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ROTC? What's the Deal?

iLander

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 23, 2010
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6,731
So a friend's son is considering joining the ROTC in college.

She doesn't want him to because she is very anti-military, anti-war. The college campus recruiter says he doesn't have to sign up for the service or decide anything until his junior year. He's a college freshman and thinks he isn't making any kind of commitment, he thinks he's just improving his resume upon graduation.

So what is the real story? Can he join for two years (not looking for a scholarship or anything) without signing up for military enlistment? I have no idea why he wants to do it. Maybe he thinks it looks cool.

It's my understanding that military recruiters will say anything to get you to sign up, and then you're stuck with it.

Anyone with actual experiences?
 

slg47

Ideal_Rock
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Apr 4, 2010
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I believe if he takes the scholarship he is obligated to remain in the reserves for a number of years. One of my friends did ROTC in college and is going to Kuwait next year.
 

maplefemme

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May 12, 2011
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874
iLander|1314829973|3006780 said:
So a friend's son is considering joining the ROTC in college.

She doesn't want him to because she is very anti-military, anti-war. The college campus recruiter says he doesn't have to sign up for the service or decide anything until his junior year. He's a college freshman and thinks he isn't making any kind of commitment, he thinks he's just improving his resume upon graduation.

So what is the real story? Can he join for two years (not looking for a scholarship or anything) without signing up for military enlistment? I have no idea why he wants to do it. Maybe he thinks it looks cool.

It's my understanding that military recruiters will say anything to get you to sign up, and then you're stuck with it.

Anyone with actual experiences?

My SO served for 21 years in the army as Command Sergeant Major, he says new recruits got a real eyeopener when they joined up to learn that they were told a bunch of lies by recruiters, it's common practice, yes.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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33,225
If the mom is anti-war then SHE should not sign up for ROTC.

Her kid is not her.
A child a separate human being.

Don't have kids if you expect them to be Mini-Mes.

Mini-Me-picture.jpg
 

iLander

Ideal_Rock
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May 23, 2010
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kenny|1314831246|3006810 said:
If the mom is anti-war then SHE should not sign up for ROTC.

Her kid is not her.
A child a separate human being.

Don't have kids if you expect them to be Mini-Mes.

No offense, Kenny, but that's easy to say . . .

It's a core belief of hers, just like respecting diversity is a core belief of yours. What if you raised a child for 20 years and he turned out to be a skinhead or racist, with no respect for diversity? If it upsets you, it's not because you want him to be a mini-me, it's because it feels like a rejection of your core beliefs (and in turn a rejection of you).

But that's not the theme of this thread, actually.

She's upset, and turned to me, so I'm just explaining her teary view and hoping to get perspective from people that actually know about the ROTC.
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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Oh give it a rest Kenny. She's a mom. Don't expect HER to be devoid of opinions and wishes for her child.

True about the contract in the junior year, according to my husband. The first couple of years are just .... years. But there WILL be a moment of choice when he'll have to either sign up or leave ROTC. Once he signs on the dotted line, he's committed, so he should be darn careful what, if anything, he signs. Hubs said guys who KNOW that this is what they want to do often join the army reserve, draw a paycheck and get tuition credits, THEN sign up in the 3rd year. But he admits that path may have changed since he was up on it...
 

Hudson_Hawk

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Nov 2, 2006
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10,541
100% what Ksinger said. My husband and father both received their commissions via ROTC and went on to have very successful careers as officers in the Army.
 

iLander

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 23, 2010
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Just so everybody knows, my family and DH's family have plenty of military on both sides (all 3 branches now that I think about it), so I am not anti-military. :wavey: I was explaining my friend's feelings.

Just trying to get solid info for my friend, since I have no experience with ROTC specifically.
 

ImperfectGirl

Shiny_Rock
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May 27, 2010
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I looked into this option myself a few years ago. There is no requirement to 'join' ROTC. Anyone can 'join' and take the freshman/sophomore level classes. Once he is selected for and agrees to go to the military summer training (usually the summer before junior year) he will be committed.

An ROTC scholarship on the other hand, if accepted, can start from freshman year and commits the recipient from the start.

Military personnel who work in a school's ROTC program really aren't recruiters and are usually pretty upfront about things (in my experience anyway). The recruiters who work in recruiting offices around the city are another story. :rolleyes: They receive bonuses for the amount of people they get to join, so yes, unfortunately many do lie.
 
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