If a Air Force ROTC cadet is caught by school officials and campus safety to be drinking underage, what will happen to the cadet? The cadet is also on a type 2 three year scholarship that will activate next year. I know the cadet must report the incident to the detachment's cadre, but will the cadet be alright in terms of keeping his scholarship and being enrolled in AFROTC?
Underage Drinking
- Thread starter USA
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Yes
It depends on what all the circumstances are surrounding the incident and the cadet. It is foolish to assume that the statement below would warrant a factual answer until the case is evaluated. Conversely, if not reported and subsequently discovered by the cadre, that would probably warrant a harsher response.
It depends on what all the circumstances are surrounding the incident and the cadet. It is foolish to assume that the statement below would warrant a factual answer until the case is evaluated. Conversely, if not reported and subsequently discovered by the cadre, that would probably warrant a harsher response.
Pima
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I have to disagree with MullenLE here. The cadet can be in jeopardy of losing their scholarship. The AF is going through force shaping and have released cadets for gpas, violating the school policy can be a biggie.
This is really dependent on not only the det, but the school too. At certain schools they have no problem placing the student on probation and removing them from campus housing at the least, in some schools it is a one semester "time out". For example, UMDCP has kicked students out of the dorm for underage drinking, and placed them on probation...my bet Notre Dame or Purdue would be even more strict on the actions they take with this issue. What is the school policy? Does the school look the other way, or do they use students drinking underage to make a statement....thinking SMU would make them a statement, might be wrong, but it is Southern METHODIST University, not University of Colorado Boulder.
This problem will now roll down and be an issue for the cadet because to receive their scholarship they must illustrate enrollment. The school has a great impact, and you can't just say you are clear to go as long as you tell the det. If the school takes a hard core line, your scholarship is in jeopardy.
Next, with force shape restructuring, I can tell you without a doubt 3 cadets that were SRs. with their AFSC slots were told @2-3months prior to graduation, thanks, but no thanks, your services are not required at our DS's det. This det has hundreds of cadets, it is not tiny, but yet, they said buh-bye and could not protect them. These were cadets with no big issues, like underage drinking, but just a gpa that was deemed not high enough (overall after 4 yrs of @2.8).
The op also does not address when this happened in their school yr...did it happen just last week as a C200? The problem here is a long term issue even if they just slap their wrists at the det. That underage drinking will be a part of their file, a file that will go to a review board for Summer FT. SFT is akin to scholarships, you compete nationally for the spot, and not everyone gets one. Your attend this as a rising C300. In your C300 yr you will meet another board for your AFSC. Now because you didn't go to SFT, you are less competitive on a national level against all of the cadets that went.
ROTC is not get in, go to ROTC lab, pass the PT, keep the gpa min and 4 yrs later you will be commissioned. That was the way 20 yrs ago, but those days are gone, ESPECIALLY in AFROTC.
I am sure I have just scared the bee gee gees out of them. I honestly, I hope I did. This is a serious offense, one that when they step up to the commander's desk to report will probably make them quiver every second. The commander is going to bring the fear of G*d down on this cadet for stupidity, not only because of jeopardizing their ROTC scholarship, but their college education. Don't play the lemme explain. Step up, be an adult and say, I made an immature decision. I understand the levity of this situation, and I will never step across that line again. How the commander perceives their remorse is going to be a part of the decision making process. Everyone was doing it, doesn't pass the muster test.
In no way, shape or form, would I ever say "yes", because there are just too many variables. MAYBE is the best answer anyone can give without knowing the school, the cadet, the det, the circumstances. Again, the OP has yet to say the cadet is a university scholar with a perfect gpa, holds det positions, is highly ranked within the det, big difference to the cadet who is in the bottom 1/3 of the det, never held a position, low PFT scores and barely meeting the scholarship min.
This is really dependent on not only the det, but the school too. At certain schools they have no problem placing the student on probation and removing them from campus housing at the least, in some schools it is a one semester "time out". For example, UMDCP has kicked students out of the dorm for underage drinking, and placed them on probation...my bet Notre Dame or Purdue would be even more strict on the actions they take with this issue. What is the school policy? Does the school look the other way, or do they use students drinking underage to make a statement....thinking SMU would make them a statement, might be wrong, but it is Southern METHODIST University, not University of Colorado Boulder.
This problem will now roll down and be an issue for the cadet because to receive their scholarship they must illustrate enrollment. The school has a great impact, and you can't just say you are clear to go as long as you tell the det. If the school takes a hard core line, your scholarship is in jeopardy.
Next, with force shape restructuring, I can tell you without a doubt 3 cadets that were SRs. with their AFSC slots were told @2-3months prior to graduation, thanks, but no thanks, your services are not required at our DS's det. This det has hundreds of cadets, it is not tiny, but yet, they said buh-bye and could not protect them. These were cadets with no big issues, like underage drinking, but just a gpa that was deemed not high enough (overall after 4 yrs of @2.8).
The op also does not address when this happened in their school yr...did it happen just last week as a C200? The problem here is a long term issue even if they just slap their wrists at the det. That underage drinking will be a part of their file, a file that will go to a review board for Summer FT. SFT is akin to scholarships, you compete nationally for the spot, and not everyone gets one. Your attend this as a rising C300. In your C300 yr you will meet another board for your AFSC. Now because you didn't go to SFT, you are less competitive on a national level against all of the cadets that went.
ROTC is not get in, go to ROTC lab, pass the PT, keep the gpa min and 4 yrs later you will be commissioned. That was the way 20 yrs ago, but those days are gone, ESPECIALLY in AFROTC.
I am sure I have just scared the bee gee gees out of them. I honestly, I hope I did. This is a serious offense, one that when they step up to the commander's desk to report will probably make them quiver every second. The commander is going to bring the fear of G*d down on this cadet for stupidity, not only because of jeopardizing their ROTC scholarship, but their college education. Don't play the lemme explain. Step up, be an adult and say, I made an immature decision. I understand the levity of this situation, and I will never step across that line again. How the commander perceives their remorse is going to be a part of the decision making process. Everyone was doing it, doesn't pass the muster test.
In no way, shape or form, would I ever say "yes", because there are just too many variables. MAYBE is the best answer anyone can give without knowing the school, the cadet, the det, the circumstances. Again, the OP has yet to say the cadet is a university scholar with a perfect gpa, holds det positions, is highly ranked within the det, big difference to the cadet who is in the bottom 1/3 of the det, never held a position, low PFT scores and barely meeting the scholarship min.
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PIMA - In fact you agreed with me. Once reported, all the circumstances will be taken into account and leadership will determine an appropriate course of action. When not reported and all the circumsatnces are taken into account, the benefit of the doubt will be lost. That is NOT to say what the action will be, that is to say that the failure to report will now become an issue also. There is NO pat answer as to what happens in every single case as described by USA