Possibly, all depends on separation codes. The chances are if you want subs and are qualified for it (grades and pass the interview) you will get it.
Interesting. I always thought NROTC was like AFROTC, as a junior they will sign their commitment papers, and are now locked into serving as an officer.
~ My DS was AFROTC scholarship, thus he actually signed three times (?) ~~ 1st for the scholarship. 2nd as a sophomore to acknowledge that if he left ROTC he would owe $$$ or be required to enlist. 3rd as a junior to acknowledge he would owe 4 yrs ADAF upon commissioning.
IOWS, there was no option as a POC to say to USAF: You didn't give me my number 1 career field choice, thus, I am outta here and will enlist instead. Granted, you could request that option, but due to the fact that they were meeting their enlistment recruitment numbers it was unlikely that even if you did get the release, they would pick you up for enlistment.
That being said, I do agree from what I have always seen here, requesting subs in the Navy is like RPAs in the AF. It is a critical manning field currently. That means they are forcing people into that field because they don't have enough asking to be in that field. Basically, if qual'd and it is your number 1, than you will get it.
I would also have a very open and honest conversation with him, even if they grant him the ability to switch from officer to enlisted upon graduation, it will be a different world for him in multiple ways.
1. Go to DFAS.mil and look up the pay chart for an E-4/5. Does he have student loans? If so, how much money will that leave him from payday to payday? Remember to add in the other little things on top of that...car pmt., insurance, cell phone, credit cards, etc.
~ Is that dream to be in a sub worth the difference. An O1 for 2016 with less than 2 yrs makes in base pay 2972. This is before you add in BAH. An E5 makes 2231.
~~ 2 yrs later, an O2 with 2 yrs in makes 3900, even if they get promoted to an E6 in 2 yrs., he will top out at 2680. This is assuming they bring him in as an E5, not an E4.
~~~ Sub pay also will be less.
2. Go to BAH calculator (rates)
~ Again there will be a difference in his paycheck between the officer and enlisted.
~~ It just keeps piling on financially.
3. Life after the military
~ At 20 the idea that one day they will be 42 is OMG! I will be so OLD! However, the reality is that if he does 20 yrs, be it enlisted in subs, or officer non-sub, he will start his 2nd career with a retirement paycheck (current system) for the rest of his life. See above for DFAS.
~~ O5 over 18 yrs = 8388. E9 over 18 = 5536. Retirement pay is a % of basic pay. Leaving at 20 on the dot, means 1 will get @4100 per month until they die, and the other gets @2800. As a parent with a college age student I think you would agree that financially it could mean the difference between them paying for your grandchild's education and your grandchild needing to take more loans to attend college. Just saying that to them they are so young they can't see that aspect.
~ 2nd career options
~~ Contractor or GS they are going to look at experience. He will def. have the sub experience, but not as an officer. Thus, his pay scale and career options will not be competitive with the sub officers typically. Financially it is now a double whammy...less retirement pay and less 2nd career pay.
I am not trying to dissuade you or him at all. I am trying to say that in my experience as a military spouse and now a retired O5 working GS, you will never become a millionaire in the military, and since he has yet to live the life on a sub or a carrier or anything in USN, don't pigeon hole yourself because money will matter when he has to start paying the bills, more so when he gets married and has kids with a mtg and car pmts.
~ My DS had no student loans, but his wife does. She works, but now they are expecting a baby. She will be able to stay at home with the baby because he will be an O3 in July. See above regarding pay differential.
It is great to be altruistic, and go for that dream career. Yet, it is different when you live the life. He might turn in 4 yrs if USN allows him to leave and enlist and say, Dang, I spend my days taking orders from an officer living in officer quarters while I hot rack making thousands of $$$, while both of us have college degrees...maybe I should have gone SWO, done 4 yrs and hit the door. Or asked for Educational Delay (ED) as an NROTC mid and opened another door.
Just my 0.019976 cents, with that and $2.07 you could buy a small coffee at Starbucks.