Which is better: West Point or ROTC? Can you tell If a Officer is from West Point? Can a Officer see the difference or does the NCO have a better eye on it. I my self have meet both.

Which is better: West Point or ROTC?

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Posted >1 y ago

ROTC was great training, and it's more cost effective. I used to think the Acdemy must have better training but after meeting Academy grads the main thing they have going for them is the Network they build.

That Network is very useful, no mater where they go in the military, one of their classmates is there.

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LTC (Join to see)

Posted 11 y ago

As one who spent 5.5 years getting a BA and commission (2.5 year USMA attendee (academic separation) and 2 year ROTC contracted cadet (no scholarship) and one year in between trying to figure out what I really wanted to do!) I'll say that each has merits and faults, but the individuals that come out of each program must then take whatever they learned from their commissioning source and build from that over time.
Personally I received a much better military education from USMA, specifically on military history and tactics. The intense work load (remember academically separated!) prepared me for a lifetime of learning, but other schools could also provide that.
I got a much better life education from ROTC in a civilian college. Having to worry about taking care of myself (no one woke me up in the morning or told me when and where I needed to eat or what time I had to turn my lights off and go to bed) and manage my life including school, military training and life in general better prepared me for being a 2LT at my first duty assignment.

I think a great commissioning source would for a young person to spend 2 years at USMA, then go into ROTC, but as graduating with a degree, find a way to not get commissioned, but instead enlist for OCS! I actually debated this a little bit since I figured I already had 2/3 sources covered, why not do one more.

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CPT (Join to see)

Posted 11 y ago

Hey Holland!
No time no talk!
To answer your question, generally speaking, more West Point Cadets tend to become Generals however, Gen Colin Powell attended ROTC and was the first 4 Star to come out of ROTC. First African American, and first African American as the Head of The Joint Chiefs of Staff. I believe it's about determination. If that is how far you want to go, ONLY YOU can stop you from reaching that goal. :)

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SPC (Join to see)

11 y

Hey Parham! hows it going? and yeah thats what I was reading. I was just hoping that it wasn't ONLY West Point Cadets that can become Generals. That is definitely the goal I'm pursuing!

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CPT (Join to see)

11 y

Pretty good brother, how about you? And nope it can be any commissioning source.

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CPT (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

MSG, I did ROTC and I found it was the best option for me. I felt that it prepared me to be an officer. My program was made up of about 100-180 cadets, which ment the ratio was way smaller than that of the USMA. So, I had more 1-1 time with the officers and senior NCOs. Key being the senior NCOs, I picked their brains on everything.

I believe ROTC affords that pre OJT that you recieve as a brand new PL from you PSG. However, when it came to having a netork and living the army life I was lacking as young LT. That just made me try harder to be the best officer I coud be for my soldiers.

I think both programs produce brilliant officers but its all about the cadet/officer input. You cant take a lazy unmotivated person and put them into either program and expect great resluts. I do believe that ROTC produes more well adjuted officer that are more prone to adapt to soldiers and issues.

Once again, I can only speak from my own exerience.

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SFC A.M. Drake

Posted >1 y ago

Lets see...a little off topic but West Point is definitely more expensive. (However applicants/Cadets do not pay for tuition)

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

You are correct. Academy cadets are in the service and incur an obligation for the schooling. get half 0-1 pay. From that they pay for books and incidentals. Tuition and all other costs are paid by the government. In return each cadet must spend 5 years on active duty. In reality, graduates spend their lives in service to the country. It costs the taxpayers about $350,000 to train a Cadet at the Academy, but sources on that number vary from $250,000 to $435,000.

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LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

Unfortunately, we see a lot of WP trained officers jump ship as soon as their payback is done....

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

LTC Paul L: True, and often they go on to other greater things for the country. For example, one of my classmates became the CEO of Proctor and Gamble. One of them created several high tech companies, and now is very active in politics. Several are elected representatives. Some do things far more humble.

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SPC Gary Basom

Posted >1 y ago

I would think ROTC is a school or college based military officer training course with it's curriculum in the civilian world. For example, you major in medical and in addition the military ROTC course. West Point deals strictly with military officer training for 4 years.

Now based on my opinion I believe West Point is better, it teaches a broadbased course that can be used in the military, artillery, infantry, etc. officer course.There are quite a few apparent differences and your choice is based on what you believe you find is better.

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LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

West Point is also a university. Yes they take 4 years to produce an officer, but that is because the cadets are also earning a bachelors degree as the same time. The reality is that they are not doing hardcore Army training 7 days a week like OCS is. One could argue you don't NEED 4 years. We could go the same route the Brits do with Sandhurst. Cadets arrive already with their degrees and everyone goes through the same 1 yr program.

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

Actually, West Point is military training 24/7, but not "hard core". Clearly, not all the subjects taught are military subjects, but they are taught by military officers in a military manner and always with an eye toward the applicability toward leadership, duty, honor, country. The cadet's entire 4 years revolves around that and is structured toward enhancing, developing, and directing the natural leadership abilities they were selected for. Even meals, recreation time and choices emphasize and develop leadership. Academy cadets have very, very little unstructured time in their lives at all during their 4 years, compared to ROTC. With 4 years, the Academy is supposed to do more than develop a 2LT.

ROTC, on the other hand, is structured much differently. Unless the ROTC cadet is at VMI or the Citadel, their program is necessarily structured to produce the most proficient junior officer possible in the time allotted. ROTC has 4 years of instruction time, not 4 years of the cadet's LIFE, to do it. The cadet is expected to be a good officer. If he/she turns out to be a great senior officer and national leader, that's great too!

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MAJ Joseph Parker

Posted >1 y ago

In my experience the easiest officers to differentiate are the direct commission. They are woefully undertrained in their officer duties. Next easiest are the OCS officers, who have incredible working knowledge of the Army, but a more relaxed deportment as junior officers. Not always that easy to tell West Pointers from ROTC, except the Pointers will almost always be a type A personality and slightly more formal. As an officer, it's easy to differentiate one's peers out as ROTC or Grad. We just talk to each other. Surprisingly, it's a little more difficult to differentiate them when they are subordinates! Contrary to lore, the WPPS isn't there. You give orders to subordinate officers and expect them to perform. Doesn't matter where their commission is from. And superiors: Same difference! They say jump, I obey. Don't ask the source of their commission before deciding whether or not Ill listen! So which source of officers is better? Please see my response to 2LT Youngblood.

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

Sir, this poor 2LT was a tough case. A PFC with a Masters in Physical Therapy. He was mopping the barracks floor. The 1SG came in, congratulated him on his promotion to 2LT, told him to finish mopping the floor, and then he was assigned to my unit as a Medical Platoon Leader. Walked into my office and called me by my first name when he reported for duty (scene: it was an infantry unit. I was an airborne ranger infantry captain commanding my second company). Didn't even have an officer's uniform! Oh well, we all had tests of leadership.

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LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

If he was a PFC, then he should have gone through Basic. He should have at least known how the Army worked...at least from a private's eyes. He must have only been book smart then..... ;o)

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

Sir, in this case, the best thing I can say is that poor young 2LT had a good heart.

I have a nephew who is Direct Commission (an AMEDD CPT), a psychologist. The Army took the time to send him to an officer's course, and naturally he grew up listening to his crazy Airborne Ranger uncle's stories. He listened to my advice before accepting the commission: got in good physical condition, read about his responsibilities and takes them to heart. He's doing well for that branch, although they shake their heads a bit when he asks for jump school.

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LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

That surprises me that they are hesitant to make a Psychologist for airborne troops.... as anyone who jumps out of a perfectly good airplane clearly needs his head examined.... ;o)

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SSgt (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

Well West Point I relate more to actual combat strategy although I am sure that the Admirals of Midway and such were great too.

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SFC James Baber

Posted >1 y ago

ROTC, I think it better prepares for the reality sometimes, the academies I feel are more focused on studies than real life scenario training and education. I could be wrong, but that is my two cents.

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

Good intuition, SFC Baber. Academy graduates tend to do better in senior leadership later in their careers. This isn't surprising, given the differing selection processes and the goal of academy training versus the goals of ROTC training. The academies, and West Point in particular, aren't there to train platoon leaders and company commanders. They are there to train national leaders, especially West Point. That doesn't mean there won't be any great national leaders from ROTC or any great platoon leaders and company commanders from the academies. These are just generalities.

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