As the OML line becomes higher and higher - btw getting a E at LDAC is no guarantee for AD - I would encourage all Cadets to have a contingency in the event they are forced to go Reserves/Guard.
This may include choosing a major with employable opportunities.
This is an excellent point. Going forward, future ROTC candidates should keep their eyes on these trends in their college planning. For example, if you are a current AROTC scholarship applicant and are deciding between USMA, an SMC, and AROTC at a civilian college, and you really want to obtain an active duty slot, you should follow the discussion threads here on SAF as well as looking at the President's budget (and other news stories) to determine which path will provide the more certain path toward an active duty slot. Over the past 10 years, the big deciding factor among these was the "lifestyle" because everyone had a high chance of getting an active-duty slot if they wanted it, but now you have to add "likelihood of AD slot" to the mix as well (in my view). This may not be as great of a problem for the folks who are currently in the AROTC pipeline (because the AROTC numbers are, for the majority, already accounted for in the budgeting numbers (although the OML cut-off is rising). But for the Class of 2016 and beyond, just know that these projections are being formulated now and the trend is a downward slope. Unfortunately, you will have to make decisions based on imperfect and incomplete information and there are no guarantees about what the landscape will look like for sure when you ultimately graduate four years from now. But the budget problems are likely not going away anytime soon.
Also, like JAM said, when selecting a major and you are deciding between, say, computer science and history (and really enjoy both subjects), ask yourself whether the Army is looking to recruit more computer scientists than history majors for the future Army. While there is no official policy now on this, don't freak out when you are an MSIII and learn that the policy has changed and that computer science majors have the "edge" in obtaining an active duty slot.
I think that the Army's stated need for "cyber-warriors" is a huge positive sign for AROTC in civilian colleges, because there aren't enough CS faculty members at USMA and the SMCs to satisfy the anticipated demand. Although this is different than the situation of the 1990's, we'll have to see how this ultimately plays out. Certainly, we can expect these programs to become larger at USMA and the SMCs going forward, because market demand will ultimately guide the decisions at these educational institutions on where to place the educational emphasis.
But certainly, do not select a major that you do not enjoy simply because you think it will increase your active-duty chances (this is because you likely won't do as well in a major that you do not enjoy, which can hurt you more). Recognize that there are plenty of slots for history majors in the Army, but it is probably not as "marketable" as say computer science.
Even though you certainly can't control any of this, if you really want to be an officer in the Army of the next 30 years, you cannot turn a blind eye to the evolving environment but should instead prepare yourself to be an effective part of our Army's future officer corps.
And as Packer said, you also need to have contingency plans in place. This includes having an employable major as JAM suggests. And as Packer said, simply worrying about it doesn't do much good if you let "worry" get the better of you. But "worry" can be a very good "motivator" if it encourages you to work harder than before.
In short, I think it is much better to understand the environment we are in and learn to navigate within it. Obstacles become less of a problem if you know about them and have a solid plan to deal with them. It is those who do not prepare who get swept away. Don't be afraid of "unpleasant" information; embrace it.