NROTC Unrestricted Line Community Question

[ROTChopeful2025]

I'm currently applying for the NROTC scholarship, and have no clue how to answer this question. I have my heart set on going into the medical field, but that isn't an option. My second choice is a pilot, but all my extracurriculars and other NROTC essays are centered around medicine/biology. I've emailed my NROTC contact, but haven't gotten a response yet. What should I do?

Thanks,
Hopeful

 

[Capt MJ]

The armed services get the majority of thrir doctors from civilian medical schools and frequently the HPSP scholarship.

Look for “HPSP” at the dropdown menu.

Navy College Scholarships & Joining While in College | Navy.com

Thinking about joining the Navy while you are pursuing your college degree? Learn about Navy scholarship opportunities, tuition assistance and college options.

www.navy.com

There is also the USUHS Medical School in Bethesda, MD, at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Complex.

Uniformed Services University

www.usuhs.edu

The mission of NROTC is to produce unrestricted line officers in certain numbers, who are expected to serve and deliver value in the URL communities. You have taken an excellent first step by contacting a primary source at NROTC to determine the current policy.

You can also take the long road. Commission as a URL officer, excel, and there are opportunities at certain career junctures to apply for a competitive transfer to the Medical Corps, and off to years of medical school, and follow-on training, you go. I have had a submarine officer and a surface warfare officer do that as lieutenants. One went to USUHS and one went to his home state’s flagship university's medical school. I have known flight surgeons who were naval aviators first. These days, it’s not uncommon to find a range of ages in medical school. I always respected the docs I saw who wore warfare pins, in a different way. I knew they “got” me.

Or, for the really long path, go URL, do your obligated service time plus the 36 months you need to earn the full 100% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefit after separation. A peer of mine used hers to go to vet school in her 40’s. Lest you think you are teetering at grave’s edge when I mention those years, right now you probably have another 60-75 years on the planet. It’s amazing what you can fit in.

Lastly, I have always liked Ga Tech’s NROTC FAQs. Scan down the following link. You will notice it says 0-15 nationwide are allowed to go to medical school, similar to the handful out of USNA. Based on my experience with the ones I have seen selected out of USNA, they are truly extraordinary candidates. So, it seems there is a needle’s-eye chance. You have to be sure you are absolutely fine going URL in case you try for one of those and don’t get it. Notice it’s “0-15.” That means in any given year, the needs of the Navy will always dictate how many, if any, are selected for this path. If the Navy needs more URL bodies out of NROTC, the med school slots will drop.

NROTC FAQ

Can I join the NROTC program even if I do not want a naval career? Certainly. Very few people of high school age, or even college age, will know what they want to do for an occupation for the rest …

nrotc.gatech.edu

Do some thinking about what you really want, and educate yourself on what’s possible by talking to the right people. Good luck!

 

[ROTChopeful2025]

The armed services get the majority of thrir doctors from civilian medical schools and frequently the HPSP scholarship.

Look for “HPSP” at the dropdown menu.

Navy College Scholarships & Joining While in College | Navy.com

Thinking about joining the Navy while you are pursuing your college degree? Learn about Navy scholarship opportunities, tuition assistance and college options.

www.navy.com

There is also the USUHS Medical School in Bethesda, MD, at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Complex.

Uniformed Services University

www.usuhs.edu

The mission of NROTC is to produce unrestricted line officers in certain numbers, who are expected to serve and deliver value in the URL communities. You have taken an excellent first step by contacting a primary source at NROTC to determine the current policy.

You can also take the long road. Commission as a URL officer, excel, and there are opportunities at certain career junctures to apply for a competitive transfer to the Medical Corps, and off to years of medical school, and follow-on training, you go. I have had a submarine officer and a surface warfare officer do that as lieutenants. One went to USUHS and one went to his home state’s flagship university's medical school. I have known flight surgeons who were naval aviators first. These days, it’s not uncommon to find a range of ages in medical school. I always respected the docs I saw who wore warfare pins, in a different way. I knew they “got” me.

Or, for the really long path, go URL, do your obligated service time plus the 36 months you need to earn the full 100% of the Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefit after separation. A peer of mine used hers to go to vet school in her 40’s. Lest you think you are teetering at grave’s edge when I mention those years, right now you probably have another 60-75 years on the planet. It’s amazing what you can fit in.

Lastly, I have always liked Ga Tech’s NROTC FAQs. Scan down the following link. You will notice it says 0-15 nationwide are allowed to go to medical school, similar to the handful out of USNA. Based on my experience with the ones I have seen selected out of USNA, they are truly extraordinary candidates. So, it seems there is a needle’s-eye chance. You have to be sure you are absolutely fine going URL in case you try for one of those and don’t get it. Notice it’s “0-15.” That means in any given year, the needs of the Navy will always dictate how many, if any, are selected for this path. If the Navy needs more URL bodies out of NROTC, the med school slots will drop.

NROTC FAQ

Can I join the NROTC program even if I do not want a naval career? Certainly. Very few people of high school age, or even college age, will know what they want to do for an occupation for the rest …

nrotc.gatech.edu

Do some thinking about what you really want, and educate yourself on what’s possible by talking to the right people. Good luck!

My mom and I have been looking at all of these routes for a while now, and it'll definitely be tough. Thank you for all the info and links, they were extremely helpful!

 

[wernerbro]

What your high school extracurriculars and essays are centered around has no bearing on what community you end up in for NROTC. You don't service select until your 1/C (senior) year, and for pilots the vast majority of that selection depends on your ASTB and GPA.

 

[ROTChopeful2025]

What your high school extracurriculars and essays are centered around has no bearing on what community you end up in for NROTC. You don't service select until your 1/C (senior) year, and for pilots the vast majority of that selection depends on your ASTB and GPA.

Understood. I'm completely new to NROTC, so definitely trying to figure stuff out on the way! Do you know what unrestricted line community surgeons usually commission into?

 

[Devil Doc]

Huh?

 

[Capt MJ]

Understood. I'm completely new to NROTC, so definitely trying to figure stuff out on the way! Do you know what unrestricted line community surgeons usually commission into?

Navy Officer groups, back of napkin style:

Unrestricted line, URL: The classic warfare communities of surface warfare, aviation, submarines, and a few others. The majority of officers. Unrestricted in that they can command at sea or ashore, not restricted to their own warfare area. Typically rotates between sea/operational and shore/non-operational assignments. An aviator can command a squadron but also a Recruiting District ashore.


Restricted line, RL: More narrowly defined and specialized communities such as Info Warfare, HR, Engineering Duty Officer, oceanographic and others. Can only command in their specialty area, usually ashore.

Staff Corps. These are the “professions,” Medical Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps, Dental Corps, Civil Engineering Corps, Supply Corps, JAG Corps. Professional degrees, work almost exclusively in their professional field. Can usually only command in their field.

Limited Duty Officer, Chief Warrant Officer: specialized groups with enlisted backgrounds. Highly technically proficient.

 

[ROTChopeful2025]

Navy Officer groups, back of napkin style:

Unrestricted line, URL: The classic warfare communities of surface warfare, aviation, submarines, and a few others. The majority of officers. Unrestricted in that they can command at sea or ashore, not restricted to their own warfare area. Typically rotates between sea/operational and shore/non-operational assignments. An aviator can command a squadron but also a Recruiting District ashore.


Restricted line, RL: More narrowly defined and specialized communities such as Info Warfare, HR, Engineering Duty Officer, oceanographic and others. Can only command in their specialty area, usually ashore.

Staff Corps. These are the “professions,” Medical Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps, Dental Corps, Civil Engineering Corps, Supply Corps, JAG Corps. Professional degrees, work almost exclusively in their professional field. Can usually only command in their field.

Limited Duty Officer, Chief Warrant Officer: specialized groups with enlisted backgrounds. Highly technically proficient.

Oh my god that makes so much more sense. I know way too much about med school but absolutely nothing about how to get there. Thanks to everyone being patient with me, I'm learning as I go LOL

 

[wernerbro]

We've all been in your position, you're far better off learning now so that you understand your options and can make an informed decision vs learning after the decisions have been made for you.

Understood. I'm completely new to NROTC, so definitely trying to figure stuff out on the way! Do you know what unrestricted line community surgeons usually commission into?

I know you said you want to go aviation, but if your goal is being a doctor as soon as possible, you would probably want to go SWO. Aviators have a significantly lower chance of being selected for lateral transfer, especially early on (the navy spent $$$ on training you to fly a very expensive plane/helicopter, they'll want a return on their investment).

A quick glance at BUPERS shows that there are more requirements/restrictions placed on individuals who want to lat transfer out of aviation billets than those who want to lat transfer out of SWO billets.

Also worth considering is the chance that you can't even get an aviation billet, they aren't in any way guaranteed. You could also enlist/commission, and then use your Post 9/11 GI Bill to help pay for medical school.

 

[ROTChopeful2025]

We've all been in your position, you're far better off learning now so that you understand your options and can make an informed decision vs learning after the decisions have been made for you.



I know you said you want to go aviation, but if your goal is being a doctor as soon as possible, you would probably want to go SWO. Aviators have a significantly lower chance of being selected for lateral transfer, especially early on (the navy spent $$$ on training you to fly a very expensive plane/helicopter, they'll want a return on their investment).

A quick glance at BUPERS shows that there are more requirements/restrictions placed on individuals who want to lat transfer out of aviation billets than those who want to lat transfer out of SWO billets.

Also worth considering is the chance that you can't even get an aviation billet, they aren't in any way guaranteed. You could also enlist/commission, and then use your Post 9/11 GI Bill to help pay for medical school.

Thank you so much! This really cleared my confusion up and I'll definitely look into it!