Early Commission

J

jscorpion

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Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
16
I am an AROTC cadet and I want to commission one you early.

Background:
I have already moved my commission from May 2020 to Dec 2019, but I want to move it to an end of camp commission.

I am #1 on my current class OML

I was told this was impossible beforehand only because "end of camp commissioning doesn't happen anymore." However, recent knowledge has proved this wrong.

I am almost finished with my degree and am would just be taking dumb classes if I waited.

So, I want to graduate in May 2019 and Commission in the summer. My question is:
How do I approach cadre with this? How do I actually get them to fill out the paperwork? what is required of me?


Thank you!!!
 
Maybe I'm a dunce, but this doesn't seem hard. How do you approach the cadre? You simply make an appointment with your adviser or your PMS and talk to them about it. You ask them the subsequent questions with tact. Just my two cents.
 
I would add to have done your research on regulations and have them available for reference that this can be done along with your academic plan to degree completion.
 
It shouldn’t be too difficult. The reason you see challenges with switching year groups is with the army trying to manage the amount of officers in various grades. Cadet command gets told to produce X amount of officers each year and federal law mandates the end strength for the maximum allowed number of officers of a given grade compared to other grades (in a nutshell, there’s a little more to it). If you are on track to graduate early you very well could help USACC out with staying close to that number due to someone else failing a course, summer training, injury, etc. Moving to a later year group seems to be something that is more difficult to do the closer you get to commissioning as you move from one year group to a later one. May 2020 to December 2019 isn’t difficult as you stay in the same year group, it’s moving between them (as you would do in moving to May 2019) that can be a little more of a challenge.

I know none of the above helps with what paperwork is required because I honestly have no clue, but talking with your advisor (and then your PMS) will kick start the process. Your HR tech is probably well versed in the process
 
jscorpion,

If I read your previous posts correctly you have just complete your MS2 year. If you were to graduate May of 2019 and commission at the end of Camp, you would have only completed ROTC up to the MS3 level.

Maybe someone can answer this but is it even possible to commission without at least starting the MS4 year, I have seen it where some commission early but haven't seen it happen earlier then December of their MS4 year.

I would follow the advice above and talk with your Cadre.
 
Jcleppe said:
jscorpion,

If I read your previous posts correctly you have just complete your MS2 year. If you were to graduate May of 2019 and commission at the end of Camp, you would have only completed ROTC up to the MS3 level.

Maybe someone can answer this but is it even possible to commission without at least starting the MS4 year, I have seen it where some commission early but haven't seen it happen earlier then December of their MS4 year.

I would follow the advice above and talk with your Cadre.
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I don't disagree with Jcleppe conclusions. However, and I'm just guessing, but if he could complete his MS4 AROTC academic course work during junior year, I bet he could do it. Of course there might very well be scheduling conflicts that prevent that. I wouldn't be surprised that both courses are taught the same time of day with different "professors". I certainly know folks who have done it in NROTC so I'm guessing it's possible in AROTC.
 
OP, I understand your desire to move forward but what is the rush? Your time in college will be some of the best and easy years of your life. Enjoy them. Take the “dumb” classes and go work and earn some extra cash or volunteer more. Certainly your school offers some classes of interest to you. Can you get some of the prerequisites out of the way for an advanced degree? Good luck.
 
Thank you for all of the responses. I am talking with cadre about it and my HRA but my PMS will not return to make the final decision until later this summer. I'll send an update of what happens when it does. Yes, I will be doubling MS4 and MS3 year to do this. I currently have 113 credits, I came in with some credits an have been taking a ton during the school year and now project GO at UMD to take on. My school requires only 120 to graduate, I have met my GenED requirements, and after two semesters I will meet both a BS and BA Major requirement in Psychology and International Relations respectively. If I grad May 2019, that will put me at 136 credits, but by extending a semester or year I could be edging close to 150. At my school, when you reach 150, they start uping the tuition rates!!! Right now, I think I will continue to take the advice of finding sources and means to present to my Cadre. Sadly my current cadre (almost all of them, excluding PMS) are leaving and they have mentally as some like to put it "checked out" of ROTC and moving any type of paperwork for cadets. The advice given to me straight from my HR was to go directly to the PMS for approval.
 
jscorpion said:
I am an AROTC cadet and I want to commission one you early.

Background:
I have already moved my commission from May 2020 to Dec 2019, but I want to move it to an end of camp commission.

I am #1 on my current class OML

I was told this was impossible beforehand only because "end of camp commissioning doesn't happen anymore." However, recent knowledge has proved this wrong.

I am almost finished with my degree and am would just be taking dumb classes if I waited.

So, I want to graduate in May 2019 and Commission in the summer. My question is:
How do I approach cadre with this? How do I actually get them to fill out the paperwork? what is required of me?


Thank you!!!
Click to expand...
jscorpion said:
Thank you for all of the responses. I am talking with cadre about it and my HRA but my PMS will not return to make the final decision until later this summer. I'll send an update of what happens when it does. Yes, I will be doubling MS4 and MS3 year to do this. I currently have 113 credits, I came in with some credits an have been taking a ton during the school year and now project GO at UMD to take on. My school requires only 120 to graduate, I have met my GenED requirements, and after two semesters I will meet both a BS and BA Major requirement in Psychology and International Relations respectively. If I grad May 2019, that will put me at 136 credits, but by extending a semester or year I could be edging close to 150. At my school, when you reach 150, they start uping the tuition rates!!! Right now, I think I will continue to take the advice of finding sources and means to present to my Cadre. Sadly my current cadre (almost all of them, excluding PMS) are leaving and they have mentally as some like to put it "checked out" of ROTC and moving any type of paperwork for cadets. The advice given to me straight from my HR was to go directly to the PMS for approval.
Click to expand...
jscorpion said:
I am an AROTC cadet and I want to commission one you early.

Background:
I have already moved my commission from May 2020 to Dec 2019, but I want to move it to an end of camp commission.

I am #1 on my current class OML

I was told this was impossible beforehand only because "end of camp commissioning doesn't happen anymore." However, recent knowledge has proved this wrong.

I am almost finished with my degree and am would just be taking dumb classes if I waited.

So, I want to graduate in May 2019 and Commission in the summer. My question is:
How do I approach cadre with this? How do I actually get them to fill out the paperwork? what is required of me?


Thank you!!!
Click to expand...
Print a copy of your 104R. Update it with your scheduled classes showing that you meet graduation requirements after x semesters more. This won't be your official 104R but a proposal for review with your PMS.

Meet with your academic advisor - print out the graduation requirements and list the remaining courses required to graduate. Have your advisor sign the document or write a letter to your PMS indicating you will meet graduation requirements upon completion of xx courses. Have your academic advisor include the 150 hour course limit in the letter.

Review your ROTC requirements for MS3 and 4 years. Identify how you can meet the two years of requirements in a compressed schedule. You may need additional leadership positions. Your proposal should not increase work for any ROTC Cadre or Staff.

Option 2 - meet with your academic advisor and identify one or two classes that prevent you from graduating early. Don't take the class/s immediately. Take graduate level courses of interest to you, mixed in for your final semesters. Take an education class or two - It's amazing how poorly some LTs present training. Take some applied skills classes for resume building - Your Psych degree won't be much help if you get out of the service in 4 years. Take another foreign language or cultural diversity course aligned with your IR degree.
 
Can you 'double up' for MS3 and MS4 courses? Is it that simple? Leadership experience/positions?
Really make sure that your ducks are in a row--and try to limit the negativity about superfluous course work and checked out military science teachers to this page...maybe reach out to some of the ROTC faculty on the page--who are absent from this conversation.
 
AROTC Parent said:
Meet with your academic advisor - print out the graduation requirements and list the remaining courses required to graduate. Have your advisor sign the document or write a letter to your PMS indicating you will meet graduation requirements upon completion of xx courses. Have your academic advisor include the 150 hour course limit in the letter.
Click to expand...

I can't emphasize this enough. I know of kids who thought they were commissioning in May of year X and discovered just prior to graduation that they were missing a required course. I have no idea how that happened between guidance counselor, ROTC adviser, and the student.... but it did. Ended up commissioning after completing the class in summer school, but missed the big commissioning ceremony with his class.
 
sheriff3 said:
I understand your desire to move forward but what is the rush?
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I agree. What do you accomplish by graduating early? Part of the college/ROTC experience is the maturity/experience you gain over those 4 years.
 
time2 said:
sheriff3 said:
I understand your desire to move forward but what is the rush?
Click to expand...

I agree. What do you accomplish by graduating early? Part of the college/ROTC experience is the maturity/experience you gain over those 4 years.
Click to expand...
I thought the same thing. I loved college and AROTC and would have stayed an extra year if I could have!
 
Wanted to update this:

I’ll be graduating in May 2019. I’ll go to camp and commission at my campus in July. I’ll get my Accessions in late August/early September. I’ll report to the soonest bolc (Jan probably).

How:

I submitted a cadet action request with a memo. My PMS sent a recommendation. I’m the top cadet on the OML. They (the CG) gave it to me under extenuating circumstances in August before school even started!

I forgot to update this earlier. I’ll be accessed with the MS4s now but be inserted as a .5 when it comes to rankings to determine what my OMS will be.

Thanks
 
jscorpion said:
I submitted a cadet action request with a memo. My PMS sent a recommendation. I’m the top cadet on the OML. They (the CG) gave it to me under extenuating circumstances in August before school even started!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you dotted all your I's and crossed all your T's in your effort to get this approved, Well done.

It's always surprising what you can get when you ask for it. Keep that in mind once you commission, there are a lot of opportunities for those that are proactive.
 
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