Any ROTC feedback, especially NROTC?

[jhynesrockmtn]

My 16 yo son is junior in high school. His grandfather on my ex wife's side is a retired Navy Captain. Worked his way up from enlisted ranks over a 34 year career. Ben is seriously considering applying for NROTC and has the grades and test scores to possibly get a scholarship. He likes the idea of having a career ready for him after college and thinks a 4 year stint would be a good trade off to see how he likes the Navy as a long term career. He's thinking Navy Intel, FBI, etc. would interest him longer term but being only 16 realizes he really has no clue what he "wants to be when he grows up". I wish I knew

I'm not crazy about him possibly being in harms way obviously but figure being on a boat is better than carrying a machine gun around in the Army or Marines.

Any feedback from folks with experience, what to investigate, etc.

We're heading to WSU in Washington in early April for a campus visit and to also meet some of the ROTC folks there. I spent some time on the phone with a Lt. Colonel getting some good info.

[techweenie]

I found ROTC (Army) to be a great experience. There are some disciplines taught there that give you a head start on managing people, if you decide not to stay in the service.

[RWebb]

the service academies are the "hot" way to go.

N-ROTC seems like an oxymoron in Pullman, but who knows.

also consider USAF

I know WSU fairly well as I did grad. work there some years ago - I know nothing about their ROTC pgms tho. But if you have other questions, just Email me.

[jhynesrockmtn]

N-ROTC seems like an oxymoron in Pullman, but who knows.

I had the same reaction. I know WSU, got my undergrad business degree there. Doesn't seem like NROTC cares about being close to water. I think they do their summer training elsewhere. WSU and the UofI share their NROTC program. He's also looking at ASU and University of Colorado and possibly some private schools with ROTC.

I think the Navy link to his Grandfather is a strong tie and USAF may not be as attractive to him.

[mikester]

ROTC is good - not for everyone but good none the less.

I was in JROTC in high school for a year and hated it because I was too cool for school. In hind sight, had I stuck with it - more of my dreams - likely would have been reality.

[Embraer]

great, great, great program. i had an appointment to the Naval Academy (which I turned down, because I wanted to fly, and be guaranteed of it). had a full ride to Purdue (academic scholarship), as well.

i did the Marine Corps PLC (similar to ROTC, without the class requirements). when I graduated, i busted my Naval Class I medical, so I was able to walk away. I'm now flying for an airline.

Two of my buddies are now flying Harriers in the Marines. I have friends who did AFROTC, and they're A-10 drivers now. If your son wants to do Intel, then Navy is the way to go. My brother was in Navy Intel, worked at the NSA, and now works for a private intel company.

This day in age, it's impossible to get a job out of college. Making 2nd Lt or Ensign pay would be mighty nice...especially with the promotions to O-4 within 4 years of getting out of school.

[RWebb]

If he has the time, then investigate a Senatorial recommendation the Academy.

The inside line for every officer corps is thru the academies. Not at ALL easy to get in.

[fintstone]

I worked with AFROTC as an active duty AF Officer and talked my daughter into applying for an ROTC scholarship. She was selected and attended her underdrgrad on a full ROTC Scholarship. She also had a cheerleading scholarship and a full-ride Presidential Scholarship from the state/university. She initially thought she was a bit too cool for ROTC but ultimately found it rewarding. Financially it was a great decision. She was able to participate in a lot of student activities but still was able to keep her grades high since she did not need to work to pay for school. She was able to graduate with money in the bank (no student loans)...even though she did not work during the school year and only worked a little in the summer (acting and modeling gigs). She commissioned and went on to medical school. They are paying for that as well as paying a generous monthly stipend to live on (still no school loans). In fact, getting into medical school entitled her to a $20K signing bonus (all of it went in the bank since everything is paid for).

[Seahawk]

There really is no edge in any of the commissioned paths (Academy, ROTC or AOCS) after you get to the fleet, at least in my experience. Performance becomes key.

I think that the ROTC program is by far the best route, not just from a financial perspective but you get to have a college experience as well. I could not recommend the program more.

Best of luck to your son...the Intel path is excellent, especially if he plans on leaving the service after his commitment is up.

[gt350mike]

Trying not to sound like a broken record, but I highly recommend any ROTC program. My son had the grades and could have accepted an appointment to West Point (along with two of his buddies that are going this fall), but he said "Dad, I want to enjoy my college experience". Although I disagree with his comment, it does warrant caution……I don’t recommend any of the academies unless you know for certain that graduating from an academy something he wants (not what a parent/grandparent wants). The academies have a way of culling the wannabe’s out of the crowd fairly quickly.

My son is planning on attending American Univeristy this fall and he will be combining his wrestling scholarship with his Army ROTC scholarship. I think he’s getting the greatest bang for the buck with his ROTC scholarship because the tuition at AU is 5x in comparison to either Auburn or Alabama. The other positive point worth mentioning is this; after completing two years of ROTC and your son decides that it’s not what he wants, he can walk away from the scholarship without having to pay for the two years or any service obligations.

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by gt350mike

Trying not to sound like a broken record, but I highly recommend any ROTC program. My son had the grades and could have accepted an appointment to West Point (along with two of his buddies that are going this fall), but he said "Dad, I want to enjoy my college experience". Although I disagree with his comment, it does warrant caution……I don’t recommend any of the academies unless you know for certain that graduating from an academy something he wants (not what a parent/grandparent wants). The academies have a way of culling the wannabe’s out of the crowd fairly quickly.

My son is planning on attending American Univeristy this fall and he will be combining his wrestling scholarship with his Army ROTC scholarship. I think he’s getting the greatest bang for the buck with his ROTC scholarship because the tuition at AU is 5x in comparison to either Auburn or Alabama. The other positive point worth mentioning is this; after completing two years of ROTC and your son decides that it’s not what he wants, he can walk away from the scholarship without having to pay for the two years or any service obligations.

exactly. i turned down my appointment (Congressionally nominated) because my heart wasn't in that "college experience" 100%. I also went to the weekend with a midshipman program, where I got to eat, drink, and live the Naval Academy for the weekend. I was utterly unimpressed. (Part of it may have had to do with the fact that the Midshipman who showed me around decided to skip class and sit his room and play Playstation that he cleverly hid under his bed. He had gotten in trouble for jumping the wall....and his punishment was to show me around campus for the weekend. What a waste of my time.)

To be honest, all of my Officer buddies that I know (both ROTC and Academy grads) say that there's no real difference once they hit the fleet. In fact, the Academy guys catch more flack, and have harder times because of the stigma of attending the academy.

My dad was upset with the fact that I turned it down...but you'd be surprised how many students do it, just because it's what their parents want.

[HHI944]

I hated ROTC. Of course, when I signed up for the classes I was about 3 years into my enlistment, had made rank and HATED some pretentious little 18-19 yo with no real experience trying to tell me what to do.

[Dueller]

Best friendwent Navy ROTC at Texas A&M...he had a wonderful career. Now retired and an executive at Exxon.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Embraer

My dad was upset with the fact that I turned it down...but you'd be surprised how many students do it, just because it's what their parents want.

That comment is spot on: I was asked by a number of young men when I was active duty to write a letter for them during their Naval Academy application process. I also did a few video interviews.

I would always take the young man asking for my support to lunch, alone, no parents. It would become clear during the hour or so whether or not they were doing this for their parents...especially those kids with a three or four generation legacy of Naval Academy grads in the family!

[jmaxwell]

Another recommendation for ROTC. A guaranteed job after finishing, and it doesn't detract much from the "college experience". I was lucky enough to go to a land grant college which required ROTC for the first two years, so it wasn't about being too cool. Only one summer camp for me, but if it is an NROTC scholarship, there may be one each summer. At least the ocean is better than Ft Sill in July!

Jack

[gatotom]

I guess I will chime in the thread because I have a son at USNA.

Did I influence his decision at all, not in your life would I, it was all his doing from the start. He went the route of going to a prep school first before entering the academy.

Did he check out ROTC programs, yes, he did but in his mind the academy was the only way to go.

Has it been a smooth ride thru his now almost completed 3rd yr, no. In fact, last yr was almost his last because he was tired of playing in the sandbox with boys and girls that always get their way. The academy has changed alot and its not for the worse. So, yes, we kinda told him last yr to at least finish his second yr there and if he wanted to leave, do so after the yr is complete. At the academy when you enter the 3rd yr, you sign on the doted line for 2 more yrs and 5 yrs in service and if you leave before you graduate, well, you then have to pay back to the government your school expense which amounts to 85-90K per yr cost.

Does my son worry about being judged harder after he gets into the fleet, not at all, in fact he looks forward to the challenge, he lives by a motto" if you have no stress, why get up."

I think for the most part academy grads want a challenge and maybe that's why about 80% of fortune 500 companies CEO's and Pres. are from academies.

Seahawk, my son is drooling over the increase of navy helo fleet, that is were he wants to be, he is really enjoying learning how to glide on his weekends.

[rw7810]

Well, I guess I should chime in here.... some of you have some good and true comments, but others don't have a clue. When it comes right down to it, an academy education just can't be beat, either in quality, value or cost Things have changed allot since I graduated, like co-ed, major fields of study, etc. Did we think we missed a good time not attending a "regular" college", yes we did. But now many years later I can see we didn't miss that much and got to experience allot more than any other normal college student.

An ROTC Lt used to be able to plan to only serve in the Reserves a weekend a month.. Not anymore, now they will serve just as much on active duty as any academy grad.

Off to Sebring with two of my classmates this week. We've been best of friends since 1970 and meeting up all over the world since then. Now we get together ever year (last 10 or 11) for the races and a few cold ones.

USMA (West Point) 1974