kp2001
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Unfortunately I just don't know enough about the application process for ROTC to speak intelligently. I'd probably do more harm than good by speculating.
ROTC Plan
- Thread starter aglages
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Unfortunately I just don't know enough about the application process for ROTC to speak intelligently. I'd probably do more harm than good by speculating.
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It does seem that NROTC makes the application process more personal than AROTC and AFROTC. My son is in NJROTC and was able to get the ball rolling fairly quickly. Within 5 days of submitting application he was having his interview and people were on the phones with units. He is fortunate to be able to talk to his LCDR to get info about his application and call the recruiter if needed. All in all, these recruiters are there to help. Feel free as a parent to call the recruiter and ask all of these questions. The personnel that recruit, work with jrotc or at units/batallions/detachments with ROTC are some of the nicest and most helpful people you will meet. We have yet to meet anyone that did not offer advice and more information. It's so exciting to talk with adults that are interested in your kid. No one ever said to not look at all branches, all options....reminding my son that theirs is the best option for him! 
Between both of my boys we have interviewed (or will soon interview...like tomorrow) 10 schools...some more than one branch of ROTC.
In regards to the AF quality of life, the main point that came across was in regards to housing...modern..
The Army says that if you want to live near a golf course, join the Chair Force. AF says, join the Army if you want to live in a foxhole. Everyone chides the others but your child will go where they feel most comfortable. I couldn't convince my oldest on Air Force, he's Army. And my youngest is up in the air. It's very difficult for an 18 year old to look past college, let alone 10 years from now.
The discussion regarding nurses on this thread has been incredible. Kudos to all who have input.
Now here's a topic that I need info on:
Son will be majoring in Math and Chinese in college, may go into engineering. But will also study russian.
He's considering nuclear engineering with Navy
How's that program? Do the kids get to continue their studies? career path?
What other options are out there besides engineering in all branches for this type of student?
Between both of my boys we have interviewed (or will soon interview...like tomorrow) 10 schools...some more than one branch of ROTC.
In regards to the AF quality of life, the main point that came across was in regards to housing...modern..
The Army says that if you want to live near a golf course, join the Chair Force. AF says, join the Army if you want to live in a foxhole. Everyone chides the others but your child will go where they feel most comfortable. I couldn't convince my oldest on Air Force, he's Army. And my youngest is up in the air. It's very difficult for an 18 year old to look past college, let alone 10 years from now.
The discussion regarding nurses on this thread has been incredible. Kudos to all who have input.
Now here's a topic that I need info on:
Son will be majoring in Math and Chinese in college, may go into engineering. But will also study russian.
He's considering nuclear engineering with Navy
How's that program? Do the kids get to continue their studies? career path?
What other options are out there besides engineering in all branches for this type of student?
kp2001
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2006
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- 2,243
I have seen alot of references to housing differences amongst the services. And that one should serve in the Air Force if they want good housing.
This really only applies to deployed areas. It is rare these days to see junior officers living in base housing. Most people will take their BAH and live in town. There have also been alot of changes to how housing is run, it is now a joint public/private venture in several places.
There are a few bases where I would live in base housing in a heartbeat: North Island, CA is definitely one.
For junior enlisted it is a different world: they usually have to live in the barracks which usually are better in the AF. This is a non-issue for officers.
As to golf courses: I lived a block and a half from the clubhouse at my last duty station
and that was Navy at a major hospital.
This really only applies to deployed areas. It is rare these days to see junior officers living in base housing. Most people will take their BAH and live in town. There have also been alot of changes to how housing is run, it is now a joint public/private venture in several places.
There are a few bases where I would live in base housing in a heartbeat: North Island, CA is definitely one.
For junior enlisted it is a different world: they usually have to live in the barracks which usually are better in the AF. This is a non-issue for officers.
As to golf courses: I lived a block and a half from the clubhouse at my last duty station
and that was Navy at a major hospital.
Pima
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The AF has always been known to have the best benefits. The reason why is that they spend a small fortune on training flyers and learned very quickly a happy spouse makes a happy service member. A happy member won't be as likely to ditch them to become a bus driver in the sky, Obviously you can't have Flyers housing and non-flyer housing, thus, everyone gets the nice housing. Trust me we did 2 joint tours with the Army, Bragg and Leavenworth. At Leavenworth we lived on base and I about died, as a major with 3 kids, youngest 8, we were given a home that was 1100 sqft. In the AF that is the size for a family of two enlisted, and not even the NCO's get a home that small. Not only that, but if I told you what the interior looked like you would run for the hills! This was PME for 0-4's, so housing for what the military deemed the top 10% of 0-4s. We were fortunate because we had 3 kids, our friends with 2 were placed in housing that during the yr was "condemned" and would be razed at the end of the school yr.
The promotion system in the medical field is different than the Line, the rate is lower, but at least the best part is they are not going up against flyers, which people serving in A&F or support are. Remember, a flyer will step out of the jet, the theory is they can always put the flyer in a support position (chair force) for one assignment to fill the whole, you can't take a support officer and put them in a jet.
When Bullet went to PME at Leavenworth (sister school for ACSC), there were nurses there, so there is promotability, it is what you do with your career that will determine your future.
Of course every base has a golf course...the old joke about the AF was first they built the runway, than the club, then the golf course.
The promotion system in the medical field is different than the Line, the rate is lower, but at least the best part is they are not going up against flyers, which people serving in A&F or support are. Remember, a flyer will step out of the jet, the theory is they can always put the flyer in a support position (chair force) for one assignment to fill the whole, you can't take a support officer and put them in a jet.
When Bullet went to PME at Leavenworth (sister school for ACSC), there were nurses there, so there is promotability, it is what you do with your career that will determine your future.
Of course every base has a golf course...the old joke about the AF was first they built the runway, than the club, then the golf course.
Thanks Pima for the update. The Army housing situation sounds pretty dismal. Hopefully the Army has upgraded the quality since you and your husband had your poor experiences.
"The AF has always been known to have the best benefits."
Other than on-base housing what other benefits did you and your husband experience that you thought were better than what you saw from the other services?
Thanks again.
"The AF has always been known to have the best benefits."
Other than on-base housing what other benefits did you and your husband experience that you thought were better than what you saw from the other services?
Thanks again.
Pima
10-Year Member
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The Army base housing has always been dismal. (The number 1 base housing for yrs has been Langley). Their problem is that they are so big, that money gets spread thin. That being said, they have a better network set up for deployments, regarding family support than the AF. Also the bases are usually much larger so their commissaries and PXs beat us hand down! (Caveat...hold a military ID and you can use any of their commissaries/PXs)
As far as services, all of them have the same, but I think for us at least, the AF is smaller and that helps even with A&F, health care or housing. Think of college choices, you can go big to the larger university with more "goodies", but be a number, or the smaller university, with less goodies, but be able to have a closer knit feeling. Also, there is a beauty for the young officers, they can travel easier via AMC since they are on the bases. Can't tell you how many young service members would fly to Hawaii from AK and stay at the Hale Koa or go from the UK to Germany.
There are positives for both sides, it all depends on your personality. I absolutely loved being at Bragg after being in the UK for the AF. The commissary alone could rival a Whole Foods on a Costco level, she needs to really look at the career afterwards and not the bennies. The bennies at any given base/post will not make her on the dotted line, the job will. I am not someone to ask, because I loved every part of the AF, whether Bullet was flying a jet or a chair. There is absolutely nothing at the top of my head that I could say negative about how the AF treats their members.
As far as services, all of them have the same, but I think for us at least, the AF is smaller and that helps even with A&F, health care or housing. Think of college choices, you can go big to the larger university with more "goodies", but be a number, or the smaller university, with less goodies, but be able to have a closer knit feeling. Also, there is a beauty for the young officers, they can travel easier via AMC since they are on the bases. Can't tell you how many young service members would fly to Hawaii from AK and stay at the Hale Koa or go from the UK to Germany.
There are positives for both sides, it all depends on your personality. I absolutely loved being at Bragg after being in the UK for the AF. The commissary alone could rival a Whole Foods on a Costco level, she needs to really look at the career afterwards and not the bennies. The bennies at any given base/post will not make her on the dotted line, the job will. I am not someone to ask, because I loved every part of the AF, whether Bullet was flying a jet or a chair. There is absolutely nothing at the top of my head that I could say negative about how the AF treats their members.
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"the AF is smaller and that helps even with A&F, health care or housing"
Wow! Thanks again for sharing your insight.
What is A&F?
When you were stationed at the Army posts, did you have an opportunity to use one of their hospitals or health care services? If so, how did the facilities and attitudes of the Army compare to the Air Force?
Thanks again for taking the time to post your experiences.
Wow! Thanks again for sharing your insight.
What is A&F?
When you were stationed at the Army posts, did you have an opportunity to use one of their hospitals or health care services? If so, how did the facilities and attitudes of the Army compare to the Air Force?
Thanks again for taking the time to post your experiences.
Just an update on my daughter's experience with applying to all three ROTC programs.
The AF application and interview were complete two weeks ago this past Friday.
We finalized and submitted both the Army & Navy applications this past Monday. Actually all the supporting documents had already been sent (and received) and all the essays had been written, it was just a matter of copying and pasting the essays and submitting the applications (online).
Both Army & Navy interviews were done this past week (Thursday & Friday).
Two of the branches told me that she is receiving a "highly recommended" endorsement from the interviewers. I think they operate on points, but I don't know how many she received in her interview. One branch told her "Not to worry about it she will be getting the scholarship".
Now the good news (unless your in the Army). Based on her interviews and research she has definitely decided that the Army is not right for her. The interviewer was GREAT, but she just isn't cut out to be a soldier nurse.
She is torn between the AF & Navy. Her heart (perhaps her head) tells her the AF is the best match for her, but she knows they probably won't be offering her enough money (at least initially) to attend her "dream" college. Do you bite the bullet and take on some debt for perhaps a year and then receive a full AF scholarship, or do you give up your dream college and go with someplace less expensive that a smaller AF scholarship will fund?
Have to give the Navy props. They were by far the most professional in assigning her a hand holder through the process, arranging an interview (within 3 days at her high school) and really making her feel like they wanted her during the interview.
For those that are interested, I'll post board results as we learn them. I think the Navy is first sometime at the beginning of November. The Army & AF the first week of December.
Thanks everyone for all the help and suggestions. Hopefully what I learn from this experience will be a help to someone else (this year or in the future).
The AF application and interview were complete two weeks ago this past Friday.
We finalized and submitted both the Army & Navy applications this past Monday. Actually all the supporting documents had already been sent (and received) and all the essays had been written, it was just a matter of copying and pasting the essays and submitting the applications (online).
Both Army & Navy interviews were done this past week (Thursday & Friday).
Two of the branches told me that she is receiving a "highly recommended" endorsement from the interviewers. I think they operate on points, but I don't know how many she received in her interview. One branch told her "Not to worry about it she will be getting the scholarship".
Now the good news (unless your in the Army). Based on her interviews and research she has definitely decided that the Army is not right for her. The interviewer was GREAT, but she just isn't cut out to be a soldier nurse.
She is torn between the AF & Navy. Her heart (perhaps her head) tells her the AF is the best match for her, but she knows they probably won't be offering her enough money (at least initially) to attend her "dream" college. Do you bite the bullet and take on some debt for perhaps a year and then receive a full AF scholarship, or do you give up your dream college and go with someplace less expensive that a smaller AF scholarship will fund?
Have to give the Navy props. They were by far the most professional in assigning her a hand holder through the process, arranging an interview (within 3 days at her high school) and really making her feel like they wanted her during the interview.
For those that are interested, I'll post board results as we learn them. I think the Navy is first sometime at the beginning of November. The Army & AF the first week of December.
Thanks everyone for all the help and suggestions. Hopefully what I learn from this experience will be a help to someone else (this year or in the future).
Pima
10-Year Member
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Remember you will not hear for about 4-6 weeks after the board meets, so if she is meeting the Dec board, expect to hear @ the first of the yr.
My 0.01897653124 cents...you bite the bullet and pay, because you never want to live 5 yrs not enjoying working for the branch you went to because of 1 yr of debt. Also, you never know the school may pull out a good merit scholarship so that it really isn't that big of an issue.
Good luck!
My 0.01897653124 cents...you bite the bullet and pay, because you never want to live 5 yrs not enjoying working for the branch you went to because of 1 yr of debt. Also, you never know the school may pull out a good merit scholarship so that it really isn't that big of an issue.
Good luck!