4-year AROTC Scholarship & Active Duty

Teragram

Teragram

Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
557
I apologize if this has already been asked somewhere, but I was unable to find recent information. My DD was awarded a 4 year scholarship and is now torn between a SMC and a civilian school. She wants to commission AD and was told by ROO at SMC that they are the only guarantee of AD w/ commander approval other than USMA. We got conflicting information from the ROO at the civilian school. This may be the deciding factor for her so we want to be sure she has all the information before hitting the Accept button. Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Barring the CO at the SMC barring her advancement, your daughter is guaranteed AD upon graduating/commissioning from an SMC. That being said, she's also guaranteed AD if she finishes in the top 10% on the OML (Order of Merit List) for her graduating class if she attends a public school. Every year is different and I shouldn't quote a number but I would *guesstimate* that just as long as your daughter can hold a 3.2-3.3 GPA,. she should get AD w/o a problem.
 
Well, by law an Army ROTC SMC graduate is guaranteed active duty as long as the PMS recommends them. If one completes the program successfully and honorably then I would be very confident of receiving that recommendation.

In a civilian ROTC program, cadets are given an OML ranking. Based on the numbers the Army needs they'll take everyone above a certain OML number (varies each year) for active duty. Others will go guard/reserve. Of course anyone can request guard/reserve regardless of their OML ranking. Grades, performance, PMS assessment are all part of the OML (among other things I'm sure). I think there MAY be a small bump for STEM majors but I might be getting that confused with Air Force.

There are civilian ROTC folks every year who want AD but do not get it.

I, personally, would not make my college choice based on this fact. If one goes to a school that's a good fit, work hard, and participate actively in ROTC, one is more likely to be successful than when attending a college that's not a good fit. Consider the fit, not the SMC vs Civilian, IMHO. SMC vs Civilian "lifestyle" is just one factor.

Hope this helps.
 
It is more than 10%. each school has a mission to produce AD officers. Not saying that is a guarantee, but if she does well in school and participates beyond the minimum, stays fit etc she shouldn't have a problem. Now mind you this is what my nursing student daughter was told, so might be handled slightly different. It is based on OML and everywhere she talked to said stay above the 3.5 GPA line and you should be more than fine. She should ask the ROO at the school what historically they have had.
 
Great comments above.

A couple other things to consider. While cadets are for the most part guaranteed AD at a SMC, getting the Branch they want when they commission is not a guarantee. Every year they list the number of SMC cadets that receive AD but were below the AD Cutoff line. As it's been mentioned above cadets are put on an OML list ranking from the top to the bottom, every cadet is ranked on this list including SMC cadets. While the SMC cadet may get AD the Army uses the same OML for Branch selections. Bottom line is that a SMC cadet may get AD with a very low OML but they will more then likely not get the branch they want.

This brings me to my point. An applicant should not select a SMC just for the guarantee of AD if a SMC is not something they have wanted from the start and have a large desire to attend. The lifestyle is completely different then a civilian school and can be real rough on a student if they are not prepared for what is coming. While some cadets may struggle through a SMC just to get AD, they may find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to branching. If they have a better fit at a civilian school where they believe they can succeed well, they will have a much better chance at getting what they want when it comes time to commission.

This year the AD cutoff was very low and they have since offered AD to many that were originally forced reserves. Of course this is now and what happens if four years could be different, but the trend looks like they will be offering around the same AD slots for the next four years, but nothing is a guarantee.

For a while now about 70 to 75%+ of the cadets that wanted AD received AD.
 
Thank you very much for all the information and advice. This is certainly not going to be the deciding factor for her and she does have the SMC listed as her first choice so it is something she has been very interested in since starting this process. She is also waiting on USMA, so she is definitely willing and ready to go "all in" for the lifestyle. I merely want her to have all the information in case she does go the civilian college route. She knows that whether it is SMC or civilian she has to be very aware of her OML if she wants that AD spot in the branch of her choice.
 
kinnem said:
Of course anyone can request guard/reserve regardless of their OML ranking.
Click to expand...

If you have a high OML, but ask to go reserves is there any blowback? Are you looked on negatively? DS wants to go AD but I can see exposure to internships and career choices in college might affect his decision. When does a student have to let his PMS know he would prefer Reserves?
 
There were a couple of cadets that wanted NG/ Reserve in my sons class that were told no and are now going AD. Keep in mind the Army just announced they are increasing the enlisted force by 6000. They are going to need Jr officers for them very soon.
 
sheriff3 said:
There were a couple of cadets that wanted NG/ Reserve in my sons class that were told no and are now going AD. Keep in mind the Army just announced they are increasing the enlisted force by 6000. They are going to need Jr officers for them very soon.
Click to expand...

They have changed the way the wording is online to not give the recipient a choice but to give the option to the Army selecting cadets for a choice. Last year it read as a choice between AD and Reserves.

GoArmy.com

YOUR COMMITMENT
  • An eight-year service commitment with the Army.
  • Serve full time in the Army for four years and four years with the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).
  • Selected Cadets may choose to serve part time in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard while pursuing a civilian career.
 
For those who want to see how the OML is calculated, here is the 2016 formula. Academics are half of the pie. This could be subject to change, though.

owUydiT.jpg
 
Interesting enough, as it seems to have gone over the past couple years they are changing the OML Model again.

Looks like CLC (or what they are back to calling it, Advanced Camp) will now have points again for the OML and the Academic section will be reduced in points. Command change at cadet Command is bringing about new changes, seems to be the trend these days as they try and figure out what works best.

Here is a link to the recommended changes for FY18, I don't think anything is carved into stone yet but wouldn't doubt it will look very close to what is recommended.

https://www.docdroid.net/a92M1jz/fy17-branching-data.pptx.html
 
Jcleppe said:
Interesting enough, as it seems to have gone over the past couple years they are changing the OML Model again.

Looks like CLC (or what they are back to calling it, Advanced Camp) will now have points again for the OML and the Academic section will be reduced in points. Command change at cadet Command is bringing about new changes, seems to be the trend these days as they try and figure out what works best.

Here is a link to the recommended changes for FY18, I don't think anything is carved into stone yet but wouldn't doubt it will look very close to what is recommended.

https://www.docdroid.net/a92M1jz/fy17-branching-data.pptx.html
Click to expand...

I saw that. More emphasis on leadership and less on the academic.
 
AROTC-dad said:
I saw that. More emphasis on leadership and less on the academic.
Click to expand...

It's interesting, looks like they are getting rid of the MAT, Command Interests, and the MS3 Final Exam, and making room for Advanced Camp scoring and that new "Maturity and Responsibility" section.

The Maturity and Responsibility section is the most interesting, I'll be interested in seeing how they calculate that one, it seems to be geared toward the SMP cadet. So if a non SMP cadet works a part time job with say 20 hours per month, equal to an average drill weekend (Actual working hours,), will they get equal points. How will that be compared to someone that has a full time job, can't imagine there are a lot of those out there.

Like I said, interesting to watch all the changes, my son's have said they would barely recognize the structure of ROTC since they were in, and the youngest commissioned in 2015.
 
Jcleppe said:
It's interesting, looks like they are getting rid of the MAT, Command Interests, and the MS3 Final Exam, and making room for Advanced Camp scoring and that new "Maturity and Responsibility" section.

The Maturity and Responsibility section is the most interesting, I'll be interested in seeing how they calculate that one, it seems to be geared toward the SMP cadet. So if a non SMP cadet works a part time job with say 20 hours per month, equal to an average drill weekend (Actual working hours,), will they get equal points. How will that be compared to someone that has a full time job, can't imagine there are a lot of those out there.

Like I said, interesting to watch all the changes, my son's have said they would barely recognize the structure of ROTC since they were in, and the youngest commissioned in 2015.
Click to expand...

Agreed... even the nomenclature keeps changing "Basic" and "Advanced" camps vs CIET and CLC. Also Basic/CIET being mandatory and then not. Ugh.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top