Active duty

CatchingRye

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Aug 18, 2008
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I am contracting next week for a two year scholarship, and will complete AROTC during graduate school. I am sure to be the grandpa of my program at age 27, but obviously am honored, humbled, and excited!

I can probably cover this with my cadre, but was wondering if anyone here has any insight - what are my chances of going active duty, assuming everything goes well and to plan and I get my commission (knock on wood)?

I was under the impression I had to go active duty, which I thought was great - I REALLY WANT to go active duty. I read something today, however, saying that active duty spots are limited, and that at a certain point in "the rankings", cadets start getting assigned to Reserve and Guard duty post-graduation.

I'm just hoping to get some clarification prior to signing. I'd love to get my graduate degree and stay where I am for two more years, but my #1 PRIORITY is serving as an officer. If I need to go to OCS to guarantee active duty, I might need to reconsider.

Thank you for any information!
 
Catching Rye: As I understand this- you are signing on for a 2 year AROTC scholarship (pretty much a full ride and stipend less room and board) as opposed to contracting for 2 years of senior ROTC (Uniform allowance and monthly stipend)?
Assuming the former- you are on a 2 year scholarship with all the bells and whistles attached- I would say that as things stand right now you will have a very strong likelihood of going on active duty.
Even with the latter case if you want to go active duty you probably will be able to do so assuming that you are seen as a reaonable competent cadet relative to the rest of the ROTC unit. (Ok- If you are number 50 out of 50 in an order of merit list- well- you might have issues then- but clearly you don't sound like that person.) However, I absolutely don't have any statistics to reference here and have not found anyplace that publishes them. I suggest that the best way to get an answer is to talk with the PMS at the school where you are contracting. Ask them flat out: what % of Senior ROTC graduates from their program last year received a commission and were able to go on active duty if desired. Your desire to go on AD is commendable and knowing that the Army is definitely stretched right now- I suspect that you will be able to get your wish and go AD thru ROTC if you are enthusiastically pursuing it- but you should talk with the PMS and express that strong desire and see what he tells you.
Good luck-

I am contracting next week for a two year scholarship, and will complete AROTC during graduate school. I am sure to be the grandpa of my program at age 27, but obviously am honored, humbled, and excited!

I can probably cover this with my cadre, but was wondering if anyone here has any insight - what are my chances of going active duty, assuming everything goes well and to plan and I get my commission (knock on wood)?

I was under the impression I had to go active duty, which I thought was great - I REALLY WANT to go active duty. I read something today, however, saying that active duty spots are limited, and that at a certain point in "the rankings", cadets start getting assigned to Reserve and Guard duty post-graduation.

I'm just hoping to get some clarification prior to signing. I'd love to get my graduate degree and stay where I am for two more years, but my #1 PRIORITY is serving as an officer. If I need to go to OCS to guarantee active duty, I might need to reconsider.

Thank you for any information!
 
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