<p>My S has stated his interest in joining the ROTC when next school year when he starts college. I am not sure what to think. Anyone have experience with it?</p>
<p>Which branch? Army, Navy or Air Force.</p>
<p>Can you choose? I thought it was only for the army?</p>
<p>Whether or not you can choose depends on which ROTC units are on the campus or on a nearby campus that allows students from your S’s campus to participate. My husband went through college on a Navy ROTC scholarship but had a contract for USMC aviation. Good friends of ours just found out yesterday that their son got an Air Force ROTC scholarship. And, of course, there is Army.</p>
<p>I would recommend that your son check out what the ROTC situation is at his campus and then look up what ROTC entails with that branch of the service at the branches website. He can then call the unit on his campus directly and speak to someone.</p>
<p>Here is a good place to start for Army ROTC; <a href=“http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/[/url]”>http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/</a></p>
<p>Great leadership development programs and scholarship opportunities up to full ride. There are quite a few ROTC threads in the Service Academy boards.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/u-s-service-academies/[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/u-s-service-academies/</a></p>
<p>Also, look at [ROTC</a> - United States of America Service Academy Forums](<a href=“http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=27]ROTC”>http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=27). This is a ROTC board with lots of q&a.</p>
<p>And thank him for me.</p>
<p>They are all different and you will have markedly different experiences. Some schools don’t offer ROTC, others will offer it for multiple branches.</p>
<p>Additionally:
Colleges with NROTC units: <a href=“https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/colleges_nrotc_unitsXP3.asp[/url]”>Naval Education and Training Command - NETC;
<p>Air Force ROTC:
[U.S</a>. Air Force ROTC - Colleges](<a href=“http://www.afrotc.com/colleges/]U.S”>http://www.afrotc.com/colleges/)</p>
<p>Each branch runs their own scholarship program as well.
If you don’t have a scholarship then you can take ROTC as an elective for the first two years (Army) to try it out, without incurring a service commitment. Again, for Army it would be a two credit course each semester.</p>
<p>I started a thread a few months ago about a student who was dismissed from ROTC in junior year due to grades and has to pay back the entire scholarship received, so be aware of that particular issue.</p>
<p>Yes, there is that. When you become “Contracted” you take an Oath and sign a legal Contract with the US Government. There are penalties for dropping out or otherwise being dismissed and not fulfilling the terms of your contract will require re-payment either monetarily or enlisting.</p>
<p>My S is in NROTC. He will commission in May. It has been a good experience. He is really excited about his future. </p>
<p>Your S should def. check to see which branches of ROTC are offered at his sch.</p>
<p>If he is interested in NROTC, I’ll be glad to answer any questions if I can.</p>
<p>I want to add that at the present time the Navy is not allowing enlistment as a way to pay back the Navy. That was the norm back when my spouse was in ROTC (back when dinos roamed the Earth) They simply don’t have the need at this time and so the only way to pay it back is monetarily. </p>
<p>All the way around, accepting an ROTC scholarship is a very serious decision.</p>
<p>Our DS is full ride ROTC for the AF.</p>
<p>Your DS needs to decide what he wants to do in the military after commissioning. Every branch has a purpose. </p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>pugmadkate - right. I should have qualified that the government (service) gets to choose how you will pay your penalty depending upon their needs and your situation.</p>
<p>Accepting a scholarship or contracting is committing oneself to a certain term of military service.
For Army ROTC - any student may take the first two years of the program without any commitment to serve. It is a great leadership class and an opportunity to “try on” the US Army to see if it is for them.</p>