| Unit Name: | U.S. Army ROTC |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Dates: | 1916–present |
| Specialization: | Officer Training |
| Commander1: | BG Maurice O. Barnett |
| Commander1 Label: | Commanding General |
| Commander2: | BG Steven M. King |
| Commander2 Label: | Deputy Commanding General |
| Commander3: | CSM Roy A. Young |
| Commander3 Label: | Command Sergeant Major |
| Garrison: | Fort Knox, Kentucky |
| Motto: | "Leadership Excellence" |
| Website: | ROTC Website |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Distinctive unit insignia |
The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC) is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program which is a group of college and university-based officer training programs for training commissioned officers for the United States Army and its reserves components: the Army Reserves and the Army National Guard.[1] [2] There are over 30,000 Army ROTC cadets enrolled in 274 ROTC programs at major universities throughout the United States.[3] These schools are categorized as Military Colleges (MC), Military Junior Colleges (MJC) and Civilian Colleges (CC).[4] [5]
All of these units are commanded by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, whose official mission is summarized by the US Army as being "to select, educate, train, and commission college students to be officers and leaders of character in the Total Army and form partnerships with high schools to conduct JROTC programs to develop citizens of character for a lifetime of commitment and service to the nation."[6]
The modern Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps was created by the National Defense Act of 1916. This program commissioned its first class of lieutenants in 1920. However, the concept behind ROTC had its roots in military training which began taking place in civilian colleges and universities as early as 1819 with the founding of Norwich University, now located in Northfield, Vermont, followed by various state-chartered military schools and finally civilian land grant colleges after the Civil War, which required military training.
For a cadet who only completes the first two years of ROTC (Basic Course), there is no military obligation, unless the student is a 3–4 year scholarship cadet or has other specific scholarships. If a cadet has accepted a scholarship, service commitments may vary. With some exceptions, in order to progress to the last two years of the program (Advanced Course) the cadet must contract with the United States Army. To do so, the student enlists in the United States Army Reserve Control Group (ROTC) as a cadet and elects to serve on either active duty or in a reserve component (Army National Guard or Army Reserve).
The following is an outline of a general military science program.
A student who does not meet all of the above requirements should consult with the Department of Military Science and Leadership to determine if waivers can be granted.
The course sequence in this year is mainly focused on the application of leadership and small-unit tactics. Cadets are assigned rotating leadership positions within the School Battalion and are evaluated on their performance and leadership abilities while in those positions. Third-year cadets practice briefing operations orders, executing small-unit tactics, leading and participating in physical training and preparing for successful performance at the four-week Cadet Leader Course during the summer following the third year. Under current regulations, attendance at the course is mandatory (in the past, Ranger School was offered as an alternative to select cadets).
While filling these positions, the MSIII is evaluated according to the Army Leadership Requirements Model (ALRM) which centers on what a leader is (attributes) and what a leader does (competencies), outlined by the following model.[8]
| Attributes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Presence | Intellect | |
| Army values | Military and professional bearing | Mental agility | |
| Empathy | Fitness | Sound judgment | |
| Warrior ethos/Service ethos | Confidence | Innovation | |
| Discipline | Resilience | Interpersonal tact | |
| Expertise | |||
| Leads | Develops | Achieves | |
| Leads others | Creates a positive environment/Fosters esprit de corps | Gets results | |
| Builds trust | Prepares self | ||
| Extends influence beyond the chain of command | Develops others | ||
| Leads by Example | Stewards the profession | ||
| Communicates | |||
| Competencies | |||
The evaluation is usually given by an MS IV and is delivered in writing using a Developmental Counseling form, DA 4856. Cadets are counseled on their performance through the ALRM attributes and competencies. At the end of the MSIII school year, these counselings are collected and help determine a cadet's ranking on the Order of Merit List (OML), a ranking of all ROTC Cadets in the nation that impacts how Cadets receive their component and branch when they commission.
Branch assignments are made according to the needs of the Army. Consideration is given to the cadet's area of academic specialty and their individual desires. Army policy is to assign graduating cadets to a branch and specialty code based on the following:
Leadership labs place cadets in leadership positions, teach and provide practical experience in military drill and ceremonies, troop leading procedures, small unit tactical operations, rappelling and water survival. Labs are held during the week and run for approximately two hours.
Physical fitness training builds physical conditioning, teamwork, and self-confidence. Physical fitness training sessions are typically scheduled for approximately one-hour and the intensity, time and type of exercises varies. All ROTC Cadets must pass the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with at least the minimum (60 points) in each of the six exercises according to the standards for their age and sex.[9] Each program may further make its own standards. For example, a program may set a standard of scoring no less than 70% (10% more than the Army requires) in each category. Failure to reach the program standard may require increased physical fitness training on otherwise days of rest (commonly known as "incentive” or “remedial” PT).
Physical fitness is also a graded component of the Order of Merit List in the branching process. Cadets with higher scores on the ACFT during their MSIII year and at Advanced Camp receive more points in this category, which places them higher on the OML and makes performing well in physical fitness necessary for Cadets to receive their preferred branch and component.
ROTC Cadets must train for the military at the same time that they complete their college degree. This entails numerous commitments during and outside the school year. Cadets are typically (situation may vary in military colleges) mandated to wear military uniforms to college classes one day per week, take military science classes as one of their regular course requirements, attend physical fitness training during the week and participate in field training exercises on some weekends. The summers following Cadets' sophomore and junior years typically involve training courses at Fort Knox or other military installations, at a time when other students might typically pursue internships or research opportunities.
The cadre at each university consist of military personnel and civilian technical assistants who run the ROTC program. It is the cadre's job to teach the military science classes and oversee the day-to-day operations of the ROTC program. Every Army ROTC program has a Professor of Military Science, usually a Lieutenant Colonel; it is his/her job to instruct the MSIVs as they make the transition from Cadet to Second Lieutenant. Depending on the size of the program, there are typically other cadre members including an Assistant Professor of Military Science, usually a senior Captain or a Major who teaches younger Cadets, and a Senior Military Instructor, usually a senior NCO who teaches basic military skills and tactics.
The United States Army offers ROTC scholarships that assist students with financing their education.
There are numerous types of Army ROTC scholarships available for both high school and college students.:[10]
There are three different types of scholarships available to high school students. These scholarships are won through the national ROTC scholarship selection board which convenes on three different dates that vary slightly each school year.
ROTC scholarships for those already attending college will cover the remaining years of their college.
The Army ROTC scholarship entitles its recipients to full-tuition assistance, as well as a textbook/fee allowance and a monthly stipend to cover the student's living expenses. Typically, cadets receive tuition assistance. However, they also have the option to apply the scholarship to their 'room and board' expenses instead of school tuition.
The Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) is an alternative route to receive military scholarship benefits. The program requires cadets to enlist in a reserve unit (Army Reserve or National Guard) while enrolled in ROTC. ECP cadets are required to enlist in the Army Reserves or the Army National Guard during their two years at a Military Junior College, and will be in the SMP program. SMP cadets are not required to complete Basic Combat Training (BCT) or Advanced Individual Training (AIT), but it is necessary to receive specific benefits. The benefits are as follows:
Once contracted, SMP cadets cannot be deployed. However, they are required to attend all drill events with their unit. This includes drill weekend and advanced training.
Cadets may compete for training opportunities conducted at active army schools. This training is usually conducted during the summer months, but some allocations are available during the winter holidays. Cadets are selected to attend this training based on their overall standing within the program. Since the number of allocations are limited, selection for schools is competitive and based on factors including ROTC grades, academic grades, participation in ROTC activities, APFT scores and advisor recommendations.
Cadets are trained in airmobile operations, including rappelling from helicopters, airmobile tactics and rigging air mobile cargo. This is a two-week course taught at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Upon successful completion, the cadet is awarded the Air Assault Badge.
Army airborne training is conducted for three weeks at Fort Moore, Georgia. Upon successful completion, cadets are awarded the Parachutist Badge.
An initiative of ASA/MRA, allows cadets to work with a variety of programs across the nation, such as Department of the Army (DA), the Office of the Chief of the Army Reserve (OCAR), National Guard Bureau (NGB), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), European Command (EUCOM), Africa Command (AFRICOM), or the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) for 3–8 weeks.
Cadet Troop Leadership Training is an optional program for MSIII cadets during the summer following completion of LDAC. This three-week CONUS or four-week OCONUS program trains cadets in lieutenant positions with active army units. Assignments are available in nearly all branches and with units worldwide.
Drill Cadet Leadership Training is very similar to Cadet Troop Leadership training but it takes place at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. During the three weeks, cadets will follow around drill sergeants and the officers of each basic training company.
The Northern Warfare Training course is a three-week course covering tactical operations in a cold weather climate. The course is taught at Fort Greely in Alaska. Cadets are trained in winter survival techniques, skiing, snowshoeing and cold weather patrolling.
The Army Mountain Warfare course is taught at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont. It is taught in two phases, each lasting two weeks. The summer phase teaches and tests cadets on military mountaineering operations including rock climbing, rappelling and orienteering. The winter phase teaches and tests on similar tasks, but in the winter environment. It includes ice climbing, cross-country skiing and cold weather operations.
The Sapper Leader Course focuses on the application of a mixture of infantry and combat engineer small unit tactics to forces composed of one or more branch of service. Additionally, this course focuses on advancing the leadership skills of its students within these environments. The course is taught in two sections which each focus on different tasks. The first consists of general information including combat lifesaving, meeting physical fitness standards, demolitions, explosive hazard recognition, land navigation, knot tying, as well as air, mountain and water operations training. The second phase consists of tactics which relate specifically to patrolling and combat operations with topics covering movement formations, intelligence gathering, planning operations, MOUT, and a field training. The course as a whole lasts for 28 days. Phase one makes up the first thirteen days of training while phase two training takes up the remaining 15 days.[12] Of these last 15 days, the field training exercise takes 9 to complete. To be accepted into the program, a prospective student must show proficiency in multiple areas of physical fitness, as well as knowledge of battle drills. To meet the minimum physical standards, a candidate must pass the APFT as well as the height and weight measures. Additionally, the results of the Combat Water Survival Test are required.[13] All training is conducted on the U.S. Army installation of Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. On graduation, successful students will be awarded the sapper tab.[14]
For ROTC Cadets, participation in the Robin Sage exercise is the opportunity to train in guerilla tactics with Special Forces candidates conducting the exercise. During the training, cadets act as a guerrilla force in Pineland, a fictional independent state which has been invaded, who are trained by special forces candidates.[15] The training opportunity covers a variety of battle drills all focused around fieldcraft for small units. Some general items such as operations planning, medical procedures, troop movements and demolitions are among the more prominent skills taught in this environment. The exercise encompasses 20 days of training. For ROTC Cadets, selection for training is dependent upon performance academically, and physically. The training is conducted in the civilian areas around Ft Bragg, North Carolina. During training, the 15 counties in central North Carolina are used to represent the independent state of Pineland. For ROTC candidates, no awards are received as this is part of a training exercise and not an independent school.[16]
Ranger Challenge is the varsity sport of Army ROTC. A Ranger Challenge team is made up of 9 people, 8 active participant and 1 reserved.[17] They compete against other colleges throughout the nation in events such as patrolling, weapons assembly, one-rope bridge, Army Physical Fitness Test, land navigation and a ten-kilometer road march.
A color guard is responsible for posting the colors for ceremonial events (football games, dining ins and dining outs, military balls and commencements), as well as cannon detail at football games, in order to show honor towards flag and country.
These formal social events are designed to allow cadets to experience the type of social gathering and military etiquette they can expect as future commissioned officers. Cadets are encouraged to bring spouses or dates. Many dignitaries are invited, including the school president, certain university officials and representatives of veterans' societies, parents and relatives.
ROTC is composed of eight brigades which command 273 ROTC units, referred to as battalions (though these units are typically much smaller than regular army battalions). The brigades command ROTC units throughout different regions of the country:[18]
The commander of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps is dual-hatted as the commanding general of U.S. Army Cadet Command since 2011.[19]
In 1960, General George H. Decker became the first ROTC graduate named Chief of Staff of the Army. General Colin Powell was the first ROTC graduate named Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was a graduate of the City College of New York and later served as the United States Secretary of State.
Chiefs of staff of the Army or Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to graduate from Army ROTC include:
The Citadel has produced 293 general and flag officers as of June 30, 2017.[20] VMI had produced 265 as of 2006.[21] The University of Oregon has produced the highest number of general officers out of the civilian ROTC schools, with a total of 47.[22]
There are three Department of the Army decorations authorized exclusively to cadets:
Outside these, cadets are eligible for numerous U.S. Army awards and decorations, as well as awards and decorations sponsored by various military societies and organizations.[23] [24]
Cadets who demonstrated academic and leadership excellence can be designated as a distinguished military student (DMS) or distinguished military graduate (DMG). A Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) is a Cadet who has: