CPT Private RallyPoint Member 2926042 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It seems every time I get into a conversation with a soldier, the question, &quot;have you already gone to basic?&quot; or some other variant, comes up. How do I respectfully explain the differences between ROTC requirements and enlistment requirements? 2017-09-18T00:56:06-04:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 2926042

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It seems every time I get into a conversation with a soldier, the question, &quot;have you already gone to basic?&quot; or some other variant, comes up. How do I respectfully explain the differences between ROTC requirements and enlistment requirements?

2017-09-18T00:56:06-04:00 2017-09-18T00:56:06-04:00 LCDR Private RallyPoint Member 2926210

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I don&#39;t see how it makes you arrogant that your training requirements are different from theirs. Either you did 4 years of training at a university/academy, or you did 13 weeks of misery at OCS. I&#39;ve never understood why that should be so surprising. Just tell them the facts.

2017-09-18T04:44:47-04:00 2017-09-18T04:44:47-04:00 CW2 Private RallyPoint Member 2926317

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Define &quot;soldier.&quot; I say that because if it&#39;s a legitimately junior soldier, then, as LT Jones said, just tell them. It&#39;s still &quot;basic&quot; of sorts, in my opinion. I think you&#39;d be well received if you are respectful.<br /><br />I&#39;ve met arrogant 2LTs who thought their commission through ROTC made them somehow special. Most of them, once senior NCOs got ahold of them, realized the error of their ways and made adjustments as to not lose credibility with their organizations. Some didn&#39;t, and went on to become 1LTs, XOs, and Commanders. The few I could track didn&#39;t do so well in fostering a positive command climate, and wondered what went wrong.<br /><br />I tend to ramble. Bottom line, be forthcoming. You may convince some qualified joes to change paths and go OCS, or better yet, WOCS. :)

2017-09-18T06:58:20-04:00 2017-09-18T06:58:20-04:00 MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 2926805

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>BLUF: The Army has different training (and roles) for officers. Plain and simple. I didn&#39;t make the rules and neither did you. It&#39;s just the way it is. When my guys would question why the Army&#39;s reason for doing it &quot;that way&quot;, I&#39;d tell them to go get commissioned, work your way up to General or SECDEF or whatever position you need to be to change the rules, and then change them. Until then, shut up. <br /><br />Having been a prior enlisted Marine before commissioning, I could commiserate with my platoon about basic training. In fact, I would argue that Marine boot camp is harder than Army Basic Training. At least comparing then to now. But they still brought up other differences. The LT isn&#39;t qualified on the 240, the LT never walks point, the LT never has to pull guard duty, etc. Well, officers and enlisted have different roles in the military. An officers main weapon is his platoon/company/etc. You don&#39;t have to be an expert on firing the M240, you have to be an expert on employing it and every other weapon in the platoon. And while doing that, you also get to keep up with where everyone is, if air support is on station, where the nearby friendly units are, does the QRF know your position, if you&#39;re on the correct route, if you&#39;re making the right time to the OBJ, and the list goes on and on. Officers have different roles. In some ways it&#39;s easier. In some ways it&#39;s harder. In most ways, it&#39;s different.

2017-09-18T10:32:37-04:00 2017-09-18T10:32:37-04:00 MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 2926920

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Explain to them officer&#39;s go to officer basic course, 2-4 years plus six or so months rather than the 9 weeks.

2017-09-18T11:18:32-04:00 2017-09-18T11:18:32-04:00 CAPT Kevin B. 2926998

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Don&#39;t own someone else&#39;s head case over it. It was the Service that determined your path, not you. I did have to laugh because I did Beast Barracks at West Point before they decided they didn&#39;t like my eyes. Then Boot with the Navy. When I was looking at Seabee Officer, I wasn&#39;t going to do it a third time with OCS. The Navy agreed and I did OIS.

2017-09-18T11:59:49-04:00 2017-09-18T11:59:49-04:00 SGM Erik Marquez 2927063

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>1st, are you a commissioned officer in the rank of 2nd lt as your profile indicates? or a cadet 2nd lt as your profile also indicates? <br />2nd, who is asking?<br />Lastly I guess it’s pretty simple.. &quot;I’m in the ROTC program and am not prior serve or going green to gold..so I have not been or will go to a enlisted basic training.. I have been to advance course for cadets my 3rd year and will go to basic officer course once i graduate and commission.<br />or words to that effect, part education, part explanation

2017-09-18T12:29:30-04:00 2017-09-18T12:29:30-04:00 SSG(P) Brian Kliesen 2927304

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>To be honest, ROTC is a bit of a joke. Just like everyone&#39;s Basic Training is different (location, cadre, instructors, weather, fellow soldiers, etc.), ROTC cadets also have different training, some locations and schools are more difficult than others, but in the main, it is far too easy and does not adequately prepare the Cadet to be an officer. That is why when young, inexperienced 2LT&#39;s show up, everyone rolls their eyes and the &#39;real&#39; training begins. Just like ROTC, Basic and AIT training have been made easier and simpler so that the soldiers can be graduated and pushed through to enter into the system quickly and the expectation is that the units will train them to meet the standard. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn&#39;t. If a soldier has a bad attitude, learning difficulties, poor morals and ethics, those problems are passed along from basic to ait to the unit. As a future Officer, you have to recognize that the training is not as difficult as it should be, and that regardless of what is taught, it is not enough. You have to arrive as a 2LT in top physical condition, with a positive mental attitude, an open mind, willing to learn your new job, and listen to your senior NCO&#39;s and those that actually do the job (you may inherit an understaffed section that is effectively being led by a Corporal or SPC who is the subject matter expert). If you are in an Infantry Platoon, then you better know the systems you have to employ. Same goes for a maintenance platoon or a medical unit. Not having been to basic is a big disadvantage and ROTC summer camp does not make up for it. So you have to go the extra mile to learn your job and do it effectively without being dragged down by the system. Otherwise you will find yourself behind a desk all the time and you won&#39;t know the names of your soldiers (which occurs far too often). You have to downplay the weaknesses of the ROTC program and highlight the positive experiences, you are a 300 APFT Soldier, an Expert with rifle and pistol, driver, whatever. Basic is an introduction and an indoctrination. ROTC is (supposed to be) an introduction and a leadership school.

2017-09-18T14:07:22-04:00 2017-09-18T14:07:22-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 2930231

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Sir, I would suggest just printing off the requirements for ROTC and hand that to them. A large amount of newer soldiers do not understand you can join the military without going to basic simply because they do not know any different.

2017-09-19T14:44:04-04:00 2017-09-19T14:44:04-04:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 2930385

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Life is not fair, deal with it.<br />Why don&#39;t you become a cadet and walk in their shoes for a while? Not qualified to apply, see above.

2017-09-19T15:34:13-04:00 2017-09-19T15:34:13-04:00 MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 2931806

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>You explain LDAC to them. Your first two years of ROTC are essentially &quot;Basic Training&quot; while your last two are more like what we used to teach in PLDC years ago. Your successful completion of LDAC, your degree, and your course of instruction is considered to be the basic training necessary for you to commission and begin training to be a platoon leader in your basic branch. BOLC is what you get to fill in the blanks of the training you received in ROTC. When I taught ROTC I used to say that the best we can produce with that course of instruction is a fairly competent squad leader. You need your Basic Course and some experience to be an effective PL. On the other hand if you were to join the Guard or Reserve SMP program as a cadet you could have received some valuable experience and been an O-1 over 3 instead of an O-1 over 0. About $500/month difference on active duty.

2017-09-20T05:55:31-04:00 2017-09-20T05:55:31-04:00 1LT Private RallyPoint Member 2944968

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>That&#39;s a tough question to answer given that all OCS candidates attend basic. I guess the harder question is does ROTC equally prepare new 2LTs having forgone BCT?

2017-09-25T08:05:21-04:00 2017-09-25T08:05:21-04:00 SPC Sheila Lewis 2944976

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>That&#39;s not arrogance that is reality.

2017-09-25T08:11:48-04:00 2017-09-25T08:11:48-04:00 2LT Private RallyPoint Member 2951827

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Explain what courses Cadets DO attend, and how learning objectives are different.

2017-09-27T12:23:26-04:00 2017-09-27T12:23:26-04:00 2LT John Rutherford 2979605

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The whole time spent in ROTC is basic. Not to mention 12 weeks of Training at some military installation. Mine was Ft. Riley. Upon graduation you go to your officer basic for your branch. Mine was Ft. Eustis. The trining continues the whole time you’re on active duty.

2017-10-07T20:23:01-04:00 2017-10-07T20:23:01-04:00 2017-09-18T00:56:06-04:00