Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Amaazee on August 28, 2010, 12:41:54 PM
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Are there any Veterans out there, or enrolled USAF pilots out there who wished they had joined ROTC?
I am just wondering because, I understand if you enroll in ROTC you go into your choice of military branch with rank and all, but will it help in your overall goal? Or did it help in your overall goal?
:salute
Amaze
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When I was in the Army and stationed at Fort Riley, they had the summer "training" for OTC cadets there and we used to provide medical support for them. If you are looking to become an officer, it is the way to go, but if you are looking at enlisted, then not so much. :salute
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My experiance with Army ROTC is a bit dated, I was commissioned in 75.
You have no guarantee of the branch of your choice unless you are something like an honor grad. If your grades aren't up there you will get what the Army needs. Figure Infantry, Armor, Artillery are the top likely spots for those who don't apply themselves. The Infantry gets the lions share but then again it needs the most troops and junior Officers too. Depending on how many cadets get commissioned each year there will be allocations to all of the branches.
You will also have a limited option to go "Regular Army" if you are a top grad.
Keep in mind there is still a pervasive good old boy network for "pointers" over even OCS grads. ROTC is at the bottom of the chain and some commanders are very very particular about where their junior Officers come from. There is a definite advantage for the "ring knockers" in assignments, schools and command slots in the regular Army. That does not mean that a ROTC commissioned Officer does not do well, they do but you really have to perform to overcome the point advantage.
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After College, I enlisted in the Infantry.
Just go officer...however you can accomplish it.
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I JUST entered into NROTC (US Navy), I'm still a 4/C, but it is the best thing I think I have ever done in my life. First off, there's the money. I have $180,000 to use for tuition. They give me another $375 per semester for books, and pay me $250 this year, with $50 more per month each year I'm in. My tuition is covered, my book cost has been cut in half, and I get paid to go to college. Then there are the people. Everyone I have met here has been absolutely amazing. Capt. Dixon was an F-18 pilot for years, my class advisor, LT. Lozeau is a former P-3 pilot and one of the funniest people I have met, and the 3/C Midshipmen I have met have been nothing short of a godsend helping us all get acclimated to things. Then we have the other commissioned staff teaching the classes, and bringing real world experience. However, so we aren't too spoiled on the officer side of things, we have the OCs and MECEPs helping to keep us on track, and reminding us of the stock placed in us by the enlisted in the fleet.
I'm still new to ROTC, but it is amazing. If you are ever afforded the opportunity, take it. I was looking into the Academy as well as ROTC, and there was one little fact that stood out to me. I talked to MANY ROTC and Annapolis grads, and I met MANY Annapolis grads who told me they wish they had gone ROTC instead. I didn't meet a single ROTC grad who regretted picking ROTC.
Also, as far as the branch, there are a few things to know about ROTC:
Branch: You start in the ROTC branch you will serve. I am in Navy ROTC, which produces Marine officers as well, but you select Navy or Marine before you ever show up to the battalion.
Selection: There are two types of ROTC candidate: College option, and Scholarship. The scholarship is a competitive process that you must apply for. It takes into account grades, leadership activities, etc. College options get no financial aid, and go through all the same work the scholarship candidates do. However, by the end of your sophomore year, college program kids must earn a scholarship, or they will likely (almost always) be dropped from the unit and not commission.
Remaining: There are MANY requirements. For NROTC, there are certain classes above and beyond normal curriculum that MUST be completed by your sophomore year or you're dropped. You must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. You MUST pass all PRTs (Physical Tests). Fail one, you are on probation. Fail two, you are on leave of absence (ALL funding is stopped for at least one semester). Fail three and you are automatically kicked out. The list goes on.
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I commissioned from Army ROTC 3 years ago. To get the job you want, you almost gotta be top 10% of all the cadet of that year group. Either that or you put in an extra three years to your obligation. There are also branch detail (which I am). Branch detail is 3-4 years as a combat arm officer (Armor, Infantry, Field Artillery, Aviation) then the remainder of your career you become a support officer. For the army, it doesn't really matter on Branch that much. After your platoon leader time, it's always staff anyway. You only get command maybe 3-5 more years after that during your entire career.
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Oringinally I came in the Navy in 1992 I wanted to fly, already had my college done but the recruiter dragged his feet. I have been enlisted all 18 years and I dont regret it. My dad was an E-6. all depends on the individual. Alot of our officers now are doing their commitment and getting out of the army, seeing a high turnover rate amongst officer core. Enlisted/NCO side is pretty stable.
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And for us Non American morons, what is ROTC?
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Reserve Officer Training Corps.
It is a gateway into the armed forces as an officer. You do ROTC in college, or you can go to a service academy, or you can go to OCS (Officer Candidate School) after you graduate college. All three will get you to the same place - some are looked on as more valuable than others in the service (at least, according to Maverick in my Air National Guard thread, not that it surprises me at all).
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Reserve Officer Training Corps.
It is a gateway into the armed forces as an officer. You do ROTC in college, or you can go to a service academy, or you can go to OCS (Officer Candidate School) after you graduate college. All three will get you to the same place - some are looked on as more valuable than others in the service (at least, according to Maverick in my Air National Guard thread, not that it surprises me at all).
Ty :salute