And So It Has Been Said

Ex.BT.USN

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
582
Pima...as you said, things change!!!

DS is loving his NROTC unit and everything it has to offer. Very engaged!! Some will know that our DS was a USNA app as well as an NROTC app last year. He got the NROTC but did not get into USNA. Not to be stopped he applied to the Academy again for the class of 2019.

On the way to drop him off at the NROTC unit we stopped at USNA so he could feel some things out. It is now almost two months later he is holding all A's with I think one B and has decided not continue on with USNA. He is staying with his unit and will commission from there.

And so it has been said that this may very well happen...and it did! :thumb::smile::wink::bounce1:
 
Awesome! Congrats on your DS's success and finding his "groove" where he can thrive and fulfill his ambitions.
 
Love it when they decide that where they landed is exactly where they were supposed to be. Congratulations! Happy to say that my son feels the same way about his NROTC unit/college. I am grateful that I do not lose sleep nightly over MOC, CFA, ACT, SAT, etc. like I did last year.

Course now his sister wants USCGA class of 2021 so we will ramp up again soon enough. :)
 
Re-posted from the USNA forum...

DS ended up as a college program Marine Option at the University of Oklahoma. He is competing for both the internal "sideload" scholarship as well as the external MO scholarship. He is feeling that re-applying for the Academy is a step backward in a way--especially since newly commissioned Marines all go through TBS to truly become Marine Officers. (He also said he doesn't want to be a freshman again.)

He was truly bummed the first time around the Academy process--especially since his best fried since kindergarten got in. Once he got involved in the unit at OU, however, a lot of that disappointment faded away. The MOI/AMOI are top notch. Unfortunately they will be rotating out in the spring, but DS is really benefiting from this first year with them. The new Navy CO and XO are awesome as well.

DS has one of the highest PFT scores in the unit. He also got recruited for the endurance team as a freshman--being the only freshman on the team. He's doing well in classes and believes he can pull out a 4.0. The Marine Options work extremely hard in that unit and he definitely is holding his own and outpacing a few.

The major frustrations for him center around putting up with other kids his age that seem to be there more for the "experience" than the study. He dislikes dorm life. His roommate and he are night and day different. He gets frustrated with chemistry and engineering lab partners that are more concerned about goofing off on their laptops than getting the group work done, etc.

So, in short, maybe things did turn out better in the long run. The commission is the goal, not the path to it.
 
Learning to live and worth with all types is a very important lesson he will need to succeed in the Military. He is still going to deal with less motivated people, or have to work with (or for) people he may not like.

Those are life lessons.

My son had a very similar experience with AROTC. He was medically denied entrance into the USMA due to ear surgery the last part of his Sr. year in High School. He was not recovered by June 1st. He moved right to plan B (he has been pursing and was awarded an AROTC scholarship) and visited several of the AROTC units he was interested in.

He absolutely loves his unit. He decided to not reapply for the USMA this year. it was a long fight to get him a medical waiver anyways, but in the end he seems to have ended up where he belongs. His unit has several Green to Gold cadets who are Special Forces (we are near Ft. Bragg) and he has been exposed to experienced with those guys that he wouldn't have gotten at the Academy. It has really given him great respect for senior enlisted.

I don't think the SA experience is any better or worse than ROTC... it is just different.
 
The major frustrations for him center around putting up with other kids his age that seem to be there more for the "experience" than the study. He dislikes dorm life. His roommate and he are night and day different. He gets frustrated with chemistry and engineering lab partners that are more concerned about goofing off on their laptops than getting the group work done, etc.

So, in short, maybe things did turn out better in the long run. The commission is the goal, not the path to it.

I think most ROTC Cadets and Mids have a lot of the same frustrations, they have a goal many others don't and seem to work harder to meet those goals.

Tell your son not to dismiss the entire "Experience" it's one of the things that make ROTC different then the SA's. I'm sure your son will begin to find those that are of the same mind and drive. It may sound strange but both my sons were members of a Fraternity, while that may conjur up visions of Animal House, it was a great fit for both of them. The average GPA at the house hovers around 3.4 each semester which was great motivation for both sons. They have had the chance to make lifelong friends in both ROTC and the civilian side. My younger son has been involved in student government during his time, he's currently the University IFC President. The outside leadership opportunities have been very valuable to him.

There is so much these kids can get involved with, while it can be a balancing act sometimes, they seem to handle it well. Great preparation for military life.

Glad to hear your son is doing well. Admirable how they adapt so quickly and never look back. Best of luck to your son.
 
Pima...as you said, things change!!!

DS is loving his NROTC unit and everything it has to offer. Very engaged!! Some will know that our DS was a USNA app as well as an NROTC app last year. He got the NROTC but did not get into USNA. Not to be stopped he applied to the Academy again for the class of 2019.

On the way to drop him off at the NROTC unit we stopped at USNA so he could feel some things out. It is now almost two months later he is holding all A's with I think one B and has decided not continue on with USNA. He is staying with his unit and will commission from there.

And so it has been said that this may very well happen...and it did! :thumb::smile::wink::bounce1:

I thought this might be the outcome since last March or April. He's a member of a fine unit at a great college. :thumb:

I had hoped to meet your son at the single tailgate I attended this year but evidently he didn't attend that day (according to everyone I asked to point him out). I'm still planning on attending again for the S. Alabama game because I know oysters will be available at that one :cool:, so maybe I'll have better luck next time.
 
I am glad he is enjoying life. That is the thing, so many spend a year building up what an SA life will be like, they get tunnel vision and when the TWE arrives they are adamant that they will try again.

They get to an excellent college that has a great ROTC program and a dreamt academic fit, and start to rethink how if they reapply and get appointed eating Pizza at midnight while playing Xbox, sitting on top of the bed that has not been made for days has its advantages...especially when....

In LLAB they teach you that every mid in NROTC that commissions will go AD. When they learn this is the 21st Century, not 1964. 50% of Flag officers are ROTC commissioned. As days go by they also see via the seniors with their career assignments, they too can get their dream career via ROTC.

Thus, hanging out at FB games in their school tee shirts, not getting up until 10 because your first class is 10:30, and eating when they want to eat without sitting at attention makes them rethink why they WOULD get on that rollercoaster again.

~ off topic, but on topic....I wonder if the reapply rate is higher for USMA and USCGA compared to USNA/AFA. I ask because both the Navy and AF traditionally requires AD. CGA does not have a ROTC program like the big three. Army does not guarantee AD unless they commission from an SMC.
~~~ I don't know enough from the Navy side...For example, is there an extremely higher rate for aviation or Marines if they commission from the USNA?
 
I am glad he is enjoying life. That is the thing, so many spend a year building up what an SA life will be like, they get tunnel vision and when the TWE arrives they are adamant that they will try again.

They get to an excellent college that has a great ROTC program and a dreamt academic fit, and start to rethink how if they reapply and get appointed eating Pizza at midnight while playing Xbox, sitting on top of the bed that has not been made for days has its advantages...especially when....

In LLAB they teach you that every mid in NROTC that commissions will go AD. When they learn this is the 21st Century, not 1964. 50% of Flag officers are ROTC commissioned. As days go by they also see via the seniors with their career assignments, they too can get their dream career via ROTC.

Thus, hanging out at FB games in their school tee shirts, not getting up until 10 because your first class is 10:30, and eating when they want to eat without sitting at attention makes them rethink why they WOULD get on that rollercoaster again.

~ off topic, but on topic....I wonder if the reapply rate is higher for USMA and USCGA compared to USNA/AFA. I ask because both the Navy and AF traditionally requires AD. CGA does not have a ROTC program like the big three. Army does not guarantee AD unless they commission from an SMC.
~~~ I don't know enough from the Navy side...For example, is there an extremely higher rate for aviation or Marines if they commission from the USNA?

Can't speak to rates regarding your final question. I can say that Marines is not guaranteed to USNA attendees but is guaranteed via NROTC and of course PLC. I've no idea regarding aviation.

EDIT: I've no doubt Hurricane12 had some comments regarding these issues in her past posts.
 
Wait a second, so if the mid wants Marine and financially the family doesn't need the bucks, are you saying that if their dream is to be a Marine NROTC is a better shot regarding obtaining a commission as a Marine 01?

OBTW soryry I diverted the thread, but I think for candidates that post or lurk, this might assist them regarding decision stress on the rollercoaster ride, that to now is something they never have experienced or imagined.
 
Last edited:
Wait a second, so if the mid wants Marine and financially the family doesn't need the bucks, are you saying that if their dream is to be a Marine NROTC is a better shot regarding obtaining a commission as a Marine 01?

OBTW soryry I diverted the thread, but I think for candidates that post or lurk, this might assist them regarding decision stress on the rollercoaster ride, that to now is something they never have experienced or imagined.

Well, 'better' is somewhat subjective but if you want to be guaranteed Marine Corps then NROTC or PLC are the only routes that guarantee that. USNA handles it much like USMA handles branching. You may not get the branch you want. Here are some posts by Hurricane12 on the topic:

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?p=221223&highlight=Marine#post221223

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?p=278690&highlight=Marine#post278690

EDIT: I suppose I should add, as no surprise, that plenty of NROTC Marine Options don't make it to OCS between junior and senior year. And even those that make it don't necessarily get through OCS. As I recall DS's OCS class had 17% drop (or were dropped) for various reasons. So in that sense, it's not guaranteed either.
 
Army does not guarantee AD unless they commission from an SMC

Makes me cringe to think people continually read the word "guarantee" and think it means all you have to do is get into an SMC and you're guaranteed an AD commission. That "guarantee" has a whole bunch of "ifs" attached to it.
 
Makes me cringe to think people continually read the word "guarantee" and think it means all you have to do is get into an SMC and you're guaranteed an AD commission. That "guarantee" has a whole bunch of "ifs" attached to it.

Yep, all in the fine print.
 
just want to clarify a tiny bit

as a mom of a usna mid who wanted to branch marine ground (though jets are up on the radar now...)

about 90% of usna mids get their first choice for selection.

It isn't THAT hard to branch marines of you know from the start you want to do that....and If you do what you need to do to get there.

After plebe summer DS did a half day MARSOT screener and cleared on to a full day MARSOT screener to get a MARSOT summer assignment. In fact even his youngster cruise was on a Marine Transport Unit because he early on declared an interest in Marines. You are asked during plebe summer what you may be interested in. If you say Marines or Subs you WILL be moved along that path until you self select other opportunities (this summer DS plans on another MARSOT training opportunity--I think air assault, but also wants to try out jets so will try for power flight.
 
Good Stuff

kinnem, good talking to you yesterday, I will ask my 4th Class Mid if he is attending the game you mentioned. I know that he goes to every game; i just don't know where he will be. I believe for the most part he likes to stick to the unit. Remember the questions...it will really make his head spin!

PIMA, You were right!!

i think the thing that becomes settling overall is hearing just how involved he has become with the unit, his grades :thumb:, playing soccer, and one college activity which I really like. He is walking the walk!


Thank you for the feedback everybody...
 
just now reading this thread -

Count us in this group as well - ds is completely thrilled with his NROTC experience and is not looking back at the lost dreams of USNA AT ALL. Such a huge sense of relief this fall as compared to last fall. Our prayers were answered.

He's already talking about summer cruise coming up. He just had the Navy-Marine Ball last weekend. Upcoming trip with his aviation group to Pensacola for 100th year celebration of Naval Aviation there in November (or something like that?) life is good:thumb:
 
Back
Top