Benefits

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I chose NROTC over the Academy, much of being that I wanted to experience life as a college student to the fullest extent before serving my country.

 

[DanMa1156]

That's enough of that.



And yes, 4th deck added the extra time.

I live on 3rd Deck... we do 12/7 also... I think everyone does now to be honest...

 

[phrogpilot73]

I live on 3rd Deck... we do 12/7 also... I think everyone does now to be honest...

Just for the record - it's been more than 10 years since I've done a chow call. Now that you mention it, I lived on 4-1 Plebe year. Everyone is right, it's 12/7 outside and 10/5 inside. I stand corrected...

 

[HH-60H]

When we have MIDN come to our command for an internship we make them do atleast one chow call. So, if any of you mids are lucky, you can be the only firstie in your class to do them again.

 

[jcm31781]

Best thing about having graduated from the the academy is that you're well-prepared to put up with the BS that'll inevitably come your way from time to time once you hit the fleet.

...meantime, I find myself thinking from time to time (any plebes present disregard the following), "Why in the hell did I major in engineering?" History/poli sci makes for much better conversation on the flight deck.

 

[jcm31781]

I chose NROTC over the Academy, much of being that I wanted to experience life as a college student to the fullest extent before serving my country.

Dude, you tryin' to say something? :-P

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Best thing about having graduated from the the academy is that you're well-prepared to put up with the BS that'll inevitably come your way from time to time once you hit the fleet.

That's the best thing? Well, shit, you could have saved yourself a couple years and just enlisted and gone through the nuke power pipeline.

...meantime, I find myself thinking from time to time (any plebes present disregard the following), "Why in the hell did I major in engineering?" History/poli sci makes for much better conversation on the flight deck.

As for that, well....you thank yourself later. If you want to learn about history/poly-sci, then pick up a good book and start reading about it.

 

[MasterBates]

In event of an RIF or Medical Discharge, and Engineering or Hard Science degree helps with employment options.

I know a couple Lib Arts types that got medical discharged in flight school. They were banking on their officer experience to help get them a job if they got out in 8.

They were scrambling pretty bad to find a job.

 

[kejo]

In event of an RIF or Medical Discharge, and Engineering or Hard Science degree helps with employment options.

I know a couple Lib Arts types that got medical discharged in flight school. They were banking on their officer experience to help get them a job if they got out in 8.

They were scrambling pretty bad to find a job.

True, of the two academy guys I know who got MPQed, one was a Mech E, the other a PoliSci. Mech E had people calling him almost immediately, PoliSci not so much...he's working on an education degree to become a teacher...limited experience, but still...

 

[a_m]

I would hate to have to use my Mech. E. degree for a career. I'd almost prefer to chum for a living.

 

[MasterBates]

Being an engineer in the real world is NOT like being an engineering major..

 

[Flash]

I can't compare experiences since we don't have to do the same stuff, but just being in NROTC sets you apart. Most of my good friends on campus are in NROTC, all the people I live with are in NROTC, and there's definitely a bond. No, it's not that we lived through hell together, but we still have a set of common experiences that are unique to the rest of the campus. That's how you form any type of relationship. And when you say to your non-ROTC friends that you can't do such and such because you have a ROTC thing to do, people respect that. Obviously not to the degree that they would if you had to do the military thing 24/7, but academy people, in my experience, forget the fact that NROTC is still a HUGE committment at a regular college. It's not just an extracurricular activity.

That being said, choose whatever path fits you. I was going to be at the academy had BUMED agreed with the admissions office, but in retrospect I realize that ROTC is the best thing ever for me, not even just for the military aspects. I'd advise anyone who is applying to have long conversations with midshipmen at the schools they are considering, academy or normal, to see which life fits you best.

The first sentence of the second paragraph are wise words.......

As for the NROTC commitment at a regular school, the reason academy/military school guys think it is just an extracurricular activity is that NROTC at a normal school is a minor time commitment compared to USNA/military college life.

Different strokes, different folks........

 

[jcm31781]

Thinking I should've majored in something else was just that, a thought. Thanks though

 

[Intruder Driver]

Just for the record - it's been more than 10 years since I've done a chow call. Now that you mention it, I lived on 4-1 Plebe year. Everyone is right, it's 12/7 outside and 10/5 inside. I stand corrected...

When mids were still mids, chow calls were 10-5-4-3-2-1, inside or out, regardless of which deck you resided.