Offer me some advice (long post)

T

trevrock

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2010
Messages
17
Ok, so I am kind of at a crossroads here and I'm not sure what to do. I've already spoken to my parents/family about it and figured I could get some more perspectives on here.

Right now I am a non-scholarship non-contracted sophomore in AROTC. I joined the program as a sophomore because I realized that I wasn't happy with the path I was going down(no I am not talking about being a deadbeat, drunk, etc.) but I mean I didn't feel like I would be satisfied with the work I would be doing after I graduated. I am a business major with a concentration in accountancy. I want to have a rewarding job and know I am making a difference and being an Army Officer really encompasses everything I'm looking for in a profession.

So here is my dilemma. Active Duty scholarships are very hard to find, especially for students already in college. I figure the only way I could get one is to attend LTC, compete for one, and hopefully be awarded one. This has already proven difficult since my school informed us that the amount of cadets they can send to LTC was cut 90% this year. So, if that doesn't happen then I'm not sure it will be possible for me to be on scholarship while seeking an Active Duty commission.

Now it is not "all about the money" for me, but I would like to have tuition assistance along with the majority of cadets in my BN. The other day we had a rep from the National Guard speak to us and it sounds like it is much easier to attain a NG scholarship. So here I have this great opportunity to get the scholarship I want, but I'm not really sure if being in the NG is what I want. But here is where it gets tricky. My school has an accelerated Masters program for Accounting students where they can stay for 1 extra year and receive a Masters of Accountancy degree (a degree which carries 150 credits). This is huge because 1) It is a Masters degree straight out of college and 2) the 150 credits would allow me to sit for the CPA exam which would open a lot of opportunities for me "down the road". So what I could do is apply for the DEDNG 3 year scholarship and (if awarded) use it to pay for my last 3 years of school, including the extra year to get my Masters degree. And of course I would SMP for the 3 years to ensure my eduction isn't disrupted. Sounds pretty nice doesn't it?

So my dilemma essentially is do I do the National Guard route, get my Masters degree, and go for my CPA after graduation and fulfill my obligation to the Guard for the several years?

Or, do I compete for an Active Duty scholarship and go for an Active Duty commission, only receive a bachelor's degree and graduate with more debt(assuming no scholarship), and need to go back to school at some point in the future if I want to get my CPA (but get to work in the Army full time after graduation)?

I think the real core of the dilemma is that I am not sure right now if I want to make a career out of the military and I don't think it is something I would truly know until I graduate and live the military life for a while. For this reason my Grandfather suggested I go the NG route because even if I decide I want make a career in the Army than I could always go Active Duty after my time is up in the Guard. (I'm not sure if that is possible or if there are disadvantages to doing that)

Reading my situation, what do you think I should do?
 
Trevrock,

It is difficult to give someone advice when you don't know them. However, first instinct would be for me to agree with your grandfather. The NG/SMP route is one we are considering for our DS, an AROTC scholarship applicant, if he is unsucessful in obtaining a 4 year scholarship. I had the opportunity to attend a branch pinning ceremony at DS's 1st choice school. We had also met a few of these young men and women at a SMP meeting earlier that day. The one young man was using the NG scholarship to complete his graduate program in psychology. He was very pleased with the arrangement and my own DS was impressed with the opportunity to serve country and continue educational opportunities.

Also, I'd listen to you family - we usually know you pretty well and have your best interest at heart. Good luck with your decision.:smile:
 
2 good options

I was Army ROTC even tho Im now in the active Air Force.

You have 2 good options and will probably be happy with iether. One that you should concider with the guard option is that you will eventually qualify for GI Bill which could offset some cost for that masters degree. AlsoWhat I didnt learn until just recently is that when I hit 20 years of active duty, the AF applied those 3 "good" years in the army reserves on top of the 20 active to effectively have me retire from active duty as tho I served 23 years on active duty. each year after 20 relates to 2.5% increase in your retired pay above the normal 50%. I havent retired yet, but when I do I'll get 3 years tacked on for my reserve time.BONUS

I was offered the guard option back then and decided to take the AROTC scholorship. If I didnt have the scholorship I think I would have jumped on the guard option. Its not a bad option.

Search your calling. Dont let money make your decision. Ensure that your choice doesnt restrict future options and hold on for the ride.
 
I agree with the others, esp OH parent.

Here is what stuck out to me
I didn't feel like I would be satisfied with the work I would be doing after I graduated.
Click to expand...

It appears you want to have one foot in and one foot out.

NG allows that.

Let me also tell you that companies like Boeing or IBM or Price Waterhouse offer their own Tuition assistance to some of their employees. Don't do it for money and money alone if you go NG.

The Devil will collect their due.

Go because you want to serve and no other reason.

Good luck, I hope that you get every goal you ever wanted.
 
Trevrock,

Because National Guard benefits are by state, it would be helpful to know what state you are in.
 
@gojack I live in NJ and go to school in DC.

@Pima
At the end of the day I want to serve my country which is why I joined ROTC - that's the only reason. The scholarship would only serve to make my life easier after I graduate while serving my country. I would prefer to be Active Duty over National Guard but the NG can offer me the unique opportunity to get a Master's degree (on scholarship and immediately after finishing my undergrad) which would open more doors in a civilian career. But, I think I would prefer to go Active Duty which wouldn't have the benefits previously listed but would allow me to work full time in the Army.
 
Trev...here are some things to keep in mind. If you take the GRFD scholarship you will not have the option of going active duty, period. So make sure you have no interest in going active, or that GRFD is a last resort and the only way to stay in school if Active is a wish but not a necessity.

You cannot use a scholarship to pay for 2 degrees, so getting a three year scholarship to pay for the rest of your bachelors, and your grad degree is not an option, unless the two degrees are conferred simultaneously.
 
one tidbit

Trev-
I work at Redstone Arsenal and the place is full of Army Officers in the Acquisition Corps. Your Finance Degree could be very useful, after a few years of experience in the line and some staff jobs. Not totally sure how they get there, but here is some reading.


http://asc.army.mil/default.cfm
 
You do not sound convinced that you want to be an accountant.

You should pursue the active duty commission. After you experience the excitement of being an active duty officer you might decide to make a career of it. If you decide that the Army life is not for you, you can get out and go back to school on your GI Bill.

Ask yourself 2 questions: "What is your favorite Army movie of all time ?" Then ask yourself what your favorite Accounting movie is. Nobody goes to the movies to be bored to death. Why choose a path that you know will leave you unfullfilled ?
 
Marist College ROTC said:
You do not sound convinced that you want to be an accountant.

You should pursue the active duty commission. After you experience the excitement of being an active duty officer you might decide to make a career of it. If you decide that the Army life is not for you, you can get out and go back to school on your GI Bill.

Ask yourself 2 questions: "What is your favorite Army movie of all time ?" Then ask yourself what your favorite Accounting movie is. Nobody goes to the movies to be bored to death. Why choose a path that you know will leave you unfullfilled ?
Click to expand...

My favorite accounting movie is "The Untouchables". Ok it is a reach, but Al Capone was brought down by an accountant.

Point taken about pursuing a career where your heart is. However, accounting is not necessarily unfufilling. In college, my favorite class was an upper division cost accounting class. I have been working in IT for 25 years, but have considered moving back to the business side of things, working with numbers again.

Students should not pursue a career primarily because it is lucrative or has a steady income, although stability in employment is one consideration if one does not have adequate financial resources.

Think about whether you can imagine spending 40-45 years doing what you are doing. If what you are studying in college doesn't seem like you'd be happy doing it for half of that tijme, then you are probably in the wrong field.
 
I want to thank everyone for their responses, particularly, well everyone.

I definitely have some things to think about in terms of where I want to go and what I want to do. I've never heard of the Acquisition Corps so thanks for the info green4life. I hear what you are saying Marist College ROTC, I really do. That's why I think i want to pursue an Active Duty commission. And like you said, I can always go back to school later if I want to.

I think what kind of bugged me recently was that I went on a site visit to Deloitte Consulting's NOVA(Northern Virginia) area office earlier this week. I asked one of the first year analysts who graduated last May what the most rewarding thing about his job was...and he was stumped! Honestly, he couldn't give me an answer and I was just standing there wondering how you can go to work everyday if you don't see a purpose. He probably was thinking, "The paycheck is most rewarding, and I work for one of the Big 4 accounting firms yada yada". I'm really not trying to bash Deloitte, this kid, or any of the big 4 accounting firms. His answer (or lack there-of) just didn't mesh well with me.

Well I have to get to sleep because BN PT is in the AM :thumb:
 
I have a very good friend who spent 14 years in Army Military Intelligence (computer security) and had a lot of fun jumping out of airplanes in Ft. Bragg, NC. He is now a partner at Deloitte Consulting, doing the same job he did in the military (different clients, though).

You will never know whether the military is for you until you live it. And even if you join the military as an officer, you don't have to commit to a career.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top