Reserve
Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a college elective designed
to allow young men and women who desire to be commissioned
as officers in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force
and Marines) upon graduation from college. ROTC is a nationally
standardized program that is offered at hundreds of private
and public colleges and universities throughout the United
States, which is open to all college students regardless of
major or academic year.
The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Merchant Marine have their
own ROTC programs. The Coast Guard does not a ROTC program.
Each branch of the military has a specific set of courses
and training that cadets must complete prior to joining the
U.S. Armed Forces. Participants must attend ROTC classes as
a part of their curriculum. The credits received from ROTC
classes are applied toward their diploma. The focus of the
ROTC program is leadership development. Students learn problem
solving techniques, decision-making skills, planning and organizing
skills, interpersonal communications skills, professional
ethics and responsibilities, and other management and leadership
skills. Leadership labs and field training exercises supplement
classroom work with practical leadership training and experience.
Upon graduation from college, ROTC graduates are commissioned
(certified) by the President of the United States to fulfill
their military obligations on active duty as regular or reserve
officers as an ensign for the Navy or second lieutenant for
the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps. The military obligation
(commitment) will vary for each branch of the military.
| ROTC is traditionally a
Four-Year Program, which is divided into two parts:
|
| 1. |
Basic
Course |
| |
The Basic
Course is normally taken in your freshman and sophomore
years. This includes classroom studies in subjects such
as military history, leadership development and national
defense. You can enroll in the program without any commitment
(no obligation) to the military for the first two years,
if you don’t have a ROTC scholarship. Acceptance
of a ROTC Scholarship requires a commitment to serve
as an officer for the service terms outline in the contract
after graduation.
If you miss the first two years of
ROTC, are a graduate of a junior or community college,
are entering a two-year postgraduate course of study,
or are in high school planning to attend a Military
Junior College, you may still qualify for a commission
through the two-year Program.
|
| 2. |
Advanced Course |
| |
After you
have successfully completed the Basic Course, you can
compete to gain admission into the Advanced Course.
The Advanced Course is usually taken during your two
final years of college and includes a paid five-week
Advanced Camp that is normally attended in the summer
between your junior and senior years. During this part
of the program, you can apply your newfound management
skills to the test. You will also continue to receive
instruction in tactics, ethics and professionalism. |
ROTC Scholarship
ROTC awards scholarships to hundreds of students each year
at college campuses across the United States. These scholarships
are awarded strictly on merit – to the most outstanding
students who apply, regardless of their family’s financial
status. ROTC scholarships vary based on the branch of service
and the type and/or length of the scholarship. ROTC scholarships
provide money for college tuition, educational fees, books,
and in some cases a monthly allowance. Scholarship recipients
participate in summer training while in college and must
fulfill their military obligation either active duty or
reserve service after graduation.
If you are interested in learning more about the ROTC Programs,
eligibility requirements, benefits, and application procedures,
contact the ROTC representative at the school you currently/plan
to attend. Current information can also be obtained by visiting
their web site, calling, or writing to the ROTC headquarters
for each Service at:
Army
ROTC (AROTC)
Gold QUEST Center
Box 3279
Warminster, PA 18794-0128
Tel. (800) USA-ROTC
Naval
ROTC (NROTC)
Navy Opportunity
Information Center
PO Box 9406
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-9979
Tel. (800) 327-NAVY or 1-800-USA-NAVY
Air
Force ROTC (AFROTC)
Recruiting Division
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell, AL 36112-6106
Tel. (205) 953-2091 or 1-800-522-0033 x2091
Marine
ROTC (MJROTC)
Command General
Marine Corps Recruiting Consul
Code MRON, 2 Navy Annex
Washington, DC 20380-1775
Tel. (703) 614-8541 or 1-800-MARINES
Career Profiles of ROTC Cadets
-
Coming Soon!
If your son or daughter wants to see what real-life experiences
in ROTC can be like, introduce them to these five people.
They represent a cross-section of services and backgrounds.
• Army ROTC
• Marine Corps ROTC
• Navy ROTC
• Air Force ROTC
Add Your Profile
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contact
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