Entire AFROTC Class to Receive Air Commissions

All Air Force ROTC seniors at the College will definitely receive second lieutenant commissions upon graduation, provided they are approved by the unit's review board, the Air Force's Division of Training in Washington said yesterday.

Colonel Frank P. Bostrom, professor of Air Science and Tactics and head of the Harvard unit, said yesterday he had not yet received official confirmation of the Pentagon ruling but that he expected it momentarily.

According to the Pentagon, it will commission all seniors now in the national program, if they are approved by local review boards. This move means that no graduating Air Force students will have to accept reserve commissions in the National Guard, as was the case last year.

Bostrom said that approximately 57 seniors at Harvard would be added to the national total of some 10,200 seniors expected to be commissioned this year.

The Division of Training in Washington said it has had to expand its program "only slightly" over last year's to accept all seniors.

The present senior class was the last one allowed to pass into the advanced program, without extensive review and cutting at the end of its sophomore year, so the Pentagon decision to commission all seniors came as somewhat of a surprise in some quarters.

Last year, 35 AFROTC seniors led a fight through most of the spring term in a vain attempt to secure promised commissions in the Air Force. All of them eventually had to settle for reserve commissions with the National Guard. This meant that after three years of active duty in administrative training posts they would have to enter the active reserve for six more years.

Bostrom also indicated that of the 57 seniors now eligible for commissions, 12 will receive them for non-flight duty.