I have been wanting to join the military but I was thinking of waiting til I get out of college? For now I was thinking of joining ROTC (probably Army).

I don't know anyone who did this training, does anyone have a opinion on this? Was it interesting? what kind of things did you do?

I'm an ROTC battalion Recruiting Officer.  You'll do some good training in ROTC but you'll also have classroom time just like any other college course.  The classroom work and the labs will focus on leadership development because you are training to become an Army officer.  You'll learn land navigation, drill and ceremony, basic rifle marksmanship, operations orders, etc.  If you do all four years, the first two years will be devoted to learning how to be a follower and learning basic soldier skills.  The last two years will focus on leadership training.  You'll actually the be platoon, company and battalion leadership.  If you want more info on the program and the various entry options, IM me with a phone number.  Don't worry, I won't try to recruit you unless you want to come to Missouri and study engineering!

Redleg

The only experience I have with ROTC is when I dated a gal that was in it at my university.  She was training to be an MP and headed off to Germany.  That was one FINE looking soldier I tell you![:P]

Thats something you didn't hear 50 years ago... unless you were in the navy.

Well I started in Army ROTC, cross town  and then got in the Navy unit at my school.  I'm not unhappy I made the change, but if I had stayed green I might have stayed Active Duty career wise if available.  But the reasons I got out (stayed Reserve) were related to screw-ups in BuPers when I first went on duty.  AFROTC was a gateway to a Reserve Commission only and no active duty except for a few accepted for flight school.

I was in the Day Room about 6 hours before it was blown up.  That isn't happening near as much these days.  That was in the early 70's when Vietnam was winding down and the appeasers tended to run things.

ROTC will give you a good grounding in where you want to go.  Navy and Air Force ROTC lately have been sticking to technical majors, spect Army isn't all that different.

Unfortunately, it looks like there will be a mission and requirements for soldiers in the near future.  You need to sit down and decide if you want the military deployment lifestyle.  Seems like with lower force strength and commitments you are going to spend a lot of time deployed.  Me, in the Navy, I got to see a lot of the world in a friendly manner.  Now you spend a lot of time in the mid east and IO.  Army is spending a lot of time rotated forward too.  It isn't a great deal for the family.  they are trying to make it better but the separations can really mess with a family.

If you're single and intend to stay that way go for it.

why is it that when people are thinking of joining the military on here they make 800 threads asking about their new whimsical profession?

Are you already in college? Seems to me there's some sort of restriction after you've started your junior year. Not sure about that, but some of my officers that went through ROTC have said that. I went a rather different route to get my commission, so I've no firsthand experience. I also understand it's very much what you make of it, that is if you really put a lot of effort into it you can get quite a lot out of it, whereas it seems also possible to just sort of coast through and learn almost nothing. I've seen walking talking examples of both.

In any case good luck whichever route you take.


Cpt. Redleg

I am guessing because its a pretty big deal and before they sign away a few years of thier life they want to get some advise?