What determines the component of the army (Active, Reserves, ARNG) you commission in after completing ROTC?

Needs of the Army, performance which leads to placement on the order of merit list, and preference

https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/how-do-i-choose-an-army-branch-a-framework

You need to Google ROTC accessions and OML. There is a point based system that is used by cadet command to determine your component and branch assignment.

Once you've done that, you should spend time here on RP discussing the finer points, like how to balance school and ROTC work-loads, different training opportunities available, tips on improving OML score, etc.

RP could also offer you down-to-earth wisdom in the road to comissioning. For example, when I was a cadet I had a bit of a speech I gave other cadets trying to convince them to choose active duty out of college. And I always spent a little time with those cadets who were prior service. The biggest failures I saw in the program we're not the ordinary college kids, but the prior enlisted who stubbornly and arrogantly held onto their idea of superiority and closed their minds to learning a different form of leadership. I made that mistake myself.

Here's how things went for us:

1. OML determines the cut off for active duty vs Reserve/National Guard component.
2. You had a selection of 3 preferred branches and duty stations
3. You received your assignment based upon your position in the OML and the needs of the Army.
4. You got notified by your cadre about what the determination was.

Its needs of the Army based. However, you can help yourself in several ways. First is academic excellence. So do well on all your college classes. I have seen a few cadet with otherwise good records not get active duty because of grades. Next is physical fitness. Strive to excel on either the APFT or ACFT. You can also participate in extracurricular activities which will give you points. Finally, every year, Cadet Command publishes their Accessions guide so you will know how the OML is built. It does not change significantly year to year so that will give you a guide.

Ultimately the needs of the army. But for the commissioning class from Campbell the other month, everyone that wanted Guard got Guard, Active got Active, etc. They have a fantastic program there that will give you the best chances. The difference is more so when it comes to what branch (Signal, MI, Infantry, etc) and obviously duty station. Research OML (Order of Merit List) it’s basically a point system which gives you better odds at getting what you want. For example being in student government gets you X amount of points, having a certain GPA gets you X points, if your major is a STEM, so on. My girlfriend and I just graduated from Campbell and she is now a SBOLC. While at Campbell she filled the vast majority of slots for OML (Color Guard, Student Government, VP for a sorority, sports, PT, Academics, Community Service, CULP, etc). She got her 1st choice of component and branch but got a duty station that wasn’t even in her top 10. So as stated it really does comes down to needs of the army. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me a message

We had to pick our top 10 “preferences” in order of preferred and they tried to get our preferences, but there is no guarantee. It still boils down to “Subject to the requirements of the Flag!”

Performance/needs of the Army

All 3. You give them your wish list on which component you want to be in and the order you prefer them Your performance academically as well as your performance in ROTC determines your position on the Order of Merit list. The higher you are on the list the more likely you will get what you want. Then lastly is the needs of the Army. In my day to address the needs of the Army they had what was called Branch Detailing. You would get your choice of branch but if a branch had a shortage that year you would start out in the shortage branch usually for 3-4 years. A friend of mine got a degree in finance and wanted to go Active Duty as a Finance Officer. That year they had a shortage in Infantry So he got Finance but was Branch Detailed Infantry for 4 years. He took advantage of that and went to all the cool school while he was an Infantry Officer He went to Airborne as a Cadet Then after OBC went to Ranger, Air Assault, Jungle Warfare, Mountain Warfare. He decided that while Infantry he would get all the experience he could to be the best Infantry Officer he could be. If I remember correctly when the time came to go to Finance he decided to stay Infantry