Herman_Snerd
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2017
- Messages
- 1,411
Good Morning, or for those of you overseas, Good afternoon/ evening.
So it's like the 2nd step of his journey/ very very early for my DS, but honestly he loves ROTC. No joke - this is his jam/ interest. He has a pep in his step in describing what they're up to, hasn't missed a moment, and is excited about serving/ training, is learning, is looking ahead on where he may branch, etc. - seriously happy about that. in HS I would ask him how things are going and would most often get a one word answer "Good". Now when I call he's amped and very enthusiastic. All good so far. So this thread is not for my family, but I'm curious and thought it might help others to know...
Wanted to ask those with more experience in these programs why so many of the candidates who start as freshmen do not commission / finish and ultimately serve. There is in my observation a LARGE discrepancy between the number of candidates starting, and the commissioning ceremony numbers in recent years for one program I am following with particular interest and others I took a quick look at too.
A cousin of mine is a Army physician - we were chatting and he noted the following:
1. Some programmers try it and just decide it's not for them.
2. Some on scholarship take the 1st year on scholarship then walk away with no repay/ commitment.
3. Grades - some folks are dropped due to not having the right GPA
4. Fitness - some are above the line initially but fall below the minimum standards. Ahh, all you can eat college pizza and cheeseburgers at a point when catabolism begins
5. Participation - some are dropped because they do not attend enough training/ meetings.
6. Drug/ Alcohol infractions yield that some are dropped. Programs random test.
7. Challenge - some just are overwhelmed and this is not for them - they simply don't make it.
8. Attitude/ bad decisions- He mentioned mumbled talk-back as a red-flag for a candidate probably not working out in the program. He noted a few pretty funny examples.
9. Apparently some candidates are at some point advised they are not going to be supported to commission. That it's time to part ways.
Just curious for those with more experience in these programs how you see this- what are the top pitfalls these young women and men can avoid? In general what percentage of candidates that start the program end up commissioning, in your experience?
Thanks.
So it's like the 2nd step of his journey/ very very early for my DS, but honestly he loves ROTC. No joke - this is his jam/ interest. He has a pep in his step in describing what they're up to, hasn't missed a moment, and is excited about serving/ training, is learning, is looking ahead on where he may branch, etc. - seriously happy about that. in HS I would ask him how things are going and would most often get a one word answer "Good". Now when I call he's amped and very enthusiastic. All good so far. So this thread is not for my family, but I'm curious and thought it might help others to know...
Wanted to ask those with more experience in these programs why so many of the candidates who start as freshmen do not commission / finish and ultimately serve. There is in my observation a LARGE discrepancy between the number of candidates starting, and the commissioning ceremony numbers in recent years for one program I am following with particular interest and others I took a quick look at too.
A cousin of mine is a Army physician - we were chatting and he noted the following:
1. Some programmers try it and just decide it's not for them.
2. Some on scholarship take the 1st year on scholarship then walk away with no repay/ commitment.
3. Grades - some folks are dropped due to not having the right GPA
4. Fitness - some are above the line initially but fall below the minimum standards. Ahh, all you can eat college pizza and cheeseburgers at a point when catabolism begins
5. Participation - some are dropped because they do not attend enough training/ meetings.
6. Drug/ Alcohol infractions yield that some are dropped. Programs random test.
7. Challenge - some just are overwhelmed and this is not for them - they simply don't make it.
8. Attitude/ bad decisions- He mentioned mumbled talk-back as a red-flag for a candidate probably not working out in the program. He noted a few pretty funny examples.
9. Apparently some candidates are at some point advised they are not going to be supported to commission. That it's time to part ways.
Just curious for those with more experience in these programs how you see this- what are the top pitfalls these young women and men can avoid? In general what percentage of candidates that start the program end up commissioning, in your experience?
Thanks.