Reserves and ROTC?

carroll32

5-Year Member
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Nov 1, 2011
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I received an offer for a 3-YR AD scholarship, is it possible to join the national guard or army reserves, participate in ROTC, and still have an active duty option once i graduate?
 
I received an offer for a 3-YR AD scholarship, is it possible to join the national guard or army reserves, participate in ROTC, and still have an active duty option once i graduate?

Yes you can, it would be through the SMP program. You would give up the 3 year AD scholarship. Depending on the state and the program you would receive tuition assistance, and drill pay. You would only receive the GI Bill and the Kicker if you went to both BCT and AIT. You would not contract in ROTC until your sophomore year, the same as you would with the 3 year AD scholarship.

Curious question, why would you consider the reserves if you have been awarded a 3 year AD scholarship.

I'm not sure if you can join the reserves and keep the scholarship, I believe you can't, if you could and were not part of the SMP program then you would be deployable with your reserve unit which would disrupt college and ROTC.

I would talk to the ROO at the battalion you received the 3 year AD from and ask him these questions, they will be in a better position to answer your questions.
 
Sequence is everything, at least for Army ROTC.

You will be committed to ARNG or USAR if you sign your AROTC contract and then later join ARNG or USAR.

If you join ARNG or USAR and then later sign your AROTC contract, you will still have the option of becoming an active duty officer.
 
Sequence is everything, at least for Army ROTC.

You will be committed to ARNG or USAR if you sign your AROTC contract and then later join ARNG or USAR.

If you join ARNG or USAR and then later sign your AROTC contract, you will still have the option of becoming an active duty officer.

Wow, there are a lot of little nuances to the system that make it quite complex.
 
The answer to your questions is no, if you want to use that scholarship. Funny how the answers on this board are never simple and to the point. And don't fall for the old "you'll be a better Officer if you go to basic training, and experience what your soldiers have" crap.
 
"...why would you consider the reserves if you have been awarded a 3 year AD scholarship."

It is more just a question of curiosity then anything.

Thanks everyone for the answers!
 
"...why would you consider the reserves if you have been awarded a 3 year AD scholarship."

It is more just a question of curiosity then anything.

Thanks everyone for the answers!

One thing to keep in mind, if you decline the 3 year AD and go Reserves SMP you will still have to wait until your sophomore year to contract.

Don't fall to the trap of thinking if you go reserves and attend BCT and AIT that it will give you a huge advantage in ROTC.

SMP is a great program but at the end of the day you are just another cadet like everyone else. SMP, scholarship cadet, and non scholarship plus Green to Gold all have different advanages, the training you'll receive from ROTC will all be the same.

Sorry, I did not see Clarkson's post before I wrote this, he stated it much better and straight to the point as always.
 
"...why would you consider the reserves if you have been awarded a 3 year AD scholarship."

It is more just a question of curiosity then anything.

Thanks everyone for the answers!

Our son joined the Reserves to do SMP as Plan B when the 4 yr scholarship didn't come through in 2010. He was offered a 3 yr AD at the end of July when he was halfway through BCT. He continued with his split option and did AIT this past summer, then he contracted as a sophomore with ROTC last month. Whoever said there were alot of nuances was right. He had to choose between 1) going scholarship only and giving up Reserves, 2) turning down the scholarship and continue with Reserves and SMP, or 3) taking the scholarship (which turns into a GRFD), and continuing with Reserves and SMP. Each had their own advantages and disadvantages and we went back and forth many times during the year he had to decide. In the end he went with choice #3, but we were grateful he had so many choices. All of them are a good deal, and everyone has to look at their particular circumstances and goals to decide which works best for them.
 
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