difficult children in ROTC.....?????

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Good Morning, All--

My daughter has signed up to be in her school's ROTC program next year (assuming she passes the eighth grade, that is). I am a little concerned that she doesn't fully grasp what the ROTC rogram is all about. She has been telling people that if she joins, she gets to carry the flag during the Pledge of Allegience.

Just wondering if any of you had difficult children go through an ROTC program and what was your experience?

--DaisyF

{Should this have been posted to Parents Emeritus? Feel free to move...}
 

JJJ

Active Member
If Kanga comes home from Residential Treatment Center (RTC), she'll be in the ROTC program at our high school. I spoke with the Master Sargent and he said that about 1/3 of the kids are Special Education including a number of difficult children. He said those that crave structure and clear expectations do well. I like that someone else will be giving her orders :bigsmile:
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
My "simply" ADHD son was JROTC all through HS. This, along with running track and field, helped him because he had taken himself off of all ADHD medicines before entering HS because he planned on entering the Marine Corps upon graduation from HS. At that point they had to be 4 years clear of medication to enlist.

He did well in JROTC, entered the Marines, did well in his tour of duty and used that to jump off into the civilian world with a government job.
 
I can see the structure , the beign part of a loyal and committed group as important. My son was and is a boy scout, currntly asst scout master, he got his Eagle. I have seen dozens of flag ceromonies. He sitll has not had his Eagle ceromony. I h ave jsut not felt up to plannning for the big ceromnoy.
I personlly am a huge pacifist . My son was/is very attracted to the military and talkes about going in after he has his Bachelor's degree. He plays scenrio games all the time. He has been on dozens of milaty bases with the scouts.
He is very out of the box and pernally I would rather him be int he structrue of acedemia (his goal is histroy prof) .
I guess I would say I have not liked the pressure to be in the military: I have not wanted that for wither child. I have treid to show them there are so many ops without that. That would be my concern that child would feel pressured to join militaty. I want to support choices.
 

Janna

New Member
B did JROTC in his Junior/Senior years. He did VERY well in the program. The structure along with heavy discipline was great for him. Like Janet's son, he has hopes of entering the military now (not the Marines - Army).

The Sgt and Col were very good about monitoring all around behaviors, too. So, for example, if there was an incident in school, they were also told about it, and there were consequences for that (one time they went on a trip, and B told off a teacher, and his right to go on the trip was cancelled).

They also did alot of community service type stuff, which I liked. One time B went on an MS walk with them, another painting the picnic tables at the rec park. Good self esteem booster, in my opinion.
 
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