In ROTC thinking of enlisting...?

I was in ROTC and joined the guard as a split op Infantry soldier. Meaning I went to basic training one summer and then the next summer I went to Infantry AIT while I was in school. I did this to get a taste of the Army and get more experience before I commissioned(Seeing that is your look at it..you want that enlisted experience). After I got back from BCT(Fort Benning) I hated ROTC. I hated that there was no discipline and no "real" military being had. So I quit ROTC and school, because I wanted to go Active duty. I tried going active for a while before I went to Infantry school and airborne school. After that I was still unable to go active duty, but I saw that Army ROTC wasn't so bad. It's a very low speed program, but in the end you're an officer. In the end it doesn't matter how you became an officer. Finish ROTC..I know it sucks but take it in with a grain of salt. It sounds like you are making a bad choice. If you want to be an officer..get it done now! Don't put it off because you want to be a real soldier as soon as you can. ROTC is your best and quickest route. My advice is if you want to experience some of the enlisted side and get a feel for the Army..do what I did. Enlist in the guard as an Infantryman..come back to ROTC and apply what you learned...get paid more while at school..get those nice military credits while at training....and get your gold bar as soon as you can. I just came back to ROTC for this fall as a MS3.

Good Luck!

If you can afford college right away (yourself or via a scholarship) then finish school. When your on a roll, it's better to keep on going then having distractions like life, a job or family get in the way. Now if you don't have the $ or the I.Q. for a scholarship, then join for 3 or 4 yrs. Go into the security forces field. That way you will get a feel if this is really the career you want. Plus you will be trained. When you get out, not only will you be more "marketable" because of your military/police experience, you will also have the educational benefits to help you (even while you where in) when you want to finish a degree, should you not have been able to do it while on military duty. Your call...

I unfortunately did not go into the military when I was a young man, looking back it was one of many mistakes I made in my younger life...........

My youngest brother on the other hand did go into the Air Force after being in ROTC for a couple years, he started off as an Airman (E-2) and climbed up to Staff Sergeant (E-5) in his 6 years in then he made the mistake of not resigning up. He had a great job, plenty of room for advancement but thought the grass was greener out of the service so he moved back home with our mom where he is now unemployed. Should have stayed in.

My point is that if you test high going in and work hard you can make a good carrier out of the military. Good Luck and God Bless in whatever you choose.

Completing ROTC and obtaining your bachelor's degree is a great start to getting comissioned as an officer in the military. I would advise first enlisting. Once you are enlisted and complete all your training, you will find plenty of help in the process of commissioning and getting your "butter bar".

Good luck with your situation and use that motivation to do great things!

never a guaranbtee that you will ever be selcetd for a commission from the enlisted ranks. if you are on scholarship or have already contracted you are ineligible to enlist.. you must commission or they will make you pay back the money they have spent on you. and they do NOThave to allow you to enlist to do so.

also what makes you think Junior enlisted pay will be any help? you won't be making much at all.