Active Duty from AROTC

Hey guys! Quick question. I have a 4yr ROTC scholarship, and I was wondering what my chances were of getting an active duty slot when I graduate. For the record, I'm a pretty good student, 2150 SAT score, 3.5+ GPA all through high school.

Also, I know that I have to sign a contract which enlists me in the USAR when I contract with ROTC. I read that the way an active duty slot works is that the Reserves releases you for "Extended Active Duty". I was wondering if that meant that, because I was an ROTC cadet, even if I get an Active Duty Slot I will still be in the reserves by a technicality, and how often I would have to reapply for extended active duty. Also, if I have to resubmit an application for AD further in my career, could the reserves decide to deny my request for AD for some reason and order me to a Reserves duty assignment?

Some of these are probably stupid questions, so please excuse my ignorance! I want to find out as much as I can about what I'm getting into before I swear in.

Thanks!

Also, I figure this is as good a time to ask this as any. I heard that the Army has a program which rewards cadets who are majoring in certain foreign languages with a sort of bonus. I'm majoring in French and Russian. Is there any truth to this, or is it just a rumor?

You mean SMP? Or did you sign a GFRD dedicated scholarship? If so your chances of transferring active at graduation are not good.

Nothing you have done so far effects your OML or score/chance for an active slot. That all comes down to GPA, APFT, major, LDAC scores, PMS eval, military schools, and extra currics while IN college.

Ya you get a grand or two I believe for the classes and maybe .25 points on the OML.

Oh! I know that. I was just trying to show that in the past I've been an alright student. High School doesn't mean anything for the actual Army except getting me the scholarship. I was more wondering what the chances for a cadet in ROTC are for getting a slot.

And I haven't signed anything yet, I'm not SMP, haven't signed a GFRD, and the contract I'm signing is just the basic one that USC gives to every contract cadet. One of them is an enlistment agreement with the USAR Control Group (ROTC). But I received the Army ROTC 4yr scholarship.

john3337 said:

Oh! I know that. I was just trying to show that in the past I've been an alright student. High School doesn't mean anything for the actual Army except getting me the scholarship. I was more wondering what the chances for a cadet in ROTC are for getting a slot.

And I haven't signed anything yet, I'm not SMP, haven't signed a GFRD, and the contract I'm signing is just the basic one that USC gives to every contract cadet. One of them is an enlistment agreement with the USAR Control Group (ROTC). But I received the Army ROTC 4yr scholarship.

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Oh the control group doesn't mean anything, as a cadet you are technically in the" reserve component". No big deal.

I'd say over half (~60) get AD off the top of my head but I would have to look at the most recent accessions/OML slides. Google them, they are out there and you can look at AD/reserves branching numbers and which branches fill up the fastest.

Google "fy 2012 oml slides" it should be the Purdue one

Cool cool. Thank you much!

john3337 said:

Cool cool. Thank you much!

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No worries. Don't look into the numbers and different statistics too much they will make more sense as you progress through the program.

As to chances for Active Duty, while it is true that 40% approx. went Reserves last year, it was more like this:

60% Wanted Active, Got Active
25% Wanted (or were pre-contracted) Reserves or NG, and got that
15% Wanted Active, but were forced into Reserves or Guard due to low placement on the OML.

Regarding language bonus, yes, there is a program called...what the heck is it...anyway it pays up to $300 per semester unit (Russian pays $300/unit... French maybe $100?... can't remember), with a cap at $3,000 total Bonus per year (still don't know if that is Calendar year, or ROTC Fiscal year) and it is for either Language or Cultural classes. The PMS has to verify the Class qualifies, and put the paperwork in AFTER you pass the class. Oh, and technically it is Bonus pay,not Stipend, so taxes are taken out.

Ah, I remember what it is called now: Culture and Language Incentive Pay Bonus -- CLIP-B.

Oh, too bad about USC... didn't get into UCLA? or are you referring to University of South Carolina?

^^Great Breakdown, One comment about CLIP, make sure you ROTC HR is on top of the paperwork, a few cadets have relayed that they never received their CLIP money due to slow or wrong paperwork, All HR's are not created equal.

Just to add to the Math fun.

Disclaimer: The numbers below are close but not exact.

5600 total cadets
1400 cadets that requested or were pre-contracted Reserves or NG
140 Nursing cadets (Approx)
4060 Total number of cadets competing for Active Duty
3110 Total number of cadets selected for Active Duty 77% of the number competing.

Dunninla do you have a link to the Branching and Actice Duty numbers for the class of 2012, I haven't seen one. It would be great to be able to list actual numbers instead of my estimates from memory, getting too old to trust that.

john3337 said:

Also, I know that I have to sign a contract which enlists me in the USAR when I contract with ROTC. I read that the way an active duty slot works is that the Reserves releases you for "Extended Active Duty". I was wondering if that meant that, because I was an ROTC cadet, even if I get an Active Duty Slot I will still be in the reserves by a technicality, and how often I would have to reapply for extended active duty. !

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OK, I think I stumbled upon the answer to your question about are you still in the ARmy REserves when you are on Extended Active Duty...

See Section 3-44.b(2) of AR-145-1 (page 25 of document)
http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r145_1.pdf

It appears there is a clean discharge from the USAR Control Group (separated from Reserves) the day prior to the effective commissioning date into Active Duty.

I assume then that when the Officer completes paperwork for separation for Active Duty, and assuming less than eight years have passed, the officer is then formally re-attached to the Reserves Control Group to go into IRR for the balance of the 8 years service obligation.

Alright. I know I had read something about CLIP. And no, It's University of South Carolina. I'm from here, so I use the controversial USC to describe it.

But that's good news! I've been a little worried about not getting active after college, but it looks like if you want it, the odds are in your favor to get it.

But that's good news! I've been a little worried about not getting active after college, but it looks like if you want it, the odds are in your favor to get it.

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Don't count on the numbers that were posted as being the numbers in 4 years. As the Army begins to draw down and troops start returning from Afganistan things will start to tighten up. Add to that the looming Defense budget cuts and the numbers could look a whole lot different 4 years from now when it comes to Active Duty. There were times when the vast majority of AROTC Cadets were sent to the Reserves. The best thing to do is not count on anything, do your best in all areas, GPA, APFT, LDAC and Battalion ROTC.

Hey all,

I was just wondering as to what my chances are of still getting active duty, as I have always wanted to be an active duty QM officer. I receicved an overall N at LDAC this summer for having one overall N in a leadership dimension. (also had one overall E and the rest all S's) I have a 3.64 GPA, 300+ on all APFTs including at LDAC, as well as 6/7 LDAC day nav and 4/5 night. I also got all S's on all my tactical evals out at camp as well. Any info on how the whole active duty cutoff works would be of great help!!

As to chances for Active Duty, while it is true that 40% approx. went Reserves last year, it was more like this:

60% Wanted Active, Got Active
25% Wanted (or were pre-contracted) Reserves or NG, and got that
15% Wanted Active, but were forced into Reserves or Guard due to low placement on the OML.

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I look at it this way:
The Army needs x number of 2LT's in AD, Reserves or Guard each year. If the cadets don't voluntarily fill the slots amongst themselves (by self-selecting) some will be forced.
Right now they need more in Reserves or Guard than are self selecting so some cadets will be forced into Reserves/Guard. Some may even have incentives to encourage 'self-selecting'. For instance, this past year anyone not on scholarship who selected a logistics branch (Trans, Ord, or QM) in the reserves will get a bonus.
Some cadets may end up selecting Guard or Reserves because they strongly feel they will not get the branch of their choice on AD and don't want to be 'stuck'.

The method the Army uses to 'force' people into positions where needs exist is the OML.
It's not a punishment, per se; but rather meeting the needs of the AD Army, National Guard and Army Reserve. Guard/Reserves is not a place to stick deadbeats. Deadbeats should not be commissioned at all.

The 'line' is adjusted each year as Army needs and cadet preferences change. Trends change over the years - just a few years ago nearly any cadet who wanted AD go it because that is where the greatest need was.

Whether it is AD/Reserves, Branch or Post many cadets each year are disappointed - the Army just can't please everyone.

sidewinder21 said:

Hey all,

I was just wondering as to what my chances are of still getting active duty, as I have always wanted to be an active duty QM officer. I receicved an overall N at LDAC this summer for having one overall N in a leadership dimension. (also had one overall E and the rest all S's) I have a 3.64 GPA, 300+ on all APFTs including at LDAC, as well as 6/7 LDAC day nav and 4/5 night. I also got all S's on all my tactical evals out at camp as well. Any info on how the whole active duty cutoff works would be of great help!!

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You should still be able to get Active Duty. 2 Cadets from my BN had overall Ns at LDAC but still managed to get Active Duty. You will probably have to ADSO. You will get a better idea of where you will place on the National OML when your PMS does your Accessions Counseling and runs the Branch Expectation Tool to determine %s based on previous years' data.

Just_A_Mom said:

I Guard/Reserves is not a place to stick deadbeats. .

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I agree. #1 on the OML last year went Reserves. Don't know if it was a pre-ROTC contract, or simply a choice, but #1 went Reserves.

It is a separate issue that some have always dreamed of Active Duty, and aren't able to go AD because of GPA, or they were sick at LDAC and scored low on the PFT, or a number of reasons, but GPA is the #1 culprit.