Army ROTC

Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) at SUNY Cortland

The Basics

1. It’s an elective. Learn about the Army without having to join, unless you want to. Freshman and sophomore-level Army ROTC is a one-credit elective course with no commitment to join the Army. If you have ever been curious about the Army, this is a great way to learn about it and earn college credit. Class is listed in the course catalog under Military Science (MLS 101 Fall/102 Spring). Class runs from 1:15-2:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons at Cornell University.
2. It will guarantee you a job when you graduate. If you complete all of the requirements, upon graduation you are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in the full-time Active or part time Reserve Army. Second Lieutenant equates to being a mid-level manager in civilian terms. You can start out being in charge of a team of 30 people.
3. You get paid to do it. Scholarship winners get tuition and mandatory fees or room and board paid for, along with up to $1,200 for books. All contracted cadets earn a monthly stipend of $300 to $500 during the school year. You also get paid about $900 a month for summer training.
4. It can get you a part time job while in college. ROTC students can enlist in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard and work one weekend a month earning about $200. You are also eligible for $4,500 in federal tuition assistance a year. Army National Guard members are eligible for up to an additional $4,350 per year to pay full tuition and mandatory fees. Pay for completing basic training during the summer is about $2,000.
5. You can make lifelong friends. Get to know other students who are interested in knowing more about what it means to serve your country in the Army. You will spend time with other Army ROTC cadets in social and training settings where you will get to know and rely on one another similar to a fraternity, sorority or other groups on campus.
6. Improve your physical fitness. Part of the ROTC curriculum is physical training several times a week. You may not become an Olympian, but it will help you get and stay in shape and develop a habit of health and exercise. All students are welcome to conduct physical training with us from 6-7 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
7. Learn more about yourself. Army ROTC (and the Army) is not for everyone, but you will only know if it is right for you if you if you try it. Participating in Army ROTC is not about learning to be “Rambo;” it teaches life skills such as time management and leadership.
8. Do something different. Less than 10 percent of the American population serves in our nation’s military forces. Show your support and appreciation for those who have served by learning more about what they do.

Some of the Details

1. If you choose to complete the Army ROTC training program, you must sign a contract to join the Army by your junior year of college. This contract will obligate you to be affiliated with the Army for eight years: a minimum of four years in an active participating status and four years in a non-active status, during which you could still be called to duty if required.
2. You must complete all requirements in order to be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Requirements include obtaining a bachelor’s degree, being physically qualified and completing all required Army ROTC training. Full-time active duty is not guaranteed. In order to be competitive, you need to have above a 3.0 GPA for your first three years of college, score high on the Army Physical Fitness Test, and demonstrate outstanding leadership during Army ROTC training.
3. Active Duty (full time) Second Lieutenants start out at about $40,000 a year salary with medical and dental benefits included.
4. Reserve Component (part time) Second Lieutenants start out making about $6,000 a year working one weekend a month and two weeks a year, with opportunities to earn more for completing additional work or training at rate of about $100 a day. This is in addition to what you would make at a civilian job. Discounted medical and life insurance benefits are available. Basic dental care is provided.
5. Scholarships are limited: High school students need to apply online. College students compete for scholarships on campus based on grades and performance during Army ROTC training. You must have a 2.5 GPA to be awarded and maintain a scholarship.
6. Students who enlist in the Army Reserve or National Guard in conjunction with Army ROTC are not deployed while still in college. They earn between $200-$250 for monthly weekend duty and about $2,000 for completing nine weeks of basic training. There are some opportunities for additional duty at a rate of about $50-$70 a day. Discounted medical and life insurance benefits are available. Basic dental care is provided.
7. Students who enlist in the Reserve Component can still compete for active duty commissioning, but if they fail to complete their Army ROTC obligation, they are bound to remain an enlisted soldier in the Reserve Component in accordance with their enlistment contract.

For more extensive information, please visit the Army ROTC website or email Army ROTC.