My DD wants to go into the military but I'm concerned as to the underlying reasons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My spouse did ROTC at a well regarded university. It worked out because he still had a "normal" college experience for the most part. He was on scholarship, so he had no/few student loans, and got to be a commissioned officer upon graduation.

Some of our brilliant woman friends who we met through ROTC had very accomplished military careers in science with multiple graduate degrees paid for by the military and cushy assignments no where near danger.

Having lived that life with him, my recommendations are:

Be an officer and avoid going to a war zone by joining the Air Force or Navy

Our air force friends have absolutely been in a war zone. Same with Navy. Not sure where this is coming from or someone isn't really that familiar with military. Officers still go to the war zones. Someone has to command.

My husband was in for 12 years. I've met many people from all branches. People in the Army and Marines are much more likely to be in war zones. You know this.

Army and Marines are front lines by nature of their jobs but we have friends who are Air Force, as is my husband, who was in for 20 years, who were front lines. They were cross trained. Don't think for a minute just because you are another branch you will not go. Now they have joint bases and are intermixing the branches a lot. Meeting people from all branches clearly gives you a very limited view. You should know this. Navy go in ships but they are absolutely front lines.

Don't be obtuse. You know that what "more likely" means. It doesn't eliminate the possibility, it reduces it. But go on and continue to insist you're correct.

OP, tell her to go Navy or Air Force.

All our Air Force friends were deployed after the war started. Several were hitting their 20, like my husband and got out as they had plans to get out anyway, but all got activated and many were front lines (as in riding in the trucks carrying guns). Even doctors we know. And, in career fields you'd think were not ones they'd choose to go.

The Air Force absolutely sends people, but PP is correct that it’s much more likely in Army and Marines. To argue otherwise is silly.

[Anonymous]

Engineering undergrad plus rotc means you’ll have the option of going in as an officer with an engineering group (part of the corps of engineers).

[Anonymous]

See the veterans hiring preference on the other thread. It is a huge plus to those who serve our country.

[Anonymous]

She sounds like a perfect candidate for the service academies.

I wasn’t in the military myself, but many of my colleagues are from either the Naval Academy or Air Force Academy. They all received an excellent education, speak very highly of their experience, and had excellent careers in the military - some stayed until retirement, others only the minimum requirements.

[Anonymous]

I’d do ROTC at a normal university over a service academy.

Service academies are very intense, not a normal college experience, and still not great for women.

[Anonymous]

OP, something to look into is whether eczema is a disqualifying condition for joining the military.

This site suggests that it might:

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/disqualifiers-medical-conditions.html

[Anonymous]

Have her attend a career event sponsored by the county public schools admin. They will have multiple branches of service reps there to include most of the academies, assuming you're in the DC area. If she is in the 11th grade, Naviance would have the schedule of service academy reps and military services coming to her school....have her register for it to talk to recruiters and academy screening officers. Let her figure it out. Did you know VMI is a great school with an excellent alumni network. I would assume it would be fairly easy to get into since she is a female and you'll save some $$$ with in-state tuition? Naval academy is pretty hard to get into if you're from this area (move to Nebraska and you'll need above 1500 on SATs and be pretty outstanding or a recruited athlete. ROTC and Merchant Marine Academy are great options as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:See the veterans hiring preference on the other thread. It is a huge plus to those who serve our country.

My husband is a retiree. It hasn't helped him at all. The only thing that helps is the life long health care.

[Anonymous]

There is absolutely no reason to do ROTC or an Service Academy. Service Academy's are great and you will get promoted faster/higher rank going in but that's it. You can have a great career by just enlisting after college. The important thing is the major and career field you choose and if they allow you to stay in it.

[Anonymous]

For people who know the service is in their future, service academies can be amazing. You cannot wait to look at this her Junior year in HS. Start now. Have her look at the service academies and see if any are of interest to her. If not, then ROTC can help pay for college, and yes, you have a commitment afterwards but that's not a big deal if she knows she wants this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See the veterans hiring preference on the other thread. It is a huge plus to those who serve our country.

My husband is a retiree. It hasn't helped him at all. The only thing that helps is the life long health care.

+1

The "Veterans preference" isn't always followed, and it's difficult to 1) Find out that you were not given your veterans preference 2) appeal it once you do find out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, something to look into is whether eczema is a disqualifying condition for joining the military.

This site suggests that it might:

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/disqualifiers-medical-conditions.html

wow. OP here. Will follow up on this. As much as I'm concerned about what decision she will make, I would hate if this decision was taken away from her due to eczema.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the military, in specific to become an officer, there a lot of medical conditions you wouldn't think could disqualify. Waivers are often given though, but it does require some extra hoops to jump through.

I was an Army officer in the Nurse Corps. I will echo what others have said about trying for a service academy appointment or doing ROTC in college. Service academies aren't for everyone- they are extremely intense. ROTC is otherwise a great option and she can get a full tuition scholarship that route. Even if she were to get a full 4 year scholarship through ROTC, the first year in is non-binding. At the end of her first year she can quit ROTC and end her contract without any military service obligation. She may have to pay back money, not sure on that.

If she likes science, I would encourage her to go into medicine. The military, any of the branches, provide pheanomenal experience and education in medicine. It is also the field I would consider to be the most female friendly. There are many many female doctors, nurses, dentists, etc. and they have a more equal female/male ratio than any other specialty. It is a good life and I immensely enjoyed my experience.

If she does go into medicine, she doesn't even need to do ROTC or an academy (though I would recommend it as it prepares you better, plus tuition paid is nice). Medical professionals who already have degrees/licenses can get direct commissions. Meaning they can immediately become an officer and they go directly to their speciality training without needing to attend officer candidate school to obtain a commission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the military, in specific to become an officer, there a lot of medical conditions you wouldn't think could disqualify. Waivers are often given though, but it does require some extra hoops to jump through.

I was an Army officer in the Nurse Corps. I will echo what others have said about trying for a service academy appointment or doing ROTC in college. Service academies aren't for everyone- they are extremely intense. ROTC is otherwise a great option and she can get a full tuition scholarship that route. Even if she were to get a full 4 year scholarship through ROTC, the first year in is non-binding. At the end of her first year she can quit ROTC and end her contract without any military service obligation. She may have to pay back money, not sure on that.

If she likes science, I would encourage her to go into medicine. The military, any of the branches, provide pheanomenal experience and education in medicine. It is also the field I would consider to be the most female friendly. There are many many female doctors, nurses, dentists, etc. and they have a more equal female/male ratio than any other specialty. It is a good life and I immensely enjoyed my experience.

If she does go into medicine, she doesn't even need to do ROTC or an academy (though I would recommend it as it prepares you better, plus tuition paid is nice). Medical professionals who already have degrees/licenses can get direct commissions. Meaning they can immediately become an officer and they go directly to their speciality training without needing to attend officer candidate school to obtain a commission.

I think the same is true of JAG corps if she is interested in law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you suggest that she go to college for something in the fields you have mentioned and join ROTC while in college. This could set her up for a great military career in a field she would enjoy while also giving her a taste of the military expectations prior to actually enlisting.

That’s not how it works. If you get a ROTC scholarship, you have to pay it back by serving the military for four years. And you would be an officer, not enlisted.