Cadet Life

The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Michigan trains you to become an Air Force officer while completing your bachelor’s or graduate degree. The program takes 3 to 4 years to complete and is designed to provide leadership training and challenges to prepare you to assume responsibility once commissioned as a second lieutenant in the world’s greatest Air Force.

Air Force ROTC cadets live college life to its fullest. From club sports and intramural programs to ROTC summer adventures, Air Force ROTC offers a college experience that’s more intense in every way, without the financial difficulties. Some schools even award cadets additional stipends for books, room and board or other expenses. We also understand that for our cadets, Air Force ROTC isn’t everything. There will still be time to study, work, volunteer, or kick back and enjoy the college experience.

Air Force ROTC also offers several additional training opportunities including flight orientation, Air Force Base visits, parachuting, soaring, and career orientation training at Air Force bases around the world. These opportunities are all optional and offered based on your college and summer schedules.

Base Visits

Base visits will give you a greater insight into the workings of an active Air Force installation. And, more importantly, a better idea of what it is you’d like to do as an Air Force officer.

You'll be exposed to a variety of Air Force missions and see a broad range of officer career fields. Tour the local sites and maybe even take a ride in one of our aircraft.

Military Functions

Get a taste of time-honored military traditions with functions such as military parades, drill, ceremonies and military balls.

Dining-In – Cadets and cadre participate in a "military only" banquet, complete with requisite customs and courtesies (uniform is semiformal dress or mess dress). You'll hear a distinguished guest speaker and experience unique military traditions.

Dining-Out – Cadets and cadre, with spouses and guests, attend a formal banquet, with many of the same customs and courtesies as Dining-In. It's a time to honor cadet accomplishments during the year and hear a fascinating guest speaker in an enjoyable "black-tie" setting.

Warrior Dining-In – A less formal and more fun version of the Dining-In. You'll wear the Battle Dress Uniform with camouflage face paint. Unlike Dining-Out, a Warrior Dining-In usually does not have guest speakers. A variation of this, the Combat Dining-In, can involve water-gun battles and trips to the infamous "grog bowl."

Balls – Military balls are a great combination of military tradition and fun. You and your date come in formal military dress. Military balls usually include meals, distinguished speakers and music.

Social Activities – You’ll work hard. But you’ll also play hard. From football tailgates before the big game to skit nights or just hanging around with your friends, there are plenty of opportunities to meet new people and develop lifelong friendships. Not to mention, you can still be fully involved in other university social clubs, organizations and activities.

Host or Crosstown: Your options are wide open

There are two types of ROTC experiences, and depending on your school choice you'll either attend a host or crosstown school.

• 144 Host Institutions where a detachment is physically located and conducting classes.
• Over 1,000 crosstown schools which are affiliated with the detachments at our nearby host institutions. When you enroll at one of our crosstown schools, you will attend your regular classes there, while you attend your ROTC classes at the nearby host university. This helps keep your options wide open, allowing you to choose the school that is right for you.

Example: if you attend or plan on attending Eastern Michigan University (EMU), you would take Air Force ROTC classes at The University of Michigan (located in Ann Arbor, MI). In this example, The University of Michigan would be the host school while Eastern Michigan University would be the crosstown school.

Information obtain from the U.S. Air Force ROTC page, Click here for more information.

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