What is NROTC?

Officers in the making

The Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NROTC) Program educates and trains qualified young men and women for service as commissioned officers in the Navy’s unrestricted line communities, the Navy Nurse Corps and the Marine Corps. We are the largest single source of Navy and Marine Corps officers and perform an important role in preparing young men and women for leadership and management positions in an increasingly technical Navy and Marine Corps.

NROTC awards scholarships through a highly competitive national selection process. Selected applicants receive full tuition, books stipend, educational fees and other financial benefits OR Room and Board at the country’s leading colleges and universities. Upon graduation, midshipmen are commissioned as officers in the Navy or Marine Corps.

Your training begins

Upon entry into the NROTC program, students are designated “midshipmen” and assigned to a squad and platoon within the NROTC Battalion. Here that they learn basic military skills such as close order drill, time management, leadership, and the use of a chain of command.

Almost immediately, midshipmen are given responsibilities within the platoon and within a year, will have held a leadership or collateral billet within that platoon. The program curriculum is also designed to teach the midshipmen the Navy Core Values of honor, courage, and commitment.

Midshipmen are afforded the opportunity to participate in many of the social traditions of the Navy and Marine Corps. These events include the Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball, Senior Dining In, Dining Out, awards ceremonies, and commissionings. In addition to their regular class load, midshipmen are required to take at least one naval science class per semester, wear their uniforms two days per week, participate in naval science lab and drill periods, and participate in a one hour session of physical training, three days a week. The additional time required for participation in NROTC is approximately 8-10 hours per week.

Participation in NROTC offers a variety of extracurricular social and athletic activities. In addition to the various professional societies and clubs, the NROTC Unit is also very competitive in the Universities’ intramural program which involves such sports as flag football and softball. Midshipmen are very active in the community, participating in Toys for Tots, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity and other service projects. The ISU NROTC Color Guard marches in local parades and ceremonies as well as at ISU home football and basketball games.

Academics

At Iowa State NROTC, academics are our number one priority. Midshipmen are instructed on the use of all on-campus academic resources including tutors; supplemental, instructive, and recitation, as well as the Academic Success Center. In most cases, the unit helps offset the cost of tutoring especially in the areas of Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry. Assistance is also available from battalion midshipmen for other classes.

In addition to the coursework required by individual degree programs, NROTC battalion members are required to complete various courses in Naval Science including:

NS 1110 — Introduction to Naval Science
NS 2120 — Sea Power and Maritime Affairs
NS 2200 — Leadership and Management
NS 2300 — Navigation
NS 3200 — Naval Ship Systems I (Engineering)
NS 3210 — Evolution of Warfare
NS 3300 — Naval Ship Systems II (Weapons Systems)
NS 4100 — Naval Operations and Seamanship
NS 4120 — Leadership and Ethics
NS 4210 — Evolution of Amphibious Warfare
NS 4400 — Senior Naval Science Seminar

All of these courses are designed to provide prospective naval officers with a fundamental understanding of the roles and missions of the modern Navy/Marine Corps team.

Naval Science (NS) courses cover a wide variety of subjects from navigation to leadership and ethics. All courses are approved university courses and are considered electives in all degree programs. The Professor of Naval Science is the Commanding Officer, who is ultimately responsible for the administration of the courses. NS courses are taught by the members of the unit staff in the Armory. Midshipmen usually take one Naval Science (NS) course per semester, and not all courses are required for graduation.

Military Studies minor

The College of Liberal Arts and Science offers a minor in Military Studies. Requirements for the minor include a minimum of 15 credit hours of ROTC instruction taken from the Army, Air Force or Navy ROTC programs. At least 6 credit hours must be in courses numbered 2000 or higher.

Orientation

NROTC Orientation is designed to transition incoming freshman from civilian life to military life. During the orientation, the new midshipmen will be exposed to the basics of close order drill, physical training, teamwork, and the expectations for participation in the unit for the next four years. Students will receive instruction on time management, academic success, study habits, nutrition, and military history.

Orientation is NOT boot camp. Participants can expect to move at a fast pace, and there will be little time for relaxation during the day. Students will be expected to arrive in shape, as PT will begin Monday afternoon. Physical fitness is continually reinforced since it is an important quality for Navy and Marine Corps officers to possess. It is therefore imperative that students arrive in the best possible physical condition. Other special events are spaced throughout the week. These include overnight trips to Camp Dodge to experience the Leadership Reaction Course, obstacle course, and swim qualifications.

Orientation concludes with a swearing-in ceremony and a family picnic. Families are invited to attend. This allows the new midshipman to bond with their classmates. This bond will be continually developed and reinforced.