ROTC and Reserves

J

J_kapp13

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Hello all, I’m a senior in high school who just received the NROTC scholarship for Penn State. After talking with my principal, he discussed the possibility of joining the Navy reserves to pick up additional money to help with room and board. I know that the scholarship is only tuition and Penn State room and board would be about $10,000. Is this possible to do both?
 
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Great post @AROTC-dad.

@J_kapp13 Congrats on the NROTC scholarship and admission to Penn State - that's awesome. Great campus, alumni network, the best ice cream...
Here is a link to the PSU RA program. https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/invo...-campus/get-involved-residence-life/become-ra
Information sessions are in January, and you can apply once you've got 12 Penn State credits under your belt after your first semester.

just fyi that Room/ Meals at Penn State (regardless of in-state or out) cost per year is $11,280 at present. fyi... https://admissions.psu.edu/costs-aid/tuition/

Sorry I don't have info about reserves and ROTC concurrently for Navy. but I think you should check out @AROTC-dad's recommendation.

Good luck!
 
I am pretty certain that the Navy won't let you do reserve and ROTC.

There are two people I know that were Navy and Marine Corps reserves (mind you they spent two-three years in the military before school, which includes boot camp, schools, and a deployment) that are now contracted ROTC.

However, they came to college not on ROTC scholarship.

The guy in the Marine Corps reserve picked up a 3-year scholarship, and once he was sworn in, his enlisted contract put him in the IRR (basically out of the reserves-doesn't receive any service time, money, or benefits from the reserve anymore).

The Navy guy just entered the battalion and I'm sure his enlisted contract will be terminated as well.

Since you have a 4-year from high school, that would mean postponing your college career for a year or two, and possibly lose your scholarship.

Navy is different in that they don't have a guard or reserve component to commission into with ROTC, and expect all MIDN to commission active duty. They probably don't want to mess with the liability of having a MIDN enlisted while also being contracted in ROTC, so they just terminate the enlisted contract once the MIDN is contracted in ROTC.

There are ways to pay for room and board by either work study, being an RA, possibly stipends, and other jobs you could find in town.. Also FAFSA, and other scholarships Penn State would grant.
 
KuzNROTC said:
I am pretty certain that the Navy won't let you do reserve and ROTC.

There are two people I know that were Navy and Marine Corps reserves (mind you they spent two-three years in the military before school, which includes boot camp, schools, and a deployment) that are now contracted ROTC.

However, they came to college not on ROTC scholarship.

The guy in the Marine Corps reserve picked up a 3-year scholarship, and once he was sworn in, his enlisted contract put him in the IRR (basically out of the reserves-doesn't receive any service time, money, or benefits from the reserve anymore).

The Navy guy just entered the battalion and I'm sure his enlisted contract will be terminated as well.

Since you have a 4-year from high school, that would mean postponing your college career for a year or two, and possibly lose your scholarship.

Navy is different in that they don't have a guard or reserve component to commission into with ROTC, and expect all MIDN to commission active duty. They probably don't want to mess with the liability of having a MIDN enlisted while also being contracted in ROTC, so they just terminate the enlisted contract once the MIDN is contracted in ROTC.

There are ways to pay for room and board by either work study, being an RA, possibly stipends, and other jobs you could find in town.. Also FAFSA, and other scholarships Penn State would grant.
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Great answer!
 
Thanks to all for the congratulations. Also, great advice. I think that I will ditch the Navy reserve idea and focus my energy on paying for room in board in other ways. I'll look into the RA position, fill out my FAFSA, and most importantly, look for additional scholarships. Thank you all!
 
Just a note, my son joined the Navy reserves (imho, stupidly) . He thought it would help his chances of getting the scholarship. It didn’t. Once he got the scholarship, his reserve commitment was nullified. You have reserve duty as part of the scholarship anyway. Don’t listen to the recruiters. They’re just trying to fill their quotas.

Congrats and good luck!
 
NROTCdad said:
My understanding is that it’s 3 years active reserve. I could be wrong though.
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Wikipedia has a good explanation of the reserve statuses.

"Active Reserve" typically means Selected Reserve, which I am pretty sure ROTC cadets do not join while in school. This status involves a minimum number of points per year (50), which you earn by performing drills, annual training, etc.

There is no "Inactive Reserve"; rather this term is used casually to describe "Inactive National Guard", "Retired Reserve", and IRR. Again, it doesn't really fit ROTC contracted cadets' status.

AFROTC enlists their contracted cadets into the "Obligated Reserve Section", which is essentially IRR. I would imagine the Navy does pretty much the same thing. By contracting, they are agreeing to an 8-year IRR obligation, but none of their time spent during ROTC counts against that obligation. But they get paid-- while IRR members do not.

Lastly, if you REALLY want to get in the weeds, the Army actually gives ROTC cadets "rank" by including them in the succession of command. They come after USMA cadets, and before OCS candidates. The AF has AFA cadets in the succession of command, but not OTS or ROTC. I have no clue about the Navy or CG. :)​
 
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In NROTC the commitment is 4 years active duty after graduation and then 3 years Reserves. OCS Is not required. At graduation, their rank is Ensign (Officer) which is equivalent to 2nd Lieutenant.
 
NROTCdad said:
In NROTC the commitment is 4 years active duty after graduation and then 3 years Reserves. OCS Is not required. At graduation, their rank is Ensign (Officer) which is equivalent to 2nd Lieutenant.
Click to expand...

5 years active duty

3 years active duty, active reserve, or IRR

Nurses and Marines are 4 years active duty

And 4 years active duty, active reserve, or IRR
 
KuzNROTC said:
NROTCdad said:
In NROTC the commitment is 4 years active duty after graduation and then 3 years Reserves. OCS Is not required. At graduation, their rank is Ensign (Officer) which is equivalent to 2nd Lieutenant.
Click to expand...

5 years active duty

3 years active duty, active reserve, or IRR

Nurses and Marines are 4 years active duty

And 4 years active duty, active reserve, or IRR
Click to expand...
The total commitment is 8 yrs because that is the actual "military commitment" in the US. The services allow some portion to be inactive reserve but the total of active and inactive will total 8 or more (more for added schooling like Med School, flight school, etc)
 
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