<p>What are sone pros and cons for doing ROTC?
Because of lack of money, I may have to take it into consideration.</p>
<p>Pro - you get to meet and spend some team with some great Americans; you get to learn some really useful materil that will benefit you if you ever aspire to management; if you do well and take a commission, you get the opportunity to set yourself apart from other kids in your generation by serving your country; you can earn scholarship money.</p>
<p>Con - By accepting the scholarship money, you are obligated to serving more time as a commissioned officer than you might otherwise be required to serve - assuming you do not want to make the military a career.</p>
<p>If you aren’t willing to defend your country and go to war don’t even consider it.</p>
<p>Can you explain more on the obligation on serving terms? I’m just curious because Irish to become a professor so I can have time for my own research. If I do ROTC do I have to devote my career to military jobs?</p>
<p>@Erin’s dad.
People have different ways of serving the country. Not everyone can be soldiers. I need the scholarship money so I can contribute in some other way. That is why I am considering it.</p>
<p>Erin’s dad is correct. If you are not a willing to serve as a warrior, don’t do it. The U.S. military’s job, at the end of the day, it to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver. That means they kill the enemy and blow up there stuff. Somebody has to maintain the skill to do it. If that makes you queazy - look somewhere else for your tuition money.</p>
<p>You may study for one major/career path, but when it comes time for commissions, you won’t be the one deciding what you will do. The military will. It may be based on your GPA and how well you perform in testing and throughout your time while in ROTC, but you won’t be in charge of your ultimate destiny.</p>
<p>I have known kids who studied history/politics end up on nuke subs. My son may not get the path he wants. He is hoping that is the case, but there is never a guarantee.</p>
<p>Don’t apply for ROTC unless you do your homework on the payback/service requirements and what is expected. If you are going the scholarship route, it is usually somewhere between 8-9 years combined active/reserve payback for a four year scholarship. If you aren’t up for this, DO NOT APPLY for these scholarships. This is not simply a way to pay for college. It is a calling.</p>
<p>Alright. Gotcha. Thank you all for the info.</p>
<p>And even doing ROTC in college, you will not have the “typical college experience.” You will be expected to wake up at least once a week very early in the morning and PT with your unit. You will be expected to spend many hours a week studying, be subjected to random drug tests, be forced into extra curricular activities, fund raising activities, and will be held to a high standard.</p>
<p>You will have to work extremely hard to get somewhere in the unit and you will be expected to maintain a high level of fitness and keep your weight in check. </p>
<p>It’s a great thing if you are into that sort of lifestyle. I love it, but it certainly is a challenge and EXTREMELY stressful.</p>
<p>S2 will grad in May '11 as an engineer and as an ROTC cadet. Because he did not start ROTC until late into his sophomore year he did not attend LTC and Air Assault School until after junior year. As a result he was offered a full two year scholarship at the beginning of his senior year. </p>
<p>Of course he didn’t take it. </p>
<p>Now he has the option of serving a 3 year commitment (because he did not take any scholarship money,) OR, a 4 commitment with the Army paying off his (and ours) school loans up to $25K. </p>
<p>We wish he had recognized his path sooner, but all is fine.</p>
<p>I hope I don’t have to do it. But I DO have to go to college</p>
<p>Another question:
I am planning on attending a competitive school. Maybe MIT, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon…
Would I be able to maintain a high GPA while doing ROTC?
Also, I’m planning on going to a grad school and get my doctorate. Does that mean I have to serve more years?</p>
<p>Look for schools that give good fin aid, or for schools with generous merit aid. forget about ROTC, it is not something to consider if all you are looking for is tuition funds.</p>
<p>Are you a US citizen, btw?</p>
<p>You will have to serve additional years for additional schooling.</p>
<p>You also won’t have the traditional path that many take - finish undergrad and then start a Masters. You may take a Masters program - many do - but be on deployment. </p>
<p>I don’t think you grasp what ROTC is. Sorry to be blunt. Have you done any research into the websites for each of the services with ROTC?</p>
<p>You might be able to keep a GPA. It just depends. My son’s GPA is not nearly as good as it was when he was in high school - he is in a competitive Engineering program and taking 20 units, plus PT early several times a week. He has drill at ungodly hours of the morning and random drug tests at 5 am and all kinds of obligations, including summer training. </p>
<p>If this is about money to pay for tuition, you are really going to be sorry. It’s an obligation that may take up the next nearly decade of your life. If you go active duty for 4 or 5 years after graduation and commissioning, you may then settle back into a normal life and be called back up for service once settled into a job. </p>
<p>It’s service for your country. The fact that they pay for part of your education is a great bonus, but it’s not for everyone.</p>
<p>Here are some post ROTC careers for the ARMY:</p>
<p>[Post-ROTC</a> Careers | GoArmy.com](<a href=“http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/careers.html]Post-ROTC”>Army ROTC | goarmy.com)</p>
<p>AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY OFFICER (14)
The role of an Air Defense Artillery Officer is to be a leader in operations specific to the Air Defense Artillery Branch and to be an expert in the tactics, techniques and procedures for the employment of air defense systems.</p>
<p>ARMOR OFFICER (19)
Armor Officers are responsible for tank and cavalry/forward reconnaissance operations on the battlefield. The role of an Armor Officer is to be a leader in operations specific to the Armor Branch and to lead others in many areas of combat operations.</p>
<p>AVIATION OFFICER (15)
An Officer within the Aviation Branch is first an expert aviator, but is also responsible for the coordination of Aviation operations from maintenance to control tower operations to tactical field missions. From providing quick-strike and long-range target engagement during combat operations to hauling troops and supplies, Army helicopter units play a critical role in getting the job done in many situations.</p>
<p>ENGINEER OFFICER (21)
An Officer in the Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for providing support in a full spectrum of engineering duties. Engineer Officers help the Army and the Nation in building structures, developing civil works programs, working with natural resources as well as providing combat support on the battlefield.</p>
<p>FIELD ARTILLERY OFFICER (13)
The Army’s Field Artillery Branch is responsible for neutralizing or suppressing the enemy by cannon, rocket and missile fire and to help integrate all fire support assets into combined arms operations. The role of a Field Artillery Officer is to be a leader in operations specific to the Field Artillery Branch and to be an expert in the tactics, techniques and procedures for the employment of fire support systems.</p>
<p>INFANTRY OFFICER (11)
An Infantry Officer is responsible for leading and controlling the Infantry and combined armed forces during land combat. They are also involved in coordinating employment of Infantry Soldiers at all levels of command, from platoon to battalion and higher, in U.S. and multi-national operations. Officers are leaders, and being a leader in the Army requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.</p>
<p>SPECIAL FORCES OFFICER (18)
A Special Forces Officer is responsible for what is typically organized as a 12-man team, known as an Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA). ODAs are deployed around the world in rapid-response situations whether it’s during peacetime, crisis or war. The Special Forces Officer is the team leader of an ODA, responsible for mission organization, outfitting the team and debriefing mission objectives.</p>
<p>CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR (CBRN) OFFICER (74)
The Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Officer advises the commander on issues regarding nuclear, biological and radiological warfare, defense and homeland protection. Chemical Officers also employ Chemical units in combat support with chemical, smoke and flame weapons, technology and management. Officers are leaders, and being a leader in the Army requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.</p>
<p>MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER (35)
Military Intelligence (MI) Officers are always out front, providing essential intelligence and in many cases saving Soldiers who are fighting on the front lines. MI Officers assess risks associated with friendly and enemy courses of action and act to counter or neutralize identified intelligence threats. The MI Officer also uses intelligence systems and data to reduce uncertainty of enemy, terrain and weather conditions for a commander.</p>
<p>MILITARY POLICE OFFICER (31)
Military Police Officers are utilized in direct combat and during peacetime to lead other Military Police Soldiers while they serve five main functions: 1) Maneuver and mobility support operations, 2) Area security operations, 3) Law and order operations, 4) Internment and resettlement operations, and 5) Police intelligence operations.</p>
<p>SIGNAL OFFICER (25)
A Signal Corps Officer must be an expert in planning, installing, integrating, operating and maintaining the Army’s voice, data and information systems, services and resources. Signal Officers must be highly intelligent, forward-thinking and have a complete knowledge of communications and data management technologies.</p>
<p>CHAPLAIN (56)
As a Chaplain Officer, you will lead a Unit Ministry Team (UMT), which consists of you and a trained Chaplain Assistant. As an Army Chaplain you will have the responsibility of caring for the spiritual well-being of Soldiers and their families. Army Chaplains are the spiritual leaders of the Army and they perform religious ceremonies from births and baptisms, to confirmations and marriage, to illness and last rites.</p>
<p>CIVIL AFFAIRS OFFICER (38)
Civil Affairs Officers are experts in acting as a liaison between the Army and civilian authorities and populations. In many respects, Civil Affairs Officers have to share the same skills as a public relations executive in the civilian world. Civil Affairs Officers many times must facilitate relationships between U.S. military forces and the people of the nation(s) in which those forces are operating.</p>
<p>DENTAL CORPS OFFICER (63)
An Army Dental Corps Officer is responsible for the dental health of Soldiers and their families. They are also responsible for providing health care to Soldiers - families and others eligible to receive this care in the military community. During combat, the Dental Corps Officer assists in the emergency medical management of casualties; identifies casualties through dental records and makes sure Soldiers are combat ready when it comes to their health.</p>
<p>JAG CORPS ATTORNEY (27)
As an Officer in the JAG Corps and a practicing attorney or judge, your responsibilities will cover a wide-range of practices that includes military law and criminal prosecution to international law and legal assistance - both in the U.S. and abroad. Officers are leaders, and being a leader in the Army requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.</p>
<p>MEDICAL CORPS OFFICER (62)
An Army Medical Corps Officer is responsible for the overall health of Soldiers and their families. From allergists to oncologists to surgeons, Medical Corps Officers are also responsible for providing health care to Soldiers’ families and others eligible to receive this care in the military community. During combat, the Medical Corps Officer oversees the emergency medical management of casualties and makes sure Soldiers are combat ready when it comes to their overall health.</p>
<p>MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS OFFICER (67)
Medical Service Corps Officers are essential in treating and helping the overall health of Soldiers and their families. They are also responsible for much of the medical research that takes place in the Army. From medical fields such as optometry and podiatry to laboratory sciences to behavioral sciences, the Army Medical Service Corps includes many areas of specialty.</p>
<p>MEDICAL SPECIALIST CORPS OFFICER (65)
Medical Specialist Corps Officers are essential in treating and helping the overall health of Soldiers and their families. From medical fields such as occupational therapy and physical therapy to dietician and physician assistant, the Army Medical Specialist Corps includes several areas of specialty. Overall, Army Officers are leaders, and being a leader requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.</p>
<p>NURSE CORPS OFFICER (66)
Army Nurse Corps Officers lead diverse nursing teams in a variety of settings and provide holistic multi-disciplinary care for Soldiers and their families. Officers are leaders. All Army leaders require self-discipline, initiative, confidence, the ability to problem solve and make timely decisions.</p>
<p>ORDNANCE OFFICER (91)
Ordnance Officers are responsible for ensuring that weapons systems, vehicles, and equipment are ready and available - and in perfect working order - at all times. Thus, Ordnance Officers and the Soldiers they lead are a critical component in the Army’s success. Ordnance Officers also oversee the developing, testing, fielding, handling, storage and disposal of munitions.
ADJUTANT GENERAL BRANCH: HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER (42B)
An Adjutant General Officer is responsible for helping Soldiers with the tasks that affect their overall welfare and well being, while assisting commanders by keeping Soldiers combat-ready. In many cases, the duties of an Adjutant General Officer are very similar to the function of a high-level human resources executive in the civilian world. Officers are leaders, and being a leader in the Army requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.
QUARTERMASTER OFFICER (92)
Quartermaster Officers are responsible for making sure equipment, materials and systems are available and functioning for missions. More specifically, the Quartermaster Officer provides supply support for Soldiers and units in field services, aerial delivery and material and distribution management. Officers are leaders, and being a leader in the Army requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.</p>
<p>TRANSPORTATION OFFICER (88)
Transportation Officers are experts in the systems, vehicles and procedures in moving troops and supplies in the Army. Transportation Officers are responsible for commanding and controlling Transportation operations and combined armed forces during land combat. Officers are leaders, and being a leader in the Army requires certain qualities such as self-discipline, initiative, confidence and intelligence.</p>
<p>VETERINARY CORPS OFFICER (64)
Army Veterinarian Officers practice in three primary areas: animal medicine, veterinary public health and research and development. Veterinarian Officers are responsible for treating government-owned animals and the valued pets of service members and their families. Army Veterinary Corps Officers are also responsible for programs ensuring the safety and security of Department of Defense food supplies, both in the United States of America and abroad.</p>
<p>Here are some post NAVY ROTC careers:</p>
<p><a href=“Naval Education and Training Command - NETC”>Naval Education and Training Command - NETC;
<p>There are several different lines of service. Here is just one of them.</p>
<p>Surface Warfare:</p>
<p>What is Surface Warfare?</p>
<p>Surface Warfare is the “traditional” community within the Navy that employs surface ships for the missions of forward naval presence, sea control, and projection of power ashore. Surface Warfare Officers (or SWOs, pronounced “swohs”) are the men and women who, as junior officers just out of college, lead the sailors within the many specialized divisions of a ship’s crew. Surface Warfare Officers are Navy officers whose training and primary duties focus on the operation of Navy ships at sea and the management of various shipboard systems. Their ultimate goal is to command a Navy surface ship.</p>
<p>Where are SWOs Stationed?</p>
<p>From Norfolk, Virginia, to Yokosuka, Japan, the Navy has many homeports for its surface fleet. Should you become a SWO, the goal is to give you as much choice as possible as to where you will be stationed and what kind of ship (ship type and class) you will serve in. The surface fleet consists of many different types of ships, each contributing in their own unique ways to the success of the Navy’s mission as a whole. The abbreviation(s) for each “ship type” is in parentheses.</p>
<p>Cruisers (CG) protect the fleet from airborne threats by using their advanced AEGIS radars and anti-air missile systems, and also have the capability of striking targets ashore with their deck guns and long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Destroyers (DD/DDG) - protect the fleet from surface and submarine threats; many also have AEGIS, as well as the capability to use their deck guns and Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike targets ashore.</p>
<p>Frigates (FFG) - small, tough convoy escort ships that provide anti-air and anti-submarine protection.</p>
<p>Aircraft Carriers (CV/CVN) - home to over seventy aircraft, ranging from F/A-18 strike fighters and F-14 interceptors, to S-3B sub-hunters, EA-6B radar-jammers, and E-2C early-warning/command and control aircraft.</p>
<p>Amphibious Ships (LHA/LHD/LPD/LSD) - carry up to 2,000 Marines, and their equipment, vehicles, and supplies. The Amphibious Assault subtype, or LHA’s and LHD’s, double as small aircraft carriers that are home to various kinds of helicopters and the Harrier vertical take-off and landing jet fighter. The LHA’s, LHD’s, and LSD’s all carry modern, high-speed Landing Craft, Air-Cushion (LCAC) to ferry Marines and their gear ashore.
Minesweepers (MCM/MHC/MCS) - detect and clear naval mines from areas in which other ships soon will be operating.</p>
<p>Patrol Craft (PC) - small, speedy ships that patrol coastlines as well as insert and support SEAL special operations forces ashore.</p>
<p>Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) - The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is designed to defeat growing littoral threats and provide access and dominance in the coastal water battlespace. A fast, maneuverable and networked surface combatant, LCS provides the required warfighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions close to the shore such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare.</p>
<p>Auxiliary Ships (AE/AO/AOE/AS/ARS) - keep the fleet supplied with fuel, ammunition, food, and other crucial stores needed on long-term forward deployments.
What Will Be My Role as a SWO?</p>
<p>As a junior SWO, you will lead a division of sailors aboard one of the above listed types of ships. A “division” is made up of work centers responsible for a certain component of your ship, such as specific electronics, weapons, or engineering system. Immediately after graduating from college in the NROTC Program, you will report to your first ship as a Division Officer. Division Officer tours are 42 month “split tours” designed to provide individuals as much diversity as is possible in their background and experiences. The first tour will be 24 months. The most important milestones of this initial sea tour are completing the Officer of the Deck (Fleet) and Surface Warfare Officer qualifications. These qualifications are designed to be completed within the first 12 to 18 months. After learning the basics of shipboard life and attaining your Officer of the Deck qualification, you will complete a month-long training course at the Surface Warfare Officers School Command (SWOSCOLOM) Newport, Rhode Island. You will be assigned a “wardroom” of other junior officers from diverse ship and billet assignments. By participating in seminars, exercises, and simulators you will learn from each other’s experiences and broaden your Surface Warfare knowledge. Upon returning to your ship, you will be ready to complete your SWO qualifications and earn your Surface Warfare Officer Pin. During the initial sea tour, officers may be assigned to multiple departments to provide a diversified background and facilitate Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) and Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) qualification. Development of seamanship, war fighting skills, and effective leadership are key elements in this first tour. The second Division Officer tour lasts 18 months. It will always be in a department different from the initial tour. During the second tour, Division Officers are expected to complete Engineering Officer of the Watch qualification (if not already completed) and many will make significant progress towards qualifying as Tactical Action Officer.</p>
<p>Assignments</p>
<p>Is life as a SWO only about life at sea? No. SWOs do “shore tours”, usually lasting no more than two years. These are completed between sea tours, and are designed to give the officer experiences and educational opportunities vital to furthering a career as a SWO. For example, after your division officer tours you might have a staff job at the Pentagon or another Navy shore command in a fleet concentration area such as Norfolk or San Diego. You might serve as an instructor at SWOS, fleet tactical schools, the Naval Academy, or a NROTC unit. You may be assigned to the Naval Postgraduate School, where your “job” will be as a full-time student earning a masters degree. If you performed well at sea as a Division Officer, and continue to perform well ashore, you can expect to be promoted in your following sea tours and lead a department. Those selected as “Department Head” will go back to SWOS and complete the Department Head and Tactical Action Officer courses before heading to a ship as Chief Engineer, Operations Officer, or Combat Systems Officer. In this capacity, you will lead all of the divisions that fall under these particular categories. You will normally serve two 18-month department Head tours, to get a broad range of experience. Your goal during these tours is to earn your Tactical Action Officer qualification. Later, after another shore tour on a command staff, at a war college, or at a military or civilian postgraduate school, those who performed well at sea as Department Head will be selected for command. The Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) community has modified its career path to better support command stability, joint tours with the other services and the global war on terrorism (GWOT). Borrowing a page from naval aviation, SWOs are implementing a single, combined executive officer/commanding officer (XO/CO) command tour. That is, a SWO will now be selected for command, report to the ship as the executive officer, and then “fleet up” to commanding officer. An officer can expect to spend 18 months in each “tour” (in other words, a three year combined command tour).</p>
<p>Here are some of the other lines:</p>
<p>Naval Aviator (Pilot)</p>
<p>Naval Flight Officer (Aviator)</p>
<p>Submarine Officer</p>
<p>Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer</p>
<p>Special Warfare Officer</p>
<p>Here are some Air Force ROTC careers:</p>
<p>[U.S</a>. Air Force ROTC - Careers - Career Opportunities](<a href=“http://afrotc.com/careers/opportunities/]U.S”>http://afrotc.com/careers/opportunities/)</p>
<p>Flight (3)</p>
<p>From navigating top-secret missions to defending our air space, flight careers are reserved for the finest in the sky.</p>
<p>Nontechnical (19)</p>
<p>From administrators to managers, the Air Force is run much like any other business.</p>
<p>Specialty (3)</p>
<p>Join a diverse field of specialists in law, religious aid, accounting and more.</p>
<p>Technical (5)</p>
<p>In the technical field, attention to detail reigns supreme. Join the master scientists and engineers who keep us running in high gear.</p>
<p>Nursing (16)</p>
<p>The latest technology. State-of-the-art facilities. Expert teammates. Air Force healthcare professionals work with the best as they care for the best.</p>
<p>FEATURED CAREERS</p>
<p>Pilot</p>
<p>Aircraft Maintenance Officer</p>
<p>Developmental Engineer</p>
<p>Intelligence Officer</p>
<p>Logistics Officer</p>
<p>DHS, if you obtain an ROTC scholarship you are obligated to as an officer for several years and then in the reserves for more years - specifics depend on the branch. For instance, Navy is minimum 5 years active duty and 3 years reserves. </p>
<p>That is your full- time job. You cannot become a teacher. ROTC is not a way to pay for college. ROTC is for students whose #1 goal is to become a military officer. </p>
<p>The selection committees are very good at dumping candidates who just want the money. A couple may sneak through in every unit. They are usually gone by the end of the first year.</p>
<p>DHS: I just want to emphasize what Iron maiden just wrote:</p>
<p>**ROTC is not a way to pay for college. ROTC is for students whose #1 goal is to become a military officer. **</p>
<p>From your posts, it definitely seems that your desperation to find funding outpaces any desire to serve as an officer in the US military.</p>
<p>I didn’t catch the line about becoming a professor.</p>
<p>You aren’t going to be doing your own research or becoming a professor with a ROTC scholarship. </p>
<p>Seek other scholarship sources. Perhaps if the OP told us what he wants to do in research we can direct him with more appropriate scholarship opportunities. </p>
<p>Anyone who says that:</p>
<p>
absolutely, positively shouldn’t apply for an ROTC scholarship. </p>
<p>ROTC will weed out this candidate pretty quickly. You have to want to be a warrior and serve your country.</p>
<p>In the NAVY, they are designating 80% of incoming scholarship recipients to be math/science/technical majors.</p>
<p>dhs -
certainly plenty of folks have used ROTC as a way to pay for college. It happens all the time and most of these turn out to be darn good officers. As a matter of fact - those running the scholarship programs use this as a big selling point to sell the profession of arms.
I don’t know you or anything about you - so I can’t say if you will make a good officer or not. Can you see yourself as a Military officer?</p>
<p>Surely, you understand we are a nation at war. The majority of junior officers do get deployed overseas and there is no guarantee that you won’t. This is the ‘risk’ you need to understand. In order to take the Oath you need to be prepared to defend your country in a war.</p>
<p>Not everyone can be in the military or ROTC. You need to be able to pass a comprehensive physical examination. You need to have a clean record and good morals. You need to be able to develop military bearing and put the time and effort into extra classes, labs and training.
If you win a scholarship and quit or get kicked out you will lose your scholarship and ability to pay for school.</p>
<p>If you THINK that you would like to be an Officer AND are also looking for a way to pay for college then talk to an ROTC officer.</p>
<p>In the ARMY - after graduation you will either be commissioned into the Guard/Reserves or Active Duty. Not every ROTC cadet gets Active Duty and there is actually a dedicated scholarship for those who wish to serve ‘part-time’ in the Guard/Reserves.
While a few exceptional ROTC cadets are granted an educational delay to attend graduate school - this is not the norm.</p>