scholarship process

[torpedo0126]

Um, well, I understand the distinction between schools like VMI and most others. But I have never heard the distinction referred to by that phrase and it doesn't make any intuitive sense. Did that just come from desertoasis' imagination?

Here we go. Its actually "Senior Military College." There are six of them. Here is the wikipedia quote and link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senior_Military_College

===============

In the United States, a Senior Military College (SMC) is one of six colleges that offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs and are specifically recognized under 10 USC 2111(a). The six senior military colleges are:

• North Georgia College & State University; Dahlonega, Georgia
• Norwich University; Northfield, Vermont
• Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas
• The Citadel; Charleston, South Carolina
• Virginia Military Institute; Lexington, Virginia
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Blacksburg, Virginia

Under U.S. law and U.S. Army regulations, there are three types of ROTC programs administered, each with a different element. In addition to ROTC at Senior Military Colleges, there are ROTC programs at civilian colleges and at Military Junior Colleges.

 

[wink]

Here we go. Its actually "Senior Military College." There are six of them.

Excellent! Thank you. Even old salty guys can learn a thing or two every few months. In all my years recruiting, I never heard a separate term used for these programs. Or I did and my advancing years has tarnished my memory.

 

[Daisy]

@wink

Related question: It has been my observation from helping students complete these applications that command changes occur around mid-summer. So relevant contact people at the student's intended NROTC unit may or may not be available until perhaps the first week of August.

Is that correct?

 

[desertoasis]

Excellent! Thank you. Even old salty guys can learn a thing or two every few months. In all my years recruiting, I never heard a separate term used for these programs. Or I did and my advancing years has tarnished my memory.

Sorry I wasn't on AW to read this update! Also sorry I didn't make clearer what a Senior Military College is, I bet it made my earlier post make very little sense...

There really isn't a difference in the finished product or the admissions to Senior Militaries, the difference is that by law, the university concerned must maintain a uniformed student body similar to the service academies. Most of us who went to them consider it the 'in-between' between the academies and other ROTC units.

Torp, you're absolutely right that involvement depends more on the individual than the college. I shouldn't have implied that Senior Militaries are somehow 'better' than the ROTC majority. Wasn't my intention!

Wink, I'm not sure when the term came into use, but I want to say that it was somewhere in the early 20th century. The US Code is not very illuminative on when changes happened.

 

[wink]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senior_Military_College

Under U.S. law and U.S. Army regulations, there are three types of ROTC programs administered, each with a different element. In addition to ROTC at Senior Military Colleges, there are ROTC programs at civilian colleges and at Military Junior Colleges.

O.K. so now I know what a Senior Military College is, well, at least according to wikipedia. I don't want to bet a dead horse here, but this last paragraph is misleading. If a guy read that with no knowledge of, say Texas A&M, you would think it wasn't a civilian school. Last time I checked, Norwich was not funded by any government, but private. If any of you guys are wiki types give that paragraph some clarity.
As we all know, there are only 4 (5 if you count USCGA) U.S. military academies, which are, in fact, non-civilian, federally funded, military colleges. Anything else is a civilian intuition.

 

[torpedo0126]

i agree. i just looked it up because I didn't know what "Senior Military" was referencing.

 

[JTB7]

@wink

Related question: It has been my observation from helping students complete these applications that command changes occur around mid-summer. So relevant contact people at the student's intended NROTC unit may or may not be available until perhaps the first week of August.

Is that correct?

My recruiter is changing command right now, so the changing of command is correct. I would still try and contact your recruiting office as soon as possible.

 

[jbj5016]

ROTC Vs Academy Vs Other Places

I would say you just call any place you are interested in for ROTC because you will be able to find someone who has all the answers to FAQs, atleast at my unit they do.

As for where to go like the other people have said it really is a personal choice. If you are more of a sturcture person who likes to know what they are doing and when they are doing it go to an academy. But if you want to have more of a laidback style go ROTC. I personally have loved ROTC because you learn to balance college life with ROTC which is what you will do when you are commissioned. In ROTC you get the chance to learn how to decide when to party and when it is time to work, at the academys it is usually work most of the time. I have good friends at the academy and have talked with them about all of this. As for the other places like VMI or Citadel those places are going to have more military involvement but still not as much as the academy.

 

[torpedo0126]

As for the other places like VMI or Citadel those places are going to have more military involvement but still not as much as the academy.

I don't know...Texas A&M and some of those places can be pretty involved as well.

 

[desertoasis]

I don't know...Texas A&M and some of those places can be pretty involved as well.

Careful mentioning my alma...you'll wake Bevo.

But yeah, all the places in the same vein as VMI and the Citadel (there are 6 schools) are at 'that' level of involvement, somewhere between ROTC and the Academy. It's not necessarily better or worse, just a different flavor of training. Those six schools, as mentioned earlier in this thread, are:

VMI
Citadel
Norwich
Texas A&M
Virginia Tech
North Georgia College & State University

 

[wink]

@wink

Related question: It has been my observation from helping students complete these applications that command changes occur around mid-summer. So relevant contact people at the student's intended NROTC unit may or may not be available until perhaps the first week of August.

Is that correct?

My recruiter is changing command right now, so the changing of command is correct. I would still try and contact your recruiting office as soon as possible.

Sorry, confused again. I am sure it is just terminology. A Change of Command refers to the C.O. leaving and a new C.O. taking command. That can happen with little to no disruption in any of these processes. If you are referring to NROTC and mean that several of the Asst. Naval Sci Instructors (LTs) get new orders and leave, then yes, that can slow things a bit as the new LTs get situated and begin to take care of business. The entire staff does not turn over though, so there should be someone there with experience to give you the answers.

Again, there really are no recruiters for NROTC, certainly, not at the NROTC unit level. When you say recruiter if you mean the guys at the NRD that coordinate your application, then again, a change of command will not slow things at all. As to turn over of the Chief's that typically serve as NROTC Coordinators, they are no more likely to get orders out during summer then any other season, and their relief is usually on board before they leave or they have a couple other guys they work with that can answer all your questions.

Short answer, there should be little reason to not get help from a NROTC unit short of guys simply gone on leave in the summer when they don't have to teach classes, and there is even less reason to not get good help from the NRD Coordinators during the summer.

If you have questions, call, regardless of time of year. Questions about a specific unit or school, call a NROTC unit. Questions about the application process, your competitiveness or required interviews, call the NROTC Coordinator at a Recruiting District HQ.

 

[Daisy]

If you have questions, call, regardless of time of year. Questions about a specific unit or school, call a NROTC unit. Questions about the application process, your competitiveness or required interviews, call the NROTC Coordinator at a Recruiting District HQ.

That's a gem. Thanks for differentiating.

What kind of help or information should an applicant expect if (s)he calls the 800 numbers on the NROTC scholarship applicaton page?

 

[wink]

That's a gem. Thanks for differentiating.

What kind of help or information should an applicant expect if (s)he calls the 800 numbers on the NROTC scholarship applicaton page?

I can't say for sure since I have no direct experience with it. However, if it is anything like the national 800 numbers found on flyers, in magazines, on web sites or in TV commercials, the info you get won't be worth your time. National 800 numbers are usually just clearing houses run by civilian contractors. They will likely just refer you to the NROTC Coordinator at the NRD nearest your home. The NROTC Coordinator will call you once you start the on line app, so you don't have to go looking for him. Specific info offered is usually not completely accurate or does not apply to the situation at hand. I would avoid the 800 numbers unless it is your only resource.