A commission means you are an Officer in the Armed Forces of the United States that ascended to the rank of officer through education technically the other options are warrant officer and noncommissioned officer but those names are more of a holdover from the s and they are not considered onpar with officers in benefits or privileges ROTC at other colleges is nothing like AM or any of the other Senior Military Colleges You wear your uniform  times per week at ROTC Meet all the requirements including a month at military training and at the end of the program you can become an officer ROTC is an elective course where military service is not required for the first two years The last two years of ROTC are reserved for those who are on contract to get a commission and you cannot take those classes without taking an oath of enlistment