Stipend Information

Sure, you can get an answer to your question. By contacting your ROO, who would be the best source for this information. He/she would have the best information as it pertains to your individual unit. As far as the dates when you get the money go, the start date and book stipend is going to vary, depending on when the unit submits all the contracting paperwork and it gets approved. For NROTC, DS' stipend comes twice per month, but I don't recall the dates offhand. I'd imagine AROTC is the same, since it's all paid by DFAS. I believe he began receiving his stipend and recieved his book stipend in October his first year. Monthly stipend was backpaid since he contracted upon arrival.
Thank you for the insight!
 
Incoming AROTC MS1 researching my fin aid options. What months do I receive my $420 stipend? Classes start on August 24th and end on December 9th for the coming semester if that helps.
Let's get this answered. If you're contracting day 1, you will receive your stipend for September-April and half of May. Your book stipend completely depends. For some kids in our detachment it came in just a couple of weeks. For others it took a month or two. If you contract in October, you will not get back-payed for your September stipend, but you will still get your book funds.
 
Incoming AROTC MS1 researching my fin aid options. What months do I receive my $420 stipend? Classes start on August 24th and end on December 9th for the coming semester if that helps.
I guess we should answer this. You’ll get paid on the 15th and last day of the month. The7 days of august will be paid in September (normally, pending any problems). You get prorated for august. Then you’ll get paid until the day your school ends in the spring. So you’ll get paid over the holidays.
You’ll get your book stipend sometime in the fall. Definitely not in time to pay for your books.
 
Good details above. To continue to answer your original question, you in AROTC or NROTC will receive a monthly stipend for each month of active service only. I think in the last 12 months, my DS received 9 payments. None for May, June, July. Expecting the same 9 months, not 12 months of stipends, in the 12 months ahead.

Army ROTC scholarships also provide a $420 per month living allowance for each school year. Non-scholarship Cadets in AROTC advanced courses (3rd and 4th year) also receive this allowance. As others noted, the Navy national scholarship winners receive 250, then 300, then 350, then 400 in their 1st through 4th years for the active months only in college.

As to the when the money is available - , it varies - All payments including books, tuition, fees, your monthly stipend are not activated until you show up and ultimately pass the personal fitness standard which activates your scholarship. Those who don't have until the end of the semester to make the standard. But if they don't make the grade,, as others stated, you will be on the hook to pay it all back. There are also of course discipline, academic, uniform, participation standards that you have to maintain.

Just remember too that if you commit on day 1 of your sophomore year, and then drop later, you have to pay the scholarship back.

The book stipend varies - last year some students had 1/2 of the annual amount it on day 1 of each semester, others had the stipend later in the semester - months later. Look into chegg/used book rentals on amazon etc as by doing this my DS had more given to him in the book allowance than the book rentals cost. If you cannot afford to cover the books, tuition before these payments come in, then talk to your ROO and bursar office tomorrow - confirm exactly what you are responsible for or have to worry about. Some schools will wait for the scholarship to kick in on good faith, - others expect you to pay it then be reimbursed. I was actually pulled from class my first week my freshman year because my tuition money was late - I was not allowed to go to a class until it was fixed. Some schools are patient - some are a no pay, get out policy. Just know ultimately though you're responsible.

Hope that helps and please let us know if any additional details would be helpful, Come in prepared with a resolved attitude and being physically fit and focused. Covid or not, remote or not, ROTC has standards and I've seen a lot of good young people underestimate those demands or fail to prepare and wash out. Good luck.
 
Jeez Louise this is a perfect "don't shoot the messenger" scenario lol. @Montana State Army ROTC is awesome and has been super helpful throughout my time here on the forums and I thank him for all the great things he's done for the community. This is simply what I was told directly from my ROO. That's why I brought up the point that maybe being in 5th BDE could be a factor in why the two opinions from ROO's are differing. Not to mention that this COVID situation is affecting many factors in both the ROTC world and the University's world. Logically previous practices could be different for this year. Again, this is not me butting heads with Montana State.

And for Christ's sake could I get an answer from someone on the original question at hand? 😅

Ok. Got a hold of my buddy who is in a relatively high position (not GO level, mind you) within AROTC. I don't know any highly-connected people other than @MullenLE (what a great American patriot, BTW).

My buddy said the APFT requirement to contract has not been officially decided yet. Initial guidance is to continue to use APFT to contract.

However, I do see that as a disadvantage for students who go to a fully online school like Georgetown. I wonder how the Army will do their APFT other than bringing them to campus on maybe invitational travel orders. Not sure if TDY orders will work since the students are not officially on AD. Or maybe the Army may say, "You want your scholarship activated? Go to your host university on x, y, z dates and take the APFT. Travel and lodging costs are on you." The Army may be nice and have kids take it at a nearby AROTC unit to reduce expenses. Again, I'm just throwing things out there. It's an unusual year to say the least, so it's all pure speculation.

My buddy also said stipend is August through May only. You're on your own for spending money in June and July.

As for book payment, it should come at the same time as your first (Aug) and second (Sept) stipend payments which is early to mid Sept. But, again, weird year, so things are very fluid.
 
I've been told Battalion doesn't have a solid plan as to how to safely conduct the APFT. Like many universities this fall, mine running a hybrid model, in which we will be on campus with both in-person and online classes to facilitate proper safety measures, however, the majority of classes are online. Just because we are on campus does not mean one can assume we can safely do everything as normal, like the APFT. That's why I was told it would be waived at first and then would be officially conducted later.
It's all per school. My school has us taking the APFT right when we get there so we can contract early. They also want to roll out the ACFT in the fall even though the gym will be closed and has been for months...
 
Thought I’d update this thread for DS’s scenario. Contracting APFT is Monday. (Not in the 5th Brigade, if that matters.)
 
Never heard of not having to take APFT to contract. Don’t believe that. At son’s school if you fail first APFT and are a 4 year scholarship winner you have to start paying tuition! Son took APFT Thursday morning.
 
Update for me as well: Clarified that usually the APFT is taken way before school starts here, so that's why it was initially waived. That being said, I technically contract on Monday the 24th (verifying docs?), despite taking the APFT (and urine analysis) Friday, the 28th. Weird.
 
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