Frequently Asked Questions
What is ROTC?
ROTC or Reserve Officers' Training Corps, is a commissioning program for training and developing military officers while they are full time college students. There are ROTC programs for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, however the Pride of PA is an Army ROTC program exclusively and there are no other ROTC programs offered in Erie.
For more information on Army ROTC in general visit the Army's website.
For more information on Army ROTC in general visit the Army's website.
What rank will I be after completing ROTC?
Cadets that successfully complete the Army ROTC course of study, and graduate with a 4 year degree (or higher) from their college or university, are commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant.
What are the requirements for participating in Army ROTC?
There are a couple requirements that must be met in order to be an Army ROTC Cadet:
- Full time student in a bachelor program (or higher) at a college/university that has an Army ROTC program
- Enrolled in a ROTC class, at some schools this also requires signing up for a lab component as well
- For incoming Freshman looking to participate, speak to your academic advisor about taking ROTC
What are the requirements for completing Army ROTC?
In order to commission as a Second Lieutenant, there are several requirements which must be met:
- Complete the entire ROTC program of study
- Graduate with a bachelor's degree (or higher) from the academic program which was undertaken while a Cadet
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Successfully complete Advance Camp (month long summer training, usually done between Junior and Senior years)
- Pass Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)
- Pass Army height and weight standards
- Pass the Combat Water Survival Test (CWST)
- Pass the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB)
- Be a U.S. citizen
I didn't join ROTC my first semester Freshman year, can I still participate in/complete ROTC?
Yes. If you are interested in taking part in ROTC it is best to do so sooner rather than later, this will afford you more learning opportunities as well as reduce the workload later. Though most Cadets participate in ROTC during all four years of college, there are still many Cadets that don't start ROTC until later in their schooling. All of the coursework and lessons will be made up through a compression process, this is so that all Cadets receive the same ROTC program of study nation wide. For example, a Freshman can join ROTC their second semester and will take the regular class designed for the Spring semester Freshman year. If they choose to continue with the program, they will be given the option to take both the Freshman and Sophomore classes at the same time their first semester Sophomore year. This will catch them up with their peers by the end of the first semester of their Sophomore year and put them on track to complete the full ROTC program of study, which is a requirement to become an Officer via ROTC.
It is possible to complete ROTC in as little as two years, as long as you are able to participate in Basic Camp for a month the summer before starting the Junior year of ROTC. This option is not as common and is usually reserved for potential cadets who demonstrate a specific need for this arrangement or are highly motivated.
If you have less than two years remaining in college, you are still able to take the Freshman and Sophomore classes for credit and a grade, but will not be able to complete the ROTC program of study and commission as an officer via this route.
It is possible to complete ROTC in as little as two years, as long as you are able to participate in Basic Camp for a month the summer before starting the Junior year of ROTC. This option is not as common and is usually reserved for potential cadets who demonstrate a specific need for this arrangement or are highly motivated.
If you have less than two years remaining in college, you are still able to take the Freshman and Sophomore classes for credit and a grade, but will not be able to complete the ROTC program of study and commission as an officer via this route.
Can I complete Army ROTC and then move to another service (Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard)?
No. Army ROTC is a commissioning program for Army Officers only. While students who are interested in other services are able to take the Basic Course (the first two years of Army ROTC) and still change to another service, once a Cadet contracts with Army ROTC they are committed to becoming an Army Officer.
Could I be deployed during college?
No. Cadets, even contracted Cadets, are not deployable until after they have commissioned as Officers. Even then, newly commissioned Second Lieutenants need to attend the Basic Officer Leader's Course (BOLC) for their assigned branch (their job in the Army; Infantry, Military Intelligence, Finance, Etc.) before they are sent to their units. The only possible exception to this is Cadets that are already Enlisted in the National Guard or Army Reserve, but have not contracted with ROTC.
Can I be guaranteed _____ job in the Army upon commissioning?
No. Unlike enlisting in the Army, there are no guarantees what branch you will be assigned when you join ROTC. There are 17 branches which a cadet could be assessed into during their final year of ROTC. These are, in no particular order:
The assessions process takes into account important factors such as (but not limited to) grades, scores on the Army Physical Fitness Test, evaluation at Advance Camp, evaluation by your Professor of Military Science, and involvement on campus. These factors are used to rank all of the Army ROTC Cadets in the same year across the country in an Order of Merit List (OML). The higher on the OML a Cadet is, the more likely they are to receive their top choices for branch, component, and post.
After commissioning and training at the respective Basic Officer Leader's Course (BOLC) for their branch, there are often chances to further specialize within that branch for Officers. In addition, there are several branches and specializations that are not open to be assessed into immediately. Special Forces, Psychological Operations, and Civil Affairs are not open until an officer is further along in his/her career. Positions in the 75th Ranger Regiment are only available to those Officers that have successfully proven themselves in an equivalent leadership position in the regular Army and meet the rigorous standards of the unit.
It is worth noting that many jobs will never be available to Officers, such as sniper or military dog handler. This is because Officers have a managerial leadership position in the Army right from the start. Even the most junior Officer is going to be in a leadership position where they have up to around 40 people under them.
- Infantry
- Armor
- Field Artillery
- Air Defense Artillery
- Military Intelligence
- Signal Corps
- Engineering
- Finance
- Military Police
- Aviation
- Medical Services
- Quartermaster
- Transportation
- Chemical Corps
- Cyber
- Ordinance
- Adjunct General
The assessions process takes into account important factors such as (but not limited to) grades, scores on the Army Physical Fitness Test, evaluation at Advance Camp, evaluation by your Professor of Military Science, and involvement on campus. These factors are used to rank all of the Army ROTC Cadets in the same year across the country in an Order of Merit List (OML). The higher on the OML a Cadet is, the more likely they are to receive their top choices for branch, component, and post.
After commissioning and training at the respective Basic Officer Leader's Course (BOLC) for their branch, there are often chances to further specialize within that branch for Officers. In addition, there are several branches and specializations that are not open to be assessed into immediately. Special Forces, Psychological Operations, and Civil Affairs are not open until an officer is further along in his/her career. Positions in the 75th Ranger Regiment are only available to those Officers that have successfully proven themselves in an equivalent leadership position in the regular Army and meet the rigorous standards of the unit.
It is worth noting that many jobs will never be available to Officers, such as sniper or military dog handler. This is because Officers have a managerial leadership position in the Army right from the start. Even the most junior Officer is going to be in a leadership position where they have up to around 40 people under them.
What comes after finishing ROTC?
Once a Cadet has commissioned and become a Second Lieutenant (2LT), their next major step will be to attend the Basic Officer Leader's Course (BOLC) for their assigned branch. BOLC is where new 2LTs learn much more about the specifics of their branch than they were exposed to in the general education of the ROTC course of study. The length and location of BOLC varies for each branch. Once a 2LT is BOLC qualified, they may be sent to additional training specific to their unit, or they will move on to their assigned unit. An example of additional training besides BOLC is that all Infantry Officers will be sent to Ranger School and are expected to earn their Ranger Tab before they will be given a leadership position at their unit.
Which Army components (Active Duty, National Guard, Army Reserve) will I be able to join following completion of ROTC?
It is possible for Cadets to commission into any of the three Army components. Each of these components have their own distinct attributes, and a decision which is best for each cadet is often not made until later in their ROTC career. Please note that the level of competition for assignment to each of the components, particularly Active Duty, will vary based on the current needs of the Army. Regardless of component, Cadets receive the same high quality training in ROTC, it is only after they have commissioned and entered the Army as Officers that there is a difference.
Am I committed to military service by taking ROTC?
No. There is no initial commitment to military service by taking ROTC classes. It is not until a Cadet contracts with the Army that an obligation to service is taken. Contracting is not available till a Cadet either accepts an Army scholarship offer or they enter the beginning of their third year of ROTC classes. Contracting is not guaranteed and may be done on a competitive basis due to a limited number of slots per year.
What is the service obligation after completing ROTC?
Once a Cadet has contracted, they have undertaken an obligation to service in the U.S. Army. What this obligation looks like will vary based on the component (Active Duty, National Guard, or Army Reserve) as well as if the cadet has accepted an Army ROTC scholarship while he/she was in school.
The Army's components are divided into two categories, Active Duty and Reserve Component. On Active Duty the Army is a full time job, soldiers live on or near a base and that is where they work, usually Monday - Friday like many other jobs. In the Reserve Component, which consists of the National Guard and Army Reserve, the Army is a part time job. Soldiers have another job where they spend the majority of their time. They usually meet for drill one weekend a month and have an Annual Training (AT) for a couple weeks each summer.
Each of these commitments features a commitment to the Army's Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), if they do not continue to serve past their obligated time. The IRR is essentially a call back list created for the possibility that a major increase in the size of the military might be required by some future conflict. The Soldiers on the IRR will be called back before the United States resorts to a draft. Soldiers on the IRR do not drill regularly and otherwise live an entirely civilian life. The IRR is not to be confused with the Army Reserve, which does drill regularly as stated in the paragraph above.
Scholarship Cadet assigned to Active Duty (AD): 4 years AD, 4 years IRR
Non-Scholarship Cadet assigned to AD: 3 years AD, 5 years IRR
Scholarship Cadet assigned to Reserve Component (National Guard or Army Reserve): 6 years RC, 2 years IRR
Non-Scholarship Cadet assigned to RC: 6 years RC, 2 years IRR
The Army's components are divided into two categories, Active Duty and Reserve Component. On Active Duty the Army is a full time job, soldiers live on or near a base and that is where they work, usually Monday - Friday like many other jobs. In the Reserve Component, which consists of the National Guard and Army Reserve, the Army is a part time job. Soldiers have another job where they spend the majority of their time. They usually meet for drill one weekend a month and have an Annual Training (AT) for a couple weeks each summer.
Each of these commitments features a commitment to the Army's Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), if they do not continue to serve past their obligated time. The IRR is essentially a call back list created for the possibility that a major increase in the size of the military might be required by some future conflict. The Soldiers on the IRR will be called back before the United States resorts to a draft. Soldiers on the IRR do not drill regularly and otherwise live an entirely civilian life. The IRR is not to be confused with the Army Reserve, which does drill regularly as stated in the paragraph above.
Scholarship Cadet assigned to Active Duty (AD): 4 years AD, 4 years IRR
Non-Scholarship Cadet assigned to AD: 3 years AD, 5 years IRR
Scholarship Cadet assigned to Reserve Component (National Guard or Army Reserve): 6 years RC, 2 years IRR
Non-Scholarship Cadet assigned to RC: 6 years RC, 2 years IRR
Can I just take ROTC for a semester or two?
Absolutely. There are two types of non-contracted cadets that participate in ROTC, the first is those who are seeking to contract or are considering doing so. The other type of non-contracted cadet is those that just wish to participate, but have no desire to actually contract into Army ROTC or commission as an Army Officer. Each of these types of cadets are welcome to enroll in the ROTC Basic Course (the first two years of ROTC classes) and will receive a grade and credit for it as they would any other class. There are many reasons why someone would wish to be a non-contracted cadet, for example the cadet may not be sure if the Army is the right place for them. Army ROTC is a great place to dip one's toes in the water and experience some aspects of military life, without a multi-year commitment to service. Some Cadets don't take ROTC until they are into their Junior or Senior years of college and are only looking to take the class for credit or to learn more about how a vital part of the U.S. Government functions.
What scholarships are available?
There are several types of Army ROTC scholarships, but all of them cover full tuition and fees, $600 in book money each semester, and a monthly non-taxable stipend that increases from $300 for Freshman to $500 for Seniors. The basic "Line" scholarship is not restrictive to component (cadets have the chance to join Active Duty, National Guard, or Army Reserve), however there are also Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) scholarships which come from either the National Guard or Army Reserve. GRFD scholarships have more strings attached than Line scholarships, if a cadet accepts a GRFD scholarship, from either the National Guard or Army Reserve, they are obligated to join that component, both while they are a cadet as well as after they commission as an Officer. Recipients of GRFD scholarships are required to become part of the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). SMP Cadets enlist in the National Guard or Army Reserve and are given the rank of Cadet by the Army, they will both drill with their Guard or Reserve unit as well as participate in all ROTC classes and activities. When there is a scheduling conflict, ROTC takes priority. SMP Cadets receive the financial benefits of both organizations, the time they serve as SMP cadets counts as overall time in the Army, and they are not eligible for deployment.
High school students that are interested in competing for ROTC scholarships may still be eligible for 3 and 4-year National Scholarships. These scholarships are granted by the Army overall and not by any specific ROTC unit, as a result they can be accepted at more than one college or university.
Students who are at the end of their Senior year of HS, have already graduated HS, or are already students at a college/university with an Army ROTC program, will need to compete for scholarships granted specifically by the Army ROTC program at that institution. These scholarships typically range from 2-3.5 years and are only good for the schools that the student is attending currently.
High school students that are interested in competing for ROTC scholarships may still be eligible for 3 and 4-year National Scholarships. These scholarships are granted by the Army overall and not by any specific ROTC unit, as a result they can be accepted at more than one college or university.
Students who are at the end of their Senior year of HS, have already graduated HS, or are already students at a college/university with an Army ROTC program, will need to compete for scholarships granted specifically by the Army ROTC program at that institution. These scholarships typically range from 2-3.5 years and are only good for the schools that the student is attending currently.
How do I apply for a Army ROTC scholarship?
There two paths to applying for an Army ROTC scholarship, depending where you are in your academic career:
High school students apply online to compete for scholarships at the national level. This link will give you the application information required. If there are further questions contact Mr. Raymond Patterson, the Pride of PA's Scholarship & Enrollment officer.
Students who are at the end of their Senior year of HS, have already graduated HS, or are already students at a college/university with an Army ROTC program, will need to compete for scholarships granted specifically by the Army ROTC program at that institution. The Pride of PA Battalion holds a scholarship board each semester during which interested cadets are interviewed by a board. In addition, grades, leadership potential, and physical fitness are taken into account when determining how cadets will be placed on the scholarship rankings.
High school students apply online to compete for scholarships at the national level. This link will give you the application information required. If there are further questions contact Mr. Raymond Patterson, the Pride of PA's Scholarship & Enrollment officer.
Students who are at the end of their Senior year of HS, have already graduated HS, or are already students at a college/university with an Army ROTC program, will need to compete for scholarships granted specifically by the Army ROTC program at that institution. The Pride of PA Battalion holds a scholarship board each semester during which interested cadets are interviewed by a board. In addition, grades, leadership potential, and physical fitness are taken into account when determining how cadets will be placed on the scholarship rankings.
Can I take ROTC if I am part of a post-baccalaureate or graduate program?
Yes! It is not required that a Cadet be an undergraduate or working on their first bachelor's degree. Army ROTC can be condensed down into two years for those who show strong potential and require it due to academic necessity. This is done by attending a month-long Basic Camp which will take the place of the first two years of ROTC (the Basic Course). By doing this, certain cadets need to complete only the second half of the Army ROTC course of study (the Advance Course) at their institution. For graduate students in a two-year Master's program, this will require attending camp before the start of their graduate studies, and contracting shortly after they begin their graduate program. Graduate students are able to compete for on campus scholarships, however their availability is highly likely to be reduced since graduate cadets are joining after many scholarships will have been awarded to their peers that have been cadets since they were Freshman.
Do I get paid for being in ROTC?
Contracted cadets receive a monthly, tax-free, stipend for the parts of the year that they are in school. This stipend increases as cadets advance through the Army ROTC course of study.
Freshman/Military Science Level (MSL) 1: $300/month
Sophmores/MSL 2: $350/month
Juniors/MSL 3: $450/month
Seniors/MSL 4: $500/month
Freshman/Military Science Level (MSL) 1: $300/month
Sophmores/MSL 2: $350/month
Juniors/MSL 3: $450/month
Seniors/MSL 4: $500/month
I am in the National Guard/Army Reserve, am I able to take ROTC?
There are multiple options for members of the Guard or Reserve that wish to partake in ROTC, as long as they fulfill the requirements (see above) for being a cadet.
For those Enlisted Soldiers that are currently in the Guard or Reserve and wish to contract into ROTC in order to commission as an officer, there is the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). Once they are contracted into ROTC, they fill out the necessary paperwork, are given the rank of Cadet, and continue to drill with their old unit while also fully participating in ROTC. When a scheduling conflict arises between the two organizations, ROTC takes priority. SMP Cadets receive financial benefits from both organizations and receive drill pay at the the E-5 pay grade.
In the period of time before a Cadet that is Enlisted in the Guard or Reserve is able to contract into ROTC, or if they do not have a desire to contract or become an Officer, they are able to participate in the ROTC Basic Course (first two years of ROTC classes). Please note that completing Army Basic Training fulfills the need to take the basic course, enlisted soldiers are most likely to take the basic course because allows them to participate in ROTC their Freshman and Sophomore years.
For those Enlisted Soldiers that are currently in the Guard or Reserve and wish to contract into ROTC in order to commission as an officer, there is the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). Once they are contracted into ROTC, they fill out the necessary paperwork, are given the rank of Cadet, and continue to drill with their old unit while also fully participating in ROTC. When a scheduling conflict arises between the two organizations, ROTC takes priority. SMP Cadets receive financial benefits from both organizations and receive drill pay at the the E-5 pay grade.
In the period of time before a Cadet that is Enlisted in the Guard or Reserve is able to contract into ROTC, or if they do not have a desire to contract or become an Officer, they are able to participate in the ROTC Basic Course (first two years of ROTC classes). Please note that completing Army Basic Training fulfills the need to take the basic course, enlisted soldiers are most likely to take the basic course because allows them to participate in ROTC their Freshman and Sophomore years.
I am in Junior ROTC, does that help me with ROTC in College?
Junior ROTC (JROTC) is a great developmental program for high school students that are interested in the military. JROTC is not required to participate in ROTC in college (also known as Senior ROTC), but it does provide some advantages. Despite this, most Cadets in Senior ROTC never participated in JRTOC. JROTC provides cadets with an understanding of military customs and courtesies that will help ease their transition into ROTC at the college level. JROTC and other programs that foster leadership are viewed positively when competing for contracting slots and scholarships.