WKU and the Veteran

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ROTC Credit For Military Service

Your military experience could satisfy credit requirements for the ROTC Basic Course, the first two years of Army ROTC. This means that, if credit is granted and provided you are not on an Army ROTC scholarship, you can skip the freshman and sophomore years of ROTC and enroll directly in the Advanced Course. For more information about our Basic Course click here.

Learning To Be A Leader

In the ROTC Advanced Course, you will learn leadership, organization and management skills as well as tactics, and ethics and professionalism; qualities essential to a future Army Officer or being successful in any civilian career. Your instruction will go beyond the simple classroom instruction to help you gain practical management and leadership experience. For more information about our Advance Course click here.

Practicing What You Learn

At Advanced Camp, between your junior and senior years, you'll put into practice the principles, theories and decision-making skills you learned in the classroom. You'll plan and execute tactical missions, and you'll shoulder a lot of responsibility as you are given the opportunity to serve in leadership positions. At the end of six weeks, you'll leave Advanced Camp with renewed pride and increased confidence in your ability to serve as a leader in the officer corps. In addition to the training, you will also be paid while at Advanced Camp.

Financial Help During College

You may be eligible to compete for an ROTC scholarship while you're in college. If eligible, you may also collect any VA benefits to which you would normally be entitled. Another area that may interest you is WKU General Financial Aid.

Your Age At Commissioning

Cadets receiving an ROTC Scholarship must be under 31 years of age on 31 December of the year in which they are to be commissioned. This age limit is determined by law, therefore it is non waiverable.

Cadets not receiving an ROTC Scholarship must be young enough that they will not be 39 years old or older at the projected time of commissioning. There is no longer a waiver requirement for Non-Scholarship Cadet thru age 34 year at the projected time of commissioning. The Brigade Commander is the waiver authority for applicants who will be between 35 and 39 years of age at the projected time of commissioning.

Join ROTC and the Guard or Reserve While You're in College

You may be able to take advantage of a program that allows you to participate in ROTC and enlist in the Army National Guard or Army Reserve at the same time, provided a vacancy exists in either a Guard or Reserve unit. It's called the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP), and it means that while you're still in college, you can be gaining valuable experience and earning extra income. Under the SMP, you will be paid at the rate of at least a Sergeant E-5 for your Guard or Reserve service, and you'll receive the ROTC Advanced Course allowance as well. You'll serve as an officer trainee in a Guard or Reserve unit and perform duties commensurate with the grade of second lieutenant. Once you graduate and are commissioned, you may continue your military service with your unit or apply for active duty. For more information about SMP in Kentucky, contact the Kentucky National Guard.

Find out more!

Army ROTC is a good deal. It's an even better deal for veterans like you, because Army ROTC helps you apply what you've already learned to new situations as you train for a leadership role. You'll receive an officer's commission and when you return to active duty, your previous active duty enlisted time will even count toward both longevity pay and retirement.