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Active Duty Option (ADO)

Description: The ROTC Green to Gold ADO Program provides eligible, active duty enlisted soldiers an opportunity to complete a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree and be commissioned as Army officers upon receiving the appropriate degree. The program is limited to a total of 400 participants (200 per mission set.).

  • Active Duty Pay: Soldiers who are selected to participate in this program will continue to receive their current pay and allowances while in the program (up to 21 consecutive months).
  • Educational Expenses: Soldiers selected are responsible for their educational expenses; e.g., tuition, books, and fees. They may receive any portion of the MGIB/Army College Fund benefits they have earned since entering into the military. However, IAW DOD Directive 1322.8E, soldiers selected to participate in this program will not be authorized to use tuition assistance.
  • PCS: Soldiers who are selected for the program will receive normal PCS entitlements, IAW existing travel regulations.
  • Employment: Soldiers may not accept nor pursue additional employment without express written permission of PMS.
  • Commissioning: Upon commissioning, the officer will be assigned Active Duty.
  • Military Service Obligation: Soldiers who are medically qualified and selected to participate in this program will be required to serve in the military for a period of 8-years. This obligation will be fulfilled by serving on Active duty for 3-years.
  • Change of Major: Soldiers selected to participate in this program can only change their major if the change does not extend their length of time to gain their baccalaureate degree beyond the 20 months allowed for participation in the program. If the change of major extends the soldiers time to gain their baccalaureate degree beyond 24 months, then the soldier will be placed back on active duty IAW the needs of the Army.
  • Transfers: Soldiers selected to participate in this program may not transfer from the initial school in which they were accepted to participate.

Responsibilities

HQ USACC will be responsible for:

  • Preparing Academic Evaluation Reports based on input from PMS.
  • Tracking the progress of each of the participants.

The Student Detachment Brigade will be responsible for:

  • In and out processing.
  • Personnel accountability.
  • Uniform Code of Military Justice/disciplinary proceedings.
  • All pay related inquiries.
  • Personnel services (orders, DA Form 4187, & records updates).

The ROTC department will be responsible for:

  • Reporting required information to HQCC as established in CC Pam 145-1.
  • Counseling the soldier on requirements to remain in good standing.
  • Reviewing soldier's performance each school term to ensure soldier remains in compliance with terms of the program.
  • Inform HQ USACC of any potential problems with the soldier. Headquarters will be informed of any action that Fort Jackson takes on any of these soldiers. HQ USACC should be the first stop to assist in resolving soldier issues.
  • Immediately notify HQ USACC when the soldier is no longer in compliance with the terms of the program for removal from the program and re-assignment instructions.

Eligibility

To participate in this program, a soldier must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national.
    • This is a statutory requirement. No waivers/exceptions are authorized.
    • "U.S. nationals" are persons born in American Samoa and Swains Island.
    • Students who hold dual citizenship must be advised that when requested, they will be required to provide a statement to the OPM investigator, or the adjudicative authority, expressing their willingness to renounce dual citizenship. Failure to do so may result in denial of a security clearance, which is a prerequisite for commissioning, and will result in disenrollment.
  • Be eligible for appointment as a commissioned officer in the USAR under the provisions of AR 135-100 and AR 135-101.
  • Age. Be under 30 years of age upon completion of all requirements for a commission and a college baccalaureate/graduate degree. Waivers are authorized up to 35 years of age at time of commissioning. HQ USACC is waiver approval authority for this program.
  • Active Federal Service. Have completed at least 2-years of active duty service, but less than 8-years of Active Federal Service. (HQ USACC is waiver approval authority for this program.)
  • Recommendations. Have favorable recommendations from Chain of Command (immediate commander and field grade officer).
  • Training Service Obligation. Have completed three months of active duty for every one month of specialized training received as of the date of enrollment into the program. This includes language training, a critical Military Occupational Skill (MOS), or Additional Skill Identifiers (ASI) received. Service obligations are served concurrently; the most recent service obligation for specialized training may not be based on the most recent course attended. Longer duration ASI/Skill Qualification Identifier courses may have service obligations that override a shorter but more recent course.
    • If a waiver of the service obligation for training is required, soldiers must submit the request for waiver through HQ USACC to the Human Resource Center (HRC), along with the application. HQ USACC will forward the DA Form 4187(s) with notification letters to HRC for soldiers who are selected to participate in this program.
    • Soldiers who are currently scheduled to attend an approved reclassification MOS training school will not be considered for a waiver until a request for cancellation of the approved reclassification MOS training has been processed and approved by the proper approval authority. In addition, the Stop Loss/Stop Movement Policy is in effect, and soldiers who are selected to participate in this program will be cleared by HQ USACC through HRC before notification letters are released.
  • Time in Service. Have at least 48 months remaining upon entering the program. Soldiers who do not meet the service remaining requirement for this program must be processed IAW AR 601-280, Paragraph 4-6, before complying with orders directing movement to Student Detachment, Fort Jackson, SC.
  • GT Score. Have received a score of 110 or higher on the General Technical Aptitude Area of the Army Classification Battery if applying for the program. (No waivers authorized.)
  • Cumulative GPA (CGPA). Soldiers must have a minimum CGPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 point grading system on all previous college work completed. (Waivers are authorized, HQ Cadet Command is the waiver approval authority.)
  • Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). Have passed an ACFT.
  • CC Form 104R (SEP 2013). Have 2-years remaining (4 semesters/6 quarters) as a full time student as indicated on CC Form 104-R. Please use the instructions when completing the CC Form 104R.
    • Summer sessions are authorized but cannot interfere with Cadet Leadership Course (CLC) attendance.
    • Transfer hours accepted by the school of attendance must be included on CC Form 104-R, block 5.c. as credits applied towards the degree being pursued. This information must be confirmed by the school's administration through an official evaluation of all official transcripts. (No waivers authorized.)
    • Soldier must enroll and attend in a full-time regular course of instruction at the college/university with 75% of the curriculum on campus in a traditional class-room setting.
    • Soldier must complete within 21 months of entering the program. This can be extended to 24 months with an approved exception.
  • University Admissions Letter. Obtain an unconditional letter of acceptance from a baccalaureate/graduate degree producing college or university that has an approved Educational Service Agreement with the U.S. Army. The letter must indicate unconditional junior status.
  • ROTC Letter of Acceptance. Obtain a letter of acceptance from the PMS providing acceptance into the Army ROTC program. Contact the PMS at the institution in order to receive this letter.
  • Security Clearance. Have a favorable or have initiated a National Agency Check or Entrance National Agency Check. If it is determined that a security clearance will not be granted after enrollment in the program, the soldier will be removed and reassigned based on the needs of the Army at their current enlisted grade/rank and MOS.
  • Medical. Be medically qualified IAW AR 40-501, Standards of Medical Fitness RAR dated 04 August 2011, Chapter 2, to participate in the ROTC program as determined by DODMERB, the agency responsible for reviewing physicals.
  • Dependents. Have no more than three dependents (including spouse). (Waivers are authorized.)
  • Scholar-Athlete-Leader (SAL). A soldier will be considered for participation in this program based on officer potential and the SAL criteria listed below. Although a soldier may not possess any of the SAL attributes, the soldier may still be considered for the program.
    • Scholar: Honor Graduate/Commandant's List of NCOES School, or CGPA of 3.0 or higher on all college level courses.
    • Athlete: Active Competitive involvement on an intramural sports team.Leader: Selected as Soldier/Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter/Year at battalion level or higher; or served in a team leader/squad leader position for a minimum of six months with favorable endorsements from the company commander; or inducted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy/Sergeant Morales Club.

Ineligibility

A soldier is ineligible for the program if they:

  • Have more than two years remaining for degree completion.
  • Have less than 48 months remaining on their current enlistment contract and are unable to extend current service obligation.
  • Have an unfavorable recommendation by their chain of command.
  • Are ineligible for reenlistment.
  • Are a conscientious objector as defined in AR 600-43, Conscientious Objection.
  • Have a misdemeanor record of a Domestic Violence Conviction.
  • Are under suspension of favorable personnel action IAW AR 600-8-2.
  • Are under probation for a civil conviction or charges are pending at the time of application.
  • Have had adverse juvenile adjudication, have been arrested, indicted, or convicted by a civil court or military law for other than minor traffic violations (fine of $250 or less), or had imposed other adverse disposition (e.g. attend classes, perform community service or perform any other similar acts) unless waived for this program. A waiver previously approved for enlisting in the Army does not constitute a waiver for entry into an officer producing program. (Waivers are authorized.)
  • Are a soldier without a spouse and have one or more dependents under 18 years of age. (Waivers are authorized.)
  • Dependents:
    • Are a soldier with a spouse in a military component of any armed service (excluding members of the IRR) that has one or more dependents under 18 years of age. (Waivers are authorized.)
    • A divorced soldier may be processed for enrollment when the child or children has/have been placed in the custody of the other parent, an adult relative or legal guardian by court order and the soldier is not required to provide child support. Copies of court documents must be provided with the application. (No waiver is required.)
    • A divorced soldier may be processed for a dependency waiver when the child or children has/have been placed in the custody of the other parent, an adult relative or legal guardian by court order and the soldier is required to provide child support. In both cases mentioned above, the soldier must sign a statement of understanding acknowledging removal from the program should they regain custody of the child or children while enrolled in ROTC. DA Form 3286-R, Statement of Enlistment (Parts I through IV), will be used as a guide. An exception to the removal will only be considered if extraordinary circumstances prevail such as the death of the legal guardian or adult.