Air Force ROTC offers students a course of study leading to a commission as a second lieutenant. Designed to complement individual academic majors, AFROTC courses can be applied toward minor requirements. Cadets enrolled in the program represent a broad cross section of the student body. The student/cadet has an opportunity to explore and evaluate Air Force career opportunities while earning a college degree. Completion of the AFROTC curriculum is the initial step in the education of the professional officer and provides a firm understanding of basic aerospace doctrine and the Air Force missions, organization, and operation.

The Air Force ROTC program consists of two phases: The General Military Course (GMC) and the Professional Officer Course (POC). Each phase requires four (4) semesters of study.

Air Force studies courses are offered to University of Mobile students on the University of South Alabama (USA) campus. Students planning to enroll in any Air Force studies classes must contact the instructor at USA to coordinate enrollment requirements. Interested students should call (251) 460-7211 for additional information. Registration is via normal University of Mobile procedures. Scholarship information is provided in the Financial Aid  section of this catalog.

Air Force ROTC Courses

General Military Course (the Basic Course). Students may enroll in the General Military Course with no military obligation. The GMC courses deal primarily with the various Air Force organizations and their missions, as well as the history of the Air Force. Communication skills are also emphasized.

Professional Officer Course (the Advanced Course). Enrollment in the POC is limited to those students who have applied and been accepted for the course. Selection is based on interest in the Air Force together with academic records, observed leadership abilities, physical fitness, and the results of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test. Application is normally made while a member of the GMC or (for students not enrolled in the GMC) early in the academic year prior to the year of desired entry. Individuals entering the POC must have two academic years remaining in college as full-time students at the undergraduate and/or graduate level. Upon completion, all POC students are obligated to accept a commission and enter the active-duty Air Force.

Junior-year materials emphasize student involvement in learning and practicing management and leadership techniques. Leadership and management skills as they apply to a Junior officer in the Air Force are emphasized, and communication skills are stressed throughout the entire AFROTC Curriculum. The senior-year course deals extensively with the political, economic, and social factors relating to the formulation and implementation of national security policy.

Cadets receive a nontaxable allowance monthly while on contract (normally during the two academic years in the POC). This stipend is in addition to any other scholarship benefits.

Field Training Course. All students desiring a commission must complete one field training course, conducted at an active Air Force base during the summer months. Two types of courses are available, depending upon which program the student anticipates entering (two or four-year). The two-year program requires a five-week course to be completed, normally, between the sophomore and junior years. The four year program requires a four week course to be completed, normally between the sophomore and junior years.

When attending either field training course, a student is furnished transportation or payment for travel plus pay. Contact the AFROTC Detachment for current rates and payment amounts. Uniforms and free medical care are furnished while at field training. Students attending a five-week field training course receive academic credit for the full two years of courses in the GMC.

Air Force ROTC Uniforms

Students in Air Force ROTC will be issued uniforms to wear to class and leadership laboratory. They must be turned in upon completion of the year or when the cadet drops or is dropped from the program.

Course of Instruction for Air Force ROTC

The GMC course is normally completed during the freshman and sophomore years. This basic course consists of four academic periods (semesters) of study with one hour of classroom work and two hours of leadership laboratory per week.

The POC consists of four academic periods (semesters) of study, and this advanced course leads to a commission in the United States Air Force. Three classroom hours and two hours of leadership laboratory are required weekly. Students interested in this program should contact the Professor of Air Force Studies.

Programs

• Air Force Studies Minor