Captain Howard is a public affairs officer who works for the U.S. Army Cadet Command, which includes:

* Junior ROTC for high school students

* Senior ROTC for college students

* Senior program is available at more than 1,000 colleges

However, Howard did not go through the ROTC program. “I wasn’t aware of the program when I went to college,” Howard said. So he had a lot of loan debt from college.

Then, he applied to become an Army officer because he wanted more responsibility and wanted to lead at a higher level. He now works to make people aware of what the ROTC program is all about and how students can benefit from ROTC.

What is ROTC?

ROTC is a leadership development program in the country. It is the equivalent of taking one lab and one elective per semester. The education focuses on leadership training:

* Tactics

* Military theory

* Applications

* Management

* Decision making techniques

* Cultural awareness

* Problem-solving skills

“All of those things contribute to developing and educating a competent leader that can perform as an Army officer but also as a viable civilian leader,” said Howard.

You can still have the normal college life, yet you have this opportunity as well!

Commitment & Benefits:

Initially, there is no commitment when in the ROTC program. However, students will incur a service obligation after completing the ROTC program and graduating college. The time period for service depends on various factors.

“There is a possibility of all service members at some point being called to a particular mission,” Howard said. However, this is viewed as an opportunity to serve and make a substantial contribution to your country.

Benefits to participating in the program include:

* Become an Army officer

* Scholarships awarded

Scholarships are available by participating in the ROTC program. Students who want to participate in the program and possibly receive a scholarship should:

* Have a good academic background

* Want to lead

Scholarship Process:

To find information about ROTC scholarships, contact local ROTC offices or visit www.armyrotc.com. The site includes:

* Testimonials

* List of participating colleges

* Applications

* And much more!

What kind of students are right for ROTC?

The ROTC program is open to all majors. “It is really important that it be open to all majors because we like a broad range of perspectives,” said Howard.

However, students with a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) background are encouraged. Also, ROTC seeks scholar athlete leader (SAL) students:

* Study and learn things quickly

* Have a good work ethic

* Have athletic ability to build resilience

* Want to lead

“That’s what we are looking for when it comes to those students,” said Howard.

Physical Requirements:

All students interested in the ROTC program have to undergo a medical review and physical assessment.

Once in the program, students will go through cadet initial training to provide a baseline for all ROTC cadets to learn fundamental skills such as:

* Rifle training

* Land navigation

Then, they will go through a cadet leader course, which reinforces and further trains cadets in a complex environment.

Career in the Military

Once students complete the ROTC program, they can go on to have a part-time or full-time career in the military if they prefer.

“You can serve as long as you please, as long as you remain qualified and competitive,” said Howard.