Don't you keep the BDCP money though? ....So even ending up in that situation isn't exactly terrible. You gotta owe the government and the people
something after all that free cash.
The worst thing about that I would think would be knowing that you could have been an officer, an aviator, what-have-you... and instead you're cleaning the head
It is actually terrible (in my opinion), because you will be an undesignated striker(sp), and cannot promote past E-3. This means that you don't have a rate (or a particular job).
I knew someone that DOR'd out of OCS, and just got done doing his 2 years. He described it as unsurmountable hell. ALL HE DID, was the b*tch work that none of the other junior enlisted wanted to do (cleaned heads and chipped paint). The worst part (again, in my opinion), is that you can't work towards anything (a rate, qualification or something to bolster your resume).
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that it is unthinkable to clean heads or chip paint. Everyone has to start somewhere. But the difference between you and the rest of the enlisted is that they are building a future.
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On a separate note. I recommend waiting on the commissioning loan until you graduate from OCS (or are in the candio phase). There is a clause in the contract somewhere that says that if you don't complete OCS (or get commissioned), the interest rate goes through the roof. It would just suck to get NPQ'd or for some unforseen reason not make it through and be hit with that. If you don't want to wait, at least read the contract before signing away.