West Point VS ROTC for Soldiers Already in?

usmagrad01
Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:29:38 +0000

I stand corrected- here is the answer from the website FAQ:

Q: What happens to my current service obligation?
Soldiers admitted to West Point are exempted their prior service obligations when they graduate. Those who do not graduate may be required to serve the remainder of their commitment left when they reported to West Point.

Rouge22- yes, I am a graduate and I will be instructing at USMA in two years after I finish grad school. As to your question, the first year or so will seem like basic training, and you will have yet another basic training if you choose the prep school route (your best bet). The advantage for you is that you will be far superior in basic military bearing, warrior tasks, all the 10 level skills. The disadvantage is that you will have to swollow your pride and take orders from cadets who are in some cases younger and know less about the military than you do. Is West Point “fun?” Definitely not. Most graduates, myself included, agree that West Point is the antithesis of the normal college experience. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t have fun, or that it won’t be worth it. It depends on what you want to get out of college. If you’re planning to maximize the experience and best prepare for life as an Army officer, then USMA is uparalleled. If, however, you are the type who will lament not being able to party, not drinking as an underclassman, not having the autonomy to do what you want when you want to, or not having an abundance of free time… well, then I would go elsewhere. I do not regret attending USMA at all, but I certainly did not have fun most of the time. My firstie year was the only time that I really enjoyed the aggregate experience; I was taking classes that I enjoyed, I had a less encompassing leadership job than in prior years, and I spent my spare time earning a pilot’s license on the weekends.