and Air Battle Manager (ABM) slots, as well as non-rated slots such as Missile Operations or Missile Maintenance, Space Operations, Intelligence, Aircraft Maintenance, Meteorology, Civil Engineering, Security Forces, Admin/Personnel, etc.

Cadets applying for rated slots, such as Pilot, RPA Pilot (MQ-9 Reaper), Navigator / Combat Systems Officer (CSO), and Air Battle Manager (ABM), will have the opportunity to apply no later than towards the end of the first semester of their second-to-last year (generally, the 1st semester of the academic junior year).

The ground school course was also given an AS400 series designation and open to all AFROTC cadets in their senior year regardless of selection or non-selection for USAF undergraduate pilot training.

Cadets who had prior civilian flight training and/or civilian pilot certifications could also enroll in the FIP ground school and the course was also offered as option for Army ROTC cadets, Naval ROTC (NROTC) midshipmen on both Navy and Marine Corps commissioning tracks, Naval Aviation Reserve Officer Candidates (AVROC) and Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class-Air (Marine PLC-Air) officer candidates slated for flight training in their respective services following graduation.

With the demise of FIP and PIP in 1991, the 12th Flying Training Wing (12 FTW) at Randolph AFB, Texas initially assumed responsibility for the Enhanced Flight Screening Program (EFSP) of all candidates for UPT from all USAF commissioning sources (AFROTC, USAFA and OTS).

This training was conducted for these officers following graduation and commissioning at Hondo Municipal Airport, Texas in T-41 Mescalero and T-3 Firefly aircraft until 1998.

Following several fatal mishaps with the T-3 Firefly, the program was transferred from the 12 FTW to a civilian contract operation under AETC auspices at Pueblo Memorial Airport, Colorado.