ROTC uniform

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Rat_Kiley

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I'm an incoming MS1 cadet this fall. Recently I heard from somewhere that uniforms are no longer issued to MS1 and MS2 cadets, is this true?
 
Just read your prior post and you're non scholarship.

In past years, non contracts are issued only ACUs. No PT or ASU's. Also no other field gear, such as sleeping systems, assault packs, etc.

Once contracted or if you receive a campus based scholarship, you get the rest.
 
OP...why don't you ask your new Battalion?
 
Rat_Kiley said:
Well, I just want to know what most programs do in general
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Some issue uniforms to all their Cadets, and some issue uniforms to their contracted Cadets.

If "recently I heard from somewhere" is the way you are going to operate for the next four years/your Army career....your in for some difficulties.

Not trying to be harsh. Just pointing out that when you worry about things you can't control you are wasting energy. Nothing worse then watching rumor and bad info drive a unit crazy (especially while waiting for redeployment)
 
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AFROTC, everyone get the same stuff. My son went in without a scholarship and as far as I know, received the gear. He is going in a senior and has contracted and didnt receive anything new outside of his pilot flight suit
 
Humey said:
AFROTC, everyone get the same stuff. My son went in without a scholarship and as far as I know, received the gear. He is going in a senior and has contracted and didnt receive anything new outside of his pilot flight suit
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That, actually, varies by college. I know of situations where AFROTC cadets did not get gear.
 
DS is transferring from AUM to FIU and both do not issue uniforms except a Tshirt for non-contracted to wear on Uniform day. DS was in color guard so AUM did order him patches but I had ordered his uniforms during a sale since he needed them to do color guard events before classes started. So in some cases although there may be a no un-contracted cadets get uniform if participating (note the key word PARTICIPATING) in an AROTC uniform requirement you may be issued a uniform. Remember many units are short on uniforms because they knew the upcoming change of uniform was coming so better to hold off to buy new uniforms and then they have had to be slowly building up a new inventory.
 
KeyzCat said:
DS is transferring from AUM to FIU and both do not issue uniforms except a Tshirt for non-contracted to wear on Uniform day. DS was in color guard so AUM did order him patches but I had ordered his uniforms during a sale since he needed them to do color guard events before classes started. So in some cases although there may be a no un-contracted cadets get uniform if participating (note the key word PARTICIPATING) in an AROTC uniform requirement you may be issued a uniform. Remember many units are short on uniforms because they knew the upcoming change of uniform was coming so better to hold off to buy new uniforms and then they have had to be slowly building up a new inventory.
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Interesting how that is. My son got a AF blue jacket, pants and white shirts, ABU, ACU , boots , caps, PT clothes, T-shirts and once he got his flight spot, he got his flight suit. He is going to have return just about everything when he graduates, but he will be able to keep the boots and the T-shirts with the other clothes being recycled to a freshman. I didnt realize my son had it easy
 
My DS says that the lack of complete gear, motivates the non-contract cadets just a tad more to earn a contract.
 
Humey said:
He is going to have return just about everything when he graduates,
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Unless something has changed they are given the option to keep them or purchase new. That is where the BAS comes in. They can either take the money or keep their old uniforms. My DS decided to buy all new, actually his Dad and I bought it for him and allowed him to keep the lump sum they give. Beware the amount they give is about 50% of what it will really cost. We knew that from the get go because Bullet was also AFROTC, thus, starting his AS200 yr after being selected for SFT we started getting him items.
~ IE purchased a 2nd set of blues pants and shirt, plus flight cap for his birthday. For xmas his 300 yr we purchased his mess dress and corframs. His 400 yr we purchased his jacket. In the end when he commissioned we basically only had to purchase his rank.
~For pilot select candidates they do get to keep their flight suit and boots at no cost because those are items you cannot purchase on your own through the military. He will get a 2nd flight suit once he starts UPT, than another one or two when he arrives at his op base.

FWIW, the fall after he commissioned their det grew incredibly in size. Their avg incoming AS100 class size went from 100 to 200 cadets, with only about 20% on scholarship. Thus, they did not have enough uniforms for every cadet and that year only scholarship cadets received the full uniform. The non-scholarship cadets were given t-shirts or polos (can't recall) with the AF logo and the det number. They were to wear the shirt with blue khakis for LLAB.
~ That is the problem, ROTC dets do not know how many walk ons (100/250) they are going to have until sometime in the summer when kids do their fall schedule. Incoming freshmen do it at orientation and that could be only 6 weeks prior to the start of the school year.
 
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Pima said:
Unless something has changed they are given the option to keep them or purchase new. That is where the BAS comes in. They can either take the money or keep their old uniforms. My DS decided to buy all new, actually his Dad and I bought it for him and allowed him to keep the lump sum they give. Beware the amount they give is about 50% of what it will really cost. We knew that from the get go because Bullet was also AFROTC, thus, starting his AS200 yr after being selected for SFT we started getting him items.
~ IE purchased a 2nd set of blues pants and shirt, plus flight cap for his birthday. For xmas his 300 yr we purchased his mess dress and corframs. His 400 yr we purchased his jacket. In the end when he commissioned we basically only had to purchase his rank.
~For pilot select candidates they do get to keep their flight suit and boots at no cost because those are items you cannot purchase on your own through the military. He will get a 2nd flight suit once he starts UPT, than another one or two when he arrives at his op base.

FWIW, the fall after he commissioned their det grew incredibly in size. Their avg incoming AS100 class size went from 100 to 200 cadets, with only about 20% on scholarship. Thus, they did not have enough uniforms for every cadet and that year only scholarship cadets received the full uniform. The non-scholarship cadets were given t-shirts or polos (can't recall) with the AF logo and the det number. They were to wear the shirt with blue khakis for LLAB.
~ That is the problem, ROTC dets do not know how many walk ons (100/250) they are going to have until sometime in the summer when kids do their fall schedule. Incoming freshmen do it at orientation and that could be only 6 weeks prior to the start of the school year.
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Awesome idea, Pima, about buying uniforms as gifts over the next 4 years. Thanks!

I also had to chuckle at the last line -

"Incoming freshmen do it at orientation and that could be only 6 weeks prior to the start of the school year."

Michigan Tech does their orientation for ALL freshman the week before school starts. We are dropping off DS on the 26th, they do freshman orientation for a week (including adding classes to their schedules) and then classes start the day after Labor Day. So for the AROTC and AFROTC at Michigan Tech, the cadre are finding out about their actual class size the week before...
 
Pima said:
Humey said:
He is going to have return just about everything when he graduates,
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Unless something has changed they are given the option to keep them or purchase new. That is where the BAS comes in. They can either take the money or keep their old uniforms. My DS decided to buy all new, actually his Dad and I bought it for him and allowed him to keep the lump sum they give. Beware the amount they give is about 50% of what it will really cost. We knew that from the get go because Bullet was also AFROTC, thus, starting his AS200 yr after being selected for SFT we started getting him items.
~ IE purchased a 2nd set of blues pants and shirt, plus flight cap for his birthday. For xmas his 300 yr we purchased his mess dress and corframs. His 400 yr we purchased his jacket. In the end when he commissioned we basically only had to purchase his rank.
~For pilot select candidates they do get to keep their flight suit and boots at no cost because those are items you cannot purchase on your own through the military. He will get a 2nd flight suit once he starts UPT, than another one or two when he arrives at his op base.

FWIW, the fall after he commissioned their det grew incredibly in size. Their avg incoming AS100 class size went from 100 to 200 cadets, with only about 20% on scholarship. Thus, they did not have enough uniforms for every cadet and that year only scholarship cadets received the full uniform. The non-scholarship cadets were given t-shirts or polos (can't recall) with the AF logo and the det number. They were to wear the shirt with blue khakis for LLAB.
~ That is the problem, ROTC dets do not know how many walk ons (100/250) they are going to have until sometime in the summer when kids do their fall schedule. Incoming freshmen do it at orientation and that could be only 6 weeks prior to the start of the school year.
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yes, you are correct that he can buy the uniforms. We are going to buy him a whole set of uniforms when he commissions so I forget that you have the option to buy the stuff they gave him.. As for his flight suit, either my son is wrong or things may have changed. He told me that his flight suit isnt new and will be returned at the end. I did read that when you arrive at UPT, they do give you 3 flight suits. On the other hand, I am sure you know more than me. As for not knowing how many students they will have, that is exactly correct. I think he only notified his detachment about may 2-3 months before school started. It was a while before my son got a uniform during freshman year. At first they were told to wear civilian formal clothing and then they got polo type shirts until they finally received their uniforms. He is entering senior year now so its been a while, but I think they weren't initially given Air Force uniforms. They were I think Army type
 
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Son is going to buy a whole set of uniforms as he commissions in May. Does he need to buy the Mess uniform at this point. From what I read, he wont wear it until he graduates UPT. I hate for him to spend 500 for something he may not wear for 2 years.
 
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