I haven't been on the forum in quite awhile but thought I would share an update about where we ended up. My DD applied for the ROTC scholarship last year and went through two boards. She was not selected and was pretty devastated. She started to move on to plan B and C even though that was not her dream. I continued to investigate options for her and found out about the benefits through the Army reserve. She ended up joining the reserves and applied for the Minuteman Scholarship and received this scholarship. She went to Basic Training over the summer and now is living her dream, playing NCAA soccer and pursuing her college studies while participating in the ROTC. It was quite ironic that she was selected as a Soldier Leader of the Cycle while at basic training out of over 1000 soldiers while she wasn't selected for the ROTC scholarship. Not everything shows up on paper about what you can do and who you are. Celebrating her graduation from Basic Training at Fort Jackson was one of my proudest moment as a parent. I just wanted to give some hope and encouragement that there are many paths to pursue your dreams so just keep on no matter what obstacles may block your way.
ROTC-Minuteman Scholarship
- Thread starter cjcm43a
- Start date
Congratulations to your daughter.
The National Scholarship acceptance can be hard to figure out sometimes, there are scholarship winners every year that start the program and don't make it through the first year. There are cadets that start ROTC without a scholarship, do very well and are offered a scholarship through the Battalion.
Has your daughter though much about which she will choose when she commissions, Reserves or National Guard?
Best of luck to her.
The National Scholarship acceptance can be hard to figure out sometimes, there are scholarship winners every year that start the program and don't make it through the first year. There are cadets that start ROTC without a scholarship, do very well and are offered a scholarship through the Battalion.
Has your daughter though much about which she will choose when she commissions, Reserves or National Guard?
Best of luck to her.
Frassy16
5-Year Member
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- Aug 3, 2012
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- 18
Congrats to your DD! My DS also went through applications to the Academies, ROTC and started as a non-contracted AFROTC cadet with the unit at his school. He was unable to follow his intended career path through AFROTC and, as a non-contracted cadet, decided at the onset of his junior year to switch to join the Nat'l Guard and attempt to become SMP. He went to BCT and also did extremely well. He was selected for SMP and awarded a GRFD scholarship at a cross-town affiliate school. He went to Ft. Knox as to help with MS1 and then continued on to Advanced Camp, again doing quite well. He's submitted his package for his branching and loves what he's doing. So - to those who maybe haven't gotten in on the first try - if there's a will, there's a way. He understood full well that if he didn't get contracted under SMP, he would stay enlisted in the Guard for the duration of his commitment. If service is part of who you are, then don't quit. Work hard, do well and it will reward you in the end!
Thank you! She will be in the Army Reserves. At first she was very disappointed that her original plan didn't turn out but I believe that things happen for a reason and that she is in the right place. Sometimes we don't really know why things turn out the way they do until later. We are on the west coast so we don't get to see her soccer games in person but they are live streamed most of the time. Even through the live stream on the small screen I can see that she is definitely standing tall and proud when they play the national anthem. She had to work very hard to get where she did with soccer but this process has given her maturity and purpose that has gone beyond any of her other accomplishments.