No. 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.
Enlisted personnel enter the Army through basic training. A college degree is not required and their skill set is very specific. An officer must have a college degree and has a much broader set of skills. Officers are held accountable and are responsible for the training of enlisted personnel with the help of their Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs).
All cadets who choose to contract with Army ROTC will have a total service obligation of 8 years. The first 4 years are served in either the Active Army, the National Guard, or the Army Reserve. The final 4 years are served in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR), which means no full-time service unless the Federal Government calls you back to service in time of war or great need.
- Dual-citizens must renounce their non-U.S. citizenship
- Non-U.S. citizens must become U.S. citizens to contract and commission
The Simultaneous Membership Program allows you to attend Army ROTC and serve in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard at the same time. It gives you an opportunity for additional training and experience. Cadets serve as Officer Trainees in the Reserve or National Guard while completing college. You can earn Reserve/Guard pay and benefits in addition to your Army ROTC allowances.
Yes, upon availability there are opportunities for cadets to be offered an Army ROTC Scholarship, which the cadet may choose to commission into either the National Guard or the Army Reserves.
BOLC A (ROTC), Cadets learn the basics of leadership, a pre-commissioning course
BOLC B: Newly commissioned officers learn the basic skills and responsibilities appropriate to the officer assigned branch.
What kind of training is conducted through the Army ROTC?
The main focus of Army ROTC is leader development. Tactically, cadets will learn how to conduct and lead battle drills, how to move with, and lead, their units, basic marksmanship skills, land navigation skills, and hands-on opportunities to develop and refine their leadership skills.
What is physical training like for Army ROTC?
Physical training is normally conducted Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 0630-0730 hours. Physical training is done to condition the whole body, but also builds mental toughness and Esprit de Corps within the team. Events are slightly strenuous and most cadets drop weight and build muscle throughout the program in order to meet the Army physical fitness testing standards.
Can I be deployed while participating in Army ROTC?
You will not be deployed if you are a contracted Army ROTC cadet unless you volunteer or in the case of a declaration of war or national emergency declared by Congress or the President.
Can I study abroad while a member of Army ROTC?
Yes, but it is usually authorized first by the Army ROTC Professor of Military Science.
Cadets have the opportunity to participate in the fully funded Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) program. In this program, cadets train and interact with foreign militaries and their cadets.
What is an FTX or LDX?
Field Training Exercise (sometimes referred to as a Leadership Development Exercise-LDX) is a training event where cadets apply learned skills in a field environment. Usually FTX’s require overnight stays in the field, and training focuses on leadership development with a concentration on navigational skills and tactical training.
What are the special schools that I can attend through Army ROTC?
Cadets selected to attend Army special schools gain valuable leadership skills and training not offered on campus. ROTC Cadets can attend several Army training courses such as Basic Parachutist Course (Airborne), Air Assault, and Army National Guard Mountain Warfare Course.
What are the physical requirements for contracting?
All Cadets must be able to pass all three Army Physical Fitness Testing events and meet height/weight requirements. The three events are two minutes of Push Ups, two minutes of Sit Ups, and a two-mile run.
What are the height/weight standards?
Each cadet is individually responsible for maintaining the Army standards for height and weight. A table of the height and weight standards can be found on Page 4 of AR 600-9 here.
What about haircuts, wearing uniforms, and harassment?
You have to be well-groomed; hair off your ears and not down your shoulders (crew-cut not required). You will learn how to wear a uniform properly, but the uniform is only required to be worn during class times and training, and is provided. Harassment or any type of discrimination is absolutely not permitted. It is counter to our professional ethic, degrades the effectiveness of any unit, and is completely unacceptable and not allowed.
What is a DoDMERB?
The Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB) is the Department of Defense Agency responsible for the determination of medical qualification of applicants for appointment to a United States Service Academy, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Programs of the United States Armed Forces, and other programs as assigned by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.
What is a “remedial”?
A remedial is a need for more testing or clarification on the part of the DoDMERB after the initial physical.
Who pays for a remedial?
The student pays for a remedial. University medical health center may covers up to 80%.
What is a medical waiver?
A medical waiver is requested if you are medically disqualified for any reason from the DoDMERB physical. If disqualified, the ROTC department will help direct you on how to obtain a medical waiver, if applicable.
Is there an opportunity to apply for an Army ROTC scholarship if I am already in Army ROTC?
Yes, upon availability there are opportunities to apply for a campus-based scholarship. The number of available scholarships are limited and awarded to extremely competitive cadets.
What does an Army ROTC scholarship cover?
Full tuition and fees, a monthly stipend, a uniform allowance and a book allowance.
Does an Army ROTC scholarship cover room and board?
The Army ROTC Scholarship will cover either full tuition and fees, or room and board. If the cadet has a separate scholarship that will cover tuition and fees, the Army ROTC Scholarship will pay for room and board. If the Army ROTC Scholarship is covering tuition and fees the cadet is responsible for room and board.
Most universities and colleges provide additional financial aid to ROTC cadets to assist in the costs not covered by ROTC. Check with the Recruiting Operations Officer to find other methods of financial aid unique to your given situation and college.
For Cadets who are enrolled at John Carroll, the University will cover the cost of room and board plans at the standard option rate for any cadet who is on scholarship.
What is the process of obtaining a scholarship?
For high school students competing for the national based scholarship, please visit http://www.goarmy.com/rotc.html
For more information contact:
Ms. Theresa Bodnar, Recruitment Officer, Cleveland's Army ROTC at John Carroll University Department of Military Science.
Phone number: (216) 397-4286
More information regarding the total cost of attendance can be found here.