What to Expect Now

Cluelessparent

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I did try the search function and it is like most forum searches hard to narrow down unless you know exact phrases. So forgive me in advance cause I know this has been beat to death or send me to the right post please.

My DS just finished LDAC and is now at CTLT (?) He will be reporting back to school in a few weeks for his Senior year. I believe I read somewhere on here that your GPA is pulled at the end of your Junior year or will it be later. His GPA is just Avg. I and he fears that GPA will pull his scoring for Army job down tremedously. Spanish has been the downfall pretty much. His GPA is 3.23 or so. He retook a Spanish I do not know if his new GPA reflects the new grade yet.

He is Guard SMP and I believe if he had it to do all over again he would do straight ROTC Scholarship. Reason is, it is my understanding his Basic Training and AIT already completed buys him nothing in the scoring system (except the experience he has gained). He is way above the other Cadets that are not SMP due to his 4 yrs with Guard but it seems to mean nothing. Seems as though ROTC students get points f0r each year they participate so there is no way he can catch them since he just started ROTC when he contracted in his Sophomore year. Seems odd to me???

I will be first to say he is a do it yourself person and I hear things often after the fact. I wish I had found this site from the beginning of his process but just found it.

I am basically asking what to expect in the process now or is it basically all through after CTLT? Can he do anything to help, higher GPA would help but has it been pulled? He got an E at LDAC, I believe his last Army PT score was 298, and he is doing his Cadet work with a Route Clearance Unit. HE graduated from Benning in 12 with a Infantry MOS.

Thanks
 
Right now there is little he can do in regard to his points for the OML. Everything is counted up to the completion of the junior year then they add LDAC and CTLT.

Your not exactly correct when it comes to points for SMP. Your son will receive some points toward his score for every year he was a SMP cadet, this will more then make up for any points cadets may have received their freshman year.

The E at LDAC and his PT scores, as long as that was the average for the two recorded APFT's his junior year, should help him compete for Active Duty. As far as branching goes it all depends on how the stars align. Does your son have a major that is included in any of the branches that are within the Special Branching Program.
 
Good to hear about the SMP points. He was RSP his freshman year was deployable by the start of his Sophomore year and reported to a Unit as SMP. Contracted at the end of his Sophomore year and reported to a new unit as a Cadet in training. He is a Criminal Justice Major.

I am not aware of the Special Branching Program. Not sure Criminal Justice will count for much. He has the same hopes as many I guess, Military then FBI.....

Thanks for the reply
 
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I found some info on the Special Branching. All I can say is I tried to talk to him about the CJ thing. Well I guess he will have to ride it out and see...... I don't know how many want Infantry. I believe where he is a slew......
 
Clueless....if things made any sense in the world, your sons "experience" would trump everything else in the process IMO. His PT score is very good and getting a legitimate 'E' at LDAC any other year would also be a nice accomplishment. I read your other post about your son's experience at LDAC and all I can say is that both my kids generally concur with his assessment.

I may be a dreamer but I think your son has a great shot at getting active duty but then again, nobody really knows how they're going to go about rating the cadets this time around. I was totally surprised when my son's PMS told me that Infantry is very high on the list of many cadets and is one of the harder assignments to get. Maybe your son can put his CJ degree to god use and go the Military Police route. I have previously read that the Army was planning a total revamp of MP training and their focus to be more "infantry related". I have no idea if that's true though.
 
The model is going to look odd as the distribution of weights has not yet received final approval. We have been told that even Accessions branch would not provide a forecast for the active duty cut line.
 
Thanks for the encouragement k2. Yeah he was really bummed about LDAC. Move it from Washington to Knox for a one year guinea pig class and then not have it next year? What the heck?
I would really like to put on here his words of his assessment of LDAC (probably not a good idea and it is just one hard nose kids opinion) and also his assessment of his Military oriented College's new outlook.
For his school it is about making everyone win regardless of the price. The age of entitlement. It relates to more public school finding. The Military aspect of his College is coming down to just wearing a pretty little uniform for a show for the public.
And yea Infantry is the hardest to get at his school.
 
K2.... I got you on that legitimate E at LDAC in other year. Hope that don't mean GPA will be weighed more. I think that is what all men want is to serve with a Officer on paper....
By the way his corrected GPA is 3.28 not much different than the 3.23. Well will see or I guess he will.

I guess another question. If he don't make the cut can he go enlisted, I imagine if he don't get what he wants he would rather do that anyway. He is that head strong. He has a buddy that went straight in from high school and after 3 years is a SGT and may be about to get a Drill Sgt slot. I think if my DS had it all to go over again he would go straight in or not do the Military school thing.
 
If he doesn't get active duty - he will be an officer, just in the Guard or Reserve (after all the Army spent 4 years training college students to become a platoon leader).

I'm not sure if you could drop a scholarship/contract that late in the game, but I'd venture to say that you might have to pay back whatever the Guard paid for (something that probably varies state to state; it's best if your DS talks to his recruiter about that).
 
Cluelessparent,

Depending on which "Military school thing/Military oriented College" he attends he may be assured active duty with PMS recommendation. Contracted ROTC participants at the Military Schools (Citadel, Norwich, North Georgia?, VMI....) with PMS recommendation will get active duty if requested. They are not guaranteed a specific Branch within the Army.
 
He's not even talking about leaving etc... that would be blasphemy in his book! I was just wondering how that thing works if he doesn't get a contract. I feel pretty sure he will get a contract but not what he wants. And then again what he wants might not be the best for him in the long run.
I told him to leave the other school stuff alone and concentrate on GPA. But it is hard to do where he is. It has been a rough four years full of ups and downs. Last year was a huge down. No particulars here but I don't think I personally could have handled it.
He is @ Bliss now. He continues to push on..... he will make it :thumb:
 
I was just wondering how that thing works if he doesn't get a contract.
... I'm confused? How does he not have a contract? In order to pass beyond MSIII year he has to have a contract - which in his case, since he is SMP, he has a Guard contract. No?
 
contract

... I'm confused? How does he not have a contract? In order to pass beyond MSIII year he has to have a contract - which in his case, since he is SMP, he has a Guard contract. No?

I think OP was referring to active duty.
 
I was just wondering how that thing works if he doesn't get a contract. I feel pretty sure he will get a contract but not what he wants.

I believe they are referring to what Branch he will receive.
 
I admit I do not understand the lingo. I am not prior military and I just pick up bits and pieces from him on occasion. Heck I barely see him and he prefers not to talk about school/work.

To my understanding, he has signed an Army contract. He had to choose between Army, Navy etc between his Sophomore and Junior year. That is when he chose Army over the others or NG (I think I have that right). Then he entered ROTC as a Junior. Maybe I have it all wrong but don't think so. If he commissions his SMP with guard ends and Army active begins.

Not trying to offend anyone on here but he has one thing on his mind .... Infantry???
 
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Whether he gets infantry or not is almost purely driven by his stats. And a little bit of luck. He should already know his rough chances based on his GPA, PT scores, CER counseling from his PMS, performance at LDAC, etc.

If he doesn't get his branch of choice, he has very few options for the first few years. If he wants infantry but doesn't receive it, he still has the option to drop an SF packet at about the 3-3 1/2 year mark, so should concentrate on being the very best junior officer he can be, regardless of branch.
 
Thanks to all for replying ..... I am sure he understands exactly what is in front. It is his wagon, I would just like to understand what he is trying to pull. I knew I would get straighter answers from you guys. I am sure he often gives me the intentional mushroom treatment.
 
I admit I do not understand the lingo. I am not prior military and I just pick up bits and pieces from him on occasion. Heck I barely see him and he prefers not to talk about school/work.

Pardon my ignorance my scree name says clueless ..... I found some reading. YES, his branch assignment.
 
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