Becoming an Officer
Steps to becoming an officer
You could
Attend Officer Training School after earning college or postgraduate degree.
Upon earning a college or postgraduate degree, you can take the steps to enter the Air Force as an officer.
Or
Enlist and work toward becoming an officer.
The Air Force has unprecedented growth opportunities, and any enlisted Airman can take the steps necessary to work toward officer status.
You could
Attend Officer Training School after earning college or postgraduate degree.
Upon earning a college or postgraduate degree, you can take the steps to enter the Air Force as an officer.
Or
Enlist and work toward becoming an officer.
The Air Force has unprecedented growth opportunities, and any enlisted Airman can take the steps necessary to work toward officer status.
Officer requirement
For those joining with a college degree or enlisted Airmen who have worked toward becoming an officer, you must:
Qualifying Test*
Physical and Mental Screening
Passing the Selection Board
Requirement 04
Preparing for Officer Training
For those joining with a college degree or enlisted Airmen who have worked toward becoming an officer, you must:
- Be between 18 and 34 years of age.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have at least a bachelor’s degree.
Qualifying Test*
- Anyone striving to be an Air Force Officer must pass the Air Force Qualifying Test—a multiple choice test with topics ranging from verbal and math skills to questions covering specific fields of interest. This test can only be taken twice, so it’s essential to study and prepare wisely ("Air Force").
Physical and Mental Screening
- Your recruiter will make an appointment for you at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) to have your physical and moral standards assessed to ensure they are in line with the specifications set by the Air Force, Department of Defense and federal law ("Air Force").
Passing the Selection Board
- Every officer application is reviewed by either the Officer Training School Selection Board or Air Force Recruiting Services, depending on your path and profession. Each committee evaluates on both objective and subjective factors to determine if a candidate is a proper fit. No one factor can cause selection or rejection ("Air Force").
Requirement 04
Preparing for Officer Training
- Once you’ve passed all the necessary requirements and are accepted into the Air Force, you’ll enter the Delayed Entry Program while you wait for your departure date to either Officer Training School or—for medical, legal and ministry professionals—Commissioned Officer Training ("Air Force").