Anyone heard yet on NROTC Summer Cruises/CORTRAMID?
- Thread starter marciemi
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Wow! Good luck to him Kat! He's definitely taking a big bite there I imagine. I'm sure he'll do fine and have a great time. Please let us know how it all goes!
DS goes EOD cruise Saturday. He got scuba certified on my dime last month and joined us diving in the Bahamas and had unlimited visibility. Nice to know beforehand if you are comfortable diving. I'm sure where the EOD's dive the water is cold and murky.
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Good luck to him terp. I'm sure he'll do well with that under his belt. Getting scuba certified, while not difficult, can be challenging. I know I had a bit of difficulty taking my first breath while underwater!
Please let us know how it goes.Hi Grunt! He did it aboard ship while underway. I'm assuming the target(s) were also aboard ship or otherwise attached, but what do I know. He had one day in San Diego before catching his flight home. He got a cheap hotel room with some other midshipmen and they went to Sea World and who knows where else. Haven't had time to ask all my questions yet!
Be careful what you ask.
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Be careful what you ask.
Ha! Can't imagine anything that would shockingly surprise me. Thanks goodness he's too smart to go back to the ship when there is no need and he is in no condition.
I am sure he is also smart enough to keep some things on a need to know basis.
It sounds like you have raised a great son.
Thinking of the poor mid that broke both of his arms doing something stupid. Sure hope he has some really good buddies as he is going to need some personal hygiene help for a while.
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I am sure he is also smart enough to keep some things on a need to know basis.
It sounds like you have raised a great son.
Thinking of the poor mid that broke both of his arms doing something stupid. Sure hope he has some really good buddies as he is going to need some personal hygiene help for a while.
HA! Hadn't thought of that.
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Answer to USMCGrunt and other sea tales
So USMCGrunt... here's how the qualification worked. The target is placed on the stern and they fire across the flight deck. The size of the target is reduced to simulate the 120 yds, or whatever it is normally, on the range. This is while underway so there is some degree of swell to deal with but it seems to me that the wind has to be at your back, ie. little to no crosswind if it would even apply to a shorter actual yardage.
Another Academy Midshipman story: Evidently when it was time to show up for the ride to the airport to return, several Academy midshipmen were late, or at the wrong location (not sure which). They called their contact and said they were at the ship and waiting for their ride to the airport. The contact told them everyone else was already at the airport and it was now their responsibility to get there. They asked if he could call someone else to get their orders to them, so they could take a taxi. Reply was "Sure". Evidently the third individual crumpled their orders into individual balls of paper prior to delivering them.
Message sent! Lest everyone think DS is down on USNA MIDN, his best bud on the cruise was a USNA Marine Option (or however they refer to it at USNA). DS said he was sooooooo smart and a real great guy. I'm sure there are some NROTC MIDN stories I haven't heard yet.
Cheap Hotel Room: Evidently there were 10 MIDN of both sexes sharing a single room with two double beds. DS slept on the floor. Total cost? $15.00 each.
My favorite story: Keep in mind my son is a Marine Option and knew nothing about ships and even less about tugs. When the tug backed into the ship to begin pushing them into and through the canal DS said "Oh my God! They've hit us!!!"
So USMCGrunt... here's how the qualification worked. The target is placed on the stern and they fire across the flight deck. The size of the target is reduced to simulate the 120 yds, or whatever it is normally, on the range. This is while underway so there is some degree of swell to deal with but it seems to me that the wind has to be at your back, ie. little to no crosswind if it would even apply to a shorter actual yardage.
Another Academy Midshipman story: Evidently when it was time to show up for the ride to the airport to return, several Academy midshipmen were late, or at the wrong location (not sure which). They called their contact and said they were at the ship and waiting for their ride to the airport. The contact told them everyone else was already at the airport and it was now their responsibility to get there. They asked if he could call someone else to get their orders to them, so they could take a taxi. Reply was "Sure". Evidently the third individual crumpled their orders into individual balls of paper prior to delivering them.
Message sent! Lest everyone think DS is down on USNA MIDN, his best bud on the cruise was a USNA Marine Option (or however they refer to it at USNA). DS said he was sooooooo smart and a real great guy. I'm sure there are some NROTC MIDN stories I haven't heard yet.Cheap Hotel Room: Evidently there were 10 MIDN of both sexes sharing a single room with two double beds. DS slept on the floor. Total cost? $15.00 each.
My favorite story: Keep in mind my son is a Marine Option and knew nothing about ships and even less about tugs. When the tug backed into the ship to begin pushing them into and through the canal DS said "Oh my God! They've hit us!!!"
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So USMCGrunt... here's how the qualification worked. The target is placed on the stern and they fire across the flight deck. The size of the target is reduced to simulate the 120 yds, or whatever it is normally, on the range. This is while underway so there is some degree of swell to deal with but it seems to me that the wind has to be at your back, ie. little to no crosswind if it would even apply to a shorter actual yardage.
Another Academy Midshipman story: Evidently when it was time to show up for the ride to the airport to return, several Academy midshipmen were late, or at the wrong location (not sure which). They called their contact and said they were at the ship and waiting for their ride to the airport. The contact told them everyone else was already at the airport and it was now their responsibility to get there. They asked if he could call someone else to get their orders to them, so they could take a taxi. Reply was "Sure". Evidently the third individual crumpled their orders into individual balls of paper prior to delivering them.
Cheap Hotel Room: Evidently there were 10 MIDN of both sexes sharing a single room with two double beds. DS slept on the floor. Total cost? $15.00 each.
My favorite story: Keep in mind my son is a Marine Option and knew nothing about ships and even less about tugs. When the tug backed into the ship to begin pushing them into and through the canal DS said "Oh my God! They've hit us!!!"
As I'm sure your son knows, that qualification means nothing for him. The Navy types get to wear the ribbons/keep the qual after they commission but for Marines it goes away because it's so different from the USMC rifle/pistol qual. Still fun though.
By and large I was always pretty impressed with the NROTC Marine Options I encountered on summer training and felt the same way about most of my NROTC peers at TBS. Some of the Navy options though...
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As I'm sure your son knows, that qualification means nothing for him. The Navy types get to wear the ribbons/keep the qual after they commission but for Marines it goes away because it's so different from the USMC rifle/pistol qual. Still fun though.
By and large I was always pretty impressed with the NROTC Marine Options I encountered on summer training and felt the same way about most of my NROTC peers at TBS. Some of the Navy options though...
HAHAHA! re: Navy Options! Yes your are correct that the qualification means nothing for him and he does know that. But as you say it was fun and a big deal for him to get it even if its meaningless. He was pleased to do well enough to get it and I would say also pleased to just be shooting. I don't think he had a chance to fire an M16 until that point.
I hope TBS is going well for you Hurricane (actually I'm sure it is).Some pretty hot weather right now and I'm sure the humidity is 110%.
jiller59
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Just some intraservice good humor jiller. I'm sure your DS will come home at thanksgiving talking about Marines with a neck size of 18 and a cover (hat) size of 2. 
If your son puts in the effort and works hard no one will ever talk about him like that!
If your son puts in the effort and works hard no one will ever talk about him like that!
jiller59
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Kinnem - I know, just had to rib back a bit.
As you may know from my tagline, my DF has served as both Marine and Navy, so DS has a balanced perpective. DS doesn't want to be a Marine, but IS proud of the fact that he is one of two Navy options on the Endurance Team. The other Navy option is going EOD. DS has great relationships with the Marine options - they are surprised at his toughness, plus he is faster than any of them
As you may know from my tagline, my DF has served as both Marine and Navy, so DS has a balanced perpective. DS doesn't want to be a Marine, but IS proud of the fact that he is one of two Navy options on the Endurance Team. The other Navy option is going EOD. DS has great relationships with the Marine options - they are surprised at his toughness, plus he is faster than any of them
DS called today to report on EOD summer cruise. 5 nrotc and 4 USNA mids all having lots of fun. Got to shoot a 50 cal. machine gun from a hummer, a M-4 and a baretta today. DS has only shot a gun 1x before this so very exciting for him. Said it the hardest PT ever. Bunch of fitness nuts. The academy guys had lots of prequalification to get there so of course in very good shape. Another 10 days training and off to O-week.
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Sounds exciting terp! Good for him!
DS has been at Coronado for SEAL cruise. We are picking him up at the airport on Friday. To say this has been tough is an understatement. The session started with 42 and half DOR'd by the end of the first week. The USNA guys all left last Sunday, leaving 9 NROTC mids for the last week. DS was named Officer In Charge--he was happy about that because he felt that was an indication that he maybe, just maybe, did something right during the time he's been there. (Apparently, the goal is not really to make these mids feel good about anything!)
We are anxious to hear more about his adventure!
Kat
We are anxious to hear more about his adventure!
Kat
Pima
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Are you saying 50% of the mids DOR'd?
What happens if they DOR? Are they dis-enrolled? I ask from a learning perspective.
AFROTC does not do tours like NROTC. They attend SFT, and if anyone DOR'd, than they would not be able to become a POC, and could not commission. Their ranking is part of their OML for career options.
How does it work for NROTC mids? Are summer tours for experiencing career fields, and have no impact on their OML? Or are they part of bridging over to becoming a POC?
What happens if they DOR? Are they dis-enrolled? I ask from a learning perspective.
AFROTC does not do tours like NROTC. They attend SFT, and if anyone DOR'd, than they would not be able to become a POC, and could not commission. Their ranking is part of their OML for career options.
How does it work for NROTC mids? Are summer tours for experiencing career fields, and have no impact on their OML? Or are they part of bridging over to becoming a POC?
Pima,
I am going to have to defer to others on this board who know more about this process. DS was a college programmer, so this is the first and only cruise he will experience. I believe that one cruise (Sr. Cruise) is required to commission.
Those who DOR'd were sent to a ship. I'm presuming they will still commission, but possibly in a totally different field than they anticipated.
Sorry, I'm no help...just a mom with no military background at all trying to figure all of this out myself!
Kat
I am going to have to defer to others on this board who know more about this process. DS was a college programmer, so this is the first and only cruise he will experience. I believe that one cruise (Sr. Cruise) is required to commission.
Those who DOR'd were sent to a ship. I'm presuming they will still commission, but possibly in a totally different field than they anticipated.
Sorry, I'm no help...just a mom with no military background at all trying to figure all of this out myself!
Kat
DS just finished his EOD cruise. Great experience but has decided it is not for him. He now has a few days to study for the ASTB and hopefully get pilot slot. A big negative of being a college programmer is they don't participate in the 1st two cruises therefore not exposing them to all the service selections. Kat-DS had a classmate at the seal cruise and DOR'ed and went to a ship. With service select you just remove it from your wish list.