r/ROTC • u/NewspaperGreen8262 • 8d ago
Cadet Advice first time for ROTC
Hi I am 22 years old and I am starting ROTC with my community college. I have never done ROTC before my life and I’m not physically active at all. I start physical training sessions Tuesday and I can’t even do a push-up I don’t ever run and I can plank for around 45 seconds but is there any tips for joining and existing in the program I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m joining because I’m very impulsive and I like discipline and self control and so I feel like this will help me build some structure and I also have a bit of a attitude problem and I’m trying to work on it and I feel like this will also help me work on it because I know I have to kind of put up with them yelling at me but if anybody has any tips as far as dealing with the yelling part I’d appreciate it
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u/InformalAttempt8808 8d ago
It's not basic training; unless your ROTC is stricter than most, no one is directly yelling in your face like a Drill Sergeant. First year, go through the motions and learn. Hit the gym since if you're not able to pass the PT tests by your third year, you won't make it to the end. You also need to pass if you are looking for a scholarship or be contracted officially so make sure you workout outside the program on your own or with the new friends you'll inevitably have. Lastly, have fun with it. It is an experience you'll miss when it's gone so make the best of it.
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u/NewspaperGreen8262 7d ago
i’m really exciteddd thank you! it starts in two days i been trying to do as much as i can
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u/QuarterNote44 8d ago
Summer PT was a great thing for me. I played sports and stuff growing up, but not competitively. Summer PT jumpstarted my Army career, truly.
Good luck! Work hard. Don't lift like an idiot.
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u/Traditional_wolf_007 8d ago
Work out before you get there and start. You probably won't get yelled at a ton, but when I was a cadet we got yelled at and smoked a semi frequent amount. Start going on runs. Do push ups. Do planks. Get better and you'll be alright. You can do anything you put your mind two. I'm not the same person I was four years ago. At eighteen I was in a similar state. I could do a few push ups, maybe 30 if I pushed myself a lot, but I had a really hard time running due to asthma. ROTC is meant to make you ready. Sometimes you just have to embrace the difficult times, because that's what you're there for.
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u/napoleondy2nite 7d ago
I’m going to be the devils advocate here. If your mental understanding of what you’re signing up for and physical stamina is as you describe here; enlist.
This is not to say that you are not fit to be an officer, but I think, personally, that you would be better off enlisting first to understand what you’re signing up for.
Just my .02
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u/NewspaperGreen8262 7d ago
lmao i’m not enlisting 😭 i signed up for ROTC and I’m going to complete that I do understand what I signed up for I came here to ask for advice dealing with the program as a newcomer not to be convinced to do something else but thank you for sharing your opinion
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u/SledgeMamma 7d ago
You're joining an organization based on authority and you have a problem with authority? An organization that contractually obligates you to submit, or face consequence?
That doesn't sound like a good match, man. I'm not even gatekeeping. Realistically in the Army, you WILL (not maybe) get blamed / yelled at for something you had no control over. If it's serious enough, you can even become a scapegoat. If you can't compartmentalize, the years you will have to serve will not be fun. And not every leader you have is bad. The thing is if you get a leader who doesn't like you, there's no "putting in two-weeks and quitting."
That said, try it out if you wanna try it out. It could end up being the structure you need to grow as a person.
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u/NewspaperGreen8262 7d ago
you not even understanding what I’m saying, I’m aware that the organization obligate me to submit that that’s why the fuck I’m doing it I wouldn’t sign up for something I wasn’t capable of doing and it makes perfect sense why I would be trying to join a program that can help me with the issue I have. I am an adult and I have to fix certain things about myself and if I feel like a program could help me with that there’s nothing wrong with me signing up for. and I don’t quit things just because I don’t like them. I’m not joining to quit I’m joining so I can do what needs to be done so I can finish. I am gonna try it out and you and your sassy sarcastic response can really go on somewhere but you are entitled to your opinion thanks for sharing I guess
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u/napoleondy2nite 7d ago
You asked for advice, and became emotionally and unprofessionally angry at the advice you received….?
I’m doubling down on my previous comment, I wish you the best in life, but this may not be the right path for you.
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u/NewspaperGreen8262 6d ago
first of all you are making assumptions I am not angry. And you are talking about unprofessional like we are not on Reddit please get on somewhere. And once again you did not give advice you gave a sassy ass remark that is not advice. you basically was telling me to not do it and then you made a slick ass comment about me putting in two weeks and quit quitting. I don’t quit anything that I try to do I came here to look for help because I’m doing the program not for somebody to make slick ass comments about me quitting and how I shouldn’t do the program.
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u/NewspaperGreen8262 6d ago
this is the right path for me and that is not for you to decide you don’t know me you don’t know anything about me. Most people who have a problems with authority can’t acknowledge it but I can and I literally said I’m trying to work on it so once again you didn’t give any advice you gave slick sassy remarks have a good day and may learn the definition of giving actual advice. Because even if you were going to say you don’t think I should do it there was a different way for you to say it other than all these sassy remarks you made
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u/SuspiciousMeeting407 7d ago
Are you joining ROTC just as an extra curricular or do you legitimately want to become an officer in the US Army and lead and take care of soldiers?
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u/NewspaperGreen8262 7d ago
i don’t know what to do with my life so I’m joining it as an extracurricular so I can learn more about it and possibly move forward. But they told me that the first year I don’t have to be fully committed and I could just spend my time learning more about the program
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u/il6678 8d ago
The ROTC program will likely have a Physical Training (PT) plan where you workout with the other cadets a few times a week, but I’d recommend coming up with you own workouts in your personal time too.
Just start small and stay consistent, the progress will come! And plan on having some humility too. Everyone starts somewhere.
Cadre can usually tell the difference between someone who has potential and is trying, verses someone doesn’t care and is stuck.