March 8th, 2011 AROTC Board

In regards to Florida Dads previous comments..totally in agreement about not to sweat the boards..as my DS (and I) have travelled through this process..its getting more clear that most likely route for him to receive a AROTC scholarship will be directly through the school/campus based. The last time we visited the school (1 choice) I had some questions regarding him walking on next fall as a non-contracted Cadet (if no scholarship comes through from the board) the Roo would hear none of it ..would not answer my questions about being non-contracted. He stated that DS would be a contracted cadet with a scholarship..I thought better of it not to keep needling him with questions.

From what we have been told the school is still waiting on their budget so they can start offering scholarships. Also was informed that the Roo has a way of getting extra scholarship money..and always has been able to offer more scholarships then originally allotted to them.

Ds loves this school..now throw another dimension into play..received appointment to USMA yesterday..I wish we could have something more concrete from the other school..but understand why they cannot offer him anything yet.
 
jlbsmom said:
In regards to Florida Dads previous comments..totally in agreement about not to sweat the boards..as my DS (and I) have travelled through this process..its getting more clear that most likely route for him to receive a AROTC scholarship will be directly through the school/campus based. The last time we visited the school (1 choice) I had some questions regarding him walking on next fall as a non-contracted Cadet (if no scholarship comes through from the board) the Roo would hear none of it ..would not answer my questions about being non-contracted. He stated that DS would be a contracted cadet with a scholarship..I thought better of it not to keep needling him with questions.

From what we have been told the school is still waiting on their budget so they can start offering scholarships. Also was informed that the Roo has a way of getting extra scholarship money..and always has been able to offer more scholarships then originally allotted to them.

Ds loves this school..now throw another dimension into play..received appointment to USMA yesterday..I wish we could have something more concrete from the other school..but understand why they cannot offer him anything yet.
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Congradulations on DS's appointment. But as you indicate, USMA isn't his first choice. We are also in a similar postion, DS has a merit based full ride to #2 school and partial to #1, but could be competitive for a campus based there(pending March board outcomes). It is so hard to help them with the decisions they need to make. Waiting for the variables to become clear is slowly driving me insane - will tough it thru, of course, but this has to be one of the more challenging parts of my parenting experience:wink:
 
Actually I don't know where WP stands right now with DS was #1 till we started looking seriously into plan B (ROTC) The more he looked at that option the better it looked for him..the whole appt thing has thrown him for a loop because he was beginning to think that was not going to be an option for him. Has some serious soul searching to do.
 
"this has to be one of the more challenging parts of my parenting experience"

Oh so agree!:shake:
 
I'm in the wait too. Let's all hope we can hear before we graduate. I suspect this may be a little smoother than the last board. But that's a guess.
 
jlbsmom said:
Actually I don't know where WP stands right now with DS was #1 till we started looking seriously into plan B (ROTC) The more he looked at that option the better it looked for him..the whole appt thing has thrown him for a loop because he was beginning to think that was not going to be an option for him. Has some serious soul searching to do.
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jlbsmom said:
"this has to be one of the more challenging parts of my parenting experience"

Oh so agree!:shake:
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Yes, they need to really think this thru. My DS attended a WP reception in our area a year or so ago, but knew pretty quickly he wouldn't pursue it. He looked really hard into some SMC(NGSCU & VMI)but put those aside for AROTC. I can tell the decision where to go from here is weighing on him. It would be difficult to pass by "free" and try for campus based at #2 school to pay for part of 1st year and pray for campus based at #1. I will not make the decision for him(although its tempting:wink:).

Glad you're going to hang around with us thru March board results-Government, saw your post that you're still with us too. I wish I was optomistic about how crazy the March results will be, but unfortunately, I think we are in for a whole new level of crazy. Praying I'm wrong.
 
I think the SA apptmt always creates the most havoc if it was never truly their number 1 choice.

As a parent who went through this process 3 yrs ago; I will say that you need to do a 1 on 1 conversation.

If you have more children than just them, take them out to eat...wherever. You need to address their "LIFE" plan.

Remove the allure of the SA, and the financial issue of the scholarship.

Talk openly and honestly.

Say if money was not an issue and you could get your dream military job, where would you go?

Kids, understand more than you believe how expensive college is and try to hide that fear from their folks.

They also want a dream career, but unfortunately never stated that to the college BN, and thus, they have a fear that only USMA cadets get it, so even though they may want the college more than WP, they take WP because they believe that is the only way to get the dream career.

This I speak from experience. This I know is true. Our DS is in AFROTC, but emotionally and mentally AFROTC, NROTC or AROTC is all the same when they are going through it.

There are kids who want an SA because they believe that is their only choice to get the dream. As a parent, have you sat down with people like Marist or Clarkson at their college to get the facts and the stats? You might be amazed that what you thought was fact was actually fallacy. We talked to people like Marist and Clarkson, DS learned what he heard was not fact. Happy to report he took AFROTC and got his career dream. Had it not been for people like them he probably would have taken the AFA.

No offense to the SA, but the fact is not every candidate/cadet is a perfect fit. For our DS it would have been 4 yrs of making that circle fit into a square. It wasn't the right fit. As parents when it comes to college A or B we openly admit that, but when it comes to SA or ROTC we lose that sight.

ROTC and an SA are like sending your kid to Berkeley or UNCCH...both colleges, both offer same majors, both on coasts, but when it comes down to the feel is night and day.


There are kids who want an SA because of the "free education". Have you sat down and explained that it isn't free, you will be 27 at least before you can leave...9-10 yrs. Discuss the fact that there are things like loans, yes, you get in debt, but the fact is as a parent you would rather them be in debt than Afghanistan.

Have you discussed the fact that 25% of SA cadets do not graduate? That is the truth statistically? It is not going to be as soon as you get there life is great and you are just counting the days until you pin on butter bars.

It is going to be hard, so hard that only 75% make it through.

I know that I appear to be Janie Raincloud, but all of you now have only a few short weeks to talk this out with your child. Pro's and con's. No more flowers, no more illusions, now is the time to state the military sees you not as my child, but an adult. Talk to me as an adult. Hear what they are saying as an adult.

Key words of "free education" or "best chance for career" should make you run for the hills and scream :eek: all the way.

I want an SA education and if I get rejected, I will apply again next yr and the yr after that. I don't care if I am 22, I am still going to get a commissioning from them! That should make you say :yay::worship::yay:
 
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Pima - thank you for your insight, we will be discussing all of the above in the coming days.
 
jlbsmom said:
Pima - thank you for your insight, we will be discussing all of the above in the coming days.
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Yes, the decision between SA and AROTC would be difficult. I'm glad my DS saw early on that WP wasn't for him(he's not planning to take huge amounts of math/science in college & isn't a huge jock/as lack of varsity letter attest).

Don't take that wrong: he is fit and ready to improve, just not had the opportunity in our schools to participate in varsity athletics, just about every sport is a state contender/division champ level team, you can't have other interest and make it at his highschool athletically. He had to decided early on about sports vs student senate, NHS, scouts and other things.

I hope your DS can be honest with himself about the whole WP dilema. It is an amazing opportunity and he probably will be offered in March board ROTC too, so he'll have the decision to make, no choice by default.

My DS will probably have to weigh his choices between going to full merit school and work it out to contract later or 1st choice school and SMP/pray for campus based to keep him from unreasonable levels of debt.

Yes, Pima, you may sound like a raincloud, but sometimes a little rain washes away the grime that keeps them from seeing the rainbow.:smile:
 
I remember on the Jan 4 board results thread many reported the DoDMERB status link being down. I hadn't checked it since Dec when DS was cleared for WP. I just tried to see if ROTC clearance was added and couldn't connect. I tried this link: https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil/ but I may have the wrong one--anyone else able to connect adn check DoDMERB status in the last week?
 
2kids4me said:
I remember on the Jan 4 board results thread many reported the DoDMERB status link being down. I hadn't checked it since Dec when DS was cleared for WP. I just tried to see if ROTC clearance was added and couldn't connect. I tried this link: https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil/ but I may have the wrong one--anyone else able to connect adn check DoDMERB status in the last week?
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Unfortunately, the site has been down for weeks.
 
You need to address their "LIFE" plan.

Remove the allure of the SA, and the financial issue of the scholarship.


I Love Pima!! I took this advice that Pima previously posted on another link and asked DS a week or so ago and said. " Money aside...What do YOU want to do...where do you want to go to school...what do you want to major in, and which branch do you want to serve in whether you get a scholarship or not." DS was able to answer definitively. He knew and was stressing because these other variables that he has no control over were given too much power in his life decisions. DS has a happy face now because he is choosing for himself and its not dependent on someone else giving him the money,,,except for us of course. If a scholarship comes through he may try to transfer it if its not to his #1 choice, but if that doesn't work, his appointment at VMI stands regardless. He will walk on and do his best:thumb:
 
bjkuds said:
You need to address their "LIFE" plan.

Remove the allure of the SA, and the financial issue of the scholarship.


I Love Pima!! I took this advice that Pima previously posted on another link and asked DS a week or so ago and said. " Money aside...What do YOU want to do...where do you want to go to school...what do you want to major in, and which branch do you want to serve in whether you get a scholarship or not." DS was able to answer definitively. He knew and was stressing because these other variables that he has no control over were given too much power in his life decisions. DS has a happy face now because he is choosing for himself and its not dependent on someone else giving him the money,,,except for us of course. If a scholarship comes through he may try to transfer it if its not to his #1 choice, but if that doesn't work, his appointment at VMI stands regardless. He will walk on and do his best:thumb:
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God love ya, VMI OOS was not a small number. We never went to visit, but DS has some adults he knows who are alumni and really pushed him to consider it. Hope financial aid works some miracles for you if the scholarhips don't come thru.

Wish my DS was that set on anything -- the more questions we ask the more questions he fires back. He's now questioning his entire life plan, good thing we can hang out a little longer anyway.:biggrin: With his ability to argue from all sides, I'm telling him law would be a good area:wink:
 
I thought I would say "I'm ready to buckle up for the ride", but the ride to this point has beaten the anxiety out of us. :biggrin: So I will say "I'm ready to sit back and enjoy the ride". Let's see what the March Board brings us. DS will join ROTC with or without a scholarship, and since his is going to the local State school, or local JC, he is a winner in the long run. :thumb: Plus he is a winner anyway :thumb:

DS has been through both Boards and was not awarded (or denied). However, after the first Board he was approved for DoDMERB in December, which he passed. Has anyone else been DoDMERB approved and not received an offer?
 
Several of us

Dawgawn said:
I thought I would say "I'm ready to buckle up for the ride", but the ride to this point has beaten the anxiety out of us. :biggrin: So I will say "I'm ready to sit back and enjoy the ride". Let's see what the March Board brings us. DS will join ROTC with or without a scholarship, and since his is going to the local State school, or local JC, he is a winner in the long run. :thumb: Plus he is a winner anyway :thumb:

DS has been through both Boards and was not awarded (or denied). However, after the first Board he was approved for DoDMERB in December, which he passed. Has anyone else been DoDMERB approved and not received an offer?
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There are several of us that post regularly that are in your situation: DodMerb approval without an award. There does not seem to be a consistent thread that links us all together as there seem to be a few students but not many. I suppose if we all sat together in some room maybe there would be one thing in common, or maybe not - it's just that sort of year, conundrums everywhere...
 
Dawgawn said:
I thought I would say "I'm ready to buckle up for the ride", but the ride to this point has beaten the anxiety out of us. :biggrin: So I will say "I'm ready to sit back and enjoy the ride". Let's see what the March Board brings us. DS will join ROTC with or without a scholarship, and since his is going to the local State school, or local JC, he is a winner in the long run. :thumb: Plus he is a winner anyway :thumb:

DS has been through both Boards and was not awarded (or denied). However, after the first Board he was approved for DoDMERB in December, which he passed. Has anyone else been DoDMERB approved and not received an offer?
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Yep....same here! Been DodMerb qualified since December.....am beginning to wonder if getting the ap in early was not such a good thing.
 
Our DS: DoDMERB qualified since September... AROTC application filed and completed including the interview by July, 2010. Also, had to make the informed decision that USMA was not for him (had two interviews from admissions and nomination) He has been accepted (early admit) to his #1 and is going "no matter what".!:thumb: HIS decision... He is happy too!.. We are happy too... :smile:
 
Lets see what is the common thread,,,, maybe,,,,he is right handed and wears a size 11? :scratch:
 
How about

Dawgawn said:
Lets see what is the common thread,,,, maybe,,,,he is right handed and wears a size 11? :scratch:
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Skates without socks
Can grow a really nice beard
Bench Squats 450
Loves to wear a suit and tie
Hits a one hand backhand
Loves Model UN

ah, I know, drives too fast :wink:
 
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