Updated November 9, 2021
Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps
Background
Legislative History
The Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC)—
During the Civil War, Congress passed the Land Grant Act
more commonly referred to as the Reserve Officer Training
of 1862 (P.L. 37-130; also called the Morrill Act) to address
Corps (ROTC)—is an officer training and scholarship
a shortage of trained military officers . The act provided
program for postsecondary students authorized under
funding and land to establish public colleges in each state.
Chapter 103 of Title 10 of the United States Code. By
These colleges taught military tactics along with other
enrolling in ROTC, students can pursue an undergraduate
subjects. However, the implementation and quality of
degree while also training to become U.S. military officers.
military instruction across these schools lacked
The military departments — Army, Air Force, and Navy —
standardization. The National Defense Act of 1916 (P.L.
manage their own ROTC programs, which are hosted at
65-84) abolished the land-grant system for military
civilian universities and colleges. The Navy ROTC program
education and created an ROTC structure to standardize and
includes a Marine Corps option and the Air Force program
enhance military training for the Army. In 1925, under P.L
allows for commissions to the Space Force. The Coast
68-611, the Navy was allowed to participate in ROTC.
Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, does
Congress added a naval scholarship program in 1946 (P.L
not have an ROTC program, but does offer a College
79-729).
Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) that awards
In 1964, following a decline in ROTC enrollment, Congress
scholarships to students at minority-serving institutions and
passed the ROTC Vitalization Act (P.L. 88-647). The Act
placement in the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School.
standardized the program across the Army, Navy, and Air
The military departments provide scholarships and other
Force, and authorized the department secretaries to pay for
forms of financial assistance to participating students. In
ROTC participants’ educational expenses, including tuition,
return, students commit to accept an appointment as an
fees, and books. It capped the number of participants who
officer in the U.S. military upon graduation.
could receive financial assistance at 16,500 (5,500 for each
The ROTC program is the largest single source of
department). The military departments lifted restrictions on
commissioned officers , producing more than 6,000 officers
full participation by women in ROTC programs in 1969
annually (see Figure 1). Other major commissioning
(Air Force) and 1972 (Army and Navy).
sources include service academies (the U.S. Naval
Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air
Past Controversies
Force Academy); Officer Candidate/Training Schools; and
Historically, ROTC programs have been seen by military
direct appointment.
and civilian stakeholders as an opportunity to augment
force structure and foster civilian-military relations. At
Figure 1. Active Duty Officer Gains by Commissioning
times, however, the presence of ROTC units and students
Source
on campus has been contentious. During the Vietnam War
FY2019
era, student antiwar protests were widespread, and at
several universities ROTC programs were downgraded to
an extracurricular activity or denied access to on-campus
facilities 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 the Department of Defense’s (DOD)
admission and separation policy for gay 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
Source: Center for Naval Analysis, Population Representation in the
programs from their campuses, citing rules protecting
Military Services, FY2019, Appendix B, Table B-30.
LGBTQ individuals from discrimination.
Notes: ROTC includes both scholarship and nonscholarship.
OCS/OTS/PLC includes Officer Candidates School (OCS), Aviation
In 1996, as part of the FY1996 NDAA (P.L. 104-106,
OCS, Officer Training School (OTS), and Platoon Leaders Course
§541), Congress passed legislation that denied certain
federal funding to any higher education institution that
(PLC).
prohibited or prevented the operation of ROTC units,
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Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps
recruiting activity, or student participation in ROTC on its
Navy ROTC program are required to take naval science
campus. In 2010, DADT was repealed (P.L. 111-321), and
courses, while Air Force enrollees take courses in aerospace
ROTC programs began to re-appear.
studies. Participants also attend summer training courses.
Establishing ROTC Programs
ROTC Participation and Scholarships
Institutions that wish to establish an ROTC program can
Postsecondary students can choose to participate in the
apply to a military department, asking permission to host an
ROTC program in one of two ways: they can (1) formally
ROTC detachment. To be eligible for consideration, an
enroll in the program and attend ROTC courses, or (2)
educational institution must be accredited, per 10 U.S.C.
remain unenrolled but attend ROTC courses like any other
§2102, and adopt “as a part of its curriculum, a four-year
university course. Students who do not formally enroll in
course of military instruction or a two-year course
the ROTC program do not incur a service obligation.
of advanced training of military instruction, or both.” The
Students who choose to formally enroll in the ROTC
institution must give the senior ROTC officer on campus
program can be either noncontract enrollees or contract
the academic rank of professor and grant academic credit
for ROTC courses.
enrollees. Noncontract enrollees are not obligated to serve
in the Armed Forces, do not receive financial assistance
Once these conditions are met, the military department
(e.g., scholarships), and generally can only take freshman-
decides whether to establish an ROTC program. That
and sophomore-level ROTC courses. Contract enrollees are
decision, DOD policy states, “will be based on the most
obligated to serve in the Armed Forces and accept an
efficient allocation of limited resources to meet the specific
appointment as a commissioned officer upon graduation.
needs of the Military Department concerned.”
They are required to serve a specified number of years in
the active and/or reserve component (per 10 U.S.C. §2107).
According to DOD policy, ROTC programs may be
In return for their service, the military departments help to
affiliated with institutions in one of four ways
cover contracted enrollees’ educational costs. However, if
Host Unit: all activities are located on that school’s
an enrollee breaks the commitment, he or she may have to
campus.
reimburse the department for their educational expenses.
Extension Unit: students are affiliated with another
ROTC scholarships are merit-based, and help to cover all or
school’s host unit but participate in activities and classes
a portion of tuition, fees, and other expenses (e.g., books,
at their own institution.
and living expenses) for two to four years. High school
seniors can compete for ROTC scholarships at the national
Cross-Town Unit: students can enroll in courses at a
level. Postsecondary students enrolled in an institution with
host unit at another university.
an ROTC affiliation can also compete for scholarships.
Consortium: several institutions come together to share
Typically, qualification for scholarships is based on GPA,
resources (e.g., facilities and staff), in order to maximize
test scores, and certain medical and fitness standards.
efficiency.
ROTC Funding and Enrollment
The military departments have previously tried to close
Congress appropriates money for the ROTC program
some ROTC units—some of which commission as few as a
through two accounts: Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
dozen officers per year. The proposed closures have been
and Military Personnel (MILPERS). According to DOD
controversial. In 2013, the Army planned to close 13 ROTC
budget documents, enacted amounts for ROTC in FY2021
detachments. The Army’s decision generated pushback,
were $812 million in O&M and $175 million in MILPERS.
particularly from some Members of Congress and
O&M funding provides for scholarships, travel and per
university alumni. The Army announced it would postpone
diem, contractual support, and other equipment or supply
the closures, and, in the Consolidated Appropriations Act
needs. MILPERS funding covers cadet and midshipman
for FY2016 (P.L. 114-113, §8032), Congress prohibited the
pay and allowances (including monthly subsistence pay),
use of funds made available by the act for the
uniforms, and stipends. More information on ROTC
disestablishment of any existing Army ROTC unit. This
entitlements can be found in DOD’s Financial Management
provision was included in subsequent annual appropriations
Regulation, Volume 7A, Chapter 59. ROTC military
bills through FY2020.
instructors receive pay and benefits based on their rank and
ROTC Curriculum
grade and are not included in the above figures.
The ROTC program consists of a basic course and an
Relevant Statute
advanced course. The basic course includes training and
Chapter 103 of Title 10, United States Code.
electives—including at least one military-related course per
semester—during a student’s freshman and sophomore
Other Resources
years. If a student enrolls in the basic course, there is no
DOD Instruction 1215.08 Senior Reserve Officers’ Training
service obligation. However, if a student accepts a
Corps (ROTC) Programs
scholarship, then he or she incurs a service commitment.
After completing the basic course, some students continue
to the advanced course where they take additional electives
Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Manpower
and participate in field training.
IF11235
Curriculum requirements vary, as enrollees study military
department-specific topics. For instance, enrollees in the
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Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps
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