ROTC Insight: Find out What ROTC is Really Like

By Dave Hagan

Are you or someone you know interested in ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps)? People join ROTC for many reasons. Some want a job once school is finished. Others want help paying for college. Some feel a special calling to be a leader in the military. For anyone interested in this topic, ROTC Insight is a must-read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483504728

Book preview

ISBN: 9781483504728

Contents

Forward

1. Indoctrination Week

2. Uniforms

3. Physical Fitness

4. ROTC Class and Lab

5. ROTC Unit Structure

6. ROTC Activities

7. ROTC and College Life

8. Summer Training

9. Service Selection

10. Commissioning and Beyond

Exhibit A: Reference Material

Exhibit B: Rank Insignia

Exhibit C: Typical Weekly Schedule

Forward

Thanks for purchasing ROTC Insight. Inside you'll find information and advice that can help you get the most out of your ROTC and college experience. This information was gathered from my own experience as a ROTC Candidate at Vanderbilt University. Shortly after arriving at school it became readily apparent to me that I was seriously unprepared for the ROTC program and that I didn't really know what I was getting into when I committed to it. Thankfully, through hard work, dedication, and some helping hands along the way I was able to earn my commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy.

But I've always thought that if I had been better prepared the transition would have been smoother, I would have enjoyed college more, and done even better academically and in ROTC. Which is why I decided to put ROTC Insight together, to help future ROTC candidates be better prepared and have a better, more enjoyable, and more fulfilling college and ROTC experience.

I can't guarantee that by reading this book you will have a successful ROTC experience. What you should have though is a better understanding of the ROTC program and the opportunity to learn from my mistakes. I can say that if you continue to proactively seek out knowledge and apply that knowledge your chances of success dramatically increase. ROTC is a challenging program and the lessons I learned have served me well on active duty in the military and also in life after the military. Finishing the ROTC program and earning my commission is truly one of the highlights of my life and I wish you the best of luck as you embark on that journey for yourself.

Indoctrination Week

Summary

Every ROTC unit has an Indoctrination Week, usually called INDOC for short. It's usually held the week before classes start at a military base near campus. The purpose of INDOC is to provide incoming freshman with training in military basics and it also serves as a transition from civilian life and an introduction to the military. I can still hear an upperclassmen who was helping run INDOC sneer as we boarded the bus to a base in Millington, TN after all the parents were out of earshot, Your little mommies and daddies are gone now. They can't help you. We're in charge now.

And he was right. For the whole week every waking minute is supervised, timed, and evaluated. Literally, from the minute you wake up in the morning until your head hits the pillow at night someone is in your ear shouting instructions, calling out directions, barking out commands or counting down time until whatever you are doing is supposed to be done. The people in your ear are typically upperclassmen. Upperclassmen basically run INDOC under the supervision of the ROTC unit staff who appear less frequently during the week. INDOC is a lot like camp where the upperclassmen take on a role similar to camp counselors, only much more aggressive, and lead you through a week of activities.

The activities are designed to provide incoming freshman with training in military basics. Activities typically fall into three categories: physical training (PT), classroom lectures, and miscellaneous. PT includes morning runs, PT tests, seemingly constant calisthenics, and endless hours learning to march in formation and carry a rifle. Classroom lectures cover basic topics such as: uniform standards, grooming and appearance standards, military history, and rank and unit structure. Miscellaneous activities include haircuts, getting your uniform, room inspections, uniform inspections and meals at the base mess hall.

All these activities and INDOC in general, are designed for one reason, which is to get the incoming freshman class up to speed with the basics as soon as possible so they can function as part of the whole ROTC unit when they return to campus. Otherwise, valuable semester time would have to be wasted on the freshman trying to get the basics down. INDOC is typically concluded when the incoming freshman are bussed back to campus on the day all freshman are required to report to school and reunited with their families after a quick marching demonstration and allowed to tend to all the typical freshman move in day issues. After I was reunited with my family, I was standing in my uniform and my dad turned to me and said, Do you think you're up for all this? Sure, I responded. How hard could it be I thought to myself?

Insight #1

Retrain your Brain

The military is one of the largest organizations in the world with nearly three million people located all over the globe. In order to efficiently run an organization of that magnitude the leadership relies on many sets of rules, regulations and procedures. One of the first and most basic lessons to learn in ROTC is to follow the rules. There is a rule, regulation or procedure for