What is Army ROTC?
Army ROTC is an elective curriculum you take along with your required college classes. It gives you the tools, training and experiences that will help you succeed in any competitive environment. Along with great leadership training, Army ROTC can pay for your college tuition. Because Army ROTC is an elective, you can participate your freshman and sophomore years without any obligation to join the Army. You will have a normal college student experience like everyone else on campus, but when you graduate, you will be commissioned as an Officer in the Army. At that point, you will have a wide range of interest areas you can specialize in called branches.
What is an Army Officer?
An Army officer is a leader. Similar to a manager in a corporation, an officer will assign tasks to their soldiers and ensure all work is accomplished to the highest standard. Officers lead by example and are willing to personally undertake any task that is assigned to a soldier. Officers are responsible for everything their unit accomplishes and fails to do.
How much money does ROTC usually award and what does the money go toward?
ROTC scholarships vary in monetary value. ROTC scholarships can either pay tuition and additional educational expenses or room and board. ROTC scholarships also offer a $420 monthly stipend and a $600 dollar stipend per semester.
If I enroll in Army ROTC, will I have a service obligation?
If you enroll in ROTC, you will not have a service obligation. The obligation comes when you decide to contract into the program (before or during your junior year) to become an officer.
Will ROTC interfere with my academic pursuits?
No. Our current Cadet Corps has a cumulative grade point average which is above the general university average. Yes, there are some time demands but academic success is the highest priority for our Cadets. You must do well academically to succeed in ROTC.
What can students expect to learn by taking ROTC?
ROTC will teach cadets how to become leaders and the skills needed to be a successful Army officer. You can expect to learn these skills through classroom instruction, leadership labs, and field training exercises. Cadets who continue on to the Advanced Course will be able to strengthen these skills during their summer between junior and senior year at Cadet Summer Training.
Do all Second Lieutenants who commission through ROTC serve on Active Duty?
Newly commissioned lieutenants can serve on Active Duty, National Guard, or with the Army Reserves. Cadets who receive Reserve Duty will serve in local Reserve or National Guard units one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. The Reserves are one of the best adjunct career and retirement systems in the U.S. today; allowing Soldiers to serve their nation while pursuing another career.
Can ROTC Cadets Be Deployed?
ROTC cadets cannot be deployed while in ROTC.
I’m already a second-year student. Is it too late to enroll into ROTC?
Second-year students have two option to enroll in ROTC. You can either take the first two years of military science classes (4 credits total) during your sophomore year or you can attend ROTC Basic Camp in the summer before junior year. Basic camp is a 31-day course in Fort Knox, KY that allows you to join the Advanced course (Junior and Senior year). It will catch you up on anything you missed in the first two years and they will pay you to attend the course.
What can Army ROTC do for me even if I only want to enroll for a year or two?
Enrolling in ROTC courses will help you in several ways.
- ROTC classes will give you leadership and managerial skills you can apply to any field.
- We will encourage you to stay in shape and you will be given the option to learn and practice various physical training methods.
- Give you the opportunity to learn about the Army.
- Give you the opportunity to meet people and make friends. Cadets consistently relate that one of the best aspects of ROTC is the people they meet with in the program.