Back pay of stipend for my son

jcarring

5-Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
4
My son is completing his 3rd year as a Midshipman at a NROTC unit. He never received a scholarship so he took a chance and joined the unit as a College Programmer. He was offered Advanced Standing in July 2011 and his stipend was delayed for numerous reasons - mostly due to medical exams being required several times. Well to date he has received 2 stipend payments in the last 4 weeks. I don't know if he has ever signed his paperwork. I have called the unit about the back pay stipend that I feel that his owed by Navy with no success. I feel that he has done everything expected of him; performing his duties and class work as a 2nd class satisfactorily and should receive the back stipend. He has had to get a part time job to meet expenses plus has had to use part of a college fund. We have been waiting so long for the Navy to do what is right. He has made it his dream/goal to be a Navy officer - he competed for USNA summer session, receiving a congressional nomination to the USNA, competed multiple times for 3, 2 & 1 year and Commander NROTC scholarships - all with no success. I don't know where to turn to fight for a few thousand dollars that is his by right.
 
My son is completing his 3rd year as a Midshipman at a NROTC unit. He never received a scholarship so he took a chance and joined the unit as a College Programmer. He was offered Advanced Standing in July 2011 and his stipend was delayed for numerous reasons - mostly due to medical exams being required several times. Well to date he has received 2 stipend payments in the last 4 weeks. I don't know if he has ever signed his paperwork. I have called the unit about the back pay stipend that I feel that his owed by Navy with no success. I feel that he has done everything expected of him; performing his duties and class work as a 2nd class satisfactorily and should receive the back stipend. He has had to get a part time job to meet expenses plus has had to use part of a college fund. We have been waiting so long for the Navy to do what is right. He has made it his dream/goal to be a Navy officer - he competed for USNA summer session, receiving a congressional nomination to the USNA, competed multiple times for 3, 2 & 1 year and Commander NROTC scholarships - all with no success. I don't know where to turn to fight for a few thousand dollars that is his by right.

The stipend for that would have started for your on would have began the first day of school his junior year. If there were medical issues that needed to be resolved or any waivers required that had to be obtained this could have been the reason for no stipend. Even though he was granted advanced status he may not have been able to sign the contract, or the contract may not have been able to be activated until the medical issues were resolved. Without a completed contract in place he may not have been eligible for the stipend.

Your son needs to talk to the command and find out exactly when his contract was activated, also find out when all medical issues were completed and he was officially listed as medically qualified.

The NROTC command will probably not give you much information, at least not what they would tell your son. The fact that your son is over 18 and part of NROTC the command will not be forthcoming the parents.

Good luck
 
I'd also ask your son to be sure he's telling you exactly the date when his money was turned on. If he wasn't 100% good to go by his instructors (this includes medical exams and other) he won't get paid. And they won't back pay. They only will if the issue is on them (such as clerical errors). And still they probably won't. It's a bad deal and it's happened to more people than you would even know, but it happens and it's their game.
 
I don't know if he has ever signed his paperwork.We have been waiting so long for the Navy to do what is right. I don't know where to turn to fight for a few thousand dollars that is his by right.

First, congratulations to your son for gaining Advanced Standing.

Now, you yourself say you don't know what he signed, or when. Then you use the word "right" ... twice. In this context, "right" is defined by what he signed, or didn't sign. I think you should find out what really is "right" before you proceed any further.

Oh, and since your boy is over 18, NROTC won't discuss anything with you. Nor would an employer, or a school, or any institution. He's an adult, no longer in your custody.
 
I believe it's the same for all flavors of ROTC, but in the Army until you contract you don't receive stipend, and stipend is not reimbursable. We just contracted a Cadet on a 3 1/2 year scholarship that starts this semester. He'll receive his tuition and fees and book money, but no stipend because we didn't contract him until the end of the semester. Cadets who aren't medically qualified or don't pass their PT test right away loose stipend. Be glad he's contracted and was allowed to join the advanced course at all.
 
My son is completing his 3rd year as a Midshipman at a NROTC unit. He never received a scholarship so he took a chance and joined the unit as a College Programmer. He was offered Advanced Standing in July 2011 and his stipend was delayed for numerous reasons - mostly due to medical exams being required several times. Well to date he has received 2 stipend payments in the last 4 weeks. I don't know if he has ever signed his paperwork. I have called the unit about the back pay stipend that I feel that his owed by Navy with no success. I feel that he has done everything expected of him; performing his duties and class work as a 2nd class satisfactorily and should receive the back stipend. He has had to get a part time job to meet expenses plus has had to use part of a college fund. We have been waiting so long for the Navy to do what is right. He has made it his dream/goal to be a Navy officer - he competed for USNA summer session, receiving a congressional nomination to the USNA, competed multiple times for 3, 2 & 1 year and Commander NROTC scholarships - all with no success. I don't know where to turn to fight for a few thousand dollars that is his by right.

Our son faced a similar situation. Contracted his freshman year on a Type II, and when it came time for his scholarship to kick in his sophomore year, he sat waiting for the payments. And waiting. And waiting. Nasty grams from the school asking for their tuition. More waiting. Threats by the Bursar that he would be disenrolled. Frustration. And more waiting.

He discovers that his detachment's Admin Sgt (who was retiring later that year and had an early, and very strong case of ROAD (Retired On Active Duty), forgot to submit some paperwork and kind of forgot to tell him he needed to provide a few more items for the paperwork. Bottom Line: he had to be persistent in getting this Sgt to do her job.

BTW, I also called the Detachment leadership directly about the situation. Probably NOT a smart choice on my part (and embarrassing to my son). The PAS's attitude was (rightfully): he's an adult now, part of the military, in MY chain of command: he needs to work with me, not you. (He also didn't appreciate my reply: "Well, I'm his last Commander / First Shirt, looking out for one of my old troops"; another story altogether, and after some "counseling" from my son to "stay out of it" because he is in charge of his life now, I did, and wrote it off as a financial loss on our part and a lesson on "When it comes to support in the military, watch out for number one" for him.

Well, long story short (too late :biggrin:): after his persistent work, AFROTC finally reimbursed his tuition, but not his stipend for his sophomore year. He stayed persistent, and last month, just a few weeks prior to his commission, he got a nice fat check from Uncle Sam for the stipend he was owed for his sophomore year. Nice graduation gift (but I won't go down the path of "interest owed", just a losing battle to go there.)

Again, the ULTIMATE BOTTOM LINE: persistence his part.
 
Our son faced a similar situation. Contracted his freshman year on a Type II, and when it came time for his scholarship to kick in his sophomore year, he sat waiting for the payments. And waiting. And waiting. Nasty grams from the school asking for their tuition. More waiting. Threats by the Bursar that he would be disenrolled. Frustration. And more waiting.

He discovers that his detachment's Admin Sgt (who was retiring later that year and had an early, and very strong case of ROAD (Retired On Active Duty), forgot to submit some paperwork and kind of forgot to tell him he needed to provide a few more items for the paperwork. Bottom Line: he had to be persistent in getting this Sgt to do her job.

BTW, I also called the Detachment leadership directly about the situation. Probably NOT a smart choice on my part (and embarrassing to my son). The PAS's attitude was (rightfully): he's an adult now, part of the military, in MY chain of command: he needs to work with me, not you. (He also didn't appreciate my reply: "Well, I'm his last Commander / First Shirt, looking out for one of my old troops"; another story altogether, and after some "counseling" from my son to "stay out of it" because he is in charge of his life now, I did, and wrote it off as a financial loss on our part and a lesson on "When it comes to support in the military, watch out for number one" for him.

Well, long story short (too late :biggrin:): after his persistent work, AFROTC finally reimbursed his tuition, but not his stipend for his sophomore year. He stayed persistent, and last month, just a few weeks prior to his commission, he got a nice fat check from Uncle Sam for the stipend he was owed for his sophomore year. Nice graduation gift (but I won't go down the path of "interest owed", just a losing battle to go there.)

Again, the ULTIMATE BOTTOM LINE: persistence his part.

Interesting story Bullet. I'll have to pass it along to my DS should he ever be fortunate enough to contract, just so he knows to stay on top of things. I'm surprised there wasn't a paragraph about Pima chewing on somebody's butt in that story! :biggrin: I'm sure she had a tough time stepping back too.

It's hard to let the kids drive this kind of stuff as WE know WE know better, but we have to let go and let them do that I guess. Sometimes when we do it turns into a fiasco, but hopefully they learn from that. Glad your DS was able to achieve a successful outcome... definitely officer material!
 
There is a difference between not getting paid what you are due because of an administrative error, and not being entitled to back stipend because you didn't get contracted on time (for whatever reason). Let's not confuse the issue.
 
Luckily my son's battalion has a top notch HR person and they have never been late on any payment over the 4 years, book money was even deposited prior to the semesters starting.

I will agree with Clarkson contracting. I remember the constant emails and attachements my younger son received over the summer, multiple forms and documents to fill out, each required for contracting. I will admit that ol' dad took a look at these forms when they arrived and answered questions from my son on where to get the needed information and helped navigate the 104R.

Son arrived at school for the Orientation Day, sat with HR, turned in all the forms, checked to make sure everything was done. Passed the APFT the next morning, signed the contract right after the APFT and went to the contracting ceremony that afternoon. Son received his first stipend on the next pay period with no delay, again the contract was signed on day one.

Now, that was not the case with the other two 4yr scholarship cadets. One had barely started the paperwork, one had lost most of it, they had to start from scratch. One cadet never finished the paperwork, also did not pass the APFT, he left the program.

The other cadet has finally finished the paperwork but has yet to pass the APFT. This cadet had not passed when in Nov. he injured his ankle, the Cadre gave him a pass for the first semester (No stipend or tuition money) since he could not participate in PT. It is now nearing the end of the second semester and this cadets has yet to pass the APFT, he has one more chance on May 2nd.

The reason I mention this is that the second cadet has yet to receive any funds at all, no tuition, book money, or stipend, the reason, he has yet to contract. if this cadet does pass the APFT he will get the tuition for the second semester only, and will get no back stipend pay, the stipend will start not when he passes the APFT but when he puts pen to the contract.

There are a lot of things that can cause a cadet not to be contracted, it is a good idea to have your son make sure he has a signed contract and what date that contract was singed. If the contract was signed and completed just a month ago then he is not entitled to any back stipend pay. If it is a clerical error then he needs to be persistant.
 
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