Engineering in 4 Years and ROTC

[FlyingGator]

It's always been like that. I'm not sure why the Skipper thought otherwise. Was that "Meat" Murray by any chance, or was it "Krusty?" Krusty left in late '20, so I'm guessing it might have been Meat.

My old CO was CAPT Trenton “Trigger” Lennard.

Also, I didn’t mean to shit on what you were saying. It’s just that when I went into NROTC I was told it was a walk in the park (Easy fitness “Like Basketball” , and some extra classes). So now I get a certain way when people try to join NROTC.

Because of recruiters overselling the program to me, I showed up able to do 30 push-ups and got sent to fat camp doing 5 hours of PT, And because I was told they would give me everything, I didn’t grab my PQS from the mailbox lol.

I still love NROTC, and it’s dope you guys are getting people in the program.

 

[Gatordev]

With a username like "FlyingGator," and you saying you literally just left ROTC, I figured you were talking about UF and not KU.

 

[John Laurens]

If OCS is the right choice for you, by all means go for it, especially if you can get into BDCP, but there's value with ROTC as well, and it shouldn't be discounted. To help put things in perspective with the time requirement...it's minimal at a normal state university. As a freshman/sophomore, I had to participate in 7 hours a week specifically for ROTC requirements. 3 of those hours were mandatory study hours. 4 of those hours were ROTC-specific classroom time. They know those 4 hours add to a course load which is why they also give you the 5-year option as an engineer. The 3 hours of study time includes free tutors, and it's not like you aren't going to be studying each week as an engineering major.

My overall point is that it's a very low amount of time that's actually required of students. By the time I was a senior, that total time didn't change, but the mandatory study time went away. I would just continue to volunteer to be a watch stander for it to force myself to study 2 hours a week.

So, if you do ROTC and are an engineering major, you can get 5 year option for financial benefits? That sounds more fair. Even with no ROTC and summer classes, engineering in 4 years is quite the task (yes, again, I know there are people there who can do engineering in 4 years while playing a varsity sport or working full time. I am not talking about water walkers or those otherwise defy gravity). Would the 5 year option apply to computer science? I assume it wouldn't apply to physics or math?

 

[John Laurens]

ROTC: you want to be an aviator, but you agree to become a Naval Officer first, bonus to have most education expenses paid for. No guarantee of job pathway, but if the prospect of wanting pilot/NFO and getting your second or third choice doesn't phase you in the long run, its a fine option.

OCS: you want to be an aviator first, with unlimited freedom to turn down the military if they cant guarantee an OCS slot for the career you want. You pay for college.

Thanks...makes perfect sense.

 

[John Laurens]

Gator,
As someone who literally did this like a couple months ago, shits changed. We averaged 12-15 hrs a week of commitments.
We had 8 mandatory study hours (more if you got a C or below in a class) that weren’t tutored, and 4 hours of class a week. Also there is only one mandatory watch standing unit in the nation for NROTC, so there isn’t much forced studying past the 4/C year. This is just the bare minimum.

NROTC isn’t a cake walk lol, thinking that was the first mistake I made. I agree that NROTC would be a great match for John, but that was a bit of an oversell.

Thanks for the candor, John. What is involved in a "mandatory watch standing unit", please?

 

[taxi1]

Would the 5 year option apply to computer science? I assume it wouldn't apply to physics or math?

Those programs are usually 120 credits, vice 135+ for engineering.

 

[Gatordev]

Thanks for the candor, John. What is involved in a "mandatory watch standing unit", please?

After this thread and FlyingGator's posts in the Top Gun 2 thread, I'd take what he's saying with a grain of salt. That's not to say what he says was happening at his unit didn't happen, but it's a big program with a lot of units across the country and not everyone does it the same way. Also, COVID changed a lot of procedures.

At some units, historically, there were two basic watch-standing duties. One was a duty watch that was generally all day, but not to interfere with classes. It's mostly a way to teach junior MIDN how to stand a watch. I'm sure the size of the unit also affects how much this actually happens.

There can also be an academic watch, which is basically someone that hangs out during study hours and records everyone's study times and generally keeps the hijinks to a minimum so people can study. Again, the size of the unit may not make this feasible, along with COVID issues.

Beyond that, it's just showing up to the required classes/events.

What taxi1 said about credit hours and CIS degrees. Whatever the program, it boils down to how many additional credits are needed to graduate the program. Talking with a ROTC staff can help you better understand the details and current requirements.

 

[FlyingGator]

With a username like "FlyingGator," and you saying you literally just left ROTC, I figured you were talking about UF and not KU.

Well you aren’t wrong. My name comes from me being in Florida for the longest time. (Jacksonville, P-Cola, Mayport) and when I moved out of Florida every school I went to had the “gator” as a mascot. My parents thought it was a sign and I just ran with it. I would have liked to go to UF but I applied to KU and Citadel and picked the first university that accepted me with an ROTC program.

 

[FlyingGator]

After this thread and FlyingGator's posts in the Top Gun 2 thread, I'd take what he's saying with a grain of salt.

I can’t have a shit take on a movie and be correct anymore?

Thanks for the candor, John. What is involved in a "mandatory watch standing unit", please?

My name isn’t John lol, for us a watch was 12 hours where you are standing in uniform babysitting a bunch of your fellow classmates. 0800-2000. You make sure people get their studies done, use resources correctly and aren’t loud and obnoxious.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

When you start college and/or NROTC, you'll complete two academic degree plans... one with your actual college advisor and two, with your NROTC advisor (usually a LT) to map out how long it'll take to complete your degree along with NROTC requirements (usually one Navy course a semester).

NROTC is not difficult. You PT 2-3 times a week (usually in the mornings), complete a drill period/s (usually 3 hours a week) and maybe some additional requirements (study hours, etc.) a few hours a week. NROTC understands that your first and primary mission is to complete classes and graduate without difficulty, which is why they limit burdening you with the "BS" stuff.

With watches... as a NROTC Mid I remember standing a few "quarterdeck" watches my first and second year and standing a few "CDO-like" watches my latter years before commissioning. Same thing, it was overtaxing and it didn't disrupt my classes or academic requirements.

 

[John Laurens]

I can’t have a shit take on a movie and be correct anymore?

My name isn’t John lol, for us a watch was 12 hours where you are standing in uniform babysitting a bunch of your fellow classmates. 0800-2000. You make sure people get their studies done, use resources correctly and aren’t loud and obnoxious.

Apologies, Gator. Does an aviator ever stand watch once they are out with the fleet like SWO and Subs do?

 

[FlyingGator]

Apologies, Gator. Does an aviator ever stand watch once they are out with the fleet like SWO and Subs do?

Every single person in the navy stands watch at some point. Watch standing is honestly pretty easy.

 

[John Laurens]

Every single person in the navy stands watch at some point. Watch standing is honestly pretty easy.

Got it..thanks, Gator. Have a good one.