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Updated December 27, 2019
Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps
Background
funding and land to establish public colleges in each state.
The Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC)—
These colleges taught military tactics along with other
more commonly referred to as the Reserve Officer Training
subjects. However, the implementation and quality of
Corps (ROTC)—is an officer training and scholarship
military instruction across these schools lacked
program for postsecondary students authorized under
standardization. The National Defense Act of 1916 (P.L.
Chapter 103 of Title 10 United States Code. By enrolling in
65-84) abolished the land-grant system for military
ROTC, students can pursue an undergraduate degree while
education and created an ROTC structure to standardize and
also training to become U.S. military officers. The military
enhance military training for the Army. In 1925, under P.L
departments — Army, Air Force, and Navy — manage
68-611, the Navy was allowed to participate in ROTC.
their own ROTC programs, which are hosted at civilian
Congress added a naval scholarship program in 1946 (P.L
universities and colleges. The Navy ROTC program
79-729).
includes a Marine Corps option. The Coast Guard, part of
In 1964, following a decline in ROTC enrollment, Congress
the Department of Homeland Security, does not have an
passed the ROTC Vitalization Act (P.L. 88-647). The Act
ROTC program, but does offer a College Student Pre-
standardized the program across the Army, Navy, and Air
Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) that awards scholarships
Force, and authorized the department secretaries to pay for
to students at minority-serving institutions and placement in
ROTC participants’ educational expenses, including tuition,
the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. The military
fees, and books. It capped the number of participants who
departments provide scholarships and other forms of
could receive financial assistance at 16,500 (5,500 for each
financial assistance to participating students. In return,
department). The military departments lifted restrictions on
students commit to accept an appointment as an officer in
full participation by women in ROTC programs in 1969
the U.S. military upon graduation.
(Air Force) and 1972 (Army and Navy).
The ROTC program is the largest single source of
commissioned officers, producing over 6,000 officers
Past Controversies
annually (see Figure 1). Other major commissioning
Historically, ROTC programs have been seen by military
sources include service academies (the U.S. Naval
and civilian stakeholders as an opportunity to augment
Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air
force structure and foster civilian-military relations. At
Force Academy); Officer Candidate/Training Schools; and
times, however, the presence of ROTC units and students
direct appointment. According to DOD budget documents,
on campus has been, contentious. During the Vietnam War
over 55,000 students were enrolled in ROTC programs in
era, student antiwar protests were widespread, and at
FY2018.
several universities ROTC programs were downgraded to
an extracurricular or denied access to on-campus facilities
Figure 1. Commissioned Officer Gains in FY2017
and support. As a result, the military shuttered the ROTC
programs at some universities. For example, in 1969, the
Navy chose not to renew its contract with Yale University
following a faculty member vote to disallow academic
credit for ROTC courses.
In the 1990s, additional controversies around the ROTC
program arose due to DOD’s admission and separation
policy for homosexual individuals. This policy, known as
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT), became law in 1993 as part
of the FY1994 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L.
103-160, §571). Some faculty members and students
criticized DADT for being discriminatory and some
universities barred ROTC programs from their campuses,
citing rules protecting LGBTQ individuals from
Source: CNA Population Representation in the Military Services.
discrimination.
Notes: ROTC includes both scholarship and nonscholarship,
In 1996, as part of the FY1996 NDAA (P.L. 104-106,
OCS/OTS includes Officer Candidates School (OCS), Aviation OCS,
§541), Congress passed legislation that denied certain
Officer Training School (OTS), and Platoon Leaders Course (PLC).
federal funding to any higher education institution that
Legislative History
prohibited or prevented the operation of ROTC units,
recruiting activity, or student participation in ROTC on its
During the Civil War, Congress passed the Land Grant Act
campus. In 2010, DADT was repealed (P.L. 111-321), and
of 1862 (P.L. 37-130; also called the Morrill Act) to address
ROTC programs began to re-appear.
a shortage of trained military officers. The act provided
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Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps
Establishing ROTC Programs
in the Navy ROTC program are required to take naval
Per DOD policy (DODI 1215.08), institutions that wish to
science courses, while Air Force enrollees take courses in
establish an ROTC program can apply to a military
aerospace studies. Participants also attend summer training
department, asking permission to host an ROTC
courses for further military instruction.
detachment. To be eligible for consideration, an educational
institution must be accredited, per 10 U.S.C. §2102, and
ROTC Participation and Scholarships
adopt “as a part of its curriculum, a four-year course of
Postsecondary students can choose to participate in the
military instruction or a two-year course of advanced
ROTC program in one of two ways: they can (1) formally
training of military instruction, or both.” The institution
enroll in the program and attend ROTC courses, or (2)
must give the senior ROTC officer on campus the academic
remain unenrolled but attend ROTC courses like any other
rank of professor and grant academic credit for ROTC
university course. Students who do not formally enroll in
courses.
the ROTC program do not incur a service obligation.
Once these conditions are met, the military department
Students who choose to formally enroll in the ROTC
decides whether to establish an ROTC program. That
program can be either noncontract enrollees or contract
decision, DOD policy states, “will be based on the most
enrollees. Noncontract enrollees are not obligated to serve
efficient allocation of limited resources to meet the specific
in the armed forces, do not receive financial assistance
needs of the Military Department concerned.”
(e.g., scholarships), and generally can only take freshman-
and sophomore-level ROTC courses. Contract enrollees are
According to DOD policy, ROTC programs may be
obligated to serve in the armed forces and accept an
affiliated with institutions in one of four ways
appointment as a commissioned officer upon graduation.
Host Unit: all activities are located on that school’s
They are required to serve a specified number of years in
campus.
the active and/or reserve component (per 10 U.S.C. §2107).
In return for their service, the military departments help to
Extension Unit: students are affiliated with another
cover contracted enrollees’ educational costs. However, if
school’s host unit but participate in activities and classes
an enrollee breaks the commitment, he or she may have to
at their own institution.
reimburse the department for their educational expenses.
ROTC scholarships are merit-based, and help to cover all or
Cross-Town Unit: students can enroll in courses at a
a portion of tuition, fees, and other expenses (e.g., books,
host unit at another university.
and living expenses) for two to four years. High school
seniors can compete for ROTC scholarships at the national
Consortium: several institutions come together to share
level. Postsecondary students enrolled in an institution with
resources (e.g., facilities and staff), in order to maximize
an ROTC affiliation can also compete for scholarships.
efficiency.
Typically, qualification for scholarships is based on GPA,
In recent years, the military departments have tried to close
test scores, and certain medical and fitness standards.
some ROTC units—some of which commission as few as a
ROTC Funding and Enrollment
dozen officers per year. The proposed closures have been
controversial. In 2013, the Army planned to close 13 ROTC
Congress appropriates money for the ROTC program
detachments. The Army’s decision generated pushback,
through two accounts: Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
particularly from some Members of Congress and
and Military Personnel (MILPERS). According to DOD
university alumni. The Army announced it would postpone
budget documents, enacted amounts for ROTC in FY2019
the closures, and, in the Consolidated Appropriations Act
were $782 million in O&M and $174 million in MILPERS.
for FY2016 (P.L. 114-113, §8032), Congress prohibited the
O&M funding provides for scholarships, travel and per
use of funds made available by the act for the
diem, contractual support, and other equipment or supply
disestablishment of any existing Army ROTC unit. This
needs. MILPERS funding covers cadet and midshipman
provision has been included in all subsequent annual
pay and allowances (including monthly subsistence pay),
appropriations bills through FY2020.
uniforms, and stipends (more information on ROTC
entitlements can be found in DOD’s Financial Management
ROTC Curriculum
Regulation, Volume 7A, Chapter 59).
The ROTC program consists of a basic course and an
ROTC enrollment has remained relatively constant in
advanced course. The basic course includes training and
recent years. The Army has the largest ROTC program with
electives—including at least one military-related course per
approximately 30,000 enrollees. The Air Force and Navy
semester—during a student’s freshman and sophomore
have approximately 15,000 and 6,000 enrollees,
years. If a student enrolls in the basic course, there is no
respectively.
service obligation. However, if a student accepts a
scholarship, then he or she incurs a service commitment.
Note: Former CRS Research Assistant Wil Mackey
After completing the basic course, some students continue
contributed to this In Focus.
to the advanced course where they take additional electives
and participate in field training.
Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Manpower
ROTC curriculum requirements vary, as enrollees study
IF11235
military department-specific topics. For instance, enrollees
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Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps
Disclaimer
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