Current NROTC Midshipman - Ask away!

fullspeedahead

fullspeedahead

5-Year Member
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Jan 14, 2019
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Currently I am a fourth class midshipman in NROTC and I am finding my way through the first semester at university. This summer I attended New Student Indoctrination (First Session, Alpha Company) which is required to commission in NROTC now. Also, I am a college programmer which means that I am not on scholarship and I am currently re-applying for the national scholarship as well as the Naval Academy.

Please feel free to ask any questions about ROTC nominations, NSI, scholarships, or life as a midshipmen in NROTC. Many of the questions might have unit-specific answers, but I will still do my best to clarify any questions!
 
HB2019 said:
which is required to commission in NROTC now
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Uhhhh... no. Scholarship awardees are required to attend. Plenty of NROTC college programmers will not attend and will still commission.

Thanks for jumping in to answer questions. I think forum participants get great value from folks who are currently in NROTC.
 
kinnem said:
Uhhhh... no. Scholarship awardees are required to attend. Plenty of NROTC college programmers will not attend and will still commission.

Thanks for jumping in to answer questions. I think forum participants get great value from folks who are currently in NROTC.
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At NSI I was told that in order to commission in NROTC one must graduate from NSI. This doesn’t apply to current third, second, and first class midshipmen. So current fourth class college programmers and incoming candidates will have to go. This is just what I was told, you could still be completely correct sir. Maybe I was just extremely fortunate to be on of the lucky college programmers who got to go!
 
Well, not all college programmers got to go, and some college programmers won't even show up until after NSI. That last will be true even in the future. It's a great opportunity for those who can go though.
 
@kinnem is absolutely correct. At least for this year, Non-Scholarship incoming MIDN's do not have to attend NSI, and some do not even interview and join until the academic year begins. Our understanding is that as a "Programmer", they probably will not attend summer training with the contracted (Scholarship) MIDN's until that Programmer contracts, either via a Scholarship, or by attaining "Advanced Standing" entering their Junior Year. With the scarcity of summer training funds, this makes sense as Programmers can drop at any time prior to attaining "Advanced Standing" at which time they have to contract like scholarship MIDN's.
 
You are very generous to offer your time and your perspective to this forum. I'm sure you'll be able to help some students and parents who are still in the application process. I wish you the best of luck in winning the national scholarship or an Academy acceptance -- you sound like an excellent candidate for either. My son is a 2C midshipman who was awarded the scholarship on his second try (during his first year of college).
 
my sons unit was told that programmers that didnt go to NSI before freshman year will be required to go after their freshman year once they obtain their scholarship.
 
HB2019 said:
Currently I am a fourth class midshipman in NROTC and I am finding my way through the first semester at university. This summer I attended New Student Indoctrination (First Session, Alpha Company) which is required to commission in NROTC now. Also, I am a college programmer which means that I am not on scholarship and I am currently re-applying for the national scholarship as well as the Naval Academy.

Please feel free to ask any questions about ROTC nominations, NSI, scholarships, or life as a midshipmen in NROTC. Many of the questions might have unit-specific answers, but I will still do my best to clarify any questions!
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Any insight on NSI would be greatly appreciated! And thank you in advance!
 
mcfamilyof4 said:
my sons unit was told that programmers that didnt go to NSI before freshman year will be required to go after their freshman year once they obtain their scholarship.
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The "trigger" is if the Programmer becomes a scholarship recipient. If they stay a Programmer, then depending on funding they may or may not be able to attend any summer training before entering their Senior Year. Scholarship recipients "contract" upon acceptance of their respective service scholarship. I do not think that NSI is available to any MIDN that is not an incoming Freshman. I could be wrong, but the training cycles are generally NSI, CORTRAMID, LANTRAMID/PACTRAMID, and Sea Trials. If that is still correct then if you son "contracts' (signs his scholarship agreement), he would likely start by attending CORTRAMID and not NSI. I suppose it may Unit discretion, but I would think after a year as a MIDN it would be a waste of time and funding to send a MIDN to NSI. Most of what he would learn there, he likely learns thru the academic first year in the Unit.
 
@Holden100 NSI is similar to plebe summer at the Naval Academy in that training is conducted to develop Midshipmen Morally, Mentally, and Physically. You will spend three weeks in Great Lakes, Illinois at recruit training command and be basically trained in firefighting, shooting, and drill (lots of drill). It was the first year the Navy conducted this program so there were flaws, but overall the program was very beneficial. Looking back on it I am grateful to have been chosen as one of the few college programmers who were selected to go and the training has set me up for success at my unit. Every company at NSI has one Marine Corps Drill Instructor and two Navy Chiefs (RDCs) on top of midshipmen instructors. There was lots of yelling but you have to remember that they are there to help you grow and prepare you for your unit. The best part is the people you meet and you will stay in contact with many people who you will run into again throughout your career in the Navy or Marine Corps.
 
Impulsive said:
The "trigger" is if the Programmer becomes a scholarship recipient. If they stay a Programmer, then depending on funding they may or may not be able to attend any summer training before entering their Senior Year. Scholarship recipients "contract" upon acceptance of their respective service scholarship. I do not think that NSI is available to any MIDN that is not an incoming Freshman. I could be wrong, but the training cycles are generally NSI, CORTRAMID, LANTRAMID/PACTRAMID, and Sea Trials. If that is still correct then if you son "contracts' (signs his scholarship agreement), he would likely start by attending CORTRAMID and not NSI. I suppose it may Unit discretion, but I would think after a year as a MIDN it would be a waste of time and funding to send a MIDN to NSI. Most of what he would learn there, he likely learns thru the academic first year in the Unit.
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i was under the impression that programmers never commission. they either transition to a scholarship or they drop out. maybe im wrong
 
mcfamilyof4 said:
i was under the impression that programmers never commission. they either transition to a scholarship or they drop out. maybe im wrong
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You're half right. They transition either to a scholarship or achieve what's called advanced standing for their final 2 years. So a college programmer who does not win a scholarship gets approved for advanced standing, or advanced course in some services, and commissions at graduation. Advanced standing allows them to continue in the program and entitles them to the stipend (not sure about books). Approval for advanced standing is not automatic.
 
kinnem said:
You're half right. They transition either to a scholarship or achieve what's called advanced standing for their final 2 years. So a college programmer who does not win a scholarship gets approved for advanced standing, or advanced course in some services, and commissions at graduation. Advanced standing allows them to continue in the program and entitles them to the stipend (not sure about books). Approval for advanced standing is not automatic.
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You don't get the book stipend, only the monthly subsistence allowance and the Uniform Commutation Allowance.
 
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