How to Join Army ROTC
Army ROTC is leadership training that leads to a commission as an Officer in the United States Army (Active or Reserve Forces). How do I join?
Freshmen
For freshman, the way to start is by registering for MS 101 (Fundamentals of Leadership) and MS 101L (Fundamentals of Leadership Lab). This is the basic ROTC class; it does
not require any military obligation from those students who choose to enroll. The great part about this class is that you get to see if Army ROTC is right for you. The classes count as electives in most majors. At the end of the year, if you are still interested in becoming a contracted member of the Army ROTC program, you can continue to take Basic ROTC courses until the end of your sophomore year. (Still, with no military obligation). If you think Army ROTC and the prestige of an Army Officers Commission is for you, you would then follow a sequence of courses that will take you through your junior and senior years in the Advanced Army ROTC
program. As a junior you will be required to contract with the Army and obligate to at least 8 years of service on either active duty, or the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard. Your course work will result in a commission in the United States Army (Active Duty, National Guard or Army Reserve). If you have any questions feel free to contact us. Or call (601) 877-6425.Sophomores
A sophomore is someone who has completed at least 32credit hours and has approximately 3 years remaining to earn their undergraduate degree. Sophomore courses do not require any military obligation. Below we have listed the options available to a student who is at this stage of their collegiate career. The options are:
1. Take MS 101 or 102, " Fundamentals of Leadership " along with their associated Labs (MS 101L or MS 102L) and attend the Leaders Training Course in the summer (a 28-day course at Fort Knox, Kentucky). When you complete the Leaders Training Course you are able to contract and receive financial assistance from the ROTC program.
2. Take MS 201 or 202 " Applied Leadership & Management " along with their associated Labs (MS 201L or MS 202L) and attend the Leaders Training Course in the summer (a 28-day course at Fort Knox, Kentucky). When you complete the Leaders Training Course you are able to contract and receive financial assistance from the ROTC program.
3. Take no Army ROTC course. Wait until the end of the Sophomore school year when you have approximately 64 credit hours; then
attend the Leaders Training Course (LTC) during the summer. After successful completion of LTC, you can contract and receive
financial assistance from the Army ROTC program.
4. You can request to be exempted from the Basic Course classes by substituting your high school JROTC experience (any service) or
active/guard/reserve duty experience. This requires the Alcorn Professor of Military Science (PMS) approval.
Juniors
A junior is defined as someone who has completed approximately 64 credit hours and has approximately 2 years remaining to complete their undergraduate degree. Students who are classified as a junior have three options to entering the Army ROTC program. They are:
1. Attend the Leaders Training course (a 28-day course at Fort Knox, Kentucky) over the summer, prior to the junior year. The course requires no obligation to the Army, and you receive pay while attending the course.
2. Attend the junior level ROTC classes. At the end of your junior year attend the Leaders Training Course. At the end of your Senior Army ROTC year you would attend the Leadership Development Assessment Course (LDAC) and be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant at the completion of LDAC that summer.
3 . Request exception through the PMS to allow high school JROTC, (2yrs) experience, to substitute for the freshman and sophomore courses.
4. Request exception through the PMS to allow basic training (any service) to substitute for the freshman and sophomore courses.
Seniors
Senior students with less than two years of college remaining have two options:
1. Stretch your academic work out to make you eligible to be a full time student for at least two years (4 semesters).
2. Attend a two-year graduate program following graduation and then follow one of the graduate options.
3. If qualified, request an exception to policy to compress your junior and senior year ROTC courses into two semesters. You must have received credit for the basic course classes (Freshman – Sophomore courses, basic training, JROTC for 2yrs or attend the summertime Leaders Training Course (LTC) before your senior year).
Graduate Students
This is for students who are currently enrolled in a two year graduate program. The options for these students include:
1. Attend the Leaders Training course for 6 credit hours at no charge. The course is held a Ft. Knox, KY, requires no obligation
to the Army and you receive pay while attending the course.
2. Attend the junior level ROTC classes and at the end of your first graduate year attend the Leaders Training Course. At the end of
your Senior Army ROTC year (second graduate year) you would attend the Leadership Development Assessment Course
(LDAC) at Fort Lewis, Washington and be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant at the completion of LDAC that summer.
3. Request an exception to policy through the Professor of Military Science to allow high school JROTC (2yrs) to substitute for the basic course classes or have completed basic training (any service).
Prior Service
Prior Service students, or currently serving service members (U.S. Army Reserve & Army National Guard), are classified as students who have gone through Basic training (in any service) in the Active Duty, Army Reserve or Army National Guard. Prior service members do not have to take any of the basic courses (MS 101,102, 201, 202) classes or attend the Leaders Training Course. Once a prior service student has attained 60 credit hours they are eligible to contract and receive financial assistance from the ROTC program. However, we encourage prior service students to enroll in the basic courses if they have less than 60 credit hours so that they can get to know their fellow cadets and the cadre that will be assisting them through the program. Additionally, they have valuable military experience that they can impart to the younger cadets. Additionally, we can assist you in joining the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP). This will allow you to be a member of your guard unit and the ROTC battalion at the same time. This program is great for currently serving reserve and guard soldiers.If you have any questions feel free to contact us. Or call (601) 877-6425.