Air Force ROTC

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There are a wide variety of career opportunities available to choose from in the United States Air Force including technical, scientific, specialty, and health care fields. Our program will enable you to explore the work and lifestyles of Air Force officers early in your college career. There is always a demand in the pilot, operational, and nursing fields. Use your technical skills to help design and develop the next generation fighters or protect Air Force computer systems from foreign hackers. Interested? Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) at Southeast is the avenue to become an Air Force officer.

Admission Policies

Any full-time student, male or female, who is in good academic standing, a U.S. citizen, in good health, and pursuing a bachelor's degree or higher may join the General Military Cadet (GMC). The Professional Officer Corps (POC) membership, which is comprised of juniors and seniors, is competitively selected. To be admitted to the Air Force ROTC GMC, you must:

Be enrolled at Southeast Missouri State University
Fill out an Air Force ROTC application
Enroll in an Air Force ROTC class and corresponding leadership lab
Maintain a 2.0 or greater GPA (grade point average)
Be physically fit, meet height and weight standards

The Professional Officer Course is offered to juniors and seniors who have already committed to a four-year post-graduation service commitment with the Air Force. You must meet all the GMC membership requirements and:

Be a United States citizen
Have a military certified/qualified physical
Pass the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test
Be selected by a board of Air Force officers
Complete an Air Force ROTC Field Training course the summer after your sophomore year
Be of legal age as required by the state in which you will be attending ROTC or 17 years old with parent or guardian consent
Be in good academic standing

Four-year program:

Have two academic years remaining in a degree program (undergraduate, graduate or combination of both)
Participate in both aerospace studies classes and leadership laboratory each semester
Be physically fit
- Meet Air Force height and weight standards
- Pass the Air Force Physical Fitness Test

Aerospace Studies

A minor in aerospace studies is a four-year program available by Southeast Air Force ROTC with 16 semester hours of aerospace studies courses.

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Student Organizations

The Arnold Air Society is an honorary organization within ROTC that serves both the University and the community.
The Blue Lightning Color Guard is a voluntary program active throughout the year in providing color guards for most sporting events, parades, ROTC activities, and community and University programs. Participation in the color guard provides an excellent opportunity for you to improve your drill skills, express patriotism and represent the Air Force and Southeast to the public in a positive light.
Aerospace Club is a service organization made up of cadets and students with an interest in aerospace studies. They perform service projects on and off-campus at SEMO and SIU. It serves as a great way for its members to get involved in the community and with their peers.

Air Force ROTC Program

The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program is a supplemental academic leadership program designed to prepare University students to become Air Force officers. The program provides you with an opportunity to earn an Air Force commission while completing University requirements for a bachelor’s degree in your chosen area of study. After graduation from Southeast and the Air Force ROTC program, you will have a guaranteed job in the U.S. Air Force and will incur a four-year military commitment.