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Air Force ROTC General Requirements

The Air Force is built upon three enduring Core Values:

  • Integrity First
  • Service Before Self
  • Excellence in All We Do

Internalizing and living these values is your very first step toward earning a commission as an Air Force or Space Force officer.

If you are ready to challenge yourself, review the entry requirements below to join Air Force ROTC Detachment 088.

Enrollment & Weekly Commitment Requirements

  • Academic Status: Be enrolled as a full-time student at CSU Sacramento or an approved crosstown university affiliated with Detachment 088. (Crosstown Schools)
  • Weekly Attendance: Actively participate in all program requirements each term, including Aerospace Studies classes, Leadership Laboratory (LLAB), and two physical training (PT) sessions per week.

Basic Eligibility & Character Requirements

  • Citizenship: Be a United States citizen (or have a solid plan to obtain citizenship prior to entering into a military contract).
  • Physical & Moral Fitness: Maintain excellent physical condition and demonstrate high moral character.
  • Legal & Medical Background: Have minimal history of drug use or civil involvements with law enforcement, school administrators, or government officials.
  • Tattoos & Modifications: Disclose all tattoos, brands, and body gauges. All markings must comply with the official Air Force Tattoo Policy, or you must have an active tattoo removal plan in place.

Age Requirements

  • Minimum Age: Must be at least 14 years old to join the AFROTC program.
  • Rated Career Fields (e.g., Pilot): Must be no older than 29 years old by the time you complete the AFROTC program (up to age 42 with an approved waiver for Remotely Piloted Aircraft positions only).
  • Non-Rated Career Fields: Must be no older than 39 years old by the time you complete the AFROTC program (up to age 42 with an approved waiver).

Academic & Enrollment Requirements

Academic & Enrollment Requirements

In Air Force ROTC, you will complete intensive military officer candidate training concurrently with your undergraduate studies. Successfully managing both paths requires strong self-organization, discipline, and a balanced lifestyle.

To maintain good standing in the program, cadets must meet the following ongoing standards:

  • Full-Time Status: Maintain full-time student status at your university or college (typically a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester).
  • Grade Point Average: Maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA), as well as a minimum 2.0 term GPA for each academic semester.
  • Program Attendance: Maintain a minimum 80% attendance rate for all Aerospace Studies classes, Leadership Laboratories (LLAB), and Physical Training (PT) sessions each term.
  • Course Performance: Earn a minimum grade of C- or higher in all required Aerospace Studies classes.

Training Requirements & Schedule

Each week, AFROTC cadets are required to attend one weekly section of your assigned Aerospace Studies (AS) class, along with at least two Physical Training (PT) sessions. While you can choose your first PT session from the available weekly options, the second session is a mandatory detachment-wide training held every Friday morning at 0630. Additionally, all cadets must attend the mandatory two-hour Leadership Laboratory (LLAB) every Friday afternoon from 1300 to 1500.

Medical Requirements

To be selected for Field Training, secure an AFROTC contract, and ultimately commission as an officer, cadets must successfully pass a medical evaluation through the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB). For a comprehensive list of medical qualification standards, please visit the official AFROTC Medical Requirements Portal.

Please note that Detachment 088 Cadre members are not medical professionals and cannot provide definitive determinations regarding specific medical conditions or the likelihood of waiver approvals. However, if you meet all other program standards, our staff is generally prepared to submit waivers for medically waiverable conditions to higher headquarters for official consideration. If you have a specific, pre-existing medical concern and want to contact DoDMERB directly before initiating your AFROTC application, you can write to DODMERB, Colorado Springs, CO 80840-2200, or call 719-333-3562.

Fitness Requirements

Cadets are expected to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle centered around long-term muscular and cardiovascular fitness. Our structured PT sessions are designed to instill lifelong habits while actively preparing you for the mandatory Fitness Assessment (FA).

Administered every semester, the FA evaluates your physical readiness through four distinct components: a waist measurement, one minute of push-ups, one minute of sit-ups, and a timed 2-mile run. The assessment is conducted in a single session with brief recovery breaks between each event, utilizing distinct scoring tables tailored to your gender and age group. To achieve a passing score, you must earn a minimum cumulative score of 75 points while meeting or exceeding the absolute minimum baseline for every individual event. Furthermore, cadets must strictly adhere to official Body Mass Index (BMI) standards at three critical milestones in the program: Field Training enrollment, enlistment/contracting, and commissioning.

Air Force ROTC recently switched from a 27.5 kg / m^2 to the more stringent 25 kg / m^2 BMI standard (regardless of gender). If you exceed BMI, then you will be measured for Body Fat. Males must not exceed 18% body fat according to a neck and waist measurement method. Females must not exceed 26% body fat according to a neck, waist, and hip measurement method. Further details will be provided at the detachment.