Smiliar to the College Student Afraid of Being Called Up Thread, but I need help.

[NightStalker14]

I'm currently enrolled in ROTC as an MS-1 at Tarleton State.

I've been unable to get a job locally that I can make work with my college schedule, so I've been considering the Guard. Besides that, most of what we do is done on Fort Hood, and since I lack an ID, it's difficult for me to get on base. Make that impossible.. I have to hitch a ride with someone who has an ID all the time, and it's difficult to do that when you have APFTs early in the morning and traffic is bad.

I have not contracted yet, and have the choice of either the scholarship next year done through ROTC, or the Guard. My parents fear I'll be shipped to Iraq, and it'll be difficult to convince them that this might be a good path.

Now, is an ROTC cadet who is not contracted also considered non-deployable?

On the subject of BCT/AIT, I'd like to get that started next summer, but I won't have time to do both. I could do BCT, but not AIT.

Finally, when are the college benefits/enlistment bonus available: upon enlisting, or after BCT?

Thanks.

[VTguard]

Once you have contracted with ROTC, and enroll in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) you are non-deployable until you graduate. You can attend basic training in the summer of 2007 and attend AIT the following summer. If you are a cadet by then, you won't have to attend AIT if you don't want to. As far as educational benefits go, you won't get the GI bill or Kicker (or an enlistment bonus) if you don't go finish AIT, but you can still get a Dedicated 2 year or 3 year National Guard scholarship through ROTC.

[andrew.tischner]

I believe you must contract with the Guard first and then sign up form SMP and contract with ROTC might b incorrect on that

[sgtblack82]

your right you do need to have some sort of contract with the guard to get SMP working I believe at least for the scholarship portion.

[NightStalker14]

Thanks for the responses. I've decided to go with the SMP, and am in the process of working with the Assistant Professor of MS to get it all figured it out.

Thanks again for the assistance. I appreciate it greatly.