Advice on a BDCP and NROTC decision

[Seafort]

EM1 is absolutely right. There are even BDCP folks that are being paid as E-5. Right now, that's your paygrade, it is not your rank. You don't have one, although if you are fully integrated, then you will probably be referred to as MIDN soandso, although you may be referred to as OC soandso. If the latter, be respectful of the title; it is one that is given to you, but not one earned like the MECEPs and OCs that came from the fleet.

 

[WEGL12]

EM1 and Seafort, I definitely would not act like I earn the title of E-3/E-4. I cannot see how anyone in BDCP can actually go around saying they are an E-3. BDCP is a great program but you don’t earn the title E-3, it’s just the pay grade they give to you. At least that is the way I see it.
On a side note, I still haven’t made a final decision. BDCP is a great program but for some reason I don’t get the right “gut feeling” when I think about making BDCP my final decision. However, a guaranteed flight slot and 3 years of service time is very hard to turn down.

 

[Thisguy]

I definitely would not act like I earn the title of E-3/E-4. I cannot see how anyone in BDCP can actually go around saying they are an E-3.

You'd be surprised. I'm met douchebags who qualify for the good conduct medal (3 years enlisted w/o NJP) while in BDCP/OCS and they a) wear it around like they're salty b) refer to themselves as prior enlisted

Not a winning combination. I think the technical term for this is "being a cheesedick"

 

[Afterburner209]

Citadel- It took be about a month from Pro-Rec to FS.

If you know the navy is what you want to do, and you know you want to fly take BDCP. This is just my opinion but if you have any passion for becoming a naval aviator you wont pass a opportunity to have it guaranteed. There are certain things in life im glad I had. I grew up poor but it taught me the value of money, but I strongly disagree that this is one of these times. Why take a chance with your career? Its like saying you want to be a pilot but then turning down a pilot contract. Wait, that's exactly what your considering. Everybody is different but I don't take those kind of chances with my future, I worked to hard to get where I am.

I know its all been said, but seeing someone else consider this just drives me crazy.

 

[Afterburner209]

You'd be surprised. I'm met douchebags who qualify for the good conduct medal (3 years enlisted w/o NJP) while in BDCP/OCS and they a) wear it around like they're salty b) refer to themselves as prior enlisted

Not a winning combination. I think the technical term for this is "being a cheesedick"

Glad I dont know any of those guys. Seriously when someone asks me about my rank I tell them I'm basically nobody/nothing/shit but I get paid E-3.

 

[EM1]

Yeah. I wouldnt have mentioned it if I hadnt seen it. Good to know you wont be one of those.

 

[WEGL12]

Well I made the final decision to pick BDCP over the NROTC scholarship. In the end, the guaranteed flight spot was too hard to pass up. NROTC is a great option but I didn’t want to take the risk of not getting SNA. However, I will still have some involvement with the unit such as pt and unit functions. The current plan is to go to MEPS in two weeks; I will take the PT test the same day. Hopefully, I get my final select sometime in August. I would like to thank everyone for their help. Many of you brought up points that were very helpful. Thanks again.

 

[m26]

Something else to consider:

In filling out my FAFSA, it asked me if I was active duty military. Saying yes made me independent, and the only important question was how much money I made last year, which was virtually nothing. So for this year I have a EFC of $0, and am eligible for a $5500/yr PELL grant [Or so they tell me, and I quadruple-checked my FAFSA to make sure everything is correct.]

It might be just a peculiarity of my situation, or I might not even see that money, but it may be worth considering.

 

[Afterburner209]

M26- Yeah! I forgot about that, same thing happened to me.

 

[m26]

Did you pull it off?

My school sent me an email demanding 5 extra forms. One question has me worried (I qualified as a dependent in '09), but I still think by the letter of the law I ought to get some $$.

 

[SynixMan]

You'd be surprised. I'm met douchebags who qualify for the good conduct medal (3 years enlisted w/o NJP) while in BDCP/OCS and they a) wear it around like they're salty b) refer to themselves as prior enlisted

Not a winning combination. I think the technical term for this is "being a cheesedick"

I would give someone endless shit if they did that. And I know priors who would take serious offense to that shit.

 

[Afterburner209]

Well yes and no.

I guess by same thing, I mean the financial aid worked for me not the dependent status.

Luckily (relatively speaking) my mom is a single parent who makes very little so being a dependent didn't effect me and no I did not change to independent. But I did make decent money (as a waiter?) according to financial aid. I had some money saved up and quit my job a little earlier knowing I was on the path to BDCP so that when it came time for my next year's FAFSA, they saw I didnt make much. So I got more Financial Aid plus I started getting BDCP which was like a double bonus.

 

[Bergers2short]

Did you pull it off?

My school sent me an email demanding 5 extra forms. One question has me worried (I qualified as a dependent in '09), but I still think by the letter of the law I ought to get some $$.

FYI: I just got my aid package and my school included my parental contribution. I'm appealing the amount with this handy letter from the US Department of Education explaining the Higher Educational Reconciliation Act of 2005 which makes us independent. Feel free to show your financial aid office pages 8-9 of the document if they give you a hard time. http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/attachments/GEN0605.pdf

::End Threadjack::

 

[Afterburner209]

Also to add - You also get a one time expense waiver.

This is basically if you have to buy something big while in school. You can claim up to $2000, which my computer just so happened to cost and that will help you get more financial aid at least for one year.

 

[m26]

Also to add - You also get a one time expense waiver.

What is that? Is that like a EFC deduction?