Interested applicants should e-mail afrotc@ucla.edu, or call 310.825.1742.

More information can be found at www.afrotc.com.

Honor, Challenge, and Opportunity.

Service. Make the the decision to pursue a career as an officer in the United States Air Force.

UCLA AFROTC Detachment 055 can place you on the path to achieving this goal. Participation in AFROTC can enhance your college life with enjoyable experiences and new friendships and will challenge you to improve yourself both academically and physically. Additionally, AFROTC cadets are given the opportunity to compete for scholarships that may cover as much as the entire cost of tuition (Click here to learn more). Moreover, you don’t have to attend UCLA to participate! That’s because UCLA accepts students from all over Southern California (Click here to learn more). Students organize student events on their respective campuses and set up carpools each week.

Upon completion of the AFROTC program, and graduation from college, you will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

Stop by the detachment on the 3rd floor of the UCLA Student Activity Center or contact us to get started!

Getting Started

When I first made the call to Air Force ROTC at UCLA, I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it was the biggest decision of my life. I had just finished my first year of study at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Working towards my degree in Electrical Engineering, and already having internship experience in industry, I knew I was on the right track. It didn’t take long for me to learn that there’s good, and then there’s better.

The entire summer I had been thinking about my future and where I would be when I graduated. I wanted to make sure I had the experience that I needed and the credentials on my resume that would get me the best job I could find. Every book on management and getting ahead in the world of business was on my bookshelf, and I had even read some of them. But now, as I sat in my room, planning my life, I knew I wanted something more. My walls were covered with technology, mostly airplanes and some science-fiction stuff as well. Three full shelves in my closet consisted of model jets and helicopters. Then there's the fact that my dad had been a pilot for over 20 years, and as long as I could remember, I had been his copilot. It’s amazing the things we don’t consider when they’ve become natural parts of our lives. Suddenly faced with all this, I looked out the window, and I knew I wanted to fly.

I gave myself a week to think about it, I studied a bit of military etiquette, made sure I knew all my options, and then I called the recruiter. A few weeks later, when school started, I found myself at UCLA speaking with the Captain in charge of recruiting for AFROTC. He was friendly and personable, and because I had already done most of the research, he said very little to convince me to join. He simply told me what I had to do to get started. It wasn’t hard at all!

Most students (we call them cadets in AFROTC) don’t have a story like mine. Some heard of this program from friends and decided to check it out, others read about it somewhere and just showed up, and then it seems that some find themselves here by accident. However you end up participating in ROTC, I believe that it will be a rewarding experience. Whether you continue with the program or not, I guarantee you will learn a great deal about yourself.

AS100: My First Year

Soon after beginning my military career through Army ROTC at Marion Military Institute, I recognized the endless opportunities that the Air Force could offer me. With that said I can tell you that the program you are about to enter will meet and exceed any presuppositions you might have of the Air Force. As of this writing, I am finishing up my last few days as an AS100, that is, a first year cadet. Let me tell you what that’s like...

Click here to learn more.

AS200: Field Training Preparation

“As an AS200 I enjoyed the fact that we, as a class, have progressed to become more of a team. As AS100s we didn't really know each other and were still trying to get a feel for what it was like to be in AFROTC. As AS200s however, we were able to focus on working together and building camaraderie within our class. In my opinion, this has made my experience at ROTC a more enjoyable one.”

“What I like about [being an] AS200 is the comfortable environment. I learn better when I am comfortable. THe Major is responsible for this because of his sense of humor. I love learning about just how [interesting] the Air Force is and what an instrumental part we have played in so many operations.”


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Field Training

While I was an AS200, I spent a lot of time anticipating Field Training. I was worried that it would be incredibly difficult and that I would do very poorly. I had heard stories from upperclassmen about this rigorous 4-week training session that is similar to the concept of boot camp and was not looking forward to my turn. While I was ready to become an upperclassman with increased leadership opportunities and responsibilities at the detachment, I was not ready to commit a month of my summer to early morning physical fitness sessions, hours of marching in the hot sun, and constant evaluation from Air Force officers. Fortunately, my detachment, like most, offered a Field Training prep program during the second term of my AS200 year and gave us Field Training Manuals (FTM) so we could study up on the knowledge we needed for Field Training...

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AS300: Upper Class at Last

The transition from an AS200 to an AS300 is one of switching from "follower" to "leader." As a new AS300 returning fresh from Field Training, you enter a whole new level of leadership and responsibility. As a Flight Commander I was in charge of nearly a dozen of my peers, making sure that they received the training and guidance they needed to be successful. These experiences provide the foundation upon which to build your skills as a leader and future officer in the United States Air Force...

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AS400: The Final Year

"When I started the AFROTC program as a freshman I had no idea how much it would affect me. Four years later, I can confidently say that AFROTC was the best thing I could have been involved in as a college student. Through challenging leadership positions and intense training I have improved my time management, organizational, and public speaking skills. I have learned how to be a situational leader and how to work with people on all levels of the chain of command. But most importantly, after all this training I have realized how much strength and endurance I have, which gives me assurance and motivation to face future challenges."


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Commissioning: Good Afternoon, 2nd Lieutenant

Commissioning, becoming an officer and getting to serve on active duty is simply the best! This is the day you have been working so hard for throughout your college career. This is the day when they pin those shiny gold bars on your shoulders; you know you have done something with your life. You know that you’ve just joined the best family in the world, and they all have clean and pressed uniforms, ready to serve...

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