Best route to commission: UAS/UOTC/URNU or Academy?
When I was in uni and with the UOTC, 'twas interesting to see a few go onto do their TCB commissions through the then TCB at Chilwell. Those who passed went onto the 2.5/3 week commissioning course at Sandhurst. As one graduate of the course said it was a sadists nightmare or pleasure..however you looked at it.
However those who wanted to get a regular commission say to fly in the AAC, would have to go through the same hurdles again with the then RCB board and of course meds and aptitude test at Cranwell. BUT the key thing was that they would have to give up their 2nd Lt and start all over again.
The only time when the above changed and the former OCdt who got his commission via the TA/TCB route went regular without going through the whole system again was if their TA unit ended up (as I was told) going to NI for a tour for a few years.
I understand it was the same with the URNU ocdts....who could be commissioned in naval reserve as Midshipmen after a few week course post AIB. But if they wanted to do regular, then it be go through the whole system again.
In the US, from what I gather and those I have met a majority of US Naval aviators, USAF pilots, and US Army Aviators went the ROTC route which as I read it once you passed through their equiv of selection, its like here..do your drill nights, do the weekends, pass courses, must attend summer camps. As each year goes, by, you attend everything, pass everything with distinction and get more responsibility over other officer cadets. You get your degree from the uni you are at, and receive commission then its transferable to regular and off to Pensacola, Fort Rucker, Sheppard/Laughlin/ etc etc to learn to fly and have X amount of years to serve to pay back for all the education
The chosen few who get a letter of recommendation from senator then prob do some aptitude and medical then its 4 years at Colorado Springs, Annapolis or West Point after high school.
And then there's the other side of the coin which are Officer Candidate School which reminds me of Fighter Pilot series and the now closed OCTU at Henlow.
Here's my question, could in this day and age of tightening budgets and economics, use the UAS/UOTC/URNU system to produce regular officer commissions for those that want to and fly rather than in the army's case take it away then have them do the whole selection process plus 1 year of RMA or 1 year at BRNC or 9 months at Cranwell.
Or should we go through the 4 year route like the US do or combine the RAF and Army commissioning course (close Cranwell) like the Belgians do (got a friend who got her commission and degree through there in the Land Component now) and do a 4 year or marching, running around, section attacks, rolling around the mud writing papers, nighttime drills, leading, and grab a degree while you are there. In fact one of her classmates ended up being the F-16 solo display pilot around 10 years back who was bashing the circuit at RIAT.
Any thoughts?
Cheers