Candidates,
On behalf of Commander, Colonel Cary Mittelmark, Welcome to Air Force ROTC at Detachment 890. First, Thank you for your interest in the program, as well as your desire to be an officer in the United States Air Force. The first step in your journey starts in just a few short months. Summer Cadet Candidate Training, or CCO, is a voluntary, but HIGHLY recommended, 3-day orientation program, where you will gain basic AF knowledge, form bonds with your fellow cadet candidates, and fill out all mandatory paperwork necessary to administratively in-process into the unit. Those who don’t complete CCO won’t officially become cadets or get issued uniforms until they’ve mastered the basics taught during this course. It is much easier to learn this information during the summer with all your Wingmen than during the school year when you’re already behind. That said, CCO is voluntary—you won’t be penalized if you cannot make it. CCO happens on-site at each campus except for PVCC. PVCC candidates will follow UVA reporting times and locations.
Your first step is to head over to the Program Info section and thoroughly read all sections to know what we expect of you in this program.
If you are not planning to attend Orientation training or are joining in the spring semester, fill out the Information Sign-up form with all your pertinent data and make sure to use your school email address.
You Can Sign-up for CCO at this link: CCO Sign-up
Additionally, please review the In-processing Required Documents section closely. You will find a list of documents that you are required to fill out and bring with you as PHYSICAL COPIES to CCO. We are preparing for another year of amazing growth in the detachment, so please ensure you have everything ready to go prior to your arrival. We take physical fitness very seriously in the detachment, so please prepare yourself accordingly as this will also set you up for a strong start to the semester. All new arrivals who do not have a completed/approved DoD Medical Evaluation Review Board physical MUST have a current sports physical, completed on the Form 28 and signed by your physician, WITHIN 30 DAYS of the start of CCO. If you do not have a valid AFROTC Form 28 sports physical completed within this 30 day window, you will NOT be allowed to participate in any training. You will also be required to take a Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) during CCO, so come prepared. Review the PFA scores sheets in our Program Info Physical Fitness section so you can familiarize yourself with the scoring process. In the event COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, we will proceed with conducting our orientation program through virtual means, so please monitor our website for updates.
Please ensure you are enrolled in the correct courses before the semester begins. The course codes are under Program Info under AIRS Freshman course codes.
Finally, you will need to create a WINGS Account prior to CCO. WINGS is the official database for AFROTC, and your account is vital to all the administrative processes necessary to qualify you for entry into AFROTC and the USAF/USSF. Please follow the directions in the Cadet In-processing WINGS Account Creation PowerPoint under the In-processing Section and answer ALL the questions. NOTE: Make sure you use your university email address (the one ending in .edu) and NOT your personal email.
Our CCO James Wing Cadet Commander this year will be Cadet Heidi Tanudjaja and the Day Wing Commander this year will be Cadet Annabelle Herring. The dates and campus commanders for each of our universities is as follows:
- Liberty University: 18-22 August 2026
- UVA and PVCC: 17-20 August 2026
- James Madison University: 19-22 August 2026
After completing the Newcomers Info page, you will receive emails from your respective campus commander confirming your expected arrival date and clarifying the in-processing requirements. You can start to expect these emails mid-July.
Cadets participating in CCO will be able to move into their on-campus housing early. Please accomplish this in the morning prior the start of in-processing. You will receive information on this process from your respective campus commander as the move-in date approaches. Below are links to each university's move-in page:
Reporting Times and Locations for first day of CCO (TD-0) - In-processing (NOTE: CCO for Fall 2026 is still in planning, check back for updated information in June 2026)
The morning of TD-0 is left open in order to allow time for CCO candidates to conduct early move-in and get settled in their respective dorms. In-processing will start at 11:00am for all schools. See the chart below for dates and directions. There will be an informational meeting after in-processing, along with a Parent-Commander Q&A session.
| School Name | Date | Location/Directions | In-processing Times | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 18 August | TBD | 11:00 AM - 14:30 PM | |||
| UVA | 17 August | Clark 108 | 11:00 AM - 14:30 PM | |||
| JMU | 19 August | King 159 | 11:00 AM - 14:30 PM | |||
For UVA Astronomy Building AFROTC offices, Look for the American flag in the parking lot and enter through those doors.
In-processing paperwork must be printed out and in-hand. Remember, you will not be permitted to attend CCO if you do not have a valid Form 28/Sports Physical signed by a physician and completed within 30 days of the start of CCT. Parents may accompany their candidates for a Q&A session with Colonel Mittelmark.
NOTE: For UVA Candidates, if you do not sign up for CCO before 29 July, you may not receive early move-in.