Air Force Junior ROTC Program Information
The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) provides leadership training and an aerospace science program for high school students. The program’s goal is to "Build Better Citizens for America." Secondary school students who enroll in Air Force Junior ROTC are offered a wide variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities. The program explores the historic and scientific aspects of aerospace technology and teaches high school students self-reliance, self-discipline and other characteristics found in good leaders. Air Force Junior ROTC is open to 9th-12th grade students who are physically fit and citizens of the United States. The program is not a recruiting tool for the military services and those students who participate in the program do not incur any obligation to the Air Force.

The objectives of the Air Force Junior ROTC program are to educate and train high school cadets in citizenship and life skills; promote community service; instill responsibility, character, and self-discipline through education and instruction in air and space fundamentals. There are 794 Junior ROTC units with over 106,000 cadets in high schools across the United States and selected Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) in Europe, the Pacific, and public schools in Puerto Rico and Guam. The program is currently expanding and will add 151 new units by 2007. With the addition of new units, Air Force Junior ROTC is expected to reach over 120,000 cadets worldwide.

Curriculum
Aerospace Science comprises 60 percent of the curriculum and Leadership Education 40 percent. All students who successfully complete AFJROTC are granted credit toward graduation. Classroom study includes the heritage of flight, development of aerospace power, contemporary aviation, the aerospace environment, human requirements of flight, aerospace vehicles, principles of aircraft flight and navigation, space programs, space technology, rocketry, propulsion, and the aerospace industry. Students are also introduced to military customs and courtesies, flag etiquette, citizenship in the United States, the elements of survival, first aid, wellness, health and fitness, basic drill and ceremonies, effective communications, management, human relations, and life after high school. All uniforms and curriculum material are provided by the Air Force. Supplemental materials are also provided to enhance the curriculum.

To reinforce what is learned in the classroom, cadets participate in many outside activities such as field trips to military bases, aerospace facilities and industries, museums, civilian airports and other areas related to aerospace education.

Cadets also participate in parades, summer leadership schools, drill team competitions, color and honor guards, military balls, and honorary academic groups. Many Air Force Junior ROTC units complement the curriculum through the cooperation and resources of organizations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Civil Air Patrol (CAP), and the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).

Instructors
All AFJROTC instructors are retired Air Force commissioned and noncommissioned officers. The instructors maintain Air Force standards and are trained through the Junior ROTC Academic Instructor Course. They are full-time faculty members of the participating high school and are employed by the local school board to teach Junior ROTC classes. There are nearly 1,800 instructors serving in the 794 units around the world.

Community Service
Community service is a major part of the cadet experience and helps instill a sense of civic pride and citizenship. Projects range from working with national organizations such as the March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy, the National Red Ribbon Campaign, and Special Olympics to participating in local community projects such as cleaning and refurbishing cemeteries, building parks, and sponsoring little league teams.

Drug Abuse Prevention
Cadets are also very active in drug abuse prevention education. The Awareness Presentation Team is a program designed to provide cadets as positive role models for elementary and middle school students. Cadets visit the younger students at their schools and present talks and skits in an effort to deter drug use and abuse. Units with active programs make presentations to thousands of students each year.

Scholarships and Other Benefits
AFJROTC cadets who choose to continue their education may receive special consideration for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) scholarships. Many of these scholarships will pay for three or four years of tuition, books, and fees at numerous universities and colleges and allow cadets to pursue studies in various technical and non-technical majors. In school year 2004-2005, 336 out of 506 (66.4%) Air Force Junior ROTC cadets received AFROTC scholarships during the College Scholarship Program selection board process.

Cadets completing two years of Air Force Junior ROTC and who continue ROTC in college may waive one term of the Air Force Senior ROTC program. Students completing three years in Air Force Junior ROTC may receive credit for a full year of college level Air Force ROTC.

In addition, cadets electing to enter the military immediately after graduating from high school are eligible to enlist in the services one to two pay grades higher than the other enlistees. Students completing three years in Air Force Junior ROTC are eligible to enter the Air Force two pay grades higher than other enlistees, and are automatically enrolled into the Community College of the Air Force, to receive college credit toward their associate college degree.

For More Information
For more information on the Air Force Junior ROTC program contact Air Force Junior ROTC Headquarters, 551 East Maxwell Blvd., Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6106 or dial 1-866-235-7682, ext. 3-7513, or visit their World Wide Web site at www.afoats.af.mil/afjrotc.