Department of Military Science

The U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program offers college students the opportunity to earn a commission as an officer in the U.S. Army, the Army National Guard, or the U.S. Army Reserve while pursuing a college degree. This Program develops self-discipline, physical stamina, and personal bearing that contribute to success in any career. The first two years (Basic Course) of military training in ROTC are strictly voluntary for any student who is a United States citizen. An individual taking the Basic Course incurs absolutely no obligation to future military service. The Basic Course is normally completed during the freshman and sophomore years.

Objectives

The objectives of the ROTC Program are to:

attract, motivate, and prepare selected students to serve as commissioned officers in the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve;
provide ROTC cadets with the basic concepts and principles of military art and science; and
develop:
1. leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills;
2. a strong sense of the Army values (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage); and
3. strong Commissioned Officers who are confident as well as competent.

Program Description

The ROTC program is based on a four-year curriculum integrated with the normal baccalaureate degree program. Flexibility is provided through a number of options and alternatives.

The Four-Year Program

The Four-Year ROTC Program is divided into two parts: Basic Course and Advanced Course.

All freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to enroll in the Basic Course. The Basic Course is usually taken during the first two years of college. It covers such subjects as the Army organization, military customs and traditions, leadership development, basic military skills, and physical training. In addition, a variety of outside social and professional enrichment activities are available. All necessary ROTC textbooks, uniforms, and other essential materials for the Basic Course are furnished at no cost. After completion of the Basic Course, students who have demonstrated the potential to become Army officers and who have met the physical and scholastic standards are eligible to enroll in the Advanced Course.

The Advanced Course is usually taken during the final two years of college. It includes instruction in organization and management, tactics, ethics and professionalism, and further leadership development. All necessary textbooks and uniforms in the Advanced Course are also furnished to students.

ROTC cadets who have met all requirements are eligible to contract. Contracting means that a cadet has decided to support his or her country for a period of eight years. If selected for Active Duty, the term could be for all eight years or it could be a combination of Active Duty and Reserve time. For example, a commissioned cadet could serve three to four years on Active Duty and then elect to leave Active Duty and finish the remainder of the contract in the Reserves or National Guard. If not selected for Active Duty, then all eight years would be served in either the US Army Reserves or the State National Guard. The cadet is also required to perform an additional four years in the Inactive Ready Reserve, maintaining the cadet’s information with no drill requirement.

Also available to students is the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). Cadets who qualify for SMP will be assigned to a National Guard or Reserve unit to train under a lieutenant or captain in the headquarters element. The SMP cadet will receive E-5 (Sergeant) monthly Drill Pay (approximately $230) and, once contracted, an additional monthly $420 per month as a stipend from Army ROTC.

During the summer between their junior and senior years of college, Advanced Course cadets attend a paid five-week training session called Cadet Summer Training (CST). CST gives cadets the chance to demonstrate what they have learned in the classroom, and it introduces them to Army life “in the field.”

The Two-Year Curriculum

A Two-Year Program is provided for those students who cannot complete the normal four-year program before graduation. The Two-Year Program is designed for graduate school students and students at 4-year colleges who did not take ROTC during their first two years of school.

To enter the Two-Year Program, students must first attend a paid summer training session called Basic Camp. Basic Camp is a 31-day training event designed to introduce Cadets to the Army. The objective is to develop Cadet leadership skills and train them on individual and junior leader tasks to develop and reinforce Warrior Ethos and Army Values. Basic Camp provides the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in ROTC, and, ultimately, the Army. Basic Camp Cadets graduate the course prepared to lead at the team (3-4 Cadets) and squad (9-13 Cadets) level. This program is followed by enrollment in the Advanced Course to complete the ROTC Program.

Students may opt to enroll in the Advanced Course during their junior year and attend Basic Camp during the summer between their junior and senior years.

Compression and Alternate

The Basic Course may be compressed into a single year by simultaneous enrollment in Freshman and Sophomore ROTC classes. This option is available to sophomore students who did not enroll in ROTC during their freshman year. Students must receive prior approval from the Military Science Department Chair to exercise this option.

Army ROTC Scholarships Financial Assistance

Scholarship opportunities exist for a Two- or Three-year ROTC Scholarship or Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship (GFRD). Three-year scholarships are open to freshmen and first semester sophomores. The Two-year ROTC and GRFD and Three-year ROTC Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. In some instances based upon the student’s performance a scholarship can increased, i.e., a three year becomes a four year. For more information on the scholarship process, please call the ECSU ROTC Scholarship, Enrollment and Recruiting Operations Officer at (252) 335-3917.

Each scholarship pays for either room and board or college tuition and required educational fees, and it provides a specified amount for textbooks, supplies, and equipment. Each scholarship recipient or contracted cadet will receive a subsistence of $420 per month (cadets are actually paid every two weeks). Cadets who are in the advanced courses (juniors and seniors), who are not regular army scholarship cadets, can compete for Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) slots in their unit and earn up to $1,000 per month.

Students who have prior military service (have completed Basic Training) and are in the Reserves can earn a commission in two years if they meet the requirements.

Precommissioning Assessment System - Precontracting Phase

Entry Criteria

Assessment Element	Standard
CITIZENSHIP	U.S. Citizen Selected Alien Students
AGE	Under 27 At Time of Commissioning unless Prior Service
CHARACTER	No Record of Disciplinary Problems or Civil Conviction
STANDARD MEDICAL EXAM	Army Regulation 40-501
ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST (APFT)	180(60/60/60)
STRUCTURED INTERVIEW	Acceptable Ratings on At Least 7 of 12 Leadership Dimensions
ACADEMIC STANDING	Full-time Student
GRADE POINT AVERAGE	2.5 on 4.0 Scale
BASIC COURSE PERFORMANCE	2.5 GPA on 4.0 Scale
CADET INITIAL ENTRY TRAINING CAMP (CIET)	Student Potential Index
BASIC CAMP PERFORMANCE (Two-Year Program)	100 = Average 110 = Strong Performance 90 = Whole Person Evaluation
OVERALL LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL	Results of All Other Elements Professor of Military Science Judgment and Evaluation

Precommissioning Assessment System - Precommissioning Phase

Exit Criteria

Assessment Element	Standard
CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE	2.0 on 4.0 Scale
ADVANCED COURSE PERFORMANCE	2.0 GPA minimum in each class
CADET SUMMER TRAINING COURSE (CST)	Pass CST with a minimum of an overall Capable rating and Satisfactory in the categories below. Land Navigation Written Exams & Tests Marksmanship Events Troop Leading Procedure Events Creative & Critical Thinking Challenges Peer Evaluation
OVERALL LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL	Results of All Other Elements Professor of Military Science Evaluation

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