Rumor of ROTC cuts?

TRexMama

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2012
Messages
25
Warning: This is unsubstantiated information and quite possibly bad scuttlebutt.

I recently heard from a current Army ROTC cadet at VT that sequestration issues may result in the Corps of Cadets cutting the bottom 10% of the current cadets on scholarship. This young man was sufficiently upset to convince me that he indeed believes this is true.

Has anyone else heard this kind of rumblings in regards to current ROTC scholarship cadets?
 
It also could be a manpower need. For example, they may not be cutting 10% across the board, but instead just one yr group. If this is the case, than it would be more manpower than sequestration.

Sequestration is 10% for the next 10 yrs., but it does not necessarily follow that it would be a flat 10% across the board for everything. For example, the DoD will probably keep in place the hiring/promotion freeze, by doing so it offsets cuts elsewhere.

This yrs sequestration was a hard hit because they had to cut the yrly budget with only 6 months left. Much of the money was spent, and they were not allowed to touch other things at the same time, i.e. pay. Next yr., they will touch pay and bennies, such as AFROTC dropping stipends for cadets. Thus, another reason that it might be more of a manpower need than sequestration.
 
ROTC Cuts

Talking to the people connected with the school DS will be attending, they said the cuts they are experiencing are more along the lines of staff and faculty. They have not reduced their enrollment or scholarships, but have had to let go or re-assign some ROTC instructors/staff.

None of their training or programs have been cut. They sent more students on CULP this year than ever and still have the same slots for airborne or assault.

Like they said, seems odd to send a students to the middle of nowhere for a few weeks in the summer instead of retaining qualified instructors.
 
Have not heard anything like this from my son's school.

Agree QA1517 about training and cutbacks.

This could be just a VT thing.
 
It could be a VT thing. But I find even that puzzling as they had been working hard to increase the size of the Corps to 1000 over recent years. I think they finally hit that number this year but am not certain about that. Also, it wouldn't explain why the target is scholarship cadets. Personally I think this is just rumor and has no foundation in fact. I'm prepared to be surprised though.
 
The situation the OP describes is... confusing.

Is the cadet talking about AROTC cadets on AROTC scholarships? I suppose that's possible given that other branches have been trying to trim do their ROTC programs.

If speaking about the Corps of Cadets in general, it sounds really odd. The only general Corps scholarship is the Emerging Leader Scholarship which is relatively small ($2000/year instate, $3000 OOS). I believe it is primarily funded through the alumni so it shouldn't be affected by sequestration. Besides, the Corps is about to break ground on a brand new dorm over the summer. I would hope they'd be more politically astute than to cut funding for a relatively small scholarship just as they embark on major capital project.
 
The situation the OP describes is... confusing.

Is the cadet talking about AROTC cadets on AROTC scholarships? I suppose that's possible given that other branches have been trying to trim do their ROTC programs.

If speaking about the Corps of Cadets in general, it sounds really odd. The only general Corps scholarship is the Emerging Leader Scholarship which is relatively small ($2000/year instate, $3000 OOS). I believe it is primarily funded through the alumni so it shouldn't be affected by sequestration. Besides, the Corps is about to break ground on a brand new dorm over the summer. I would hope they'd be more politically astute than to cut funding for a relatively small scholarship just as they embark on major capital project.

Yes, the concerned cadet was speaking about "potential cuts" which would involve AROTC cadets currently on AROTC scholarship; however, let me remind you that the information I got was second hand and I can't quote a direct source. I brought it to this forum hoping someone could speak to the potentiality of scholarship cadets being dropped from ROTC (despite being good standing). Has this happened before (due to either a federal funding issue and/or manpower issue)?
 
Yes, the concerned cadet was speaking about "potential cuts" which would involve AROTC cadets currently on AROTC scholarship; however, let me remind you that the information I got was second hand and I can't quote a direct source. I brought it to this forum hoping someone could speak to the potentiality of scholarship cadets being dropped from ROTC (despite being good standing). Has this happened before (due to either a federal funding issue and/or manpower issue)?

This has not happened in AROTC for as long as I can remember. I tend to think this is a product of a rumor mill, we all know how easy those get started.

The Army is unique in the fact that they have an option of sending graduates to the Reserve/National Guard if they need to cut the number of Active Duty. The other branches do not have this option.

I would not expect to see any Scholarship cadet lose their scholarship and be cut from the program if they are within all the requirements of their contract. The best advice for current scholarship AROTC cadets is not to do anything that would give the Army an excuse to drop you, other then that, it's my bet they won't just be dropping AROTC scholarship cadets for no reason.
 
I would not expect to see any Scholarship cadet lose their scholarship and be cut from the program if they are within all the requirements of their contract. The best advice for current scholarship AROTC cadets is not to do anything that would give the Army an excuse to drop you, other then that, it's my bet they won't just be dropping AROTC scholarship cadets for no reason.

I agree, control what you can control
 
I would add that the SMCs have a number of 2LTs they are supposed to commission based on Federal Law annually. I know at TAMU it is 85. We were briefed by our PMS to understand that this might mean if cuts do happen, our program might be less lenient towards cadets with issues prior to contracting as we have been exceeding at around 105-115 commissioned 2LT's. Therefore it is not cutting cadets so much as allowing the herd to thin itself out.
 
Sounds like rumors. My school is sending more cadets to CULP than in years prior and is bringing in just as many scholarship cadets as the past 2 years.

Only cuts we have seen so far have been in budget. We've actually gained 3 additional cadre to my battalion.
 
I would add that the SMCs have a number of 2LTs they are supposed to commission based on Federal Law annually. I know at TAMU it is 85. We were briefed by our PMS to understand that this might mean if cuts do happen, our program might be less lenient towards cadets with issues prior to contracting as we have been exceeding at around 105-115 commissioned 2LT's. Therefore it is not cutting cadets so much as allowing the herd to thin itself out.

Sounds like a distinction without a difference to me.
 
The only "cut" I've gotten any info on is the stipend being reduced.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Army Cadet Command is restructuring. Some BNs are being reduced. Some are being enlarged. Some are being merged. Some new ones are being created.

None of this should have a huge impact on contracted Cadets.

If a program is being reduced, non-contracted Cadets at that program will find it harder to contract.

If you have a 4.0 GPA and a 300 APFT score you will have no problem getting a contract as long as you are otherwise qualified, ie medical, criminal history, citizenship, etc
 
Hmmmm...If I was the cadre at a large SMC and I wanted to motivate the Cadets at the bottom of the OML to step up their game how would I do that...I've got it...I'll concoct a rumor that if they don't do better there is a chance they could be part of the "rumored cuts"...brilliant I say, brilliant.
If there is one thing I've learned in the XX years in the Army, it's that you'll go crazy if you listen to rumors. But it all doesn't matter, I heard a rumor we'll all be in Syria by the end of the summer.
 
Clarkson,

Are you sure about Syria, I thought it was No Korea!

Silly me, you are right, No Korea was last month!

Not trying to downplay it for the OP, just trying to highlight how fast the mill churns.
 
Not to mention that the Canadians have been getting just a little testy, had to wait at the border for 30 min. Something MUST be Done!!
 
The Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson keeps the Canadians honest. We're an hours drive from their capital and are ready to put the kabosh on any of their shenanigans if they get feisty.
 
When I was in Clarkson ROTC we made it know to the Canadiens that if they tried anything we would have immediately gone to the Molson Brewery and defended the Brador!
 
When I was in Clarkson ROTC we made it know to the Canadiens that if they tried anything we would have immediately gone to the Molson Brewery and defended the Brador!

Unfortunately, the habs (i.e. Canadiens for you non-hockey types) don't play at the Molson Centre anymore. But the brewery is still in Montreal and less than 2 hours from Potsdam!
 
Back
Top