Done, Done, Done, & done

Ex.BT.USN

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My DS just finished up with all of the mandatory paperwork required by NROTC. He sent everything in today. One very happy "now relaxed" kid.

His workout routine has already started with a 2.5 mile run, sit-ups and push-ups but he knows it is not enough. We remain cool up here in the Northeast, he needs some higher humidity and temperature weather to really get a feel of what is to come.

At this point he is only waiting for his college & NROTC orientation sessions.

From a fathers end I set my kid up for his last haircut... I just had to do something!:wink::biggrin::wink:! He has been going to the same barber shop since he was a little boy so the owner knows him well. I let him know the other day that my DS would need to show up at the NROTC with a well fitting military haircut. Looks like it will be a tough day in the chair for him!

Done, done, done, & done!!!
 
Ex.BT.USN: Congratulations to your DS (and to you!). Sit back and relax a bit. Enjoy the next few months.

For what it is worth, my DS' NROTC has a mandatory haircut during orientation for all incoming Freshman (whether you need it or not!)

Still, I recommend showing up well groomed and clean shaven. Why give yourself more grief than necessary?

Every unit's incoming summer orientation is different - just wanted to alert you to the possibility.
 
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Best Wishes and congrats to your DS Ex.BT.USN. It is an exciting time. He will do well.
 
I know I'm old school but I was still stunned when my son said that 2-3 cadets showed up on day 1 at ROTC with earrings and most of the others were told to get a haircut.
 
Congratulations to your son. Make sure you get a picture during that traumatic hair cut.

Now the fun starts!!
 
Granted, we're a little late to the party...but what is there "to do"? Son sent back the acceptance letter when it came the other day...what else will he have to do? He is DoDMERB qualified, as he applied to SAs, but wasn't selected.
 
Granted, we're a little late to the party...but what is there "to do"? Son sent back the acceptance letter when it came the other day...what else will he have to do? He is DoDMERB qualified, as he applied to SAs, but wasn't selected.

As a 3 year scholarship awardee your son will not have much more that needs to be done before he starts school.

4 year awardees usually have paperwork that is sent them during the summer that would be filled out prior to starting school. Completing this paperwork can make getting the contract signed, providing they pass the APFT, quicker and easier.

A 3 year will complete this paperwork later, sometime before they start their second year. If your son's scholarship is upgraded to a 4 year before school starts then he will start to receive the paperwork sooner.

The above is in regard to AROTC.
 
Who decides if it's upgraded? Any hints on making that happen?
 
Who decides if it's upgraded? Any hints on making that happen?

The Battalion decides on the upgrades.

Sometimes if the battalion has the scholarship budget to do so, they will upgrade a cadet before they arrive at school based on their stats and where their recruitment levels are.

Battalions will also wait until the new cadets arrive. This past year my son's battalion upgraded one cadet from a 3 year to a 4 year and gave a 4 year to a cadet that had not received a scholarship within the first month of the year. One thing both these cadets had in common was that they killed the APFT the first time they took it, the 3 to 4 year upgrade cadet got a 295, the other cadet got a 322. This is the best thing a new cadet can do to make that first impression. Also, having good first semester grade along with a strong APFT will help give the cadet the opportunity to have their 3 year upgrade to a 3.5 year at the end of the semester.

Working out and being ready to do well on the first APFT is about the best thing a cadet can do to help their chances of an upgrade. Make sure to keep in contact with the ROO at the battalion at least a couple times before arriving at school.
 
What's a ROO? I speak USMA lingo, not ROTC.
I think it means Recruiting Operations Officer... but it is the officer on campus responsible for recruiting future and current students into the ROTC program. Usually a CPT (O-3), whereas the Professor of Military Science (PMS) is responsible for the Battalion and is usually a MAJ (O-4) or LTC (O-5). The ROO reports to the PMS who reports to the Brigade COL (O-6), who reports to the Cadet Command GEN (O-7).
 
The Battalion decides on the upgrades.

Sometimes if the battalion has the scholarship budget to do so, they will upgrade a cadet before they arrive at school based on their stats and where their recruitment levels are.

Battalions will also wait until the new cadets arrive. This past year my son's battalion upgraded one cadet from a 3 year to a 4 year and gave a 4 year to a cadet that had not received a scholarship within the first month of the year. One thing both these cadets had in common was that they killed the APFT the first time they took it, the 3 to 4 year upgrade cadet got a 295, the other cadet got a 322. This is the best thing a new cadet can do to make that first impression. Also, having good first semester grade along with a strong APFT will help give the cadet the opportunity to have their 3 year upgrade to a 3.5 year at the end of the semester.

Working out and being ready to do well on the first APFT is about the best thing a cadet can do to help their chances of an upgrade. Make sure to keep in contact with the ROO at the battalion at least a couple times before arriving at school.

+1 on all of that as pertains to UNG. Maxing out the APFT with a 300 or better score, plus getting stellar grades first semester would offer your DS the best chance of upgrading to a 3.5 or 4-year retroactive. How's his PT going now?
 
He's a beast in push ups, but has to work harder on those sit ups! Wishing there was a pull up bar option =) 1LT brother is going to run him ragged grad weekend...doesn't feel like love, but is.
 
My DS just finished up with all of the mandatory paperwork required by NROTC. He sent everything in today. One very happy "now relaxed" kid.

So happy for you guys! Isn't it nice to just sit back and wait for the excitement (rather than the mailman!)

The only thing DS has heard from his school is a 2 sentence email welcoming him to the unit. So no paperwork or anything yet. I know the units are all different and info will come with time. He is very excited to go shopping for his dorm, and buy a laptop and this, that and the other thing. Oh, and a new wardrobe because everything he wears now is high school spirit wear. College is already costing us a fortune!:thumb:
 
The only thing DS has heard from his school is a 2 sentence email welcoming him to the unit. So no paperwork or anything yet. I know the units are all different and info will come with time. He is very excited to go shopping for his dorm, and buy a laptop and this, that and the other thing. Oh, and a new wardrobe because everything he wears now is high school spirit wear. College is already costing us a fortune!:thumb:

Here here! No paperwork here either, but we do have to figure out some very important questions soon like, "does he need to buy season football tickets?" (the NROTC unit works the games parking cars) and "can he play rugby?" These are the burning questions for my son....and what laptop to buy! :thumb:
 
If any of your new students are planning on joining a Fraternity, don't buy many sweatshirts or T-shirts now. They seem to get one for almost every event they have, not to mention what they will want when they make their way to the College Store. I remember my son packing a lot of clothes when he first went to school, we brought back more then half of them when we made our first visit for Dad's Day.

Both my son's have had Apple Mac Book's for a laptop, they can be a bit more then the PC Laptops but while others have had problems or had to replace theirs, both son's are still going strong and have never been in the shop.

When we sent our first son, he packed everything the college website listed, didn't use half of it. For the second son we just gave him the money and he bought what he needed as he needed it, a lot cheaper and took up less room.

I'm sure some of you have gone through all this before, this is more for the first timers.
 
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Couple of things...

My son had his packet sent to him back in March.

He first called the NROTC unit back in January to let them know that he was awarded the scholarship but was waiting on the Academy.

In late March when he learned he would not attend the Academy he called them again. Once they knew he was firm with the NROTC unit they sent the package.

In recent weeks the schools NROTC web page was updated with the same documents they sent him in March. If your daughter / son has not done so already maybe they could call the unit and ask.

Hope this helps.
 
Lesson Learned

Almost forgot...

My older son attended a very good university with a new Dell with a nice software package. Although it was a very nice computer (using it now) it was not good for him at college. He purchased the Dell and lived with it his first year (engineering major studies).

At the end of the year he came home and said he was going to save for an Apple. He did just that, he purchased an Apple Pro.

He just came home from his 2nd year and my younger son asked which he liked better.

He said as much as he likes the Dell he would never go back. My younger son has looked at both and is going to purchase the Apple.
 
So happy for you guys! Isn't it nice to just sit back and wait for the excitement (rather than the mailman!)

The only thing DS has heard from his school is a 2 sentence email welcoming him to the unit. So no paperwork or anything yet. I know the units are all different and info will come with time. He is very excited to go shopping for his dorm, and buy a laptop and this, that and the other thing. Oh, and a new wardrobe because everything he wears now is high school spirit wear. College is already costing us a fortune!:thumb:

The last two years University of Michigan sent out a new student letter in June, with all instructions. I can send you a previous year's for reference if you would like. The ROTC building, North Hall, is being demolished, so they have been busy moving since the end of the school year, so that could potentially cause delays as well.
 
My DS just finished up with all of the mandatory paperwork required by NROTC. He sent everything in today. One very happy "now relaxed" kid.

His workout routine has already started with a 2.5 mile run, sit-ups and push-ups but he knows it is not enough. We remain cool up here in the Northeast, he needs some higher humidity and temperature weather to really get a feel of what is to come.

At this point he is only waiting for his college & NROTC orientation sessions.

From a fathers end I set my kid up for his last haircut... I just had to do something!:wink::biggrin::wink:! He has been going to the same barber shop since he was a little boy so the owner knows him well. I let him know the other day that my DS would need to show up at the NROTC with a well fitting military haircut. Looks like it will be a tough day in the chair for him!

Done, done, done, & done!!!

When DS did freshman O at your DS's future alma mater, everyone got a haircut courtesy of Mr. Jackson. Trust me, it was "well within" regs. I think Mr. Jackson shows up on campus one day a week, or at least he used to. When DS could afford it, even with a very generous tip, he could get an excellent cut from Mr. Jackson for $5.00. Until he could afford it, he used his own clippers and blades and did the job himself.
 
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