Branch by branch: Get to know Auburn’s ROTC programs

Auburn is home to Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs for the Army, Navy and Air Force. 

However, these programs cover more than just three of the military services. Air Force ROTC trains officers for careers in both the Air Force and Space Force, and Naval ROTC houses future officers in both the Navy and the Marine Corps.  

Students enrolled in ROTC stay busy with early morning workouts, military branch-specific coursework, leadership training and, of course, their own academic majors.  

And while training and educational requirements vary by branch, the three programs share a common goal of creating world-class leaders for military service by emphasizing academics, leadership, physical fitness and community involvement. 

Army ROTC

This fall, approximately 175 cadets are enrolled in Army ROTC. 

They complete the Basic Course over the first two years, taking a two-credit class each semester where they learn about small unit tactics, first aid, ethical decision making and leadership skills through both classroom lectures and hands-on activities.  

In the last two years, cadets enrolled in the Advanced Course complete three credits of lecture and lab per semester that are designed to grow students’ leadership and management skills, ethical judgment and physical stamina.  

During their junior year, cadets attend Summer Training Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for five weeks. While the training’s focus is on leadership development, it also serves as a critical assessment to determine the order of merit for a cadet’s accession into Active Duty, National Guard or Reserves and their career field — whether that’s infantry, armor, aviation, cyber or intelligence. The Army uses talent-based branching to determine each cadet’s military occupational specialty. 

Those who complete all academic and program requirements are eligible to be commissioned as officers upon graduation from Auburn, and they must serve eight years on active duty or in either the Army Reserves or the Army National Guard. 

Naval ROTC: Navy and Marine Corps

This fall, 150 midshipmen and 11 Active Duty Marines and sailors are registered for Naval ROTC. 

Navy and Marine Option midshipmen complete a three-credit course and one-credit lab every semester for all four years of the program. At first, all Naval midshipmen take the same classes, covering the basics of Officership, customs and courtesies, leadership and the history of the Naval force. When the branches break off into separate coursework in the second year of the program, Naval option students take naval navigation, naval ship engineering and naval weapons, while Marine option students study the evolution of warfare and maneuver warfare. 

Navy ROTC midshipmen complete two training cruises at sea and one month-long career orientation during the summer. In lieu of the second training cruise, Marine Option students attend Officer Candidate School, a six-week selection and evaluation program in Quantico, Virginia. 

Upon graduation and commissioning, all officers must complete a minimum of four years of service on Active Duty.   

Air Force ROTC: Air Force and Space Force

This fall, more than 200 cadets are registered for Air Force ROTC. 

Air Force and Space Force cadets complete the same curriculum for all four years, divided into two-year components. In the first, the General Military Course, students take one-credit classes each semester to learn the fundamentals, history, organizational structure and overall mission of both the Air Force and Space Force and the historical development of air power. They are also required to attend five hours per week of leadership laboratory and physical fitness events.    

In their third and fourth years, referred to as the Professional Officer Corps, they continue the leadership lab and tack on two three-credit courses per semester, learning about foreign policy and national security while preparing for active duty. Cadets who complete all academic and program requirements graduate with a minor in Aerospace Studies. 

A select number of students are chosen from a national pool of applicants to attend Air Force ROTC field training, a three-week summer course held at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. After graduation, the cadets who meet all military requirements are commissioned as second lieutenants and must serve at least four years on active duty, while those selected to become pilots have a 10-year service commitment after completing pilot training.