If you are torn between college and military service, the Army ROTC may be the answer you have been searching for. The Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) is part of your college curriculum and through classes, physical and field training exercises, you will learn leadership skills, motivation techniques and how to conduct missions as an Officer in the Army. Upon graduation, you will be commissioned with the bar of a Second Lieutenant in the Active Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard.
If you decide that the Army ROTC is right for you, there are several options available to you at different educational or military service levels. Here are three examples:
High School Students – talk to an academic advisor to find available schools with the ROTC program
College Students – you can start by taking an Army ROTC basic elective course. If two or more years remain towards completion of your undergraduate degree, but not enough time to complete the Basic Course, you can enter the Army ROTC Advanced Course by completing the Leader’s Training Course held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, during the summer.
Simultaneous Membership program – You can serve in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard and attend Army ROTC and at the same time. It gives you an opportunity for additional training and experience. As an ROTC cadets, you serve as an officer trainee in the Reserve or National Guard while completing your college coursesse. You are eligible to earn Reserve or Guard pay and benefits in addition to your Army ROTC allowances.