ROTC Question

[goldberry]

Trying to find out info for a friend...

 

If someone is on an AROTC scholarship, when after graduation do they begin their service agreement?  Like, the next day?  Or is there any time in between?

 

Also, what happens at that time?  Do they leave somewhere at that time?

 

Thanks!

[Guest]

It depends upon the needs of the specific branch of the military they are going into and their specialties. I was commissioned in December but didn't enter active duty until March. My husband was commissioned in May but didn't enter active duty until November. In the interim, we had temp jobs in the civilian world, totally on our own. Normally you enter active duty within a year of commission.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Kinsa

[Sebastian (a lady)]

It does depend. Usually the first major thing a new officer does is spend time in training. For example flight training might take a year or more before the officer joins their new deployable squadron. Officers pick or are assigned initial training dates. These might now start until a few months after graduation and commissioning.

Depending on the needs of the service the grad might be in active duty right away and "stashed" doing temp duty until their training starts. Stash time might be with the TO TV unit or where the training will be.

 

For a current ROTC student the best source would be their ROTC unit staff. Also things vary by sèvuce and over time. I had classmates doing temp work for months and up to a year and a half before starting Navy flight school. Budget restrictions can mean that it takes longer to get a school or to get through the required training.

[goldberry]

It depends upon the needs of the specific branch of the military they are going into and their specialties. I was commissioned in December but didn't enter active duty until March. My husband was commissioned in May but didn't enter active duty until November. In the interim, we had temp jobs in the civilian world, totally on our own. Normally you enter active duty within a year of commission.

 

So commissioned = starting your enlisted time?  or something else?

[goldberry]

It does depend. Usually the first major thing a new officer does is spend time in training. 

 

And training could be anywhere in the US I would expect?  

[G5052]

No personal experience, but among the dozen or so friends and homeschoolers who were in ROTC, it completely varies.

 

You might be able to express some preferences, but in the end they decide where and when you go. Sometimes the plans change shortly before you graduate too.

 

Yup. It's the military. Ultimately they call the shots.

[Guest]

So commissioned = starting your enlisted time? or something else?

Well, no, not really. First, terminology. A commissionee is not enlisted. A commissionee is an officer. There are two types of people in the military: officer and enlisted. So a person who gets a commission will never have an enlistment, technically speaking.

 

But what I think you are asking is what happens upon commissioning. The commissioning is merely when the oath is taken and you sell your soul to Uncle Sam. (LOL) You are put into reserve status upon taking the oath, until the military decides to activate you. You are more or less free to do what you want until you are activated, with some restrictions. Most commissionees just get temporary civilian jobs during that time, as dh and I did. Then when your activation date comes up, you drop everything and go to your training base. By that point, the rest is mapped out for you by the military.

 

Edited because apparently I can't spell commission. Dur.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Kinsa

[goldberry]

Commissioning does not lead to enlisted. Exactly the opposite. Commissioning means you're an officer, NOT enlisted. 

 

 

But what I think you are asking is what happens upon commisioning. The commisioning is merely when the oath is taken and you sell your soul to Uncle Sam. (LOL) You are put into reserve status upon taking the oath, until the military decides to activate you. 

 

Yes, thank you, sorry for my ignorance on the subject.

 

So if the ROTC graduate has a commitment of 4 years active duty, the active duty doesn't really start when they are commissioned, it starts when they are "activated" and sent somewhere to start training or working.  Is that correct?  And sometimes that could happen right away or a few months later.

[Guest]

Yes, thank you, sorry for my ignorance on the subject.

 

So if the ROTC graduate has a commitment of 4 years active duty, the active duty doesn't really start when they are commissioned, it starts when they are "activated" and sent somewhere to start training or working. Is that correct? And sometimes that could happen right away or a few months later.

That is correct. The four year commitment begins once activated, which could be within days or weeks of the commissioning, or months, or up to a year.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Kinsa

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Yes, thank you, sorry for my ignorance on the subject.

 

So if the ROTC graduate has a commitment of 4 years active duty, the active duty doesn't really start when they are commissioned, it starts when they are "activated" and sent somewhere to start training or working. Is that correct? And sometimes that could happen right away or a few months later.

That is pretty much correct. The post commissioning time commitment may also vary. For example a student who needs a 5th year to complete an engineering degree will have additional payback time. In the Navy, aviators have a longer payback commitment and it doesn't start until they are winged (have completed a certain amount of flight training).

 

Also things change. I knew Army Rotc friends in the 1990s who were released after graduation with no commission and no time commitment. Others waited a year to go on active duty. Others started right away. This wasn't the expectation when they joined ROTC in the late 80s.

[goldberry]

Thanks so much for your answers!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

And training could be anywhere in the US I would expect?  

 

Training location depends on the service and the specific branch.  For example in the Navy, most pilots train in Pensacola Florida (although a few train in Texas).  Submariners would have various training schools in Charleston, SC; Groton CT and Idaho.  Surface Warfare Officers would probably have training near to where their ship is stationed (this has changed over the years).  

 

Air Force, Marines and Army would have their own training in other service specific locations.