January 4, 2011 AROTC Board

[Ohio2015Parent]

Me again.
I got SO excited, I just checked my DS status again.
It's now back to;
"You have been selected for an interview. Please contact the Professor of Military Science at the school of your choice. Blah, blah, blah"

I have to say, I'm still curious. The 'Great Wizard behind the curtain' (Wizard of Oz quote) is doing something.... Perhaps?

Hey there...saw another poster had the same screen pop up about technical difficulty....I think the Wizard has a new trick up his/her sleeve. I was joking with my DS, what do you wanna bet some of the CC workers lurked on the forum and just thought, watch this, don't post anything and watch all the crazy mommie, daddies and children go and other smilies indicating nuts. Its worked pretty well. I guess until we have some feedback from ClarksonsArmy or another person in the know, we will just be good little people and wait.

 

[jkcksoup]

I was joking with my DS, what do you wanna bet some of the CC workers lurked on the forum and just thought, watch this, don't post anything and watch all the crazy mommie, daddies and children go and other smilies indicating nuts. Its worked pretty well. I guess until we have some feedback from ClarksonsArmy or another person in the know, we will just be good little people and wait.

Yeah, I totally agree. I guess if I could push a button and see all the instant reactions, it would be tempting.
Of course, we know that's just our imagination running now! LOL!

Yep, time to close the old laptop and continue to put it in the hands of God... and Uncle Sam.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Yep, time to close the old laptop and continue to put it in the hands of God... and Uncle Sam.

Sounds like a plan, I'm gonna pop in and out tonight, just to catch the others who float thru. Oh, and where did you get the smiley that does the "blow up" from your previous post? That's too cute!

 

[paradoxer]

Possibly?

I think the curve ball he was asking about regarding Dodmerb was in reference to the fact that some candidates have been given Dodmerb packets and directed to have their exams prior to being selected for the scholarship.

Of course your post was spot on regarding that other Dodmerb curve ball.

Does anyone know if individual colleges can request Dodmerb paperwork?

Suppose you have 3 campus based scholarships and 5 strong candidates. So before you offer the scholarships you have the candidates complete the Dodmerb process so that you are certain they are medically qualified so that you know you haven't chosen an unqualified candidate over a qualified one.

 

[Jcleppe]

Dodmerb is a totally different animal then the scholarships. If campus based scholarships are offered I do not believe they will require Dodmerb first. In the past Dodmerb was not requested until the scholarship was offered, this is the first time I've seen a Dodmerb request prior to an offer being made. No one really knows the reasoning behind the recent change. We're a long way from any campus scholarship being offered so who knows what changes they have in store for the future.

 

[Government]

Thanks Bull!

I took my eye test last Wednesday and I am taking my physial and hearing test tomorrow.

After that is omplete, how muh longer until I see my dodmerb results?

Thanks. And sorry, I got a brand new laptop but they never installed the key in between the X and the V!

Thanks

 

[Jcleppe]

Government,

It shouldn't take more then 2 weeks to see your status change on the Dodmerb site. It depends on how quickly the doctor sends the information to Dodmerb. You can check your status and it will show how things are progressing through the system.

Thank sucks about the "C" key...makes typing kind of hard.

 

[goaliedad]

Does anyone know if individual colleges can request Dodmerb paperwork?

Suppose you have 3 campus based scholarships and 5 strong candidates. So before you offer the scholarships you have the candidates complete the Dodmerb process so that you are certain they are medically qualified so that you know you haven't chosen an unqualified candidate over a qualified one.

That is not the way it works. Just like CC doesn't look at DoDMERB results when awarding scholarships, campus units work under the same guidelines. If a candidate for a campus scholarship turns out to be medically disqualified, the unit can award the scholarship to someone else.

The unit does request a DoDMERB physical (they can do this directly) only after the recipient returns his/her acceptance letter. This was our experience.

I'm sure Clarkson will confirm this.

Oh, and BTW, you are trying to make the Army's method of administrating the awarding of scholarships efficient. Don't try to understand the process, it will make your head hurt. There's the right way, the wrong way and the Army way as the old saying goes...

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

January 26th

Good morning.

DS is a little thrown off by CC/Army not following the previous pattern of releasing results - as I know many other prospective cadets on here are too. Remember, this is just the beginning of your hopeful Army/college career and many, many times you will encounter profs and the Army changing their process/expectations - typically to your loss. Today isn't where we expected to end up, still knowing nothing. Chin up, keep busy and eventually spring will come and so will the board results

Take care.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

I just had a thought while reading a thread on DodMERB section. IF as reported in that thread, that USNA and other SAs cannot retrieve medical information/exams to continue with the appointment process(which I know absolutely nothing about) then perhaps AROTC cannot post "check your DodMERB status" to their site at this time? DodMERB is apparently having HUGE problems with their site being down, reportedly for a week now.

This is just me thinking out loud - but if you have an opinion on if this could impact AROTC results, let me know. I have openly admitted to being completely not tech savy so I could be supposing something completely unfounded in reality. I do feel badly for those posting on that thread - they are also waiting for their process to resume too

DodMERB and AOL, my personal email "disappeared" earlier this week and AOL also admits that something went wrong while performing "routine maintenance" and people all over the world have lost ALL email, saved, folders, sent, old, new...GONE I'll bet DodMERB is back up before AOL!

 

[cjs]

I just had a thought while reading a thread on DodMERB section. IF as reported in that thread, that USNA and other SAs cannot retrieve medical information/exams to continue with the appointment process(which I know absolutely nothing about) then perhaps AROTC cannot post "check your DodMERB status" to their site at this time? DodMERB is apparently having HUGE problems with their site being down, reportedly for a week now.

This is just me thinking out loud - but if you have an opinion on if this could impact AROTC results, let me know. I have openly admitted to being completely not tech savy so I could be supposing something completely unfounded in reality. I do feel badly for those posting on that thread - they are also waiting for their process to resume too

DodMERB and AOL, my personal email "disappeared" earlier this week and AOL also admits that something went wrong while performing "routine maintenance" and people all over the world have lost ALL email, saved, folders, sent, old, new...GONE I'll bet DodMERB is back up before AOL!

It isn't Dodmerb that puts the new message on the ROTC Scholarship status site, it's Cadet Command.

Now, Dodmerb having some issues may slow down the results on their page but as this doesn't change for about a week or so after the scholarship has been awarded and it changes on the scholarship status page, it won't really effect you finding out. As my son had applied to West Point, we knew months prior that he was qualified so we just waited to see the Army ROTC show up on his page. Again, it was about a week after we saw the "check your dodmerb status" on his scholarship status page.

Keep in mind everything is an estimate. When my son was awarded, his scholarship didn't show up until a Saturday mid morning. I figured he didn't get one when Friday night had passed and many had reported finding out on Thursday and Friday.

I feel your pain, the waiting is terrible! Good luck and I hope you all get great news within the next few days.

 

[gojack]

DS is a little thrown off by CC/Army not following the previous pattern of releasing results

FWIW:

In the last board go-around it took a couple weeks from when AROTC published scholarship winners until DoDMERB had the data and updated their site.

DoDMERB was flooded/overrun with emails/calls about this. (I was just one of many)

Someone at DoDMERB requested that both sites (AROTC, DoDMERB) be updated with data before it was released to end the confusion (I was carbon copied, so it's not a secret)

"...We have lots of these type folks. I’ve answered about 10 this weekend.
(..., I'm assuming all uploads have been processed? Pls pass to Help Desk personnel if we have no uploads waiting, so they'll be aware. Thx)
Hopefully, you'll be sending an upload soon. You shouldn't send these notices out until you've uploaded to DoDMERB or at least simultaneously"

So Maybe a new approach is in place?

(names redacted to protect the guilty)

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

It isn't Dodmerb that puts the new message on the ROTC Scholarship status site, it's Cadet Command.

Now, Dodmerb having some issues may slow down the results on their page but as this doesn't change for about a week or so after the scholarship has been awarded and it changes on the scholarship status page, it won't really effect you finding out. As my son had applied to West Point, we knew months prior that he was qualified so we just waited to see the Army ROTC show up on his page. Again, it was about a week after we saw the "check your dodmerb status" on his scholarship status page.

Keep in mind everything is an estimate. When my son was awarded, his scholarship didn't show up until a Saturday mid morning. I figured he didn't get one when Friday night had passed and many had reported finding out on Thursday and Friday.

I feel your pain, the waiting is terrible! Good luck and I hope you all get great news within the next few days.

CJS - thanks for the input. I know CC issues the "check DodMERB" prompt, just thinking that why would they knowingly allow updates that have always in the past sent even more traffic to the Dodmerb site, when they know Dodmerb is already down. But, maybe, I'm giving CC too much credit for thinking something thru Luckily, we aren't dependent on DodMERB at this point DS is already qualified, he's one of the odd ones AROTC sent thru w/o offering a scholarship out of the October board.

Just curious, was your DS awarded in last January's board? I read the thread to that board and was like WOW, total chaos, with results coming out over a weekend and CC working thru like that to get it done. Looks like this January will be a little crazy too. Thanks again for the support and good wishes!!

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

FWIW:

In the last board go-around it took a couple weeks from when AROTC published scholarship winners until DoDMERB had the data and updated their site.

DoDMERB was flooded/overrun with emails/calls about this. (I was just one of many)

Someone at DoDMERB requested that both sites (AROTC, DoDMERB) be updated with data before it was released to end the confusion (I was carbon copied, so it's not a secret)

"...We have lots of these type folks. I’ve answered about 10 this weekend.
(..., I'm assuming all uploads have been processed? Pls pass to Help Desk personnel if we have no uploads waiting, so they'll be aware. Thx)
Hopefully, you'll be sending an upload soon. You shouldn't send these notices out until you've uploaded to DoDMERB or at least simultaneously"

So Maybe a new approach is in place?

(names redacted to protect the guilty)

I wondered if the process was being changed for any number of reasons, this could easily be part it. The fact that this is the first board since the policy of sending prospective cadets thru DoDMERB physicals w/o scholarship offers, the new Ft. Knox location and the fact that DoDMERB is currently having trouble with their system. The perfect storm for confusion and delays. Can't change what is, just gotta go thru it

Thanks for sharing your information with us all, doesn't change it, but having some clue does at least help.

 

[Bdl1127]

I really don't know what to think anymore about the whole Dodmerb process. I made the cut to be reviewed by the 2nd board but I still haven't received anything regarding the dodmerb like some of you guys have. Getting kinda nervous!

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

I really don't know what to think anymore about the whole Dodmerb process. I made the cut to be reviewed by the 2nd board but I still haven't received anything regarding the dodmerb like some of you guys have. Getting kinda nervous!

Bdl, don't read too much into any of this "side line circus" with DodMERB and when you do your physical. None of us know what, if anything, it means just because a prospective cadet is sent before being awarded a scholarship. I'm glad you were ready for the 2nd board so you also have a chance in Feb/Mar. My DS may go before all 3 boards - and still come away with no scholarship... but it won't change his goal. Do some research into SMP and other ways to fund your college education. We have time to waste waiting for CC and DodMERB to do whatever it is they're going to do. Use it wisely and if it ends up being unnecessary research, oh, well, but IF you aren't offered it doesn't have to be then end of your hope of Army officership.

 

[jkcksoup]

smily face selection

Oh, and where did you get the smiley that does the "blow up" from your previous post? That's too cute!

On the bottom of the smiles menu (to the right of the message window) click 'More'.
When the new window pops up, then *expand the window*. These other faces are on a column to the right of the original faces seen.
Hope that helps

 

[Jcleppe]

I was talking with the PMS at my son's school this morning. During our conversation the subject of the Jan. board came up. He couldn't say too much about when they would start seeing the results of the Jan. board. He did bring up a good point, since cadet command changed to just having 3 boards this year he figured that this second board would be offering the larger number of scholarships. Due to the sheer numbers they have to go through he was not surprised that it was taking a bit longer then the Oct. board. The October board did not offer a large number of scholarships. My son was the only offer their school received in Oct. which would lead one to believe this board will result in a higher number of offers.

Hang in there everyone, hopefully good news will be coming soon.

 

[Ksmom]

Thanks to Jcleppe for that note... it does relieve the self-induced stress about not hearing anything yet

I am trying to just go about my work day and now this is the 3rd time today I've pulled up the forum 'just to check'.

I will be patient and positive! By the way.. I like the recent Wizard of Oz references, makes me smile!

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Ksmom and Jcleppe,

Glad you gals are checking in too. I've been in and out today - now putting a lot of focus on the DodMERB/AROTC information that GoJack shared. It would make a lot of sense to syncronize the two systems and save a lot of hassle for DodMERB(and Larry Mullen's email too) So, we will know when DodMERB's system comes back up (it has been down for a week) if there is some relationship. I doubt CC will do anything in the immediate future. Not a great place to be, but at least we are no worse off than last week - no news is better than a NO.

Oh, I assume KSmom comes from Kansas? Wizard of Oz and all...Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas any more....the great unknow awaits