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Mission
Develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community.
Goals
Instill values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment.
Personnel and resources
The AFJROTC staff includes 31 headquarters personnel and nearly 1,900 retired Air Force officers and enlisted military instructors. There are approximately 870 AFJROTC units with more than 125,000 cadets in high schools across the United States and selected Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Europe, the Pacific, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
Organization
AFJROTC provides citizenship training and an aerospace science program for high school students. Secondary school students who enroll in the AFJROTC program are offered a wide variety of curricular and co-curricular activities. The program explores the historical and scientific aspects of aerospace technology and teaches high school students self-reliance, self-discipline, and other leadership characteristics. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts are also an important part of this world-class program. By Title 10 United States Code, the program is a citizenship program and not chartered as a recruiting program for military service and those students who participate in AFJROTC do not incur any obligation to the Air Force.
AFJROTC objectives are to educate and train high school cadets in citizenship and life skills; promote community service; instill a sense of responsibility; and develop character, leadership, and self-discipline through education and instruction in air and space fundamentals and the Air Force’s core values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.
Curriculum
The curriculum is comprised of aerospace science (40 %), leadership education (40 %), and health and wellness studies (20 %). Students who successfully complete classes are granted credit towards graduation. Aerospace science includes the heritage of flight, principles of aircraft flight and navigation, human requirements for flight, development of aerospace power, aerospace vehicles, rocketry, space and technology programs, aerospace industry, cultural studies of major world regions, and cyber technology. The STEM curriculum is introduced to help students better understand the science-and math-related curriculum, improve critical-thinking skills, and prepare cadets to be more competitive in the 21st century. Leadership education introduces students to military customs and courtesies, character education, citizenship in the United States, first aid, wellness, health and fitness, basic drill and ceremonies, critical thinking, effective communications, management, human relations, and college and career readiness, preparing students for life after high school. AFJROTC units complement the curriculum through cooperation and resources from organizations such as NASA and Civil Air Patrol.Community service
Community service is a major part of the cadet experience and helps instill a sense of civic pride and citizenship. Each year, AFJROTC cadets contribute more than 1.6 million hours of community service. Projects range from working with national organizations such as the March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy, the National Red Ribbon Campaign, and the Special Olympics, to participating in local community projects such as cleaning and refurbishing cemeteries and building parks.
Scholarships and other benefits
Cadets who choose to continue their education may receive special consideration for Air Force ROTC scholarships. Many of these scholarships will pay for two, three, or four years of tuition, books, and fees at numerous universities and colleges and allow cadets to pursue studies in various technical and non-technical majors.
In addition, cadets electing to enter the military immediately after graduating from high school are eligible to enlist in service at one to two paid grades higher than other enlistees. Students completing three years in AFJROTC are eligible to enter the Air Force two pay grades higher than other enlistees and are automatically enrolled into the Community College of the Air Force to receive college credit toward their associate’s degree.