ROTC

With each week comes different types of training designed to teach you how to parachute out of airplanes and helicopters. It is an exciting, nonstop course that will push you to the limit.

Filling the need for special arctic warfare training is the United States Army’s Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC). An exclusive school that provides training in arctic survival, navigation of land and waterways, military skiing, mountaineering and river crossing operations. The school trains not only active duty soldiers but soldiers from other services, reserve soldiers, ROTC, West Point cadets and allied military soldiers. Emphasis during the summer is placed on mountain warfare while the winter months are used to train soldiers on how to adapt to living in the field, clothing use and maintenance, as well as snowshoeing and military skiing. NWTC is also the home of the Army Mountaineering Team. Each year the team joins soldiers from allied countries to attempt a multinational friendship climb up Mount McKinley.

Mountain Warfare School is a two-week course conducted at the Ethan Allen Firing Range at Jericho, Vt. Both a summer and a winter phase are offered. Its mission is to develop and conduct resident mountain warfare training under both summer and winter conditions. The mountain warfare course develops the leadership and technical skills of Army personnel by requiring them to perform mountaineering tasks in a realistic tactical mountain environment. It provides the student with the practical hands-on experience in the application of tactics and techniques needed for mountain operations.

Air Assault training is available at different Army posts across the country. It is a 10- to 12-day course consisting of physical training, sling load training, rappelling, and a 12-mile timed road march in full combat gear.

CTLT increases each cadet’s leadership experience. Each cadet is assigned to a platoon leader position and given an opportunity to lead soldiers. It familiarizes cadets with the command, training, administration and logistical functions of active duty units. It also exposes cadets to the on-duty and off-duty environment of the junior officer.

Future Reserve and Active Duty officers
A Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) option
An opportunity for Guard and Reserve units to select future Reserve officers
ROTC cadets who can assume officer responsibilities while serving in Reserve Component units

Upon completion of the ROTC program, the officer has an eight-year obligation that can be served in the Reserve Forces, on Active Duty, or a combination of the two.

Anyone who:

Has completed Basic Training or equivalent
Has junior standing at his/her school
Is physically qualified
Is under 30 years of age when commissioned (waivered through age 34)
Nursing students have to be less than 41 by Dec. 31 of your graduation year
Has a 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 grade scale
Has four years left on current military obligation
Is a full-time student
U.S. citizen

An opportunity to gain a commission while going to college and to serve in a Reserve Component Unit
Hands-on management and leadership training
A ROTC stipend plus E-5 pay while at drill
Annual Training and LDAC pay
Montgomery GI Bill and Tuition Assistance
An opportunity to win a two-year RFD scholarship
A future as an officer on Active Duty or Reserve Duty
Opportunity for volunteer training in Airborne, Air Assault, Northern or Mountain Warfare Training

Students who enroll in ROTC don’t join the Army. They take an ROTC class for which they receive credit. It’s considered a college elective.

ROTC cadets go directly to college where they earn their degree.

ROTC cadets spend their time like typical college students. The course consists of a classroom lecture two times a week, a lab once a week, and one weekend per semester for a field training exercise (FTX).

Simply, the leadership and management skills needed to become a U.S. Army officer or to have a successful civilian career. During the Basic Course, your studies will include basic leadership development, basic military skills, adventure training, and life skills. During the Advanced Course, your studies will include advanced leadership skills, management skills, advanced tactics and Army ethics.

Students in ROTC learn through a unique program that involves both classroom and live situations. For instance, an ROTC cadet might be found leading classmates through adventure training.

During the first two years, ROTC cadets have no military obligation (or the first year in the case of scholarship winners). If you decide to continue with ROTC for a third and forth year, there is a military obligation after graduation.

Following graduation, ROTC cadets are required to serve in the active Army, Army National Guard or the Army Reserve. All scholarship students will be required to serve in the military for a period of eight years. This obligation may be fulfilled by serving two to four years on active duty, followed by four to six years service as citizen soldiers in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve, or by serving eight years in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve preceded by the period necessary to complete the active component resident officer basic course.

Non-scholarship students may serve three years on active duty and five years as citizen soldiers, or they may select or be selected to fulfill their total military obligation as citizen soldiers. If Reserve Forces duty is selected, graduates will serve a period of active duty necessary to complete the active component officer basic course, and spend the remaining eight-year obligation in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve.

ROTC is divided into phases. The Basic Course teaches Army history, organization and structure. Techniques and principles of leadership and management are stressed throughout this phase. The Advanced Course concentrates on tactical operations and military instruction, as well as advanced techniques of management, leadership and command.

Yes. Each year hundreds of students attending colleges nationwide receive ROTC scholarships. ROTC awards them to students studying science, engineering, nursing, business, as well as a variety of other majors.

ROTC scholarships are awarded on merit. Merit is exhibited in academic achievement and extracurricular activities, such as sports, student government or part-time work.

Anyone can enroll in ROTC, regardless of whether you are a scholarship winner or not. All ROTC books, supplies and equipment are furnished at no cost to you.

In college and after graduation, cadets find that the training and experience they receive are assets — whether pursuing an Army or civilian career. Employers place high regard on the management and leadership skills cadets acquire in the ROTC program. ROTC experience looks great on a résumé. When cadets complete the ROTC course and graduate, they become commissioned officers in the U.S. Army.