Posted on Nov 27, 2021
If my ultimate goal is to commission as an Active Duty officer, should I accept an ECP scholarship or go to a normal 4-year school for ROTC?
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I am currently a PV2 in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. I did the split-option program and enlisted in January of my Junior year and high school, and then graduated from BCT that summer. Currently, I am a High School senior applying to colleges, and my main goal for the future is to be commissioned as an Active Duty Officer. I've put in my application for the Early Commissioning Program at Valley Forge Military College and have spoken with the admissions team, so I am considering attending there. However I have heard a little bit about Cadets having their requests for their Guard-status to be revoked denied, and it is starting to scare me.
How difficult is it to receive an Active-Duty commission by going through the ECP route? Do you think I would be better off competing regularly as an SMP cadet going through a normal 4-year University?
For the record, I did not apply for the National scholarship or the Minuteman scholarship as I do not want to bind myself to either of the reserve components. The National Guard already covers the 4-year University I am planning to attend, and I am close enough to commute, making it extremely affordable.
How difficult is it to receive an Active-Duty commission by going through the ECP route? Do you think I would be better off competing regularly as an SMP cadet going through a normal 4-year University?
For the record, I did not apply for the National scholarship or the Minuteman scholarship as I do not want to bind myself to either of the reserve components. The National Guard already covers the 4-year University I am planning to attend, and I am close enough to commute, making it extremely affordable.
Posted in these groups: 
ROTCPennsylvania ARNG
Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP)
Career Counselor
ROTCPennsylvania ARNG Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) Career Counselor
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 9
In 7 years, I have met 1 officer who commissioned through the ECP. The downsides are that it’s considered a junior college and two years in my opinion does not give officers the requisite skills to succeed on active duty. ROTC gives you the full experience, chances to go to schools during the summer.
And just because you want to be an active duty office, doesn’t mean you will be. You will need to be high on the commissioning OML to get an active duty slot
And just because you want to be an active duty office, doesn’t mean you will be. You will need to be high on the commissioning OML to get an active duty slot
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I think you should choose the education path that works out best for you to finish in a timely manner without being burden with financial obligations.
I might be speaking out of turn here, but you now belong to your National Guard. That's going to overshadow your Federal Active Duty Commissioning. However, you are young, you are working on school, and you can probably time it pretty well that your NG obligation is behind you not long after you are ready for commission.
You belong to the NG, they invested in you (and sounds like a portion of your schooling), they are going to want their investment back. They will probably be more than happy to make you an officer. Don't worry about that.
The "art of it" will be getting to Federal Active Duty.
I might be speaking out of turn here, but you now belong to your National Guard. That's going to overshadow your Federal Active Duty Commissioning. However, you are young, you are working on school, and you can probably time it pretty well that your NG obligation is behind you not long after you are ready for commission.
You belong to the NG, they invested in you (and sounds like a portion of your schooling), they are going to want their investment back. They will probably be more than happy to make you an officer. Don't worry about that.
The "art of it" will be getting to Federal Active Duty.
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC (Join to see) - I certainly don't know the ties he has with his NG commitment, but I figured that was going to overshadow his ability to go AD Regular Army.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see)
My National Guard contract ended the day I commissioned in the Regular Army. My understanding commissioning programs take priority over enlisted contracts.
My National Guard contract ended the day I commissioned in the Regular Army. My understanding commissioning programs take priority over enlisted contracts.
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CPT (Join to see)
LTC (Join to see) - Even to pull one out of the NG into AD? I just get the impression officers are handcuffed into the Reserves trying to get into AD. It certainly seems to at the very least be a process of feet dragging on the Reserves part. I also admit it varies much from one are of the reserves (yes, I am projecting my experience on this OP) to the next how easy some admin processes are executed as well. My opinion is biased that when one enters service where they start at usually are the more lethargic areas of the institution, which is where most of us start from.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) My Regular Army selection from ROTC ended my National Guard contract the day prior to my commissioning date.
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I worked at Marion Military Institute, another Military Junior College, and I’m a graduate of a Senior Military College, North Georgia College and State University (now University of North Georgia). I recommend either a Senior Military College, OR if you decide on ECP, finish your last 2 years at a Senior Military College. SMC grads are pretty much guaranteed Active Duty when they commission, as long as you aren’t on a Reserve scholarship.
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