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Reserve Officer Training Corps - ROTC |
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What is Army ROTC?
Simply put, Army ROTC is one of the few college electives that can have a lasting effect on your future. Army ROTC has a long tradition of providing the nation's top business and military leaders. Whether you choose to pursue an officer's commission in the Army or merely participate in the class, ROTC will help you refine your leadership skills and give you valuable hands-on experience.
Army ROTC classes and labs are about "doing". In the first two years, you will learn valuable skills like cross-country navigation, first aid, and most important, small unit leadership. We don't lecture in the Army, we learn by doing. During the summer, you can volunteer for military schools such as Airborne School, Air Assault School, and Northern Warfare Course and earn the associated skill badge to wear on your uniform.
Army ROTC at Mary Baldwin College
Army ROTC at Mary Baldwin College is a partnership school with the Virginia Military Institute in nearby Lexington, VA. Students travel to Lexington once a week in provided transportation to attend weekly classes. Through our association with VMI, Mary Baldwin cadets enjoy the benefits that come with being part of the largest ROTC detachment in the country.
Although not a required aspect of Army ROTC, participation in the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership (VWIL) is highly encouraged from a developmental perspective. The VWIL program is a natural co-curriculum for ROTC cadets regardless of their intentions regarding a military commission.
Army ROTC Scholarships
Cadets who desire to serve in the United States Army after graduation as a commissioned officer are eligible for an Army ROTC Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded to students based on merit. Army ROTC Scholarships are awarded in four-, three- and two-year increments. You can apply for Army Scholarship before arriving at college as a high school senior or you can even apply after getting to Mary Baldwin and determining that the Army is something that you would like to do. The link to the left provides extensive information on the four-year Army Scholarships for high school seniors as well as the opportunity to apply on line. For more information on the on-campus scholarship program, please contact me via the e-mail link below or call me at the number indicated on the contacts page.
Army ROTC- the Basics
Army ROTC is divided into two sub-courses: the basic course and the advanced course. Any student may enroll and participate in the basic course without any post-college military obligation. The basic course focuses on fundamental, individual skills. In the basic course, cadets learn the fundamentals of marksmanship, land navigation, and first aid as well as a number of other practical, hands-on skills. The basic course is composed of four semester courses (MS 109/110 and MS 209/210). Students typically complete the basic course their freshman and sophomore year. Students in the basic course meet once a week at VMI for class. Following the sophomore year, cadets are eligible to attend summer training at several different locations, including the US Army Airborne School, The Northern Warfare Training Center in Alaska, and even a three week program in the United Kingdom with the British Army. For more about summer training opportunities see the Cadets in Action link to your left.
The Advanced Course is open to those students pursuing a commission in the United States Army. The course is designed to prepare the future military junior leader to assume command of 30-40 soldiers (what we call a platoon) upon their graduation from Mary Baldwin and receipt of their commission as a second lieutenant. Students enrolled in VWIL are required (under VWIL academic requirements) to take the Advanced Course regardless of military intentions. The Advanced Course meets twice a week. All Mary Baldwin cadets meet for a one-hour class at Mary Baldwin. Those students not seeking a commission enroll in a co-requisite leadership lab taught at Mary Baldwin. Those students pursuing a commission enroll in the Advanced Military Leadership lab at VMI and train with the soon-to-be lieutenants at VMI. Following the junior year, all cadets pursuing a commission will attend the five-week Army ROTC Advanced Camp at Ft. Lewis. This camp is designed to test, evaluate, and develop your leadership skills prior to receiving your commission the following year. For more about ROTC Advanced Camp see the Cadets in Action link to your left.
For more information about the program, please explore the various links in the site, down-load the available ROTC PowerPoint brief, or better yet contact me directly via the link below or the number on the contact page. Take the challenge.
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