Can NROTC MIDN complete two summer cruises in one summer?

[Ihavenoidea]

DS is a college programmer who completed NSI last summer and is a 4C this year. He will be applying for the 3 year side load this spring. As the board for side loads is not until mid-late July, he will likely not be able to do CORTRAMID this summer since he will not be on scholarship in time. Is CORTRAMID just passed over for three year scholarship winners, and they just go to Sea Trials before 2C year, or is it possible to do both CORTRAMID and Seat Trials before 2C year.

NSI really fueled DS's fire about Navy. He is all in with his NROTC unit and loves the idea of CORTRAMID. I'm just not sure he will be able to go, but I'm sure the Navy has some process for three year scholarships to get as much summer cruises in as they can. I just don't know what it might be.

 

[GWU PNS (emeritus)]

A lot of stars have to perfectly align for something like getting 2 cruises in one summer. And this is where location of the unit is crucial. If Mids are located in the mid Atlantic area, then all sorts of things are possible because you have Norfolk, Patuxent Air Station, and Quantico close by; and even Groton isn't too far away. Similarly, if you are anywhere near San Diego, the world is your oyster.

But if you're in the mid west or let's say Marquette, well it's going to be tough. Travel budgets are getting tighter and tighter.

I think what is best is to see if there is a really strong desire to test out one community over another. Then talk to as many of that community as possible to get their perspective. Sometimes a PNS can work something out for an exceptional performer but I want to be clear that it's an uphill climb.

I also get a little concerned of possible burn out cramming too much "Navy" into a short span of time. Having said all of this, I'm the ole gray mare that ain't what he used to be (retired) and maybe there is more money in the travel budget. He should definitely check with his advisor. (and tell him to get his calc and physics knocked out. Not that I'm stalking people or anything like that.)

 

[Ihavenoidea]

His location is good than as he is close to a East coast base that is always mispronounced depending on if you are talking to a local or someone out of state. I was hoping for him that doing NSI last summer would help him get CORTRAMID this summer, but I didn't realize the side load board was so late in the summer. That makes it unlikely. That is why I was wondering about summer before 2C.

I like the idea of testing and talking to a community. He is thinking SWO or SWO-Nuke right now, but that will change several times. If he brings it up, I'll have to make sure to tell him to pay attention during those community briefs and talk with the presenters.

He did start Calc 1 this semester, so he is on track to get most of the math requirements for NROTC done this year................. "God willing and the creek don't rise"!

 

[GWU PNS (emeritus)]

If he even whispers "I think I want to be a nuke"......then he will get ushered in quickly for an interview by the nuclear LT on the unit staff. They were behind in quotas as I was retiring.

 

[Ihavenoidea]

If he even whispers "I think I want to be a nuke"......then he will get ushered in quickly for an interview by the nuclear LT on the unit staff. They were behind in quotas as I was retiring.

He has already been in a brief about "nuke drafting". He was surprised to her about it in the brief..... I'm pretty sure we talked about it while he was still in high school. But that was a million years ago to him now

It makes sense that funding is a big driver for determining who goes to CORTRAMID and not, but I would think that something like CORTRAMID would be good to motivate college programmers to continue in the NROTC. So it would be a good investment for the units. After that I can see that just contracted MIDN's should continue on through summer cruises. Though as you said above. Big expense for middle America CPer's to go to CORTRAMID and/or NSI for that matter.

 

[Herman_Snerd]

@Ihavenoidea Due to COVID my DS (now an ensign) and others in their class did not go to Cortramid. I think Cortramid including Marine week would be a great experience and appreciate any frustration about potentially missing it. I will say though that there are still rising 2/c and 1/c cruises which are opportunities to learn about communities, AND there are officers, Marine drill instructors, and former enlisted now in college with them in units, who have lived or can phone a friend to connect anyone interested in learning about specific roles, communities (aviation, swo, sub, marines, etc.). Through those conversations, and including unit-hosted speakers and Q&A, I think he learned a great deal about each mission, reality of those communities - cool opportunities, annoying challenges, surprising perks, etc. - to a point that I don't feel my DS didn't have ample exposure to learn about each community before service selection rankings, despite "no cortramid for you".

For example on a perk, at Pensacola Naval Air Station, once qualified through a few water safety training courses and a check-ride of sorts, those stationed there can check out some cool watercraft for a rate that's 1/5th what they would pay for an all day rental elsewhere. they also learn about a massive per-diem P8 pilots while stationed in some global cities and their lives on-shore when not out on a mission or in training. they learn about specific ports, ships/boats - the cool officer dining experiences on subs, etc.

Hope that helps that he'll still have an opportunity to learn if for whatever reason Cortramid is not in his future. Good luck to your son / thanks for his willingness to serve.

 

[Ihavenoidea]

@Ihavenoidea Due to COVID my DS (now an ensign) and others in their class did not go to Cortramid. I think Cortramid including Marine week would be a great experience and appreciate any frustration about potentially missing it. I will say though that there are still rising 2/c and 1/c cruises which are opportunities to learn about communities, AND there are officers, Marine drill instructors, and former enlisted now in college with them in units, who have lived or can phone a friend to connect anyone interested in learning about specific roles, communities (aviation, swo, sub, marines, etc.). Through those conversations, and including unit-hosted speakers and Q&A, I think he learned a great deal about each mission, reality of those communities - cool opportunities, annoying challenges, surprising perks, etc. - to a point that I don't feel my DS didn't have ample exposure to learn about each community before service selection rankings, despite "no cortramid for you".

For example on a perk, at Pensacola Naval Air Station, once qualified through a few water safety training courses and a check-ride of sorts, those stationed there can check out some cool watercraft for a rate that's 1/5th what they would pay for an all day rental elsewhere. they also learn about a massive per-diem P8 pilots while stationed in some global cities and their lives on-shore when not out on a mission or in training. they learn about specific ports, ships/boats - the cool officer dining experiences on subs, etc.

Hope that helps that he'll still have an opportunity to learn if for whatever reason Cortramid is not in his future. Good luck to your son / thanks for his willingness to serve.

Thank you for this perspective. It emphasizes the point that just because he might miss CORTRAMID, he still has some great opportunities to learn about the different communities in other ways at the unit. I'll need to encourage him to make sure he uses any opportunities to speak and learn about the different communities while at the unit.

He's very excited and wants to do everything he can this summer already. Be a NSI MIDN Instructor, CORTRAMID, anything he can. I encourage him to do what he wants to do, but I started the thread because I didn't know if I need to maybe encourage him to manage his expectations also. His excitement will also wane as the riggers of school and NROTC state going full swing. I also like what GWU_PNS mentioned about over doing it in the summer with Navy. Good advise for all.