FAQs

It's a challenge. It's an opportunity. It's a head-start on a lifetime of success. Air Force ROTC is a college program offered at over 1000 colleges and universities across the U.S. that prepares you to become an Air Force or Space Force officer.

It means:

• The opportunity to get the money you need for college
• Making the most out of your college experience and your life
• The chance to earn a college degree while working toward becoming an officer in the United States Air Force or Space Force
• The chance to experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities

 

No. University of Portland is the host institution for any AFROTC cadets in the greater Portland-metro area. Cadets attending any accredited college in the area are eligible to attend. Examples of schools with cross-town or consortium agreements are:

• Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, OR
• Clark College, Vancouver, WA
• Concordia University, Portland, OR
• Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Portland, OR
• George Fox University, Newberg, OR
• Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR
• Linfield College, McMinnville, OR
• Marylhurst University, Marylhurst, OR
• Mount Hood Community College, Gresham, OR
• Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR
• Portland Community College, Portland, OR
• Portland State University, Portland, OR
• Reed College, Portland, OR
• Warner Pacific College, Portland, OR
• Washington State University at Vancouver, Vancouver, WA
• Willamette University, Salem, OR

The required time commitments are:

• Freshmen/Sophomores: 1.5hr academic class, 2hr leadership laboratory, 2-3hrs of physical fitness
• Juniors/Seniors: 2.5hr academic class, 2hr leadership laboratory, 2-3hrs of physical fitness

In addition to the above, many cadets volunteer to take on leadership positions in the Cadet Wing or participate in extracurricular activities.

No. Some competitive boards (e.g. scholarships) tend to favor "critical" majors (e.g. STEM fields or foreign languages) but there are no restrictions on majors in the AFROTC program.

No. Cadets attend a 2-week long Field Training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama typically between their sophomore and junior years. Field Training is not like boot camp in that it focuses on leadership, problem solving, and teamwork. Field Training is run by AFROTC instructor staff and Cadet Training Assistants, not Air Force Military Training Instructors.

First- and second- year cadets are considered part of the General Military Course (GMC). GMC cadets are focused on learning how the Air Force and Space Force operates, customs and courtesies, uniform wear, and drill and ceremonies. Cadets who have completed Field Training (i.e. third-, fourth-, and fifth-year cadets) are what are known as the Professional Officer Course (POC). POC focus on honing their leadership skills, learning how the Department of the Air Force contributes to national security, and preparation for active duty. POC cadets run the entire cadet wing and all training during Leadership Laboratory.

Cadets have numerous opportunities to do a wide variety of fun activities outside of class. First, there are several cadet clubs, including our armed drill team, community service, and social club. We also have frequent voluntary events such as hiking, paintball, cookouts, sports, flight training, and Air Force base visits. Summers also entail opportunities to pursue activities such as language study overseas, airborne (i.e. parachute) training, working with the AF Research Labs, visiting bases, etc. See the AFROTC website for more information.

Yes, you can join. If you are a sophomore with a 4-year degree plan, you may be required to take AS10x and AS20x classes simultaneously; if you plan to take 5 years to complete your degree, then you begin with AS10x courses similar to other first year cadets.

Air Force ROTC normally requires at least 3 years to complete all of the training requirements. In rare cases exceptions may be made for those with prior military experience. Please contact us at rotc695@up.edu for additional information.

You are only required to wear the uniform on class days and at physical fitness training. Uniforms are issued to all cadets.

No. All course content is either online or provided in class. Uniforms are issued to cadets free of charge.

Absolutely NOT! This is not tolerated in the Air Force, Space Force, nor AFROTC. We expect the highest degrees of mutual respect.

No, our physical fitness training is designed to build strength, endurance, and camaraderie through varied workouts or sports. You should begin a workout routine prior to attending, if able, but our training builds over time to bring those new to working out up to speed.

We aim to prepare cadets for the Air Force Physical Fitness Assessment which typically involves 1 minute of pushups, 1 minute of situps, and a 1.5 mile run. The Air Force has also recently added options for hand-release pushups, plank or cross-legged reverse crunch, and high aerobic multi-shuttle run, respectively.

There is a minimum four year commitment for non-rated officers. Rated officers commitments vary. Pilots have 10 years, navigators have six years, and air battle managers have six years on their commitments.

Joining is simple. If you are a University of Portland student, you just need to register for AS101 and AS111 (Fall) or AS102 and AS112 (Spring) through your advisor.

If you are a cross-town student, you need to register with University of Portland as a non-degree seeking student at https://www.up.edu/admissions/apply/non-degree-seeking-path-page.html. Once that is done, please contact us so we can complete the class registration.

If you are a sophomore, you register for slightly different classes so please contact us at rotc695@up.edu or 503.943.7216 for details.

Your choices are vast. If there is a civilian career field, there is likely an equivalent in the Air Force or Space Force. Check out https://www.afrotc.com/life-after-rotc/ for some examples!

Career field selection happens at the end of your junior year. In that process, you indicate which careers you are most interested in and then are matched to one of them. Those interested in Pilot, Combat Systems Operator, Air Battle Manager, or Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Operator compete through a special board during their junior year.