Are there any former ROTC Cadets with any advice for a ROTC prospect?

1LT Kevin Chapman — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 04:55:59 -0400

I'm excited to embark on this new journey but also I'm very open to glean and learn from others that have completed this task. I'd be appreciative of any tips or information that would be given. Thanks!

Response by Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 24 at 2017 5:16 AM

Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 05:16:40 -0400

If you want a better chance at getting a branch you desire, hold a decent GPA, exceed PT standards, and have good rapport with all of the cadre at the school. Do the right thing at all times and be a good person. Show up with the mindset that you want and are willing to learn. There may be some tasks that you already know so use your knowledge to advance everyone else’s. Be humble throughout your endeavors. Good luck!

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Oct 24 at 2017 8:51 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 08:51:34 -0400

Just a couple of notes from a non ROTC officer. Since you are already National Guard and I assume that you have an MOS, you can skip the first two years of ROTC because you are prior service. Then you join in the Junior year, attend whatever they call Advanced Camp today and graduate with a commission after your Senior year. I highly recommend the Simultaneous Membership Program with the National Guard during your ROTC time. It can give you some experience and you will get paid as an E5 for drill weekends. The Lieutenant is correct, if you want a specific branch, it helps to be towards the top of the class.
Good Luck.

Response by HN Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 24 at 2017 2:32 PM

HN Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 14:32:38 -0400

As a current cadet the only real advice I haves to be a sponge and listen to your Cadre no matter what rank; always ask questions and expand how you think and view stuff. As well as, it doesn't matter if you were prior enlisted; yes you can answer questions or word answers that non prior cadets don't know BUT we are all cadets learning and adapting.

Response by CPT Pat Wilson made Oct 25 at 2017 11:57 AM

CPT Pat Wilson — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 11:57:47 -0400

Do what is necessary to get your commission and choose a combat arms branch. I can tell you that my service as an Infantry officer with a rifle company was the best management training imaginable. I learned logistics, operations, supply, personnel issues and that the mission is the most important objective.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2017 4:07 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 16:07:35 -0400

Pick a good program. I toured the campuses and spoke with multiple ROTC departments before I made my choice. You can learn a lot, but the main emphasis will not be making you a SME in all things army. The emphasis will be teaching you how to lead. How you lead and make decisions under pressure will be evaluated, as will your ability to react and adapt to unexpected situations.

Response by Cadet CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2017 3:16 PM

Cadet CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 15:16:55 -0500

Stay away from the party crowd, do consistent PT every week and take a local Guard station MOS post. The first two is what killed it for me, I didn't complete the commission program.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 21 at 2017 3:40 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 15:40:36 -0500

1. Learn the accessions process in and out (how you are ranked against other Cadets to get the job/duty station you want). This includes spending a lot of time in your S1 or equivalent's office and asking lots of questions. Also, track down the Cadet Command HRC folks at Advanced Camp during "career day" and pick their brains as well.
2. Really figure out if you want active duty or not *before* you sign your contract. I thought I wanted to go active the entire time I was a cadet. Got a job offer in Virginia and switched to Reserves 1 month before going active. Consequently, I left a lot of money on the table for a guaranteed reserve/guard contract.
3. Think about whether or not you want an "Army experience" or if you want to set yourself up for a civilian career. If the former, go active duty combat arms. If the latter, look into what skills you will accumulate in a specific branch and what jobs that branch will prepare you for when you get out.
4. (This is purely from my experience) Do not totally trust your leadership to look out for your best interests. I made the mistake that the Lt. Col in charge of my program always had my interests in mind. They have program prestige to make or keep, contracts to fill, personal bias about branches, and perhaps even personal loyalties to enrolled cadets that will trump any promises they make to you. Prepare/plan accordingly.
5. (again, purely my experience as a graduate student cadet) Do not burn yourself out. ROTC programs run on an "order of merit" list. This ranking is based on a composite score of your academics, PT score, and things you volunteer for. As a graduate student, I had a tremendous amount of non-ROTC scholastic commitments that leadership neither cared about or considered. Their priority is their program and my leadership never really understood that we were full time students and not full time soldiers. That said, I volunteered for just about everything and probably over-committed myself and did Ranger Challenge for 2 years, color guard, flag detail, football games, etc. I was the number 1 ranked cadet at my school for 3 years, but the cost to my sleep schedule and personal life was steep. In the end, it didn't matter at all because I went reserves. By all means volunteer for things, but don't over commit. And consider that volunteering for color guard and flag detail adds up to the same amount of points as doing "Ranger Challenge." I suggest skipping that shit and saving your effort for actual Ranger school if that is what you want to do.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Response by SFC Greg Bruorton made Nov 21 at 2017 4:16 PM

SFC Greg Bruorton — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 16:16:07 -0500

I took Army ROTC in high school (1956-1958) and it was the prime source of early discipline, drill, and learning to teach that propelled me forward to an Army career. What I learned in ROTC had laid the foundation to better performance in Basic as well as the subsequent assignments in my career. Taking college ROTC would be to your advantage to reach a commission.

Response by CPT Brad Wilson made Jul 20 at 2019 11:47 AM

CPT Brad Wilson — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 11:47:37 -0400

When you are an MS III become an SMP. It will give you leadership experience and help you decide if you want active duty or reserves. It will also help in branch selection I was an SMP in a Field Artillery unit and they put me in the Survey Section and FDC one year and with a Battery XO the second year I decided to stay in the Guard and joined that unit when I commissioned. It helped me immensely at OBC because I already knew how to use an aiming circle, I had computed firing data and run the Safety Circle many times. I had been on the Advanced Party and had laid a Battery many times. I had done about half of OBC for 2 years before I got there