Posted: 12/3/2009 11:42:32 AM EDT
| I will be a College Junior next year at age 19. Do I need to go to basic and AIT or no? |
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I was a Reservist many (many) years ago. Junior in high school and senior year. In college I was a ROTC cadet (briefly). Simultaneous Membership Program would have allowed me to drill with my Reserve unit as a Cadet. Idea was that I would have been mentored by the company's officers during Reserve unit drills and activities ... sort of as a "Third Lieutenant." Lacking military command authority.
I decided that I preferred being enlisted and dropped ROTC. Retired 28 years later from Active Duty as a First Sergeant. Good luck |
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I enlist SMP cadets all the time. Email me if you have questions that don't get answered. Careful, even LT's that were SMP before they graduated sometimes don't know all the facts.
For starters though: 1) don't have to go to Basic and AIT but get more money that way and IMO (And many many others) make a better LT if you do. 2) must have 32 sem hrs min 3) must NOT be on ROTC regular scholarship. GRFD scholarship actually REQUIRES SMP contract 4) Depending on how much it cost to go to your school, you could actually make money while attending class (i.e. pocket money over and above what it cost) Also you could get more money than a scholarship too so don't automatically think sholarship is the best. I have Scholarship cadets terminate their scholarship all the time and then go SMP. NOTE if you are considering becoming an officer, which you obviously are, then don't be afraid of attending Basic and AIT. |
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Did you do your freshman and sophomore years in ROTC? Cause if you didnt you will have to go to either basic or an abreviated basic for Cadets called LTC, it is a joke. If this is the case, then I would strongly suggest going to basic if your schedule would allow for it. Not only will you get a shit more money you will also get a basic knowledge of how the army works, and learn things that ROTC wont be able to teach.
SMP is a good program, as long as the guard unit you join isnt fucked up. Some units are short on LTs so they will put you in an LT slot and give you a platoon, and actually allow you to plan drill weekends and work along side other Lts and the commander. The only thing that I didnt like is that drill weekend seems to always fall on the worst possible weekends. Make sure you do not sign a GRFD scholarship unless you are 110% sure that you do not want Active Duty. You may think you want guard now but in a year, you may change your mind. Some of the requirements may have changed or differ from state to state but when I was SMPing you had to have Basic or the equivalant (LTC). I dont know if this is no longer the case, just check with the ROTC program you are attending. Just because you go to basic does not make you any better of a leader. It will give you some experience and knowledge that people who have not been will have to get somwhere else, but it is up to you to become a good leader, basic wont do it for you. Also, if you go to basic and AIT pick the MOS that is giving the biggest bonus and fits your schedule. Even if its a job you dont want. You will pick a new job once you finish LDAC, and the job you went to AIT for wont mean shit, but that money you pocketed will ne nice. 
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As the SMI at Minnesota State University, I had a cadet with a GRFD scholarship, was an SMP cadet and Minnesota reimbursed his tuition 100% as a Guardsman. He was making about $40,000 a year while going to college. It has benefits.
And yes, you will be a better officer if you do the SMP route. Any time in an actual unit learning what you can is better than nothing. |
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Quoted:
As the SMI at Minnesota State University, I had a cadet with a GRFD scholarship, was an SMP cadet and Minnesota reimbursed his tuition 100% as a Guardsman. He was making about $40,000 a year while going to college. It has benefits. And yes, you will be a better officer if you do the SMP route. Any time in an actual unit learning what you can is better than nothing. How exactly did that 40k per year work, including scholarships? |
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Quoted:
As the SMI at Minnesota State University, I had a cadet with a GRFD scholarship, was an SMP cadet and Minnesota reimbursed his tuition 100% as a Guardsman. He was making about $40,000 a year while going to college. It has benefits. And yes, you will be a better officer if you do the SMP route. Any time in an actual unit learning what you can is better than nothing. Posted by chromekilla; How exactly did that 40k per year work, including scholarships? I don't have the exact figures/process as he was a senior my first year there. He may have earned this amount only in the last two years of college after he contracted GRFD. He received a 4 year full ride ROTC scholarship. The state paid 100% ofl his college tuition as a member of the NG. Since he had a full ride, all the state money went in his pocket. Did the SMP program so he received a paycheck every month from the NG. The state 100% tuition plus his SMP paycheck was around $40,000 a year. He may have received a bouns for his NG MOS as well. I'm not certain of that though. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
As the SMI at Minnesota State University, I had a cadet with a GRFD scholarship, was an SMP cadet and Minnesota reimbursed his tuition 100% as a Guardsman. He was making about $40,000 a year while going to college. It has benefits. And yes, you will be a better officer if you do the SMP route. Any time in an actual unit learning what you can is better than nothing. Posted by chromekilla; How exactly did that 40k per year work, including scholarships? I don't have the exact figures/process as he was a senior my first year there. He may have earned this amount only in the last two years of college after he contracted GRFD. He received a 4 year full ride ROTC scholarship. The state paid 100% ofl his college tuition as a member of the NG. Since he had a full ride, all the state money went in his pocket. Did the SMP program so he received a paycheck every month from the NG. The state 100% tuition plus his SMP paycheck was around $40,000 a year. He may have received a bouns for his NG MOS as well. I'm not certain of that though. So one can get an ROTC scholarship as well as the tuition dollars from state? If so recruiter told a little lie there. 
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