 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(August 2015) |
The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.
A pilot Naval Reserve unit was established in September 1924 at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. It let the Navy test the concept before establishing its regular units. In 1926, the U.S. Department of the Navy established the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. Its purpose was to produce a reserve of qualified officers who would be needed for a possible rapid expansion of the military in the case of an unforeseen emergency. A secondary objective was to acquaint college faculty and students with the Navy and its national importance. Sixty Naval Reserve Freshmen were accepted at each of the original units at the University of California, Berkeley, Northwestern University, University of Washington, Harvard University, Yale University, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Captain Chester W. Nimitz commanded the University of California NROTC unit. The first NROTC students received one uniform and (during their junior and senior years) a subsistence allowance totaling $210. They had the option of attending a fifteen-day training cruise each summer for which they would be paid seventy cents per day and a transportation allowance between their college and the ports of embarkation and debarkation. [1] The St. John's College pilot unit disbanded by 1929, but the original six regular units are still active in 2014 (albeit with historical gaps at Harvard and Yale).
Under the modern U.S. Naval ROTC system, graduates become active duty officers, rather than reserve officers, and are required to serve a term of 5 years for the Navy Option and 4 years for the Marine and Nurse Options. The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps commissions individuals into either the United States Navy as an Ensign or the United States Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant. While attending college, these prospective officer candidates are known as Midshipmen. Whereas Naval Academy Midshipmen are on active duty, NROTC Midshipmen are in the Navy Reserve but are on active duty for periods of training during the summer. The primary difference is that NROTC Midshipmen attend an ordinary civilian college or university, whereas Naval Academy Midshipmen attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, which is a much more regimented, military environment.
Starting in 2009, the scholarship program was changed to favor STEM degrees at the expense of the humanities. [2] Each military service is permitted by law to grant scholarships to 5,500 midshipmen or cadets at a time. The US Navy maintains about 6,000 midshipmen at any given time, with the remainder competing for scholarships. [3]
The majority of NROTC Midshipmen join the program immediately after completing high school. Those Midshipmen are either Scholarship or College Program Midshipmen.
Scholarship Midshipmen are those who applied to the Navy for an ROTC scholarship (during their senior year of high school, or during early college studies). Some NROTC students have served as enlisted men or women in the Navy or Marine Corps. The highly selective application process involves an extensive written application and an interview with a Navy representative. Applicants must also pass an entrance medical examination process. The Navy pays tuition for Scholarship Midshipmen, educational fees (i.e. lab fees), as well as a stipend for books. All Midshipmen fall under one of three types: Navy Option, Navy Nurse Option, or Marine Option. The Navy does not pay for room and board; however, some schools will offer scholarships to cover at least a portion of room and board. In addition to tuition, the Navy pays a monthly stipend during the school year. As of 2020, the stipend was $250 per month for first-year Midshipmen, with a $50 increase each year after that (i.e. $300/month for sophomores, and so on). [4]
College Program Midshipmen are those who join Naval ROTC without a scholarship. They complete all activities and requirements of scholarship midshipmen and if they continue in the program for four years will also be commissioned as Ensigns or Second Lieutenants. They will often be offered a scholarship by the Navy if they perform well academically and within the ROTC program. Because of the technical nature of the Navy, students entering college without a 4-year scholarship who are planning to major in a technical field, such as engineering, science, or math, are more competitive for the scholarships.
NROTC designates all college majors into a 3-tier system, putting the advanced engineering majors in the Tier-1 category, most other majors into Tier-2, and majors with simpler degree completion requirements into the Tier-3 section. Applicants in Tier-1 and 2 majors are more competitive for obtaining scholarships versus those in Tier-3. Due to the extra difficulty of some STEM majors such as mechanical engineering, it is possible for some units to waive the 4-year graduation requirement and extend it by a year due to the extra work required. [5] [6]
Those enlisted in the Navy who are pursuing a commission through the Seaman to Admiral 21 (STA-21) participate in the ROTC program and are referred to as "Officer Candidates." They retain their enlisted pay.
Enlisted Marines participate in ROTC through the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) and are referred to by their rank or by the name of the program, "MECEP." (pronounced mee-sep) MECEP Marines do not have their school paid for by the Marine Corps and generally use the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pay for school. They continue to receive pay in accordance with their rank, however any promotions while they are attending school are considered non-competitive and will be revoked if they fail out of the commissioning program.
Most college NROTC units are only a part-time commitment during a student's course of study at a university or college. There are three basic parts to a student's ROTC commitment in a typical week:
One or, in some cases, two days a week are set aside as uniform days, where the midshipmen spend several hours attending military training such as inspections, close-order drill practices, and training lectures (either by officers attached to the NROTC unit or guest lecturers). The training is usually in the late afternoon after most classes have ended for the day, or in early mornings before classes. It is common for Marine Option midshipmen and MECEPs to have an additional training period for Marine-specific training.
Usually one to three physical training sessions are required in a week (depending on the specific NROTC unit), generally early in the morning. It is common for Marine Option midshipmen and MECEPs to have additional physical training days.
During a normal school year, Navy ROTC midshipmen must take two official physical readiness tests (PRTs). The minimum requirements for the test are, for males, 47 push-ups without resting in 2 minutes, holding a plank position for at least 1 minute and 40 seconds without rest, and no slower than a 12-minute 1.5-mile run; for females, at least 21 push-ups, a 1 minute, 30 second plank, and a 1.5-mile run in 14 minutes, 15 seconds. All midshipmen are subject to the age 20–24 PRT standards, regardless of actual age. Midshipmen are encouraged to score as high as possible during the tests to increase their scores relative to each other. [7] If midshipmen fail to complete the minimum requirements for the PRT, they are automatically enrolled in the fitness enhancement program (FEP), requiring that they conduct extra physical training with the unit outside normal hours. There are a several "inventory" PRTs throughout the semester that are identical to an official PRT, but the scores are not recorded on fitness reports; their purpose is to check progress. [8]
In addition to those activities, there are regularly scheduled classes in Naval Science that must be taken on top of the usual college load. The classes are in Naval history, Naval engineering and weapons, leadership and ethics, and other areas. Besides Naval Science classes, the Navy requires its Midshipmen to complete 2 semesters of calculus, 2 semesters of calculus-based physics, one semester diverse cultures, one year of English grammar and composition, and either National Security Policy or American Military Affairs. The Marine Corps only requires National Security Policy/American Military Affairs classes for its midshipmen.
There are other miscellaneous activities scheduled occasionally; some are voluntary and some are mandatory.
There are a few ROTC programs that do not follow this model, and instead require a full-time commitment from midshipmen during the school year. At a Senior Military College, the midshipmen are normally housed together with other ROTC cadets in barrack-like dormitories, a uniform is worn at least 5 days a week, and regular morning and evening formations are mandatory. At The Citadel and the Virginia Military Institute, cadets wear uniforms 7 days a week, live in a barracks, and are restricted to campus during the school week to focus on their studies and military training. [9] Such full-time programs provide a more regimented existence that more closely simulates enlisted military life; they tend to be more demanding than normal college ROTC programs, requiring additional commitments of time, physical and mental energy, and the like, above and beyond most normal ROTC programs. Some midshipmen are drawn to these programs, which have a rich historical tradition behind them. Other students prefer standard NROTC programs, which allow them to focus more of their energy on academics rather than being limited by a regimented military life.
Some notable full-time programs include the Corps of Cadets at The Citadel, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Tech, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Maritime Academy, SUNY Maritime College, Maine Maritime Academy, California Maritime Academy and Norwich University.
NROTC students who are on scholarship participate in a summer cruise in the fleet, to get hands-on training with real Navy personnel and equipment. After their freshman year, Midshipmen (both Navy and Marine) travel to either San Diego or Norfolk for CORTRAMID (Career Orientation and Training of Midshipmen). The Midshipmen spend a week in each of the three primary Unrestricted Line communities (Surface, Submarine, and Aviation) as well as a week with the Marine Corps to help them decide which community to join when commissioned.
In the next two summers, Navy Option scholarship midshipmen spend time with either a surface ship, submarine, or aviation squadron. Aviation cruises are only available to Midshipmen for their First Class Cruise. For each summer cruise, they select which warfare community they would prefer to train with and are given the opportunity to train around the world. The summer cruise in between the sophomore and junior years is referred to as the second-class cruise. They are assigned an enlisted running mate, from whom they acquire a sense of the enlisted experience. The summer cruise in between the junior and senior years of college (known as the First Class Cruise) is required for commissioning, and it focuses on integrating the midshipman into the officer community. Specialty cruises include EOD cruises, SEAL cruises, FOREX cruises (midshipmen are attached to a foreign country's ship), and Navy Nurse Cruises.
Marine Option Midshipmen attend the Marine Corps' Mountain Warfare Training Center for the second summer. In recent years they have been attached to Marine units undergoing the summer training package. They learn high altitude survival techniques and undergo high altitude conditioning. It is often jokingly called "OCS prep." Between the junior and senior years, Marine Option midshipmen attend "Bulldog," Marine Officer Candidate School for six weeks.
College Program midshipmen must either obtain the scholarship before their junior year or receive "advanced standing". In either case the midshipmen will only attend the first class summer cruise or OCS for Marine Options.
NROTC students are generally issued several types of uniforms, all for them to keep. The standard issue uniform is the poly/wool khaki, while Summer White and Service Dress Blue (commonly known as SDBs) are often seen on college campuses. Midshipmen wear a garrison cover with a fouled anchor for the Khakis, and a combination cover with a fouled anchor and a gold strap with the Whites and SDBs. Also newly issued to Midshipmen are the Navy's NWU type III working uniform. Finally, Midshipmen are issued coveralls for preparation for their cruise, as well as an "N" ballcap and steel toed boots.
The normal, "baseline" service commitment for Scholarship NROTC graduates is eight years, with no less than five served on active duty. [10] The exact commitment will depend on which warfare community a midshipman is selected for. For example, Navy and Marine pilots are generally committed to eight years after their date of winging. Because the training for a Naval Aviator is extensive, this can lead to a commitment of up to 10 years. Naval Flight Officers usually serve a six-year commitment and Submarine Officers usually serve a five-year commitment.
Commitment is also based on whether a midshipman is enrolled in the scholarship or college program. Those midshipmen who are in the college program typically only owe three years of active duty service.
Once a naval officer completes their active duty commitment, they must serve the rest of their three years in some portion of the Navy Reserve.
The Reserve Officer Training Corps is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces.
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada, Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Kenya.
The United States service academies, also known as the United States military academies, are federal academies for the undergraduate education and training of commissioned officers for the United States Armed Forces.
A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military or maritime sector, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in voluntary youth organisations.
The Air and Space Training Ribbon (ASTR) is the lowest military award of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, ranking only above foreign military awards.
Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Air Squadron; however, these are not trainee officers with many not choosing a career in the armed forces.
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC) is the military component of the student body at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Cadets live together in residence halls, attend morning formation, wear a distinctive uniform, and receive an intensive military and leadership educational experience similar to that available at the United States service academies. The Corps of Cadets has existed from the founding of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872 to the present-day institution of Virginia Tech, which is designated a senior military college by federal law. As of August 2021, about 1,200 cadets are currently enrolled in the program.
Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) is an ocean-oriented branch campus of Texas A&M University offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students enrolled at Texas A&M University at Galveston, known affectionately as 'Sea Aggies', share the benefits of students attending Texas A&M University (TAMU) campus in College Station. TAMUG is located on Pelican Island, offering benefits for its maritime focused majors.
Officer candidate or officer aspirant (OA) is a rank in some militaries of the world that is an appointed position while a person is in training to become an officer. More often than not, an officer candidate was a civilian who applied to join the military directly as an officer. Officer candidates are, therefore, not considered of the same status as enlisted personnel.
The United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School (OCS) is a training regiment designed to screen and evaluate potential Marine Corps Officers. Those who successfully complete the period of instruction are commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Marines. Unlike the other United States military services, the majority of Marine Corps officers complete OCS to earn a commission; the exceptions are midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy, limited duty officers and warrant officers, and inter-service transfers. It is located at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Pay grades are used by the eight uniformed services of the United States to determine wages and benefits based on the corresponding military rank of a member of the services. While different ranks may be used among the eight uniformed services, pay grades are uniform and equivalent between the services and can be used to quickly determine seniority among a group of members from different services. They are also essential when determining a member's entitlements such as basic pay and allowances.
The United States Navy's Officer Candidate School provides initial training for officers of the line and select operational staff corps communities in the United States Navy. Along with United States Naval Academy (USNA) and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), OCS is one of three principal sources of newly commissioned naval officers.
In the United States, a senior military college (SMC) is one of six colleges that offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs under , though many other schools offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps under other sections of the law. The six senior military colleges are:
The US Navy had four programs for the training of naval aviators.
The United States Navy has nearly 500,000 personnel, approximately a quarter of whom are in ready reserve. Of those on active duty, more than eighty percent are enlisted sailors, and around fifteen percent are commissioned officers; the rest are midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy and midshipmen of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at over 180 universities around the country and officer candidates at the navy's Officer Candidate School.
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC) is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program which is a group of college and university-based officer training programs for training commissioned officers for the United States Army and its reserves components: the Army Reserves and the Army National Guard. There are over 30,000 Army ROTC cadets enrolled in 274 ROTC programs at major universities throughout the United States. These schools are categorized as Military Colleges (MC), Military Junior Colleges (MJC) and Civilian Colleges (CC).
The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US military bases across the world. The program was originally created as part of the National Defense Act of 1916 and later expanded under the 1964 ROTC Vitalization Act.
The Naval Officer Training Command Newport is a command unit of Naval Education and Training Command, located on Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island that is responsible to the Chief of Naval Education and Training for the development of civilians, enlisted, and newly commissioned personnel for service in the fleet as Naval Officers. Outside of the requisite physical readiness testing, the programs are academic in nature, and with the exception of the student enrolled in the Naval Science Institute or Officer Candidate School, personnel will come to Officer Training School having already received their commission or warrant.
The Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) is a one-star echelon III command of the United States Navy that is responsible to the Chief of Naval Education and Training for the indoctrination and training of all new accessions into the Naval Service, with the exception of Midshipmen who access through the United States Naval Academy. This includes all new recruits through Recruit Training Command, the Navy's only enlisted recruit training location and all Officer "Candidates" who are seeking a commission through the Officer Training Command at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. Also under its purview is the operation of the various Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) units in universities across the country.
| Leadership |
|  | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major commands | |||||
| Auxiliary | |||||
| Structure | |||||
| Personnel and training |
| ||||
| Uniforms and equipment | |||||
| History and traditions |
| ||||
| |||||||||||
| Leadership |
| ||||||||||
| Organization |
| ||||||||||
| Structure | |||||||||||
| Operations and history |
| ||||||||||
| Personnel |
| ||||||||||
| Equipment |
| ||||||||||
