AROTC Scholarship: 8 years active duty?

taymcg12

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Apr 21, 2015
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I was reading over the scholarship description and realized that the only thing that is said about serving the 8 committed years (unless picked to go reserves) is that 4 of them are avtive duty and 4 of them in the IRR. I have a much greater interest in making a career out of ACTIVE DUTY military. So can you choose to serve all 8 years and more in active duty, or are you required to go to IRR after 4 years?
 
You can serve as much active duty time as the military allows you. And by allow that means you are selected for promotion and all the other requirements to remain in service until you reach service limits. The minimum is 4 active and 4 IRR for an ROTC scholarship.
 
That will not be entirely your decision. Once you complete your 4 year obligation there will be many factors that will determine whether you stay. Promotion and needs of the Army will play a large part. A 20 year career in the military is not a guarantee, even if it's what you want.
 
Its good to know that as long as I stay in top of the game, I shoulf be able to have a longer active duty career, but I also find it scary that even if I get the job I am working so hard to get, it can be scooped out from under me by the military so easily. All of the uncertainty is very frightening to me.
 
BTW -- same is true for a SA graduate. You serve your commitment on AD, then whether you are able to stay until 20 for a full career depends on how well you perform and make promotions. Life is uncertain. Worry about doing your best.
 
Its good to know that as long as I stay in top of the game, I shoulf be able to have a longer active duty career, but I also find it scary that even if I get the job I am working so hard to get, it can be scooped out from under me by the military so easily. All of the uncertainty is very frightening to me.
The same thing is true in the private sector. There are no guarantees of a job anywhere anymore. Even if you perform well the needs of the business (or Army) may supersede what you desire. Worry about what you can control, not what you can't control.
 
Agree with Kinnem 100%. There are no guarantees in most jobs. In the Marine Corps each MOS has folks called Career Counselors. They help Marines map out careers. They can answer questions like where is the weakness in my promotion package, what should my next billet be, is this a better tour than this one, I got passed over why do you think, what school is best to attend. These questions and answers all mean something different to the person asking based upon their career goals and aspirations. If their goal is to command a battalion or to just hit 20 the answers could be very different. Also this advice differs for a grunt vs an aviation vs a logistics officer. The needs of the service all come first. The military has an up or out mentality. If you do a good job things usually work out. Also remember you are thinking about this as a 17-18 year old. At 27 these decisions look much different especially if you have a spouse and kids involved. Things like moving again, kids changing schools again, deployments schedules, job satisfaction, and so many other things become huge factors. you can't forecast promotion rates to field grade in 15 or so years for now for whatever job and branch you end up in... So don't sweat it right now, it's step 800 and you are step 2 right now.
 
Its good to know that as long as I stay in top of the game, I shoulf be able to have a longer active duty career, but I also find it scary that even if I get the job I am working so hard to get, it can be scooped out from under me by the military so easily. All of the uncertainty is very frightening to me.
The same thing is true in the private sector. There are no guarantees of a job anywhere anymore. Even if you perform well the needs of the business (or Army) may supersede what you desire. Worry about what you can control, not what you can't control.

HA! You clearly don't work in the welfare office....

(Kidding)
 
Also remember you are thinking about this as a 17-18 year old. At 27 these decisions look much different especially if you have a spouse and kids involved. Things like moving again, kids changing schools again, deployments schedules, job satisfaction, and so many other things become huge factors. you can't forecast promotion rates to field grade in 15 or so years for now for whatever job and branch you end up in... So don't sweat it right now, it's step 800 and you are step 2 right now.
Not even that old. I'd go so far as to say college can change decisions as well.

Believe me taymcg, you aren't the first person who comes into ROTC with the mindset of doing 20 AD. Many folks up my way had that very same idea, going in to college, myself included. My opinions and decisions have changed drastically since the start of my endeavors.

You know, I get it. You're excited to start a new chapter of your life - especially the fact that you can now be (essentially) in the Army. But you'll eventually get to your program and finally be able to discern the fact from fiction; the misconceptions of the Army you never realized. I can almost guarantee you that it won't be as glamorous as you'd expect (unless you have family that's in).

Also - don't cut out the option of going private sector. With the way things are going with the Army, who knows what it would be like by the time you assess with your peers (nationwide). Last thing you want to do is bank on AD, and find out that you don't get it - then you run around scrambling to find a job so you're not sitting on your thumb by the time you graduate/commission. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Just go in with an open mind, and definitely do not corner yourself with few or no ways out.

Good Luck.
 
Great perspective by Thompson.

Realize as well that the current retirement system in the military will most likely be changing by the time you commission. There may no longer be the 50% retirement after 20 years but a 401K type plan that you take with you when yo leave the Army. This means that you would not be getting that retirement check when you leave after 20 years, you would be waiting until retirement age like all civilians.

This plus many other factors will weigh in your decision regarding how long you decide to stay in the Army.

Enter with no great expectations, take it one day at a time and always look at the big picture.
 
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