Every since that little scare yesterday which a couple others and myself got about not receiving the scholarship I have been thinking more and more about back ups plans. I already have an idea of what I'd do if I don't get any service academy appointment or NAPS or ROTC but I'm still thinking of the best way to still become an Officer in the Navy. I am wondering if there is someway to go to NSI without a 4 year scholarship. Maybe If I was to contact the Unit at the school I will be attending because I am for sure going to a school with the program and trying to receive a 3 or 2 year scholarship. I feel like showing how dedicated I am to the program by trying to also go to NSI might look well, plus its something I am generally interested in and would be looking forward to. If going to NSI without a scholarship is anyway possible, I would like your help. Thank you. And if anyone has any information on the college program and being a part of ROTC not on scholarship that would also be of service.
NSI not on scholarship and College Program
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Your approach is correct. Contact the unit and discuss it with them. Some, but not all, college programmers attended NSI last year. I understand attending NSI is required to commission, so I think you can make it work. Enrolling as a college programmer is the best backup plan in any case IMHO.
Impulsive
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Agree with the above. If you are a "College Programmer" it is totally up to the unit to send you to NSI (based on available funding after all scholarship recipients are programmed in). And we have heard that NSI is going to be required to Commission too, although I would think that it would be a colossal waste of money to send a rising 2C Midn who has been in the College Program for two full years. Most of the PFT, Military Knowledge, and subject areas covered would be "ingrained" after two years in the Battalion. I would think Cortramid (2C) and Summer Cruise (1C) would be more important for students already past 4C year, and with the past financial history of cancellations of Cortramid, maybe changing the requirements to "All incoming 4C Midn's shall be required to attend NSI prior to commencing NROTC". IMHO, that makes a lot more sense than sending all the College Programmers already in the Battalion to indoc, unless they now have unlimited funding available...
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navyfamilyof4
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CORTRAMID is 3C not 2C
Impulsive
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Sorry...@mcfamilyof4, you are correct. Cortramid is for training between 4C and 3C years AND maybe between 3C and 2C years (probably different for Programmers vs Scholarship). Sea Trials are between 3C and 2C, and Summer Cruise is between 2C and 1C years. https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/summer_cruise.html Don't know why the Regs site two years of Cortramid (DS was told it one year only, then Sea Trials and Summer Cruise). Seems a little confusing to me. DS has been "advised' to be prepared for NSI and Cortramid this summer, but has not been told he is going. He could not be happier to do both, and get to work full time as a Midshipman for a whole summer, and get paid for it..
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My unit has told my 4/c class to prepare for NSI this summer. If you are a college programmer coming in this fall as a 4/c, if you start the process early enough (aka right now) I'd imagine they'd be able to get you into NSI.
NSI is something you should absolutely prepare for. Being someone who went though it last summer, it is so much better to get it over with than wait a whole year for it.
NSI is something you should absolutely prepare for. Being someone who went though it last summer, it is so much better to get it over with than wait a whole year for it.
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One of my most vivid memories from that training was the look on some of the candidate's faces when they realized that it was the real deal. When that day hits (it may not seem like it at first, but trust me there is a day where all hell breaks loose) don't be that guy that just now realizes what he got himself into. After putting so much work into applying and getting accepted into NROTC, putting some extra work into researching NSI does not seem quite out of the picture.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend a "boot camp" through sea cadets at great lakes which wasn't anywhere near as difficult as NSI, but it gave me the right mental picture of the absolute culture shock that NSI is for a lot of people. I was surprised that a good majority of the people in my company (second phase) had no idea that NSI was supposed to serve as a boot camp and less as a summer camp despite the stories coming from first phase mids. Even now, approaching the end of my 4/C year, I'm learning that ROTC is not the program for me (check my post history). HOWEVER, I absolutely do not regret attending NSI and it proved that I am capable of a lot more than I thought I was.
I believe my class dropped roughly 10-15 percent by the end of the training for reasons from mental breakdowns to medical. Just be comfortable with being uncomfortable and you'll do fine.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend a "boot camp" through sea cadets at great lakes which wasn't anywhere near as difficult as NSI, but it gave me the right mental picture of the absolute culture shock that NSI is for a lot of people. I was surprised that a good majority of the people in my company (second phase) had no idea that NSI was supposed to serve as a boot camp and less as a summer camp despite the stories coming from first phase mids. Even now, approaching the end of my 4/C year, I'm learning that ROTC is not the program for me (check my post history). HOWEVER, I absolutely do not regret attending NSI and it proved that I am capable of a lot more than I thought I was.
I believe my class dropped roughly 10-15 percent by the end of the training for reasons from mental breakdowns to medical. Just be comfortable with being uncomfortable and you'll do fine.
Thank you for the advice everyone. Lucky I was able to attend a police academy with police explorers so I was able to have the feeling of "boot camp". I believe I am in the right mind and know a decent amount about drill, marching, and the yelling to attend NSI when the time comes. Hopefully I don't have to think about going without a scholarship as I am still hopeful for a 4 year, but regardless, thank you for the advice.
Not to minimize what you went through with police explorers, but I can guarantee you this is going to be much worse. (I am saying this as a reserve officer myself).
For some perspective though, how long was the training? Did you go home on weekends? How old were you at the time?
For some perspective though, how long was the training? Did you go home on weekends? How old were you at the time?
Well we got pepper sprayed. We had inspection, firewatch, pt at 5 in the morning, our tac officers waking us up in the middle of the night and a lot of class. I was 16 at the time and it was only a week but I’ve been a police explorer for over 3 years and we have inspection and drill and all of that so I’m use to the command structure, yelling, working as a platoon, etc. I definitely know that NSI would be a lot harder but I do some some experience with a lot of the aspects that you would expect at a boot camp.