Coordinator: Brig. Gen. N. Michael Bissell
Reserve Officer Training Corps programs are available to MBC students through the programs at the Virginia Military Institute. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps programs are open to VWIL students only. Army ROTC is open to all Traditional, PEG and VWIL students. Students register for ROTC classes at MBC using normal registration procedures. Classes are conducted by active duty military personnel in either the ROTC facilities on the VMI campus or the MBC campus.
Students may start ROTC instruction during either the freshman or sophomore years. In addition, ROTC participation can start during the summer after the sophomore year by attending a "Basic" summer camp.
Students participating in the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership program are required to participate in ROTC for four years, although they are not required to contract.
Selection criteria, regulations and procedures vary for each of the Armed Services. For more information, contact Brig. Gen. N. Michael Bissell at 540-887-7042.
For more information on VWIL, refer to the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership section of this catalog.
www.mbc.edu/academics/rotc/army.php
For students committed to pursuing a commission and serving their country, Army ROTC offers a challenging opportunity. The mission of Army ROTC is to commission the future officer leadership of the U. S. Army. The four-year program is divided into basic and advanced courses. The basic course during the first two years consists of instruction in general military skills and foundations of leadership. The advanced course during the last two years emphasizes leadership and advanced military skills training. The Army program is centered on leadership development with individual counseling and feedback provided to each cadet. Army ROTC sponsors a wide variety of extracurricular activities such as the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Ranger Company, Tanker Platoon, Cadet Battery, Ranger Challenge and Field Training Exercises. Students pursuing a commission are strongly encouraged to participate in these activities.
At the beginning of the junior year, qualified students are encouraged to contract as the first step toward a commission as a second lieutenant. In addition to eight semesters of ROTC, students pursing a commission must complete other professional military education requirements such as courses in military history, English and computer science. On a competitive basis, students may attend Cadet Professional Development Training (CPDT) summer training at Airborne and Air Assault Schools. An intent to be commissioned is a prerequisite for attending CPDT.
Completion of the Army ROTC program and graduation from Mary Baldwin College may lead to a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard.
Military Science Course Descriptions
The Naval ROTC program is a four-year course of instruction designed to provide VWIL cadets with reserve commissions in either the Navy or the Marine Corps. Cadets who enroll in the Naval Science courses receive instruction leading to possible careers on the sea, in the air and on land. Navy ROTC courses for the first year are the same for all cadets. They provide familiarization with Navy surface, subsurface, nuclear, aviation and special warfare forces. Additionally, the classes acquaint cadets with the Marine Corps and all elements of Marine Air Ground Task Forces. Navy-option cadets will subsequently receive instruction in naval ship systems, navigation, ship operations, leadership and management. Marine-option cadets will study the evolution of warfare, leadership management and command. A cadet may become a Navy ROTC Midshipman either by selection before matriculation for a national Navy ROTC scholarship, or by nomination and selection after matriculation for either the scholarship or Navy ROTC College Program. Completion of the Naval Science program and graduation from Mary Baldwin College can lead to a commission and service as a Navy unrestricted line officer or a Marine Corps ground or aviation officer eligible for a wide range of duties at sea and ashore.
Naval Science Course Descriptions
The Air Force ROTC Program provides college-level education that qualifies eligible cadets for commissioned service in the U.S. Air Force. The four-year program is divided into two distinct two-year courses: the General Military Course (GMC) and the Professional Officer Course (POC). In the GMC, cadets are evaluated for a commission based on their performance, aptitude and motivation. If qualified, cadets may enter the POC by signing a contract for commissioned service following graduation from Mary Baldwin College. The POC is designed to build leadership and professional qualities new commissionees will need once on active duty. Cadets may apply for the general career fields of their choice: pilot, navigator, nonrated operations, technical officer and nontechnical officer. Entry into the field of choice depends on individual qualifications and the needs of the Air Force. A continuing need for officers with technical backgrounds results in attractive scholarship opportunities for students in the engineering and sciences curricula. Acceptance of an Air Force ROTC scholarship incurs no additional service obligation for the recipient. Scholarships are either two, three or four years in length.
Cadets who are qualified may volunteer to attend parachute training and an advanced training program, for which they are paid. Qualified cadets will also participate in a flight orientation program consisting of eight hours in a light aircraft flown by the Virginia Civil Air Patrol.
Successful completion of the Air Force ROTC program and commissioning in the U.S. Air Force results in a four-year active duty assignment for those graduates not entering pilot or navigator training. Successful completion of the pilot/navigator training program after commission results in an eight-year/six-year respective assignment at the completion of such training.
