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ROTC or OCS?

Tomsonx

New Member
Just as a little background information I am 17 years old in my Senior year of high school and have applied and gotten accepted to Miami University (of Ohio), Indiana University Bloomington, and still waiting to hear back from UC Berkeley, I plan on majoring in Finance and then flying Naval aircraft (preferably fighter, like every other 17 year old).

I kind of let time slip and it's too late to apply for an ROTC scholarship (all of the sudden you start making choices that will affect you for the rest of your life). But I do understand you can join ROTC without a scholarship and that there are other scholarship routs with ROTC (3 year, 2 year ect).

I'm just weighing the advantages and disadvantages of getting a commission via ROTC and OCS and would like to have your opinion on what you would do, why, and which would be easier/have a better chance (I know the greater path to becoming a Naval Aviator is not easy but I would be dumb to go a harder route on purpose when they both get me the same thing in the end). If you go ROTC I think you need to commit to 4 years of active duty and 4 of reserve even if you don't end up getting a commission to become an aviator (tell me if I'm wrong with this), with OCS if you don't get accepted to a program you won't have to commit to service for applying and hey, you can still re-apply.


I was leaning towards OCS because I'm concerned that ROTC will get in the way of my grades and other things in college. Has ROTC ever gotten in the way of grades/other things for you ROTC guys?

But now on the forums seeing the number of OCS aviators compared to ROTC has me thinking about my chances of going that route.
 

BigIron

Remotely piloted
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
IUB does not have NROTC. Miami of OH does, though.

If I had to do it over again, I'd do ROTC.
 

BackOrdered

Well-Known Member
Contributor
It looks like you have options which is good. What do you want that you think ROTC or OCS can or can't give you?

If it helps I did OCS via BDCP and couldn't be happier.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
The numbers are fairly compareable, I have the specific numbers here somewhere.

I believe the minimum commitment via ROTC is 5 years.

The numbers that get 2 year scholarships are very minimal.

FYI, BDCP is almost dead, on life support, future unknown.
 

BigIron

Remotely piloted
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Because ROTC you get both worlds.....college experience, college degree and path to commission. I wasn't interested in the military in college, so I got in late - 26.

OCS is just a boot camp path to commission. It wasn't bad, but I think spreading the path over 2-4 years while going to college was the way to go. I'll let the USNA crowd speak to that experience, but I've never met a dissatisfied ROTC grad. Not saying they're not out there, but in my experience it has been relayed as a positive experience.
 

Tomsonx

New Member
In response to tiz84 I am leaning towards OCS because I think that ROTC will get in the way of my grades and other things in college (updated to my first post). Has ROTC ever gotten in the way of grades/other things for you ROTC guys?
 

OnTopTime

ROBO TACCO
None
Before you head to OCS, you'll know what community you're going to (i.e. aviation, surface, etc.). With ROTC, there's no guarantee and you won't select a pipeline until senior year. If you do ROTC and really want aviation, but get selected for something else instead, is that OK?
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Because ROTC you get both worlds.....college experience, college degree and path to commission. I wasn't interested in the military in college, so I got in late - 26.

OCS is just a boot camp path to commission. It wasn't bad, but I think spreading the path over 2-4 years while going to college was the way to go. I'll let the USNA crowd speak to that experience, but I've never met a dissatisfied ROTC grad. Not saying they're not out there, but in my experience it has been relayed as a positive experience.

I have met, known and worked for LOTS of ROTC commissioned officers that were not happy, I have seen more OCS officers stay, in most cases they were not happy because they really didn't know what they wanted until several years of college had passed.

I am not saying ROTC is a bad route to commission, saying men and women grow up quite a bit between 18-22 and what they want in life may change.
 

Tomsonx

New Member
OnTopTime said:
If you do ROTC and really want aviation, but get selected for something else instead, is that OK?
Not really, I am pretty set on aviation and while I'm sure being a non aviation Naval Officer wouldn't be the worst job in the world I would much rather be in military aviation.
 

BackOrdered

Well-Known Member
Contributor
In response to tiz84 I am leaning towards OCS because I think that ROTC will get in the way of my grades and other things in college (updated to my first post). Has ROTC ever gotten in the way of grades/other things for you ROTC guys?

I have no first hand NROTC experience other than electives I toke my senior year. But to be competitive for OCS I had to juggle several other activities and still manage a competitive GPA through out college to stand out. That ability to multitask will still be required of you to demostrate if you decide to go OCS, although admittedly I had some fun in the process. I wouldn't look at it as getting in the way of grades, but training your multitasking abilities. The more I juggled and managed to meet GPA goals, the more I learned about myself.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
I have no first hand NROTC experience other than electives I toke my senior year. But to be competitive for OCS I had to juggle several other activities and still manage a competitive GPA through out college to stand out. That ability to multitask will still be required of you to demostrate if you decide to go OCS, although admittedly I had some fun in the process. I wouldn't look at it as getting in the way of grades, but training your multitasking abilities. The more I juggled and managed to meet GPA goals, the more I learned about myself.

If he wants to be a pilot all he really needs are decent grades and good ASTB score, now what you said really applies for CEC, Supply, Intel, and most other designators.

The guy who is involved in all types of clubs, organizations, etc... but has a so so GPA and so so ASTB who applies for Pilot will get to stay civilian
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Not happy with ROTC or not happy with being a SWO?

I don't remember a single one saying they were upset about being in ROTC, it was that they realized the military wasn't for them and they were committed, some was the job, some was that they were selected for jobs they didn't want to do, some were unhappy because I would call them "military dumb". I will say about half of them even though they knew they were getting out always gave 100%.

I have had the opportunity to work with SWO's, Sub guys, aviators and I would say the order I placed them in is the order of those that were un happy.
 
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