Advice to a brand new cadet

One of my friends recently told me that he is interested in ROTC because he wants to be a pilot. He obviously had an array of questions and doubts about the program, the military, and how to be successful. We had several great conversations, and I hope I was able to point him in the right direction.

Here are some of the main points from our discussion:

Set yourself up for success

What do I mean by "set yourself up for success?" Put plainly, you need to set up your life so that you can properly focus on the things that will get you that pilot slot (or whatever else you want). Going to college is hard enough as it is, and many forces will pull you in a million directions. Being "spread too thin"--something I've seen happen to many cadets--will likely lead to failure. You must have your life in order so that you can adequately focus on family, school, and ROTC.

Finances. Good ol' money. Most of us, while in college, are poor. Figure out what you need to do (save for awhile, get help from family, live with parents, government loans) to allow yourself to focus on ROTC. I can't tell you how many cadets have failed to be successful because they are working full time while in school. Maybe you're thinking, What choice do I have--I have to work to survive. While this is often true, you must find a way to focus on ROTC. Remember, ROTC is your avenue to getting your dream job. If you have to work full time, you're going to have a very difficult time focusing on ROTC. In my opinion, it is better to take out a few student loans to allow yourself to be very successful in school and ROTC, because those are the things that will help you succeed for the rest of your life! Not to mention, if you work hard enough and keep your grades up, there is a very good chance that you'll get a scholarship. ROTC is time-intensive. 

Get situated. Find an apartment close to school. If you need a job, get one on campus. Centralize your life around the campus area. Minimize travel times. Set up your schedule in an efficient way. Set up your life so that school and ROTC are accessible. 

Family. If you are married, make sure your spouse is committed to the program. The Air Force is a family affair. You won't get through it on your own, and you need to be careful to not marginalize your family. If you're not married, dating and social activities are important. Make sure you make time for them.

The bottom line is this: Set yourself up for success. 

A Balancing Act

Time management.

You'll hear those words many times in your ROTC career. Much of your success will depend on your ability to manage your time.

Let's be honest. ROTC takes a lot of your time. You'll have regular classes, PT, Leadership Lab, AAS, Drill Team, Color Guard, Recruiting, fundraising, socials, dining events, and more! Not to mention--you're a full-time student. What about your social life? Some of you have wives or husbands, and even children! 

How do you manage all of that?

To be honest, I have not always been the best at managing my time in regards to my family. My wife has had a rough time with the amount of time I have dedicated to my academics and ROTC. I accomplished my goals in terms of ROTC--I got an ENJJPT slot--but did I spend too much time in ROTC? I don't necessarily know the answer to that question, but I do know this: You need to figure out exactly what your priorities are, and your family should be at the top of your list. 

I would propose the following priority list:

1. Family

2. Religion

3. Academics

4. ROTC

5. Job

Social life, partying, xbox, and other forms of entertainment come last. It may seem strange that--in a blog dedicated to success in ROTC--I've placed ROTC as number 4 on the priority list. Trust me, it hasn't always felt that way in terms of time allocation. However, the truth is, Family, Religion, and Academics must come first for obvious reasons. 

Figure out your priorities early on. This will help you stay balanced and focused on what really matters

A little motivation...

For those of you who want to be pilots, I came across this video over the weekend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJbZrHIS7J4&app=desktop

It's a Thunderbird cockpit montage.

It's always important to remember why you are joining ROTC. Do whatever you need to to remind yourself about what it is you're fighting for. Your religion, family, freedom, etc. And of course, to fly.

That's where it all started for me. I wanted to fly.

It's still about flying for me. I can't wait to get started on my training. But, a lot has changed for me. My vision includes so much more at this point in my life.

The bottom line is--each of you need to have a personal vision. The sooner you can define your why, the sooner you'll start succeeding beyond anything you imagined. Don't just define it mentally. Actually write it down. You'll find that your motivation will increase dramatically as you realize exactly what you're fighting for.

And don't stop there. Throughout your ROTC experience, help others find their vision. When you become a POC, reach down and pull the GMC along with you. Help them see their potential. Guide them to discover their personal vision. This will help you as a leader, and it will help them tremendously.

"Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming."

- Dallin H. Oaks

You will develop desires as you define a clear vision for yourself.

The Commander's Ranking

Before I get into the ways to improve your commander's ranking, I want to give some general advice.

Avoid Negativity

If you haven't already, at some point you'll hear people talk about "playing the game." Unfortunately, many people think to do well in ROTC, you have to "play the game." That is, you have to do something that you normally wouldn't do--or worse--become someone that you normally wouldn't be. Sucking up and brown nosing are often talked about as the only way to make it to the top. Let me tell you--this is NOT true.

I've found that a lot of negativity exists about ROTC. It is my belief that this type of negativity and criticism exists everywhere, in any organization. It's a disease. You must avoid this kind of mindset at all costs. Truly, ROTC is what you make of it. You will get out what you put in.

Personally, I believe in the ROTC program. I believe it is a great training program that can prepare you to lead in the Air Force.

So what does this have to do with the Commander's Ranking?

From the beginning of your ROTC career, you will hear discussion about "Commander's Ranking." Your commander's ranking refers to the rank among your AS class. Typically it is discussed in terms of which third you fall into. For example, if you were ranked 5th in a class of 12, you would fall in the middle third. While most commander's have a systematic way in which they rank cadets, this ranking is completely up to the commander.

So, why does it matter where you get ranked? Your commander's ranking is part of your Order of Merit. When you compete for a Field-Training slot, it is worth a whopping 50 percent of your score. Needless to say, it is extremely important. On the chart to the right, it is represented by the the large blue piece.

When you go to compete for a pilot slot, or any rated position, the commander's ranking is worth less--but still a lot; 20 percent, in fact. Again, this is represented by the blue section to the right.

Overall, your Commander's Ranking is very important. It makes up a large portion of your Order of Merit which--quite literally--determines if you get the job you want.  

So how do I get a good Commander's Ranking?

Here are some general guidelines to improving your CC ranking: 

1. Don't suck-up, or brown-nose--Officers and POC will see right through you

2. Get involved as much as possible (Drill Team, Color Guard, Arnold Air Society, socials, fund raisers, etc.)

3. Get good grades, and good PFA scores

4. Be genuinely concerned about the success of others

5. Most importantly--BE YOURSELF

I want to stress number 5 above: Be Yourself. Truly, there is nothing worse you can do than attempt to be somebody you're not. You'll find many cadets that try to put on a persona that they believe will impress the cadre. This is plain stupid. You have talents and abilities that nobody else has. And you cannot maintain a fake identity. You are the best in the world at being you. Yes, you are a student of leadership, and you must strive to improve daily. However, don't pretend to be someone you are not. This is the worst thing you can do.

Overall, your Commander's Ranking will take care of itself if you are striving to be yourself. Be humble, teachable, and don't ever pass up a good opportunity to shut up and listen. Just be steady, consistent, and not afraid to get out of your comfort zone. 

ENJJPT

What is ENJJPT?

Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT--pronounced "en-jept") is an undergraduate pilot training program, located in Sheppard AFB, Texas. Its name describes its fundamental purpose. It is, historically, a jet pilot training program--run and operated by NATO. Traditionally, ENJJPT has been a fighter pilot training program. However, recently heavy airplanes have been assigned as well.

What are the benefits of ENJJPT?

While often debated, the benefits of ENJJPT are many. They include, but are not limited to the following:

• Because ENJJPT is operated by NATO, both students and instructors / cadre will come from the NATO participating countries. Right from the start, you will experience working, coordinating, and training with pilots from NATO countries--a valuable skill for future AF leadership.
• Since ENJJPT is traditionally a jet fighter training program, you are guaranteed to move on from the T-6 Texan II to the T-38 Talon. In a regular undergraduate pilot training (UPT) program, you will have to compete for a T-38. Those who don't track to the T-38 will end up going to the T-1, and eventually, into a heavy (C130, C5, KC10, etc.) airplane. Many argue that the guaranteed T-38 is the greatest advantage of going to ENJJPT. Flying a T-38 means your chances of getting a fighter or bomber are much higher.

Students at ENJJPT are guaranteed to move on to the T-38, increasing
the probability of a fighter, and decreasing the pressure during the T-6 phase.

So, why doesn't everyone go to ENJJPT?

Here's the catch. As you can imagine, getting into ENJJPT is very competitive. Based on the Order of Merit (left), you must first get through the Rated Board, and be selected for pilot training. This is often referred to as "getting your pilot slot." This board is usually held in February/March, and your application must be completed by January 1st (approximate--talk to your Detachment NCO's for exact deadlines). Once the Air Force has released the results of the board, you will find out if you got your pilot slot. 

Then, usually in September of the same year, the ENJJPT board is held. The top cadets, from those who got a pilot slot, are selected for ENJJPT. I don't know the exact numbers, but usually 50-60 cadets are chosen for ENJJPT each year. To give you an idea of the competitiveness, there have been around 500-600 pilot slots awarded each year for the last several years. This means that roughly 10% of the pilot selectees will get to go to ENJJPT. 

What can I do to make sure I get in to ENJJPT?

Next week, I will go into some detail about what you can do to increase your chances of getting into ENJJPT. The bottom line is this: maximize your Order of Merit. A lot of cadets don't realize how much control they have over their Order of Merit. My understanding is that the Air Force looks purely at the numbers--meaning, they don't spend time evaluating you as an individual. There is no entrance essay, nor is there any sort of personality considered. They simply compare the Order of Merits of every cadet who applies, and those at the top get in. 

Next week, I will go into more detail about what you can do to make sure you get in.