16 Facts About ROTC

1.

In 2020, ROTC graduates constituted 70 percent of newly commissioned active-duty U S Army officers, 83 percent of newly commissioned U S Marine Corps officers, 61 percent of newly commissioned U S Navy officers and 63 percent of newly commissioned U S Air Force officers, for a combined 56 percent of all active-duty officers in the Department of Defense commissioned that year.

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2.

ROTC students attend college like other students, but receive basic military training and officer training for their chosen branch of service through the ROTC unit at or nearby the college.

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3.

Army ROTC units are organized as brigades, battalions and companies.

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4.

Air Force ROTC units are detachments with the students organized into wings, groups, squadrons and flights.

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5.

Naval ROTC units are organized as battalions and include NROTC students under "Marine Option" who will eventually be commissioned as officers in the Marine Corps.

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6.

Some of the summer training that is offered to cadets in the Army ROTC program are: Airborne, Air Assault, Mountain Warfare, WHINSEC and other related schools.

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7.

The college from which ROTC originated is Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont.

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8.

In 1916, the provision to formally establish ROTC was advocated to Congress by a delegation from Ohio including William Oxley Thompson, President of the Ohio State University.

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9.

Congress agreed, and the ROTC provision was included in the final version of the National Defense Act of 1916.

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10.

In some places ROTC was expelled from campus altogether, although it was always possible to participate in off-campus ROTC.

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11.

The Harvard ROTC program was reinstated effective March 4, 2011 following enactment of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.

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12.

Under current law, there are three types of ROTC programs administered, each with a different element.

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13.

ROTC is voluntary for students attending civilian colleges and universities.

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14.

Army ROTC provides the majority of the Army's officer corps; the remainder comes from West Point, Officer Candidate School, or direct commissions.

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15.

AROTC offers scholarships based on the time of enrollment in the program.

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16.

The naval NROTC program is offered at over 150 colleges nationwide.

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