How do ROTC+Green to Gold work?

2020-03-28T17:27:21-04:00

I am not yet graduated from High school, could I enlist in ROTC for scholarship during college, and then go straight to Green to Gold for masters degree afterwards?
If so, would there be any active service commitment?

Response by Lt Col Brett Meyer made Mar 28 at 2020 5:34 PM

2020-03-28T17:34:06-04:00

ROTC in college will allow you to earn a commission as an Officer and if you did it on a scholarship you would have a service commitment. Things have changed since I was commissioned so I do not know what the commitment would be. A masters would depend on the needs of the service at the time.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Mar 28 at 2020 5:58 PM

2020-03-28T17:58:51-04:00

Green to Gold is a program for Army active duty enlisted members to do college ROTC for a commission as an officer. Successful applicants either get discharged early under an ROTC scholarship provision or transition over two years of active duty for a degree (This option has no scholarship, but keeps pay and benefits based on rank). If you are still in high school or are drilling as an enlisted reservist, this program is not applicable to you.

My recommendation is to talk to your local college ROTC recruiting officer over what you want to do.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Mar 28 at 2020 6:14 PM

2020-03-28T18:14:32-04:00

You do not enlist in ROTC and take the classes for as long as you want without any service obligation. At some point they may decided to contract you and give you a scholarship but that is based on a lot of factors. You can even apply from HS for a four year scholarship. There are a lot of ways to obtain your graduate degree while a commissioned officer on active duty and really this should be one step at a time unless what you want to do in the Army requires a masters. If the DOD pays for your education, there is a service commitment. Tell us more what you want to do, your goals, and perhaps we can help you.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2020 6:26 PM

2020-03-28T18:26:49-04:00

You have to be Actuve Duty already to apply for a G2G scholarship-sorry!

If you go to a 4 yr university that has an ROTC program (or a University that Is a partner or affiliate of a ROTC Program) you can get a scholarship. Usually a three or two year. But you can arrive ready your freshman year, get all requirements completed and after your first semester, 4.0 gpa, maxes APFT and in a STEM (usually) degree field apply for the scholarship and I have seen some get a 3.5yr-not common but possible.

If you get a scholarship for a bachelors degree program-you would not stay after foot a master.

Options

Join the Guard or Reserve-use GI bill and state tuition to pay for college-join ROTC Junior Year and world towards Bachelors and complete masters in three years. It’s a grey area...you will get commissioned with a bachelors but can complete final masters in the summer and go to BOLC in the fall. So you’d matriculate late but I have seen it done-not EZ but doable

Or

Join Guard or Reserves, wait till last semester of bachelors, join ROTC, apply for 2 year scholarship as a Masters degree student

Or

Don’t join Guard or reserve-last semester of bachelors (spring only) join ROTC, go to basic camp over the summer, earn a 2 year scholarship, don1st year of Masters, over that summer go to advanced camp, do last year of masters, grad and commission.

Or

Get 4yr degree and scholarship and after your JR year apply for one of the Advanced Civil Schooling options (law, Med, usually certification degree) and get to go for two years of school . This is super way mucho difficult...you got to be intersectional and super in some way to even try this.

You have quite a few options but all are predicated on your ability, desire, drive and innovative and creative thinking.

Pro-tip: don’t go to a high cost, D1 or Ivy League school or a school with a high performing rotc program-they have plenty of folks that want to go there and they make mission and get less in the way of scholarships and latitude. They really don’t like nor are flexible with cadets. You need to go to a smaller school that needs and wants you, and you can help them make mission. PM me is you want some insights.

You should just do the 4 year bachelors program, then go AD and work on your masters while in BOLC through The Captains Course a few classes at a time. Army pays for it. Or you can apply for a degree producing job...it’s much easier...

Good Luck-you’ll need it!

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Mar 30 at 2020 9:47 AM

2020-03-30T09:47:32-04:00

I responded to you on your other question for me from another post. I will give you a few more details now and my recommendation. Green to Gold is for active duty enlisted Soldiers who want to become an officer. There are 3 G2G programs with varying degrees of benefits. You have to meet certain qualifications to apply. If selected, you would then attend college full time as a student and ROTC cadet. Once you graduate, you are commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army and go serve in that capacity. One G2G program guarantees active duty while the other you would have to compete with all cadets nationwide for that. The minimum time in service to be eligible is 2 years so you would have to apply after serving 2 years active duty. Applying for a scholarship as a high school student is a separate process. Both the high school scholarship program and G2G are highly competitive. With the high school program, you would enroll as a full time student at the university and also be an ROTC cadet. This is where the 2 programs come together. You would also commission as an officer upon graduation and successful completion of all ROTC requirements. You would have to compete for active duty for that as well. The other route is to enlist in the Army Reserve or National Guard and do ROTC. That is different from the other two previously discussed. My recommendation is to apply for a high school scholarship. It is the most prestigious program available and many schools offer competitive additional benefits to those winners. It is also the quickest way to become an officer. For a future Masters degree, the Army has continuing education opportunities that would allow you to pursue a Masters at government expense. Just be aware that for everything you get from the Army comes with some kind of service requirement. Hit me up with a direct message if you have any more questions.