Non-Contract SMP vs Contract SMP

T

terps223

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Hello all, I’m a business major at a community college in Maryland who just finished my freshman year and plan on enrolling at the University of Maryland as a Business major for the upcoming spring semester. I’m interested in joining the SMP program at the University of Maryland and after talking with the ROTC staff there, they said I can either come in as a non-contract SMP cadets or a contract SMP cadet. They told me the difference between the 2 is that if I contact, I wouldn’t have to go to BCT or AIT and I would serve as a 09R, whereas if I didn’t contract, I would have to do a split entry where I go to BCT next summer (in between my sophomore and junior year), and go to AIT the following summer (in between my junior year and senior year). Which option would be ideal for somebody who plans on becoming an active duty officer after I graduate? Thank you for your input in advance.
 
Does UM provide financial incentives if you have completed AIT? That would be the difference. Why do SMP if you want to go active duty? And if you want active duty dont take a guard scholarship- that locks you into the guard after commissioning.
 
I want to do SMP because between tuition assistance and the money I’d make in the NG, it would really help me pay for school and avoid having to take out student loans. I also like that if I do SMP, it counts towards my TIS when I commission, which means I get paid more. Does doing SMP hurt my chances of going active duty? I’ve already told the NG liaison that I’m working with that I’m not interested in any scholarships from the Guard.
 
Cant you get a line scholarship? Thats full tuition. Not trying to talk you out of anything. Also, i think TA requires going to basic/ait, but maybe wrong.
 
If you take th a tuition assistance you will almost certainly serve in the Guard and not go active duty. If you get your ROTC scholarship both SMP and active duty are viable options. Your unit should easily be able to explain this in detail.
 
kinnem said:
If you take th a tuition assistance you will almost certainly serve in the Guard and not go active duty. If you get your ROTC scholarship both SMP and active duty are viable options. Your unit should easily be able to explain this in detail.
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I was under the impression that you cannot do SMP while on an ROTC scholarship and that TA doesn’t tie you to the reserves/NG. I thought the only thing that tied you to the reserves/NG would be if you took a GRFD scholarship. Is this wrong? The man I spoke to with the ROTC department said if I transferred for the upcoming Spring semester, I would have to wait until the following Fall semester for a scholarship.
 
terps223 said:
I was under the impression that you cannot do SMP while on an ROTC scholarship and that TA doesn’t tie you to the reserves/NG. I thought the only thing that tied you to the reserves/NG would be if you took a GRFD scholarship. Is this wrong? The man I spoke to with the ROTC department said if I transferred for the upcoming Spring semester, I would have to wait until the following Fall semester for a scholarship.
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You are correct. Non scholarship SMP leaves active duty open. Look at cost/benefit of drill
Pay vs scholarship and missing a year of school for basic/ait. It maybe more beneficial to wait for a line scholarship.
 
terps223 said:
I was under the impression that you cannot do SMP while on an ROTC scholarship and that TA doesn’t tie you to the reserves/NG. I thought the only thing that tied you to the reserves/NG would be if you took a GRFD scholarship. Is this wrong? The man I spoke to with the ROTC department said if I transferred for the upcoming Spring semester, I would have to wait until the following Fall semester for a scholarship.
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I was assuming that, by tuition assistance, the OP was talking about GRFD monies. If that wasn't his intent then my mistake. Simply taking pay for SMP would not prevent him from going active duty..
 
kinnem said:
I was assuming that, by tuition assistance, the OP was talking about GRFD monies. If that wasn't his intent then my mistake. Simply taking pay for SMP would not prevent him from going active duty..
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Montana State Army ROTC said:
You are correct. Non scholarship SMP leaves active duty open. Look at cost/benefit of drill
Pay vs scholarship and missing a year of school for basic/ait. It maybe more beneficial to wait for a line scholarship.
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First off, I’d like to thank both of you for taking the time to help me out. I apologize kinnem for my lack of specificity when I mentioned TA. With that being said, I’m moving forward with going SMP as a non-contract cadet. I am doing the split entry option, which means I’ll be going to BCT the summer following my sophomore year and AIT the summer following my junior year so I don’t miss any school. I ran the cost/benefit analysis of waiting for a line scholarship and doing SMP, and SMP is better for my situation. The reason being is I’ve lived in Maryland my whole life, so I’ll get in-State tuition at UMD and I plan on living off-campus, so a line scholarship would only be worth $20,000. On the other hand with SMP, the money I’ll make in drill pay/training, the money I’ll get for TA, and the more money I’ll make because I’ll have more TIS when I commission exceeds the $20,000 I’d get it if I were to receive a line scholarship. Again, thank both of ya’ll for your help answering my questions.
 
Just jumping-in here as my DS was a non-contracted SMP cadet at Texas A&M. FYI - we're from out of state/non-resident. He went 11B and completed OSUT in his sophomore year (at TAMU). Didn't miss a day of class (doesn't always work that way, but all went well with timing). He was contracted shortly after returning from OSUT and one big thing that you should be aware of...he was assigned to a National Guard unit in Texas and was granted "in state" status because of this. It was a huge savings on tuition. My point - between the AROTC stipend and drill pay, we put a serious dent in his college tuition/living expenses. He resisted taking any tuition assistance as it was made clear that doing so would almost certainly eliminate his chances for active duty (his goal). He found the "joint" experience extremely beneficial and I believe if you are looking at any potential public university with ROTC or SMC, you may want to inquire about their position with respect to residency if you are serving in their state guard (as SMP). The good news - my DS received his commission for active duty, infantry, his "federal service" clock started a bit earlier because of SMP, and per his updates....his enlisted experience is paying dividends. Good luck. It's a long and twisted road to that gold bar...but worth it!
 
Dont forget advanced camp following junior year. And you have to contract your junior year. Only delay is for medical or cant pass the pt test. Once you are contracted you cant go to AIT. Stipend is 420/month.
 
Montana State Army ROTC said:
Dont forget advanced camp following junior year. And you have to contract your junior year. Only delay is for medical or cant pass the pt test. Once you are contracted you cant go to AIT. Stipend is 420/month.
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Absolutely - this is why my DS pushed to finish all aspects (basic training and AIT - OSUT). He had to do so before the junior year and knocked-out AIT during the same sophomore summer. Once contracted, you drill with an assigned guard unit and are paid as an E5 (which is a nice jump from E1/E2).
 
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