StowieJ,
Please don't answer questions with an assumption, give it time, someone will come along and give an answer soon enough. There are a lot of people that read these threads that do not post, they will see answers and run with them.
SnowMom,
There are always plenty of cadets that commission each year that were never on a scholarship. When your son starts ROTC as a MS1, scholarship cadets will be a small minority. If the battalion and brigade has the funds and available slots they "May" offer either upgrades to existing scholarship cadets or offer scholarships to other cadets. At the end of the cadets sophomore year the battalion will decide whether to move the cadet (Non Scholarship) from the Basic Course to the Advanced Course that starts Junior year. At this point the battalion will decide whether to offer the cadet a contract. Being contracted as a MS3 has nothing to do with scholarships. Many cadets move to the Advanced Course with a contract that are not offered scholarships.
As a non scholarship cadet moves throughROTC they may decide to join the National Guard/Reserves and become a SMP cadet, some will accept a GRFD Scholarship which locks them into the NG/Reserves, there are many options.
When a cadet that is not on scholarship receives a contract they will receive the monthly stipend from the start of the contract.
Non scholarship cadets have the same opportunity to compete for Active Duty and Branches as a Scholarship cadet. The scholarship does not matter and is not a consideration in the OML.
If a battalion has the money and slots, and the cadet is near or at the top of his/her ROTC class, they would have a much better chance at a scholarship, if they only have one scholarship to give then you don't want to be number two on the list.
The reason I made this thread was to have a discussion page where we could talk out all our issues. The fact that I give my understanding of the issue isn't your problem, and the reason I say "this is am assumption" is so that people know I'm not certain of it.
The point of a forum is to make a discussion, and that's what we're doing here. Add on to what people say, don't just tell them to shut up. I see how someone whith almost 4000 posts knows more than me, but honestly, you can stop telling me the same thing on everything I post. If I'm wrong say it. Please don't tell me not to post responses.
My answer was very clearly just a representation of my understanding, building a wealth lf knowledge, and my working as a group to understand the issue. We need people like you to input things that we don't know, to clarify situations when we are wrong, but I honestly don't appreciate your constant reminders to think before I post. I thought about what I know about the topic, and I posted a legitimate response that, albeit limited in scope, enhanced the discussion, and (IMHO,) helped SnowMom, even if it was mearly by a fraction of a percentage.
The question was if her son put in all the effort he could, and was on track to commisioning, would he be gauranteed a scholarship. From my understanding there are 5,4,3,2, and even 1 year scholarships. But most that are qualified cadets, with leadership potential, that the cadre are comfortable requesting a scholarship for would know long before there senior year, hence I think that if you hadn't made it by then, then you best look for other ways to finance your college fees.
As I understand it, the poster wanted to know if her sons efforts would go unnoticed, and I highly doubt any one of us could ever answer that. It's all based on her son, and his potential as a future officer in the Army.
Yes this is entirely within my limited understanding of the situation, but I don't think that makes my contribution unwelcome, or wrong.
I don't mean to offend anyone with my avid posting, but this thread is one of my ways of coping with the long wating period, hence my starting it. I would like it to be that same way for all other posters.
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