OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AIR AND SPACE FORCES
Unique Job Opportunities – In the Air Force and Space Force you get the opportunities to do jobs that are completely separate from those in the civilian sector. Whether flying a plane or developing the latest technology, officers in the Air and Space Forces will have jobs like no other. The job opportunities that cadets have the potential to earn range widely from a Civil Engineer to a Pilot to an Intelligence officer to a satellite operator. There are potential careers in the Air and Space Forces no matter your interest. With these types of job experiences Air and Space Force Officers and Professionals truly have a job that is unlike any other in the world.
Higher Education- Once cadets graduate ROTC and commission, the Air and Space Forces provide many opportunities to further their education. Whether that be Medical school, Dental school, or a Masters program, qualified officers who want a professional degree will have the opportunity. In addition to those programs the Air and Space Forces offer advanced technical training at the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Basic allowance for Housing/Substance- Every member of the Air and Space Forces receives benefits relating to the everyday needs of their life. Living expenses, including utilities and maintenance, are covered for those who choose to live in on-base housing. If one decides to live off-base, a monthly tax-free housing allowance based on rank, family status and geographic location is provided to help pay for living expenses.
Traveling- Airmen and Space Professionals receive 30 days paid vacation that they can use to travel locally or even internationally. Airmen and Space Professionals are able to utilize free space in Air Force aircraft that travel to different destinations, which may include Italy or Spain, and even places in the United States. Airmen and Space Professionals can choose to stay at a destination near a base, or military facility, and receive hotel-quality stay on base for a reasonable price. Even through deployments and TDY’s alone, Airmen and Space Professionals can explore different cultures and people simply for being in the Forces.
OPPORTUNITIES AT DET 390
Initial Flight Familiarization-The Civilian Flight Program is an opportunity for ROTC cadets of all branches to explore flying as a career path, receive additional flight training, and get flight hours before entering their active duty service. Each flight consists of a pair of cadets and a certified flight instructor and is scheduled by the cadets to fit their availability; however, schedule changes can be coordinated with the CFI. All flights are held at the Ann Arbor Aviation Center and cadets are responsible for their own transportation there. Most importantly though, these flying opportunities come free of cost for cadets as each flight is funded by ROTC.
Color Guards- Cadets in the ROTC program can do Color Guards at priority events. Many of these events include: University of Michigan football Games, basketball games, and other large events. The Color Guard’s purpose is to present the United States flag for the event, whether it is raising the flag during the football games, or standing on the basketball court holding the United States flag while the National Anthem is being played. For doing these events, cadets can attend the event for free and watch Football games on the field at the end zone.
Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings- The non-profit student organizations work together with the students to develop future leaders through community service, professional development, and education about our national defense.
Mentorship– Not only does mentorship build camaraderie, but it also helps build leaders. Cadets are put into mentorship groups, called mentorship families, that are a mix of GMC and POC cadets. This way POC can help and guide the GMC into becoming better team players and eventual leaders. The POC can provide their experiences they had and what has helped them to the GMC and to answer any questions that they have about the program. We also conduct mentorship competitions to encourage communication within the mentorship family and to build camaraderie.
Warrior Weekend- Warrior Weekend is a voluntary event where cadets spend a weekend at a base for training. This event takes place during the Fall semester of classes. During Warrior Weekend cadets can get training in fields that aren’t normally covered during the school year. Things that are done at Warrior Weekend are paintball to introduce small unit tactics, learning basics to land navigation, and being in command of a flight. Warrior Weekend also teaches upperclassmen about effective planning because the planning and training for Warrior Weekend is done primarily by the upperclassmen cadets.
Base Visits– Every year Det 390 visits an Air Force base or Space Force Base. During these visits cadets can expect to see numerous parts of a wing and different functions that are performed to make the wing function. Cadets also get to talk to the officers and enlisted personnel on what they do for their job in the wing. Some of the jobs they can hear about are pilots, security forces, and aircraft maintainers. These are only a few jobs that cadets have the potential to learn about on a base visit.