National Guard to ROTC to Active Duty?

Nick0726

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I had some Guard recruiters talking to me today, they said I can go to BCT between my junior and senior (HS) years, then they will pay 100% tuition, and I can be a part of an ROTC program while in college and commission active duty when I graduate?

This seems too good to be true. Why would the Guard pay for 100% of my tuition, and then let me commission Active Duty once I got my degree? Something seems fishy here.
 
I had some Guard recruiters talking to me today, they said I can go to BCT between my junior and senior (HS) years, then they will pay 100% tuition, and I can be a part of an ROTC program while in college and commission active duty when I graduate?

This seems too good to be true. Why would the Guard pay for 100% of my tuition, and then let me commission Active Duty once I got my degree? Something seems fishy here.

Be careful of what they are offering you.

If they are offering the GRFD scholarship then you would be obligated to serve in the Reserve/National Guard, no option for Active Duty.

If that is not what they are offering then a lot will have to do with what the NG in your state offers for tuition assistance and how much they will pay.

They are talking about the SMP Program, before you decide anything talk to the ROTC battalion at a college you would like to attend and talk with them about the SMP Program and find out all your options.

Do not sign anything with a local recruiter before talking with ROTC first.
 
There is a VERY SLIGHT chance/loophole to go from GFRD to AD but I would never bank on it.

As Jcleppe said, if you sign anything with GFRD on it you will be locked into the NG.

You can use TA from the NG to help yourself through school though.
 
I had some Guard recruiters talking to me today, they said I can go to BCT between my junior and senior (HS) years, then they will pay 100% tuition, and I can be a part of an ROTC program while in college and commission active duty when I graduate?

This seems too good to be true. Why would the Guard pay for 100% of my tuition, and then let me commission Active Duty once I got my degree? Something seems fishy here.
You may be getting state-funded tuition which some Guard units offer. As such, you will be doing SMP. You will not be allowed to get an ROTC scholarship and stay in the Guard unless it is specifically a GFRD. However, you will still be able to contract ROTC and commission active duty. As far as active duty, that can be competitive. If you attend a Senior Military College, on the other hand, then you will be guaranteed active duty when you commission.
 
DS did NG SMP. He enlisted with the guard during his college freshman year and attended BCT the following summer, then AIT the summer after his sophomore year. He did not do the GFRD scholarship because he wanted AD, but was able to apply for an Illinois Guard grant which covered his tuition his remaining 2 1/2 years. A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. The IL Guard Grant covered tuition but did not cover fees or room & board. University fees were about $1200/semester + room/board
2. In the current economy, no one can predict or guarantee what monies each state have allocated for this type of grant. I read somewhere on this site a couple of months ago that some states are requiring guard service after commissioning or you have to pay the money back to the state.

DS's school actually had a NG liaison on staff who could answer all his questions and assist him with getting the maximum benefits possible.
 
Can you apply for a GFRD schoalrship right out of high school?

I do not think you can apply for it right out of high school, although I believe you can your freshman year of college. Some states have their own versions where you obligate yourself to the National Guard, and these you can apply for right out of high school. As an example, in Georgia they have the Georgia Military Scholarship. You enlist in the National Guard, then attend either Georgia Military College your first two years and then transfer to North Georgia, or you can do all four years at North Georgia. You do ROTC all four years and then commission National Guard.

The problem with taking a reserve scholarship is that you cannot then go active. If you attend a senior military college, and do not commit to the reserves, then you are guaranteed active duty when you commission.
 
If you attend a senior military college, and do not commit to the reserves, then you are guaranteed active duty when you commission.

Provided you are recommended by the PMS for Active Duty.
 
Provided you are recommended by the PMS for Active Duty.
That is true. I did four years at an SMC. However, I don't know a single cadet who wanted active who did not get it.

Obviously there are exceptions to everything. Here is a copy of the law. 10 USC 2111a:
(e) Assignment to Active Duty.—
(1) The Secretary of the Army shall ensure that a graduate of a senior military college who desires to serve as a commissioned officer on active duty upon graduation from the college, who is medically and physically qualified for active duty, and who is recommended for such duty by the professor of military science at the college, shall be assigned to active duty.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Secretary of the Army from requiring a member of the program who graduates from a senior military college to serve on active duty.
 
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