As the second semester of my Sophmore year passes here at Embry-Riddle, My fellow Air Force cadets in my class and I got through a training semester known as Field Training Preparation. To understand why we do this, I’ll provide you first with some background information on how Air Force ROTC works in the first place. This information covers questions that I get all the time working as a tour guide on campus, so read up if you want to find out a little more about Air Force ROTC here at Embry-Riddle Prescott!
Your first two years involved with ROTC you are considered a GMC cadet, GMC standing for General Military Course. This means your training is geared towards learning the values and heritage of the Air Force; and general military knowledge that you will use throughout your career. Then after your sophomore year, you will receive what is known as an enrollment allocation. This enrollment allocation, or EA for short, allows you to go to Field Training over the summer. Field Training constitutes of 28 days of military training at Maxwell Air Force Base Alabama and Camp Shelby Mississippi. Upon graduating Field Training, you become part of the Professional Officer Course, or POC. As a POC, you training then focuses on leadership and preparation for active duty service.
Anyways, us second semester sophomore cadets are getting ready to go to Field Training this summer, so this semester is focused on preparing us for this endeavor. We learn about everything from how to properly make a bed and maintain a dorm , to how to march as a squadron. All of this training is received in a military training environment, which makes this semester a bit more intense then my previous three semesters here.
The biggest event on my horizon, and the biggest events for all the cadets in my class too, is the receiving of enrollment allocations. No cadet is guaranteed an enrollment allocation, and cuts are generally made. So all of us are sitting around bubbling with apprehension waiting for the results of the enrollment allocation board to come back in from Maxwell. They should be any day now so we are all very excited.
If you have any questions or comments about anything let me know in the comment section. I’d be happy to respond to you so don’t be shy!
