NROTC Viable, Financially Sound College Choice

By Cathy Kempf, Naval Service Training Command, Public Affairs

April 29, 2010 - NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) is an excellent choice for college-bound students and those looking to serve their country as officers in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

The NROTC program, overseen by Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., was established to develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, loyalty and Navy core values. The program enables qualified young men and women to attain a college education leading to a commission in the Navy or Marine Corps, and offers scholarship and non-scholarship opportunities for future Navy and Marine Corps officers.

"The NROTC scholarship is an outstanding opportunity that pays full tuition, provides a $750 a year book stipend as well as a monthly stipend that ranges from $250 to $400 per academic month," said Dr. Jill Stein, NROTC program director at NSTC's Officer Development directorate in Pensacola, Fla.

NROTC program participants must complete specific academic courses as well as participate in drill and other military training.

"In addition to the challenging curriculum of their major area of study, midshipmen develop a strong foundation of Navy and Marine Corps history, traditions and ethics," said Capt. Dell Epperson, professor of Naval Science at Auburn and Tuskegee Universities in Alabama. "Just as importantly, they develop a culture of fitness, and have numerous leadership opportunities, both of which prepare them for service in the fleet and throughout their lives."

NROTC program participants find the scholarship and academic benefits rewarding.

"I was a part of a team that pushed me to do things I never thought I could," said Ensign Nick Boyer, a 2009 graduate from NROTC Vanderbilt. "As part of the NROTC unit at Vanderbilt University, I was empowered to apply and improve on my leadership skills through a variety of opportunities with my fellow midshipmen. The interactions with my instructors and peers spurred me on to achieve greater physical fitness, academic excellence and increased discipline that I never thought I could reach on my own. Through our experiences, we forged a camaraderie that will continue to be a defining factor in my life." This year, the NROTC program received more than 6,500 completed applications for the four-year national scholarship to start school in the Fall of 2010. This is an increase of 1,100 applications over last year.

NSTC oversees NROTC units at more than 150 colleges and universities that either host NROTC units or have cross-town enrollment agreements with a host university. The variety of institutions is a major reason for the remarkable flexibility and responsiveness of the NROTC program.

NROTC graduates are commissioned as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. The Navy ensigns will serve in surface, sub-surface, aviation and special warfare communities, with a few exceptions, such as those selected for the Navy Nurse Corps option. Additionally, there are limited opportunities each year for a few of the Navy graduates to attend medical or dental school through the Navy's Health Professionals Scholarship Program.

More in depth information on the NROTC program, and the universities and colleges that host NROTC units, can be found on the NROTC Web site at https://www.nrotc.navy.mil.

From this Web site, individuals interested in the NROTC program can initiate an application. Applications for the Fall 2011 school year are now being accepted.

Once the application is completed, individuals will be contacted by a Navy recruiter to complete the necessary signature forms and set up an appointment for an officer interview. The recruiter will collect the required teacher evaluations and transcripts, SAT or ACT Test scores, and with the completed officer interview will forward the application to Navy Recruiting Command.

Navy Recruiting Command processes the applications, ensuring applicants meet all required eligibility standards, then forwards the applications to NSTC for assignment to the selection board. Selection boards are held beginning in August through April.