Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

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sidartvader
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Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by sidartvader »

Our daughter (senior in HS) is interested in pursuing the NROTC program. She is pretty good academically (e.g., ACT 36) and likes martial arts and tennis and wants to pursue a degree in engineering (likely chemical or biomedical). From the recruiter, she has learnt some things about the program – evidently there is a 12 week boot-camp during the summer after high school, followed by a 1 weekend/month commitment throughout her college. There is also a scholarship aspect that the recruiter has been selling her on. It is a significant amount IF she gets it, but that will not be a deciding factor for us. We are expecting to pay 4 years of college on our own. She is mostly enamored with the “skill development” and possible “service to the nation” components of the program.

My question is: if anybody has experience with this program (especially for women), and could guide us on the pros and cons from their perspective. Many thanks for your advice.

Edit: It is actually called "US Marine Corps NROTC". Title of the subject changed now
Last edited by sidartvader on Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
GreendaleCC
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Re: NROTC program for daughter

Post by GreendaleCC »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm From the recruiter, she has learnt some things about the program – evidently there is a 12 week boot-camp during the summer after high school
This sounds like an enlisted bootcamp.
sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm followed by a 1 weekend/month commitment throughout her college.
This sounds like Reservist duty.

I don't think your daughter's recruiter is recruiting her for NROTC. Unless things have changed dramatically in the last 20 years, I would expect any NROTC program would be a weekly leadership laboratory and a Navy course throughout the school year, and then opportunities to attend training during the summer:
Naval Science course each semester
Weekly drill instruction periods
Four- to Six- week training period each summer
See "Academic Requirements" tab: https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Nava ... uirements/

If I were your daughter, I would run as far away as possible from this recruiter and only communicate with the NROTC programs connected to colleges she's interested in. Is she familiar with the differences between the enlisted force and the officer corps in the US military?
GreendaleCC
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by GreendaleCC »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm Edit: It is actually called "US Marine Corps NROTC". Title of the subject changed now
Future Marine officers go through the NROTC program's Marine option, but what you're describing still sounds like joining the Marines as an enlisted member.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by friar1610 »

GreendaleCC wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:53 pm
sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm Edit: It is actually called "US Marine Corps NROTC". Title of the subject changed now
Future Marine officers go through the NROTC program's Marine option, but what you're describing still sounds like joining the Marines as an enlisted member.
Actually, it sounds to me like joining the Marine Corps Reserve as an enlisted member. You would have to check with an NROTC recruiter, but I don’t believe that being in the Reserves and being in NROTC are mutually exclusive. And I believe a Reservist enrolled in NROTC would accrue longevity for pay purposes (when she ultimately goes on active duty as an officer) whereas a straight NROTC person would not. But check this all out with a more currently knowledgeable person than this ol’ Navy guy.
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GreendaleCC
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by GreendaleCC »

friar1610 wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 7:22 pm
GreendaleCC wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:53 pm
sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm Edit: It is actually called "US Marine Corps NROTC". Title of the subject changed now
Future Marine officers go through the NROTC program's Marine option, but what you're describing still sounds like joining the Marines as an enlisted member.
Actually, it sounds to me like joining the Marine Corps Reserve as an enlisted member. You would have to check with an NROTC recruiter, but I don’t believe that being in the Reserves and being in NROTC are mutually exclusive. And I believe a Reservist enrolled in NROTC would accrue longevity for pay purposes (when she ultimately goes on active duty as an officer) whereas a straight NROTC person would not. But check this all out with a more currently knowledgeable person than this ol’ Navy guy.
Agreed. I mentioned that "one weekend per month" sounded like the Reserves in my first reply. Maybe there's just a communication gap somewhere between recruiter, daughter, and father. Hopefully no one is enlisting as a Reservist, thinking they're applying for ROTC, which is what the OP seems to describe. I worry about the recruiter who needs a few more recruits to make quota.
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Mel Lindauer »

I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
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bh_lalew
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by bh_lalew »

Why not just apply to one of the service academies? West point for the US army or Annapolis for the Navy - naval academy when you graduate you
can select to go into the US Navy or the USMC.

NROTC is Navy ROTC program and there is the ROTC for the Army - those plans are usually available and done at the college. There are usually corresponding classes at the college teaching leadership etc.
pilot_error
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by pilot_error »

With that ACT score please have your daughter consider the Academy, and be very wary of that recruiter.

https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/index.php

-An Air Force Academy Recruiter
https://www.academyadmissions.com/
quaternion
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by quaternion »

First, if one is certain of a desire to serve as a military officer, a ROTC scholarship can be a good deal. It pays for an undergraduate degree, and you get (and are obligated to take) a job in the military afterwards.

Second, does an 18 year old really know they want to do? Once upon a time, I was offered a ROTC scholarship and turned it down. Instead of a military career, I went to grad school (and now do some research funded by the military). I am certain that this was the better path for me, and one I had not a clue about when I was 18.

Third, having known a female (enlisted) marine, I would emphatically discourage any woman I cared about from joining that organization. For reasons that are pretty easy to determine.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by ihelosec »

I don't know about the Marine Corps specifically, but it is possible to be in the Reserves and ROTC at the same time.
With SMP, you participate in both the Guard and your college's ROTC program at the same time.
https://www.nationalguard.com/simultane ... ip-program
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Parkinglotracer »

pilot_error wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 2:21 am With that ACT score please have your daughter consider the Academy, and be very weary of that recruiter.

https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/index.php

-An Air Force Academy Recruiter
https://www.academyadmissions.com/
I’ll echo this … I was an air force academy liaison officer for 20 years, attended USAFA, did an exchange semester at Naval Academy. Was lucky enough to fly f-16’s in AF for 22 years.

PM me if you want to talk more.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Hockey10 »

I started in Army ROTC in the 1970s. The first 4 semesters consisted of a 1 credit class per semester with no military commitment. So students had 2 years to think about the military while being instructed by active duty officers and NCOs. The first day of class during junior year of college was when you signed on the dotted line (or decided not to).

I don't know how much things have changed since then with ROTC. but in my case, serving in the Army was one of the best things I ever did in life.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by ScubaHogg »

I did Navy ROTC (marine corp rotc is part of navy rotc). Whatever this recruiter is selling is not just rotc, as other posters have mentioned. And you daughter definitely does not this additionally enlisted program to get the military to pay for college. Especially with her grades a regular ROTC scholarship is very viable.

Feel free to PM me

*my personal bias is that rotc is the best path to a commission, but all the service academies are outstanding academically.
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tunafish
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by tunafish »

All the U.S. armed services have terrible reputations for their treatment of women. Why would she think she wouldn't experience this? There are plenty of other ways to improve the world.
Dmd149
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Dmd149 »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm Our daughter (senior in HS) is interested in pursuing the NROTC program. She is pretty good academically (e.g., ACT 36) and likes martial arts and tennis and wants to pursue a degree in engineering (likely chemical or biomedical). From the recruiter, she has learnt some things about the program – evidently there is a 12 week boot-camp during the summer after high school, followed by a 1 weekend/month commitment throughout her college. There is also a scholarship aspect that the recruiter has been selling her on. It is a significant amount IF she gets it, but that will not be a deciding factor for us. We are expecting to pay 4 years of college on our own. She is mostly enamored with the “skill development” and possible “service to the nation” components of the program.

My question is: if anybody has experience with this program (especially for women), and could guide us on the pros and cons from their perspective. Many thanks for your advice.

Edit: It is actually called "US Marine Corps NROTC". Title of the subject changed now
I did Navy ROTC which includes the Marine option midshipmen and commissioned in 2009.

The Commitment the recruiter is describing does not line up with my experience. It does sound like enlisting. I do remember one classmate did that and then got accepted into a real NROTC scholarship which in effect nullified the enlistment commitment. I believe if he quit though he would have to be enlisted.

Bigger picture, I’d have your daughter talk to both current or recent female midshipmen as well as female junior marine officers a few years into their career to get a sense of what it’s really like. Usually you can even email a school’s ROTC unit and they’ll be happy to set up a phone call with their midshipmen or even the junior officer staff running the program.

I myself commissioned, got into SEAL training, but quit and was later offered the opportunity to get out of tune navy entirely.

It’s one of those situations where your 18 year old self makes decisions and commitments for your post college self and they may not be good ones.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Johnfmh »

I work as a civilian for one of the military services and have had numerous ROTC interns and some interns from the service academies. Many of these interns have been women. These young people (both male and female) are excited about military service and have been given a lot interesting opportunities in the ROTC such as travel to foreign countries, and unique internships. Most of my former interns are now serving officers and continue to thrive.

What you might do is meet with ROTC cadre leadership (and senior cadets/midshipmen) at schools your daughter is interested in attending to figure out which ROTC unit and branch of the service would be the best fit for her (a lot boils down to the military occupation she will eventually serve in). I’d also suggest she meet with serving officers in various services. Unlike recruiters, most serving officers are happy to give young people the unvarnished truth about military service. After gathering your data, then make an informed decision. One of the things my interns like about ROTC is not worrying about employment after college. Also, many of them will go on to get grad school paid for by the military. With that being said, there are many sacrifices that come with military service so your daughter needs to understand them before making such a commitment. Good luck.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by stoptothink »

tunafish wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:50 am All the U.S. armed services have terrible reputations for their treatment of women. Why would she think she wouldn't experience this? There are plenty of other ways to improve the world.
There are multiple women in my family who are proud military veterans, my sister-in-law is still serving (the army paid 100% for her nursing degree), and my 19yr old sister is strongly considering enlisting. Generalizations and attitudes like this are exactly why the armed forces are having such a difficult time recruiting. We should encourage our country's best and brightest young people to consider service, especially if they want to serve.
Last edited by stoptothink on Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Watty
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Watty »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm She is pretty good academically (e.g., ACT 36)....
... degree in engineering (likely chemical or biomedical).
.....
There is also a scholarship aspect that the recruiter has been selling her on. It is a significant amount IF she gets it, but that will not be a deciding factor for us.
ACT of 36 is more than "pretty good" it is friggin' awesome. :oops:

I am not up to speed on the current situation but there are lots of special opportunities for a top woman who has the aptitude for it that wants to go into a STEM field since a lot of college and employers are actively trying to get more women into the STEM fields.

I would not be surprised if she can't get a very good merit scholarship at a top engineering school so she should be aggressively researching that since those might be a lot better financially than any military college program.

Depending on what degree she gets and where she is willing to work she could get a very high starting salary as soon as she graduates from college. Giving that up for a four year military commitment could be expensive if she does not end up staying in the military.

You might want to start another thread with a title of something like "STEM opportunities for female HS student with 36 ACT?". That would attract the attention of posters who know more about the scholarships and internships that she would have a good chance of getting and as I recall there are a number of female posters here who are in the STEM fields. There are also some college professors and hiring managers who post here that might know more about the current opportunities.

As others have said if she wants to go into the military then she should be looking at the military academies first. They are by far not right for everyone but I have a brother who graduated from one years ago and it worked out well for him.
Last edited by Watty on Sat Oct 08, 2022 3:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.
3Girls
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by 3Girls »

Serviceacademyforums.com has very good information about the service academies (applications, culture, academics, etc.) and ROTC options. May want to take a bit and read through some of their information.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by smitcat »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm Our daughter (senior in HS) is interested in pursuing the NROTC program. She is pretty good academically (e.g., ACT 36) and likes martial arts and tennis and wants to pursue a degree in engineering (likely chemical or biomedical). From the recruiter, she has learnt some things about the program – evidently there is a 12 week boot-camp during the summer after high school, followed by a 1 weekend/month commitment throughout her college. There is also a scholarship aspect that the recruiter has been selling her on. It is a significant amount IF she gets it, but that will not be a deciding factor for us. We are expecting to pay 4 years of college on our own. She is mostly enamored with the “skill development” and possible “service to the nation” components of the program.

My question is: if anybody has experience with this program (especially for women), and could guide us on the pros and cons from their perspective. Many thanks for your advice.

Edit: It is actually called "US Marine Corps NROTC". Title of the subject changed now
Engineering options, skill development, possible service to the nation....
Please look into "Maritime College" (NY) as another alternative - either with the 'regimen' or as a non-committal student.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by nigel_ht »

Mel Lindauer wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:42 am I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
Thought that was sophmore summer? No, this doesn’t sound right.

My kid is AFROTC but I can pass questions to him to ask his roommate who is NROTC.
Last edited by nigel_ht on Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by WestCoastPhan »

nigel_ht wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:39 am
Mel Lindauer wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:42 am I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
Thought that was sophmore summer?
I was thinking the same thing. It shouldn't be the summer before starting college.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by nigel_ht »

3Girls wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:05 am Serviceacademyforums.com has very good information about the service academies (applications, culture, academics, etc.) and ROTC options. May want to take a bit and read through some of their information.
Yah, I’d research them all…my colleague’s daughter is In Annapolis and seems happy. And free :)

I would look at Texas A&M and Virginia Tech…good engineering schools that are also senior military colleges…

My kid picked VT because of the Corps of Cadets. It’s not quite as hardcore as some place like VMI…you get a hybrid experience where freshman year is more cadet like than normal ROTC but junior/senior year more normalish college experience.

What I wouldn’t do is enlist…my kid’s buddy did Army Reserve, ended up forced to take tech school in Sept so missed hell week at VMI and was forced to drop fall semester. He’s doing community college instead.

His recruiter sold him on BS and it cost him a year of college.

We skipped Virginia National Guard even though that would have gotten us in-state tuition to avoid any sort of complications like that. Plus you’re locked in…
Last edited by nigel_ht on Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Bigt3142 »

This recruiter and an NROTC recruiter are not the same thing. This recruiter only cares about signing your daughter up as a reservists with the promise or hope that she will get selected for the NROTC program. They do not care wither or not she gets selected because they get credit for signing her up regardless. She needs to talk to an NROTC recruiter and never talk to this recruiter again. As a former Marine, I can personally testify that recruiters lie all the time and tell you want you want to hear to get people to sign up all the time. Since you can afford her degree, I would highly suggest she goes to school and then decides if she want's to be an Officer.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by nigel_ht »

stoptothink wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:57 am
tunafish wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:50 am All the U.S. armed services have terrible reputations for their treatment of women. Why would she think she wouldn't experience this? There are plenty of other ways to improve the world.
There are multiple women in my family who are proud military veterans, my sister-in-law is still serving (the army paid 100% for her nursing degree), and my 19yr old sister is strongly considering enlisting. Generalizations and attitudes like this are exactly why the armed forces are having such a difficult time recruiting. We should encourage our country's best and brightest young people to consider service, especially if they want to serve.
Given what’s in the news it is a consideration…my daughter considered service and I’m not too upset she decided no. I’d have backed her 100% if she wanted to do it but one kid in the military (assuming he makes the cut) per generation is good enough for me.

And if the armed forces wants to recruit more maybe they can improve retention and not make trying to do a career in the military a complete cluster.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Kenkat »

A good friend’s son did NROTC at Ohio State University. He majored in nuclear engineering; a full scholarship was guaranteed and he served his duty obligation as an officer on a nuclear attack sub before choosing to move into civilian life. He had many, many options upon completing his service in the Navy.

As others have stated, be 100% sure what your daughter is signing up for. With her credentials, I’d think a full ride scholarship should be available.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by GreendaleCC »

Mel Lindauer wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:42 am I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
Yes, NROTC requires summer training, but not "one weekend per month" during the school year, like Reservists. This recruiter is not describing NROTC.

Here's the 2022 New Student Indoctrination (NSI) Mandatory Information Package for new Navy ROTC midshipmen.

NSI was 2.5 weeks long, not 12 weeks long. Let's not make any more excuses for whatever this recruiter is trying to sell.
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sidartvader
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by sidartvader »

Thank you everyone, for the insightful comments. Clearly, we have some homework to do. We met briefly with the recruiter yesterday and I felt he was very aggressively selling the program and wanting us to sign up right there and then. This raised several flags in my mind, so I decided to seek the wisdom of all you wise folk here.

I will keep you posted on what we decide. Thanks again!
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by stoptothink »

nigel_ht wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:14 am
stoptothink wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:57 am
tunafish wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:50 am All the U.S. armed services have terrible reputations for their treatment of women. Why would she think she wouldn't experience this? There are plenty of other ways to improve the world.
There are multiple women in my family who are proud military veterans, my sister-in-law is still serving (the army paid 100% for her nursing degree), and my 19yr old sister is strongly considering enlisting. Generalizations and attitudes like this are exactly why the armed forces are having such a difficult time recruiting. We should encourage our country's best and brightest young people to consider service, especially if they want to serve.
Given what’s in the news it is a consideration…my daughter considered service and I’m not too upset she decided no. I’d have backed her 100% if she wanted to do it but one kid in the military (assuming he makes the cut) per generation is good enough for me.

And if the armed forces wants to recruit more maybe they can improve retention and not make trying to do a career in the military a complete cluster.
"Given what's in the news"...yeah, there is an unbiased and objective viewpoint. Been the best thing that ever happened to multiple females in my family. It was a pointless post; if OP was concerned about how their daughter may be treated in the military, they probably would have mentioned it.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by tunafish »

stoptothink wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:14 pm "Given what's in the news"...yeah, there is an unbiased and objective viewpoint.
I considered wasting several hours fishing out reports, but I have better things to do. Here's an article from Military Times quoting a Defense Dept report:

"As they have in the past, the extrapolated estimates show that women in the Marine Corps faced the most unwanted sexual contact incidents ― 13.4%, up from 10.7% in 2018 "

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your ... ing-worse/
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by SueG5123 »

Retired female naval officer here. 23 years of adventure. Loved it all, endorse it highly. Forget the nonsense about “how services treat women” — it all comes down to who you work with and for. There are a lot of safeguards for equal treatment in the military that you won’t find in most civilian employers.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Rex66 »

I’d pursue an rotc college scholarship or an academy. With those scores I’d avoid the other offers.

I personally did rotc and HPSP, sister academy graduate.

I’d recommend it for a man or women.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by ncbill »

ihelosec wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 3:36 am I don't know about the Marine Corps specifically, but it is possible to be in the Reserves and ROTC at the same time.
With SMP, you participate in both the Guard and your college's ROTC program at the same time.
https://www.nationalguard.com/simultane ... ip-program
IIRC, SMP is only for the Army...allows a Guard member to also participate in ROTC while in undergrad, commissioning as a 2LT at graduation.

As others have said with such a high ACT score & interest in engineering she should head over to serviceacademyforums dot com & pursue applying to at least USNA if not the other service academies a well.

And tell the recruiter she's not interested in enlistment, active or reserve.
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Mel Lindauer »

bh_lalew wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 1:02 am Why not just apply to one of the service academies? West point for the US army or Annapolis for the Navy - naval academy when you graduate you
can select to go into the US Navy or the USMC.

NROTC is Navy ROTC program and there is the ROTC for the Army - those plans are usually available and done at the college. There are usually corresponding classes at the college teaching leadership etc.
I think this is an excellent suggestion.

And, while I knew that future officers trained at Quantico VA while I was stationed there, I wasn't aware that it was specifically in their sophomore year. As a result, I would agree that there's a real need to check and double-check what the recruiter is saying and doing.
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by ScubaHogg »

stoptothink wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:57 am
tunafish wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:50 am All the U.S. armed services have terrible reputations for their treatment of women. Why would she think she wouldn't experience this? There are plenty of other ways to improve the world.
There are multiple women in my family who are proud military veterans, my sister-in-law is still serving (the army paid 100% for her nursing degree), and my 19yr old sister is strongly considering enlisting. Generalizations and attitudes like this are exactly why the armed forces are having such a difficult time recruiting. We should encourage our country's best and brightest young people to consider service, especially if they want to serve.
Yeah, I’ve personally known plenty of women who have served and love it. Don’t feed the troll above.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by StewedCarrot »

Another Academy to consider - the Coast Guard Academy in New London Connecticut.

As others have stated, the Service Academies offer an excellent education, unique life experiences, and a guaranteed employment on completion. If my daughter were accepted, I'd be thrilled for her.

FYI - in addition to ROTC and Academy, plenty of officers are hired under "delayed entry" programs. For example, many if not most doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers etc. enter service while still in school. She just needs to be talking to officer (not enlisted) recruiters to get the details on them.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by LadyGeek »

The points regarding women in the military have been made, let's move on.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by GreendaleCC »

Your daughter sounds really interested in chemical engineering. I think she should find out how many military officers have jobs that involve actual design work in the chemical engineering field. She might be disappointed by what she learns. She might have a better chance of satisfying her goals by looking at civilian careers in one of the military services’ research labs where science and engineering work actually occurs.
Last edited by GreendaleCC on Sat Oct 08, 2022 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by lazydavid »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm She is pretty good academically (e.g., ACT 36)
I appreciate your modesty, but this is not "pretty good". This is a perfect score, something only 0.31% of students achieve*. Please stop and let that sink in for a minute. No seriously, let the fact that your daughter has outperformed 99.7% of all students in the country who were motivated enough to take the ACT in the first place roll over you for a moment. Go on, I'll wait.





Whatever your daughter aspires to, military or not, she should aim for the heavens. Her aspiration (or rather, any gaps in this area) will get in the way of her potential long before her ability does. Please encourage her to live up to that potential. It almost doesn't matter what her passion is. Just make sure she follows it, and she will be successful beyond your (or her) wildest dreams.

*To be more specific, for 2021 (since 2022 stats are not available yet), 1,295,349 students took the ACT, and only 4,055 scored a 36.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by ram »

sidartvader wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:16 pm Our daughter (senior in HS) is interested in pursuing the NROTC program. She is pretty good academically (e.g., ACT 36) and likes martial arts and tennis and wants to pursue a degree in engineering (likely chemical or biomedical).
This almost certainly puts her in the top 1% of graduating high school seniors across the country. This will give her opportunities for scholarship at most civilian colleges. She can do whatever STEM degree she wants and can then make a decision to join armed forces at 22 rather than at 18.

Our daughter who is currently an assistant professor of medicine at a well known university had an ACT score of 35, got partial tuition scholarship for Biomedical engineering degree and full tuition scholarship for medical school.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daught

Post by Parkinglotracer »

A buddy and I both graduated from AF Academy in 1983 and can say it was the basis for our careers flying and the smartest and hardest thing we have done in life. My buddies 3 of 5 kids went to the coast guard academy. 2 of his three kids that went to USCGA are woman. There are few places in the world where a woman will be offered the opportunities they have taken advantage of. They are driven women who just completed a long multi day row in a human powered boat from Washington state to Alaska. If I had the ACT scores she has, I’d use it to chase my dreams. Going to the AF Academy, followed by 1500 Fighter hours, then AF test pilot school, could set her up in a decade of so of hard but fun work to astronaut selection - not an astronaut that rides along for research but commands the capsule. Dream big as you only live once. It is much easier to start chasing these dreams at age 17 than at 25.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by BHRob999 »

GreendaleCC wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:24 am
Mel Lindauer wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:42 am I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
Yes, NROTC requires summer training, but not "one weekend per month" during the school year, like Reservists. This recruiter is not describing NROTC.

Here's the 2022 New Student Indoctrination (NSI) Mandatory Information Package for new Navy ROTC midshipmen.

NSI was 2.5 weeks long, not 12 weeks long. Let's not make any more excuses for whatever this recruiter is trying to sell.
Sidartvader—GreendaleCC has probably given you good advice. My daughter was awarded full AFROTC and NROTC scholarships just this past year (2022) and the different programs can be confusing. For instance, AFROTC did not require a summer indoc program, but NROTC did (at Great Lakes, where Navy enlisted are also trained). The “one weekend a month” thing was probably a reference to the fact that it is a four year reserve officer training program and will require a monthly weekend drill to fulfill the program requirements while going to college.
Perhaps your daughter has been talking with an enlisted recruiter who came to her school and does not have the bigger picture in mind? My daughter talked with a recruiter who came to her high school and figured out that what the recruiter was saying didn’t match up with what else she was learning, so she focused her effort solely on reading the “fine print” of all of the programs on her own, which proved to be a successful strategy. My humble advice is for your daughter to apply now (fall of senior year) on the NROTC site (along with USNA), get a DoDMERB exam to be physically qualified and read all of the information that is supplied in the application package. My daughter applied for and was awarded an AFROTC scholarship in October of the fall of her senior year. I think Navy does a monthly board meeting to select awardees which begins meeting in September. One last note- both the NROTC and USNA web portal application sites are clunky, frustrating, and cumbersome, so be patient and persistent when using their web sites.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by GreendaleCC »

BHRob999 wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 8:41 am
GreendaleCC wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:24 am
Mel Lindauer wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:42 am I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
Yes, NROTC requires summer training, but not "one weekend per month" during the school year, like Reservists. This recruiter is not describing NROTC.

Here's the 2022 New Student Indoctrination (NSI) Mandatory Information Package for new Navy ROTC midshipmen.

NSI was 2.5 weeks long, not 12 weeks long. Let's not make any more excuses for whatever this recruiter is trying to sell.
Sidartvader—GreendaleCC has probably given you good advice. My daughter was awarded full AFROTC and NROTC scholarships just this past year (2022) and the different programs can be confusing. For instance, AFROTC did not require a summer indoc program, but NROTC did (at Great Lakes, where Navy enlisted are also trained). The “one weekend a month” thing was probably a reference to the fact that it is a four year reserve officer training program and will require a monthly weekend drill to fulfill the program requirements while going to college.
Perhaps your daughter has been talking with an enlisted recruiter who came to her school and does not have the bigger picture in mind? My daughter talked with a recruiter who came to her high school and figured out that what the recruiter was saying didn’t match up with what else she was learning, so she focused her effort solely on reading the “fine print” of all of the programs on her own, which proved to be a successful strategy. My humble advice is for your daughter to apply now (fall of senior year) on the NROTC site (along with USNA), get a DoDMERB exam to be physically qualified and read all of the information that is supplied in the application package. My daughter applied for and was awarded an AFROTC scholarship in October of the fall of her senior year. I think Navy does a monthly board meeting to select awardees which begins meeting in September. One last note- both the NROTC and USNA web portal application sites are clunky, frustrating, and cumbersome, so be patient and persistent when using their web sites.
Congratulations on your daughter’s achievements! Which service did she choose, and why?
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by BHRob999 »

GreendaleCC wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:24 pm
BHRob999 wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 8:41 am
GreendaleCC wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:24 am
Mel Lindauer wrote: Sat Oct 08, 2022 12:42 am I don't think there is anything wrong with what the recruiter is telling her. ROTC and other future Marine Corps officers actually do summer training at Quantico VA at Officer's Basic School. It's like a boot camp for future officers to see if they have the right stuff to wear the Marine Corps uniform. It's totally separate from the Marine Corps enlisted training at Parris Island SC.
Yes, NROTC requires summer training, but not "one weekend per month" during the school year, like Reservists. This recruiter is not describing NROTC.

Here's the 2022 New Student Indoctrination (NSI) Mandatory Information Package for new Navy ROTC midshipmen.

NSI was 2.5 weeks long, not 12 weeks long. Let's not make any more excuses for whatever this recruiter is trying to sell.
Sidartvader—GreendaleCC has probably given you good advice. My daughter was awarded full AFROTC and NROTC scholarships just this past year (2022) and the different programs can be confusing. For instance, AFROTC did not require a summer indoc program, but NROTC did (at Great Lakes, where Navy enlisted are also trained). The “one weekend a month” thing was probably a reference to the fact that it is a four year reserve officer training program and will require a monthly weekend drill to fulfill the program requirements while going to college.
Perhaps your daughter has been talking with an enlisted recruiter who came to her school and does not have the bigger picture in mind? My daughter talked with a recruiter who came to her high school and figured out that what the recruiter was saying didn’t match up with what else she was learning, so she focused her effort solely on reading the “fine print” of all of the programs on her own, which proved to be a successful strategy. My humble advice is for your daughter to apply now (fall of senior year) on the NROTC site (along with USNA), get a DoDMERB exam to be physically qualified and read all of the information that is supplied in the application package. My daughter applied for and was awarded an AFROTC scholarship in October of the fall of her senior year. I think Navy does a monthly board meeting to select awardees which begins meeting in September. One last note- both the NROTC and USNA web portal application sites are clunky, frustrating, and cumbersome, so be patient and persistent when using their web sites.
Congratulations on your daughter’s achievements! Which service did she choose, and why?
GreendaleCC-Thank you, kindly. In addition to the ROTC scholarships, she received multiple acceptances and scholarships to other schools and chose to take that path instead. I wish I had the options she has, when I was 18!
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by CletusCaddy »

Northwestern Naval ROTC. Even with that ACT score she may not get in, but if she does she will be surrounded by excellence
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Big Dog »

OP: I assume your D is aware of this site?

https://www.netc.navy.mil/commands/nava ... otc/apply/
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Taz »

CletusCaddy wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 3:48 pm Northwestern Naval ROTC. Even with that ACT score she may not get in, but if she does she will be surrounded by excellence
I attended NU on an NROTC scholarship a few years back when tuition was only $9k a year. FWIW, one of my female classmates made 4-star.

I also was the XO of an NROTC unit before retiring. We always updated the admissions committee when a scholarship was awarded. Not to be too cynical, having scholarship money in her back pocket will certainly be a plus on her side. Pretty sure that helped me 8-)

In any event, I recommend that anyone interested in a particular school's program drop-in or setup an appointment to go by the unit during a campus tour.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by HMSVictory »

I enlisted in the Marines prior to graduating from high school and went to boot camp subsequently.

While in college I attended OCS and graduated from the PLC Course (Junior and Senior). NROTC attends the latter half but not the first half.

After OCS they attend the Basic School at Quantico, VA. Then MOS based training based upon their assignment (Air, Ground, Law).

The 13-week boot camp and 1 weekend a month is enlisting in the Reserves. You do not have to do this to obtain an NROTC scholarship (which when I did it was based upon an exam score). You can enroll in the PLC or NROTC program in college without enlisting in the reserves. She should be aware she could be activated while in college and called to active duty (happened to me twice for the Iraq campaign). Being enlisted first and learning how to be a Marine will help her as a future Marine officer. If she's all in on this program, then I might go that way.

Thank you to your daughter for her desire to serve the Nation.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by Roguish »

If your daughter likes the military idea, she should go directly towards one of the academies. Army, Navy (and Marine), and Air Force Academies are outstanding educations. Paid for. One exits with an officer commission. Ones does indeed own time to the service, but once out it's an outstanding beginning. But, one needs to understand that in joining the military, one gives up certain rights and privileges while enlisted. And one does not have to be a ground pounder. There are lots of options: leader, engineer, lawyer, doctor, etc., etc. Good luck, think carefully.
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Re: Marine Corps NROTC program for daughter

Post by ScubaHogg »

Roguish wrote: Wed Oct 12, 2022 11:21 am If your daughter likes the military idea, she should go directly towards one of the academies. Army, Navy (and Marine), and Air Force Academies are outstanding educations. Paid for. One exits with an officer commission.
I agree those are all outstanding schools. But just in case the OP isn’t as familiar with the various commissioning options, let’s not imply that there is any meaningful, objective difference between getting a commission from one of the service academies or attending a selective school via an ROTC scholarship. In both cases school is paid for and in both cases the student exits with a commission. There are pros and cons to either route.
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