Sara, once you join guard you have a guard obligation. Whatever it is when you put your name on the line. And choose an ROTC scholarship may have been a bad choice of words
Apply and if you meet the requirements and are chosen to receive one. Check this board and see how competitive receiving a ROTC scholarship has become. Not trying to sound negative, because you are in the right place to ask the pertinent questions.
Someone said you will not deploy with the guard SMP. Well, in reality it has happened. We were told when DS went SMP that students from his College in the SMP program were deployed during Desert Storm. After returning the school guard rep. said it was a huge hassle getting everything straight and getting them back on track for school. Their words not mine. So they said they try to avoid deploying SMP at all cost now, because of the issues it involves getting them back on track in school, but that it could happen in extreme cases?
And as mentioned Guard requirements and AD requirements are changing fast. Someone on here in this past year time frame posted about their DS was SMP and had taken no Guard money but found out when ready to contract in year two AD was off the table due to Guard SMP. The Ds was at Ala. (Search the forum, it should be easy to find or search my limited post as I have referenced it at least twice.) And it can change mid stream after you have signed. And promised monies are if available not guaranteed, believe me we have experienced this first hand.
The money my DS received was:
- Army FTA and it was cut by $500 after year two
-State Guard Cap- which he did not receive during the sequestration mess
-Monthly Guard Pay and Summer AT Guard pay (which some units canceled AT)
-Was eligible for GI bill at same time as FTA... That has been taken off the table you do not qualify for both now at the same time.
-Stipend once he contracted (start of year three)
Bottom line is, he was going to serve if he could regardless... money involved or not. So I said why not let him try and offset some of the school cost...
I have no idea but from reading here I think ROTC packages if you are awarded one are better?
I know absolutely nothing about ROTC money or scholarships. These guys know the ins and outs. So if you absolutely want a shot at AD and you
qualify for ROTC money then look hard before you consider SMP. With that said it worked out for my DS and I guess he lucked out with a good unit, Route Clearance, and he learned a lot. One of the guys in his unit will be giving him his first salute and he feels indeed honored to receive it from a great mentor.