Department of Aerospace Studies
Chair and Professor-Colonel Rever, Assistant Professors-Captain Schrauth, Captain Warner, Captain Langan.
The Air Force ROTC Program at
Southwest Texas State University develops skills and attitudes vital
to professional Air Force Officers. The purpose of the program is to
commission qualified students who wish to serve in the United States
Air Force. Two routes are available in Air Force ROTC at SWT.
Entering students may either enroll in the four-year program or apply
for the two-year program.
For the four-year program, students may register
in the same manner as for other college courses. During the freshman
and sophomore years of the program, students enroll in the General
Military Course (GMC). Membership in the GMC does not confer any
military status or commitment upon the cadet. After completion of the
GMC, students compete for entry into the Professional Officer Course
(POC), which is outlined below and normally is taken during the last
two years of college.
The two-year program consists of the Professional
Officer Course (POC), the last two years of the four-year program. It
is designed to provide greater flexibility to meet the needs of
students desiring Air Force opportunities. The basic requirement is
that the student has two full-time academic years remaining at either
the undergraduate or graduate level or a combination of both.
Students interested in the two-year program should begin the
application process one year in advance of the fall term in which
they plan to enter the program. Students may apply in writing or by a
personal visit to the Office of Aerospace Studies.
Selection for the Professional Officer Course
(POC) is highly competitive. Criteria used to assess qualifications
of applicants are the Air Force Officer Qualification Test (free),
cumulative GPA, physical fitness test, and the recommendation of the
Professor of Aerospace Studies. Before formal induction into the POC,
applicants must complete a summer field training encampment paid for
and conducted annually by the Air Force at various Air Force
Installations. Students in the four-year program attend a four week
encampment, and students in the two-year program attend a six week
encampment. Upon completion of the six-week summer field training,
two year cadets may receive credit for Aerospace Studies 1110, 1120,
2110, and 2120.
Both GMC and POC members must attend a weekly
two-hour laboratory each semester. The laboratory gives cadets a
chance to learn and practice leadership skills. Students who complete
at least three semester hours of credit in the junior level of
Aerospace Studies Classes will not be required to take Political
Science 2320. All cadets must demonstrate proficiency or successfully
complete a course in mathematical reasoning before commissioning.
Ideally, this course should include a specific skill (e.g.,
statistics, computer science, calculus.) Failure to satisfactorily
complete the course may result in disenrollment from the program.
Students may compete for a variety of
scholarships. Qualified students may apply during the fall or spring
semester for a scholarship that covers the remaining years in the
program. The scholarships provide full tuition, laboratory and
incidental fees, and an allowance for books. In addition, scholarship
students, regardless of classification, receive $150 per month
tax-free subsistence. Students may obtain complete scholarship
information at Department of Aerospace Studies (AFROTC), Hines
Academic Center, Room 108, 512-245-2182, or our website
http://www.txstate.edu/afrotc
Courses in Aerospace Studies (A S)
1000 Leadership Laboratory. (0-1) This
course is an integral and mandatory part of the Aerospace Studies
curriculum. It is a progression of practical command and staff
experiences designed to develop leadership potential. The laboratory
is led primarily by cadets who plan, organize, direct, coordinate,
and control all activities of the cadet corps. The lab meets two
hours per week and is taken concurrently with all other Aerospace
Studies courses.
1110 The Air Force Today (General Military Course I). (1-0) A
study of the doctrine, mission, and organization of the United States
Air Force; United States strategic offensive and defensive forces,
their missions and functions; and employment of nuclear weapons.
1120 The Air Force Today (General Military Course II). (1-0)
An introduction to flight, oral and written communication for the
Air Force officer, Air Force installations, and the Air Force
profession. The course will also cover how the Air Force relates to
the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard.
2110 The Development of Air Power (General Military Course III).
(1-0) This course examines the development and growth of air
power from a historical perspective starting before the first powered
flights, and continuing through World War I, the inter-war years, and
World War II. It traces development of the various concepts for
employment of air power and focuses upon factors which have prompted
research and technological change.
2120 The Development of Air Power (General Military Course IV).
(1-0) A continuation of 2110, beginning with the development of
air power from World War II to the present. Various events and trends
in the history of air power are examined, especially where these
provide significant examples of the impact of air power on strategic
thought. Contemporary defense strategy, concepts, and doctrine are
emphasized.
3311 Leadership and Management (Professional Officer Course I).
(3-0) A seminar course which examines management fundamentals and
principles pertaining to group behavior process, human processes,
human motivation, and various approaches to leadership styles, with a
strong focus on Deming Management Method/Total Quality Management
(TQM) as it is used in the Air Force today. It emphasizes
communication skills necessary for future junior officers in the
United States Air Force.
3312 Leadership and Management (Professional Officer Course II).
(3-0) A seminar course pertaining to the development of
leadership and managerial responsibilities of the Air Force officer.
Includes the decision-making process, tools for problem-solving and
career management. Continues the emphasis on communication
skills.
4311 National Security Forces in Contemporary American Society
(Professional Officer Course III). (3-0) This seminar course
begins with an analysis of the various dynamics involved in American
defense policy making. The semester concludes with examinations of
the world political/military/economic interface. Throughout this
course, students will learn and practice communication skills
necessary as future junior officers in the United States Air
Force.
4312 National Security Forces in Contemporary American Society
(Professional Officer Course IV). (3-0) This course begins with
an analysis of each Major Air Force Command and its contribution to
defense policy implementation. The course concludes with an extensive
study of the military justice system. Continues the emphasis on
communication skills.