Smp

[PFC Meg]

Anyone currently in it or planning to use this opportunity?

[USMCRET6391]

Looks like spam, smells like spam........must be spam

[PFC Meg]

um....not really what I'm referring to...Simultaneous membership program

^ what is that?

[Scary]

You can do the Reserves and ROTC at the same time... I used to know all the ins and outs of it all, but not anymore. What I do remember is that you drill with the reserve unit and do college/ROTC and recieve E-5 pay in the reserve. I believe you also wear a "dot" on your uniform as rank, and stand with the officers in formation.


E.S.

[USMCRET6391]

Thanks for the info, I thought she worked for Tom Bosley or somthing...but I may have my letters mixed up

[Field_Sailor]

I have heard of that program for the Army NG. For Illinois, it was good because you could join during your Junior year in high school, after one year you qualified for IVG (Illinois Veterans Grant- 100% tuition to a state sponsored school). Did your time in the NG during college, Graduate and go Active as a 2LT.

[Scary]

The big catch (well there's really 2 catches) to the program are 1. You will be comissioned as an officer in the reserve, not active duty and 2. If you get an ROTC scholarship from the school you are attending, you lose a lot of your benefits from the reserve part of the deal.


E.S.

[Field_Sailor]

But how hard is it to go from NG to Active Duty?

[Scary]

It is fairly difficult right now because the NG/Reserve is VERY low on officers as a whole. Yes, there are people who are applying and getting it... but you lose the guarantee active with the SMP program. The whole reason for the SMP program is to get reservist officers in the first place.


E.S.

[Field_Sailor]

Makes sense, I looked at it a while back when I was in school, but I had a kid and had to re-prioritize. I would have only done it if I could have went officer and infantry. Ha ha now look at me, a Navy Cryptologist. Oh well, combat here I come.

[PFC Meg]

Not exactly true about only being commissioned in the reserves. When you contract with the smp program, you choose whether or not to stay reserves or go active with your commission. yes, the drawback is loosing benifits.

I was SMP in a guard unit back in the day. There is no reserve obligation. You can go reserve if you want, but you can go active too. Technically as an SMP you are "enlisting," some kind of grey area. You get paid E-5. I was prior service so I got MGIB, critical MOS kicker, ROTC stipend, and my E-5 pay. I was pulling down $1200 a month for going to drill, and I had ROTC paying for tuition (and my parking tickets...). It was good living for a college boy. I don't know what everyone else means by "losing benefits." I kept everything except the last installment of my enlistment bonus. Maybe different states work different.

That is my SMP experience. I did it, kept all my money, and went active duty afterward.

[PFC Meg]

Cool