Army recruiter visiting me next week-what to expect?

solon

5-Year Member
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Dec 9, 2010
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So, my mom ran into our local Army ROTC recruiter at the YMCA and told him that I want to apply for ROTC. He called me and asked a few screening type questions. He is coming to my house next week to talk. This isn't my formal interview is it? I haven't sent in my application yet. I'm excited about starting the process, but what is the purpose of a meeting like this?
 
No, not formal. The purpose is two fold. For you it's a great way to get some questions answered and talk about ROTC, the application process AND the Army!
For him it's an opportunity to share his profession and help you decide if this is for you.
It's a win/win. Have a good time, dont' be nervous!!!
 
Is this person a Recruiting Officer from a local college ROTC program or is he from the local recruiting office. A Recruiting Officer from the ROTC will be an actual Officer not enlisted. I only bring this up because my son was contacted by a local recruiter and hounded over and over again to drop his scholarship and enlist in the Reserves and go SMP.

If this is a ROTC Recruiting Officer then this will just be a meet and greet. It will be a good opportunity to find out about the program and how to navigate the application process.

If this is a local Recruiter don't sign anything. Go to the closest college that has ROTC and talk with their Recruiting Officer, even they will tell you to avoid the local Recruiters if you are applying for a schoalrship.

Sorry if I sound wary of this, it happens a lot. I just want to make sure your talking to the right people to get the best information.
 
I'll look at his card again, but I think he is from the Army recruiting office, not from a local college. It's good to know that there is a difference. I won't be seeking an ROTC scholarship for local colleges. I'm visiting VMI in a couple of weeks and a Boston college (Paul Revere Batallion in April). Maybe this meeting is just a learning opp.
 
Even if you are not looking at a local college, the Recruiting Officer and PMS will be glad to talk with you to give you information about the program. Just remember not to sign or agree to take the ASVAB test, this can effect your ability to get a scholarship.
 
Jcleppe - I agree. most Army recruiters do not know anything about ROTC.

He might try to sell you on the Guard/Reserves Split option or SMP. Be careful and do NOT sign anything!!

Not sure how taking the ASVAB can affect one's chances at a scholarship though. This is given routinely at many high schools.
 
I don't beleve taking the ASVAB is disqualifying. I took it my junior year of HS. I would not sign anything this first meeting. Also, as said before, the ROO and PMS at your local college can help you regardless of which university you plan to attend.
 
The recruiter will give you non-ROTC options, and also discuss the merits of joining the Army Reserve and simultaneously participating in ROTC (without scholarship) in college. Army Reserve will enable you to use the GI Bill to pay for part of college, plus get paid for one weekend per month, plus another thing called Educational something, plus get paid for training two different summers. Anyway, it all adds up to a max of about $11,000 per year.

An ROTC scholarship can be worth as much as $45,000 per year. Big difference. Not so big if you are going to a public University.

Anyway, you get to ask all the questions of the Recruiter you'd be afraid to ask the PMS or ROO at your nearest ROTC Battalion. So ask away. Yeah, don't sign anything until you've got the full picture from an ARTOC Battalion, and also understand fully the SMP program via Reserves.

Biggest difference is with an ROTC commission, you have an 80%+ chance of going Active Duty if you want to, and a good chance to go Reserves out of college if you want to. Lots of flexibility and you don't have to decide for four more years. From Reserves, it is quite difficult to go Active Duty. Very little flexibility.
 
I am guessing that this is not the Army ROTC recruiter, this is probably an Army recruiter from the local station. I don't know many ROTC recruiting officers who routinely visit homes. I've only done a couple in my 6+ years. I would suggest you consider postponing the visit with the recruiter until you have spoken to a recruiting operations officer at a university you are interested in first and gain the information you need about college and ROTC from the person who is knowledgeable. Then you can talk to the recruiter and hear what the rest of the options are. Very few recruiters I know have even a working knowledge of ROTC. The reserve recruiters I work with understand the SMP program fairly well, but they know to refer the interested student to me.

Here are a couple things I would guess this recruiter will tell you. All of which I disagree with.

You should go to basic, it will make you a better officer.
If you decide to SMP you have to go to Basic.
You will get GI bill if you are SMP (only if you go to basic and AIT).

Before you meet with the recruiter I would encourage you to take a look at my SMP article.

http://goldenknightbattalion.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/smp-another-option/

Be prepared to tell him upfront you intend to start school in the fall, and plan to enroll in ROTC and hope to have a scholarship, and then have him explain what options he has that can help that plan.

Good luck.
 
I am in complete agreement with everything clarksonarmy has said. The other thing that I can say, but clarkson can't (given his affiliation with the Army), is that enlisted recruiters from the local Army recruiting station are often like salesmen who have an individual quota to meet. However, officers recruiting for Army ROTC do not have these same pressures, and their interest in recruiting is more about making the Army a better place than meeting individual quota goals. Keep that in mind whenever you speak with a local recruiter.
 
I will second that - postpone the recruiter meeting and make an appointment with your local university ROTC.

My son met with an Army Recruiter before he met with
a college ROTC officer, and the ROTC officer was clearly upset
that he was talking to a recruiter.

His opinion was clear; if you want to be an enlisted man, talk to a recruiter...
If you want to be an officer, talk to a ROTC officer (PMS).

The ROTC PMS told told my son that much of what the recruiter said did not apply to ROTC cadets and future officers. The PMS had to spend quite a bit of time correcting incorrect information.

During your ROTC meeting ask the PMS about meeting a recruiter, then follow the PMS's advice.

Good Luck
 
Even if you are not looking at a local college, the Recruiting Officer and PMS will be glad to talk with you to give you information about the program. Just remember not to sign or agree to take the ASVAB test, this can effect your ability to get a scholarship.

Why can taking the ASVAB test effect your ability to get a scholarship?

Every single Cadet in my son's JROTC was given the ASVAB test, part of the class. My son currently a Cadet on scholarship in college. 3 of the other JROTC Cadets who took the class were also given scholarships, 2 more Army and 1 Navy/Marine option.
 
My DD is applying for a 4yr scholarship and I have been attentively monitoring the 4 Jan scholarship thread, as there is a lot of insight available on SAF. I find it very disheartening to see people that are supposed to be on the same team disparage sister departmental representatives. While I do not claim to know everything about the ROTC process, I have 11 years (and counting) experience as a USAREC Recruiter. I am responsible for 55 Soldiers, not “salesmen.” Therefore, when I read this thread I had to register and weigh in.

First –United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) Recruiters, ROTC Recruiters (ROO), USMA Representatives, and Army National Guard Recruiters should work together, we often find ourselves “fighting” over the same territory. An Army Reserve Recruiter is responsible for filling Army Reserve units to include OCS, SMP, Direct Commission, and enlisted. A ROO is responsible for recruiting ROTC cadets to fill/expand their ROTC program and ultimately fill the ranks of Active and AR/NG Officers. Bottom line – each has a mission, goal, requirement (whatever you want to call it) and therefore each is recruiting from the standpoint of their assigned mission. USAREC Recruiters are tasked to provide ROTC referrals quarterly because of the importance to fill/expand the ROTC program.

Secondly – It is the individuals (along with influencers) to make the best decision for themselves. Moreover, the only way to make that decision is to obtain all of the available information. If you were going to purchase a new car, you would not take the word of the Chevrolet salesperson about a Ford.

Lastly – While I agree that if available, the 4-year national scholarship is the best thing going, I have a responsibility to my DD to explore back-up plans. These back-up plans include, campus based scholarships, SMP, Post 9-11 GI Bill through active duty, etc… After all, I looks like 4-year scholarship opportunities are shrinking.

Salon, meet with the Army Recruiter, gather all of the information possible and make the best decision for you. I wish you the best of luck!


The ASVAB will not affect your scholarship opportunities.

“Anyway, it all adds up to a max of about $11,000 per year” – Actually, it adds up to as high as $30,000 per year. Even more after you contract through ROTC.

“the ROTC officer was clearly upset that he was talking to a recruiter” – Again, because we are in the market.

“You should go to basic, it will make you a better officer.” – Regularly used statement, could be true depending on the person, but just an opinion.

Army Strong!

Respectfully,
 
My DD is applying for a 4yr scholarship and I have been attentively monitoring the 4 Jan scholarship thread, as there is a lot of insight available on SAF. I find it very disheartening to see people that are supposed to be on the same team disparage sister departmental representatives. While I do not claim to know everything about the ROTC process, I have 11 years (and counting) experience as a USAREC Recruiter. I am responsible for 55 Soldiers, not “salesmen.” Therefore, when I read this thread I had to register and weigh in.

First –United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) Recruiters, ROTC Recruiters (ROO), USMA Representatives, and Army National Guard Recruiters should work together, we often find ourselves “fighting” over the same territory. An Army Reserve Recruiter is responsible for filling Army Reserve units to include OCS, SMP, Direct Commission, and enlisted. A ROO is responsible for recruiting ROTC cadets to fill/expand their ROTC program and ultimately fill the ranks of Active and AR/NG Officers. Bottom line – each has a mission, goal, requirement (whatever you want to call it) and therefore each is recruiting from the standpoint of their assigned mission. USAREC Recruiters are tasked to provide ROTC referrals quarterly because of the importance to fill/expand the ROTC program.

Secondly – It is the individuals (along with influencers) to make the best decision for themselves. Moreover, the only way to make that decision is to obtain all of the available information. If you were going to purchase a new car, you would not take the word of the Chevrolet salesperson about a Ford.

Lastly – While I agree that if available, the 4-year national scholarship is the best thing going, I have a responsibility to my DD to explore back-up plans. These back-up plans include, campus based scholarships, SMP, Post 9-11 GI Bill through active duty, etc… After all, I looks like 4-year scholarship opportunities are shrinking.

Salon, meet with the Army Recruiter, gather all of the information possible and make the best decision for you. I wish you the best of luck!


The ASVAB will not affect your scholarship opportunities.

“Anyway, it all adds up to a max of about $11,000 per year” – Actually, it adds up to as high as $30,000 per year. Even more after you contract through ROTC.

“the ROTC officer was clearly upset that he was talking to a recruiter” – Again, because we are in the market.

“You should go to basic, it will make you a better officer.” – Regularly used statement, could be true depending on the person, but just an opinion.

Army Strong!

Respectfully,

Army1SG, I apologize for making the statement I made earlier. It was not my intent to discount or disparage in any way the vital role that every single member of our beloved military contributes to our nation. I was wrong and lazy in wording it the way I did and by using the term "salesman" so loosely. I was simply trying to point out that there may be certain issues at play and that folks should do as you correctly suggest -- they should reach their own conclusions about all the issues discussed here on SAF.

I am incredibly grateful that you weighed in with your post. It is very well-written and thought-out. The issue is certainly "tee'd" up, though, for others to accept or reject as their personal situation warrants.

Again, I am sorry. Hopefully, I will have an opportunity to redeem myself at some point.
 
My DD is applying for a 4yr scholarship and I have been attentively monitoring the 4 Jan scholarship thread, as there is a lot of insight available on SAF. I find it very disheartening to see people that are supposed to be on the same team disparage sister departmental representatives. While I do not claim to know everything about the ROTC process, I have 11 years (and counting) experience as a USAREC Recruiter. I am responsible for 55 Soldiers, not “salesmen.” Therefore, when I read this thread I had to register and weigh in.

First –United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) Recruiters, ROTC Recruiters (ROO), USMA Representatives, and Army National Guard Recruiters should work together, we often find ourselves “fighting” over the same territory. An Army Reserve Recruiter is responsible for filling Army Reserve units to include OCS, SMP, Direct Commission, and enlisted. A ROO is responsible for recruiting ROTC cadets to fill/expand their ROTC program and ultimately fill the ranks of Active and AR/NG Officers. Bottom line – each has a mission, goal, requirement (whatever you want to call it) and therefore each is recruiting from the standpoint of their assigned mission. USAREC Recruiters are tasked to provide ROTC referrals quarterly because of the importance to fill/expand the ROTC program.

Secondly – It is the individuals (along with influencers) to make the best decision for themselves. Moreover, the only way to make that decision is to obtain all of the available information. If you were going to purchase a new car, you would not take the word of the Chevrolet salesperson about a Ford.

Lastly – While I agree that if available, the 4-year national scholarship is the best thing going, I have a responsibility to my DD to explore back-up plans. These back-up plans include, campus based scholarships, SMP, Post 9-11 GI Bill through active duty, etc… After all, I looks like 4-year scholarship opportunities are shrinking.

Salon, meet with the Army Recruiter, gather all of the information possible and make the best decision for you. I wish you the best of luck!


The ASVAB will not affect your scholarship opportunities.

“Anyway, it all adds up to a max of about $11,000 per year” – Actually, it adds up to as high as $30,000 per year. Even more after you contract through ROTC.

“the ROTC officer was clearly upset that he was talking to a recruiter” – Again, because we are in the market.

“You should go to basic, it will make you a better officer.” – Regularly used statement, could be true depending on the person, but just an opinion.

Army Strong!

Respectfully,

11 years as a recruiter?! :eek:
 
patentesq,

Thank you for your reply. As a member of SAF that is so involved in sharing your insight with people (like me) about the ROTC process, I know there was not a negative intent behind your post. Nor do I think that anybody else meant anything negative about another path to serving our Army. I know that Recruiters to include my Soldiers can be aggressive in their attempt to achieve the mission the Army gave them. Just as the ROO’s are very passionate about the mission the Army gave them.

I just feel that it is important for everyone to understand that we (US Army in this case) are one team and should speak appropriately about each other.

v/r
 
Nothing wrong with taking the ASVAB, but I don't care what you got on it and it won't figure into your ROTC application. I wish high schools still allowed all students to take the ASVAB.

I visit my USAREC counterparts once a week, and talk to my reserve enlisted recruiter counterpart almost daily. I'll take a cadet to see them in a heartbeat if they express interest in the SMP program, or OCS makes better sense for them. Half the pictures up on the Potsdam recruiting station wall are cadets or former cadets, or people we both worked with.

Here is why I caution you. If you are focused on attending college and earning a degree you can get derailed or delayed by bad advice. I have a number of cadets in the program who let a recruiter sign them up to miss their first semester of classes so they could attend basic and AIT. I've even had a recruiter talk one of my future cadet into coming to school in the fall 3 weeks late, having convinced him he'd catch up. He's a lieutenant now, but his grades suffered so much that he never recovered and ended up having to accept a reserve commission.

If you are shopping for a Ford, why would you start your search out by visiting the Chevy dealer. Maybe the recruiter will be the most knowledgeably recruiter ever with regards to ROTC, but I'm betting you'll get the best, most accurate advice regarding ROTC from a ROO/PMS. Definitely explore all your options, and listen carefully so you can make an informed decision.

And definitely keep reading the SAF...truly the best place to get info about becoming an Officer.

Good luck
 
Why can taking the ASVAB test effect your ability to get a scholarship?

Every single Cadet in my son's JROTC was given the ASVAB test, part of the class. My son currently a Cadet on scholarship in college. 3 of the other JROTC Cadets who took the class were also given scholarships, 2 more Army and 1 Navy/Marine option.

I grouped the two together by mistake, I meant to say do not sign anything and the ASVAB will not help on your application for the scholarship.

My son was offered the ASVAB and DEP papers as a package by a recruiter, the ROO at the local university advised against it if he was competing for the scholarship.

Sorry for the confusion in my previous post.
 
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