# Looking for opinions!



## Bekim (Mar 30, 2013)

Hello I am a 19 year old freshmen who is currently enrolled in ROTC. I don't want to give you guys my whole life story so i'll just get to the point. I don't like ROTC at all. I am a military brat, I like to get my hands dirty and want to work hard and be successful one day. I am talking to a recruiter about enlisting into the army and pursing a option 40 contract which i'm sure you all know what that is. Basically everyone around me thinks i'm crazy and my dad who i look up too and who worked his butt of in the army to get to where he is now doesn't want me to go through it because ultimately I want to be a pilot in the army like him but I feel like the thing's I would learn on the enlisted side would make me the best leader that I can be. I know the majority of you guys on here have all served at some point and I don't mean to waste any of your time so basically if you want to tell me i'm batshit crazy or give some pointers please do so. Thank you all for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.


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## AWP (Mar 31, 2013)

Thread reopened.


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## Atlas (Mar 31, 2013)

My recruiters told be option 40 contracts were damn near impossible to come by or prior service only.  If you get it make sure its in writing in your contract.

Good luck.


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## Brill (Apr 1, 2013)

Stay in school and get your degree. The military will be there when you're done.


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## Viper1 (Apr 1, 2013)

A lot of my guys haven't finished school and are struggling to get it done now.  Couple that with the fact that we had a scare with tuition assistance going away and other possible budget cuts, staying in school is the best option in my opinion.  The military will always be here and rest assured there will be another fight coming in the future.


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## Viper1 (Apr 1, 2013)

If you don't like ROTC, no big deal.  Complete the degree (with or without ROTC) and attempt OCS or Green-to-Gold if you want to become an officer.  If not, entering the enlisted ranks with a degree is a good thing.


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## DAVE101 (Apr 1, 2013)

The same things you hate about ROTC will be the things you hate about the regular army. Aviation is not an easy branch to get, but it's much harder to get with OCS than ROTC.


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## Marauder06 (Apr 1, 2013)

Most people who enlist never become officers.  Most officers are not aviators.   If your goal is to become an officer aviator, then statistically you should go to West Point.  Your next best option is stay in ROTC.  If you come out of the track you're currently in, from a statistical perspective you are likely to never accomplish your goal of flying.   You can do it if you go enlisted first, but the odds are not on your side.

If you want to be a Ranger, go be a Ranger.  If you want to be a pilot, stay in school and stay in ROTC.  What is it that you don't like about the program?


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## Brian1/75 (Apr 1, 2013)

If flying is what you want to do then warrant is the way to go. I've known quite a few guys from Regiment to give up the ruck to fly.


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## amlove21 (Apr 1, 2013)

Bekim said:


> Hello I am a 19 year old freshmen who is currently enrolled in ROTC. I don't want to give you guys my whole life story so i'll just get to the point. I don't like ROTC at all. I am a military brat, I like to get my hands dirty and want to work hard and be successful one day. I am talking to a recruiter about enlisting into the army and pursing a option 40 contract which i'm sure you all know what that is. Basically everyone around me thinks i'm crazy and my dad who i look up too and who worked his butt of in the army to get to where he is now doesn't want me to go through it because ultimately I want to be a pilot in the army like him but I feel like the thing's I would learn on the enlisted side would make me the best leader that I can be. I know the majority of you guys on here have all served at some point and I don't mean to waste any of your time so basically if you want to tell me i'm batshit crazy or give some pointers please do so. Thank you all for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.


*I'll, *Army, *an, *I'm, *I'm, *I, *to, *Army, *through it. Ultimately..., *Army, *things, *I'm. 

Sorry, I was freaking out a bit. 

I agree with what's already been said. I am a big advocate of getting your degree. You have so many more options if you go that route, as opposed to limiting yourself right off the bat. Take it from a guy that is now scrambling to complete school with zero time to devote to it- getting your degree first is the way to go. There are other things to consider that are advantages to both the Warrant and Officer programs. You don't have a family now, but later in life a paycheck that is roughly 2 times that of your enlisted peers is quite handy, or so I am told. By my wife. Every day. Loudly.


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## Brill (Apr 2, 2013)

Showering with your classmates at Ft Rucker vs. showering/keg stands/body shots, etc with that hot blonde and her wild friend ( you know the one) in your English 101 class.

WT fuck is wrong with you?  Stay in school and abuse the hell out of you wiener. Oh...learn some stuff too.


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## goon175 (Apr 2, 2013)

College is expensive as hell these days and the Army won't pay back your student loans anymore (unless you enlist as a crypto linguist). Enlist, knock out school while you are in, and then put in a warrant packet to fly. the W.O. route is probably your best bet to fly. Although it is a pain in the ass to come home after a long day/night/week/etc. and do homework, it is not nearly as big of a pain in the ass as it is to pay back student loans. 

The way I see it, you have a few options:
- stay in school and accrue a pile of student loan debt, make your decision about what route to go later
- enlist, knock out school part time, and then put in a warrant packet to fly
- enlist, then put in a green-to-gold packet and go to school full time on the Army's dime, and hope you branch aviation


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