Obligation

One of the most common questions about Army ROTC is what is the obligations.  Here is what you should know about the obligation

There is no obligation if you are enrolled in Army ROTC until you sign a contract.  If you aren’t a scholarship winner you may not sign a contract until your Junior year.

Once you contract you will incurr an eight year obligation, just as you do any time you join the military.

You will fulfill that obligation one of 4 ways, depending on whether you are a scholarship recipient or not, and whether you initially serve on active duty or enter the Reserves or National Guard when you graduate.

If you are a scholarship winner your obligation will be 4 year on active duty and 4 years in the ready reserves OR 8 years in the Reserves/National Guard

If you are a non scholarship cadet you will serve 3 years active and 5 years in rhe Ready Reserves OR 6 years in the Reserves/National Guard and 2 years in the Ready Reserves when you graduate.

You must contract to continue into your Junior year, and once you contract you will be paid a monthly stipend.

You can typically continue to serve past your obligation if you choose.

What’s my Job going to be?

Unlike enlisting in the Army, when you agree to accept a commission upon graduation there is no guarentee what job you will do, other than lead soldiers.

As an Officer in the Army you will initially serve in one of 17 basic branches.

Upon completing the Leadership Development and Assesment Course (LDAC) you will make your wishes known in what called the assessions process.  You list the 16 branches in order of your preference and based on your national Order of Merit (OML) score you will be assigned to a branch.  you may get assigned to the branch you wanted, and you may not.

For more information on the 17 basic branches look here.  To find out more about the assesions process visit this site.  You don’t need to know what branch you want coming in.  You will have plenty of time to learn about the various branches while in ROTC, and you will be counseled on your options prior to making your wishes known.

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