Army ROTC Course Introduction and Professional Standards

Overview of the Army Officer Path and Professional Expectations

• The ROTC program typically spans $4$ years. However, sophomore-year entrants or Green and Gold participants may skip certain years.

• The curriculum covers multiple foundational military areas:

  • Tactics and training.

  • Land navigation.

  • Customs and courtesies (e.g., salutes, standing at attention).

  • Funeral and ceremony protocol.

• Commissioning as a full officer occurs during the senior year.

• Being an officer entails significant responsibility but offers high rewards, such as serving as a platoon leader. This role involves supporting, teaching, and learning from young soldiers who rely on the officer during difficult times.

• Financial benefits are notable: a $22$-year-old commissioning can earn an annual salary of approximately $\$78,000$. For comparison, some individuals may not reach the $\$100,000$ threshold until age $45$, while a successful military career can lead to earning nearly $\$100,000$ by age $30$.

• Success in the program is predicated on three core requirements:

  • Showing up in the correct uniform.

  • Being on time.

  • Being in the correct location.

• Students facing frustrations with classes or instructors should consult Missus Baker for assistance.

Course Logistics and Grading Structure

• The weekly schedule is divided into specific instructional modes:

  • Tuesdays: Formal instruction on Army-mandated knowledge, including customs, courtesies, and map reading. Classes include quizzes.

  • Thursdays: Informal sessions focused on training for the Friday lab to ensure students are not “lost in the sauce.” These may involve practicing formations outdoors briefly.

  • Fridays: Practical lab sessions.

• Grading is based on a total of $1,000$ points:

  • Quizzes and Assignments: $145$ points total. Quizzes (first $100$ points) are open-book and can be taken at the student's convenience.

  • Group Presentations: $45$ points, generally completed toward the end of the year.

  • Physical Training (PT) Attendance: Weighted heavily as a core component of the grade.

  • Participation: Active involvement in class is required to secure an A; lack of participation negatively impacts the final grade.

  • Final Exam: Format (open or closed book) is yet to be determined by the instructor, though many military publications are treated as open-resource in the field.

• Blackboard is not utilized; all files, forms, and notes are hosted on Canvas. Students should check Module $2$ for upcoming readings.

Army Organizational Knowledge and Reading Assignments

• US Army Reading: A document of $54$ total pages ($36$ pages of text plus diagrams/pictures). Focus areas include:

  • Army structures.

  • Brigade Combat Units.

  • The purpose and function of the Army.

• Army Azimuth: A new document from the Vice Chief of the Army designed to establish the Army's identity and mission for all cadets.

Evaluation and Talent Management

• Talent Management: This process determines military placement. While stereotypically associated with personality (e.g., introverts in Finance, extroverts in Infantry), it is primarily driven by performance in college and ROTC.

• Order of Merit List (OML): A ranking system based on academic success, Physical Training (PT) scores, and extra-curricular involvement.

• Extracurricular activities that boost OML scores include:

  • Color Guard.

  • Ranger Challenge: Provides physical fitness, skill training, and camaraderie. It significantly improves performance at Cadet Summer Training (CST).

• Native or multiple language proficiency can earn cadets extra points ($5$, $10$, or $15$ points based on testing levels).

Code of Conduct and Professional Relationships

• Online Conduct: Cadets must not make political affiliations or statements that imply Army endorsement, especially while in uniform or official polos.

• Bullying vs. Hazing:

  • Bullying: Targeted demeaning behavior intended to exclude an individual from a group.

  • Hazing: Targeted demeaning behavior or "tradition" intended to initiate someone into a group. Hazing is strictly prohibited and has historically resulted in fatalities, such as a recruit who died after being assaulted with a broom pole.

• Inappropriate Relations:

  • Teacher-Student: Strictly prohibited.

  • Cadet-Enlisted/Officer: A "gray line." If a cadet dates an enlisted member, they must generally marry or break up upon commissioning.

  • Cadet-Cadet Dating: Strongly discouraged ("cadet-sest"). It often leads to social friction within the class and high divorce rates.

• Fraternization Rules: Instructors cannot have closed-door conversations with students or provide rides in personal vehicles, even in extreme heat (e.g., $110^{\circ}F$).

• Religious Accommodations: Exemptions are available for dietary needs, clothing, or grooming (e.g., shaving profiles).

Prohibitions and Protective Classes

• Protected Groups: Discrimination or harassment is prohibited based on Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sex, and Sexual Orientation.

  • Example: National origin discrimination includes harassment based on being from a country like Germany or Mexico.

  • Note: Gender identity and physical weight are currently not listed as protected groups in this specific Army framework, though bullying is still prohibited.

• Absolute Prohibitions:

  • Extremist, supremacist, or gang ideologies.

  • Tattoos representing restricted ideologies.

  • Underage drinking and illegal drug use (monitored via urinalysis).

  • Violence, domestic abuse, or sexual assault.

• SHARP Program: Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention.

  • Treatment of others must follow the "Golden Rule" of respect and dignity.

  • Restricted Reporting: Keeping a claim "in-house" for counseling. This is NOT authorized for cadets.

  • Unrestricted Reporting: Mandatory for cadets. Reports involve higher leadership and campus/military police.

Health and Attendance Policies

• Suicide Prevention: Cadets must watch for signs in peers, such as sudden shifts in behavior (from slob to very clean), giving away possessions, or verbalizing that they will be missed. Stressors often include professional failure or domestic disputes (e.g., a fight with a spouse after $17$ years of service).

• Attendance Policy:

  • $1^{\text{st}}$ and $2^{\text{nd}}$ Absence: Mandatory counseling.

  • $3^{\text{rd}}$ Absence: A board review to determine if the cadet is dropped from the class, plus an automatic one-letter grade deduction (e.g., A to B).

  • $4^{\text{th}}$ Absence: Automatic dismissal from the course.

• Medical absences require a doctor's note.

• Volunteer Hours: $20$ hours per semester are required. Opportunities include Ranger Challenge ($5$ hours), football games, and Arizona Cardinals events.

• Physical Fitness: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday PT maintains a baseline. The instructor offers optional lifting sessions after PT and during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Questions & Discussion

• Q: If we have a dietary restriction that is not religious, does it fall under the same accommodation category?

• A: Usually, the Army does not grant formal accommodations for general dietary restrictions; however, the student should discuss specific concerns privately after class.

• Q: What happens regarding someone who speaks three or four languages? Can they get more than $5$ points for OML?

• A: It is currently unknown if speaking multiple languages results in $10$ or $15$ points; research is pending on whether these points can be duplicated for multiple languages.

• Q: If my brother is enlisted and transferring to ASU, can I hang out with him, or do I have to avoid him?

• A: Hanging out with family members who are enlisted or officers is permitted. Relationship restrictions primarily apply to dating and instructor-student interactions.

• Q: What about false SHARP accusations that are proven false later? Will a decision be reversed?

• A: If an accusation is proven false later, it is proven false. The Army will investigate all claims but will not ignore the possibility of falsehood. Students are advised to avoid situations that could lead to such complications.