A few questions.

Golfer998

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I received a four year army rotc scholarship and I have a couple questions. First, I know that the army scholarship will extend to 5 years if you have an engineering major. Will this work if I did a 5 year masters engineering program? Also, I want to become an army aviator but I have bad vision( I wear contacts and glasses) will the army pay for lasik while I am in rotc or will I have to wait until I commission? Also if anyone is familiar with Virginia Tech will they give out any free room and board to scholarship recipients? Any info is helpful. Thanks is advance!
 
The scholarship will only pay for one degree. The only way to fit a masters in with a 5th year, is if it is a coterminal program and both the bachelors and masters are conferred at the end of 5 years. If it is coterminal, then you would still have to get an extension of benefits approved.

The Army does not pay for LASIK. You can get PRK as a service member. As a cadet, the Army will not pay for anything medical related except for workers comp if you are injured during an ROTC event. Depending on your eyesight, you may be DQed during the flight physical.

Call Va Tech, and they can tell you about Room and Board at their school.
 
Army will not pay for corneal refractive surgery (CRS) when you're in ROTC. You have to be on active duty to get corneal refractive surgery (LASIK, LASEK, and PRK are ok for aviation). Cadets at the USMA get CRS on the government dime during their 2nd class year, I think. You can't get CRS too early because your vision will not stabilize until your late teens. USNA midshipmen who want to fly also get CRS on the government dime.

I know of ROTC cadets who paid for CRS out of their own pocket before Advanced Camp because that's where flight physicals are done for pilot wannabes.

What is your vision now? Generally, no waiver is needed for Army aviation if you get CRS. The most common reason for a waiver requirement after getting CRS is if you have high myopia (worse than -6.00 diopters) or bad astigmatism (worse the 3.00 diopters) before you got the surgery.

If you decided to pay on your own before Advanced Camp, the Army will not consider qualifying you until at least 3 months after the surgery. In other words, don't get the surgery in May and then show up to camp in July expecting to be qualified because your vision is now 20/20.
 
My prescription is -3.00(spherical). I’m not sure what that converts to on the 20/20 scale or diopters.
 
If you want to fly for the Army, then you need CRS. The Army standard is no worse than -1.50 diopters. You’re DQ at -3.00 diopters.
 
You can.

Right now, if you get a flight physical at advanced camp, you will be DQ because of your refraction.

If you get CRS after advanced camp (ie during senior year college), then you’ll have to figure out a way to get a flight physical. It’s not easy to get a flight physical unless you live near a large Army post. That’s why cadets get flight physicals while at Advanced Camp. Ft Knox is set up for it.
 
I'm in the VTCC. They don't pay for room and board, but there is something called the emerging leadership scholarship that many cadets get. It's like 3k a year. feel free to PM me with any questions.
 
Does the AROTC scholarship reimburse any matriculation fees from colleges?
The 4-yr scholarships pay for 4 years of college (tuition + mandatory fees, book stipend, monthly stipend).

If the matriculation fees are mandatory, they should be covered.
 
I have few questions about medical profiles and ROTC.
My solider was physically assaulted, by a civilian, which resulted in a back injury and she was given a medical profile by her doctor. Charges were filed and the person who assaulted my solider plead guilty. So, my questions are: 1) Is it common for the Cadre to constantly ask the solider when they are going to be off profile or give the solider a hard time for being on a medical profile 2) My solider still attended PT but couldn't participate, attended lab classes, and completed all of assigned cadet duties given. A few classes were missed due to physical therapy or doctor appointments. However; the grades given were a C and a C- and my solider was given the reason of well you were on medical profile and there is no way to prove that you had an injury or that the assault caused such a bad injury. My solider offered the police and court papers, which the Cadre said didn't matter, gave her medical letters to the Cadre multiple times, along with medical letters from the physical therapist and the solider was told it didn't matter there was no proof. The solider was even threatened, by a MS, to have their contact taken away because of being on a medical profile. When the solider brought it to the LTC the solider was basically told to suck it up and grow a thicker skin. My solider is also in the Army National Guard and they accepted the medical profile and have not done any of what the ROTC Cadre are doing and continue to do. 3) Why is it the no one, Cadre or other officers the solider has spoken to, seem to know the procedures or regulations/articles for medical profiles? 4) Where does one find the regulations or articles for medical profiles for Army/ROTC.
 
I will say upfront that I do not have any knowledge of the Army ROTC program being as a member of the CG. That being said, I can offer a little AD military perspective.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma in the military that those on long term medical profiles, or "chits" as we call them in the CG, are not pulling their weight or "sandbagging" because they cannot fully participate in all activities. Why does it exist? Because, in the past, there have been cases where people stay on profiles in order to get out of activities. That is why your question number one is occurring - is it common? I couldn't answer that, it's well-known but it really depends on the command climate and leadership of others on how often the topic is broached.

3/4) I did a quick search and found a likely outdated but still potentially relevant Army instruction: AR 40-501 Standards of Medical Fitness http://cdm16635.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16635coll11/id/672

Chapter 7 (Page 73) is dedicated to profiling - both Temporary and Permanent Profiles

A temporary profile is given "if the condition is considered temporary, the correction or treatment of the condition is medically advisable, and correction usually will result in a higher physical capacity." I'm making a guess that your daughter is on a temporary profile, so the stipulations is that if your DD is on a profile for greater than 6 months for the same condition, she will be referred for further evaluation to determine a) continuation of the temp profile for up to 12 months, b) Change the temp to a permanent, c) Determination if she meets medical retention standards per Chapter 3. If the last happens, she could be referred to a Medical Review Board to determine if separation is necessary. Chapter 1 states that the U.S. Army Medical Center or Medical Department Activity are the review authorities for retention in all ROTC programs and appointment as commissioned officers from ROTC.

That's just come quick background information that I could come up with. What I would recommend is that your daughter engage with a officer POC at her Guard unit to assist, particularly if someone there has done ROTC in the past. They should have access to Army based documents that may be a little more updated. She should also continue to engage with her command at her ROTC unit about the issue and, if necessary, work her way to the next level (someone else on this forum may know what that level is). This is why the chain of command exists. If her cadre or the LTC are not giving her satisfactory explanations as you say, that is why the next level exists. To be honest, if your daughter has been evaluated by competent medical professionals (especially if they are Army medical personnel) and the police information proves injury, the cadre have to accept that medical information regardless of how they feel about it.

2) That being said, the cadre are within their authority to award an average grade of C or C- because she is unable to meet the requirements. It is no fault on her end but there is a standard and if it cannot be met, then an A grade can't be given. The reason likely shouldn't be that "there's no way to prove x" but rather that the "member is currently unable to fulfill all requirements due to outlying reasons and therefore cannot be fully evaluated." Your daughter was placed in an extremely terrible situation, there is no doubt about it. It is not something she should have had to experience and her command should support her. However, the ROTC unit (and her chain of command) also have an obligation to evaluate all of their candidates for commissions. If, because of the injury, your daughter is unable to get past the hurdles and become fully fit and capable of carrying out her duties, than the unit has obligation to act accordingly and potentially process for separation. I'm not saying that should be or will be the case, but it is a factor. The Army, and military in general, is a business. They are willing to patch you up and get you back out to work, but they can't be responsible for you if you cannot work at 100%, particularly if a commission hasn't happened yet. The 100% includes the PT portion. It's a hard truth but one that needs to be understood. I've been there and have the DD-214 to show for it. Fortunately, I was able to make it work, get healthy, and rejoin.

This is my two cents, it may not offer you much help other than a potential resource but I felt compelled to give it a shot. Good luck!
 
I have few questions about medical profiles and ROTC.
My solider was physically assaulted, by a civilian, which resulted in a back injury and she was given a medical profile by her doctor. Charges were filed and the person who assaulted my solider plead guilty. So, my questions are: 1) Is it common for the Cadre to constantly ask the solider when they are going to be off profile or give the solider a hard time for being on a medical profile 2) My solider still attended PT but couldn't participate, attended lab classes, and completed all of assigned cadet duties given. A few classes were missed due to physical therapy or doctor appointments. However; the grades given were a C and a C- and my solider was given the reason of well you were on medical profile and there is no way to prove that you had an injury or that the assault caused such a bad injury. My solider offered the police and court papers, which the Cadre said didn't matter, gave her medical letters to the Cadre multiple times, along with medical letters from the physical therapist and the solider was told it didn't matter there was no proof. The solider was even threatened, by a MS, to have their contact taken away because of being on a medical profile. When the solider brought it to the LTC the solider was basically told to suck it up and grow a thicker skin. My solider is also in the Army National Guard and they accepted the medical profile and have not done any of what the ROTC Cadre are doing and continue to do. 3) Why is it the no one, Cadre or other officers the solider has spoken to, seem to know the procedures or regulations/articles for medical profiles? 4) Where does one find the regulations or articles for medical profiles for Army/ROTC.

Please see my post above, I neglected to reply directly to you in my first post.
 
I will say upfront that I do not have any knowledge of the Army ROTC program being as a member of the CG. That being said, I can offer a little AD military perspective.

Unfortunately, there is a stigma in the military that those on long term medical profiles, or "chits" as we call them in the CG, are not pulling their weight or "sandbagging" because they cannot fully participate in all activities. Why does it exist? Because, in the past, there have been cases where people stay on profiles in order to get out of activities. That is why your question number one is occurring - is it common? I couldn't answer that, it's well-known but it really depends on the command climate and leadership of others on how often the topic is broached.

3/4) I did a quick search and found a likely outdated but still potentially relevant Army instruction: AR 40-501 Standards of Medical Fitness http://cdm16635.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16635coll11/id/672

Chapter 7 (Page 73) is dedicated to profiling - both Temporary and Permanent Profiles

A temporary profile is given "if the condition is considered temporary, the correction or treatment of the condition is medically advisable, and correction usually will result in a higher physical capacity." I'm making a guess that your daughter is on a temporary profile, so the stipulations is that if your DD is on a profile for greater than 6 months for the same condition, she will be referred for further evaluation to determine a) continuation of the temp profile for up to 12 months, b) Change the temp to a permanent, c) Determination if she meets medical retention standards per Chapter 3. If the last happens, she could be referred to a Medical Review Board to determine if separation is necessary. Chapter 1 states that the U.S. Army Medical Center or Medical Department Activity are the review authorities for retention in all ROTC programs and appointment as commissioned officers from ROTC.

That's just come quick background information that I could come up with. What I would recommend is that your daughter engage with a officer POC at her Guard unit to assist, particularly if someone there has done ROTC in the past. They should have access to Army based documents that may be a little more updated. She should also continue to engage with her command at her ROTC unit about the issue and, if necessary, work her way to the next level (someone else on this forum may know what that level is). This is why the chain of command exists. If her cadre or the LTC are not giving her satisfactory explanations as you say, that is why the next level exists. To be honest, if your daughter has been evaluated by competent medical professionals (especially if they are Army medical personnel) and the police information proves injury, the cadre have to accept that medical information regardless of how they feel about it.

2) That being said, the cadre are within their authority to award an average grade of C or C- because she is unable to meet the requirements. It is no fault on her end but there is a standard and if it cannot be met, then an A grade can't be given. The reason likely shouldn't be that "there's no way to prove x" but rather that the "member is currently unable to fulfill all requirements due to outlying reasons and therefore cannot be fully evaluated." Your daughter was placed in an extremely terrible situation, there is no doubt about it. It is not something she should have had to experience and her command should support her. However, the ROTC unit (and her chain of command) also have an obligation to evaluate all of their candidates for commissions. If, because of the injury, your daughter is unable to get past the hurdles and become fully fit and capable of carrying out her duties, than the unit has obligation to act accordingly and potentially process for separation. I'm not saying that should be or will be the case, but it is a factor. The Army, and military in general, is a business. They are willing to patch you up and get you back out to work, but they can't be responsible for you if you cannot work at 100%, particularly if a commission hasn't happened yet. The 100% includes the PT portion. It's a hard truth but one that needs to be understood. I've been there and have the DD-214 to show for it. Fortunately, I was able to make it work, get healthy, and rejoin.

This is my two cents, it may not offer you much help other than a potential resource but I felt compelled to give it a shot. Good luck!

Thank you!
 
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