FY 2010 Airman Education & Commissioning Program (AECP) Applicants are ultimately responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their package. The Education Center will assist the member in an advisory capacity only.
As part of the board process, applicants will be evaluated on their ability to put their package together in the proper format in accordance with the AECP Application Checklist and directions on this site. Consult the criteria published in AECP NEWSLETTER for further details on the types of courses required for the program.
Personnel with less than one year of completing their bachelor's degree or desiring to earn graduate degrees may not participate in this program. They should seek commissioning through OTS.
All AECP students (non-Nurses) entering the program will earn their baccalaureate degree then complete commissioning training through the Basic Officer Course (BOT) at Officer Training School (OTS). Upon graduation, AECP nurses attend Commissioned Officer Training Course (COT).
Description.
The Airman Education and Commissioning Program (AECP) offers active duty enlisted personnel the opportunity to earn a commission while completing their bachelor's degree. Students will attend OTS upon completion of their bachelor's degree and this will be their source of commissioning. AECP nursing students graduate, take NCLEX, then attend COT.
Those selected for AECP REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY and are administratively assigned to an Air Force ROTC detachment. Their duty is to attend school as a full-time college student. In addition to full pay and benefits, AECP cadets are provided with a tuition/fees scholarship of up to $15,000 per year and an annual textbook allowance of $600. Students may not pay the difference to attend higher cost schools. AECP cadets may participate in the program for 1-3 years, depending on their major, prior academic preparation, and age limitations. During the program, they attend school year-round to include summer terms.
AECP is not an avenue for Undergraduate Flying Training.
AECP is open to students in the following fields:
Meteorology
Nursing degrees must be accredited by the National League of Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. If AECP is not for you... USAF NURSE ENLISTED COMMISSIONING PROGRAM (NECP) might be the answer! More information is located below.
The foreign language program must be accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies. Foreign languages (Arabic, Chinese, Persian, Russian, Hindi, Pashto, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Urdu, Georgian, Azeri, Kazakh, Indonesian, Swahili, Hebrew, French, Turkish, and Vietnamese).
Foreign Area Studies in Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Russia/Eurasia. Area Studies majors include a requirement for foreign language courses within the chosen region of study. Academic eligibility for the foreign area studies major requires a background in one of the languages listed above.
Mathematics
Physics
Computer Science
Most ABET-accredited engineering major (NOTE: not ABET Technology majors)
TECHNICAL MAJORS MUST BE ABET-ACCREDITED AT THE UNIVERSITY THE APPLICANTS PLANS TO ATTEND.
*Applicants with a bachelor's degree in another field may apply to participate in AECP to earn a second bachelor's degree in one of the above-listed fields.
How does the selection process work?
The AECP application process consists of two parts...the HQ AFROTC/RRU evaluation and the AECP Selection Board.
HQ AFROTC/RRUE Evaluation process. The HQ AFROTC/RRUE evaluates the applicant's academic credentials to ensure they meet the minimum academic eligibility criteria for their desired major.
The AECP Selection board meets in April each year. The board utilizes the "whole person" concept to evaluate applicants. As part of the board process, applicants will be evaluated on their ability to put their package together in the proper format in accordance with the AECP Application Checklist and directions on this site. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the package is complete. while the board considers all documents in an application package, they typically focus on the commander's recommendation on the AF Form 56, the airman's duty performance history, and the applicant's academic performance to determine the applicant's eligibility. Airmen selected by the board will begin classes the following fall term.
Are you eligible?
To be eligible for this program you must:
Be a United States citizen.
Meet the age requirements [Under 30 by board date] or have obtained an approved age waiver. Check out the age requirements page for more details.
For applicants applying for Nursing: Title 10, United States Code (USC), Section 12201 authorizes the appointment of fully qualified health professions officers (Nurses) beyond age 39. Nurse applicants may be commissioned prior to their 42nd birthday, pending the needs of the Air Force. Applicants commissioning over the age of 39 will need to submit a Nursing Age Waiver Request to HQ AFROTC/RRUE. The waiver request will be forwarded to HQ AFPC/DPAMN for consideration and/or approval. HQ AF/SGC is the final approval authority for nursing age waivers.
Have at least one year Time-In-Service (May be waiverable except for pipeline technical school students).
Have at least one year Time-On-Station (May be waiverable).
Be recommended by your permanent home-station squadron commander.
For the all AECP majors the applicant must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, and complete by 31 December, at least 30 semester hours of graded college coursework from a regionally accredited college or university. This is not waiverable.
Be admitted to a program of instruction approved for AECP. That is, the applicant needs a letter of admission to the school, college, or program of instruction signed by the department chair, or his or her representative, that specifies admission for the purpose of studying the AECP major listed in block 7c of the AF IMT 56.
Be admitted to a school offering Air Force ROTC (including crosstown schools) and the academic major you desire to study. The annual tuition at this school must not exceed $15,000 per year.
Earn Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) scores of 15 or more on the Verbal scale and 10 or more on the Quantitative scale. NOTE: AFOQT verbal scores may be waiverable for those who have taken the test twice and failed both times.
Meet all the requirements for commissioning (physical, moral, fitness, BMI, etc.) listed in AFI 36-2013, chapter 1, and AFI 36-2005.
Meet the requirement for overseas retainability. For individuals at an OCONUS location, IAW AFI 36-2013, Table 1.1, rule 7, the applicant may not apply if the applicant does not apply before the 25th day of the 8th month before the date eligible for return from overseas month....translated: applicants must have approximately 8 months left on station by the package due date. The MPF can help the applicant determine what the new DEROS will need to be to be eligible to apply. If the applicant does not, they must request an extension through their normal base channels. If the applicant does not have enough time remaining on their assignment, they will be ineligible to apply for a commissioning program.
Special rules apply for members who need a TOS or DEROS waiver. See the program application page for more details.
**Applicants selected by the AECP board may now apply to attend Norwich University, Vermont (Det 867). Please notify AFROTC/RRUE if planning to attend Norwich**
Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP)
Please note:HQ AFROTC/RRUE is not the POC of the program.
The Air Force Nurse Corps is seeking qualified Airmen for commissioning (2Lt) as Nurses.
If you are interested in becoming an Air Force Officer and Nurse this may be the program for you:
As a minimum you be able to commission prior to your 42nd birthday
