Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Field Training -- yes or no?
Tomorrow I get to find out whether or not I made it into Field Training. A bunch of cadets have already found out today (cadets have to go see the Captain to find out) whether or not they get in. Three cadets I know have defintely gotten in, but I know quite a few more who have been rejected for a slot. I find out my fate tomorrow. If I get in, great. Six weeks in Alabama getting yelled at and stressed out in some blistering, sticky, stinky heat. If I do not get in - I have to go for another year as a GMC and try for Field Training in Summer 2012. These words may look like I am calm, cool, and collected - but right now I am a big bundle of anxious, depressed, scared nerves ready for a breakdown or a freakout. Or both. And in case you are wondering how Air Force cadets get selected for Field Training... We are lined up with ALL (which number in the thousands) the other competing cadets in the country and we are judged on our: -school GPA -cadet standing: are you in the top or middle or lower 1/3 of the cadet class? This is in terms of AFAS gpa (Air Force classes), attendance, extra activities within rotc (like recruiting, color guard, etc...), integrity, service, excellence... stuff like that. -PFA score (personal fitness assesment. I got a 93 or 94 last semester and a 96 this semester, which is great because a lot of cadets did even crack the 90s. keep in mind this is out of a 100) -year plan: are you a 200, 250 (me), or a 500? a 200 is someone who has been in the GMC program for 2 years, a 250 is someone who has been a GMC for less than a year at this point, and a 500 was rejected for a slot last year and they are aiming for a Field Training slot again this semester. I have heard 250s get special consideration because they are on the fast track to becoming an officer. -scholarship student?: if you are on a scholarship, the Air Force is basically paying for your education and so they have a need to get you through Field Training because they are investing in YOU. And because the monetary budget for scholarships was overextended last year NO SCHOLARSHIPS for anyone this year (unless you won one in your past. then whoopee for you.) There is probably a bit more to it but that is all I can remember at this point. Anyway, where I think I stand on this set is: GPA: pretty low, 2.89 cadet standing: fairly good, I am in the top 1/3 PFA: great, scored a 93/94 and a 96 year plan: 250, might help me this semester. scholarship: HA! Plus keep in mind there are a lot more faces than places (too many cadets aiming for too few slots) in regards to Field Training. This year A LOT of cadets aimed for a Field Training (more than the past few years) slot so the general timing may work against me and a lot of other cadets. But whatever happens, happens. I find out tomorrow whether or not I got in this year. And yes the results (and the ensuing happy-oh-thank-God-I-got-in or the fuck-my-motherfucking-fucking-life-and-fucking-fuck-everyone-fucking-else-how-come-they-got-in-I-am-so-fucking-angry-I-want-to-take-out-my-frustrationonsomeoneandIhatethefuckingworld!!!!-rant. ...I really hope no one from my det. finds this!!!!!!
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oh geez I did not know it was going to be one big blob of words. Eesh. I would recommend copying and pasting the JUMBLE that is my post and putting it on microsoft word and adding paragraph spaces where appropraite. I get a headache just looking at that!
ReplyDeleteso?? howd it go??
ReplyDeleteI DID NOT GET IN. I failed to get a Field Training slot. Out of the 3,300 non-technical degree cadets to apply for a slot, less than 2,000 cadets actually got a slot in Field Training this year. The competition this year was so incredibly stiff that there were loads of cadets that are not going to FT this summer. So now I have all these options ahead for me. I can (1) continue on in the Air Force ROTC and try for a slot next year, (2) join Army or Navy ROTC, (3) join the Guard; Army or Air, (4) drop out of ROTC, finish Bachelor’s Degree and try to get into OTS: Officer Training School. It is an intense ten-week program for civilians or enlisted (who already have Bachelor’s Degrees) to become an officer, or (5) drop out of the military, get my Bachelor’s Degree, apply @ the Department of Defense, and serve the military as a civilian. ----------------- As of right this second my dad wants me to look @ Navy ROTC and Army ROTC. I do not want to join the Navy ROTC program because a bunch of cadets from the Navy dropped out of that program to join the Air Force ROTC program. Which says a lot right there. If six cadets have left in just two years… anyway. Army ROTC sounds okay but I have heard some bad things about it from actual ROTC cadets. Like PT is only offered twice a week and it starts at 0530 (whereas Air Force ROTC offers PT four times a week and it starts @ 0630). And it seems Army ROTC puts ROTC first and school second (I heard this from an actual cadet) whereas Air Force ROTC is mostly about getting school done and getting balance in your life. Plus I believe Air Force ROTC is the right fit for me. I don’t want to leave! What I want to do is try again for a slot NEXT year. I know what I need to work on (GPA, leadership skills, confidence…) and if I amp up my effort and try a lot harder at school then I did this term, I just might get in. In the meantime I am going to talk to Army ROTC and the Guard. Keep my options open. ---------- And I have to say… I am taking this a lot better than I thought I would. I mean I am sad that I am not going to FT this summer but at the same time… there was some kind of relief afterwards. I am not tight with all the people going to Field Training this summer (maybe one or two cadets. I am tighter with the 100s then with the 200s who are going), I do not feel prepared for Field Training in the least bit, I can have this summer off… But I am still disappointed that I cannot continue on with the three-year plan. I have to push back my graduation by a year to Spring 2014. But I think I can handle this. I believe I can succeed. Just gotta trust in God and in myself and in my friends (</3) and in my family.
ReplyDelete