Enlisting and ROTC -

Michael_T

Michael_T

NU '26
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
689
Enlisting and ROTC

I know, I know... this may be a repeating question


Simple question, as many know I was stopped from enlisting into the Marines at 17, due to my dad...

I just turned 18 yesterday, and this brings up a question in my mind, I will be doing NROTC-MO, at Norwich... Would it be possible to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserves, and do NROTC-MO at the same time..

I don't want it to affect my chances at commissioning, but I was thinking it could help develop me into a better officer, sometime down the road

Any help would be appreciated
 
Consider the amount of work you will be adding to your to do list. It may become overwhelming even if it is allowed to be done. Better to focus on your primary goal. Go enlisted if you want or go after that commission but stay focused on your primary goal. Having to much to do may sabotage both. Proper time management is likely your winning recipe.
 
Why do you want to enlist if you will commission in four years.
 
🤦‍♀️

You are about to be tossed into a world that you know nothing about, other than in your mind. Every freshman is in this same boat.

Why not settle into your schooling. And THEN consider enlisting.

Are you in peak shape? Top form? Are you READY?? You may think you are, but you aren’t. No one is ready for what any freshman experience will be. Especially at a military college.

Give it a semester, and see what you think. If you are still ALL IN? Then consider. But as often as you change your mind, I would highly suggest not making that decision today.
 
and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! You can now legally sign contracts 🎈
 
novanews76 said:
I don't want it to affect my chances at commissioning, but I was thinking it could help develop me into a better officer, sometime down the road
Click to expand...
How will being a part time enlisted marine develop you into a better officer?
Be specific.

I know quite a few of my USNA classmates who had career enlisted fathers and none of them were pushed to enlist for
the experience which was also the case with me.

Other than the chatter from ENLISTED recruiters and other junior enlisted, are you able to actually give a reason for this?
Have you actually talked to OFFICERS, even prior enlisted who advocate this plan of action?
 
OldRetSWO said:
How will being a part time enlisted marine develop you into a better officer?
Be specific.

I know quite a few of my USNA classmates who had career enlisted fathers and none of them were pushed to enlist for
the experience which was also the case with me.

Other than the chatter from ENLISTED recruiters and other junior enlisted, are you able to actually give a reason for this?
Have you actually talked to OFFICERS, even prior enlisted who advocate this plan of action?
Click to expand...
Obviously I won't make a fast-decision about this, but I considered it for the fact that, 1) It would help me really discipline myself, and work towards becoming officer material, I can recognize as of now, I'm not in any aspect physically or mentally officer material; for example - my physical fitness, I've been working on it, and when I go to Norwich, that will be the main goal, other than academics.

I'll honestly reach out to my local OSO soon, to get a Officers Perspective on this entire situation, and see if it's actually worth it.

And... if I'm being completely honest... Tuition Assistance as a Reservist would help a lot, and cover the complete costs of the rest of my education that I owe.
 
justdoit19 said:
🤦‍♀️

You are about to be tossed into a world that you know nothing about, other than in your mind. Every freshman is in this same boat.

Why not settle into your schooling. And THEN consider enlisting.

Are you in peak shape? Top form? Are you READY?? You may think you are, but you aren’t. No one is ready for what any freshman experience will be. Especially at a military college.

Give it a semester, and see what you think. If you are still ALL IN? Then consider. But as often as you change your mind, I would highly suggest not making that decision today.
Click to expand...
My apologies for not clarifying, I meant to say that no matter what I will be attending Norwich for the next full academic year, I wanted to clarify that if I chose to do this route, I would do it, in the SUMMER BETWEEN FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR.

Apologies again
 
By enlisting you are making a commitment to the USMC. You can be pulled out of reserve status at any time. You'd be at the mercy of the USMC to release you from enlisted status to commission. USMC may keep you as enlisted my fill a quota. A bad evaluation may sink you. A commander with a grudge may not want to sign to release you. You'd be signing over control to YOUR chosen path to the USMC. For what benifit?
 
novanews76 said:
Obviously I won't make a fast-decision about this, but I considered it for the fact that, 1) It would help me really discipline myself, and work towards becoming officer material, I can recognize as of now, I'm not in any aspect physically or mentally officer material; for example - my physical fitness, I've been working on it, and when I go to Norwich, that will be the main goal, other than academics.

I'll honestly reach out to my local OSO soon, to get a Officers Perspective on this entire situation, and see if it's actually worth it.

And... if I'm being completely honest... Tuition Assistance as a Reservist would help a lot, and cover the complete costs of the rest of my education that I owe.
Click to expand...
Not a good justification to enlist. If you can't motivate yourself to get in shape, consider a trainer. Or find a friend that will shame you into oblivion until you can hold yourself accountable.

Better route for financial difficulty is to have that discussion with Norwich. If you can't pay for college at all, consider local state university/community college over Norwich, which isn't exactly an inexpensive institution. PLC and OCS are far more viable routes to commission than enlistment.
 
novanews76 said:
As many of you know throughout my notorious presence on the SAF for almost 2-years, and my ridiculous indecisiveness, has ultimate led me through many tough decisions, of what I seek to do before I earn my commission into either the USN or USMC.
Click to expand...
You posted this less than seven weeks ago. This paragraph was the prelude to announcing your intention to attend Norwich and participate in ROTC. Note your own words: “ridiculous indecisiveness.”

Your desire to serve is admirable, as is your perseverance in pursuing an officer’s commission. But your sheer inability to maintain focus and a singular direction is borderline comical. You seem good at starting things, but you are easily distracted and derailed. For your sake, it can’t go on.

It’s time to focus and finish. Focus on your freshman year. Finish it with meaningful accomplishments — academically, physically, militarily. Fight the urge to chase alternate paths. Focus and finish. Do it for one year! If you can do that, then reassess where things stand. You’ll be in much better position then to evaluate your best path forward.

Eyes in the boat, @novanews76, eyes in the boat! Good luck.
 
You want to be a better officer?


stop this nonsense . It never stops. Go to school. Get good grades.Make friends. Graduate.

I love the constant on going never ending what should I be doing tbreads.

But if you really want to be a better officer then you need to focus and accomplish. Not come up with another new idea from left field.

if you can’t do that I might start to worry.

Said with love :)

EDITED I had not seen the post just above before I posted.
 
There is value in being prior enlisted. Clearly, the military values it or they would not have Warrant Officer ranks. Priors bring experience and maturity to junior commissioned ranks that most do not have coming out of school. This will fade over time similar to the initial advantage one may have coming out of an academy. In your situation going Marine reserves, I do not believe it will be advantages. Actually, I believe in these circumstances it may be detrimental.

Now with the above being said I see a theme that has emerged in you posts, finances. If finances are a concern this should have been thought through thoroughly before committing somewhere. Taking on loans in large amounts can cause your grief potentially for a lifetime. I suggest you figure this out soon you are about to jump in the deep end of the pool.

Best of Luck to you, I hope you succeed on your journey to service.
 
Old Enlisted Marine said:
There is value in being prior enlisted. Clearly, the military values it or they would not have Warrant Officer ranks. Priors bring experience and maturity to junior commissioned ranks that most do not have coming out of school. This will fade over time similar to the initial advantage one may have coming out of an academy. In your situation going Marine reserves, I do not believe it will be advantages. Actually, I believe in these circumstances it may be detrimental.

Now with the above being said I see a theme that has emerged in you posts, finances. If finances are a concern this should have been thought through thoroughly before committing somewhere. Taking on loans in large amounts can cause your grief potentially for a lifetime. I suggest you figure this out soon you are about to jump in the deep end of the pool.

Best of Luck to you, I hope you succeed on your journey to service.
Click to expand...
It appears he got a great $$ package from Norwich. I was pleasantly surprised how much it was.

A great $$ package he will lose if he does not keep his grades up.

And-there is nothing like one weekend a month of doing drills to help keep those grades up.

If next week the question is about enlisting in the Foreign Legion or ROTC at MIT I will not be shocked
 
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