AROTC Class of 2016

NorwichDad

10-Year Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
1,351
Soon you will be in school. Make sure you are running everyday now. Push ups and sit ups everyday now. Make a committment to be an adult in everything in college. Commit to focus on doing your schoolwork when you get to school. First semester grades are very important. Do well first semester and college will be that much easier. Won't be too many second chances the next couple of years. Talked to a friend today with a son at West Point. WP does not have the leniency of past years for infractions and bad grades. Just quick dismissals. ROTC will be the same. Now is your time to be a responsible adult.

Best Wishes
 
In addition to the advice on running and working out, the new APRT (PT Test) is supposed to take effect 1 OCT. It includes a few new events, make sure you start preparing yourself for these events so you can be ahead of the curve.

Like NorwichDad said, grades are very important and if you start off bad, you make it harder the rest of your college career since you will be digging yourself out of a hole. It's going to take some time management and discipline to force yourself to study when you'd rather be doing other things. You'll see some crazy stuff in college, it's college, but all the people doing that crazy stuff aren't committing to a career of service to our nation. They don't have PT in the morning, or a GPA to maintain. You do. Avoid the kegger every friday night and take it easy and get the sleep you lost over the past week so you can hit the books a little over the weekend.

Do have some fun though. Whatever you want to consider your escape, make sure you make time to get away from school and ROTC, or it will eat you alive. Find your balance. Make friends that aren't in ROTC.

Finally, just have some fun. Enjoy your last summer before everything changes. It's the best years of your (at least mine) life.

Good Luck! :thumb:
 
My first post! Thank you ALL for keeping me company for months. I'm in awe of all the help, experience, encouragement, joy and stories you have provided to me.

Our last child, a daughter, has wanted the Military since she was 10 years old (and I can even see hints of it prior). Her dream has come true. She is a very proud member of the AROTC class of 2016. She has worked hard to achieve this honor; she will work even harder to keep it. She won't let any of you down.

I have found people JUST LIKE HER! The sages, the new "kids" who have a burning desire that most people do not understand.

I've printed off all the advice for her to read................to know how proud all of you are, but mostly, for her to know what you all expect from her.

We are new to this! We do not have a rich military background; only some.

Again, thank you all; not just AROTC - I've read everything! Every branch; every area. I've read stories aloud to the family; I've cried at many of them.

Thank you again - and thank you for letting me 'share' in just how proud of our 'DD' (I had to learn a bunch of acronyms!) we are!
 
Thanks for your post. Now you should stick around and pitch in! Besides, we'll want to hear all about your DD's challenges and successes. Good luck to her!
 
4 years - 4 years ago, I trolled through this group so happy to have found it, to read up on, and learn everything I could (the waiting, the acceptance, the journey about to commence). Next week, DD commissions active duty into the US Army (Ordnance). She has achieved Distinguished Military Graduate honor, as well is graduating from uni Magna Cum Laude. The workload of a student pursuing not only their college degree, but also their officer in training commitments was unbelievable. I am astounded at what these young people go through. The people just like her I've come to know as friends in that group of ROTC students - we can be assured that the caliber of our military leaders are stellar. (Can I make it through the 'pinning' ceremony without crying my eyes out?). This chat group was a huge support for me back then as we embarked on this new territory, Now, we begin a brand new journey watching our DD grow - and with the good/bad/scary that comes with that. Thank you for allowing me to follow-up.
 
Bouncing off of what Bull said - academics come first, ROTC comes second - if anyone tells you otherwise, they are WRONG.

Folks, check this out. It's important that you do well in ROTC too. But keep one thing in mind. Do not plan your major around ROTC.

Speaking for the Army side, this is what I mean. If you are dead serious about branching Infantry, don't major in english, just because it's an easy major to allow you to focus all of your time on ROTC.

What happens if A.) You don't have a scholarship/contract and don't end up getting one, B.)You have a scholarship/contract but somehow end up losing it (Medical DQ, getting in trouble, etc)? Then you're stuck in a major, that realistically, you won't probably be able to find a job associated with that degree.

Find something that, if you weren't planning on going into the Military, that you'd truly want to do for a living. Now - this doesn't mean that if you truly want to major in history, you shouldn't. I'm just saying - don't try to game the system. The system changes all the time. What you think you know now, may very well change in 2-3 years when you assess.

... there's a lot more stuff that I want to say. But that's all I have the time for now. I'll see if I can get back to this thread in a week or so.
 
4 years - 4 years ago, I trolled through this group so happy to have found it, to read up on, and learn everything I could (the waiting, the acceptance, the journey about to commence). Next week, DD commissions active duty into the US Army (Ordnance). She has achieved Distinguished Military Graduate honor, as well is graduating from uni Magna Cum Laude. The workload of a student pursuing not only their college degree, but also their officer in training commitments was unbelievable. I am astounded at what these young people go through. The people just like her I've come to know as friends in that group of ROTC students - we can be assured that the caliber of our military leaders are stellar. (Can I make it through the 'pinning' ceremony without crying my eyes out?). This chat group was a huge support for me back then as we embarked on this new territory, Now, we begin a brand new journey watching our DD grow - and with the good/bad/scary that comes with that. Thank you for allowing me to follow-up.

Thank you so much for the follow up! My daughter is class 2020, and your story is very similar to ours, I am so happy for your daughter and also very excited for mine as she starts on her journey! Again, congratulations!
 
4 years - 4 years ago, I trolled through this group so happy to have found it, to read up on, and learn everything I could (the waiting, the acceptance, the journey about to commence). Next week, DD commissions active duty into the US Army (Ordnance). She has achieved Distinguished Military Graduate honor, as well is graduating from uni Magna Cum Laude. The workload of a student pursuing not only their college degree, but also their officer in training commitments was unbelievable. I am astounded at what these young people go through. The people just like her I've come to know as friends in that group of ROTC students - we can be assured that the caliber of our military leaders are stellar. (Can I make it through the 'pinning' ceremony without crying my eyes out?). This chat group was a huge support for me back then as we embarked on this new territory, Now, we begin a brand new journey watching our DD grow - and with the good/bad/scary that comes with that. Thank you for allowing me to follow-up.

Congratulations to you and your daughter. Bawl away at the commissioning ceremony. And don't forget to pose for photos when you're affixing her bars.
 
In addition to the advice on running and working out, the new APRT (PT Test) is supposed to take effect 1 OCT. It includes a few new events, make sure you start preparing yourself for these events so you can be ahead of the curve.

Bull, Do you have any good/current links to/for this test? My searching only returns articles that are a few years old and no mention of implementation. Thanks
 
Bull, Do you have any good/current links to/for this test? My searching only returns articles that are a few years old and no mention of implementation. Thanks

The "new" pt test was never implemented. It's still 2 minutes of push-ups, 2 minutes of sit-ups and a 2-mile run. The standards are easily found online.
 
The "new" pt test was never implemented. It's still 2 minutes of push-ups, 2 minutes of sit-ups and a 2-mile run. The standards are easily found online.
I see now that LIG2012 replied to a thread that was 4 years old and I just went with it.
 
Congrats! +1 on all advice above. Study!!! Grades are super important. DS is applying for nursing school to start in the Spring semester. He is ranked #3 in his class with his battalion. He will attend CIET this summer. He does well in ROTC and is learning to lead. He will graduate and commission at 22 years old. I wish I was as smart as my kids!! They are sooooo far ahead of their peers.
 
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