<p>S started ROTC late and was only offered scholarship money when he was going into his senior year. The Army offered him a two year scholarship when he only had one year left. Go figure. He refused the scholarship and as a result he was commissioned with a three year active duty obligation instead of the four years that scholarship people incur.</p>
<p>Packmom.S withdrew before accepting his commission,When I went through flight school a peer of mine washed out and was told he was on his way to tank school so a lot of where you end up is needs of the service and that varies with the branch.</p>
<p>My roommate in pilot training washed out, and was sent to Casper Wyoming. She was assigned become a cartographer. Talk about random!</p>
<p>Unfortunately now some of the time the “needs of the service” are that if you have a scholarship, they just want their money back. I honestly don’t know how that is legal…guess what, we have too many officers or people in your career field, so now you owe us XXX dollars, and we don’t have a job for you.</p>
<p>Happy New Year! </p>
<p>Thanks for the shout out busdriver, but I would discourage anyone from concealing a potentially active medical condition in order to get in. There is a reason some things disqualify you. You don’t want to end up stationed somewhere where you can’t get the treatment you need. </p>
<p>I dont know wht , ind of medical conditiin you nave, but one of the most dramatic examples I saw was a young man who was convinced by his recruiter to stop his antipsychotic meds just before boot camp. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if you could get discharged for that. And not the good kind.</p>
<p>They DO own your body. You WILL floss your teeth, and get them cleaned!</p>
<p>^^Oh, I know shrinkap, I’m a bad influence. I just am of the mentality of finding a way to make it happen, no matter what. But I’ve heard stories of people who are 5’2" who found a way to stand on their toes during the measuring at the USAFA (needed to be 5’4" to be a pilot), and guys who figured a way to slouch to be short enough to make the restrictions…and people who managed to squint enough to read the eye charts (that line reads DEFPOTEC, by the way), and one great guy who admitted to being allergic to bees and was booted. And during airline interview physicals, people who were not called back because they were super athletes and their EKG’s read out of the normal range, etc, etc. Just there is all sorts of silly stuff out there that disqualify people, is it necessary to admit to it all?</p>
<p>And amazingly, way back when, we ALL declared that we had NEVER tried marijuana.
A little too much honesty is not always productive…</p>
<p>Haha busdriver… I guess I would have to be standing on the tips of my toes then!</p>
<p>Thanks Shrinkrap for your input. I agree, would not want to be caught out somewhere and not have access to the proper medical resources. That is crazy! It’s shocking especially coming from a recruiter. That’s doing more harm than good.</p>
<p>saintfan-- thank you 
I wish I could let you all know if I am successful, but, you know… We will have to come up with a code phrase or something :)</p>
<p>BusDriver11 - thank you for your service to our country.</p>
<p>Hey - loose lips sink ships 
Just do your best, take care of your body, listen to your heart and you will find your way.</p>
<p>Yes thank you busdriver and saintfan and anyone else in this thread that I am forgetting.</p>
<p>Thank you saintfan :)</p>
<p>Cobrat - Navy ROTC and Marine Option are two separate things and you have to apply separately before even entering the program. I would say it would be close to impossible for someone in NROTC (not Marine Option) to be forced into it. It could happen out of the Naval Academy since there that decision isn’t made until senior year.</p>
<p>Need some help. My son, who will major in Chemistry, has been offered an AF ROTC scholarship. I am trying to find out if he will be hands on when he is commissioned or will he most likely be admin? Thanks.</p>
<p>@cugirl25 - that’s impossible to know at this point. Each branch of ROTC works differently, but selection for each specialization is competitive and also subject to needs of the military. For AFROTC, the usual question pertains to how many pilot slots will be available, and if you don’t get one, will you be happy doing what the Air Force needs you to do. There is also an important selection for summer field training after two years; if not selected for that, you don’t continue in AFROTC. I’m paraphrasing and simplifying here; for better answers you might google for service academy forums.</p>
<p>Congrats to your S for being an AFROTC scholarship recepient. As whydoicare said what he ends up doing depends on his choice/preference/what is available and what the Air force needs.<br>
Is his goal to be a pilot?</p>
<p>My S did NROTC. It seems w/ the Navy, the junior officers are a little more hands on at first but the higher you climb the more you become a “manager” unless you’re in a highly specialized unit.</p>
<p>Thanks to both of you for replying. Packmom-he doesn’t want to be a pilot.</p>
<p>This is an interesting thread… bookmarking to read later ;)</p>
<p>A little known fact about ROTC is called disenrollment. . I know - it won’t happen to you, BUT read about it before getting involved in any of the ROTC branches. Go check out the service academy forums, too. Google ROTC disenrollment and see what it is. </p>
<p>It happens, can be costly and life altering and can happen. I know, firsthand. My kid was kicked out for a frivolous reason just a few weeks away from graduation and commissioning… </p>
<p>It is devastating to spend several years in this organization only to be told that your future was uncertain and you were on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars owed to govt. </p>
<p>He is paying back a rather large sum with a large amount if zeroes. If he would have known about this possibility, he would have opted for the much cheaper state U when deciding where to attend. </p>
<p>Buyer beware. </p>
<p>That said, best of luck.</p>
<p>Wow! Disenrollment sounds like they can 1. make you go enlisted route or 2. kick you out with huge debt to repay… and for bad grades, drinking, etc</p>
<p>Kids needs to know that is not an easy out.</p>
<p>True, but it’s not for frivolous reasons…</p>
<p>right, I am sure it’s something Recruiters dont spend a lot of time discussing.</p>
<p>“True, but it’s not for frivolous reasons…”</p>
<p>It’s because the military is trying to make cuts and they can get a whole lot of money back if they disenroll officer candidates and make them pay back the scholarship.</p>
<p>Saving money is not frivolous, but this is incredibly unfair to a student who planned their life on this and could have been a dedicated officer.</p>