DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE STUDIES (US AIR FORCE ROTC)

Lt. Col. Glenn A. Swilling, Chairperson, 306 Wright Annex

Students may obtain consent of the chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies prior to enrolling in an aerospace studies course if prerequisites for the course have not been met.

RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAMS

In 1948, the Board of Trustees of East Carolina University entered into an agreement with the Department of the Air Force to establish and maintain a US Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

The Department of Aerospace Studies is an integral academic subdivision of East Carolina University and includes all US Air Force ROTC activities conducted at the institution as stipulated in the contract with the US Air Force.

The purpose of the Department of Aerospace Studies is to prepare students, through a permanent program of instruction, to serve as commissioned officers in the US Air Force.

East Carolina University offers two- and four-year Air Force ROTC programs for men and women. Upon successful completion of either program and graduation from college, cadets will be commissioned second lieutenants in the US Air Force.  Individuals with prior military service are encouraged to apply.

During the last two years of the program, qualified students receive $1,500 per semester for tuition and $450 for books as well a monthly stipend. Cadets in the two- and four-year programs are eligible for the college scholarship program, which provides full tuition, and most laboratory, textbooks, and incidental fees, plus a monthly stipend.

QUALIFICATIONS

A student must meet the following requirements before he or she can enroll in the Air Force ROTC:

Four-Year Program:

General Military Course (GMC): freshmen and sophomores.

1. Be enrolled as a full-time student at East Carolina University or be classified as a visiting student by the registrar.
2. Be a citizen of the United States.
3. Be at least fourteen years old.
4. Have no obvious disqualifying medical defects.
5. Inform the chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies if he or she is a former serviceman or servicewoman or has received previous military schooling (e.g., high school ROTC). The student may not be required to complete the entire general military course.
6. AFROTC physical fitness requirements must be met before attending field training.

Professional Officer Course (POC): juniors and seniors.

1. Complete the Air Force ROTC general military course during the freshman and sophomore years of college.
2. Take the Air Force Officer Qualification Test (AFOQT).
3. Meet the medical requirements for a commission.
4. Be selected upon the basis of all test scores and GPA by a selection board at ROTC headquarters, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
5. Successfully complete a four-week field training course at a US Air Force base (may be postponed under certain conditions).
6. Have approval from the chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies.
7. Be in good academic standing with the university.
8. Meet AFROTC physical fitness requirements.

Two-Year Program:

Professional Officer Course (POC): juniors, seniors, graduates, and transfers.

1. Apply, if possible, prior to December 15 of the sophomore year.
2. Have two academic years remaining, either at the graduate or undergraduate level or a combination of graduate and undergraduate work.
3. Inform the chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies of prior military service or prior military schooling (e.g., high school ROTC).
4. Take the Air Force Officer Qualification Test (AFOQT).
5. Pass a US Air Force medical evaluation.
6. Meet AFROTC physical fitness requirements.
7. Successfully complete at a US Air Force base a five-week field training course designed to prepare students for entry into the two-year campus program.
8. Have approval from the chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies.
9. Be in good academic standing with the university.

How to Apply for AFROTC:

1. Students applying for the four-year program register for Air Force ROTC in the same manner and at the same time they register for other university courses.
2. Students interested in applying for the two-year program must contact the chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies. Application should be made prior to December 15. The student must have two academic years of study remaining after completion of the five-week field training course, either at the undergraduate or graduate level or a combination of the two.

AFROTC COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Department of Aerospace Studies offers college scholarship programs for qualified cadets enrolled in both the two-year and the four-year programs. These scholarships cover full tuition (including out-of-state) and most laboratory, incidental, and textbook fees. Cadets also receive a monthly stipend during the period of the scholarships. Applicants are selected on the basis of scores on a qualifying test, quality of their academic work, and rating by an interview. Many scholarships are available in majors identified as critical by the US Air Force (typically in computer science, mathematics, and physics).  Students interested in these scholarships should contact the Department of Aerospace Studies, 307 Wright Annex, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353. High school students should contact their guidance counselor for information and application forms or apply directly to HQ AFROTC/RRUC, 551 East Maxwell Blvd., Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6106. Applications should be made prior to December 1 of the high school senior year.

ACADEMIC STATUS OF COURSES IN AREOSPACE STUDIES

General Military Course (GMC). This program is primarily for cadets enrolled in the four-year program. There is no military obligation to students enrolled in the GMC who are not on scholarship.  It requires four semesters for completion, for which 8 s.h. of credit will be allowed. AERO credits may be applied toward other degree requirements in the following manner, provided individual certification requirements are met.

Students may substitute all AERO semester hours earned for free electives.

Professional Officer Course (POC). This program is primarily for cadets who have met all qualifications. It requires four semesters for completion, for which 16 s.h. are allowed. Credits earned in this portion of the AERO curriculum may be applied toward other degree requirements as follows:

1. Students may substitute all AERO credits earned for free electives.
2. After AERO credits have been substituted for a minimum of one-half of the total number of free electives available to a student, he or she may substitute remaining credits for specific courses in his or her field of study upon approval of his or her adviser.
3. AERO courses may help satisfy the full-time student status requirements of the Veterans Administration (VA) for GI Bill Educational Benefits.

COGNATE MINOR FOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICER COURSE

The cognate minor for professional officer course requires 28 s.h. of credit as follows:

1. Required 3000- and 4000-level AERO courses, professional officer course (not including laboratories). 12 s.h.
2. Cognates (Choose a minimum of one from at least six of the following seven areas. The chairperson of the Department of Aerospace Studies may approve other courses from these areas.). 16 s.h.
   1. CSCI 2600. Introduction to Digital Computation (3) (F,S) (P: MATH 1065 or 1066) 
      DSCI 2223. Introduction to Computers (3) (F,S,SS)
   2. ECON 2113. Principles of Microeconomics (3) (F,S,SS) (GE:SO)
      PSYC 3241. Personnel and Industrial Psychology (3) (F,S,SS) (GE:SO)
   3. ENGL 3810. Advanced Composition (3) (WI) (F,S,SS) (P: ENGL 1200)
      ENGL 3880. Writing for Business and Industry (3) (WI) (F,S,SS) (P: ENGL 1200)
      ITEC 3290. Technical Writing (3) (WI) (F,S,SS) (P: ENGL 1200)
   4. GEOG 3003. Political Geography (3) (WI) (S) (GE:SO)
      GEOG 3047. Western Europe (3) (S)
   5. HIST 3121. American Military History to 1900 (3) (GE:SO)
      HIST 3122. American Military History Since 1900 (3) (GE:SO)
      HIST 5470. History of Soviet Russia Since 1917 (3)
   6. POLS 3144. American Foreign Policy (3) (S) (RP: POLS 2020)
      POLS 3253. Government Fiscal Administration (3) (S) (RP: POLS 1010)
      POLS 3293. International Organizations (3)
      POLS 4380. Topics in International Politics (3) (F) (P: POLS 2020 or consent of instructor)
   7. SPCH 2510. Public Speaking (3) (F,S,SS) (GE:FA)
      SPCH 2520. Business and Professional Communication (3) (F,S,SS) (GE:FA)

PROFESSIONAL OFFICER COURSE (POC)

Consent of department chair is a prerequisite for all courses in the POC numbered above 2999.