ROTC
The Reserve Officer Training Corps produces the future officer leadership of the U.S. Army.
What is ROTC?
The ROTC is an academic program offering college students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills as they pursue their education in one of the university's major fields of study. Students attend classes introducing them to the Army's heritage, values, and its role in a democratic society, problem solving and decision-making processes, and junior officer management (e.g. personnel, training, and logistics). Basic military skills are taught throughout the curriculum. All activities, including developmental counseling, are designed to build self-confidence and character.
What is the benefit of enrolling in ROTC?
Whether it is only a single semester or the full four-year program, the self-confidence, discipline, time management, fitness, problem solving, written and oral communication, and leadership skills taught and developed during the ROTC program are highly desirable qualities for any career.
Do I have a military obligation?
No. A non-scholarship student has no obligation to the military while taking military science courses as a freshman or sophomore. As with any of your other subjects, you will only be required to attend lecture and laboratory classes.
If you decided to continue with the program in your junior and senior years, you will be asked to make a military commitment. This commitment brings added responsibilities and a monetary stipend.
Are there scholarship opportunities?
Yes. As a high school junior and senior you may apply for a four-year scholarship. As an incoming freshman, you may apply for a three-year scholarship. Qualified sophomores may apply for a two-year scholarship. Scholarships pay for tuition, fees, and a book allowance each semester. You will also be eligible to receive a stipend of up to $5,000 per year. In addition, the Pennsylvania National Guard offers an Educational Assistance Program that pays full tuition for qualified individuals.
What courses do I take?
The ROTC program is designed to be taken over four years (eight semesters); however, there are a wide variety of options available to current or transferring sophomores and even upperclassman or graduate students. Students who do not participate in the first two years may earn equivalency credit for completion of a 4-week training course held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, each summer. Interested student should enroll in Introduction to ROTC (MIL 131) in the fall semester or Introduction to Leadership (MIL 132) in the spring semester and/or contact the department.
Are there extracurricular activities I can attend?
ROTC students of all levels are invited to attend:
- Field training exercises
- Physical training
- Ranger Challenge competition
- Social affairs
- 10K and 10 mile races
- There are also opportunities for contracted cadets to attend U.S. Army schools such as Airborne, Air Assault, and Mountain Warfare.
What are my career choices?
Upon completion of the ROTC program and graduation, the student is commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army and may serve on active duty or in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard. Officers are managers within the Army. There are numerous career fields including: the combat arms (Infantry, Armor, Artillery, and Aviation), the Corps of Engineers, Military Police, Military Intelligence, Signal--which covers all aspects of communications and information management systems and various personnel or logistics management specialties: human resources (Adjutant General Corps), finance, transportation, supply-chain (Quartermaster) and maintenance (Ordnance). Most newly commissioned Second Lieutenants begin their careers as the leader of a platoon consisting of approximately 30 enlisted soldiers.
Can I join the National Guard or the Reserves instead of the Active Army?
During the senior year of college, ROTC students are reviewed for accession into the U.S. Army. After acceptance, cadets are awarded a Reserve Commission and incur an obligation. Part or all of this obligation may be served in the National Guard or the Army Reserve, with weekend duty once a month and a two-week commitment in the summer. An officer from the Reserve Component is assigned to Shippensburg University to help you find a unit near your residence.
Where can I get more information about ROTC?
For specific program information, contact:
Department of Military Science
Shippensburg University
1871 Old Main Drive
Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299
717-477-1896
Website: http://www.ship.edu/rotc/