2 quesetion: joining as a Sophomore and AROTC Branching

sjbd94

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
202
Okay so my first question is can you join rotc for any branch as a sophomore without having to go through any special programs or apply for anything. Pretty much what I am asking is if it is pretty much the same as if you were joining as a freshman.

My second question is about AROTC branching. I have a AROTC scholarship and my parents are a little "worried" about the whole army vs the navy or air force, I am not against it, but I am just curious as to if you dont want a "combat" branch are u gonna be forced into one. From the stats I have seen it seems infantry, aviation, armor, FA, and AD are the most competitive vs Intelligence, finance, quartermaster, Adjutant General, etc. So i feel like if u dont want to be a part of combat and only be in a support role it seems like it is a path that is there if you want it. Is this true? Thanks for your time everyone!
 
Okay so my first question is can you join rotc for any branch as a sophomore without having to go through any special programs or apply for anything. Pretty much what I am asking is if it is pretty much the same as if you were joining as a freshman.

My second question is about AROTC branching. I have a AROTC scholarship and my parents are a little "worried" about the whole army vs the navy or air force, I am not against it, but I am just curious as to if you dont want a "combat" branch are u gonna be forced into one. From the stats I have seen it seems infantry, aviation, armor, FA, and AD are the most competitive vs Intelligence, finance, quartermaster, Adjutant General, etc. So i feel like if u dont want to be a part of combat and only be in a support role it seems like it is a path that is there if you want it. Is this true? Thanks for your time everyone!

There are certainly opportunities to be in a branch with a statistically lower chance of engaging the enemy. But there are no guarantees that you'd get those branches, and if you do, there's no guarantee you won't engage the enemy. In every branch, you are still a soldier. You are still expected to be a warfighter.

You need to choose the branch that's right for YOU, not what your parents want.
 
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States in close combat.

from the Soldier's creed that every Soldier is expected to internalize. If you don't stand ready then don't take the money.
 
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States in close combat.

from the Soldier's creed that every Soldier is expected to internalize. If you don't stand ready then don't take the money.

Fact. Well said.
 
75% of Army ROTC Cadets receive "Cadet Satisfaction" which is determined to be 1 of your top 3 choices for branch and 1 of your top 3 choices of post. The 25% that do not receive "Cadet Satisfaction" are the same 25% that spent more time playing video games and going to bars than they spent at the library hitting the books.
 
75% of Army ROTC Cadets receive "Cadet Satisfaction" which is determined to be 1 of your top 3 choices for branch and 1 of your top 3 choices of post. The 25% that do not receive "Cadet Satisfaction" are the same 25% that spent more time playing video games and going to bars than they spent at the library hitting the books.

That is what I was wanting to hear, I just wanted to know that if I put in the effort that there is a good chance I would be able to go into the filed I desire. Thank you. What about the whole joining as a sophomore thing?
 
sjbd94 said:
That is what I was wanting to hear, I just wanted to know that if I put in the effort that there is a good chance I would be able to go into the filed I desire.

What if they said no? Would that be a factor in your decision?

Yes, there is a good chance, but you also must accept that you might not get that career field.

I bet 100% of the cadets believe they will be in the top 75% when they enter, but at the end of the day 25% will not get their choice.

I am not implying you will not get your dream, I am asking what if you are that 25%? Would you still join?

If the answer is yes, than great, but if you have to think about it, you have your answer.
 
A little confused about the sophomore thing. You said you have a scholarship. If you have a scholarship offer you mist enroll in ROTC, even if that scholarship is a 3AD scholarship. You can wait until sophomore year, but if you do, you will be a year behind your peers. You will have a year less than your peers to convince the Battalion you deserve a contract. if you wait until sophomore you may be asked to attend LTC the following summer (between sophomore and junior year). I guess my other question is what is the ROO at the school you have a scholarship to telling you about joining sophomore year.
 
I believe I would still join if I was the 25%. And Clarkson I am asking as to if u are not on scholarship, can you join ROTC as a sophomore without doing anything "special" just as if u were a freshman. I know for a 3 year scholarship I have to be enrolled all 4 years. Thanks again for all the info!
 
Got it...I would tell you it is going to get harder to join as a sophomore. LTC will be an option, but I'm thinking, especially at the bigger schools there may not be any contract room left in some sophomore classes. I know at Clarkson I would ask you to take either the freshmen or sophomore class first semester to let us and you determine whether you are a good fit, and then I would have you take the sophomore class in the spring if you are still interested and then send you to LTC in the summer. But I'm a small school and am usually looking to add one or two to my sophomore class to solidify the year group.

Hope that makes sense and helps
 
You will not be able to join our program as a sophomore this year. We have no remaining slots. Most years we would have 1 or slots remaining, but not this year.
 
Back
Top