Cadet Stipend

Patriot26

5-Year Member
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Oct 18, 2011
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3
Hello, I am a Freshman Contracted Cadet on the AROTC 4 year National Scholarship. On my very first day at university, I took and passed the APFT and turned in the paperwork required at the time. At this point I thought my scholarship would be activated and that the Cadet stipend would begin. After several weeks however, I was told that our battalion now wished for us too turn in our 104-Rs Academic Plan as part of the contracting paperwork. With academic advising sessions, this task took several more weeks to complete. It was only last week (13 OCT 11) that the freshman cadets began to actually contract. And now it has been said that even though our Tuition Fees are going to be back paid, we will not be receiving the stipends from the past two months. Is this normal procedure? Thank you in advance for your feedback!
 
Hello, I am a Freshman Contracted Cadet on the AROTC 4 year National Scholarship. On my very first day at university, I took and passed the APFT and turned in the paperwork required at the time. At this point I thought my scholarship would be activated and that the Cadet stipend would begin. After several weeks however, I was told that our battalion now wished for us too turn in our 104-Rs Academic Plan as part of the contracting paperwork. With academic advising sessions, this task took several more weeks to complete. It was only last week (13 OCT 11) that the freshman cadets began to actually contract. And now it has been said that even though our Tuition Fees are going to be back paid, we will not be receiving the stipends from the past two months. Is this normal procedure? Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Unfortunatly that is true as far as the stipend goes.

Every battalion works differently, many sent out all the forms including the 104R over the summer prior to starting school so they could be filled out and completed before arriving. Any last detail were taken care of during orientation. It sounds like your battalion was either unaware or didn't plan ahead to get this done early. The 104R is required to contract, they are correct, your tuition will be paid and you may still get your book money but you will not get any retroactive stipend money. Your stipend will start from the day you are contracted.
 
wow, that's a shame if the stipend isn't retroactive due to a Battalion delay in collecting the necessary paperwork. :mad:
 
Unfortunatly that is true as far as the stipend goes.

Every battalion works differently, many sent out all the forms including the 104R over the summer prior to starting school so they could be filled out and completed before arriving. Any last detail were taken care of during orientation. It sounds like your battalion was either unaware or didn't plan ahead to get this done early. The 104R is required to contract, they are correct, your tuition will be paid and you may still get your book money but you will not get any retroactive stipend money. Your stipend will start from the day you are contracted.

I bet they won't mess that up again! OTOH, I'm not sure what motivates them to get the 104R done during the summer. :unhappy:
 
Wow, You hold up your end of the deal and you still get screwed. I hope that is not "normal procedure".
 
I bet they won't mess that up again! OTOH, I'm not sure what motivates them to get the 104R done during the summer. :unhappy:

Even within our son's battalion the procedures regarding the 104R have been different year to year.

I have 2 son's in the program at the same school, one is a MS4 and the other a MS1.

When the older started school no paper work was sent over the summer. They spent the first 2 weeks filling out paperwork when they got to school. Once all the paperwork including the 104R was complete they were able to contract. The Stipend started the day they contracted. For my son it took about 3 weeks, he did not receive any Stipend for those 3 weeks.

Now fast forward 3 years. The summer before my younger son started school he received a large file containing all the paperwork, most was easy to fill out. The 104R was a bit more difficult since he was not at school and had to communicate back and forth with his advisor many times to get the form completed. We were lucky because he was going to the same school as his older brother so we were familiar with the school and the degree audit program. I can see how this could be difficult for students going to an unfamiliar school.

When our younger son arrived at school a few days early he was able to turn in all the paperwork and double check everything with ROTC HR. they took the APFT the next day and he was able to contract before school started. He received his Stipend from day one. Too bad the OP battalion had not been a bit more proactive with the forms, I'm sure the cadets could have used the Stipend, I just hope they can get their book money.
 
Hello, I am a Freshman Contracted Cadet on the AROTC 4 year National Scholarship. On my very first day at university, I took and passed the APFT and turned in the paperwork required at the time. At this point I thought my scholarship would be activated and that the Cadet stipend would begin. After several weeks however, I was told that our battalion now wished for us too turn in our 104-Rs Academic Plan as part of the contracting paperwork. With academic advising sessions, this task took several more weeks to complete. It was only last week (13 OCT 11) that the freshman cadets began to actually contract. And now it has been said that even though our Tuition Fees are going to be back paid, we will not be receiving the stipends from the past two months. Is this normal procedure? Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Stipends (as opposed to to tuition) are not usually back paid unless you are fully contracted 104 and all.


I am a 4th year cadet and I still have not received my stipend after 2 months of school. Its nothing to new..... every year there seems to be pay problems at CC or our HR guys are just not on the ball. My point is just to be patient (yet upfront with HR) and not expect miracles.
 
Wow, You hold up your end of the deal and you still get screwed. I hope that is not "normal procedure".

My first year I din't even get my book money even though it stated in my contract I was allotted 600 for a semester. Even after pay requests they told us the funds were gone for that fiscal year, yet I though back pay would always get rolled over. I truly hope this is isn't normal procedure (i.e. HR messing up) or apparently contracts mean nothing....
 
My first year I din't even get my book money even though it stated in my contract I was allotted 600 for a semester. Even after pay requests they told us the funds were gone for that fiscal year, yet I though back pay would always get rolled over. I truly hope this is isn't normal procedure (i.e. HR messing up) or apparently contracts mean nothing....

Seems like there is a big differnce between some battalions and the HR departments.

Son's HR people are great, they have never missed a payment or even been late. I heard horror stories about cadets that participated in CLIP that never received their CLIP $ due to their HR not submitting the correct paperwork on time. I guess my son's should be grateful they have a good HR Support Staff. Older son received his book money prior to school starting, younger MS1 son received his a week ago, they did tell him that the book $ is usually paid for MS1's the first part of OCT. to make sure they make it through the first weeks of the program.

I really feel for those cadets that do not have good battalion HR support staff, it can make things rough.
 
We are dealing with stipend and book $ issues at DS's battalion, too. He contracted Aug. 8th at orientation. We figured there would be somewhat of a delay before he received his first pmt, but still nothing. The other midshipmen received their stipend and book reimbursement weeks ago, but not DS. He finally talked to someone at the battalion and they found out that there was a number transposed on his bank account information - on their end at NSTC - and that all monies would be deposited on the next pay date. That date has come and gone and still no $$. DS is panicking as he watches his savings account dwindle. So far, I've stayed out of it but I may have to make a call soon.
 
We are dealing with stipend and book $ issues at DS's battalion, too. He contracted Aug. 8th at orientation. We figured there would be somewhat of a delay before he received his first pmt, but still nothing. The other midshipmen received their stipend and book reimbursement weeks ago, but not DS. He finally talked to someone at the battalion and they found out that there was a number transposed on his bank account information - on their end at NSTC - and that all monies would be deposited on the next pay date. That date has come and gone and still no $$. DS is panicking as he watches his savings account dwindle. So far, I've stayed out of it but I may have to make a call soon.

Sounds like an administrative nightmare.

There is a great quote from retired Sec Def Gates "You always pay the guys with the guns first"

Make sure he stays on top of it with the battalion support staff, I'm sure that goes without saying. See if he can get confirmation from NSTC that the numbers are now correct and ask them when he can expect current and back payment. Tell him not to feel shy about bugging them everyday until he gets the answers he needs, You don't mees with a servicemans pay, even in ROTC.
 
We are still dealing with this issue. I finally called NSTC and found out that when they went in and "corrected" his account number, they put it in wrong AGAIN. So...no stipend or book reimbursement until the 11/15 pay period.
 
If my daughter is any indicator this kind of thing does not end. It seems she was always dealing with some sort of administrative issue: forms by the batallion admin filled out wrong, travel arrangements that made no sense for CULP, ROTC wage form not submitted, etc. I guess it is a good thing to introduce the cadets to Army red tape early on...
 
If my daughter is any indicator this kind of thing does not end. It seems she was always dealing with some sort of administrative issue: forms by the batallion admin filled out wrong, travel arrangements that made no sense for CULP, ROTC wage form not submitted, etc. I guess it is a good thing to introduce the cadets to Army red tape early on...

Yes, we've had our share of red tape as well. Our son decided to decline the 3 yr scholarship since he was already on the SMP path when the offer was made. The confusion began with getting Army Tuition Assistance last year. Now this year trying to get the GI Bill and Kicker going has been even more frustrating. It's as if our son is the first soldier to ever use these programs, because recruiters and Reserve units don't seem to know how they work. In the final week before the scholarship offer expired, due to the problems with the MGIB-SR and other factors, our son decided to take the scholarship afterall. Within a week afterwards, we already had our tuition reimbursed, and the following week the book money and ROTC stipend was on it's way. The battalion was on top of it and did it all. It's been a breath of fresh air!
 
Is this normal procedure?

Proper, no. Normal, unfortunately yes.

At our BN, most of our Scholarship freshmen contracted in August. Some did not because they had not yet completed DODMERB or passed the APFT.

The Cadets that contracted in August have already received their book money and their stipends for September and October. (Cadets do not $ in July or August unless they are conducting some form of ROTC training, ie LDAC, CULP, etc.)

We would not withhold $ because a form was not turned in. The form should have been turned in prior to contracting.
 
DS is like Agahad, C400 (SR-AFROTC), but still different.

He got his summer TDY money, AND his 1st stipend for Sept., but when Oct 1st rolled around...new fiscal yr...he did not get paid.

Supposedly, the stipend was bounced because of banking acct. info. Interesting since it is the same acct he has for yrs., where they found it every 1st and 15th. The same account that they found on Sept 15, 2011.

DS has a great 1st shirt, and he is in constant contact with DS.

Is it only me, am I the only one seeing a trend, that contracted cadets in different branches at different colleges are now having issues?

Marist College ROTC said:
Proper, no. Normal, unfortunately yes.

IMPO, as an AROTC AD Army officer, you just hit the hornet's nest. Good on you for telling everyone to stand away so they aren't stung.

That statement is honest, but it is also frightening if a child who contracts depends on the stipend as their spending money. Hint to 16 candidates enter with spending money. Hint to 16 parents you will SHELL out money for books. Our deal with our DS was we gave no spending money, he was allowed to keep the book money they gave him as his spending money. It really is a great motivator to the kids...DS was on top of it because that was $450 bucks free and clear, plus since we did not personally give him a stipend, even as a Freshman it was a couple hundred more a month.

Before everyone starts to do the OMG. Understand, that I bet Aglahad and Marist, plus myself will tell you that it is paperwork, and once resolved they will get a lump sum payment.

It will happen, it always happens.
 
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