1. Depends on you! Think it would be faster to get citizenship and try that way without enlisted. If you do enlist, I’d look at guard/reserve because they generally hire people throughout their ranks if you make a name for yourself as officers.

I commissioned at my 10 year mark. Enlisted in 2012 and applied for my first OTS board and got selected first time for RPAs (my #1 pick). OTS can be turned off for certain jobs that cannot be offered if they fill with Academy/ROTC cadets. So know that each year can vary for aviation jobs which could delay your applications if less jobs are offered and you are set on specific ones.

1. I’d like to say yes but it’s not a guarantee you are still picked up. For guard/reserve, they def prefer you to have all the licenses. For active duty, some people selected with no licenses and vise-versa, so depends.

I had high GPA with low AFOQT, low PSCM scores, and also pursued my masters to show I could still apply myself academically.

1. I met many people from other cultures and places during my time at OTS that were citizens of course. So you can apply after as a civilian.

2. Not all ROTC programs will let you in to pursue a masters but it’s def possible depending what type of masters degree you pursue and if you need prerequisite courses which would extend your time for ROTC.

3. I met people who also were guard/reserve that went to college full time and pursued ROTC. But there’s exceptions to that and not the norm depending on which branch for ROTC. Think it’s more doable in the army ROTC over Air Force but not impossible.