DIVISION OF THE ARMED SERVICES
The Division of the Armed Services consists of the Department of Military Science and the Department of Aerospace Studies. The Reserve Officer Training Corps programs are designed to develop leadership qualities and to give students an understanding of the Armed Forces and how they support the national policies and interests of the United States. In particular, ROTC programs are charged with the mission of commissioning second lieutenants who have the qualities, attributes, and educational credentials essential for service as junior officers in the Army or Air Force. A student who satisfactorily completes the advanced ROTC program may be commissioned as second lieutenant in the U.S. Army or U.S. Air Force in conjunction with the degree.
Army ROTC Department of Military Science
Military Building, (706) 542-2612
FAX: (706) 542-0565
Homepage URL: http://www.armyrotc.uga.edu
Email: fracassa@arotc.uga.edu
The Army ROTC program at the University of Georgia has been commissioning officers in Athens for more than seventy years. It is a long, proud tradition which we are continuing. Currently, more than 150 students are enrolled in Army ROTC at the University. Army ROTC provides college men and women an opportunity to receive training in basic military skills. Through study and application of the principles of leadership and management, the Army ROTC student develops self-discipline, self-confidence, and leadership skills that will contribute to success in any career.
BASIC COURSE
The Basic Course is taken during the first and second years. The courses cover military skills. There is no military commitment for taking a Basic Course class. The Basic Course of four semesters duration consists of two hours of classroom work and two hours of leadership laboratory per week. Classes are taken in conjunction with the standard classes a student schedules each semester. The leadership laboratories are often conducted outdoors and may include field trips. In the classroom the student acquires knowledge of basic military skills, military organization, weapons, tactics, history and customs, first aid, foreign doctrines, and basic management techniques. In the field, leadership skills are progressively developed through experience and exposure to leadership situations. Equally important, these courses have the objective of developing the student's leadership, self-discipline, integrity, and sense of responsibility.
ADVANCED COURSE
The Advanced Course consists of three classroom hours and two leadership laboratory hours per week during both the third and the fourth years. The course work during the Advanced Course emphasizes techniques of management and leadership and the fundamentals and dynamics of the military team. The leadership laboratory provides the student with applied leadership experience. The general objective of this course of instruction is to produce junior officers who by education, training, attitude, and inherent qualities are suitable for continued development as officers in the Army. There are four avenues available for the student to become eligible for entry into the advanced program and obtain a commission as a second lieutenant:
- satisfactory completion of, or placement credit for, the basic program at the University of Georgia or at any other school, college, or university offering basic ROTC and meeting the entrance and retention requirements established by the Army.
- be an active duty veteran or junior ROTC cadet graduate eligible for placement credit.
- satisfactory completion of the five-week ROTC "Camp Challenge" at Fort Knox, Kentucky, during the summer following the sophomore year. (See Two-Year Program.)
- completion of Basic/Advanced Individual Training with the National Guard or U.S. Army Reserve.
Advanced Course graduates are commissioned as second lieutenants and serve in the Active Army, the Army Reserve or the National Guard. Graduates may be granted a delay in reporting for active duty to pursue graduate studies. Each year one-third of our graduates are designated as distinguished military graduates and are eligible for immediate Active Duty Commissions. A few of these distinguished graduates are awarded fellowships that allow these officers to attend graduate school while receiving full pay and allowances as officers.
PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION COMPONENT
The professional military education component consists of two essential parts--a baccalaureate degree and successful completion of one of the undergraduate courses from each of the three designated fields of study listed below.
- Written Communication Skills
- Requirement: Develop the ability to communicate effectively in writing.
- Recommended courses: ENGL 1101and ENGL 1102, English Composition, are required for all undergraduate degrees at the University of Georgia.
- Military History
- Requirement: Become acquainted with the evolution of warfare, military theory, and the military profession, with particular emphasis on the place of military institutions in society, to develop a sense of military history.
- Recommended courses: HIST 3020, United States Foreign Relations since 1914; HIST 3751, War and Society to 1600; HIST 3752, War and Society Since 1500; HIST 4072, The Civil War Period of American History; HIST 4092, The United States in the Era of the Cold War; HIST 4220, The United States and Latin America; HIST 4391, The French Revolution and the First Empire; HIST 4400, The Age of World Wars I and II; HIST 4700, Themes in Comparative History; and HIST 4990, Senior Seminar in History.
- Computer Literacy
- Requirement: Become familiar with personal computer terminology, hardware, and application software to include word processing and the MSDOS system.
- Recommended courses: CSCI 1100-1100L, Introduction to Personal Computing; MIST 2090, Introduction to Information Systems in Business.
Any deviation from the above requirements must be approved after counsel with the Professor of Military Science.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Veterans entering the military science program may receive credit for the first two years of ROTC. Students who have completed military science courses in military preparatory schools or junior colleges may also be given appropriate credit.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
All cadets in the advanced program earn approximately $1500 per year in nontaxable allowances. Non-scholarship cadets can earn as much as $16,500 during their four years of college by being in both the Georgia National Guard or the United States Army Reserve and Army ROTC Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP).
SCHOLARSHIPS
Three-year and two-year Army ROTC scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. More than 50% of our advanced course students are on scholarship. First-year students apply for three-year scholarships and second-year students apply for two-year scholarships in January each year. Individuals interested in applying for a scholarship should contact the Professor of Military Science at the University of Georgia. Four-year scholarships are available to high school seniors.
TWO-YEAR PROGRAM
Transfer Students
Students transferring to the University with two years of college remaining, but who have not completed all basic course requirements, can still participate in the advanced course. These students must attend a five-week summer camp prior to entering the advanced program. Students attend camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and are paid approximately $700, provided free room and board and a travel allowance to and from camp. Students who intend to enroll in the two-year program should contact the Professor of Military Science by February of their sophomore year.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
There are two extracurricular organizations that supplement instruction offered in the classroom. Pershing Rifles Company and Ranger Company improve the student's military skills and offer additional leadership opportunities. There is also the Color Guard and the Scabbard and Blade Honor Society.
FIELD TRIPS
The battalion conducts one weekend field trip each semester. Previous weekend activities have included mountaineering, weapons qualification, tactics, and land navigation.
ARMY SPECIALTY TRAINING
Selected students attend the United States Army Airborne, Air Assault, and Northern Warfare schools during the summer on a voluntary basis.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Our graduates earn approximately $30,000 a year to start. This amount rises to approximately $50,000 after four years of active duty.
ARMY ROTC UNIFORMS, BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
Students enrolling in the Army ROTC program will be issued all books, uniforms, and materials needed in their ROTC classes. Scholarship students, advanced course students, and extracurricular activity members are issued additional uniforms. Others are issued uniforms and equipment as needed.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information contact the Professor of Military Science by calling (706) 542-2612 or by visiting the Military Building on campus at the corner of Baldwin and Sanford Streets.
Courses of Instruction
Courses offered through the Department of Military Science are listed under the following prefix:
Department of Aerospace Studies
Hardman Hall, (706) 542-1751
Homepage URL: http://www.uga.edu/~afrotc/title.html
Email: afrotc@uga.edu
Air Force ROTC offers male and female students a course of study designed to complement their individual academic major. Aerospace Studies courses are available to all UGA students. Upper division courses, AIRS 3000 and AIRS 4000 series, require permission of the department. Students enrolled in the program represent a broad cross section of the UGA student body. Enrollment in either the three-year or the four-year program offers each student an additional future career option. The student has an opportunity to explore and evaluate Air Force career opportunities while earning a college degree. Completion of the AFROTC curriculum is the initial step in the education of the professional officer and provides a firm understanding of aerospace concepts, the Air Force mission, organization, and operation. Students who complete officer candidacy requirements are commissioned when they receive a bachelor's degree. Newly commissioned officers may be granted a delay in entering active duty for the purpose of seeking advanced degrees.
GENERAL PROGRAM (GMC and POC)
The Air Force ROTC program consists of two phases: the General Military Course (GMC) and the Professional Officer Course (POC); each phase requires four semesters of study on campus. The GMC Course materials deal primarily with the various Air Force organizations and their missions, as well as the history of the Air Force. GMC courses meet for three hours each week, including two hours of Leadership Lab. The POC materials emphasize student involvement in learning and practicing management and leadership techniques; the fourth-year course also deals extensively with the political, economic and social factors relating to the formulation and implementation of national security policy. Communicative skills are stressed throughout the entire AFROTC curriculum. The third- and fourth-year cadets meet for five hours each week, including two hours of Leadership Lab. Completion of the GMC is not necessarily required for entry into the POC. Transfer students and other students unable to participate in the on-campus GMC may substitute a six-week field training period for the GMC course. Veterans can be awarded full credit for the first- and second-year courses based on their active military experience.
Air Force ROTC field training is offered during the summer months at selected Air Force bases throughout the United States. Students in the four-year program participate in four weeks of field training, usually between their second and third years. 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 in the four-week field training program include junior officer training, aircraft orientation, career orientation, survival training, base functions and Air Force environment, and physical training. 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 and in the General Military Course including Leadership Laboratory.
WOMEN CADETS
Air Force ROTC offers its full range of programs to women cadets. Women cadets are eligible to compete for AFROTC college scholarships, and they receive the same benefits as their male counterparts. A commission as an officer (second lieutenant) is tendered at the time the University grants the bachelor's degree to those completing the POC.
PLACEMENT CREDIT
Students who have completed ROTC courses in essentially military preparatory schools or junior colleges may be given appropriate credit. Students who have taken high school ROTC should contact the professor of aerospace studies for placement. Individuals with prior service may also be given placement credit.
SELECTION FOR THE PROFESSIONAL OFFICER COURSE (POC)
Selection for the POC is based on interest in the Air Force together with achievement records of academic ability, observed leadership traits, and the results of a mental officer qualification test and physical examination. Selection into the program is on a competitive basis.
PAY
When attending either field training course, students are furnished transportation or payment for travel plus pay at the current rate. They are furnished all uniforms and receive free medical and dental care while at field training. A nontaxable allowance of up to $400 per month is paid to some POC and scholarship cadets. This fee is in addition to any other scholarship benefits held by students.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The College Scholarship Program (CSP) is available to selected four, three, and two-year students participating in AFROTC programs. This scholarship consists of payment of tuition fees, book reimbursement allowance and the monthly allowance of up to $400 mentioned above, for each scholarship year. Scholarship consideration is predicated on student ability, performance and potential. Minimum GPA for application is 2.0 on up, depending on the type of scholarship.
FLIGHT SCREENING PROGRAM
Pilot and navigator candidates are selected during their third year. These competitive slots are open to all physically qualified male and female students. Eyesight requirement for pilots is 20/70 and 20/200 for navigator candidates. Pilot candidates will attend a US Air Force-sponsored Light Aircraft Training Program following graduation. The purpose of the Light Aircraft Training Program is to screen those pilot candidates who have the necessary aptitude and attitude for formal USAF undergraduate pilot training.
LEADERSHIP LABORATORY
Leadership Laboratory is taken an average of two hours 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. Students develop their leadership potential in a practical, supervised laboratory, which typically includes visits to Air Force installations and orientation flights.
STUDENT OBLIGATIONS
When entering the professional officer course, a student must have at least two full academic years remaining to complete his/her college requirements for an undergraduate or graduate degree or a combination of the two. Each POC student is required to enlist in the Air Force Reserve and to execute a written contract with the government. This contract requires a student to complete the POC and to accept a commission as a second lieutenant if tendered. The initial commitment for serving in the Air Force is four years. GMC students do not incur a commitment unless they are on scholarship.
AIR FORCE ROTC UNIFORMS
Uniforms will be issued at no charge to all AFROTC students taking Aerospace Studies classes. After uniform issue, if Aerospace Studies classes are dropped prior to commissioning, uniforms must be returned. Upon commissioning, students may purchase their uniforms for 50% of cost.
Courses of Instruction
Courses offered through the Department of Aerospace Studies are listed under the following prefix: