Posted on Aug 22, 2017
SGT Motorpool
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I am going to apply for the green to gold scholarship option for the fall semester of 2018. I was just wanting some feedback from anyone that has taken this route or know of someone who has on what the pay will be like during my schooling. Is it enough to sustain a family without a part time job? Right now its just my wife and I, with no plans for children, but I want to know what to prepare for.
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MAJ Contracting Officer
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Are you referring to the specific Active Duty Green to Gold program where you are retained at your current rank (or possibly E5) on full pay and allowances?
If you get accepted into that program you'll be fine, if it is the traditional ROTC program (without active duty salary) you'll have to budget appropriately. I went straight ROTC no pay and was fine with just my wife and myself. It would be tight with kids.
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MAJ Contracting Officer
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It will be tight, but you certainly can make it. I would also highly encourage you to look at the Army Reserves while you are in school. They have a program where you are a cadet in a reserve unit while in ROTC, the benefits to you include healthcare option, drill pay, Additional tuition reimbursement if you don't get a scholarship, but most importantly it keeps your TIS clock ticking, so rather than commissioning as a 2LT with 3 years in service you'll have an additional 3 years, and that is three years of additional TIS for every paycheck you'll ever receive. Not to mention the additional time you'll spend as a platoon leader for the USAR or NG. When you commission you can still go Active Duty. That is nearly a thousand dollars of additional pay every month you are on active duty just for 36 weekends. Huge benefit.
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SGT Security Forces Journeyman
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Sir, I'm also trying to figure out if I can sustain my family while Green to gold (4 year scholarship program). How would I go about keeping my active pay while in school?
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MAJ Contracting Officer
MAJ (Join to see)
5 y
SGT (Join to see) - If you get accepted into green to gold you keep your salary, but it is a very competitive program. If you are not selected the net present value of student loans and officer pay vs enlisted pay without loans is very lopsided. If you need student loans take them, just live frugally. Many people have successfully finished college with zero student debt using the ROTC benefits (some schools not an option due to tuition rates) Don't let immediate finances affect your decision too much because it's a vast investment in yourself with near guaranteed future increased income. No one has ever regretted graduating with a four year degree when they chose a beneficial degree. Now if you graduate with a degree in history or gender studies good luck....
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SGT Security Forces Journeyman
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MAJ (Join to see) Thank you sir !
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2LT (Pre-Commission)
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With the scholarship option it would depend. How big is your family and are you willing to take out student loans? I was a 4 year GTG scholarship recipient and I still ended up taking out loans. It's a great program, no doubt, but even though school and housing is covered you still have the cost of living every month. Sure you get E5 BAH but gas, food, insurance, vehicles and so on will eat that up. If you get other grants that will help out a lot as well.
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SGT Motorpool
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Right now it is just my wife and myself. I would prefer not to take any loans out but if it is necessary then I would. The scholarship will pay for school or housing and I will have my GI bill, the stipend and book allowance. I just wasn't sure if I would get BAH if I wasn't doing the ADO.
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2LT (Pre-Commission)
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If you use the post 9/11 GI Bill you get E5 BAH. Honestly it would come down to how big your bills are. Budget your money, don't eat out and find books that have been used and you can stretch it. It's not impossible to live solely off that, but you will be tight.
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2LT (Pre-Commission)
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Don't let that discourage you by the way! Go for it and make it work if it's what you really want. Again, I did 4 years and it was great. I met all sorts of people and got to do tons of things. You do learn a lot of new leadership skills and from the Green to Gold side there is even another layer. You have to be humble and remember that these new college kids are your peers. You have all this experience, but you can't be the leader all the time. You get to delve more into the art of peer leadership and even mentor others to some degree. If you have any questions about it hit me up. I also highly recommend a senior military college.
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COL Deputy G2
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Not really. Back when I did it I ETSed out as an E5. I never worked during school. I did get some unemployment and some grants but it was just enough. My wife had a full time job as a 1LT so that kept us afloat. We had no kids until my sr year in college. I took out a very small subsidized loan. It can be done but it’s hard. We lived in San Antonio so cost of living was cheap. I wanted A&M but she said no. So I ended up at St Mary’s in SA. Good luck.
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