The mission of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AROTC) is to commission future officers, one of the most important undertakings in the Army. We prepare promising students for their future through a combination of education in the classroom, training, internships and unique opportunities to progress either their chosen academic discipline or military skills. During commissioning, they learn about and compete for their Army career. A minor in Military Studies is also available to all Iowa State University students.
Learning to Lead
BASIC COURSE |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| MILITARY SCIENCE (MS) LEVEL I | |||
| FALL | CREDITS | SPRING | CREDITS |
| MS 1010 | 1 | MS 1020 | 1 |
| MS 1010L | 1 | MS 1020L | 1 |
| MS 1500 | 1 | MS 1500 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| MILITARY SCIENCE (MS) LEVEL II | |||
| FALL | CREDITS | SPRING | CREDITS |
| MS 2010 | 2 | MS 2020 | 2 |
| MS 2010L | 1 | MS 2020L | 1 |
| MS 1500 | 1 | MS 1500 | 1 |
| Military History Credit** | |||
| 4 | 4 | ||
ADVANCED COURSE**** |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| MILITARY SCIENCE (MS) LEVEL III | |||
| FALL | CREDITS | SPRING | CREDITS |
| MS 3010 | 3 | MS 3020 | 3 |
| MS 3010L | 1 | MS 3020L | 1 |
| MS 2500 | 2 | MS 2510 | 2 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| MILITARY SCIENCE (MS) LEVEL IV | |||
| FALL | CREDITS | SPRING | CREDITS |
| MS 4010 | 3 | MS 4020 | 3 |
| MS 4010L | 1 | MS 4020L | 1 |
| MS 1500 | 1 | MS 1500 | 1 |
| 5 | 5 | ||
I’ve seen what different leaders look like in the guard. I can take aspects of what I’ve liked and what I haven’t liked, and when I graduate I can take those values and apply them to how I want to lead.
Training
Hands on training is a crucial element of preparing future officers. Cadets train to learn Soldier skills early years and become the primary trainers in their final years. Training occurs at:
- Physical Training: Cadets exercise to build the strength and endurance for Soldiers and gain insight into leadership and discipline.
- Leadership Labs: During weekly leadership labs, cadets practice basic Soldier and Leader skills that include: land navigation, first aid, planning, and tactics.
- Field Training: Once per semester, cadets conduct a 3-4 field training exercise at an Army installation to build their skills and knowledge in more realistic conditions and with military equipment.
- Advanced Camp: All cadets must complete the Advanced Camp before they can commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. Advanced Camp is a 35-day training event designed to develop a Cadet’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to forge them into tough, adaptable leaders who can thrive in ambiguous and complex environments. Cadets typically attend Advanced Camp Between their third and fourth year.
- Basic Camp: Cadets may elect to attend Basic Camp to meet the requirements of the Basic Course, practice Soldier skills, or take advantage of the opportunity to train under Army non-commissioned officers. Army ROTC Basic Camp is a 32-day training event designed to introduce Cadets to the Army. The objective is to develop Cadet leadership skills, train them on individual and junior leader tasks, develop and reinforce the Warrior Ethos, and our Army Values.
Cadet Advanced Individual Training (CAIT)
- Air Assault School (AASLT): 10-day course that certifies Soldiers to rappel and sling load using Army helicopters.
- Airborne School (ABN): 3-week course that teaches Soldiers how to parachute from airplanes and land safely.
- Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS): Rigorous, 14-day course that teaches Army operations in mountainous terrain.
- Northern Warfare School (NWS): Rigorous, 2-week program that teaches cold weather survival, mountain and glacier climbing and navigation, and river operations.
- Combat Divers Qualification Course (CDQC): 4-week course on waterborne operations to include subsurface navigation, infiltration dives, deep dives, submarine lock-in/lock-out familiarization, and closed-circuit and open-circuit dives.
- Basic Camp Leader Trainer: Develop confidence and leader skills while assisting sergeants in training basic camp cadets.
- Opposing Force: Compete against cadets going through advanced camp and gain in-depth tactical experience at the fire team and squad levels.
Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT)
An opportunity to shadow and learn from current Army platoon leaders for 3-4 weeks in locations across the United States, in Germany, or in the Republic of Korea.