Department of Aerospace Studies

afrotc.unc.edu

PAUL HOLST, Chair

Professor

Paul Holst, Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force

Assistant Professors

Greg Duffy, Major, US Air Force

Steve Klukovich, First Lieutenant, US Air Force

Introduction

The United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program provides leadership and Air Force specific training to students pursuing a career in the United States Air Force. The AFROTC program is open to students looking for a challenging career and the opportunity to support and defend the constitution of the United States. AFROTC is more than a department in the College of Arts and Sciences; it is a professional organization designed to provide students growth and development opportunities beyond the classroom. Cadets learn and develop personnel management and leadership talents through hands-on experience both inside and outside of the traditional classroom setting.

The Air Force ROTC Program

Four-Year Traditional ROTC Program

This program is for students who enroll as cadets in ROTC and plan to graduate in four years with a commission as an Air Force second lieutenant. Each year of the program cadets must take the appropriate aerospace studies course and leadership lab (AERO 500) and participate in weekly physical training. In the spring of the sophomore year, cadets will compete for an Officer Commissioning Enrollment Allocation, which will require successful completion of a four-week field training in the summer after the sophomore year. Successful completion of field training grants entry into the Professional Officer Corps (POC). Cadets in the POC refine their leadership skills and prepare for a USAF active duty commission upon graduation.

Nontraditional ROTC Program

Students who do not enroll in Air Force ROTC in their first semester are eligible to participate in the program. They will participate in the same academic course, leadership lab, and physical training as traditional students. Additionally, nontraditional cadets will be required to complete AERO 101, 102, 201, and 202 prior to attending field training and must be able to complete at least three semesters of college as a full-time student following field training.

Interested Students

First- and second-year students seeking to learn more about the Air Force and ROTC can take AERO 101, 102, 201, or 202. These courses provide a solid introduction to Air Force operations, providing students with the necessary information to make an informed decision about whether the Air Force interests them.

Minoring in Aerospace Studies

The minor in aerospace studies is a 14-semester-hour, nontechnical course of study open to all UNC–Chapel Hill students. Students may select courses for the minor from the following list: AERO 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 399, 401, 402; AERO/HIST/PWAD 213; AERO/POLI/PWAD 446. Students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of course work with a grade of C or better. The remaining two hours must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

Special Opportunities in Aerospace Studies

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Three-and-a-half- to two-year scholarships are available to students based on merit or specialized major (e.g., foreign language and nursing). In most cases, these scholarships cover tuition and fees and provide a tax-free allowance ($300 to $500 each month) and a textbook allowance each semester.

Applied Professional Training

Air Force ROTC makes available to cadets, on a competitive basis, various summer programs designed to provide Air Force experience, an understanding of operations, and leadership opportunities. In the past, these programs have included Air Force Academy Free-Fall Parachuting, Air Force Academy Soaring, Army Airborne Training, Combat Survival Training, Foreign Language Immersion, Operation Air Force, Nurse Orientation Program, and Pentagon Internship.

Foreign Language/Study Abroad Stipend and Opportunities

All contract and scholarship cadets are eligible to earn up to $3,000 per academic year for studying a foreign language or participating in a study abroad program.

Air Force ROTC cadets are uniquely eligible to participate in Department of Defense language grant programs through major universities, often involving a study abroad. See www.rotcprojectgo.org or contact the admissions officer for more information.

Extracurricular Activities

The AFROTC experience is much more than classroom studies. Cadets participate in a wide range of activities. These include social functions such as a formal dinner, fundraising events, color guard at home football and basketball games, field trips to military bases, and publication of a cadet newspaper, The Ramjet.

Arnold Air Society (AAS) is a national service organization dedicated to furthering the traditions, purposes, and concepts of the United States Air Force as a military organization and a professional calling. The local AAS chapter is active nationwide, and AFROTC cadets attend the national convention each year.

Locally, AFROTC cadets may participate in the cadet flight orientation program, receiving four to eight one-hour sorties with a certified flight instructor at no cost to the student.

Guaranteed Job Placement

Successful AFROTC program graduates are commissioned second lieutenants in the USAF.

Contact Information

Prospective students/cadets are encouraged to visit the ROTC Armory, CB# 7480, 221 South Columbia St., or contact Maj. Greg Duffy, admissions officer, (919) 962-2074. Web site: afrotc.unc.edu.

AERO

101 United States Air Force Today (1). An introduction to AFROTC and the United States Air Force (USAF); customs and courtesies, officer opportunities, core values, and communications skills.

102 United States Air Force Today (1). An introduction to the United States Air Force organization and mission.

190 Seminar (1–3). Seminar in topics related to the United States Air Force.

196 Independent Study (1–3). Readings and research of topics regarding the United States Air Force.

201 The Evolution of United States Air Force Air and Space Power (1). Examines general aspects of air and space power through a historical perspective from the first balloons and dirigibles to the Cold War.

202 The Evolution of United States Air Force Air and Space Power (1). Examines general aspects of air and space power through a historical perspective from post–Cold War military operations through the Global War on Terror.

213 Air Power and Modern Warfare (HIST 213, PWAD 213) (3). See HIST 213 for description.

301 Contemporary Leadership and Management (3). The first part of a two-part course concerning contemporary leadership and management. Emphasizes modern-day experiences, successes, and failures, with various theories on motivating people, organizing, and managing. Lectures and discussion focus on application of various principles as an Air Force officer. Class participation, comprehension, and oral communication skills are stressed.

302 Contemporary Leadership and Management (3). The second part of the course described above (AERO 301). Class participation, comprehension, and written communication skills will be stressed.

399 Air and Space Expeditionary Training (1). Provides leadership training in a military environment. Professional development is achieved through academics, physical fitness, marksmanship, and leadership exercises. Course culminates in a simulated expeditionary deployment to a combat zone.

401 National Security Affairs and Preparation for Active Duty (3). Examines issues relevant to new Air Force officers with an emphasis on national security issues and Department of Defense and US Air Force organizational structures and function.

402 The Military and Contemporary Society (3). Survey and analysis of the major issues affecting officers in the Air Force. Lectures and discussions center on gaining insight into the military officer, military law, ethics, law of armed conflict, and preparing for active duty as a second lieutenant. Class participation, comprehension, written and oral communication skills are stressed.

446 Defense Policy and National Security (POLI 446, PWAD 446) (3). See POLI 446 for description.

500 Leadership Laboratory (0). Required for all AFROTC cadets. This laboratory is conducted by the cadet corps and involves career opportunities in the USAF, life and work of the USAF junior officer, and military ceremonies.