Freshmen (either first or second semester)
ROTC is set up so that the first two years, called the Basic Course, expose a student to Army history, structure, values and attributes. There is no commitment to join the Army by participating in those first two years. They are designed to allow the student to decide if being an Army Officer is right for them. At the same time, it allows the Cadre an opportunity to assess if the student has the attributes required to be an Army Officer. If that is the case than the student signs up to participate in the Advance Course (Junior and Senior year) and obtains a degree in the major of their choice. Upon graduation, they are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army either on Active Duty (full-time) or in the Guard/Reserve (duty is a weekend a month and 2 weeks a year). An Officer is expected to serve for 3 years on Active Duty and 6 in the Guard/Reserve. Training during the Advance Course does take more time than the Basic Course because it is designed to get a Cadet up to commissioning standards.
To sum it up—you can take the first 2 years of ROTC with no commitment to serve to see if it is a path right for you. You sign up by merely enrolling in Military Science 1001 or 1002 when you arrive on campus.
Sophomore
If you want to find out about the program—we recommend you sign up for the one-hour Military Science 1001 (Fall) or 1002 (Spring) to see if it is right for you. If you think it is-- then we may have two options to discuss with you:
Placement Credit or Compressing
If you have military or Junior ROTC experience-- we can give you placement credit for any semesters they may have missed in Senior ROTC. If you have none, then we compress or "double them up" with both Military Science 1 (1001/2) and 2 (2001/2). That equates to 3 credit hours a semester--the same credit hours of most ASU courses. The key will be to assess your individual situation and how many total credit hours you start with.
Basic Camp
At the month-long Basic Camp, students will be given the opportunity to learn, develop, and practice leadership within a challenging, stressful and competitive framework. The Basic Camp environment (similar to the Outward Bound program) provides students an opportunity to demonstrate overall officer potential and characteristics such as loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage, and leadership. Successful completion of Basic Camp requires a cadet to meet or exceed the standard in a variety of objective evaluations. Normally taken the summer following the sophomore year as a substitute for the first two years of ROTC (ROTC Basic Course). This course fulfills the requirements for entry into the ROTC Advanced Course. Training is conducted at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, about an hour south of Louisville, Kentucky. Transportation and expenses are paid for by the government. To receive five hours of credit, a student must register and pay a fee to the University. Prerequisite: completion of the sophomore year of college, cumulative GPA of 2.0, and selection by the Department. Ofter, students who contract upon their return can receive a $5000 signing bonus.
The key will be to assess your individual situation and how many total credit hours you have when you start ROTC classes.
Junior
Upperclassmen who just want to find out about the Army or leadership should take Military Science 1001 (Fall) or 1002 (Spring). A student who wants to become an Army officer and has 60 credit hours and 2 years left prior to obtaining their degree will need to take the Advance Course. The prerequisites for the Advance Course are the Basic Course, or Leadership Training Course (see above), or current/prior military service. A student has to get permission from the Professor of Military Science prior to enrolling in the Advance course.
Graduate Students
It is important to note that any school which offers ROTC allows you take the Advanced Course portion while you are in a graduate school. The stipulations are that you have to get your degree in no more, and no less, than two years. Upon obtaining your degree you will serve as an Army Second Lieutenant in one of the several Army branches and either on Active Duty or in the National Guard or Army Reserve. The program is not constrained by what degree you are pursuing but you have to be accepted by a graduate program prior to starting the Advance Course. The Advance Course starts each Fall. Graduate programs differ on when they start and how you apply. You will need to provide the ROTC Department proof of ASU program acceptance prior to enrolling into our Advance Course. If you do not have any prior military or JROTC experience—you will need to attend the Basic Camp (see above) prior to starting the Advance Course; is some cases that can be delayed until the summer between you first and second year.
Thus the only deadlines associated with you starting in the program are those established by the Graduate program you desire and by May 1st you have to provide the ASU ROTC Department an acceptance letter and conduct a face-face interview in preparation for Basic Camp and ROTC acceptance.
Contracting Routes
(You can only choose one of the three routes) You have to contract to take the Advance Course.
- Scholarship: 100% of tuition paid. Receive a stipend every month (check below for amount) and receive $420 a semester for books and fees. Once you graduate you owe the Army four years on active duty or eight years in the National Guard/Reserves as an officer, leading soldiers. Scholarship Cadets usually contract in the fall of their Freshmen or Sophomore year.
- Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP): You are a ROTC Cadet and a member of the National Guard/Reserves. You get money for tuition. Receive a stipend every month (check below for amount). You also have to attend drill one weekend a month with your unit. You will be paid around $200 a month after taxes for drill weekends. You also get to pick which unit that you want to be in. Once you graduate you will owe the Army three years on active duty or 6 years in the National Guard/Reserves as an officer, leading soldiers. SMP Cadets usually contract in the spring of their sophomore year, though some are offered the opportunity in the fall.
- Contracted Cadet: Receive a stipend every month (check below for amount). You will owe the Army three years on active duty or 6 years in the National Guard/Reserves as an officer, leading soldiers. Progression Cadets (those who have taken the 2 year Basic Course and are not scholarship or SMP Cadets ) and Lateral Entry Cadets (those who transferred in with placement credit) contract in the Fall of their Junior year.
Scholarship | SMP | Contracted | |
Tuition Paid | x | x | |
Stipend | x | x | x |
Books and Fees | x | ||
Drill Pay | x | ||
Owe 4 Years Active or 8 Years NG/R | x | ||
Owe 3 Years Active or 6 Years NG/R | x | x |
Stipend per month (tax-free):
- Freshmen: $420
- Sophomore: $420
- Junior: $420
- Senior: $420
Books and fees money scholarship stipend: $600 a semester
Drill pay: Around $200 a month after taxes
Language Bonus: Take either Arabic or Mandarin Chinese classes here at ASU and contract as a Cadet. You will be paid an additional $100 to $250 a credit hour, tax-free, depending on the level of the class.
If interested or if you have any questions about Basic Camp about ROTC in general contact:
Mr. DJ Weatherford
Email:
Phone:
828-262-2994 (Office)
We are located in the front of Varsity Gym up the stairs. Room 302