What is ROTC?
The tradition of military instruction on college campuses in America began in 1819 with the establishment of Norwich University. The idea soon spread to other institutions, including the Virginia Military Institute, the University of Tennessee and The Citadel. The Land Grant Act of 1862 (Morrill Act) reinforced this tradition by specifying that courses in military tactics should be offered at the colleges and universities that were established as a result of the Land Grant Act.
By the turn of the century, 105 colleges and universities offered military instruction. The college military instruction program changed in 1916 by virtue of the National Defense Act, which turned away from the idea of an expandable Regular Army and firmly established the traditional American concept of a citizens' army as the keystone of our nation's defense. It merged the National Guard, the Army Reserve, and the Regular Army into the Army of the United States. Future officers for this expanded citizens' army were to be given military instruction in colleges and universities under a Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Army ROTC was thus firmly established.
It was not until 1917 following the National Defense Act of 1916 that military training was formally instituted at The University of Michigan. Eighteen hundred students enrolled in the program in the fall of 1917. The ROTC program established in 1917 continued for a short time as the Student Army Training Corps (SATC) with 2700 students participating in 1918. Finally, in 1919, a permanent ROTC unit was established. The first Professor of Military Science was Lieutenant Colonel John Porter Lucas. The number of students enrolled at that time is unknown. Earliest enrollment records available are for Fall 1920 when 180 cadets were enrolled.
By the beginning of World War I, Army ROTC had placed some 90,000 officers in the Reserve pool. The majority of these officers were eventually called to active duty during the War.
More than 56,000 Army ROTC officers were called to active duty within a six-month period at the outbreak of World War II. By the end of the War more than 100,000 had served.
Almost a half-million officers have received commissions through Army ROTC since 1920, including three who rose to the position of Chief of Staff of the Army.
Throughout the 70's and 80's, Army ROTC has remained dedicated to commissioning high quality officers into the Army. In the 80's, the ROTC program implemented the Ranger Challenge team and the Raiders program. These events helped shape cadets into top notch professionals and fostered Army/University pride. Enrollment began to rise somewhat, hovering between 60 and 100 cadets.
The 1990's brought a new decade, and along with it, a commitment to "leadership excellence." The Army ROTC program improved its training of cadets both mentally and physically, making Wolverine cadets better prepared as commissioned officers. The Ranger Challenge team was expanded into the Ranger program, and in 1993, Pershing Rifles was added. In 1993 the University of Michigan Army ROTC program was recognized as a "top achiever" in training excellence by the Second ROTC Region. Finally, 1997 fostered continued success as our Wolverine cadets' average Advanced Camp scores far exceeded the national camp averages.
Life as a Cadet
As an incoming cadet you will be emerged into the army lifestyle and the values that come with it. We conduct physical training three days a week Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 0700-0800. Besides physical training, we hold labs on Thursday afternoon where you will begin to learn basic soldier tasks, individual movement techniques, basic officership, land navigation, and military customs and courtesies. During this year the requirements of ROTC are minimal for students.
As a sophomore cadet you will return and continue with your education. This is the year where you will become progressively more engaged with the program and begin to take on a leadership role. Your curriculum will continue with land navigation, small unit level tactics, battle drills, rules of war, and the principles of war.
As a junior cadet you will enter into your most important year and will be leading the cadets. This year will culminate with the Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), also known as Operation Warrior Forge, located at Fort Knox, KY which lasts four weeks. This year you will lead small groups in physical training and combat training with the oversight of a senior and cadre member. Throughout the year you will begin teaching classes to sophomore and freshman cadets. The classroom instruction includes in depth analysis of the principles of war, platoon sized tactics, and the troop leading procedures.
As a senior cadet it is your final year and you are preparing to commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. This is the year that you will be planning all the events for the battalion. You will also be developing the junior cadets in their leadership roles. This is the final year you will spend in ROTC and it more involved than the previous years. During classroom instruction you will learn the administrative side of leadership which includes planning, operations, and training.
Cadet Training
The Cadet Training Program is designed to ensure each cadet receives instruction and becomes proficient in the tasks prescribed in the Military Qualification Standards (MQS) I. The MQS System has established the skills and knowledge that are required of all U.S. Army officers. A key element of this training is the Leadership Development Program (LDP). The LDP develops every cadet's leadership potential to the maximum degree possible through continual assessment and feedback. This assessment is provided through various training opportunities throughout the school year.
A description of key training events includes:
Leadership Labs
The two hour laboratory, which occurs weekly, is required for all scholarship and enrolled cadets with each MS level executing different roles. MS IV cadets occupy positions of responsibility in the Cadet Battalion and plan, coordinate, and conduct cadet training and activities under faculty guidance. MS III cadets focus on developing basic military tactical skills in preparation for the Warrior Forge, which is held every summer at Fort Knox, KY. MS I and II cadets receive familiarization training aimed at basic skills such as land navigation, marksmanship, weapons familiarization, and other subjects.
Field Training Exercises (FTX)
A battalion FTX is conducted each term and emphasizes squad and platoon level training in a field environment, along with day and night land navigation exercises, under a continuous military environment. FTXs often last the duration of a weekend, and serve as testing grounds for MS IIIs, who are evaluated on their leadership abilities as squad and platoon leaders.
Physical Training (PT)
Every cadet has the responsibility to maintain the appropriate level of physical fitness. To assist cadets in meeting that responsibility, we require cadets to attend four PT sessions per week, Monday to Thursday.
Cadets may attend group PT sessions on any weekday morning from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM. Unless otherwise instructed, PT formation takes place either in front of North Hall or in the Central Campus Recreation Building (CCRB), a minute walk from North Hall, depending on the weather. These group sessions are typically led by an MSIII using a PT plan that was developed by the MSIII and approved by the cadre. These group sessions will focus on improving the cadet’s score on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). If schedule conflicts exist for a cadet, they may also attend PT sessions on Friday. Every cadet is expected to pass the APFT. The test is given to every cadet twice a semester. The APFT is a three-event test consisted of push-ups, sit-ups, and a two-mile run. The minimum passing score in each event is 60 points, and the maximum is 100 points, making a total of 300 points the maximum PT score possible. Point values are linked against age brackets.
As future officers, cadets should work to achieve a maximum score and not be satisfied with meeting the minimum standards. As you develop your overall fitness, your APFT score should improve as well. To measure your progress, the following goals were established for each MS class:
MSI - 250
MSII - 260
MSIII - 270
MSIV - 270
Cadets who score high enough to earn the physical fitness badge (270 out of 300) may be subject to incentives.
Warrior Forge (Previously Known as Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) or Advanced Camp)
A key portion of the Army ROTC program is Warrior Forge located at Fort Knox, KY. All cadets must successfully complete the four-week camp to be eligible for a commission. The camp emphasizes field training and military skills to complement the military science instruction given at the University. Attendance at Warrior Forge normally takes place following the MS III year; exceptions to this are rare and granted on a case-by-case basis. Branch selections and active or reserve duty determinations are greatly affected by your camp performance. You will be paid travel expenses and one half the pay of a second lieutenant while at camp (approx. $760).
Warrior Forge builds confidence and develops leadership qualities. The training is rigorous and intensive, both physically and mentally. Cadets are placed in evaluated leadership positions on a daily basis that guide the days training. When not being evaluated on leadership, cadets receive training on the use of individual weapons, artillery, grenades, and communication equipment. You will also receive tactical instruction on: platoon in the attack and defense, patrolling, ambush and confidence training. In addition, a comprehensive field training exercise is conducted in a squad and section sized element.
Warrior Forge evaluations are grouped into two major areas: military proficiency and leadership potential. Military proficiency evaluations include basic physical fitness, land navigation, and tactics. Leadership potential evaluations include performance evaluations which are given by your platoon evaluator after each of your four to six leadership positions. The evaluations place a heavy emphasis on demonstrated leadership potential and physical conditioning . The platoon evaluator will normally be a Captain who is a member of an ROTC instructor group, along with a non-commissioned officer and a newly commissioned lieutenant.
Your Role
Participation
To be in the Army ROTC program you must be a full-time student in good standing with the University (this includes U of M Dearborn and Wayne State University) and all other cross enrollment schools (i.e. Concordia and Baker College). No restriction is placed on your academic major (unless you are a scholarship cadet) other than requiring normal progress toward a degree. You are expected to attend all scheduled ROTC classes and labs as well as your academic curriculum classes. If it becomes impossible to attend a particular class, report this to your instructor prior to the class.
Contracted and Enrolled students will participate in all events (classroom, field training, and physical training). Auditing and participating students will only participate in the classroom portion of ROTC. Participation in any of the extracurricular activities and organizations sponsored by ROTC is voluntary.
Conduct
Your conduct, both in and out of uniform, must be praiseworthy and you must exhibit those qualities consistent with the status and position of a commissioned officer. Specifically, you should be neat in appearance, have a neatly groomed haircut, and observe military courtesy. Take pride in your appearance, your uniform, and your conduct. While you are in uniform, you represent the Army and your fellow cadets in the eyes of others. Auditing and participating students do not need to meet Army requirements (e.g. a military haircut).
Sponsorship Program
New students are provided an upper class cadet as a sponsor. The sponsor will help the new student pick up their uniforms and equipment; teach them the proper way to wear the uniform, and provide instruction in maintaining the uniform (i.e., placement of patches.) The sponsor will also help the new student locate campus classrooms; and should answer questions about purchasing textbooks, housing, and campus life. The role of the sponsor does not end after initial processing, but continues throughout the term. Your sponsor will be able to answer most of your questions and if they are unable to then the cadre are always available to assist you.
