Recruiter Advice - DEP for ROTC?

M

moose232

New Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2023
Messages
1
My DD is just graduating Junior year and is planning to apply for USNA, but concerned she may not be the strongest candidate. So, she went on her own to a local USMC recruiter to talk about ROTC and PLC options. She came home very excited but later told me I would have to go back and sign a doc that allows her to sign up for DEP. I have concerns with this, but I honestly don’t know everything there is to know about the process. He did tell her she’d be a great ROTC candidate and that is always possible through this DEP program. I know she was very clear going into the meeting that her goal was Academy or ROTC, not enlistment. Is this normal? Or is it possible he is pushing his agenda to hit his quota?

Looking for help on this and then the overall ROTC program. Everything I’ve found says talk to your local recruiter and here we are…
 
The path to NROTC does not go through the local USMC enlisted recruiting office. This recruiter is trying to get your daughter to enlist. He may be telling her that she can join the USMC Reserve and go to college, which is true, but offers no guarantee (and doesn't even necessarily increase the odds) of commissioning. The recruiter also may be trying to sell her on active-duty enlistment prior to college.

If she wants to start college immediately after high school and commission upon graduation, she should apply to schools that offer NROTC and explore the online information that gives instruction on applying for NROTC scholarships.

It may also be helpful to consider other branches. Keep the options open. Army ROTC has more slots and can be easier to qualify for academically compared to NROTC. Army ROTC is also easier to qualify for athletically than NROTC-MO. All of the above can lead to a solid career serving our nation.
 
My DS never talked with a recruiter. He only met or talked with the local Academy reps and our closest NROTC / AROTC ROOs. He applied to all the Academies and ROTC scholarships. He was waitlisted for a couple Academies and received a AROTC and NROTC scholarship. He went NROTC (starting this fall). Happy to talk more and give our perspective.
 
Thank god your daughter is a minor and wasn't able to sign anything.
 
@moose232 - bottom line is not to follow this particular recruiter's advice.

There are many threads on this subject - use the search function to find them.
 
That recruiter has a very important and challenging job. Filling the enlisted ranks has rarely been harder. So yes, he’s trying to meet his quota — and the country’s needs — by convincing anyone who’s a bit interested in the military to enlist.

Either path — enlisted or officer — is honorable and enriching. Your DD just needs to figure out which one is right for her. Some of the best officers started as enlisted before going the SA/ROTC/OCS route. There are very good reasons for doing it that way.

But as said above, if a direct route to an officer’s commission is what’s desired, a recruiter is not necessary.
 
All good and true advice above. All enlisted recruiters have an agenda and ulterior motive. If your DD's goal is to commission, then she should be talking to representatives from College ROTC programs or Service Academies, not a recruiter. The enlisted recruiters answer will always be to enlist, while selling a story of how the enlisted will respect her more if she enlists first, or it will make her a strong candidate for a service academy or ROTC scholarship, or some other malarkey. The only reason for her to talk to a recruiter is if she wants to enlist AD for 3yrs prior to college in order to earn the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
 
If ROTC doesn't work out, and she should enroll without a scholarship if that's financially feasible, then PLC is an excellent route to becoming an officer. About 50% of Marine Officers come from PLC (if memory serves). In the meantime, get fit!

EDIT: She can always enlist after college if she so desires.
 
Doesn't the Marine Corps have Officer recruiters? If so (and I'm certain I have seen them advertised), then I'd say that's who she should be talking to.
 
NEVER go to a general recruiter for ROTC/academy advice.

Nobody says to go talk to a local recruiter UNLESS you want to ENLIST. The exception might PLC/OCS which is obviously not the case here (although I think the USMC has specific officer recruiters for PLC).
 
moose232 said:
My DD is just graduating Junior year and is planning to apply for USNA, but concerned she may not be the strongest candidate. So, she went on her own to a local USMC recruiter to talk about ROTC and PLC options. She came home very excited but later told me I would have to go back and sign a doc that allows her to sign up for DEP. I have concerns with this, but I honestly don’t know everything there is to know about the process. He did tell her she’d be a great ROTC candidate and that is always possible through this DEP program. I know she was very clear going into the meeting that her goal was Academy or ROTC, not enlistment. Is this normal? Or is it possible he iss pushing his agenda to hit his quota?

Looking for help on this and then the overall ROTH. program. Everything I’ve found says talk to your local recruiter and here we are…
Click to expand...
First stay away from recruiters and please don't sign anything even if it's just a bathroom key at the home office. If your kiddo is an aspiring future naval officer, then apply for USNA. Stay in this forum as many regulars have valuable advice. Hope and will are your kid's valuable assets. DS is a current mid, '26... started with two pullups, 32 pushups, 3.65 gpa, and
1350 SAT.
 
Just a broader comment on recruiters... very good Marines with an exceptionally tough mission. Sometime there appears to be deceit when it is actually a miscommunication between the parties.

In many areas, the OSO (officer selection officer) uses the network of enlisted recruiters to assist applicants for Officer programs. An applicant needs to make sure any Enlisted Recruiter they are speaking to understands the applicant's intent. The recruiter should back off and support the applicant as necessary. I have personal and anecdotal experience with this. If the recruiter continues to hard sell DEP the applicant should stop contact and find the OSO to work with.

My point, I guess, is that speaking and working with an enlisted recruiter is not necessarily wrong. It depends upon the inner workings of the local OSO and recruiting teams.
 
We had the same issue here with our naval recruiter who also put him in touch with someone local for Naval ROTC, which was nice. No you do not need to do DEP, my son did go through with that and wish he had not just because of the time, he specifically said he was not enlisting, but now he has an ROTC scholarship. We did not know better, but on the flip side they did have a contact with Navy ROTC who contacted my son frequently about NROTC scholarship. His first choice was USNA (which he was just declined from waitlist last week). He did end up with AirForce ROTC scholarship just because there were more schools that he was interested in to choose from.
 
My DS got a 4 year MO NROTC scholarship last December. He was in tight with the Marine recruiting Sergeant. He was explicit about his intentions. This was a good thing. OSOs (who are your PRIMARY POCs) likely work closely with the enlisted recruiters and will get feedback from them on any officer wannabes. Talk to the Marine Officer Instructor at the school you want to attend. As mentioned, don't sign anything. Also, look at this posting:

 
USMCGrunt said:
Just a broader comment on recruiters... very good Marines with an exceptionally tough mission. Sometime there appears to be deceit when it is actually a miscommunication between the parties.

In many areas, the OSO (officer selection officer) uses the network of enlisted recruiters to assist applicants for Officer programs. An applicant needs to make sure any Enlisted Recruiter they are speaking to understands the applicant's intent. The recruiter should back off and support the applicant as necessary. I have personal and anecdotal experience with this. If the recruiter continues to hard sell DEP the applicant should stop contact and find the OSO to work with.

My point, I guess, is that speaking and working with an enlisted recruiter is not necessarily wrong. It depends upon the inner workings of the local OSO and recruiting teams.
Click to expand...
This was my DS experience. The OSO relied on the enlisted recruiter, who coordinated all of the paperwork, facilitated his PFT and scheduled interviews. Did he ask my son if he wanted to enlist? Yes. But DS just told him that he wanted to pursue aviation and wanted to go straight to college. The SSgt was great to work with and so very helpful.
 
Bushrod said:
Thank god your daughter is a minor and wasn't able to sign anything.
Click to expand...
Just offhand, if you're reading this in the future:

Don't be afraid to sign stuff when talking to a recruiter: i.e. a contact card or something.

The only time you'll sign the dotted line is when you're actually at MEPS, not a recruiter's office... then it's ok to be afraid LOL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top