I have completed my MS1 year of AROTC. I've found though that I need to take a semester off from going away to school to get some things in order at home before I continue there. However, since I definitely plan on returning and I don't want to fall behind a semester in ROTC, could I still participate in an AROTC program close to home while working and not attending school if it's only for one semester?

if you aren't on scholarship, you should be able to take a AROTC course at a nearby college while attending only part-time. why not? i don't know what that does for your commissioning status though. maybe you should ask your AROTC class advisor?

I am a MSII and I know from my cousin whom just got off command of Duke University Army ROTC and from my own experiences that you have to be in college full time to even be able to enroll in a ROTC class and lab. Any ROTC instructor will tell you that.