New CC Policy about Uniforms

yakazoiii

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2013
Messages
12
Hey !

Have you heard the new Cadet Command policy that requires non-contracted cadets to turn back their uniforms at the end of the fall semester ? They won't get it back until they contract, not even for LTX.
 
That's not a Cadet Command policy...sounds like your Battalion cooked that one up.
 
According to my Sergeant, it is a CC policy. That's why I'm wondering how other bataillons deal with it.
He said CC want to create a Cadet Entry Program where newly contracted Cadet would get their uniforms issued like in Basics.
 
Like Clarkson said, this must be something your battalion implemented. They aren't taking the uniforms away from any of the non-contracted cadets at my son's school.
 
And...I stand corrected (mind also blown). Rumor from my supply tech is it's coming our way.

That's all I'm going to say for now. We'll see how this plays out.
 
I wonder if this is coming down because the new uniform regulations for cadets? Could it be that this is a cost/budget issue?

My only question is from a poster perspective. We tell every poster that is a candidate, come fall scholarship does not matter. Cadets don't discuss this at all! However, if I am reading this right, it will now be glaringly obvious 2hich cadet is contracted and which is not.

I just can't see how that is good for morale or esprit de corps within every unit.

Maybe just me!
 
No Pima! It's not just you. If this new policy, as stated, is correct then you can color me "mind blown" like Clarkson.
 
My only question is from a poster perspective. We tell every poster that is a candidate, come fall scholarship does not matter. Cadets don't discuss this at all! However, if I am reading this right, it will now be glaringly obvious which cadet is contracted and which is not.

I just can't see how that is good for morale or esprit de corps within every unit.

Maybe just me!

I had the same thoughts.

One thing though, most cadets know who starts with a scholarship anyway. If the scholarship cadets pass the APFT they usually contract at a ceremony, everyone knows who they are, they also apply for things non contracted cadets do not.

I do agree with you though, other then the above all the cadets seem to end up as part of one battalion, all the same. Having the non contracted cadets in civilian clothes until they contract, which could be up to two years, could be a little dividing.

Hope they don't make the non contracted cadets in Ranger Challenge compete in Jeans and a sweatshirt, or the Color Guard march in shorts and Sperrys.

I wouldn't doubt that some larger battalions already have an issue giving a uniform to every cadet.

Still haven't heard anything about this from my son, but then again he doesn't tell me that much anyway.
 
Jcleppe, Still haven't heard anything about this from my son, but then again he doesn't tell me that much anyway

Glad I'm not the only parent who gets radio silence on these things. I was beginning to get a complex.

I agree with Jcleppe, most of the cadets know who is contracted and not. This policy does seem to be a head scratcher for sure.
 
My son is a 3-yr AD scholarship recipient and is part of large battalion. He was VERY disappointed when he showed up on campus for his first semester and was informed that he doesn't get a uniform until he contracts. Keeps 'em hungry, I guess. However, Jcleppe brings up a good point -- what happens to the kids that participate in Ranger Challenge? DS is trying to get on the team, but he's not yet contracted. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Also, without trying to divert the thread, here's another thing that kinda surprised me. DS called to tell us to NOT be surprised if we start getting calls from him asking for money for the RC team. He said they are self-funded. They had a car wash last weekend, so they'll have to see if the money they made will be enough for their needs before they start hounding the parents for funds.

Lastly, it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only parent not getting very much contact from their cadet. My DH & I were starting to wonder if we'd done something wrong with his upbringing. It's definitely been an adjustment for us.
 
Lastly, it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only parent not getting very much contact from their cadet. My DH & I were starting to wonder if we'd done something wrong with his upbringing. It's definitely been an adjustment for us.

Speak of the devil, I heard from my son this morning, of course it was him asking if I could put $50.00 on his student card. I guess we have to take pleasure in what we get.
 
Lastly, it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only parent not getting very much contact from their cadet. My DH & I were starting to wonder if we'd done something wrong with his upbringing. It's definitely been an adjustment for us.

Future2LTMom - if your son is adjusting well to being away from home, and confident enough in himself to not be contacting you for every little thing, I'd say you guys did something very right with his upbringing. It's an adjustment for everyone, but it sounds like you've done a fine job.
 
Future2LTMom - if your son is adjusting well to being away from home, and confident enough in himself to not be contacting you for every little thing, I'd say you guys did something very right with his upbringing. It's an adjustment for everyone, but it sounds like you've done a fine job.

Thanks for your encouraging words.
 
This sounds to me like a sad situation. As mentioned, the esprit de corps. Plus, does the weight of all of the extracurricular activities fall upon those who are contracted? What about the military ball? What about flag ceremony and Veterans Day ceremony? My son is NROTC, but where he goes they have a hard enough time getting people to step up to do these extra things. For instance at the University sports games. Raising and lowering of the flag each day. If it all falls to the contracted, it could get rough.

And Future2LtMom, you certainly are not alone in having limited contact from your son. Mine is pretty good at texting me if I text him first, but I very rarely get a phone call. I miss him, but I reminded myself that no news is good news.
 
My son is a 3-yr AD scholarship recipient and is part of large battalion. He was VERY disappointed when he showed up on campus for his first semester and was informed that he doesn't get a uniform until he contracts. Keeps 'em hungry, I guess. However, Jcleppe brings up a good point -- what happens to the kids that participate in Ranger Challenge? DS is trying to get on the team, but he's not yet contracted. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Also, without trying to divert the thread, here's another thing that kinda surprised me. DS called to tell us to NOT be surprised if we start getting calls from him asking for money for the RC team. He said they are self-funded. They had a car wash last weekend, so they'll have to see if the money they made will be enough for their needs before they start hounding the parents for funds.

Lastly, it makes me feel better to know I'm not the only parent not getting very much contact from their cadet. My DH & I were starting to wonder if we'd done something wrong with his upbringing. It's definitely been an adjustment for us.

This sounds to me like a sad situation. As mentioned, the esprit de corps. Plus, does the weight of all of the extracurricular activities fall upon those who are contracted? What about the military ball? What about flag ceremony and Veterans Day ceremony? My son is NROTC, but where he goes they have a hard enough time getting people to step up to do these extra things. For instance at the University sports games. Raising and lowering of the flag each day. If it all falls to the contracted, it could get rough.

And Future2LtMom, you certainly are not alone in having limited contact from your son. Mine is pretty good at texting me if I text him first, but I very rarely get a phone call. I miss him, but I reminded myself that no news is good news.

I'm getting the feeling this is part of the change of balance between supply and demand for ROTC cadets.

For quite a while, (I'm talking decades here) it was hard to get enough top quality candidates for what has been (since the start of the ops in the sandbox) a large demand. Issuing uniforms (a perk for those motivated) was a relatively cheap way of getting them to commit.

I'm sensing that the Army feels it has an excess of quality candidates, thus making the uniform a result of the commitment (contracting) a different type of motivator.

I suspect that non-contracted cadets may not be allowed to participate in events requiring a uniform. Serious candidates who are highly motivated to participate in these events will be pressing their cadre for the ability to contract (scholarship or NOT - yes, you can contract without a scholarship and only get the stipend).

The squeeze is on...
 
In the past at my son's battalion nearly all cadets received ACU's, if they had enough to go around, not every cadet was issued the Greens or now the ASU's unless they were contracted. Any cadet, contracted or not received the ASU's if they joined Color Guard and those that made the ranger challenge team received ACU's I would imagine this will be what continues to happen.

I doubt they will restrict EC's like Color Guard or Ranger Challenge to just contracted cadets, some battalions are smaller and would have a tough time filling spots with only contracted cadets.

It's true that you don't need to be on scholarship to get a contract. You do however need to be either a SMP cadet that can contract their sophomore year, or a MS3 if you don't have a scholarship. Not a lot of MS3's do Color Guard, if it's only for contracted cadets it could be tough to get enough cadets to make it viable.

No matter how hard a non scholarship cadet works and shows commitment, they can't contract until the start of their junior year. Keeping these cadets out of any battalion EC's for the first two years doesn't sound like a good idea for this group.
 
In the past at my son's battalion nearly all cadets received ACU's, if they had enough to go around, not every cadet was issued the Greens or now the ASU's unless they were contracted. Any cadet, contracted or not received the ASU's if they joined Color Guard and those that made the ranger challenge team received ACU's I would imagine this will be what continues to happen.

I doubt they will restrict EC's like Color Guard or Ranger Challenge to just contracted cadets, some battalions are smaller and would have a tough time filling spots with only contracted cadets.

It's true that you don't need to be on scholarship to get a contract. You do however need to be either a SMP cadet that can contract their sophomore year, or a MS3 if you don't have a scholarship. Not a lot of MS3's do Color Guard, if it's only for contracted cadets it could be tough to get enough cadets to make it viable.

No matter how hard a non scholarship cadet works and shows commitment, they can't contract until the start of their junior year. Keeping these cadets out of any battalion EC's for the first two years doesn't sound like a good idea for this group.

I suspect that there is also a move on to limit the number of 4-year scholarships even further (reduces the risk of 1 and done and allowing money for more cadets to have 3yr scholarships perhaps more awarded at the unit). This turns the freshman year into a "prove yourself" year instead of try it out year or if you are lucky get your tuition paid while trying it.

I'm not saying this is all good. Fewer 4-year scholarships lead to a less diverse cadet population. Lets face it, many great officers were only able to afford the 4-year college because they had the scholarship.

On the positive side, units aren't stuck with as many 4-year scholarship cadets who take the attitude of pass APFT, get my minimum GPA, and I'm good to go (seems like we hear about those cadets at a lot of places).
 
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