What does a typical weekend drill look like for contracted ROTC cadets utilizing the SMP program?

Cadet 2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 19:00:49 -0400

Response by HN Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2017 7:25 PM

HN Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 19:25:51 -0400

As a contracted SMP cadet, you wear the c/2LT rank and essentially shadow the PL in whatever unit you are in. You will still do the APFT and other events like the other soldiers.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2017 7:30 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 19:30:30 -0400

There really isn't a "typical" weekend drill, you can get some pretty wild responses. I've seen them stuck in an office and told not to leave...

And also seen one be given full PL authority and duties.

Depends on the unit, the Commander, and the Cadet. If your Commander wants or needs you to have responsibility, if the unit has a use for you or an officer available for you to shadow, if -you- are competent and able to handle tasks assigned. I'd talk to the unit you'd prospectively be joining, you'll get much more relevant answers than from the world at large.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Aug 30 at 2017 10:11 AM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 10:11:44 -0400

As SGT Sean Goodrow said, there is no typical when it comes to SMP. I, and several of my peers were SMP (way back in the day, when the Army had Jeeps!!). Some of them wore their cadet pips and were told "shadow this guy and be quiet and unobtrusive." I wore SGT/E-5 rank (I don't claim that it was correct, only that it is what I was told to do) and served as an anti-armor section leader and then as the commo platoon leader. In retrospect, it was clear that there was a LOT of backstopping me in the SL role, but I guess I didn't suck too much, because I pretty much ran the PLT without much in the way of oversight (other than the standard PSG whispering hints in my ear).

For me, my best formative leadership training, other than actually being a PL after commisioning. For some of my peers, a waste of perfectly good weekends. All with the luck of the draw with units and leadership.

Keep in mind, that there are two flavors, there is Reserve--> ROTC (Enlisted in the Reserves, THEN contracted) and ROTC-->Reserve (ROTC Cadet, non-prior service). I think it's valuable for both types, but especially the second. It makes theory real.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2017 8:54 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 20:54:51 -0400

There are really two different answers.
1. You will be shadowing a officer in the unit you are assigned too. That officer should mentor you in providing you guidance into their responsibilities and lessons learned.

2. You will get to a unit that really has no interest in your due to knowing you will most likely not return to that unit and will not invest in you. You may be treated like a Private and be given remedial tasks to perform.

In my time in the guard I have seem number two happen more than number one.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2017 1:22 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 13:22:09 -0400

It really depends on where you go. When I entered the Guard after being Active for 8 years and taking a 5 year break, I may have gotten lucky... or not, depending on how you think about it. I reupped before contracting into ROTC during grad school so I was an enlisted fister with my unit first for a few months. Then I became a cadet at the same unit, so I stayed with the fisters. This was good and bad, got called CaDOT, CadIDIOT, f'kin traitor... you name it. Now they moved up to Delaware, Ohio and consolidated with the rest of the fisters in the state. Then they tell me that more than likely, I'm going to get branched field artillery, so I'll be back with them in December after I commission, but as a 2LT. Crazy story...

But to answer your question, drill can be what you make it. At our unit, the cadets (there are 14...) shadow all of the LTs and rotate every month if they don't have a branch. At other places I've seen cadets just work in the training room or supply the entire time either filing paperwork or helping with gear. Be proactive and show your commander that you're not an idiot and he can be a good LOR for later on. Good luck!

Response by CPT Brad Wilson made Jun 18 at 2019 3:39 PM

CPT Brad Wilson — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:39:03 -0400

In my unit (1-145FA) we paired Cadets with Lt’s and as they gained experience they did some of the Lt duties. We also as much as possible rotated them through the FDC Survey and as FO’s We had one Cadet that was planning on branching Commo and was getting a degree in network engineering. So he was put in Bn Commo. He was so good he became the acting Bn Commo Officer and filled that slot when he commissioned