A Former Officer’s Complete Guide

What the OTS Selection Board Weighs

Once you have submitted your application, your records will be screened by a selection board that will review your application, medical exam results, education, AFOQT, and other factors.

Selection boards generally meet quarterly, though exact dates shift each fiscal year and depend on whether you are applying for a rated (pilot, combat systems officer, air battle manager, remotely piloted aircraft pilot) or non-rated board.

The OTS selection board is made up of senior officers who review and score your record. The board evaluates your application using the Air Force’s whole-person concept, considering:

• Aptitude: This includes your academic discipline, GPA, and academic awards, and AFOQT score.
• Leadership: The board will review your employment history, military experience, and job performance, and Personal Character Letters of Recommendation (LOR). Current military members will go through the commander’s Structured Interview Process (SIP).
• Potential: Board members review and evaluate your potential using your application, interview, and letters of recommendation.

Pro Tip: Contact your officer recruiter for information on upcoming boards.

Board & Leadership Interviews

Most OTS application pathways require a formal interview conducted by a board of officers. The interview assesses communication skills, judgment, and motivation. You may be asked about leadership challenges you have faced, how you respond to failure, and what you understand about the demands of the Air Force.

I had to sit through an interview with my current group commander (a Colonel). Some of the questions were:

1. Tell me a little about yourself and why you want to be an Air Force officer?
2. What are your long-term career goals?
3. How would you describe your leadership style, and describe a time you led a team or project, focusing on collaboration and the final outcome.
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
5. How do you handle stress and conflict?

Of course, it is impossible to predict what questions you may be asked, but the best approach is to be open and honest with your interviewer

What OTS Is Actually Like

The OTS experience will be different for everyone. If you are a civilian, OTS may take a bit of adjusting. I found OTS both exciting and challenging. Full disclosure: being prior-service enlisted, I had already gone through AF basic training, so I knew what to expect in a military training environment.

You will be assigned to a flight with other trainees, and you will go through the 8.5-week program together. I made some friendships that lasted my Air Force career. Your flight will be part of a larger organization under the training wing, that mirrors how Air Force bases are structured.

OTS is intense during your first couple of weeks to get you in the habit of paying attention to detail. After the initial shock, you will settle into a routine that allows more downtime and socializing.

There will be a Military Training Instructor (MTI) assigned to OTS that will not only teach you how to march, but you will have to successfully march your flight in a series of drills.

The Three Main Components of OTS

1. Academics: Comprehensive coursework covering Air Force history, leadership principles, military law, and national security policy.
2. Physical Fitness: Daily conditioning, physical training (PT) sessions, and physical readiness tests designed to build endurance and strength.
3. Leadership Evaluations: Practical exercises and command opportunities where trainees lead their flights through tactical scenarios and drill evaluations under instructor supervision.

To learn more about what OTS is like, check out their Orientation Guide and webpage.

Your First Assignment

If you are a civilian OTS selectee, you do not have much control over your first assignment. For the most part, your first duty station is assigned based on the needs of the military and your assigned AFSC. The Air Force matches your AFSC with open slots available at installations worldwide. Your job specialty may limit where you can be stationed. Some specialties are concentrated on a limited number of installations. For example, if you are going to be a C-130 Pilot, you will be assigned to an Air Force Base that operates that aircraft.

If you are currently in the Air Force, your assignment will be managed by the Air Force Accessions Center through myFSS, the Air Force’s human resources and employee portal. You will be able to create a wish list, or “dream sheet,” that lets you select a region in the U.S., or ask for an overseas assignment. In some cases, you may be able to request a specific base or post. If an open slot matches your job, you may be assigned to that unit.

My undergraduate degree was in Education, and I was assigned as a Logistics Plans Officer, responsible for planning base deployments. My first assignment was to the 317^th Tactical Airlift Wing at Pope AFB, NC.

Luckily, I had a wonderful mentor, a lieutenant colonel, who showed me the ropes of Logistics Plans, as well as how to lead and manage with professionalism and integrity. Those lessons carried with me my entire career.