Become an Army Officer
 Every
physically qualified student has the opportunity to compete
for a commission as an officer in the active Army, U.S. Army
Reserve, or National Guard. Commissioning is done through
the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. Although
all resident male students must participate in the military
program, including classroom courses in military science for
academic credit, earning a commission is both voluntary on
the part of the individual and selective by the Department
of the Army.
Students who desire to earn a commission and who are accepted
in the ROTC program are placed on contract with the Army,
normally at the beginning of the junior year. In return for
contracting to serve as a commissioned officer, the student
receives a non-taxable allowance of $300 per month for up
to 20 months while in college. Contract students attend a
six-week ROTC summer camp between the junior and senior years
of college. The student is reimbursed for travel expenses
to and from the camp and is paid during the camp period at
one-half the current rate of second lieutenants in the Army.
ROTC contract students may apply to be commissioned in the
active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, or National Guard. Students
on ROTC Scholarships have the opportunity to apply for competitive
selection for the regular Army commission.
The Department of the Army annually authorizes the selection
of a number of outstanding seniors to be designated Distinguished
Military Students (DMS). Students so chosen must be in the
upper half of their class academically; must be in the upper
third in military science studies and the upper third of their
class Order of Merit List (OML); students must also demonstrate
outstanding potential for service as officers.
NGCSU’s ROTC program also has the capability of accommodating
students who are transferring into NGC midstream of acquiring
their undergraduate degree, and those seeking a graduate degree.
Those students selected to commission as military officers
participate in NGCSU’s Pre Camp Program their junior
year. The Pre Camp Program is a comprehensive training program
focusing on skills MSIII cadets need to succeed at Advanced
Camp. NGCSU cadets consistently score well above the Advanced
Camp averages in all rated areas. NGCSU ranked first among
all Senior Military Colleges at Advanced Camp for the last
five years consecutively (1997-2001).
Cadets augment their military science classroom instruction
with a two-hour lab each week and one field exercise each
month. An active duty Army officer and non-commissioned officer train
a cadre of senior cadets who have recently graduated from
Advance Camp. These seniors serve as the primary instructors
for the nine-month program, which focuses on land navigation
skills; troop leading procedures, and operations order preparation;
physical fitness; leadership; field craft; and small unit
infantry tactics. NGCSU is one of the few places at which
Cadets can familiarize themselves with hands on platoon level
infantry tactics prior to advance camp.
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