It's ROTC-licious.

PeaceFrog

PeaceFrog

Joined
Nov 11, 2000
Messages
1,059
Hey all.

Maybe this is more of a Community-forum-post, but I figure something like 95% of my posts are in the bali forum, so nobody out there'll know who I am. ;)

Anyhow, I enrolled in the ROTC program at my college yesterday. Still have to get a medical form signed before they'll give me my BDUs, but it's gonna get interesting from here on out! :) I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I have some idea from two of my friends who are in it. They both really like it, so I think chances are good that I will too.

One of the officers, the one in charge of recruiting, asked if my blue hair dye was permanent. When I said yes, he said it'd have to go...so now the longest hair on my head is 1/2"! :) I hope it grows out soon...I look so strange without hair. :( If I ever get around to developing some film, I'll post before/after pics.

Mandatory Bali Content: ;)
I haven't asked any of the officers here yet, but I bet there's someone one the forums who knows... Are there rules about carrying a folding knife? I read somewhere that they have rules for people in boot camp. I'd like to carry a bali, but I guess I could settle for something else if I had to. Rather have a linerlock than nothing.
 
Welcome to the ranks. Been away too long to give any advice about what you are allowed to carry. But when asking, make sure you get all the facts.
No idea if you have any military background. I have found that you get out of it what you are willing to put into it. It can be a great time or a miserable time. All depends on the individual.
 
In basic training you carry what you are given. Get caught with a knife & you'll lose it, and then stand before the man.

Forget about it, you cannot carry a knife in basic. Afterwards, should you be full time, you can usually carry whatever you can conceal (knife-wise), but some Post Commanders make their own regs (this is rare, but it happens).

Good luck
 
I don't know how it is in US, but a friend of mine asked, and he was allowed to carry his own knife.

I think it was one similar to this...:
W721.jpg

(Doesn't look like that at all, but with that type of opening method.)
 
Well ROTC is very differrent from Boot Camp. We weren't allowed to have any form of weapon at all in Boot Camp (not even a finger nail file). That was five years ago in July. As I said though ROTC (or Rot-see) is very different from Boot Camp.
 
Yeah, you won't even have to go to boot camp. Which branch did you join? If it's navy or air force, you wont really need it really. Besides, I'd think that most of your drills is going to be leadership and development or marching and inspection stuff. If I were you, I wouldn't bother bringing it to drill. Chances are if the see it, they're not going to like it. If that happens, you're going to probably talk to el supremo of your division. And I'm sure he's not going to see things your way.
 
The branch is the Army. If Navy was here at my school I'd do that instead, but I think Army will be good. Thanks for the tips about the knives, that's about what I was expecting. :(

Gigante - ROTC is an acronym for Reserve Officer Training Corps. It's a US Military training program that goes on throughout college. If I stick with it the whole time, I can get a commission as a 2nd lieutenant upon graduation.
 
I've got a related question...I was in the Navy and we didn't really give the ROTC officers anywhere near as much respect as Naval Academy Grads. Is it like that with the other branches as well?
 
Only knowledge I have is the Vietnam era. Trade school types, Texas A&M, Norwich, VMI, etc. were pretty good. West Point types were pretty arrogant and very narrow minded. Guess that comes with the territory.
Any butter bar, no matter where he got his schooling, who let his senior NCO run things usually turned out decent. That may be true today.
Thats what I remember about combat arms officers. Don't know a thing about the rest of them.
 
Mykl- how did you know the difference between someone who was ROTC and someone who went to the Naval Acad?
 
Penguin...you can just tell. They carry themselves differently. It's hard to explain I'm just observant. Maybe that's just a Nuke thing.
 
PeaceFrog: Congrats, ROTC is a very rewarding and challenging program. The fact that you're joining without a scholarship says something about your dedication. One thing to remember, because the Army isn't investing in you financially, you will typically only get a commission in the Reserves upon graduation, not in the Active Army. Not sure what year of school you're in, but your Freshman and Sophomore years of MS, Drills, and PT classes equate to Basic Camp. For the real thing, you go to Advance Camp during the summer of your Junior year.

As to knife carry, I guess times have changed, when I was in ROTC, I was able to carry my Randall Model 14 on field manuvers (had to chop those saplings with something), and my Sargent Major never objected to my Buck 110.

As to the question of Academy vs ROTC, it's pretty distinctive. Those that graduate from the academies are indoctrinated in how elite they are, because if you think about it, they are kinda elite. Entrance is very tough (it's the only one I know of that requires a Congressional nomination). The 4 years within are extremely tough, not just on the academic grounds, but also in the sense of discipline and tradition. I know I couldn't live through 4 years of strict regimen in determining how I dress, eat, sleep and studied. This compared to those that went through ROTC and regular college life. It's real easy to spot the ones coming out of the academies.

Edited to correct flu medication induced bad grammer.
 
Tony, just to clarify. All five of the academies require an appointment. West Point, Kings Point (I got one for that school :D ), Annapolis, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
 
What Tony said there is a huge differnce in the brainwashing between the academies and ROTC. I applied for the Naval Academy but pull my application when I decided to get married (must be single to go) so I stayed enlisted.
 
Originally posted by epigram79
Tony, just to clarify.
Click to expand...
I know that, I said it was the only "entrance requirement", not the only "academy". Geesh, you go to one and they jump all over you...;)
 
Thanks for the support guys. Actually, we were learning some really basic first aid today, and the guy I was sitting next to had a CRKT Kiss clipped to his pocket. Another girl mentioned how she cut off the tip of her finger with a multi-tool. I think I could possibly swing carrying a folder, but probably not a bali. So I guess the best thing for me to do would be to ask one of the officers! :)
 
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