Does anyone know what it is like to be in a ROTC without being obligated to join the military. What are the pros and cons? How labor and/or time intensive is it? I plan to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in three years so I am wondering if I would have the time to do it. I am not interested in the ROTC for the scholarships. I purely interested in the military, but I am not quite interested in joining the military. I just want the experience.
@NROTCgrad can help with experience for you. I think for most branches after the first few years, you are obligated to serve, and cannot “just be there”. Army, I think, contracts you during junior year. Air Force contracts after your second year. Navy I’m not sure about.
To get a real feel for it, you do need to participate for more than the two/three classes and PT sessions per week. There are many extracurricular organizations, like Arnold Air Society (AF) or Ranger Challenge (ARMY), that provide you with other experiences. Ask the cadres of the branches that are on your campus what your options are. In your situation, crosstown participation doesn’t really make sense, since it appears that you don’t really want to commit to it, and crosstown participation takes a lot of work. IMO, the AFROTC should not be in your sights: with three years left, you would be a AS250 and taking both freshman and sophomore level class to prepare for Field Training, and if you have no desire to continue, you’re just taking up space and competing for a slot which could go to a cadet whose dream it is to be a 2LT. These are my opinions as a future cadet and having spoken with multiple detachments. Research for yourself. Good luck.
As I read it, you want the ROTC scholarships, but not the ROTC.
I know very little about it, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way. I think that the scholarships are kind of a payback for the commitment.
In other words, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
@bjkmom OP is explicit about not wanting the ROTC scholarships
My apologies. I misread it. Serves me right for being up at 5:26 am.