<p>There are a few who have posted in recent months regarding ROTC who might be interested in this-- </p>
<p>ROTC’s</a> ranks surge with new recruits - The Boston Globe</p>
<p>Numbers are rising in other branches too. Four years ago when S1 was a NROTC freshman, there were 24 scholarship midshipmen in his class plus three non-scholaship guys. S told me recently that this year’s freshman NROTC class has almost 50 midshipmen.<br>
Of the original 27 in S1’s class, less than half made it all the way through and commissioned this year.</p>
<p>S1 also recently spoke with a recruiter friend who said that his office was overrun with grads. wanting to join the Navy and go to OCS but that OCS is so backed up right now that they can’t take anymore.</p>
<p>This has all been fortuitous for our family, as Air Force ROTC paid for S1’s education and Army ROTC is currently paying for S2’s very expensive education. They both strongly believe in serving their country, and they thrive in the competitive military environment, but the money was a pretty big incentive as well.</p>
<p>The cadet quoted in the article mentioned 9-11 as somewhat of a catalyst for him. I wonder if this might be true for many others in that same age group as well?</p>
<p>My son is 20, and was a news junkie even before the events of Sept. 11th. It definitely intensified his interest in world affairs, and like Timely’s S’s had always aimed for a future that served his country. He didn’t head to college with ROTC in mind, but by midway through sophomore year had decided it was the route he wanted to take.</p>
<p>Our S was definitely impacted by September 11. He was a freshman in high school at the time. He is also an avid history buff, and has become quite the patriot.</p>
<p>He joined army ROTC at the beginning of his junior year of college. He was offered a two year scholarship, but his joining had nothing to do with money.</p>
<p>He was commissioned a year and a half ago, when he graduated from college. He joined the military knowing full well that the country was at war, and that he somehow needed to do his part.</p>
<p>He is now in Baghdad, just starting a 12 month tour. </p>
<p>His living conditions make the dorm he complained about a few years ago look pretty good… :(</p>
<p>Best wishes to your son AND you!</p>
<p>What a great generation of patriots that has respnded to the terrorists’ threat! R.O.T.C. is a wonderful opportunity for those who have what it takes. Semper Fi!</p>
<p>S1 has never wanted to do anything but military. By eighth grade, he was online sending off for info. Some kids just know. He convinced his best friend to do it too. They both got NROTC scholarships,went to the same college and roomed together all four years. They both have a lot of drive and really push each other.</p>
<p>The money was great but S would have done it even without the money.
He also got merit $$ from his college in addition to the ROTC money so room/board were covered too.</p>
<p>S1 (and best friend too) moves to FL in two weeks. He will be stationed there for more schooling for well over a year. He has been doing temp. assignment in his college’s NROTC office since graduating and is really excited to be moving on. </p>
<p>All the best to your S 1sokkermom.</p>
<p>Packmom-- You were one of the nice parents who helped me out when I was posting tons of questions here on CC last year. Thanks for the update on your son (Special Ops?)!</p>
<p>lspf72…yes, SpecOps</p>
<p>Hope your S is doing well.</p>
<p>Oooh…spec ops! Your son will be needing well wishes! 
That’s a pretty rough track. you’ll have to keep us posted on how it goes.</p>
<p>sokkermom, are these your son’s “permanent” accomodations? Sometimes they stay in tents when they arrive and then move into air conditioned CHU’s (Containerized Housing Units…gotta love those acronyms) when the departing unit moves out. H is stationed at COB Speicher in Tikrit, and it’s not bad at all. They have a PX, a Burger King and a Taco Bell there!! I know that conditions are not that cushy everywhere, though.</p>
<p>S2 also says when he gets commissioned, his first choice would be special ops… scary. Do many ROTC cadets volunteer for the special ops position?</p>
<p>As I understand, it’s very difficult to be accepted for spec ops. Is that correct, packmom?</p>
<p>Yes, it is very difficult to get into SpecOps. They took twelve from ROTC (nationwide)and twelve from USNA on Service Selection Day last Fall.</p>
<p>It’s a long involved process that starts in the junior year.</p>
<p>timely,
He hasn’t complained at all. He actually commented on how well the soldiers of today have it compared to past wars!!! So far, he has a great attitude. (I think I’m the one who doesn’t.)</p>
<p>( …the Mom in me got a little concerned, because he told me that he had no bathroom in his “housing unit”, and that it was surrounded by blast walls…) :eek: He also noted that he can’t leave his “housing unit” without his rifle at night, and he can’t leave the base without full body armor. </p>
<p>To me it looks like they are surrounded by sand and rubble. However, he claims that they are working long hours and don’t notice. He did note that there is a gym on base and that somehow they even made a makeshift golfing range out of a tent…(he had a picture posted on his Facebook…)… God Bless them.</p>
<p>lol at a golfing range. The group S1 trained with in summer '08 is now in Iraq.<br>
He Facebooks them. They told him they carry enough weights over with them to have their own tent gym for working out.</p>