What is the Navy ROTC?

The Navy ROTC, or Reserve Officer Training Corps, is a program designed to develop young adults for service in the United States Navy or Marine Corps. This program generally involves a candidate pursuing a bachelor's degree while learning to become a Navy officer. It is normally conducted at a number of four-year colleges around the country. Training usually begins during a college student's freshman year and ends upon their graduation.

Those who are accepted into a Navy ROTC program generally receive a full college scholarship and a book stipend. They may also receive additional bonuses or financial benefits from their chosen institution. They are typically responsible for making their own arrangements for housing, food, and transportation while enrolled in this program.

Navy ROTC cadets, also known as midshipmen, typically receive their training from Navy officers. This is normally conducted at the college or university. Midshipmen must usually maintain the standards of appearance, such as haircuts expected of Navy recruits, even while they are students. They are normally also expected to show proper military courtesies, like saluting to their instructors.

Specialized training in Navy skills is usually given to midshipmen on a weekly basis. This can include marching, military customs and courtesies, and proper wear of the uniform. Cadets are normally required to attend a four to six-week training period each summer. This schooling is often conducted at an active duty Navy installation and can sometimes include aviation or submarine experience.

Along with their regular courses, these students are often required to take additional classes in naval science. Two semesters of calculus is also typically required before the end of the cadet's sophomore year of college. Two semesters of calculus-based physics is also usually mandated.

A graduate of the Navy ROTC program can be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve, or as an Ensign in the Navy Reserve. Such new officers are usually required to complete a six-year period of military service after graduation. Those who complete the Navy Nurse Corps program may serve for a period of two or three years in the active-duty Navy.

People who are considering a career in the Navy or Marine Corps, but would like to finish college first, may want to consider the Navy ROTC. This program offers students the opportunity to complete their education while preparing for military service. The skills learned during this time are likely to prepare them for a promising career in the U.S. armed forces.