Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

[Cnecki]

Hi everyone this is the problem.

My son is scheduled to start HPU in August but we are short money for college. We heard about "The Officer Training Program" and the NROTC program in the Army, Navy, and Airforce.

Army - is offering RN BSN paid for by doing the Reserves. At first they said they would put in his contract he could not be deployed until he finished Medical school not just the RN. But now they are saying they can only guarantee the RN. Hum.....
Why lie or dress it up!

Navy - is offering the same except through the NROTC program. Which I think is being done at UH Manoa.

Airforce - the same.

Coast Guard - says no formal schooling until he is in this sophmore year which would be a problem right now.

We are so confused about the whole thing.

The worst thing is we have to make a choice like right now because the housing deposit is due by June 1st or he looses his spot. I know the military does not pay for the housing but the money we would pay for tuition we would have to give now for the housing.

And worse yet if he does not sign soon it is a possibility he won't be able to attend the University at all.

Please help any advise.

Thanks Cnecki

[Nords]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

My son is scheduled to start HPU in August but we are short money for college. We heard about "The Officer Training Program" and the NROTC program in the Army, Navy, and Airforce.

Navy - is offering the same except through the NROTC program. Which I think is being done at UH Manoa.

We are so confused about the whole thing.
i

I did 20 years in the submarine force and our kid is also considering NROTC. I joined at age 17 in a big hurry with minimal investigation and spent a long time wishing that I'd done a bit more research... which our kid is in the process of doing.

If you haven't already you could give the Navy Reserve recruiting officer a call (http://www.navyreservehawaii.com/) and find out where they offer NROTC scholarships. I don't see any Hawaii schools on the list (http://www.collegeprofiles.com/rotc-navy.html) but that changes as colleges partner up with other schools. Maybe UH Manoa will work with your son's application for their program, or maybe it'll be with some other school.

Each service tries to make their quota programs look as attractive as possible. One recruiting advantage of the Navy is that after med school your son can apply to practice his skills in the mud (with the Marines), at sea (ships & submarines) or with the air community. Those choices are also available with the Army & AF in a more limited way.

The Navy recruiter (and perhaps the other services) will be happy to put in the ROTC paperwork now. The worst that will happen is your son doesn't get a four-year scholarship and would have to figure out another way to pay for HPU. The best result would be a four-year scholarship, and as I understand the system there's a possiblity of leaving anytime during the first two years without financial penalty (the "Navy junior college program"). "Business" is booming, recruiters are desperate, and it never hurts to ask. But if you don't see a promise in writing then it doesn't exist.

The medical programs are pretty competitive. If his GPA doesn't get him into medical school then he'd still be required to serve his ROTC obligation in some Navy community. I suspect the other services have the same expectation.

Hurriedly igning a military contract just to make the school's payment deadlines is rarely a good idea. It might be worth the risk of paying the HPU tuition now as a housing deposit and hoping to obtain scholarship or other financial aid before the tuition bill comes. But if he's really willing to commit to a military obligation to pay for college then he should invest the time to become less confused about all the options before making a decision. If he's unable to do so then that, by itself, is a decision.

[Cnecki]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Hurriedly igning a military contract just to make the school's payment deadlines is rarely a good idea. It might be worth the risk of paying the HPU tuition now as a housing deposit and hoping to obtain scholarship or other financial aid before the tuition bill comes. But if he's really willing to commit to a military obligation to pay for college then he should invest the time to become less confused about all the options before making a decision. If he's unable to do so then that, by itself, is a decision.

Thank you so much. Your response has really helped! We will research all the information and get back to you with the results. My son is walking around the house ALL FIRED UP TO BE A SOLDIER OR SAILER. As for me I still look at him as the snot nose bouncing baby boy I once new. SAD but REALLY HAPPY TOO!!!!!

Cnecki

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Don't let em rush you.

[Cnecki]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Don't let em rush you.

Thank you. I just got off the phone with the Navy recruiters office in our area. Sadly she had to call her superior to even find out information on the Officer Training Program and she wouldn't discuss much about our other options unless we came in. Again Flags........

She also said they are just an information center and that they have nothing to do with the process of enlistment except gathering the paperwork. Hum..... Again Confused.

Then there is the Army recruiter who wants to come to our house with everything we need to do except the physical-More SCARED.......

The Airforce Comander for the NROTC told me to call Manoa and see if there was room for my son. I don't know how we can do this over the ocean. See Confused......

Thank God my son is 17 for another 3 weeks so my husband and I can be involved for a short time.

Thank you for the encouragement Susie!

Cnecki

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Sign NOTHING right away...even if they tell you that if you don't sign you lose the chance.

[Composite 2992]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Think long and hard about committing to the military. It ain't the Boy Scouts.

Don't do it just for the sake of going to college. Rather, do it for the sake of serving the country, with college being icing on the cake.

If your son isn't willing to hoist a rifle, live under primitive conditions for undetermined periods of time, being ordered to do things that are unpleasant or tedious, plus get shot at or bombed, then the military isn't for him.

Hopefully he'll understand that the military is different from what he might have seen on TV or in Rambo movies.

[Cnecki]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Thank you composite

Yes he says he wants to serve his country but this is so new and raw! This came out of no where. When he found out we had no recourse to pay for his college he started networking with past classmates and found one who was a brillant athletic female, but not the type (we thought) to ever commit to the military because she was accepted to many UC colleges with scholarships coming out of the ying yang. We were so shocked when we heard she was going military!

So this is where it began. He never voiced an interest in his uncles and cousins who where and are military in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. I mean he has been around the service his whole life but never even made a peep about joining.

He is the kind of young man that fishes every day, loves math, is great with the rubic cube but MILITARY.

I have to go but I'll get back to you
Thank you very much

[OahuGirl]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Hello!

I did ROTC before and it wasn't hard to get into in college.
This is the link:
http://www.afrotc.com/scholarships/h...ubsidyList.php

For the Navy:
http://www.navy.com/benefits/education/nrotc/colleges/

One thing I would recommend, for building GPA purposes, is have him go to a less costly community college that has an agreement with HPU UH or another University he or you might be interested in that offers the ROTC program he may be interested in.

This way, it saves you all money and he can still follow through with an academic and ROTC program.

Feel free to PM me and I can help you get more info because from experience, the more informed you are, the less you'll fall into the "quota" scheme.


Best wishes to you all on your son's quest.

[Cnecki]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Thanks for the information.

We have researched all avenues and he has decided to sign with the Army. They are putting in his contract no deploy until he finishes his BA in Nursing and they are adding an addendum that will read "If Rocky has the GPA and the requirments for higher education in Nursing he will go straight to Medical School in Texas until he has either upgraded his nursing license to NP or PA and then continue to finish his Medical License, he will also be exempt from deployment again until he finishes"

My son has met all the requirments for the Officers Training Program and has been offered a 4 years scholarship with the reserves. They are also putting in the contract his placement for college will be HPU and then Texas for higher education and Med School if qualified.

He leaves for Boot Camp and Training July 5th or 6th and will start HPU late, but not behind, in January.

They also asked him which base he wanted to do his reserve duty at but he is unsure as to which one yet.

Since the NROTC is a longer process for acceptance he chose the Reserves.

If all the promises are in the contract he will sign, if not we will seek out some other alternatives.

Thanks again

Cnecki

[Cnecki]

Re: Army, Navy, Or Airforce Help!

Just an update. The boy spoke to his uncle who did 25 years in the Navy and just retired.

Now the boy is running scared over leaving his girl! Oh brother! His uncle told him the military will be his woman for at least the next 4 years so dump the chick and go for what you need to do.

Now the boy is wishy washy!!!!!

Oh brother!!!!

Send all teenagers into suspended animation until they are 21 I say!!!!!!!!!