Army ROTC Home Page
Air Force ROTC Home Page
Students interested in Reserve Officer Training Corps programs may enroll in either the Army ROTC program at UMSL or the Air Force ROTC program sponsored at UMSL through Saint Louis University. These programs provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to combine academic study with a military officer training program.
For further information concerning the Army ROTC program, contact the Military Science Department, telephone 314-516-7681 or check out our ROTC Website. For information on the Air Force ROTC program, contact the Aerospace Science Department at Saint Louis University, telephone 977-8227
Army ROTC
The purpose of the Military Science Department is to develop young men and women into junior commissioned officers for positions of responsibility in the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, or Active Army.
Benefits
Army ROTC offers UMSL students:
1) A challenging, important, well‑paid job at graduation in one of the many professional fields that the modern Army has to offer. Army officers serve in such fields as intelligence, military police, communications, engineering, transportation management, finance, combat arms, hospital administration, nursing, and research and development. Starting salary with allowances of an active duty second lieutenant is approximately $43,000. Within four years he/she should be promoted to captain with a salary and allowances of nearly $73. Reserve officers attend one weekend per month and an annual two‑week training camp.
2) College financing. All advance course and Army ROTC scholarship students receive $300-500/month stipend. Only scholarship students receive $1200 per year for books and supplies. Also, advance course students may join the Reserves as an office trainee and receive pay while in college.
3) Full-time enrolled students may compete for the Army ROTC scholarship. The scholarship pays full tuition and mandatory fees plus $1,200.00 per year for books and supplies.
4) Option of two careers. Upon graduation and commissioning as officers in the U.S. Army, students may fulfill their obligation by serving on active duty or reserve duty. Reserve officers spend one weekend a month being a soldier. Officers who serve on active duty receive 30 days paid vacation every year, free medical and dental care, travel, and the opportunity to pursue advanced degrees with educational assistance from the Army on a fully funded or partially funded basis.
The Program
College students who complete the ROTC program earn commissions as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. The ROTC program may be completed in several different ways as outlined below.
1) Four‑Year Program. The military science program is traditionally offered as a four‑year program. It is best to start as a freshman, but special arrangements can be made for those who start as sophomores. The first two years of military science are voluntary without service obligation, and are designed to give students a perspective on their leadership ability and what the Army can offer them. The student who decides to continue in ROTC and pursue a commission signs an agreement with the Department of the Army to accept a commission upon completion of the last two years of military science. In return the Army agrees to provide a subsistence allowance ($9,600) and to provide all necessary uniforms and military science books.
2) Two‑Year Program. The two‑year program is designed to provide greater flexibility in meeting the needs of students desiring commissions in the U.S. Army. UMSL students who did not participate in the four‑year program and junior college transfer students are eligible for enrollment. Basic prerequisites for entering the two‑year program are:
A) The students must be in good academic standing (minimum 2.0 GPA) and pass an Army medical examination.
B) The student must have two academic years of study remaining (undergraduate, graduate, or combination). The student will attend a four‑week Leaders Training Course to catch up with the students in the four‑year program. Attendance at the basic camp does not obligate the student in any way and is only intended to give the student a look at Army life and opportunities. The student will be paid approximately $750 for attendance at basic camp.
Veterans
Veterans of any of the armed forces may qualify for advanced placement and should contact the Military Science Department for details.
Scholarships
The Army ROTC currently has scholarships in effect, which pay full tuition and mandatory fees plus $1,200.00 per year for books and supplies, and provide $300-500/month for the academic year. These scholarships cover either four, three, or two years. UMSL freshmen and sophomores should apply in January for the two- and three‑year scholarships. Scholarship students may incur a four‑year active duty obligation; however, they may request reserve duty to serve with the Army National Guard or Reserve.
Qualifications
All students who desire to enter the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps must be U.S. citizens, in good physical condition, and have high moral character. Students must be at least 17 years old to enroll and not over 34 when they receive their commission. If the student will be older than 39 at the time of earning a degree, it is possible to be accepted into Army ROTC with a waiver. Additional qualifications to be admitted into the advanced course include an academic average of C or better and passing an Army medical examination.
Academics
UMSL Army Reserve Officers Training Corps academics consist of two parts:
1) Earning a degree in the student's chosen academic subject.
2) Completing 22 credit hours (four‑year program) or 12 credit hours (two‑year program) of the military science curriculum. The courses in military science are college‑level academic courses which receive full academic credit toward the student's elective degree requirements in the College of Business Administration and the College of Education. The curriculum consists of classroom instruction and a leadership laboratory in which students receive leadership experience.
Leadership Laboratory
Leadership laboratory is required of all students enrolled in military science courses. Classes are two hours every Thursday afternoon from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., unless otherwise designated. In addition, students attend one field training exercise each semester. Leadership laboratory develops individual military skills and leadership ability through participation in drill and ceremonies, survival training, mountaineering, field‑training exercises, and exposure to progressively greater responsibilities within the Cadet Corps organization.
Graduate Study
Officers who have been admitted to law school, medical school, or a master’s program in divinity may postpone active duty to continue graduate study. Students who are accepted into medical school may take up to four years to complete their studies. There are numerous opportunities for an officer to complete a master's degree in service and receive financial assistance from the Army.
Special Training
Selected volunteers may attend one of several special schools during the summer: the Airborne Course at Fort Benning, GA; Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, KY; or the Northern Warfare School in Alaska or Vermont. Successful course completion earns the coveted badge (such as the jump wings or air assault wings) associated with each school. Special cadet troop leadership training is available on a limited basis. Students participating in the program live and work with an active Army unit during part of one summer.
Cadet Activities
Army ROTC students may participate in many extracurricular activities during the year. Social activities include the Army Military Ball, picnics, and informal parties. Army ROTC students also support various campus and community service activities. Interested students also participate in the Drill Team, Color Guard, Air Rifle Team, and Ranger Challenge Team.
Course Descriptions
Military Science
MIL SCI 1101
Leadership and Personal Development (2)
This course introduces students to the personal challenges and competencies that are critical for effective leadership. Students learn how the personal development of life skills such as critical thinking, goal setting, time management, physical/mental fitness (resiliency training) relate to leadership, officership, and the Army profession. The focus is on developing basic knowledge and comprehension of Army leadership dimensions while gaining a big picture understanding of the ROTC program and its purpose in the Army. You are NOT required to enroll in the on-campus ROTC unit in order to take this class.
MIL SCI 1102 Introduction to Tactical Leadership (2)
Prerequisite: Completion of MIL SCI 1101 or consent of instructor.
This course overviews leadership fundamentals such as setting direction, problem-solving, listening, presenting briefs, providing feedback, and using effective writing skills. Students explore dimensions of leadership attributes and core leader competencies in the context of practical, hands-on, and interactive exercises. You are NOT required to enroll in the on-campus ROTC unit in order to take this class.
MIL SCI 2201 Self/Team Development (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of MIL SCI 1101 or consent of instructor.
This course overviews leadership fundamentals such as setting direction, problem-solving, listening, presenting briefs, providing feedback, and using effective writing skills. Students explore dimensions of leadership attributes and core leader competencies in the context of practical, hands-on, and interactive exercises. You are NOT required to enroll in the on-campus ROTC unit in order to take this class.
MIL SCI 2202 Individual/ Team Military Tactics (3)
Introduction to individual and team aspects of military tactics in small unit operations. Includes use of radio communications, making safety assessments, movement techniques, planning for team safety/security and methods of pre-execution checks. Practical exercises with upper division ROTC students. Learn techniques for training others as an aspect of continued leadership development.
MIL SCI 3301 Leading Small Organizations I (3)
Series of practical opportunities to lead small groups, receive personal assessments and encouragement, and lead again in situations of increasing complexity. Uses small unit defensive tactics and opportunities to plan and conduct training for lower division students both to develop such skills and as vehicles for practicing leading.
MIL SCI 3302 Leading Small Organizations II (3)
Continues methodology of MIL SCI 3301 or permission of instructor. Analyze tasks; prepare written or oral guidance for team members to accomplish tasks. Delegate tasks and supervise. Plan for and adapt to the unexpected in organizations under stress. Examine and apply lessons from leadership case studies. Examine importance of ethical decision making in setting a positive climate that enhances team performance.
MIL SCI 4401 Leadership Challenges and Goal Setting (3)
Prerequisite: MIL SCI 3302 or permission of instructor. Leadership and Management, begins with a series of lessons enabling the students to make informed career decisions as they prepare for accession into the United States Army. The lessons concentrate on Army operations, training management, communications, counseling, leadership skills, and they support the final transition from cadet to lieutenant.
MIL SCI 4402 Officership/Transition to Lieutenant (3)
Prerequisite: MIL SCI 3401 or permission of instructor. Transition to Lieutenant completes the evolution from cadet to lieutenant by focusing on three areas: first, students are given a basic foundation in military law; second, students build on previous courses to successfully negotiate case studies and practical exercises; third, students will complete a Senior Leadership Project whereby students integrate, apply, and demonstrate their knowledge of military operations.
MIL SC 4411 Advanced Military Science Studies 5 (3)
Prerequisites: MIL SCI 4401 or permission of instructor. An in-depth study of the role of the officer in the United States Army.
MIL SC 4412 Advanced Military Science Studies 6 (3)
Prerequisites: MIL SCI 4401 or permission of instructor. A study of how the United States Army officer develops the leadership traits necessary to lead soldiers into battle.
MIL SC 4413 Military Medical Technologies Independent Study (3)
Prerequisites: MIL SCI 4402. This course explores how medical advances have improved soldiers’ chances of surviving battlefield injuries from the Civil War to the Iraq War. Also explores how soldiers are now surviving more catastrophic injuries and what the implications are on long term health care for these soldiers both physically and mentally.
Air Force ROTC
The objective of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corpsis to qualify students for appointment as active duty second lieutenants in the United States Air Force. However, any student may enroll in the freshman/ sophomore‑level aerospace studies courses, and students may also enroll in the junior/senior‑level courses with permission of the professor of aerospace studies.
UMSL offers the two‑ and four‑year AFROTC programs through an agreement with Saint Louis University. The four‑year program is tailored for students with three or more years of undergraduate studies remaining. Students with junior standing or above may apply for entry into the two‑year program. Entry into the two‑year program is competitive and is based on standardized test scores, academic major, grade‑point average, physical examination, personal interview with the professor of aerospace studies, and successful completion of a summer field training session at an Air Force base. Applicants must be full‑time students and must remain in good academic standing.
Reserve Officer Training Corps
The AFROTC Program is divided into the general military course (GMC), the freshman/sophomore level curriculum; and the professional officer course (POC), the junior/ senior level curriculum. The GMC covers two main themes; the Air Force today and the Air Force way. The courses of the POC emphasize the professional development of the future Air Force officer. The curriculum covers Air Force leadership and management and preparation for active duty. Field trips to Air Force bases supplement classroom instruction and familiarize the cadet with Air Force operations and organization.
To be commissioned, AFROTC students/cadets must:
1) Pass a medical exam at a military medical facility.
2) Obtain a favorable evaluation on an Armed Forces personal history security investigation.
3) Flying applicants must complete commissioning requirements before age 26‑1/2, and nonflying applicants must complete commissioning requirements by age 30. However, the age limit for nonflying applicants may be extended to age 35 for outstanding individuals.
4) Be of good character (as determined by a favorable record with law enforcement authorities).
5) Successfully complete all AFROTC course requirements.
6) Complete at least a baccalaureate degree.
Air Force ROTC textbooks are loaned to all AFROTC students without charge. Students in the POC will receive a monthly subsistence allowance of $150 per month for a maximum of 20 months, an Air Force uniform, in excess of $700 for the summer field training course, and a travel allowance to and from the training location.
In addition to the AFROTC courses offered for academic credit, the Aerospace Studies Department sponsors the Arnold Air Society and Angel Flight. Arnold Air Society is a national honorary service organization, and membership is open to anyone interested in bringing to the local community a better understanding of the Air Force mission and its leaders.
AFROTC field training is offered during the summer months at selected bases throughout the United States, usually between a student's sophomore and junior years. Students in the four‑year program participate in four weeks of field training. Major areas of study include junior officer training, aircrew/aircraft orientation, career orientation, survival training, base functions and Air Force environment, and physical training. Students applying for entry into the two‑year program must successfully complete six weeks of field training prior to enrollment in the professional officer course. The major areas of study included in the six‑week field training program are essentially the same as those conducted at four‑week field training, plus the academic curriculum of the general military course including leadership laboratory. POC cadets are eligible for a $1,000 per semester federal AFROTC scholarship.
Leadership Laboratory is taken once per week throughout the student's enrollment in AFROTC. Instruction is conducted within the framework of an organized cadet corps with a progression of experiences designed to develop each student's leadership potential. Leadership laboratory involves a study of Air Force customs and courtesies, drill and ceremonies, career opportunities in the Air Force, and the life and work of an Air Force junior officer. It also includes field trips to Air Force installations throughout the United States.
Other training volunteers may attend various special cadet training programs such as light aircraft training, parachute jump training, and advance cadet training. Students participating in the latter work with an Air Force unit during part of the summer.
The Air Force offers four‑, three‑, and two‑year scholarships to qualified students. These scholarships pay tuition, certain fees, and textbook cost. Scholarship recipients receive $150 per month subsistence allowance. For further information on the Air Force ROTC program at UMSL, call (314) 977‑8227, or at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE), call (618) 692‑3180.
Aerospace Studies
The Aerospace studies program is divided into two parts: the general military course, the freshman/sophomore level curriculum, and the professional officer course, the junior/senior level curriculum. The GMC covers two main themes: the Air Force today and the Air Force way. The courses of the POC emphasize the professional development of the future Air Force officer. The curriculum covers Air Force leadership and management and preparation for active duty. Field trips to Air Force bases supplement classroom instructions and familiarize the cadet with Air Force operations and organizations.
Leadership laboratory is taken two hours per week throughout the student's enrollment in the AFROTC. Instruction is conducted within the framework of an organized cadet corps with a progression of experiences designed to develop each student's leadership potential. The first two years of the leadership laboratory includes a study of Air Force customs and courtesies, drill and ceremonies, issuing military commands, instructing, directing and evaluating the preceding skills, studying the environment of an Air Force officer and learning about areas of opportunity available to commissioned officers. The last two years of lab consist of activities classified as advanced leadership experiences. They involve planning and controlling military activities of the cadet corps, preparation and presentation of briefings and other oral and written communications, and providing interviews, guidance, and information which will increase the understanding, motivation, and performance of other cadets.
AFROTC cadets must also successfully complete supplemental courses to enhance their utility and performance as commissioned officers. These include university courses in English composition and mathematical reasoning. Specific courses are designated by the professor of aerospace studies.
Cadets in the four‑year program participate in four weeks of field training. Cadets in the two- or three- year programs (exception for prior AF service) must attend the six-week FT session, which is identical to the four-week program plus 90 hours of GMC curriculum. Field training is offered during the summer months at selected bases throughout the United States, usually between a student's sophomore and junior years. Major areas of study include Air Force orientation, officer training, aircrew/aircraft orientation, survival training, base functions, and physical training.
Students applying for entry into the two- or three- year program must successfully complete six weeks of field training prior to enrollment in the professional officer course. The major areas of study included in the six-week field training program are essentially the same as those conducted at four‑week field training, plus the academic curriculum of the general military course including leadership laboratory. No direct academic credit is awarded for field training.
Federal scholarships are available for AFROTC cadets--any academic major may apply. Applications are to be submitted by detachment personnel to Headquarters Reserve Officers Training Corps, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
Participation in AFROTC is not required to take aerospace courses.
Lower Division (General Military)
Aerospace studies courses (AERO 1001 through AERO 1002) are basic courses designed to acquaint students with the United States Air Force and the opportunities available as an officer. Grades earned in these courses will be computed in the student's overall grade point average, but credit hours for these courses will not be included in the total hours for graduation.
Course Descriptions
AERO 1001/1002 The Air Force Today (2)
A survey course designed to introduce students to the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. Featured topics include: mission and organization of the Air Force, officership and professionalism, military customs and courtesies, Air Force officer opportunities, group leadership problems, and an introduction to communication skills. Leadership Laboratory is mandatory for AFROTC cadets, and it complements this course by providing students with followership experiences. Classroom activity, two hours per week; Leadership Laboratory two hours per week, each semester.
AERO 2001/2002 The Air Force Way (2)
Survey course designed to facilitate the transition from Air Force ROTC cadet to Air Force ROTC candidate. Featured topics include: Air Force heritage, Air Force leaders, Quality Air Force, an introduction to ethics and values, introduction to leadership, group leadership problems, and continuing application of communication skills. Leadership Laboratory is mandatory for Air Force ROTC cadets, and it complements this course by providing cadets with their first opportunity for applied leadership experiences discussed in class. Classroom activity, two hours per week; Leadership Laboratory two hours per week, each semester.
Upper Division(Professional Officer) Courses
Aerospace Studies courses AERO 3001 through AERO 4002 are advanced courses designed to improve communication and management skills required of Air Force officers. Credit hours of these courses may be included in the hours needed for graduation at the discretion of individual departmental chairpersons.
AERO 3001/3002 Air Force Leadership and Management (3)
The study of leadership and quality management fundamentals, professional knowledge, Air Force doctrine, leadership ethics, and communication skills required of an Air Force junior officer. Case studies are used to examine Air Force leadership and management situations as a means of demonstrating and exercising practical application of the concepts being studied. A mandatory leadership laboratory complements this course by providing advanced leadership experiences in officer type activities, giving students the opportunity to apply leadership and management principles of this course. Classroom activity, three hours per week; Leadership Laboratory two hours per week, each semester.
AERO 4001/4002 Preparation For Active Duty (3)
Examines the national security process, regional studies, advanced leadership ethics, Air Force doctrine. Special topics of interest focus on the military as a profession, officership, military justice, civilian control of the military, preparation for active duty, and current issues affecting military professionalism. Within this structure, continued emphasis is given to refining communication skills. An additional Leadership Laboratory complements this course by providing advanced leadership experiences, giving students the opportunity to apply leadership and management principles of this course. Classroom activity, three hours per week; Leadership Laboratory two hours per week, each semester.
Field Training
Field Training provides leadership and officership training in a military environment, which demands conformity to high physical and moral standards. Within this structured environment, cadets are screened for officer potential as measured against field training standards. Motivation and professional development is achieved through various programs such as flight orientation, marksmanship, and survival training. Students in the four‑year program participate in four weeks of field training. Field training is offered during the summer months at selected bases throughout the United States, usually between a student’s sophomore and junior years. Major areas of study include: Air Force Orientation, Officer Training, aircrew/aircraft orientation, survival training, base functions and physical training.