Department of Aerospace Studies

Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Core (AFROTC) is the largest and oldest source of commissioned officers for the Air Force. AFROTC is designed to recruit, educate, and commission officer candidates through academic education, field training, and professional development training programs based on Air Force requirements. LCU Students can attend classes through a cross-town agreement with Texas Tech University AFROTC.

The first two years of AFROTC’s four-year program, the General Military Course (GMC), consist of one hour of classroom work, two hours of leadership laboratory, and three hours of physical conditioning each week. Upon completion of GMC requirements, cadets who wish to compete for entry into the last two years of the program, the Professional Officer Course (POC), must do so under the requirements of the POC selection system. This system uses qualitative factors, such as grade-point average, detachment commander’s evaluation, aptitude test scores and physical fitness test scores to determine a student’s officer potential. After selection, students must successfully complete summer field training at Maxwell AFB.

Field training is a required integral component of the AFROTC curriculum that typically occurs after the cadet has satisfied the GMC program requirements and before entry into the POC program. It consists of a series of strategically planned events with the purpose to train, evaluate, and grow cadets through a transformational experience. Field training culminates in a graduation event that includes an interactive leadership development course focused on preparing cadets for leadership challenges at their detachments.

In the POC, cadets attend class three hours a week, participate in a weekly leadership laboratory lasting two hours and perform three hours of physical conditioning per week. Cadets apply what they have learned in the GMC and at field training. Under the guidance of detachment cadre, POC cadets conduct leadership laboratories and manage the unit’s cadet corps. Each unit has a cadet corps based on the Air Force organizational pattern of flight, squadron, group, and wing. POC classes are small, with emphasis on group discussions and cadet presentations. Classroom topics include leadership, communication skills, and national defense policy. Once enrolled in the POC, all cadets are enlisted in the Air Force Reserve and assigned to the Obligated Reserve Section.

Air Force ROTC Course of Study

  1. Basic Courses (first and second years - 4 hours)
    • AES 1105 Heritage and Values I
    • AES 1106 Heritage and VAlues II
    • AES 2103 Team and Leadership Fundamentals I
    • AES 2104 Team and Leadership Fundamentals II
  2. Advanced Courses (third and fourth years - 12 hours)
    • AES 3305 Air Force Leadership Studies I
    • AES 3306 Air Force Leadership Studies II
    • AES 4303 National Security, Leadership Responsibilites and Commissioning Preparation I
    • AES 4304 National Security, Leadership Responsibilites and Commissioning Preparation II

Each class has a corresponding no-credit leadership lab (AERS 820) that meets weekly. All classes and labs meet on the Texas Tech Campus.

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Contact Aerospace Studies

Air Force ROTC Det 820 | Box 45009 | 003 Holden Hall | Lubbock, TX 79409-5009 | T 806.742.2143 | F 806.742.8048 | www.depts.ttu.edu/afrotc