Getting into ROTC is as easy as registering for a course. Students can enter Army ROTC up to your junior year. You could either “compress” the first two years of military science by taking both first-and second-year classes in the second year, or if you cannot complete all the courses, we can send you to ROTC Basic Camp in the summer between your second and third year. This is a four-week summer training camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, that enables you to enter the Advanced Course. In addition to catching you up on everything you missed in the campus program, you can choose to compete for a scholarship.

BASIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be under 31 years of age by December 31 of the year you will graduate from college.
• Must have four or more academic semesters remaining for a baccalaureate degree upon enrollment. Students seeking a master’sdegree must have four academic semesters remaining and must have Army ROTC Basic Course credit (contact the ROTC department the spring before you begin your program).
• Minimum college GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Satisfactory explanation for any record of arrest and/or civil conviction.
• No moral or personal conviction against bearing arms or supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States.

Campus based scholarships are available to qualified students who were not offered or did not apply for the High School ROTC Scholarship. These scholarships are extremely limited and may range in length from 2-3 years. Scholarships pay for full tuition and mandatory fees, for both resident and nonresident students. Scholarship awardees also receive a book allowance and a tax-free monthly stipend.

MILITARY OBLIGATION

If you are selected for a ROTC Scholarship, you are required to:

• Sign a contract with the Secretary of the Army.
• Attend Cadet Summer Training (CST).
• Accept a Commission to serve in the Army on active duty, in the Army National Guard, or in the Army Reserves upon degree completion.
• Serve in the military for a period of 8 years. This may be fulfilled by one of the following:
• Serving active duty, if selected, for 4 years followed by 4 years of service in the Army National Guard, Army Reserves, or Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR). You may elect to serve on active duty longer, but only the first 4 are required.
• Serve 8 years in drill status (one weekend a month and two weeks a year for training) the Army National Guard or Army Reserves.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Applicants requiring more than two complete academic years for completion of a graduate degree are not eligible. If you are interested you will probably fall into one of three categories listed below:

1. Applicants already possessing a baccalaureate degree.
2. Seniors in college with a letter of acceptance to a graduate program.
3. Current graduate program participants with two years remaining.

WHAT DOES ROTC HAVE TO OFFER?

This program provides a chance to compete for a 2-year scholarship for pursuit of a graduate degree. This program is limited to 20 months of benefits (based on 4 semesters, start in August, not including June and July, and graduate in May).

HOW CAN I JOIN?

The summer before your first year of grad school, we will send you to Basic Camp. Basic Camp is basic training for college students. It is a paid, 30+ days course at Ft. Knox KY in which all travel, food, and housing is paid for. By attending Basic Camp you will learn the basics of what it is like to be an Army Officer. This includes basic military tactics, land navigation, rifle marksmanship, and leadership. By attending Basic Camp you owe the military and ROTC no obligation whatsoever. But should you decide that becoming an Army Officer is for you, then you can contract the beginning of your 1st year of grad school.

If you decide to contract you will take military science classes your first and second year of grad school, then when you graduate you will become an officer in the Army. This gives you a guaranteed, well-paying job, with tons of leadership and management skills.

CONTRACTING ROUTES:

(You can only choose one of the three routes)

1. Scholarship: 100% of tuition paid. Receive a stipend of $420 per month and receive $600 a semester for books. Once you graduate you owe theArmy an eight-year obligation; four years on active duty plus four more years on active duty or in the national guard or reserves or the inactive readiness reserve OR eight years in the National Guard/Reserves as an officer, leading soldiers.
2. Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP): You are an ROTC Cadet and a member of the National Guard/Reserves. Receive a stipend every month. You also have to attend drill one weekend a month with your unit. You will be paid around $300 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.
3. Contracted Non-Scholarship Cadet: Receive a stipend every month. You will owe the Army 3 years on active duty or 6 years in the National Guard/Reserves as an officer, leading soldiers.

ROTC provides an opportunity for college nursing students to receive practical hands-on leadership experience. The courses provide a chance for students to develop management, communication and decision-making skills in a non-threatening environment. Physical training and confidence-building activities (i.e. rappelling, obstacle courses) also provide a chance for students to be physically and mentally challenged. Students who are interested in obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Auburn University may enroll in ROTC. Students should enroll as a freshman. Upon completion of our program, Nursing students are commissioned as officers in the United States Army.

WHO IS AN ARMY NURSE? HOW DO I BECOME AN ARMY NURSE?

An Army Nurse is a Baccalaureate-prepared Registered Nurse who is an Army Officer. During their first assignment, they will work as a Clinical Staff Nurse in an Army Medical Treatment Facility (MTF). To become an Army Nurse, you must:

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER GRADUATION?

You will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. After you pass the NCLEX, you will attend the Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC) at Fort Sam Houston, TX prior to reporting to your first assignment. At BOLC (12 Weeks), you will study basic Army knowledge and the functioning of an Army unit. The firstassignment, which is determined by evaluating college performance, ROTC standing, and personal preferences, can be one of 8 hospitals in the continental United States, and the two outside the continental US (Hawaii and Germany). Once you have been working as an Army Nurse (on Active Duty) for two years, you are eligible to attend a clinical specialty course of your choice (see the question above, “What advanced education opportunities do Army Nurses have?). You also have the opportunity, as a member of the Army Nurse Corps, to apply for are fully funded Doctorate Degree program.

WHAT IS MY SERVICE OBLIGATION?

Scholarship Recipients:

• Total Obligation is 8 Years
• First 4 years of Obligation must be Active Duty
• Remaining 4 years may be Active Duty, Army Reserves, Inactive Readiness Reserves

Non-Scholarship Recipients:

• Total Obligation is 8 Years
• First 3 years of Obligation must be Active Duty
• Remaining 5 years may be Active Duty, Army Reserves, Inactive Readiness Reserves

HOW DOES THE SALARY OF THE ARMY NURSE COMPARE TO A CIVILIAN NURSE?

As a commissioned officer in the Army Nurse Corps, your benefits include: competitive salary with regular promotions, 30 days paid vacation each year (in addition to time off for 11 Federal holidays) starting in the first year. Medical and dental care is provided free to Active Duty service members with unlimited sick leave. When changing jobs, you retain your same rank and pay.

WHO ARE THE PATIENTS AT AN MTF?

Soldiers, soldiers’ spouses and children, military retirees and spouses and civilians requiring emergency care are all patients of an MTF.

WHAT DOES A CLINICAL STAFF NURSE DO?

Clinical Staff Nurses plan, direct and provide nursing care. Clinical Staff Nurses work 80 hours per pay period (7-3, 3-11, 11-7, 12 hour 7-7 shifts). These nurses supervise and evaluate military and civilian personnel, provide patient and continuing staff education and provide Nursing care in a variety of settings, including:

• Medical-Surgical
• Maternal Child Health
• Psychiatric Mental Health
• Outpatient Clinics
• Operating Room
• Emergency Department
• Preventative Medicine
• Specialty Clinics
• Pediatrics
• Critical Care

WHAT ADVANCED EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES DO ARMY NURSES HAVE?

The Generic Course Selection Program offers junior officers — including all who enter Army nursing through ROTC, the opportunity to receive specialized training in several fields. This training is available within the first 3-4 years of Active Duty service.

The courses available for attendance through the Generic Course Selection program are:

• Obstetrical/Gynecological Nursing: Prepares nurses to care for patients in all aspects of the childbearing spectrum — pregnancy counseling, pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. This course lasts 16 weeks and is offered at Ft. Hood, TX.
• Critical Care Nursing/Emergency Room Nursing: Trains nurses in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, physics, CPR, inhalation therapy, diagnostics, psychological and sociological problems, and ethical and legal considerations in the care of critically ill patients. This 16-week course can be taken in San Antonio, TX.
• Perioperative Nursing: Prepares nurses for all phases of operating room nursing, including advanced skills related to specialty areas in surgery and the principles and techniques of supervising and managing an operating room. This course is 16 weeks and can be taken in San Antonio, TX.
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Prepares nurses to provide specialized care to emotionally distressed individuals both as inpatients and outpatients, and to provide consultation within the general hospital community. This course is 16 weeks long and is offered in Washington, D.C.

Other Specialty Courses available, but not through the Generic Course Selection Program, are:

• Preventative Medicine: Provides nurses with skills and knowledge to function in preventative medicine specialty area at an entry level. Course content includes the following: community health practices, communicable and infectious diseases, operational preventative medicine, epidemiology, statistics, medical entomology, industrial hygiene, health physics, sanitary engineering, and environmental science. A three-day field training exercise occurs at the end of the course. This is a 9-week course offered in San Antonio, TX.

The second major educational opportunity is Long Term Health Education and Training (LTHET). This program allows Captains (year 3) and above an opportunity to obtain their Master’s degree in a multitude of specialty areas and locations. Officers apply for and are accepted to attend graduate programs following both clinical and administrative avenues. As full-time students working towards their Master’s degree through LTHET, officers remain on Active Duty with full pay and benefits.

Nurses may pursue degrees in the following disciplines:

• Nurse Anesthesia
• Health Care Administration
• Midwife
• Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP)
• Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist (DNP)
• Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (DNP)
• Education (PhD)
• Master of Science in Nursing, in a number of approved areas, including:
  • Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Nursing Informatics
  • Nursing Education

The Army Green to Gold Program provides Enlisted Soldiers an opportunity to pursue a commission as an Army Officer. Soldiers can work toward either a baccalaureate or graduate degree while participating in the ROTC leadership program. Green to Gold options are:

• Green to Gold Scholarship Option or Hip Pocket Scholarship – Selected Soldiers will leave active duty status to attend college. This can be a two, three, or four-year program. The Army will provide full tuition and fees or room and board (capped at $10,000), $600 per semester for books, and a monthly stipend ($420).
• Green to Gold Active Duty Option – Selected Soldiers will remain on Active Duty and be reassigned to the university location. The soldier must be able to complete their degree requirements in two years. Soldiers will retain their current pay and allowances while completing their last two years of school. The Soldier is responsible for paying for the cost of attending school (tuition, fees, & books); most Soldiers elect to use their GI benefits to cover the cost of school.
• Green to Gold Non-Scholarship Option – Qualified Soldiers will leave active duty status to attend college. The soldier must be able to complete their degree requirements in two years. The Army will provide a monthly stipend ($420). All expenses are the Soldiers responsibility; most Soldiers elect to use their Post 9/11 GI benefits to cover the cost of school and provide a living allowance.

For questions about the requirements and qualifications, how to apply and the application process, please contact Mr. Paul West, Enrollment & Scholarship Officer, westpab@auburn.edu, 334-715-1361 or 334-844-5641.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information such as eligibility requirements, documents, forms, checklist, waivers, addresses, and affidavits can be found here: Resources

Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) - just means you are full-time college student, in Army ROTC and drilling with the National Guard or Reserves at the same time. Students who contract as a Simultaneous Membership Program Cadet simultaneously enroll in ROTC and belong to an Army Reserve or National Guard unit. A student can become an SMP Cadet in their sophomore year and become non-deployable while in college.

SMP CADETS, SCHOLARSHIP AND NON-SCHOLARSHIP

SMP CADETS, scholarship, and non-shcolarship will recieve:

• Experience working with an officer during drill, learning the job of an officer.
• Drill pay as a Sergeant (E-5): $300+/mo (for calendar year 2020).
• ROTC stipend of $420 per month while in school.
• Non-deployable status—your college education won’t be interrupted by deployment.
• Officer training in your unit.

OTHER BENEFITS

Other benefits that SMP students may qualify for:

• Federal Tuition Assistance: $250 per credit (for 12 – 18 credits; up to $4500 per year)
• Reserve GI Bill: $309+/mo. (must have completed Basic and AIT)
• Reserve GI Bill Kicker: $350/mo. (must receive Reserve GI Bill benefits and be in a select specialty or unit)
• ANGEAP: 90%+ of in-state tuition costs per semester (AL Army National Guard only) any public college or university in Alabama

The Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) program is designed for Cadets who are interested in obtaining a commission in the U.S. Army Reserves or National Guard with a guarantee for a reserve component assignment. Scholarships cover full tuition and mandatory fees, and range in length up to 3 years. Scholarship awardees also receive a book allowance and a monthly stipend. These Cadets also receive weekend drill and annual training pay as participants in the Simultaneous Membership Program.

BASIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must not reach 31 years of age by December 31st of the year you will graduate from college
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Score a minimum of 920 on the SAT and 19 on the ACT
• Have no or only minor infractions of the law
• Have no moral or personal conviction against bearing arms to include armed combat or supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States
• Have no moral or personal conviction against bearing arms to include armed combat or supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States
• Must be willing to participate in the SMP program with a Guard or Reserve unit. If you do not belong to a unit, you must obtain a letter of acceptance to the unit, stating that they will accept you as a SMP Cadet
• Must be medically qualified

DEDICATED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD GRFD AND DEDICATED ARMY RESERVE GRFD SCHOLARSHIPS

The dedicated Army National Guard GRFD and Army Reserve GRFD Scholarships:

• 2, 2.5, or 3 year scholarship
• Pays full tuition and mandatory fees or room and board
• Pays $1200 per year for books
• ROTC Monthly Stipend of $420/mo. respectively during the fall & spring semesters
• Awarded by the Army National Guard and Army Reserve
• Must become an SMP (see above)
• Must be aligned in both academics and military science courses to graduate and commission in 2-3 years
• Must actively drill as a Cadet with a National Guard or Army Reserve Unit (where the Cadet will receive drill pay as an E-5 or above, $300+/mo. for calendar year 2020)
• Must serve 8 years after college actively drilling in the Reserve Component -Army National Guard or Army Reserve, that awarded the scholarship
• CANNOT use Chapter 1606 or Chapter 1607 Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits while receiving a Dedicated GRFD scholarship
• CANNOT revoke Dedicated GRFD scholarship nor request active duty immediately after college

If you are already a student, call, text or email us for an appointment so we can discuss how you can integrate ROTC into your academic curriculum.

CONTACT INFORMATION