In addition to the on-campus training you receive as an ROTC Cadet you will be afforded opportunities for advanced training during the summer months as you progress through the program. Some of the training courses listed below are mandatory for completion of our program, others are limited in scope and only offered to select Cadets.
Basic Camp
The Cadet Summer Training Basic Camp is the premier leadership program of its kind in the United States. An intense four-week introduction to Army life and leadership training of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the aim of the course is to motivate and qualify Cadets for entry into the Senior ROTC program.
Basic Camp, is designed for college students, typically between their sophomore and junior years. Upon successful completion of the course, graduates can take part in ROTC at their college as a third-year student in the four-year program.
While attending Basic Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Cadets gain an experience that runs the gamut of Army life and the responsibilities of being an officer. The course instills confidence and decision-making abilities to become a leader, in the Army and in life.
The four weeks of Basic Camp are mentally grueling and physically taxing. But the reward of graduation and meeting ROTC standards is the opportunity to enroll in the world's greatest leadership program and to receive college tuition assistance.
Graduation from Basic Camp has been the first step in many successful officers' careers. Graduates have gone on to lead America's sons and daughters in fighting to preserve American democracy and freedoms or in civilian life in the boardrooms and offices of American business.
Advanced Camp
The Cadet Summer Training Advanced Camp is now held annually at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The U.S. Army's largest training exercise, Advanced Camp is the U.S. Army Cadet Command's capstone training event.
The purpose of the course is to train U.S. Army ROTC Cadets to Army standards, to develop their leadership skills, and to evaluate their officer potential. Most Army Cadets attend Advanced Camp between their junior and senior undergraduate years after having contracted to join the Army. Successful completion of Advanced Camp is a prerequisite to becoming an Army officer through ROTC.
The 29-day course starts with individual training and leads to collective training, building from simple to complex tasks. This building-block approach permits integration of previously-learned skills into follow-on training. This logical, common-sense training sequence is maintained for each training cycle. Every day at Advanced Camp is a day of training. Below are some highlights:
Land Navigation
Land Navigation training must be mastered early in the training cycle for the Cadets to be fully successful in the tactical training which follows. The Land Navigation evaluation consists of three events totaling 100 points. The written examination is worth 20 percent. The day Land Navigation test is worth 50 percent. The night Land Navigation test is worth 30 percent. Each cadet must earn 70 percent on each test to pass this event. A passing score in Land Navigation is a criterion for success. Prior to Land Navigation, Cadets will learn field craft while living and sleeping in the woods. They will set up field-expedient shelters using ponchos and whatever else is available. They'll learn how to maintain noise, light and litter discipline.
Confidence Training
This includes rappel training, the Slide For Life, Log Walk/Rope Drop, and confidence and obstacle courses. Confidence Training is designed to challenge the Cadets' physical courage, build confidence in personal abilities, and help them overcome fear. At the rappelling site, each cadet executes one 17-foot rappel and several 37-foot rappels. Cadets demonstrate confidence in their ability to overcome fear of heights by executing the Confidence/Obstacle Course, Log Walk/Rope Drop and Slide For Life.
Field Leader's Reaction Course
FLRC is designed to develop and evaluate leadership, and to build teamwork early in the training cycle. Course administration is accomplished using the established cadet organization and chain of command. Cadet leadership potential is assessed by committee evaluators. Cadets are provided the opportunity to get early feedback on their leadership strengths, weaknesses, styles and techniques.
CBRNE
Chemical, Biological Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive Training teaches Cadets how to administer a nerve agent antidote, how to protect themselves from chemical and biological contamination using their assigned protective mask, decontaminate themselves and individual equipment using chemical decontaminating kits and how to react to chemical or biological hazard/attack. In addition, Cadets must go through the CS gas chamber and the COBALT Challenge Lane.
U.S. Weapons Familiarization
Familiarizes Cadets with the operation and employment of infantry squad weapons and call for fire grid missions. The Cadets train in the fundamentals of operation and engaging of targets and emplacement of crew-served weapons such as the M-249, M203, and M136.
Cultural Awareness
Teaches Cadets a basic understanding of cultural matters and how cultural awareness will facilitate mission success. Cadets learn how to conduct bi-lateral discussions with local officials, how to conduct a knock and search mission and how to defuse volatile situations using an interpreter.
First Aid
Cadets develop confidence in their ability to react properly to battlefield wounds. Through hands-on training and evaluation, Cadets learn critical first aid skills.
Maneuver Training
In the first block of instruction in maneuver at Advanced Camp, Cadets learn individual battlefield skills, combat movement techniques and procedures necessary for subsequent tactical training at the squad level. Maneuver training is a vehicle to teach and evaluate leadership. It introduces conditions of stress that parallel those found in combat. Tactical training introduces new skills, provides performance-oriented reinforcement opportunities and increases the degree of difficulty and sophistication of training events. Cadets learn the skills necessary to function in a Tactical Training Area This building-block approach provides the best opportunity for Cadets to learn and for cadre to assess leadership potential.
Tactics
This year Squad Situational Training and Patrolling Situational Training Exercises have been combined under the tactics committee. They take place back-to-back while Cadets are at the Tactical Training Base.
Tactical Training Base: Cadets operate for five days out of a hard site facility between Maneuver Training and Patrolling. They learn how to provide security by guarding gates and doing squad-level reconnaissance around the TTB, how to conduct TTB operations, and how they have to prepare for Patrolling.
Squad Situational Training Exercise: Squad STX is a four-day, two-phase event. The first day, the squad training phase, is designed to train squad battle drills and collective tasks. The last three days, the Squad STX lane phase, are designed to evaluate leadership using tactical scenarios. Each cadet receives two formal evaluations of his/her performance as a squad leader during this phase. Squad operations build on and reinforce all previous instruction. Cadets use knowledge of land navigation, terrain analysis, weapons systems and all individual training previously presented.
Patrolling Situational Training Exercise: Patrolling STX is a two-day event that provides Cadets practical experience in leading Soldiers at the section level in a challenging, realistic and fluid environment. On the first day, Cadets undergo training and then during the last three days they participate in an exercise where they are formally evaluated. Developmental feedback is provided to all levels of leadership. Patrolling STX builds on and reinforces all previous instruction received during the course. The event ends with a 10K foot march.
Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT)
The Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) provides Cadets the opportunity to experience leadership in Army Table of Organization and equipment (TO&E) units over a three to four week period. Cadets serve in lieutenant-level leadership positions in active-duty units. Platoon Leader positions have a 3-4 week duration depending on the hosting unit and location. Assignments include units that are located CONUS and OCONUS. Cadets are assigned a unit mentor, and are provided on-post lodging and meals via a Dining Facility. This program is exclusively designed for MS III Cadets before and after completion of the Advanced Camp.
There are two leadership opportunities within the Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) Platoon Leader. The CTLT Platoon Leader Program which consists of platoon leader positions identified by active Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard units both CONUS and OCONUS. Non-SMP MSL III cadets are assigned to the CTLT Platoon Leader program by their PMS and must successfully complete Advanced Camp before proceeding to their assigned position. CTLT Platoon Leader positions do not require an application. Cadets are assigned for a period of three-weeks with CONUS units and four-weeks with OCONUS units. Positions are allocated to each Brigade via CCIMS. Brigades allocate positions to battalions. Cadets receive an Officer Evaluation Report upon completing the Platoon Leader assignment.
All CTLT positions are linked to a specific regiment of Advanced Camp. As a result, attendance to the specific regiment is mandatory. The assigned regiment will not be changed to accommodate personal situations.
Cadets selected for a CTLT (Platoon Leader or DCLT) position must complete the CTLT Acceptance Statement and maintained in the Cadet's ROTC records on campus.
Prerequisites:
MSL III cadets only. There is no application for CTLT Platoon Leader positions. Cadets must contact their professor of military science or training officer at the beginning of their junior year to coordinate a CTLT Platoon Leader position for the summer following their junior year. Once assigned, cadets must sign a CTLT Acceptance Statement and carry it to Advanced Camp. This is the best way to try out a branch before selecting your branch assignment in the fall of your senior year.
Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency Program (CULP)
For Army ROTC Cadets, the world is their classroom. Every year hundreds of Cadets travel the globe, spending up to three weeks immersed in foreign cultures, learning more about how others around the world view the U.S. and, in the process, learning more about themselves.
The Army recognizes the need for young leaders to develop more cultural awareness and foreign language proficiency skills. Now more than ever, cultural awareness training is a vital component to the ROTC curriculum. Overseas immersions help educate future leaders in ways the classroom cannot.
Cadets now have the opportunity to compete for immersion in more than 20 countries. These opportunities expose them to everyday life in different cultures and intensifies language study, which helps produce commissioned officers who possess the right blend of language and cultural skills required to support global operations in the 21st Century.
Participants experience up to three different venues during immersion, including host nation military-to-military exchange, humanitarian service, and education on the social, cultural and historical aspects of the country. In 2016, 1,300 ROTC Cadets traveled across the world and participated in Cadet Command's CULP program to 42 Countries. The future goal is for at least half of all Cadets to complete a CULP Immersion Internship annually.
Immersion into foreign cultures exposes Cadets to the realities that other countries have vastly different lifestyles, economic standing and world perspective.
Cadets travel in small groups led by senior leader cadre. Trips typically incorporate approximately 11 Cadets and a cadre member traveling in conjunction with a civilian agency or non-governmental agency.
The trips last approximately one month, which encompasses the deployment as well as a five-day Soldier readiness process.
CULP slots are awarded on a competitive basis and take into account several factors, such as GPA, physical fitness, language ability, and other pertinent selection criteria.
Nurse Program
If you're considering an undergraduate nursing degree, enrolling in Army ROTC can enhance your leadership skills and critical thinking abilities while providing financial support to help make your professional goals a reality. Being a nurse in the Army provides you with benefits not found in the civilian world. As an Army Nurse and Officer, you will be placed in positions of increasing responsibility and gain opportunities to train and serve in a variety of specialties. Learn more about the ROTC Nurse Program at ArmyROTC.com.
Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP)
Army ROTC Nurse Cadets have an opportunity for a unique summer nursing experience. The paid, three-week Nurse Summer Training Program assigns Cadets to Army hospitals throughout the U.S. and Germany.
The program introduces you to the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) and to the roles and responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps Officer. Under the supervision of an experienced Army Nurse Corps Officer, you will obtain hands-on experience. Your one-on-one clinical experience will allow you to hone your clinical skills, develop your problem-solving techniques and become comfortable with developing your professional skills as a member of the U.S. Army Healthcare Team.