I'm considering joining Army ROTC my sophomore year in college. Is that too late?

2018-01-25T00:34:05-05:00

I'm considering joining ROTC my sophomore year in college. I'm currently in my second semester as a freshman, and I don't think it would be great to start in the middle of the year. Is joining as a sophomore going to put me extremely behind? I have not previously been to boot camp, like most of the students in ROTC, so I already feel as though I'm a leg down from everyone.

Response by Cadet PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 12:54 AM

2018-01-25T00:54:37-05:00

Nope. Not too late at all. They might send you to basic camp in the summer to catch you up but you can pick everything up quickly if you work hard

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jan 25 at 2018 1:28 AM

2018-01-25T01:28:08-05:00

I wouldn't think so, however, it'd help to know more, so far as you'd care to explain, if at all possible. I was Army ROTzc when I'd started undergrad, though I went USAF OTS after, while it was in TX, not AL. If you could perhaps explain something of your motivations, grades, GPA, coursework, major, interests, why Army vs. other services, also whether there are other ROTC programs in other services you could ctoss-register at instead, I'd just be curious. Also, what MOS would you want to try for, what Army branch would you want, etc. I realize you likely have Army where you are for ROTC, however, I onoy ask those things to try to elicit more, as the note info you give here, the more advice you can be given, potentially, that's all I'm saying so, if you can, try to elaborate, as I'd said, hobbies, interests, reading, sports, etc., try to take the time to go into some level of detail. You might think about doing ROTC for grad school, I've known of instances where that's been done, and can pretty much assure you that, the moment you'd get in active as commissioned, regardless of service, or branch, minimum, you'd be expected to get a masters immediately, minimum. I can assure you it happened to me, I can almost virtually guarantee it'd happen to you, he days when a bachelors suffices for commissioned to be allowed to stay in are long, long gone, I assure you, I realize that's my purely my own thought, though I think there's a great deal of truth to it. If I could've, I'd have gotten my Ph.D. or a clinical doctorate before ever having gone in. Also, there are other things besides ROTC, there's USMC Platoon Leaders Course (PLC), USCG has programs of its own, incl. at the various maritime colleges, for their MARGRAD program. If you have a clinical bent, tyheres also the CoSteop program for the USPHS Commissioned Corps, which is where I should've gone, instead, which I can assure you I kick myself about sevl times a day, believe me. I found, in candor, that the very most important thing in deciding which service is for you, is to take your time, and look at all of them, not merely one. You could go OCS after, you could go WOCS for warrant.. Do you want flight at all? Do you want science! There's the NOAA Commissioned Corps, I realize your eagerness, and I entirely understand it, I merely point out that while I'm obviously not dissuading you, certainly, it's entirely your call, try to understand that doing this is the most potentially important fundamentally life altering decision you'd ever make. I'm quite certain you could make up ROTC coursework, I dont think that'd be insurmountable. However, few know that the OMS, PNS, or PAS of an ROTC service can nominate for he academy for their service, not only Congress members or other officials can do it. Further, there are also the academy prep schools, if you'd want to look them up, I'm not saying for you to not do it, I'm merely trying to give you the benefit of several decades of 20/20 hindsight as to what I just personally wish I'd done, when I opted to do it. It's very, very complex, very multifaceted, and isn't simply a matter of just saying you want to do it, believe me, he more you know beforehand, the easier it is to anticipate where you'd wind up, and what you'd wind up actually doing One guy in he next USAF OTS class after mine, I'd read, had been enlisted sevl yrs prior, I've been told that frequently helps one adjust to service life, as one knows what to expect day to day, trust me, I didn't, I was enthusiastic, and I was raised to it along with one of my brothers, who went to Kings Point, I commissioned him while I was in. I could've tried for SUNY Maritime, I've got friends who went there, I often kick myself about that, also. Trust me, take some time, reflect on what I'd said, if you want sites to look st, I'd be glad to suggest them, if youre at a suitable age, you've got time, there's no reason to rush it. Also, one other thing few know about is, look at http://www.sgaus.org, about the state defense forces, they exist in sevl states, and many I'd chatted with and/or read of try tpone of them first, as they're onoy in state, and dont deploy out of state, generally. If one gets picked up by a Federal service, I'd read, an SDF I'd read will generally let them go, I'm saying if you have an SDF in your state, that might be a way for you to test the waters and see if such a life is for you before fully committing, I suggested that to someone once, who did in fact do it, four d it was just n fact for him, and did commit to a regular service later on, so I'm merely pointing out that possibility, merely to explain it exists, they're real services, just purely volunteer, and under the states, however, they assist Natl Guard and/or Rwerves. There's also going Guard or Reserve, or what is capped Guard or Reserve Tech, where you'd be a state or Federal civil servant in uniform, and required to drill when not at your civil service job, you might also look at that, also, few know about that, also, I'd be glad to answer more if you'd care to hear more, of course, I hope that was of use, obviously.

SGAUS – State Guard Association of the United States

State Guard Association of the United States

Response by SSgt David Marks made Jan 25 at 2018 1:31 AM

2018-01-25T01:31:36-05:00

No.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 1:36 AM

2018-01-25T01:36:16-05:00

I joined as a Junior and they sent me to the Leaders Training Course at Fort Knox, this was 30 days with drill sergeants teaching you how to be a Soldier. Also, when I went, it was non-binding so if you found the Army wasn't for you, then you could simply not join. There may be extra bonuses as well by attending LTC, since I performed in the top 20% at the course they offered me a $5000 sign on bonus as well as the normal full ride scholarship. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2018 1:02 PM

2018-01-25T13:02:31-05:00

No many people join the beginning of their junior year.
As another alternative I would consider enlisting in the National Guard or Army reserves going to a short basic and AIT program, the benefits of this approach are 1 far more experience for your ROTC and LT years, also you'd get the educational benefits like GI Bill that are not available to just ROTC cadets. Lastly when you do commission rather than being a 2LT with 0 years in service you'd have 3, that means for every pay check for the rest of your military career you'll be getting about 500 dollars more, every paycheck your entire career and retirement.
Once you finish college you can go active without any issues (unless you take the reserve scholarship) it is called the Simultaneous Membership Program and you are also non-deployable while attending ROTC on contract.
Good luck and enjoy.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2018 6:25 AM

2018-01-26T06:25:57-05:00

I joined Army ROTC my sophomore year. They had me learning the first and second year content simultaneously. It was hard the first semester because everyone knew each other from the previous year and I felt like I had to catch up. That being said, when I started getting more active in the group and showing that I was wanting to learn, they all were more than happy to help.
The knowledge is pretty basic stuff during the MS1 year so you could even start studying or familiarizing yourself now. Things like rank structure, common acronyms, the phonetic alphabet, the Soldier's Creed, Army Values, etcetera...
As someone posted before, ROTC is nice in the sense that you can take it as a class and try it out before committing if you're not 100% into joining the service yet. You'll get what you give, so give it your all!
I'm a fresh 2LT - commissioned in May and need to update my profile.
ROTC and the military gave me opportunities in life that I couldn't have got on my own.
If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to get you answers!

Response by MAJ Alvin B. made Feb 2 at 2018 9:39 AM

2018-02-02T09:39:55-05:00

No. See the link.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/02/01/army-offers-5000-bonus-for-college-sophomores-to-join-rotc/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ebb%2002.02.2018&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief

Army offers $5,000 bonus for college sophomores to join ROTC

Students who want the bonus have until this summer to join ROTC.

Response by Sgt Tee Organ made Feb 2 at 2018 10:07 AM

2018-02-02T10:07:15-05:00

Had a recruit, Franklin come through one of my platoons at Parris Island, said he wanted to be an officer. Of course we gave him so much hell for that. I told him what happened he got on the wrong bus at MEPS then. Senior DI made him a scribe, this kid couldn't spell to save his life. I kept firing him (knowing it wouldn't stick). He told another DI that he spent 5 years in college and didn't graduate. I told him it's no wonder with that kind of spelling.... Ragged this kid all through boot camp. Named Franklin, told him during the Crucible, look you gonna graduate so Im going to tell you, you want something bad enough you'll get it, keep working at it. Ill be damned, Im on my last Barracks duty assignment in the Marine Corps, Franklin walks by the duty hut in the Barracks at Beaufort (he ended up in MALS with me), looked in the hut, I saw him immediately started ribbing him about liking to look in the duty hut and having no discipline. He said, "Sgt Organ I gotta Show you something hold on" he went off to his room, came back with a letter from HQMC. Congratulating him for being accepted to MECEP contingent to his graduation from college which the Marines are paying for him to go. I told him, "see? I told ya if you want it bad enough, but that doesn't mean Im going to be saluting your ass. You still owe me for all them misspelled sick chits!" Hahahahaha. Hey if 5 year Franklin can get in the door, just do it.

Response by Bon Fox made Jun 6 at 2018 8:17 PM

2018-06-06T20:17:01-04:00

I’m 33 and I just graduated with my bachelors degree with a GPA of 3.4. I was thinking about pursuing my masters degree online. Can I still join army ROTC as an online Masters Dergee Student ?

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Nov 28 at 2018 8:32 AM

2018-11-28T08:32:00-05:00

Contact the Professor of Military Science Office to seek resolution.