I was in ROTC for a year in college, (freshman year). I enjoyed it, but just couldnt make the commitment, so I didnt sign up for year two. (army BTW)

questions:

how was your ROTC experience?

what is the minimum service term/engagement/ period

is there pay?

basically, Im testing the waters. again.

I did it during high school for two years. I quit because it was the antipoon and it was full of delusional ass holes.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T ASK ABOUT ROTC AND ENGINEERING. A GROUP OF GUYS ON HERE WILL FILL THE THREAD WITH 3 PAGES OF "WTF?" AND COME BACK FOR MORE.

That's not ROTC...

Anyway, which branch are you thinking of joining? The Army has the most options and "guarantees" of all of them. (You can do ROTC for active, reserve, and NG commitments. There are opportunities to be enlisted while going through the program.)
I'm personally looking at AFROTC for next year, and the USAF has less options. (You have to go active for at least 4 years, no ANG options.)

JROTC does not equal ROTC in anyway, shape, or form. Two totally different things.

ROTC, not JROTC

thanks for a normal answer.

Ive taken some time off from school, and I can graduate in 2 years, if I bust my ass. I should be an MS4 this year (senior) but I took time off, and other stuff got in the way. (marriage, divorce, child)

And while we're on the subject, CAP > JROTC!!!

im filling it with WTF.

WTF does that mean?

Agreed. JROTC is different. It is the "baby learning to hold it own head up" part of military training. It begins the slow and gradual learning of history, marching, physical fitness, and discipline that is needed for future years.



And to anyone that wants to talk smack about JROTC, I did it all four years of high school and I have fantastic memories of every moment.



But then again, I think it all depends on the Instructors you have.





 

Don't do it, you will marry a woman who looks like John Madden only younger.

i never liked rotc all of my experience with rotc guy have been bad. never liked the idea of some one with no experience leading men. of course i knew some people that went through rotc in the reserve but where prior service all good dudes. my advice go enlisted then do green to gold or something

I was marines rotc, and I bailed on it.Doing  your BA on your own is the best
my sister did her rotc for 3 year then did it on her own. Just pass on rotc. get your BA on ur own.

Only reason i see to do ROTC is to be a AF Pilot and get rotc pilot slot. thats only exception.

You can get a two year scholarship and come in as an MS-3. Just be squared away or the other cadets will hate you, because you'll be immediately put in a leadership position.

could you be more specific? Im not doing this for any "help" with school. I would be doing it to serve my country, and for my career.

i checked into it the last of my sophmore year, they kinda blew me off, after the third time i said "meh, fuck'it".

He dropped out so he doesn't think it's a good idea for anyone else to do it.

not to condecend, but I was in boy scouts untill I was 18, ( made Eagle shortly before) and I think they are a similar program.

JROTC, boy scouts, CAP, and a few other programs teach values, making the fight decisions, and a few other fundamentals.

again, I think it REALLY depends on the instructors/ leaders

Shit man, come over here. Our "ROO" (recruiting Officer) won't let you out of the building once you walk in without signing a contract.

I went to a senior military college here in Georgia (NGCSU).  At first I didn't like it.  In fact, I didn't like it at all until I left the school, it was then that I realized exactly how much I really did like it.  Most of the guys in the Corps at NGCSU are all in the military, mostly Army and a few Marines.  

I learned alot, met a lot cool people.  We did a lot of fun things; ride in blackhawks, shoot m14s, m16s, 240Bs, etc etc etc.  We got to do a lot of training at Camp Merrell, which is part of the Ranger training school.  A lot of the students graduate and commission in to the military as a 2nd Lt, not a bad way to start your military career!

All in all, I would go back and do it all over again. I left school early to start my career in law enforcement.  One day I may go back and finish...

I have been married to a very beautiful woman, working on getting divorced from her. I wont be getting married again. If she wants to work it out with me, it wont be in a married relationship.


but thanks for the enthusiasm.  

graduated in may, with a BS in criminal justice/sociology.

The local guard unit is supposed to be checking into getting me the guards version of ocs, but to get my student loans repaid they say i'd hafta enlist first, then go ocs, otherwise they only pay for further education but not existing debt. Even then it'd hafta be critical mos i'm told.

Other than that im in the hiring process with both atf and border patrol, and waiting around for dave_a to come get drunk with me and leave me a million dollars before he leaves.

So its much too late for rotc for me, but i wish i had done it starting first day of freshmen year.

"he is too old, yes, too old to begin the training...." Yoda.

if am not mistaking you'll go through regular basic then ocs correct? i dont think you'll regret going that route because at least in my opinion you'll get more respect doing ocs vs rotc

hell i dunno, still waitin on the master sarg (who will get the grap for his legwork) to get up with me.

eta

when he does, i still need to ask him about cheap 30-06 from the cmp, i have a ccw but am not a member of any rifle club and they aint none to join that im aware of what aint a highschool rifle team.

I was in Army ROTC along with a full ride scholarship. Crohn's disease put a nix to any career I would have hoped for. I was sent home from Ft. Lewis two weeks before commissioning, and discharged from the Army Reserve shortly thereafter.



If you decide to become an ROTC Cadet, do it for one reason, and one reason only. You want to be a leader of Soldiers in the United States Army. Tuition, or paycheck, or prestige, or any other motivator you may have should not be your soul purpose of becoming a contracted cadet.



Other than that, I learned a great deal, had many great friends, and had the opportunity to attend some great training. I went to Airborne school between my Soph and Junior year (Class 38-00). Needless to say, there were many students in that class with a "C" in front of their chalk number. Other cadets were able to attend Air Assault School, and Mountain Warfare school. After Advanced Camp (don't know what they call it now), you'll have the chance to be placed in the role of Platoon Leader in a real active duty unit. I had friends that spent a few weeks in Italy with the 173rd and was even able to make a jump with them. Another friend spent a few weeks at NTC with 11th ACR.



I'd do it all again if it actually meant I'd be commissioned. And I've never met an officer who said they'd do otherwise.



The amount of time you owe and in what capacity you owe it depends on what the Army paid for. If I were you, I'd make a trip to the Recruiting Officer of your local ROTC Battalion. He can't bullshit you on too many things. There are no signing bonuses. There are no guaranteed career friends (except maybe nursing).



Just a little bit of history... Way back when, instead of going through Advanced Camp (Ft. Lewis or at one time Ft. Bragg) ROTC Training between Jun and Sen year (or directly after Sen year and graduation), you could opt to go to Ranger School. I suppose this was how high speed you were perceived as being by your Professor of Military Science.

do what now? ocs and basic go through recruiters. you'll do army basic enlisted then go through ocs to get pinned 2nd lt

usually your state rifle association counts for CMP, but lets keep this on topic

thats the kick in the nuts there, what arrogant bastard actually considers himself worthy of that? Not I.....

sorry i just dont like rotc but if you want to do it more power to ya. an for joining for the "right" reasons you shouldnt join for anything else but to serve your country but i've met people who joined only for the college money and loved being in the army and ive met people who joined to serve their country and nothing more and absolutely hated being in the military

No condescension felt. I was a Police Explorer from 16 to 21, then volunteered for another year or so. All of the programs do teach values and such. I am forever thankful that I was in JROTC and a Police Explorer. Both taught me skills that I still use to this day.



And everything depends on the instructors/leaders. If you have a terrible command, you will have a terrible experience.





 

If you think there is a great chance of you wanting to serve your country then I'd suggest

A getting a degree if you're almost there. E3 or maybe even Officer depending on the Degree
B ROTC for the training and getting fit and going in as a 2nd Lieutenant
C Going in as an Officer is better than being Enlisted by a lot.

Now if you're like me and don't know what else to do and have been looking at the Military for a long time and feel like enlisting. Power to you. But I don't think that was your question. Does your College offer any other branches for ROTC? Sorry if this has already been answered.

I joined NROTC right out of high school.  One key reason was the ability to walk away with no questions asked after a year if I didn't like it.  Wasn't sure what I wanted to do, other than not work at a desk.  

That first year I had a heavy course load, and 3 credit hours plus lots of extra stuff from ROTC on top of it.  Kicked my ass.    I barely made it back to college after my freshman year.  

Three years later I graduated from a top-20 university after ROTC had paid almost $90k in tuition, fees, books, etc.  

Uncle Sam said I could pay it off driving a billion-dollar warship all over the world for a while.  Plus a salary comparable to most of my college friends.  Sweet.  My active duty obligation was up when I was 25 and I could have split.  

Was offered shore duty, accepted, and got the "All Beach, No Ocean" version.  Didn't really feel like going back to sea after that, so I told them to cut me loose.  Served an uneventful 6 months IRR, after which was told that I'd be retained in that status.  

I thank the FSM every night that I didn't go into business or some crap like that.  

army only at my university of study.

thanks for your input