Is it possible to switch an NROTC 4 year scholarship to Marine Option?

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obesetiger

5-Year Member
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Jan 30, 2017
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Hey all,
I recently got an NROTC scholarship to PSU and am thrilled with this opportunity to serve. However I have been reading alot about Marine Option and the Corps in general and I was curious as to whether or not it would be possible to do MROTC with the Navy scholarship. Thanks for any feedback or details!
 
You would have to submit an application, probably the second semester of your freshman year (your cadre would know for sure) to make the change. It goes before a national board for competitive evaluation. It is far from a sure thing but folks do it from time to time. Speak with your cadre at the college you've been accepted to. Someone more knowledgeable than I might jump in to provide additional details.
 
I knew a few guys who did this... even all those years ago... it was done exactly as Kinnem stated. They worked with cadre and applied.
 
A couple of research suggestions if you haven't already explored these topics:
1. Compare Marine PFT requirements to Navy. You'll find the Marine PFT to be a wee bit more demanding (no disrespect to Navy intended).
2. Compare locations where you might be stationed. You OK with the Marine Postings?
3. Of course compare various jobs, but I'm sure you've already done that.

My DS is a 2nd Lt in the Corps and NavyHoops is a "former" Marine. I'm confident either one of us can address most questions you might have about the Corps. (I have to add, there are no former Marines, but I don't know how to express the thought of Marines who have completed their service commitment).
 
obesetiger said:
Hey all,
I recently got an NROTC scholarship to PSU and am thrilled with this opportunity to serve. However I have been reading alot about Marine Option and the Corps in general and I was curious as to whether or not it would be possible to do MROTC with the Navy scholarship. Thanks for any feedback or details!
Click to expand...

You can apply for a change of option starting your freshman year. Success rates can be low, so this isn't anything I'd count on. You are essentially competing with side load scholarship applicants when you apply for a change of option. You'll need to impress the MOI enough to her their endorsement for your package.
 
kinnem said:
(I have to add, there are no former Marines, but I don't know how to express the thought of Marines who have completed their service commitment).
Click to expand...

Kinnem: When a Marine leaves active duty, he is a Reserve Marine, a retired Marine or a Marine veteran (assuming separation involved an honorary discharge). There is no such thing as an ex-Marine or former-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine.

To properly refer to a U.S. Marine whether on active duty, reserve duty or living as a civilian, you call them Marine. The Commandant of the Marine Corps reaffirmed this in December 2011: "A Marine is a Marine. I set that policy two weeks ago – there’s no such thing as a former Marine. You’re a Marine, just in a different uniform and you’re in a different phase of your life. But you’ll always be a Marine because you went to Parris Island, San Diego or the hills of Quantico. There’s no such thing as a former Marine." The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James F. Amos

In practice, many Marines who are no longer on active duty will politely accept a civilian calling them a "former Marine" but none would tolerate being called an "ex-Marine" as this title indicates a dishonorable discharge.
 
Thanks all for the responses ! I don't think PFT would be a problem as I reached the maximum scores on the Navy PFT. I guess my main question is what is different about Marine Option summer training? Do they still participate in CORTRAMID etc?
 
USMCGrunt said:
Kinnem: When a Marine leaves active duty, he is a Reserve Marine, a retired Marine or a Marine veteran (assuming separation involved an honorary discharge). There is no such thing as an ex-Marine or former-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine.

To properly refer to a U.S. Marine whether on active duty, reserve duty or living as a civilian, you call them Marine. The Commandant of the Marine Corps reaffirmed this in December 2011: "A Marine is a Marine. I set that policy two weeks ago – there’s no such thing as a former Marine. You’re a Marine, just in a different uniform and you’re in a different phase of your life. But you’ll always be a Marine because you went to Parris Island, San Diego or the hills of Quantico. There’s no such thing as a former Marine." The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James F. Amos

In practice, many Marines who are no longer on active duty will politely accept a civilian calling them a "former Marine" but none would tolerate being called an "ex-Marine" as this title indicates a dishonorable discharge.
Click to expand...

I have met many Marine vets who now serve in the Army Guard. When I ask if there is still an EGA on their person or in their heart, they grin and say "of course." I recall retired Marine Major General Joe Stewart, USNA '64, who wore a Navy-style uniform in his Superintendent role as a USMS Vice Admiral at USMMA. I joked with him (respectfully) about it, and he opened his SDB jacket to show me his EGA tie bar. We have a USNA sponsor son who went Navy air, had an opportunity to switch to Marine air in flight school (no, this is not a normal thing, Marine air needed some bodies), recently left AD and is flying for Air National Guard in his home state. He always has something Marine on his person, even if it's in the pocket of his AF flight suit. It's one of the things I enjoy about them. Their tribal sense runs deep, up, down and across all ranks and paygrades.

Apologies for wandering off-thread. It's my hope lurkers and non-military folks will learn about culture and service differences.
 
obesetiger said:
Thanks all for the responses ! I don't think PFT would be a problem as I reached the maximum scores on the Navy PFT. I guess my main question is what is different about Marine Option summer training? Do they still participate in CORTRAMID etc?
Click to expand...
Marine PFT is far more demanding in my mind, which isn't to say you wouldn't do well on it.

Marine Options generally do CORTRAMID between freshman and sophomore years. I say generally only because I'm sure there are always exceptions. Between sophomore and junior year Marines generally go to Mountain Warfare School in CA. I know there are exceptions to this, as DS did a cruise aboard USS Ashland (LSD 48) during a hull transfer to Japan. He was aboard from Norfolk to San Diego via the Panama Canal, taking care of munitions and weapons along the way. I personally thought that was way cool. Not something I'll ever do. Of course after Junior year it's OCS. Buckle up! Not everyone makes it through OCS.
 
As everyone else said, you can apply to switch, but I just want to let you know it's not called MROTC.
It's still NROTC but it's just Marine Option. So usually people say NROTC MO
Just so you know how to refer to it
 
Marine PFT is much more challenging. Take a look at the scoring table as it requires pull ups and a 3 mile run. Also as kinnem mentioned you still have to attend OCS to commission. OCS is challenging and some do not make it through. MOIs do a great job of preparing Mids for it.
 
My DS went with a group of 4 for his OCS. For various reasons, not all of them physical, he was the only one to graduate. Two retried the next summer. Mental attitude is of a major importance. Being a Marine is something you must really want or chances are you might not make it through OCS. The purpose there is to weed people out. Some DOR (drop on request), while others try their hardest but don't make the cut. My point is, just make sure you really want to be a Marine before you proceed with making the switch. YuTube has some great videos on OCS. Oh, I would also suggest researching TBS (The Basic School). Also rigorous but it IS training. Six months worth of it.

My DS made the switch from AFROTC to NROTC-MO at the start of his sophomore year. He had not been on a scholarship before. He entered as a College Programmer. He did miss the summer training because he was not yet on scholarship by the end of that year. Missing summer training was not much of an issue. The college courses he had to double up on until he completed them all.

I don't think you should give up a scholarship to try the college program route hoping to get one. They are so very competitive and limited. The board my son's info was sent to had only an 8% acceptance rate for those applying for CP scholorship. (Per his Cpt)
 
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