I am in ROTC but having doubts about if I want to be an officer or enlist after college (ADVICE PLS

SamuelSrpska

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So I am an MSI in an ARMY ROTC program.I love ROTC, I love the people, I love classes and what I am studying (International relations and russian). But I am having doubts now before contracting. I always wanted to serve and want to more than anything but I do not know if being an officer is right for me. I know this sounds bad but I hate the uncertainty of potentially getting a job that I do not want and a responsibility that I might not fully want to take on (the thought of leading an infantry platoon gives me pause to say the least). I feel like where I will really excel is as a CTI in the Navy or maybe Army Civil Affairs. I just want to do the hands on ****. I want to immerse in the language and do that quietly, I want the top security clearance and the intensive language training. I don’t know if it is selfish, but it can’t be anymore selfish than doing something i may not have my heart in. The thing is I already feel bad for my parents who are really helping me through school with the cost, I don’t want to let others in ROTC down and the uncertainty of debt and enlisting after school scares me. I could drop out and enlist now but I really like classes and got a decent gpa this year (3.65) i likely can get a 3YR and commission as an army officer but may wait until after I graduate and enlist. Idk if I am an idiot for thinking this, someone please help and thanks for reading and any advice
 
Finish school at very least. If nothing else it will increase your overall earnings in your lifetime.
 
the thought of leading an infantry platoon gives me pause to say the least

What makes you think you would be in charge of an infantry platoon? There are platoons of tank mechanics, cryptographers and cooks. If you like ROTC and the Army isn't flipping the tuition bill, use another year to decide, stay in your ROTC class, and see if your opinion changes. You are right, at 18 or 19 you most likely are not ready for the responsibility - but you won't be 18 when you graduate college. It is ROTC's mission to make responsible leaders - but they have four years to do so, not just one.
 
So I am an MSI in an ARMY ROTC program.I love ROTC, I love the people, I love classes and what I am studying (International relations and russian). But I am having doubts now before contracting. I always wanted to serve and want to more than anything but I do not know if being an officer is right for me. I know this sounds bad but I hate the uncertainty of potentially getting a job that I do not want and a responsibility that I might not fully want to take on (the thought of leading an infantry platoon gives me pause to say the least). I feel like where I will really excel is as a CTI in the Navy or maybe Army Civil Affairs. I just want to do the hands on stuff. I want to immerse in the language and do that quietly, I want the top security clearance and the intensive language training. I don’t know if it is selfish, but it can’t be anymore selfish than doing something i may not have my heart in. The thing is I already feel bad for my parents who are really helping me through school with the cost, I don’t want to let others in ROTC down and the uncertainty of debt and enlisting after school scares me. I could drop out and enlist now but I really like classes and got a decent gpa this year (3.65) i likely can get a 3YR and commission as an army officer but may wait until after I graduate and enlist. Idk if I am an idiot for thinking this, someone please help and thanks for reading and any advice

It sounds like you really want to be a linguist. Most linguist jobs are enlisted-only. If you want to go linguist, then enlist.

In light of the highlighted portions above, it really sounds like you are relying heavily on your feelings to make this decision and not your reasoning. In that event, I'd strongly caution against a commission. If you cannot separate your personal emotions from your rational decision-making process, then your ability to lead will be severely restricted.
 
First, +1 to Eljay. If you are not on scholarship, and it sounds like you're not, then stick it out with ROTC another year. If they offer you a 3 year then you'll have to make a decisions, but never make a decision before it needs to be made. Things and data points change over time. As an MS I you haven't even had a real taste of leadership yet.

I think college should be completed first as a general rule of thumb, but you do know you can enlist as a linguist and they'll train you in the language, right? My niece enlisted out of college and they taught her Farsi. Somewhere along the way she managed to get a Bachelor's Degree. When her enlistment expired she used GI Bill benefits to get herself a Masters degree, while serving in the Reserves. She's very slowly working on a doctorate now, although she is no longer in the reserves. BTW, most of this happened before 9/11. She was immediately called back up, while in the reserves of course, the week after 9/11 because of her language skills. Anyway, I mention this as a way of attaining a degree without incurring debt.

Good luck with your decision, whenever you make it. If you decide to stay in college but not continue with ROTC, make sure Mom and Dad at least understand why. If they're on board, great. If not, due to finances probably, then consider enlisting now and relieve them of the burden. Mom and Dad can be a big support whatever you decide to do. That's their job. Use them, and it will make them happy.
 
If you are not on scholarship, and it sounds like you're not, then stick it out with ROTC another year. If they offer you a 3 year then you'll have to make a decisions, but never make a decision before it needs to be made. Things and data points change over time. As an MS I you haven't even had a real taste of leadership yet.

Spot on!

I think college should be completed first as a general rule of thumb, but you do know you can enlist as a linguist and they'll train you in the language, right? My niece enlisted out of college and they taught her Farsi.

The military is interested in your ability to learn another language as much as which language(s) you've mastered. A degree in Russian would demonstrate your ability and dedication. You might even get the opportunity during your college career to pick up a second Slavic language. Also, just because you have a degree in Russian, you wouldn't necessarily be locked into Russian as a linguist. My DS is going through this literally as we speak. There are native Korean speakers who are thrown into Arabic and native Hindi speakers thrown into Russian, etc. You get the idea.

Hopefully, @Jcleppe can chime in. His DS is living your dream as an Officer in Civil Affairs.

Best of luck!

P.S. Don't worry so much about being selfish vis a vis the US Military. The Army could end up asking a lot of you and you will be expected to put your heart and soul into it.

P.P.S. Do you already speak Serbian?
 
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Based on the info you've given, these appear to be the relevant facts:

1) Your aptitude right now for ROTC and for your IR/Russian major is known, and excellent: ("I love ROTC, I love the people, I love classes and what I am studying (International Relations and Russian). ... I really like classes and got a decent gpa this year (3.65)";

2) Your aptitude in the future for becoming an Army officer is uncertain ("I do not know if being an officer is right for me. ... (the thought of leading an infantry platoon gives me pause to say the least)";

3) You do not need to make a decision now about whether to stay on the ROTC path, and have no obligations, financial or otherwise, at present.

Based on the above, you are in a good position now, are succeeding at what is by far the most important thing in your life now - your studies - and have good alternatives available to you should you decide to pursue a different path.
The least of your concerns should be financial.
Your #1 priority needs to be continuing to excel in your IR/Russian studies. Don't jeopardize this success in any way.
Stay focused on the academic program that you clearly love and in which you are excelling. Put off the officer / ROTC decision as long as possible.

Всего хорошего!
 
the thought of leading an infantry platoon gives me pause to say the least
Thibaud's re-iteration of this above gave me a desire to pass along some additional comments from a Marine Dad...

Leading a platoon, especially combat arms, but also any platoon, should give one pause. You are responsible for these folks you lead in many ways, and not just on the battlefield. The battlefield is what makes it most obvious that lives are placed in your hands, but even training accidents occur as evidenced by a death in the last few days of a Marine in an overturned light armored vehicle accident. There's also the issues enlisted can encounter in financial matters or other things in their personal lives. Then there are the orders that weren't written for what your platoon members were told their next assignment was.

Even experienced and seasoned leaders take pause, as well they should. That means you're not the only person who has some concerns about this aspect of leadership. It does not mean you are not up to the responsibility and the task. I think DS's greatest satisfaction came from taking care of the men and women in his platoon.

Hope this is helpful in some way, if not to you then future lurkers.
 
+1 to kinnem.

The fact that you have doubts about your leadership potential not only does not disqualify you from a future leadership path, it raises the possibility that, when you work through your doubts, you may emerge an even more solid and confident leader than if you had never put your convictions to the test.

As John Milton put it: "I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary but slinks out of the race, where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat. Assuredly we bring not innocence into the world, we bring impurity much rather; that which purifies us is trial, and trial is by what is contrary. ..."
 
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