Does this mean he has no education benefits?
There was something elsewhere in the papers about a $100.00 deduction from pay for education benefits( the Montgomery GI bill) being automatic unless you waive it at RTC. Is this different form the Navy college fund?
What does certified as "HSDG" mean? These acronyms are killing me!
What do squad leaders do? Does being selected as one mean much?
I've read in different places that each boot camp grad gets 3 or 2 guaranteed seats at the graduation ceremony. . Does anyone know which it is? Are there normally extra open seats or not?
tgant
Just to answer things that don't look like they have been answered yet:
On educational benefits: The standard educational benefit is the GI Bill, and that is what the $100 deduction is for. As I recall, the deduction is only for one year.
When I was a recruiter, the Navy College Fund was an incentive for people to join the Navy without any program guarantee.
During service, he will also be eligible for the Tuition Assistance program, in which a certain percentage (75% comes to mind) of the tuition cost will be reimbursed upon course completion. This is independent of the GI Bill benefits, which can be used concurrently.
Your son can get his military experience evaluated for college credit. With three years of college, I would expect this to be in the range of 24 to 30 units, but in all honesty, they will mean nothing toward a biology or microbiology, but will contribute to a Nuclear Technology degree and possibly a few credits toward an engineering degree (it all depends on the college and their policies in evaluating credit).
HSDG - High School Diploma Graduate
Squad leader (thinking back 25 years): since your son already knows what he is doing after boot camp, this will mean almost nothing (the top recruit and top squad leader, or RCPO, might get orders preference). It would mean more practice in leadership. It would mean more responsibility during boot camp training and perhaps a small advantage. It might be noted in his service record, but I doubt if it will affect advancement, since things like that won't be looked at until E-7. Then again, it would make it easier to recognize your son when he is marching in formation in the graduation ceremony.
However, in boot camp, I think the consensus might be that it is best to be anonymous. Don't be noticed. Don't get in trouble. Just be invisible. Didn't work for me, though. Short people go in the very back. The company commanders know who the nuclear designated personnel are. I think I was one of two in my company and I can almost remember the CC yelling, "Nuke!"
Seats at graduation: No idea. I didn't even know about reserved guest seating. At RTC San Diego, the seating was in bleachers and there was standing room as well.
DISCLAIMER: The current program is so much different than when I enlisted (also after 3 years of college) or when I was a recruiter, so I might not be correct. As with some other people posting here, when I joined, there was no such thing as an "enlistment bonus", "loan repayment program", etc.