<p>so does anyone know what time of time committment it is? i understand you can take the ROTC classes frosh and soph year and get the 1 credit (not that it matters) but still not have to serve... is ROTC a greater time constraint than regular PE? </p>
<p>anyone have any comments about army ROTC vs. navy ROTC... it could be such a huge decision and all i have to base it off are 2 small paragraphs in my academic guide!!!</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>Navy/Marine Corps=Technical oriented, with strong emphasis on character and leadership</p>
<p>Army=Combat leadership, they want you to learn how to lead a platoon of soldiers</p>
<p>I am biased, but I would go Navy. You can fly a jet, drive a ship or a submarine, be a Navy SEAL, or lead a platoon of Marines. With Army, you pretty much will be Infantry or supporting Infantry. </p>
<p>As far as the time commitment, I've heard that it really is what you make it. Naval ROTC entails 1 naval science class a semester, plus 1 non-credit drill period every week and PT in the mornings (once a week for Navy, 5 times a week for Marine Corps). The ROTC programs have a lot of intramural sports teams and other activities that are optional, so it is up to you how much you want to participate. Also, as you become an upperclassman you are encouraged to take on a leadership positions within the Unit, so that is a large time commitment if you choose to go that route.</p>
<p>My son is in Navy ROTC, and will be a junior in the fall. One of the biggest reason he went Navy is because he is not required to major in science or engineering in order to qualify for the full tuition reimbursement (quite a chunk of change, believe me.) He is a history major. He has had to take 6 credit hours of science-level calculus, as well as 6 credit hours of more challenging physics. So you do have to be relatively strong in science and math--which my son is--you just don't have to major in one of those fields to get the money. In his case, it's a matter of having the aptitude, but not the interest in science/math type majors, so it works well. The Air Force, from what I understand, bases its level of reimbursement on the field of study.</p>
<p>For the first two years, at least, he's been able to lead a full student life, in addition to ROTC commitments. He loves it, and the program has been great for him.</p>
<p>Of course, the ROTC thing also brings a much bigger time commitment--which is a year-for-year military obligation... So if you go straight into active duty after getting your bachelor's, you owe the Navy 4 years. If, like my son hopes to do, you get into flight school and two additional years of training, you owe the Navy 6 years. Plus there are training cruises over the summer...</p>
<p>Can't say I initially embraced the ROTC idea, but he identifies with it and loves it so much--he has matured, he is genuinely happy.</p>
<p>thanks a lot; both replies helped tremendously... all right so you owe 4 years of active duty? is that all?... do you know anything about the college option where you simply take the ROTC classes frosh and soph year with no scholarship and no service committment, then you can either drop out of it after your soph year or stay with it and get the scholarship for jr and sr year...?</p>
<p>also, for the required math and physics... i have 8 hours of math and 5 hours of physics through ap credits--do you know if they program requires more on top of that?</p>
<p>I'd give them a call, but I don't think college options even have to take these classes. They had my sign up for Calc. A and Calc B, so check the AP credit chart to see if you placed out. They said to wait until sophomore year to take physics, but I believe a 4 or a 5 on physics B will get you out of it. </p>
<p>With college option you have no military commitment until jr year. After sophomore year, you apply for a two year scholarship, but if you don't get it you can continue ROTC with a military obligation. I believe the two year scholarship recipients owe 3 years active after graduation. ddjones, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe all officer candidates in all commissioning routes owe 8 years total. For me it is 4 active and 4 inactive reserve which means that you don't do a whole lot unless your specialty is in short supply.</p>
<p>yeah and for "inactive" ... i was wondering if anyone knows what would bring about calling on the "inactive" reserves... does anyone know if "inactives" are being used right now? I could see myself spending 4 years of my life in service, but 8 years is a little much...</p>
<p>The way I understand it, when you are on inactive reserve you don't train on the weekends and you pretty much have no affiliation with the military. Inactive reservist are almost never called up. They would call inactive reservists up right before enacting a draft, so you really don't have a whole lot to worry about. Being on inactive reserve is like being on call in case of an extreme national security problem.</p>
<p>ok that's what i thought thanks... lastly, for the "college option" where you only get your jr and sr year paid for do u still have to fulfill the same service requirements (4 active, 4 inactive) as a person who got a full ride?</p>
<p>I believe it is 3 active 5 inactive. All of this should be on the NROTC website:
<a href="https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/%5B/url%5D">https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/</a></p>
<p>My understanding is, and you can probably clarify this, Dan, that, as far as the Navy goes, once an officer, there is always a possibility that the U.S. government could call on you, if needed. Don't know that it happens a lot, but I'm pretty sure there is that aspect of a lifelong commitment.</p>
<p>I only know the full 4-year scholarship thing; there it is year-for-year. When my son did the Cortramid thing--I have no idea what Cortramid stands for--went to San Diego and got an overview of the various branches of Navy service, he changed his tune on that. For some surface warfare stuff, you can be commissioned into active duty upon graduation, then only owe 4 years. That had been the way he was thinking of it. He discovered, though, that he really connected with the aviation people. That means 2 years of flight school upon graduation, meaning 6 years of active duty commitment from there. He decided he preferred to spend more time doing something he really liked, than doing something he didn't like--like surface craft--just to keep the commitment shorter.</p>
<p>Am I keen on the idea of my son being a fighter pilot someday? Not exactly. What mom would be? But he truly believes in what he is doing, and really identifies not only with the people, but also the mission of the U.S. Navy. </p>
<p>Biggest thing I can advise going in is that if you are doing it primarily for the educational benefits, you shouldn't do it. You have to know why you are going into it, have to be willing to do what you may well need to do. I'll never forget when my son came home on a break and told him that his CO on campus told them early on, "I might tell you to run right into an exploding building, right into the face of danger and a high possibility of death--and you will have to be willing to do that for the good of the unit." That's what military service is. That's the way military service has to be. Again, not exactly what a mom wants to hear, but I'd rather they level with him up front, and he fully understand what he may be called to do, than for him to enter into the thing and be caught off guard when he ends up in something as messy as a war.</p>
<p>ROTC's back in my day in the early '80's worried most about the mandatory drug test 6 weeks before graduation and commissioning. I don't know that anybody who graduated with me in '84 ended up in a war, unless they went longer than their initial commitment. The way the world is today, you can figure you are going to see combat. Freedom isn't free--and it is being challenged everywhere all over the world.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to discourage you, Jvon, but am rather trying to get you to think about all aspects of the military thing before you go in that direction. Same thing I did with my son. The reason, in my case, I'm relatively at peace with his decision is that I can tell he is very much at peace with it, he understands the commitment and commensurate risks he has undertaken, and firmly believes in the mission and meaning of what he is doing. Granted, he hasn't been on active duty yet... I pray for his safety. I feel better, though, knowing that guys like him and the others in his ROTC unit are serving their country. </p>
<p>In my own experience, I found the Navy ROTC people at every level to be very forthcoming and straightforward. Given that my son was only 17 when he was interviewed for an Immediate Selection Decision ROTC scholarship (which he ended up getting), I had to be present in the interview with him, and got the chance to interact a bit with the Regional Commander. No sugar coating there. Personally, I appreciated that.</p>
<p>i agree with you, and it is out of interest. My parents are offering to pay all 4 years of tutition (though they may have to take out a loan for it), but I still want to do ROTC so it is not for the benefits of the scholarship. After talking to my parents, they literally "will not allow me to do it"... I'm not sure what to do, I don't know how to react. I have never been told "you cannot do this" for something I am interested in--I am 18 years old! I don't know--anybody have any advice?</p>
<p>As far as I know, they can't call you back up once you are done with your inactive reserve, but depending what schools you attend or training you go through, you might be on inactive reserve for a while. I have a huge respect for military mothers and wives. I have watched my mother endure deployments, and I know how hard it can be. I wish you and your family the best of luck as you and your family as you continue on this journey.</p>
<p>jvon, I would reiterate to your parents that you have no obligation to the military until junior year, and maybe tell them you are just seeing whether it is something that you would like to do. </p>
<p>ddjones, what has your son told you about orientation week? I am just curious, because , besides PT, I have no idea what we will be doing for a week.</p>
<p>yeah, that is what I have said, but my mom keeps saying "they need people, they will not get off your back until they convince you to join"... i also tend to be committed to things easily so she thinks me taking the class next year guarantees military service... i disagree, but maybe she's right... but if it's what i want to do....................... ahhhh</p>
<p>is it true that NROTC is 8 hour time committment a week freshman year?</p>
<p>You have to take the class and go to drill every week along with PT on monday mornings. I agree with your mom, if you don't want to join the military and possibly go to war, then you shouldn't join ROTC. If you go through the class, I am sure there will be a lot of pressure to join, so at least start to make up your mind before you sign up.</p>
<p>Having parents go against your plan is not an easy thing. There is value in respecting their thoughts, but it (ultimately) is your choice. Investigate ROTC and your reasons for doing it. Then, discuss that with your parents. After that, both you and your parents should be able to come to an understanding.</p>
<p>I guess I was originally interested in it for the experience and knowledge, not with the intention of pursuing a scholarship after sophmore year (and 3 years of service)... From what you are all saying, I shouldn't enter it freshman year with that in mind...</p>
<p>Actually, Notre Dame's ROTC programs are among the first in the country to fill up each year. I've not observed them putting any pressure on my son to have made his commitment (his first year, he could have walked away and they'd have still picked up the tab for his freshman tuition.) It was just a very good fit for him.</p>
<p>Dan, as per O Week, he hasn't said a lot. I think it's one of those things they want to keep a mystery. I can tell you that he survived it! :) When we went to join him for ND's Frosh O, he had totally bonded with the other freshman ROTC's, as if he'd known them for years. Reminded me of the bond he had with his cross country teammates. It had its challenging elements, but, again, they all made it through...</p>