Question about future chance at Active Duty

CoachBart

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
190
Hi, I am actually the parent of an Army ROTC cadet and I have a question that possibly someone may have insight into that will kind of let me know where my cadet stands as it pertains to getting an active duty slot when he graduates/commissions. DS is a non scholarship contracted Army ROTC cadet at an SMC. He wants to get active duty when he commissions. He is classified as a senior and will graduate with a Criminal Justice B.A. degree Dec/16. He currently has a 3.6 gpa and with a 12 credit CJ internship he has this summer he has a chance to increase that a little more if he gets an A. As for the OML he currently has 28 points (whatever that means) but his G.P.A. has not been factored into his points yet. DS wants to be an Army MP officer. Does my cadet have a chance to get an active duty slot when he graduates in Dec/16? Also, unfortunately he had the flu during his last APFT test and only got a 274 so he was bummed about that. He was set to get a 300 before he got sick. He said he does not think he gets another chance to take one that counts for his OML. As I said this coming fall semester will be his last semester. He finished all of his Military Science classes and I was very proud that he got an A in each course. He has finished them all now. Anyways, I was never in the military so forgive me if anything I said or am asking does not make sense. I am hoping you guys could give me a little info so I could just have an idea of where DS stands pertaining to his chances at active duty. He does not visit this forum and I just want to know for my own personal knowledge. Thanks.
 
If he goes to an SMC, he automatically gets active duty unless his PMS specifically says he should not - OML points are irrelevant. This is usually reserved for cadets who are well below average, and those cadets know who they are. Your son sounds fine.
 
Thanks for the reply. Okay, maybe I have misunderstood. If anyone knows differently about any changes let me know. Thanks.
 
Yea, at an SMC with a PMS recommendation you're guaranteed Active Duty. As far as being an MP, if his OML isn't terrible he'll get it, but you should convince him not to join that branch.
 
Yea, at an SMC with a PMS recommendation you're guaranteed Active Duty. As far as being an MP, if his OML isn't terrible he'll get it, but you should convince him not to join that branch.

Not looking to start thread battle or offend any current/former MPs.
But curious now, why not Military Police? Have told DS MS1 to gather as much information about every branch, so can (hopefully) list accordingly in 3 years.
 
Just clarifying my above post.
I am NOT saying do not branch Military Police (ignore double negative.)
I am inquiring of Bull; and any other poster with information (preferably more than "my PMS was MP and he was a jerk" ) as to why not branch MP; or any other branch for that matter.
Many thanks as always!
 
Could I chime in. The PMS at DS's school was also an MP, he was a jerk, king size and without effort, my son has long left that school.
 
The only people who like MP's are other MP's.

My post was mostly in jest, if that's what someone wants then go for it, but MP's catch a lot of flak from the rest of the Army.
 
Having been arrested and harassed by the MPs on a fairly regular basis earlier in life (not saying I didn't deserve it, mind you), I can confirm the general degree of distaste bordering on absolute hatred that the enlisted ranks held towards our illustrious keepers of law and order on military encampments.

It carries over to civilian life when we all "love" the cops, until pulled over for not coming to a complete stop at a red light or something ("What? Not enough drug dealers to pull over?")

If you want to be an MP and/or (later on) a police officer, then go for it. But don't expect to be loved.
 
Never been an MP, but the USMC and Army MPs are pretty similiar (they even go to the same school). There are many facets to being an MP. The most known are the guys at the front gates or handing out speeding tickets. There are plenty of other divisions within an MP battalion that cover all kinds of law enforcement like any other town. In the USMC, CID and NCIS did most of the detective like work and probably similar in the Army. There is also the field aspect of being an MP. We worked a great deal with a platoon of Army MPs in Iraq as we invaded, they had POW responsibility. They also did escorts of convoys all over the place, some of the most dangerous duties on the most dangerous roads. There are other aspects of handling things in the field like jails and containment areas for MPs and a lot of scanning of known terrorists to keep records. Bottom line, your DS needs to meet and talk to other officers and get a good view of what life is like as an MP.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top