TWE

UHBlackhawk said:
Do they offer ROTC at his university? Taking it helps.
It's no guarantee, but have him look into enlisting in the Reserves or National Guard with a split training option as well.
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He has the max ROTC scholarship offered at his college (out of state tuition paid in full-no room and board offered at his school) and he's been doing phenomenally but craves being surrounded by more committed cadets. Interesting thought about enlisting/National Guard...seems like a roll of the dice though I understand WP needs to fill their enlisted spots. Was that what you were thinking, @UHBlackhawk?
 
azmilmom said:
UHBlackhawk said:
Do they offer ROTC at his university? Taking it helps.
It's no guarantee, but have him look into enlisting in the Reserves or National Guard with a split training option as well.
Click to expand...

He has the max ROTC scholarship offered at his college (out of state tuition paid in full-no room and board offered at his school) and he's been doing phenomenally but craves being surrounded by more committed cadets. Interesting thought about enlisting/National Guard...seems like a roll of the dice though I understand WP needs to fill their enlisted spots. Was that what you were thinking, @UHBlackhawk?
Click to expand...
I'm confused that your son thinks West Point cadets are more committed than ROTC cadets.
 
Ok. I did not know he was on an ROTC scholarship. If that's the case, enlisting will not help him.
He could possibly look into airborne school this summer through ROTC. That might help.
Good luck to him. Tell him to reapply if that is what he wants.
If not, things work out in the end. I was pretty lucky. I did not know about being able to go from National Guard enlisted to West Point. Because of that I went ROTC. And got aviation branch, my first choice. And met my wife. If I had gone to West Point I would have been commissioned four years later. After Desert Storm. When only the top applicants got aviation.
 
UHBlackhawk said:
1337BeachedWhale1337 said:
I'm confused that your son thinks West Point cadets are more committed than ROTC cadets.
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I was ROTC. I can see his thinking. No offense taken.
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I wasn't offended either lol, I'm just confused that someone would think that. I currently go to USMA, and I would be shocked if ROTC cadets were any less committed than the cadets here. If he wants to be surrounded by committed people, I would guess VMI or the Citadel would be the way for him to go.
 
1337BeachedWhale1337 said:
I wasn't offended either lol, I'm just confused that someone would think that. I currently go to USMA, and I would be shocked if ROTC cadets were any less committed than the cadets here. If he wants to be surrounded by committed people, I would guess VMI or the Citadel would be the way for him to go.
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Well... VMI? As my mother asked me when she came to visit at a fellow Lexington, VA all-male university, "Why did they build your school right next to a prison?"
 
UHBlackhawk said:
1337BeachedWhale1337 said:
I wasn't offended either lol, I'm just confused that someone would think that. I currently go to USMA, and I would be shocked if ROTC cadets were any less committed than the cadets here. If he wants to be surrounded by committed people, I would guess VMI or the Citadel would be the way for him to go.
Click to expand...
Well... VMI? As my mother asked me when she came to visit at a fellow Lexington, VA all-male university, "Why did they build your school right next to a prison?"
Click to expand...
Exactly my point lol, you have to really want it to make it through VMI or the Citadel. Not only that, but both do not have the financial incentives associated with West Point(free tuition, housing, food, high post graduate salary). If going through a much more difficult institution for a much lower financial incentive doesn't show commitment, I'm not sure what does.
 
1337BeachedWhale1337 said:
UHBlackhawk said:
1337BeachedWhale1337 said:
I'm confused that your son thinks West Point cadets are more committed than ROTC cadets.
Click to expand...
I was ROTC. I can see his thinking. No offense taken.
Click to expand...
I wasn't offended either lol, I'm just confused that someone would think that. I currently go to USMA, and I would be shocked if ROTC cadets were any less committed than the cadets here. If he wants to be surrounded by committed people, I would guess VMI or the Citadel would be the way for him to go.
Click to expand...

DS was somewhat shocked with the attitude of most of the AROTC cadets at his university (which has one of the top rated AROTC squadrons). After five years of Civil Air Patrol, he thought ROTC cadets would be more disciplined and committed--instead he found that not to be exactly so. We have a lot of military and academy people in our lives and throughout the years, since DS was very young (5?), he has been interested in WP and talked to WP alum and current academy cadets extensively. He has a good feel for the realistic military life and isn't blue-birding the academies over ROTC. Not that ROTC isn't a great way to go, he just yearns to be surrounded by more cadets as committed as he.

Regardless, we believe that all things happen for a reason, as @UHBlackhawk so aptly put. We are thrilled with his ROTC scholarship and either path will get him to where he wants to be ultimately: a career military officer. He has been accepted to the Citadel, but not sure if it is worth switching with the increased financial burden for us--even if his AROTC scholarship can transfer. I think he will a) wait and hear from the other two academies where he has nominations (WP was his top choice and he received three noms for it), b) If all are negative, find out where he fell short and where he can improve his WCS, c) Continue at his current university and AROTC, and d) Reapply for 2022!

Thank you all for your sage wisdom and kind words. It is a blessing to me to have this forum!
 
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