Texas A&M Corps of Cadets/nrotc vs. non-nrotc

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usslloyd

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Can anyone familiar with Texas A&M Corps of Cadets comment on the differences (if any) in lifestyle, status, opportunities or any other conditions if someone is in the Corps with an NROTC scholarship vs. those that are not on scholarship?
 
This is based on what our two kids who have been in the Corps have told me. Very little difference the first two years. There will be some drill commitments for those who have scholarship. That said, not much the first two years. Everyone gets up at the same time, everyone eats breakfast and dinner together, everyone has many of the same time commitments, everyone is taking some ROTC classes (Army, Air Force, or Navy/Marine), everyone wears much the same uniform (there might be some pins that are different if you are contracted). Those that aren't commissioning don't take ROTC the second two years. That said, everyone wears the same uniforms, goes to Midnight Yells, football games, sundry reviews, the Big Event, March to the Brazos, etc. The cadets who are contracting (scholarship or not) have other ROTC commitments and continue to take ROTC classes. Some cadets who are contracting have substantial leadership positions as they age in the process but so do cadets who are not contracting. So, everyone lives in the same Corps housing, wears the same uniforms, etc. Those who are commissioning have some Department of Defense opportunities that the others don't, but that is also true for those contracting with the Army and the Air Force. If you go to corps.tamu.edu there is a way to ask questions to current cadets as well. Each of the "outfits" also have recruiters. Outfits (the unit you are assigned to or choose) are a bigger deal at A&M than in other senior military colleges. Good luck and best wishes.
 
Only difference in my sons unit is contracts (scholarship cadets) wear a pin and a patch with their service on their uniform. Everyone does the same things that the poster above mentioned.
 
My DS is a Junior at A&M...like the others have said, there are subtle differences that include a pin and recently I heard there is another small change...the shoulder patch. If a cadet is contracted (or had a branch scholarship that I believe usually comes with a "contract"), he/she wears the branch ROTC patch on their one shoulder. If not, they wear the "Texas A&M Corps" patch and are called a "Drill and Ceremony" cadet until contracted. It's not a big deal at all as many cadets are coming in and out of the contracting process with over 2400 young men and women in the Aggie Corps. Other than that...I guess the potential stipend is one other difference but again, no one really talks/cares much about that among the actual cadets.
 
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