The Reserve Officer Training Corps, or ROTC, is the primary organization that selects and trains the officer corps for the armed forces of the United States. They function on college campuses across the country. ROTC students --- called "cadets" in the Army and Air Force, and "midshipmen" in Navy ROTC programs --- attend classes on military history, management, decision-making and leadership in addition to their normal coursework. They attend at least one summer training event, typically between their junior and senior years.
Scholarships
Not everyone who enrolls in ROTC courses receives a scholarship. You can generally enroll in ROTC courses offered at your university or college just as you would any other course. Students who apply for and receive ROTC scholarships can receive two-year, three-year and four-year ROTC scholarships, which pay all tuition costs, resident or nonresident.
Service Obligation
Upon accepting an ROTC scholarship, the student must sign a contract with the sponsoring service. The contract obligates the student to eight years of service as a commissioned officer in the armed forces of the United States. Some students may serve all eight years in the reserve or National Guard components of their respective services, while others will serve four years on active duty. These officers will then have an option to transfer to the reserve components and finish out their obligations there. The decision is based on the needs of the military. At times, the services do grant reserve-duty-only contracts to students who ask for them.
Other Benefits
ROTC scholarship students also receive a monthly stipend of up to $500, tax free, for ten months out of the year, plus $900 per year for books. Contracted ROTC students also receive military ID cards, which allow them to travel on military aircraft free of charge on a space-available basis.
Requirements
To obtain an ROTC scholarship, you must meet the qualifications for service as an officer in the United States military. You must be physically fit, and pass your service's version of the physical fitness test. You must also maintain height and weight standards and make satisfactory progress toward your degree. Upon graduating, you will be commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army or Air Force, or an ensign in the Navy. Navy ROTC students who have completed the Marine option program are commissioned as 2nd lieutenants in the Marine Corps.
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