<p>My son (class of 2014) received a congressional nomination and currently has an appointment from USMA (West Point) but his 1st choice is the AFA (Air Force Academy). He just received a medical waiver from DODMERB for the AFA and hopes to receive his LOA from AFA this month. His sister (class of 2013) received her LOA from AFA in mid March, 2009, so he is very hopeful. However, he is debating what he should do if it does not happen. Should he accept the LOA from USMA or continue pursuing an AF ROTC scholarship? His ultimate objective is a career in Space Technology and hopefully his wings as a fixed wing pilot. </p>
<p>Be interested in your opinions. Especially from those parents whose children are now serving as officers in the military pursuing their careers post college.</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond,
Joe Allison</p>
<p>Just a thought, but I think having the objective of obtaining his wings as a fixed wing pilot seems to be be inconsistent with USMA.</p>
<p>How do you continue to pursue an AFROTC scholarship?</p>
<p>If he is not accepted into the AFA he will hopefully be selected for an AFROTC scholarship which if he receives he should accept. If he doesn’t receive an AFROTC scholarship he should enter college and join an AFROTC Detachment and either re-apply to the AFA or pursue an in-college AFROTC scholarship.</p>
<p>If his “ultimate objective is a career in Space Technology and hopefully his wings as a fixed wing pilot”, then the Air Force is where he needs to eventually end up…IMHO.</p>
<p>BTW - considering his goals, why did he apply to the USMA?</p>
<p>Does he have a nomination for USAFA? If he does, he shouldn’t get an LOA, but an appointment…</p>
<p>He has been nominated for both USAFA and USMA…</p>
<p>He was advised to apply to all the Service Academies. He clearly communicated to the committee that AF was his first choice.</p>
<p>My understanding is that an LOA is a letter of appointment… he is waiting on an appointment from AFA.</p>
<p>Plan A is as described… Plan B are other options if Plan A doesn’t happen. He has been advised that WP grads have also successfully served in Space Technology careers as WP has a strong engineering program. The USMA rep on the interview committee has contacted my son and indicated while he respects his first choice of the AFA that he is the type of young man that WP desires and would really like him to consider WP over an AFROTC scholarship if he does not receive an AFA appointment. </p>
<p>Continuing to pursue AFROTC scholarships means continuing to apply to colleges that have AFROTC while waiting for a scholarship from ROTC. There is usually an application fee so it can add up after a bit.</p>
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How many colleges that would appeal to someone with AFA stats AND have AFROTC programs are still accepting applications? Wasn’t he accepted at any of the schools that he put on his ROTC college list?</p>
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<p>I really don’t know. We are looking beyond the immediate year. His sister attended a local community college while she pursued her primary objective. She is now a cadet at USAFA.</p>