Contracting Ceremony

sheriff3

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I asked DS today about his contracting ceremony ( when, actual ceremony??, can we attend). He was unsure but will get back to us ASAP. My question is how do other schools handle? What was your experience? Is it a formal occasion? Any experience you care to share would be most appricated. Thanks.
 
For our DS in AFROTC, it was done during LLAB. Basically, their names were called and they signed on the dotted line. It was absolutely no biggie at all.
 
Bummer... was hoping for something a little more exciting. Thanks.

That's what commissioning is for. I was called out of bed in a sweatshirt and with the beginnings of a Jeriomiah Johnson beard going when I contracted and I had no idea what was going on at the time. I knew guys who dressed formally and brought their family but yet never commissioned. Just focus on that day four years from now ;)
 
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I asked DS today about his contracting ceremony ( when, actual ceremony??, can we attend). He was unsure but will get back to us ASAP. My question is how do other schools handle? What was your experience? Is it a formal occasion? Any experience you care to share would be most appricated. Thanks.

Depends on the Battalion and the Cadre.

My older son just went to the PMS's office, raised his right hand and signed the contract, no ceremony.

My younger son's was different, different PMS. There was a nice ceremony outside, all the parents and friends were invited. There were nice speeches and each were given a framed certificate. There was even a big cake and cake cutting, lot's of photo's very nicely done.

It will really just depend on how the Battalion and PMS decide to do things, I'm sure they will let your son know soon.
 
JMPO, but if your DS has no clue about how it will work, than it will be a no biggie regarding contracting. I am assuming since he is at school right now, and contracting is not held off for long, that if it was a biggie, he would have known already.

As Aglahad stated contracting isn't as big of a deal as you may think, they still can walk for this yr. with no harm/no foul.

OBTW, again this is AFROTC, and it may be different than AROTC, but our DS signed contracts 3 x in his ROTC career.
1. Scholarship
2. CGPA was raised from 2.0 to 2.5. He had to re-sign as a soph, because they changed the terms of the contract.
3. POC (MSIII AROTC) must sign that they will pay back in service ADAF for 4 yrs. Curious, do MSIII's re-sign again as a POC, or is it just an AFROTC thing.
 
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Thats too bad because I was really looking forward to the cake. I really like cake. :shake:

I'll wait to hear and pass on what I learn. thanks everybody.
 
JMPO, but if your DS has no clue about how it will work, than it will be a no biggie regarding contracting. I am assuming since he is at school right now, and contracting is not held off for long, that if it was a biggie, he would have known already.

As Aglahad stated contracting isn't as big of a deal as you may think, they still can walk for this yr. with no harm/no foul.

OBTW, again this is AFROTC, and it may be different than AROTC, but our DS signed contracts 3 x in his ROTC career.
1. Scholarship
2. CGPA was raised from 2.0 to 2.5. He had to re-sign as a soph, because they changed the terms of the contract.
3. POC (MSIII AROTC) must sign that they will pay back in service ADAF for 4 yrs. Curious, do MSIII's re-sign again as a POC, or is it just an AFROTC thing.

MS3's do not sign another contract if they had signed one earlier. Once you sign your contract, that's it unless like you mentioned, the terms change.

If a 4 year scholarship cadet signs their contract on day one, that will be the only one they sign.
 
Jcleppe,

You learn something new everyday. I suspected that to be the fact because AROTC does not have the make or break as a 200 aka MSII. I was just curious, if they had a re-signing later on.

Example:
I know parents have told me that their SA children sign again as a C2C for their 5 yrs owed upon graduation.

AFROTC does the same for the 4 yrs., since they are POCs. I believe NROTC does it too.

Not trying to divert the thread, just curiosity wondering once contracted are all AROTC cadets guaranteed a commission as long as they are above the cgpa?

I understand that they can go Guard, Reserve or AD. Just curious, if they have 2.5 cgpa will they without a doubt commission?

For AFROTC IMPO that is why contracting means nothing freshmen yr.
 
Pima, my understanding is that if an AROTC cadet maintains a 2.0 and graduates with a bachelors degree then they will commission somewhere.. likely not AD but certainly NG or RES.
 
Pima, my understanding is that if an AROTC cadet maintains a 2.0 and graduates with a bachelors degree then they will commission somewhere.. likely not AD but certainly NG or RES.

And provided they survive and pass LDAC, of course. Similarly Marines have to survive and pass OCS. I think for Navy it's their evaluation on first class (final summer) cruise. Seems everyone has a "cut course" but each handles it differently.
 
Not trying to divert the thread, just curiosity wondering once contracted are all AROTC cadets guaranteed a commission as long as they are above the cgpa?

I understand that they can go Guard, Reserve or AD. Just curious, if they have 2.5 cgpa will they without a doubt commission?

Like the others have posted...

Maintain a 2.0 GPA
Pass the APFT
Pass LDAC
Graduate on time

Meet these requirements and you will commission either AD or Reserves/NG depending where you are on the OML.
 
I asked DS today about his contracting ceremony ( when, actual ceremony??, can we attend). He was unsure but will get back to us ASAP. My question is how do other schools handle? What was your experience? Is it a formal occasion? Any experience you care to share would be most appricated. Thanks.[/QUOTE

For AROTC -DS was given the contracting ceremony date and that we're invited. We were told that he'd be wearing his uniform and where its being held. We were told when we happened to see APMS at orientation. I don't know if Battalion has been told formally yet.
 
sherrif to answer your question:

For the 4 and 3 year winners, the contracting ceremony occurs during our Bn's New Cadet Orientation. On the second day of orientation the 4 years will head over to Beaver Stadium for the ceremony - from the pictures I've seen it doesn't have to be formal attire, but rather more along the lines of business casual. Then the following year, the 3 year winners will contract with any of that year group's 4 year winners (if that's not too confusing).

Not sure how the in-school winners fare out. But that's what I know about the 4 and 3 year winners.

Hope that helps.
 
sherrif to answer your question:

For the 4 and 3 year winners, the contracting ceremony occurs during our Bn's New Cadet Orientation. On the second day of orientation the 4 years will head over to Beaver Stadium for the ceremony - from the pictures I've seen it doesn't have to be formal attire, but rather more along the lines of business casual. Then the following year, the 3 year winners will contract with any of that year group's 4 year winners (if that's not too confusing).

Not sure how the in-school winners fare out. But that's what I know about the 4 and 3 year winners.

Hope that helps.

Great explanation, but Sherrif's son doesn't go the PSU, he attends U of Colorado.

The contracting ceremonies are different at every Battalion, if they even have them at all.

How will your contracting happen when you pass the APFT and contract, do they wait until spring semester starts and have a ceremony for a group?
 
I actually think Contracting is taken way to casually at most Battalions, per what I have read here over the past three years.

A cadet is committing to (AROTC) four years of active duty if on scholarship and three if not scholarship. And that's about all most know. However, if you sit down and actually read the "Scholarship Cadet ROTC Contract", you learn that a scholarship cadet who washes out (grades, DOR, failure to pass APFT, wreckless driving, getting drunk on campus, etc.) incurs a repayment obligation to the Army of all the scholarship, book, Subsistence money, specialized summer training, etc. the Army has paid the University and cadet during that time.

That is a HUGE deal, and I am really dumbfounded that some Battalions take this contract signing as casually as they do, and that they do not go over all the parts of the Contract carefully before a cadet signs it. I almost think that the contract signing should be notarized, the way most important legal contracts are, such as entering escrow for a home purchase, or getting a marriage license, with special instructions to the notary to make sure the cadet has actually read the contract they're signing.

My DDs battalion celebrated the new contractees at halftime of what turned out to be a victory over the #1 ranked BCS football team that week. I made sure she sent me pictures since I found out only two days prior, and couldn't fly out there to see it.

Of course we will be there when she Commissions, which typically occurs in late April or early May at her school.
 
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Great explanation, but Sherrif's son doesn't go the PSU, he attends U of Colorado.

The contracting ceremonies are different at every Battalion, if they even have them at all.

How will your contracting happen when you pass the APFT and contract, do they wait until spring semester starts and have a ceremony for a group?
My apologies if I'm mistaken, but I thought sheriff wanted anyone and everyone to share how their Bn handles the contracting ceremony.

So, in my case (3yr AD) I would contract next fall with all of the 4 year winners from the 2018 group - at least this is what I think happens from talking to an MSII.

dunninla, you do raise some valid points. And as you said (at least for my Bn) - it seems to be a bit more on the casual side. I thought (at least for our 3 and 4 year winners), the contracting ceremony occurs in front of the entire Bn, but it's just the cadre, the winners + parents. Not sure how the ceremony works for the in school winners though.
 
My apologies if I'm mistaken, but I thought sheriff wanted anyone and everyone to share how their Bn handles the contracting ceremony.

So, in my case (3yr AD) I would contract next fall with all of the 4 year winners from the 2018 group - at least this is what I think happens from talking to an MSII.

dunninla, you do raise some valid points. And as you said (at least for my Bn) - it seems to be a bit more on the casual side. I thought (at least for our 3 and 4 year winners), the contracting ceremony occurs in front of the entire Bn, but it's just the cadre, the winners + parents. Not sure how the ceremony works for the in school winners though.

No worries, it's just that your post started out with "To answer your question"

Sorry I had forgotten you were a 3 year AD.

Sounds like your school's contracting is similar to my younger son's. That's really about as formal as they should be, they may even be a bit too formal. Contracting really just means you filled out the paper work and passed the APFT. I agree that the contract should be reviewed closely, I thought every battalion did this, my son was in the office for over an hour going over every detail with the HR and Enrollment Officer before he signed.

I agree with another post, Commissioning is the ceremony that counts.

I have to admit, the cake was pretty good.
 
I actually think Contracting is taken way to casually at most Battalions, per what I have read here over the past three years.

A cadet is committing to (AROTC) four years of active duty if on scholarship and three if not scholarship. And that's about all most know. However, if you sit down and actually read the "Scholarship Cadet ROTC Contract", you learn that a scholarship cadet who washes out (grades, DOR, failure to pass APFT, wreckless driving, getting drunk on campus, etc.) incurs a repayment obligation to the Army of all the scholarship, book, Subsistence money, specialized summer training, etc. the Army has paid the University and cadet during that time.

That is a HUGE deal, and I am really dumbfounded that some Battalions take this contract signing as casually as they do, and that they do not go over all the parts of the Contract carefully before a cadet signs it. I almost think that the contract signing should be notarized, the way most important legal contracts are, such as entering escrow for a home purchase, or getting a marriage license, with special instructions to the notary to make sure the cadet has actually read the contract they're signing.

I agree. I wanted to be there to show support for DS and his making the biggest decision/committment of his young life. :thumb:

The (anticipated) celebration comes 4 years from now...
 
No worries, it's just that your post started out with "To answer your question"

Contracting really just means you filled out the paper work and passed the APFT. I agree that the contract should be reviewed closely, I thought every battalion did this, my son was in the office for over an hour going over every detail with the HR and Enrollment Officer before he signed.

They make you memorize and regurgitate a lot of stuff in MS classes. A few salient points of the contract you are signing should be part of that!
 
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