Aerospace Studies courses
Program chair: Colonel Scott Manning, USAF; program adviser: Captain Timothy Secor, USAF, timothy.secor@yale.edu; Rm. 450, 55 Whitney Ave., 432-9431
The mission of Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 009 at Yale is to develop quality leaders for the U.S. Air Force. Cadets have gone on to serve in a range of career fields, from medicine to aviation. The program offers students an ideal training environment that instills values such as integrity, service before self, and excellence. Cadets are also involved in a variety of activities and organizations that reach out to the local community while strengthening the skills necessary for a military career. After completing all Air Force ROTC and academic degree requirements, cadets on scholarship and those in the Professional Officer Course accept a commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, with a minimum active-duty service commitment of four years.
Academic requirements The Aerospace Studies curriculum is organized into four major areas, including profession of arms, communication skills, leadership studies, and military and international security studies. Courses emphasize development of professional knowledge and leadership skills in the context of military service. Classes are conducted as seminars and call for active student discussion. All uniforms, textbooks, and supplies for cadets are provided by the Air Force. Enrollment in Aerospace Studies courses is not limited to cadets; courses are open to any Yale student. Aerospace Studies courses count for enrollment credit only; they do not count toward the thirty-six course credits required for the bachelor's degree. In some cases, courses in other departments and programs may count toward both the bachelor's degree and AFROTC requirements. (For 2012–2013, HIST 221, Military History of the West since 1500, may count toward AFROTC requirements.) No course taken Credit/D/Fail may be counted toward the program in Aerospace Studies.
Cadets become involved in the management of their own cadet wing through a mandatory two-hour leadership laboratory each week. They are assigned corps positions, with increasing responsibility over their four years. In addition, students in the program participate in physical training, leadership projects, visits to Air Force bases, orientation flights, and normal college extracurricular activities. In all, cadets can expect to dedicate six to eight hours per week to the program.
Students in the Class of 2015 and subsequent classes are eligible for enrollment in the AFROTC program. Full and partial scholarships that may cover tuition, fees, books, and/or a subsistence allowance are available, with levels dependent on qualifications and other factors. Scholarships are open to both freshmen and sophomores who excel in academics and display leadership potential.
For additional information about Yale's Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program, visit the program's Web site or send questions to Captain Timothy Secor.
