USMMA reapply -- SIP/SSO still appropriate/possible?

[SnerdlyBosco]

DS remained on the USMMA hold list until receiving rejection last week. He will attend a state maritime college AND will reapply to USMMA.

At a maritime college, he’ll have the opportunity to participate in the Strategic Sealift Officer program (SSO -- formerly Student Incentive Program or SIP), which pays up to $8,000 per year for students who make essentially the same service commitment as is required at USMMA: work in maritime industry, keep license active, and serve in USN reserve.

Question: by participating in the SSO program, receiving funds and making the above commitment, is he prohibited in any way from applying for appointment to USMMA (I seem to remember that ROTC scholarships prohibited, or had a negative effect on, a student’s ability to still apply to a service academy)?

There’s notice in the program materials that receiving payments for TWO years AND failing to complete the commitment could result in being called to active service. But there’s no reference to what happens if only ONE year is received (plus, he WOULD honor the same commitment at Kings Point, if appointed).

Obviously, we’ll get an “official” answer from the appropriate school representatives; just wondering if there’s any wisdom lying in wait around here...

BTW, spoke to congressman’s office yesterday. Florida often has as many as 26 appointments at USMMA; this year, there were only 12.