MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Approximately 2,000 Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets are projected to commission in 2023. Before commissioning, cadets must choose from over a dozen specialties to serve in at the start their careers.
Headquarters AFROTC and the Air Force Personnel Center, a field operating agency responsible for managing personnel and policies throughout the service, hosted the first ROTC-wide virtual career fairs on Dec. 2 with one also scheduled for Dec. 4. The event aims to help cadets learn more about each career field as they decide which professional goals to pursue.
The online event featured breakout discussions with officers from 27 different Air Force career fields. These officers will share their time and expertise with cadets from across the country, to help future Air Force leaders with the crucial task of choosing their professions.
“With dozens of non-rated (non-flying) careers to choose from, this can be a daunting task, especially when their exposure to officer career fields is usually limited to the cadre serving at their local detachment,” said Lt. Col. David A. Sulhoff, commander of AFROTC Detachment 218 at Indiana State University.
Air Force ROTC leadership recognizes the importance of such a momentous decision and seeks to minimize stress while also bridging the knowledge gap of career choices for cadets through this career fair.
“Looking back 23 years ago, I put civil engineering near the top of my list, and I just winged the rest!” said Sulhoff. “Admittedly, we would prefer our cadets to be a bit more informed than I was.”
The dedication of Air Force ROTC and AFPC staff to the cadets’ success will accelerate change and enhance the Airmen of tomorrow by giving them the necessary tools to make informed and confident decisions.
“The partnership with AFPC for this year’s fair has been key to what we anticipate will be a successful and worthwhile event,” said Sulhoff. “I hope we can build off this year’s offering to continue collectively supporting our cadets in this new and exciting way.”
For more information on available career fields, AFROTC created this website.