NROTC program

[KnightNArmor]

Don't bash that week too hard... I was CP and signed up for it the day I got to my campus, which was after orientation. They had me sign a bunch of forms, threw a load of uniforms at me, and let me go on my merry way. Then drill rolls around and I had to figure out what "summer whites" were and how to wear it. When they pulled me aside to ream me out for looking like a clown, I couldn't even tell them what squad or company I was in. That led to much more reaming out. All in all, not my best day. So there is some benefit to orientation...

Okay, so maybe "silliness" wasn't the best words to describe it. It sounds like your week was a lot different than mine was. I don't remember the reaming for not knowing how to wear the different uniforms. The memories I have were more of it being an instructional time. Again, yours seemed much different.

and Airyk.... I went to NC State... so :icon_rage UNC

 

[P3 F0]

I should have written better: I missed orientation completely, and because of that spent the first drill day walking around campus looking like a total idiot. Take out your combo cover and shrink all the way the band at the top--the one that makes the cover tight. That was me, along with about ten other uniform screw ups. I was the walking definition of clueless.

 

[ea6bflyr]

While orientation is a pain in the rear, it will get you on the right step towards joining the Navy ROTC.

We had a gal show up late and didn't attend the orientation, she was clueless and she ended up dropping the program for medical reasons.

-ea6bflyr

 

[KatieH]

flyr - Do you know when orientation takes place? I'm planning on doing the summer LEAP program which goes up until a week or 10 days before Fall move in day. (I haven't officially been switched yet, but I'm at the top and am staying optimistic!).

 

[ea6bflyr]

Penn State: One week prior to move in. So Monday was NROTC check-in, students are sized and issued uniforms, then whisked off to Fort Indiantown Gap for the week (Army Reserve Base near Harrisburg) then return on Saturday....student move in starts Friday-Sunday. School starts Monday.

-ea6bflyr

 

[KatieH]

Thanks, Flyr. I've read about some orientations that have certain opportunities like parachutting (sp) etc. Is orientation pretty much PT or are there fun things too. Sorry for all the questions!

 

[ea6bflyr]

Lets see...your days will look like this:

Wake up & PT
Breakfast
Class
Drill
Lunch (MREs)
Drill
Class
Dinner
Squad Time & Lights out.

You will PT every morning, get yelled at, learn your knowledge information, attempt a 3/C swim qual, eat MREs, participate in a Leadership Reaction Course, and stand watch. Your feet will hurt. Nothing like Marching in Running shoes. Oh, the fun....

Sorry no parachuting or weapons quals.

-ea6bflyr

 

[war eagle]

I know it's been said before, but you'll get out of it what you put into it...

ROTC serves its purpose well - it gets college kids ready to serve in the military. It won't kill you all the time but there is extra responsibility and commitment. You're held to a higher standard than most every other college kid on the campus.

But overall, I've enjoyed my 4 (going on 5) years at Auburn and the NROTC program here. My advice, choose a major you'll enjoy and work hard when you have to. When you're not having to work/study then enjoy the college life. Good luck.

 

[gotta_fly]

You might also get to do a damage control trainer, depending on where you are. I did my indoc at NS Newport and they have a copy of the USS Buttercup there which is basically a mini ship in a pool that gets 'torpedoed' and floods belowdecks. You and your classmates learn about basic DC and then go to work plugging the holes. It's probably still one of the cooler training evos I've done as a mid.

 

[Rg9]

I don't think anyone's mentioned the summer training yet, which I hope you're familiar with seeing as you want in. Basically, if you're on scholarship, you'll do up to a month every summer out with the "real" Navy/MC. It's a really good exposure, and gives you a feel for what you want to do in the military.

I fired pretty much every hand held weapon in the Marine Corps, spent days in a fast attack sub as well as a boomer including "driving" (is that the term?) them and firing "torpedoes" of water (again, don't know the specific terms you underwater guys use), spent time on a destroyer and watched them fire all they're guns (including shooting the 50-cal and a 9-mil), did the damage control trainer, was exposed to squad tactics, got rides in a T-34, SH-60, CH-46, P-3, F/A-18, and C-2, got water survival and ejection seat training, and I went to Hawaii, Jacksonville, Norfolk, and San Diego ALL on the Navy's dime and getting paid for it BEFORE I graduated college!

It's definitely a great program, and I would highly recommend it if you want to join the military. I also probably spent, on average, 12-15 hours/wk on top of college stuff (except for the semesters I had important jobs where I spent more time), and this will change school to school. But I actually enjoyed it - especially my last couple years. It's like a big fraternity.

 

[armada1651]

Thanks, Flyr. I've read about some orientations that have certain opportunities like parachutting (sp) etc. Is orientation pretty much PT or are there fun things too. Sorry for all the questions!

That totally depends on the school. Some are much more laid back than others. My unit, for example, is small and relaxed and in general pretty awesome. That's not to say we don't have to put up with some amount of crap, but overall it's been a really good experience. A small unit is also nice because everyone knows everyone and gets pretty tight.

As others have said about summer training, that's also a great part of NROTC life - basically getting paid to travel around for a few weeks every summer. I missed my second class cruise because of a knee injury but between CORTRAMID (third class) and first class I still got a lot of cool experiences: spent time on a fast attack sub (USS Oklahoma City), a cruiser (USS Leyte Gulf), an American destroyer (USS John S. McCain) and a Japanese destroyer (JS Ikazuchi), flights in a C-2, a T-34C, and a Japanese SH-60J, fired a bunch of weapons, saw Norfolk, Jacksonville, King's Bay, Mayport, Lejeune, Tokyo, Kure, Etajima...and got paid for it all. Not a bad deal at all.

 

[KnightNArmor]

for the Marine side of summer cruises...
First one is COTRAMID (everyone does this regardless of service). You'll meet all kinds of people that you will see again at some point either during the summers to follow or in the fleet. (Side note: I met my wife at CORTRAMID)
Second summer (when I went through) was either CAX at Twentynine Palms or Mountain Warfare School.
Third summer every Marine option goes to OCS for 6 weeks. You have a choice of going first session or second. All that means is how hot it's going to be in summer when you get there.