Posted on Jan 19, 2017
Is it smart to go do ROTC after High School or should I continue with RSP and basic training then ROTC?
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Responses: 9
I know people that have been successful going either way. Do what makes sense for your life, career and educational goals. Stop by your local ROTC campus and talk to the PMS and a few cadets.
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Short of a direct commission, ROTC is the easiest way to obtain a commission. It is also much easier to get into ROTC as a civilian than Active Duty (you have to apply for it and be accepted). Now for the questions:
1.) Are you financially able to go to college?
2.) Are you already enlisted?
3.) How long are you planning on being in the Military?
If you are financially able to go to college right away, I would highly recommend that. If you are already enlisted, as someone else said earlier, the SMP is what you are looking for. Going in early means that you can potentially retire at an earlier age, at a higher rank than if you go Enlisted first.
Of course, I (and a lot of other NCOs I know/work with) place a high value on seeing Officers with the Good Conduct Medal and the NCO Professional Development Ribbon on their ribbon racks. It means they were once Enlisted Soldiers and have the Enlisted perspective. But do not let that be your only deciding factor. All of my classmates from ROTC are now senior Majors and Lieutenant Colonels, and have done very well for themselves and are respected without the prior Enlisted time. It's all a matter of what you do with your rank and how you deal with subordinates.
If you want more information on going ROTC while Active Duty, you should take a look at the Green to Gold website (from the Go Army.Com website). Consider all the angles and then make the decision that suits you best.
Good Luck!
1.) Are you financially able to go to college?
2.) Are you already enlisted?
3.) How long are you planning on being in the Military?
If you are financially able to go to college right away, I would highly recommend that. If you are already enlisted, as someone else said earlier, the SMP is what you are looking for. Going in early means that you can potentially retire at an earlier age, at a higher rank than if you go Enlisted first.
Of course, I (and a lot of other NCOs I know/work with) place a high value on seeing Officers with the Good Conduct Medal and the NCO Professional Development Ribbon on their ribbon racks. It means they were once Enlisted Soldiers and have the Enlisted perspective. But do not let that be your only deciding factor. All of my classmates from ROTC are now senior Majors and Lieutenant Colonels, and have done very well for themselves and are respected without the prior Enlisted time. It's all a matter of what you do with your rank and how you deal with subordinates.
If you want more information on going ROTC while Active Duty, you should take a look at the Green to Gold website (from the Go Army.Com website). Consider all the angles and then make the decision that suits you best.
Good Luck!
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I had to enlist in order to get my SMP contract with the Indiana Army National Guard to become an officer. Best decision I ever made and overall best experience I had was on Sand Hill. Highly recommend to continue with BCT and AIT before ROTC.
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Thank you everyone for responding to my question. I have met with an Officer and explained what was going on and figured it out. I appreciate you guys being there and helping a guy out.
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SFC J Fullerton
Good For you, PV2 Allen. Always bring your concerns to your chain of command. They are there to help lead and guide you in your career.
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I assume you have already contracted with the ARNG? If so, need to talk to your recruiter/ unit chain of command about SMP (simultaneous membership program). Since you have already enlisted, that would be your only route to ROTC, provided you have been accepted for enrollment into a college with an ROTC program. You would go to BCT/AIT first
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SFC J Fullerton

Simultaneous Membership Program | National Guard
Simultaneous Membership Program smp you participate in both the Guard and your college's ROTC program at the same time two-year course GRFD scholarship cash bonus monthly allowance Montgomery GI Bill and Guard Kicker commission as a second lieutenant
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PFC(P) (Join to see)
SFC Fullerton, Yes I am contracted at the moment with the ARNG. But since I am 17 I still have that option of backing out of the RSP program. And focus on strictly trying to stand out when picking and choosing Cadets for the freshman year.
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SFC J Fullerton
PFC(P) (Join to see) - Is your goal to be an Officer in the ARNG or Regular Army? If it is the ARNG, then the SMP can get you in ROTC while you continue to drill with your unit. Yes, you can back out of your current contract, but your age has nothing to do with it. ARNG and Reserve Soldiers access into the military the day they contract and take the oath. You would not be able to process for any other branch, including applying for ROTC, until the ARNG clears your discharge through the DoD system. They may not be in any rush to do that, nor or they held to any time table to do so. If you wanted to back out and just go to college, its pretty simple. If you want to back out to pursue another military option, then it is more complicated than that. Again, SMP while in the ARNG may be a good option for you, but regardless, you should bring up these issues with your chain of command.
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I was enlisted before commissioning through the green to gold active duty option. To be honest the things I learned while enlisted have been a great resource for me as an officer. It gives you that enlisted perspective that your future joes will respect. It ultimately comes down to what kind of experience you want
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PFC(P) (Join to see)
SSG Livingston, I know that if I went through with Basic Training and the Enlisted route I would get sucked into it and never go to college.
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MSG (Join to see)
PFC(P) (Join to see) - Then there is your answer to your initial question. Now, you just need to speak to the powers that be.
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LTC (Join to see)
PFC(P) (Join to see) - I would offer up that there are plenty of successful Soldiers, enlisted and officer alike, who went and completed college. I would also suggest that since you claim to know that if you "went through with Basic Training and the Enlisted route I would get sucked into it and never go to college", but yet chose to post your question here, then you probably don't know and are a bit conflicted. Like COL Flemming mentioned, "Do what makes sense for your life, career and educational goals."
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LTC (Join to see)
LTC (Join to see) - and what I meant to say was went and completed college AFTER they enlisted.
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Going the SMP route is nice. You get to become more familiar with how the army works. You understand the enlisted side as well. It also gives you more knowledge in the field you may be interested in. A lot of SMP cadets get to be PLs or shadow one as well. It'll give you great experience.
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You've already enlisted?
Are you a split option? Still in High School?
If so you're going to need to finish BCT and AIT, you can set up going to College and ROTC when you get back after you graduate from High School.
Are you a split option? Still in High School?
If so you're going to need to finish BCT and AIT, you can set up going to College and ROTC when you get back after you graduate from High School.
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