Reserve/National Guard
(Simultaneous Membership Program)
The Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) allows selected enlisted members of the Army Reserve or Army National Guard to simultaneously participate in any Army ROTC program. Being an SMP allows to earn your drill pay, which is paid at the rate of Sergeant (E-5), understudy with a unit officer and perform officer duties, contract as cadet, and earn the ROTC (tax-free) stipend of $350 for your sophomore year, $450 for your junior year, and $500 for your senior year. You may also be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill benefits (if your prior service), which are $288 per month (tax free!) and a GI Bill Kicker at $350 per month (also tax free!). At the maximum you
could potentially earn $1372.00 a month!
The Military Science department currently has ROTC cadets who are SMP's. Cadets who participate in the SMP program can earn their commission and either serve on active duty or serve in the Army Reserve or the National Guard. If a cadet knows that he or she wants to continue an affiliation with the Reserve or National Guard, rather than competing for active duty, that cadet may request the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship (GRFD) option at the time of contracting.
I coincidently met the "Gold Bar recruiter" for the University I'm attending this coming fall at a party last weekend. This sounds like a great program. I was pinned E-5 when I got back from deployment.(IMO)That being said, I always had a certain level of respect(for lack of a better word) for commisioned officers I knew had achieved the level of NCO. I could really see myself being a squared away commissioned officer. I think I'm going to go for it. Since it is ROTC I bet I'll have to give up my newly pinned stripes right away and switch to the dot. Oh well, give and take. Does it sound like a plan? Anyone have any insight into the program?
On another note it seems that ROTC opens up doors to schools like Airborne, Air Assault, and other Qual courses practically unavailable to traditional guardsmen.
(Simultaneous Membership Program)
The Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) allows selected enlisted members of the Army Reserve or Army National Guard to simultaneously participate in any Army ROTC program. Being an SMP allows to earn your drill pay, which is paid at the rate of Sergeant (E-5), understudy with a unit officer and perform officer duties, contract as cadet, and earn the ROTC (tax-free) stipend of $350 for your sophomore year, $450 for your junior year, and $500 for your senior year. You may also be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill benefits (if your prior service), which are $288 per month (tax free!) and a GI Bill Kicker at $350 per month (also tax free!). At the maximum you
could potentially earn $1372.00 a month!
The Military Science department currently has ROTC cadets who are SMP's. Cadets who participate in the SMP program can earn their commission and either serve on active duty or serve in the Army Reserve or the National Guard. If a cadet knows that he or she wants to continue an affiliation with the Reserve or National Guard, rather than competing for active duty, that cadet may request the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship (GRFD) option at the time of contracting.
I coincidently met the "Gold Bar recruiter" for the University I'm attending this coming fall at a party last weekend. This sounds like a great program. I was pinned E-5 when I got back from deployment.(IMO)That being said, I always had a certain level of respect(for lack of a better word) for commisioned officers I knew had achieved the level of NCO. I could really see myself being a squared away commissioned officer. I think I'm going to go for it. Since it is ROTC I bet I'll have to give up my newly pinned stripes right away and switch to the dot. Oh well, give and take. Does it sound like a plan? Anyone have any insight into the program?
On another note it seems that ROTC opens up doors to schools like Airborne, Air Assault, and other Qual courses practically unavailable to traditional guardsmen.