<p>I know I saw that too.
It shocked me
After reading that only a small percentage of students in ROTC are chosen to be officers, and now that aid for higher ed, is less supported than in the past ( combine that with increasing tours of duty and decreasing leaves)
Regardless of my feelings about this particular war- the fact remains that we need a healthy military and we need to respect those who fill that need.
It makes our country stronger to have an educated populace.
I hate to read stories about vets who can't get medical care, who can't get housing and now this.</p>
<p>EK, sorry. I did not mean to post the same article twice. I agree completely with your post.</p>
<p>There is a big difference between ROTC at college and the GI bill. You get ROTC money BEFORE you serve. That benefit can be as much as a full ride plus at the most expensive schools, and many of those schools will toss in goodies to supplement to boot. THe GI bill which is money that can be used by those who leave the military and have put in their service is far less generous. These are nearly always enlisted men who are trying to get their undergrad degree AFTER they have served their country. It is a disgrace that they cannot even get enough to pay state colleges' cost of attendance, given what ROTC benefits cover. Something is just not right here.</p>
<p>I have known officers who not only get their 4 years of private undergraduate costs covered, but their graduate or professional school paid as well...There is a big discrepancy here.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse, my father is a "permanently disabled" Vietnam vet (prostate cancer from the gas) and therefore I get to use his GI Bill money. </p>
<p>$7,800 a year (dispersed as $650 monthly).</p>
<p>Hardly something to shake a stick at for me (I'm basically going for free), but compared to ROTC, that's a pittance that absolutely wouldn't even cover state school tuition.</p>
<p>I served four years in the Air Force and am a oif and oef veteren. I joined for a number of reasons, one of them being the Montgomery GI bill.</p>
<p>I just got the financial aid letter form Georgetown. They meet 100% FA. According to them, "Veteren's benifits replace GU scholarships on a dollar-for-dollar basis". So, GU used my benifits to subtract from the amount of scholarship that they would have given me anyways.</p>
<p>All in all, I got a very good package. I just wish it felt a little more exciting to use my GI bill is all. Do you know that you have to pay for the GI Bill when you enlist? It is 1200 dollars. And I bought the kicker on top of that for 600. It is hard to explain, but I feel kinda jipped.</p>
<p>I am still extremely proud to use the benifits. I am proud to have served and I am really proud to attend Georgetown University.</p>
<p>There is a big difference between ROTC at college and the GI bill. You get ROTC money BEFORE you serve.</p>
<p>Right I understood this- but I also realized that many joined ROTC under the impression that they would be chosen to be officers while fulfilling their obligation. I was surprised to learn that wasn't the case.</p>
<p>I did see this on the news today from those up in the left hand corner-</p>
<p>
[quote]
The state's public universities and colleges will waive tuition and fees for spouses and children of fallen soldiers, under a measure signed into law Monday.</p>
<p>"Helping these children and spouses succeed in education is the least we could do," Gov. Chris Gregoire said before signing the bill.</p>
<p>The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, takes effect in July. It will cover spouses and children of active-duty and National Guard members killed, disabled, captured or missing in action.</p>
<p>After losing so much, "this will ensure they can move forward and get an education," Hewitt said.</p>
<p>The bill unanimously passed the House and Senate during the legislative session that ended last month.</p>
<p>Currently, Washington's colleges and universities have the option of waiving all or part of tuition and fees for the survivors of eligible veterans or National Guard members.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Emerald, I am not sure what you mean about ROTC graduates NOT SELECTED to become officers. Everyone I know who SATISFACTORILY finished the ROTC program, graduated college and did not get into some sort of legal trouble became an officer. In fact, they had to make a commitment of sorts after 2 years of ROTC. Now I have heard that there are times when there are excess members of a branch of the Armed Services, you may be asked to step down, but that usually happens after you finish your post ROTC training. The Air Force is currently running at surplus now. But even there, they all go into the Air Force after ROTC, barring any issues.</p>
<p>Emerald, I am not sure what you mean about ROTC graduates NOT SELECTED to become officers.</p>
<p>I was using information from this recent 4 part news story</p>
<p>Military on Campus</p>
<p>
[quote]
Entering their respective services as officers can afford candidates some privileges over enlisted members, and positions them for leadership and decision-making roles, sometimes all the way to the top ranks.</p>
<p>With that end in mind, total enrollment in all ROTC categories in fiscal year 2004, which ended Sept. 30, 2004, was *52,133, * according to the most recent available data provided by the Defense Department. Army ROTC enrollment that year was 39,618; combined Navy and Marine enrollment was 6,146; and Air Force enrollment was 16,369.</p>
<p>But the number of newly commissioned officers coming out of those programs frequently fluctuates. According to Defense Department figures, in fiscal year 2002 the Army commissioned 5,948 recruits out of all its programs: Officer Candidate School, West Point and elsewhere. Of that total, **2,437 **came from ROTC programs.</p>
<p>In the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, 2005, annual Army ROTC officer production rose to 2,706. But projections call for a decrease to between 2,100 and 2,400 officers per year through 2008.</p>
<p>As for the Navy, it commissioned 1,017 officers from ROTC programs in fiscal year 2002. In 2008 it expects to commission 800 ROTC graduates. The Marines commissioned 164 ROTC graduates in 2002; in 2008 it plans to commission 225 ROTC recruits.</p>
<p>The Air Force has the most drastic planned changes in officer recruiting. In 2002, the Air Force commissioned 7,191 officers, but in 2008, it expects to commission 2,683 fewer officers. The ROTC numbers reflect that shift, from 2,518 officers commissioned in 2002, down to 2,089 expected in 2008.
[/quote]
</p>