FighterSweep Fans, we do our best to make sure we’re giving you the real gouge as it’s made available to us. You’ll find sometimes we won’t jump on a topic right away, simply because we want to wait until the chaff is filtered out before we press. When Ben put out his article within the last few days about his experience at OTS, he gave it to you straight–and also sought feedback from leadership there at Maxwell.
Come to find out, the numbers he presented were out of date. Out of the goodness of his heart, and because he believes in helping Ben (and us) spread the good word and the correct data, a Colonel offered up the following:
A couple of corrections for your article. The LARGEST amount of officers come from OTS. The Academy will commission 807 this year. ROTC will do 1,400. We will commission and train 3,100 officers this year! More than the Academy and ROTC combined.
The reason we are successful is called the OTS Advantage. We have Mature individuals. 27 is the average age. Individuals that make decisions later in life who have been matured by life itself. It is statistically proven that American youth are maturing later and later in life as opposed to the greatest generation that grew up during the depression.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox)
Secondly, we have cadets that have a proven track record. Proven history of success and ambition. We don’t guess on future grades or potential, we know. We have been able to take someone that we can look back on for a history of 10 years.
Thirdly, we have dedicated individuals that rais their right hand at a different place in life. That is much more meaningful at 27 than at 17. Just like it is different at 40 than it was at 20.
We are the only TF commissioning source and therefore have that advantage. Also, because we have so many prior service members, it is an integral part of our program.
So there you have it, FighterSweep Fans. OTS is the LARGEST producer of officers in the United States Air Force. Thanks again for following us and following Ben on his journey to become an Air Force pilot. Stay tuned for more!
(Featured photo by U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class William Blankenship)