Guard dudes:

[frog_flyer]

This is a question for the guard dudes....

I know "someone" who had an extremely difficult decision on doing AFROTC in college or waiting to get the degree and applying to 1) guard/reserve units and/or 2) OTS.

That person enrolled in ROTC and after much thought has decided that he/she is willing to take the risk of dropping rotc to shoot for a guard/reserve slot.

Would it be advantageous to put "2 semesters AFROTC... etc" in the resume to g/r units? How would the guard/reserve view see this? "bubba x knew she wanted to serve, but decided the guard was the best way for her" or "bubba y is a (vag) because he backed out of ROTC when he would have gotten a pilot slot.."

Also: If said cadet has the opportunity to go to Field Training, would it look better to a guard unit (if it's good to mention ROTC experience) if the cadet had completed Field Training?

Thanks...

 

[CFIIer]

I don't personally think that any guard/reserve unit would give a dang about somebody going "halfway" through a ROTC program, or going to field training. Units are looking for people who have been successful and accomplished things in their lives, shown stickability, and people that can be easily gotten along with over extended periods of time. Most importantly, they want to be confident that the person they sponsor will get through the millions of dollars in training that the unit is about to pay for. OTS/AMS (field training) is usually not the part of training that washes a person out, it's UPT...

 

[Jafar]

Well, we've discussed this to some extent, you and I, but I'll reiterate my circumstances. I did two semesters in AFROTC at the POC level in a "special student" status. I never contracted, and walked at the end of the year. Now the courses are listed on my transcript, so there's no secret there, but the key here is never contracted. As such it was a non issue. Just a couple more courses on my transcript. Now you're not going to FT non-contracted. If you're contracted you must disenroll from the program, which means on your Guard application paperwork you must check "yes" next to the question, "have you ever disenrolled from a commissioning program in the united states military?" This is going to require some explanation and may be disqualifying. (I know it has been for some.)

For me, I didn't bring it up and it never came up. They were scrutinizing my transcripts right there in the interview and nobody said a word about the 3000 level POC courses on there.

Are you contracted? Have you made a commitment to the Air Force via AFROTC? If so you ought to do some serious research and consideration. If not, chalk it up as a wasted year. (That's how I characterize mine anyway.)

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[RedDogC130]

JAFAR...where are you going to fly the Hog?

 

[frog_flyer]

I am not on scholaship nor am I under contract. I'm free to walk at any time.

 

[stlpilot]

Personally I’d leave the ROTC thing out of a resume if I dropped out of it, it just gives some potential ammunition to an interviewer asking questions but if you are prepared for that scenario, then go for it. Does field training help? Probably not much if any but who knows? I mean it shows you completed a military type program which is good but I don’t know that it’s a make or break thing. What you can do that is more import is reading all the posts about selling yourself, being yourself, and being unique when you go interview.

You know it probably all depends on who is screening the résumé’s. You ask how a “ guard /reserve unit would see this?”, well remember, two minds don’t always think alike and this also applies when screening applications, but then again, Iv never done that job so I can’t completely speak for it. Hiring boards all work differently in the screening and interview process. I would tell “your friend” to decide on one route to take and then go for it. Don’t lull around and try to come up with a fancy scheme to get training from one program in order to get into another (I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here) but it can be easy to get caught up in trying to figure out “what are these guys thinking?” Don’t try to figure it out cause it wastes your time and you will go crazy. Just do your homework, talk to people like you are now, and use your experience (limited or not so limited) and come up with a solid game plan to pursue one route or the other. And if you do go guard then don’t sweat the “dropping out” just tell them how you felt and how you have totally focused going with the route you felt was best. I interviewed with a few guys that dropped out of ROTC, the academy, etc and most of them did just fine in their interview. I know some of them who are flying for a guard/reserve unit now. You will always find a critic commenting on the choices you make but in the end you have to do what you want and be confident about it. If you do that then sometimes you can even win the critic/s over.

 

[pkober]

I left ROTC after a semester and never had any problems getting a ANG slot.

You shouldn't have any problems, just don't call AMS "field training"

 

[frog_flyer]

Great write-up, stlpilot. Thanks.

Pkober: Field Training is the 4 week 'boot camp' for ROTC cadets. Maxwell AFB.

I'm not 100% on dropping yet. I have nothing to lose (except the 10 hours a week) by staying in while I collect my thoughts and the inputs of experienced people like yourselves.

If I do drop, I plan on visiting some units next semester (fall junior year) to try to make contacts and get to know the guys/gals. I have not completely ruled out enlisting in my local guard unit, but that would pose an issue with my degree plan.

If anyone has any other words of advice, I'm all ears.

Thanks guys.


I hope "my friend" can use y'alls advice well.

 

[TrouserTrout]

Frog,
I don't know if it's still an option, but when I was about 3 months from commissioning from a 4-year AFROTC program, they offered us the opportunity to seek out a Guard or Reserve unit to go to instead of coming on Active Duty. At the time, I had a pilot slot for active duty, and one of the stipulations was that I would give up that slot and have to find another one with a Guard or Reserve unit. This was nearly 10 years ago, so some things may have changed. Basically, I think if you were to find a Guard or Reserve unit that will hire you when you complete college and 4-years of ROTC, then you don't have to go to OTS or AMS. This may allow you to go on contract, attend field training, and have an Active Duty option to go fly if you don't secure a Guard or Reserve slot.

I myself am trying to get into a Guard unit now, so I really can't speak to what they might think about this way of getting commissioned. I do know that a guy I graduated with decided Active Duty wasn't for him (during that last 3 months) and did 6 years in a Guard unit instead.

Definitely gather all the facts you can before deciding to go this route. You may end up on Active Duty when you don't want to be.

Best of luck!
Trouser

 

[Lipper95]

Pkober: Field Training is the 4 week 'boot camp' for ROTC cadets. Maxwell AFB.

frog flyer,

herr ober was just saying that you might not want to call ams "field training" when you go to an interview at the guard. it is something that the guard babies might not like. (by "guard babies" i mean dudes who grew up in the guard, not active duty weenies like me who are transplants to the guard.) having seen both sides of the fence, i would definately suggest the guard route. but, like many people have said on this forum, it is getting harder to find a unit with slots right now. we had at least twenty interviewees for our last upt board (herr ober, didnt you sit on the last board?) if that is what you want to do, start pursuing it yesturday! if you have a buddy in any unit, start there with that person walking you through to the bosses and others during a drill weekend. knowing someone in the unit helps tremendously!