United States senior military college
In the United States, a senior military college (SMC) is one of six colleges that offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs under , though many other schools offer military Reserve Officers' Training Corps under other sections of the law. The six senior military colleges are:
- Norwich University, in Northfield, Vermont
- Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas
- The Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina
- University of North Georgia, in Dahlonega, Georgia
- Virginia Military Institute, in Lexington, Virginia
- Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia
Criteria
Army ROTC
Under Army regulations, an SMC must meet certain criteria:[1]
- Bachelor's degrees must be granted.
- All physically fit undergraduate students must take courses in military training. Exceptions to this requirement include foreign nationals, prior-service personnel, females not participating in ROTC, and students who are granted exemptions by a Professor of Military Science.
- The school must establish a corps of cadets in which all cadets wear military uniforms when on campus. The corps of cadets involves a military environment in which the students live constantly, not just during the school day, and in which the students are subject to military discipline.
- The SMC must have as an objective the development of character through military training and the regulation of cadet conduct according to principles of military discipline (a cadet code of conduct).
- The SMC must maintain military standards similar to those of the federal service academies.
Federal law currently prohibits the Department of Defense from requiring a policy in SMCs that mandates female students' participation in the ROTC programs.[2]
Cadets at an SMC are authorized to take the ROTC program all four years, but taking a commission upon graduation remains optional, unlike other colleges where ROTC cadets are required to sign a contract to take commission before entering their final two years.
Under both Army Regulation (AR) 145-1 and federal law, the ROTC programs at the senior military colleges are treated differently. Unlike ROTC at other schools, the Department of Defense is prohibited from closing or reducing the ROTC programs at an SMC, even during time of war (full or total mobilization).
The Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments may not take or authorize any action to terminate or reduce a unit of the Senior ROTC at a SMC unless the termination or reduction is specifically requested by the college[3] and Army "[SMC] ROTC programs will continue at an accelerated rate as directed."[1]
In contrast with other colleges and universities: "Under full or total mobilization, the Secretary of the Army may withdraw the ROTC detachments without giving prior notice to the academic institution. The establishment of new SROTC detachments will not be authorized after full mobilization has been declared." All Military Science IV cadets at the SMCs will be commissioned and directed to attend the proper Officers Basic Course (OBC). At other colleges, ROTC programs will be suspended and the cadet will immediately be available for reassignment.[4]
Another distinction of the SMC system is that all cadets at the SMCs are guaranteed active duty commissions when they graduate:
The Secretary of the Army shall ensure that a graduate of a SMC who desires to serve as a commissioned officer on active duty upon graduation from the college, who is medically and physically qualified for active duty, and who is recommended for such duty by the Professor of Military Science at the college, shall be assigned to active duty.
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Air Force ROTC
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Course requires all airmen to receive a bachelor's degree, pass the PT test and complete field training.
Schools
Norwich University
The Military College of Vermont, the oldest senior military college and the "Birthplace of
University of North Georgia
The University of North Georgia (UNG), also known as The Military College of Georgia, is located in Dahlonega, Georgia. Since its creation in 1873 as North Georgia Agricultural College, the college required undergraduate resident males to participate in the Corps of Cadets (the corps was optional for resident undergraduate females and all commuting or graduate students). North Georgia was also the first SMC to admit women into the Corps of Cadets.[8] The school has a large United States Army ROTC program and is the only senior military college without Navy/Marine Corps and Air Force programs.[9][10][11][12][13][14] Students are no longer required to enroll in the military program.[15]
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University was established under the Morrill Act of 1862, and cadets began classes in 1876.[16] During World War II, Texas A&M produced 20,229 Aggies who served in combat. Of those, 14,123 Aggies served as officers: more than the combined total of the United States Naval Academy and the United States Military Academy.[17]
Texas A&M has grown rapidly since the 20th century and is now the largest university by enrollment in the United States. With an enrollment of 64,961 students,[18] of which approximately 2,560 are cadets.[19] In 2018, more than 220 cadets were commissioned as officers.[20]
The Citadel
The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, is a
Virginia Military Institute
Founded in 1839 in
In addition to the accomplishments of its graduates in civilian endeavors, VMI is the only military college in the United States to graduate the highest ranking four-star generals across three services: Two Marine Corps Commandants,
Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), located in
U.S. Coast Guard Direct Commission Selective Schools (DCSS)
Graduates of the six SMCs, as well as
References
- ^ a b "AR 145-1 (Reserve Officers' Training Corps)" (PDF). Army Regulation. United States Army. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^
- ^ "10 USC 2111a(d)". United States Code. Legal Information Institute at Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ^ Maria OCadiz. "The Advantages of Attending Senior Military Colleges". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ Walker, Lauren K. (15 April 2012). "Upward-Facing Soldier". The New York Times. p. 33.
- ISBN 978-1-57003-660-6. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ^ "Norwich University". Norwich.edu. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "Career Services – Employers". ngcsu.edu. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007. Retrieved 25 November 2007.
- ^ "Norwich University". Norwich.edu. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "Military Focus". tamu.edu. corps.tamu.edu. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "Virginia Military Institute". Vmi.edu. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "The Citadel / Financial Aid / Cadet Scholarships / ROTC Scholarships". Citadel.edu. 9 November 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "About the Corps | Corps of Cadets | Virginia Tech". Vtcc.vt.edu. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "NGCSU – The Military College of Georgia". ngcsu.edu. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2009.
- ^ "North Georgia College & State University". Apache.northgeorgia.edu. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-313-29749-6.
- ^ "Texas A&M Standard". 27 February 2007. Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2007.
- ^ "Student Enrollment Profile". Texas A&M University Data and Research Services. Texas A&M University. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "2018 Strength Report Summary". Corps. Texas A&M University. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "2018 Commissioned Officers Update". Corps. Texas A&M University. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ "Student Enrollment Profile" (PDF). The Citadel. Spring 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Top Public Schools Regional Universities (South)". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
- ^ "MECEP". Citadel.edu. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "STA 21". Citadel.edu. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
- ^ "Virginia Military Institute – Quick Facts". Virginia Military Institute. Archived from the original on 5 March 2006.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Frequentely Asked Questions – Five-Star Generals".
- ^ Reed, David (26 April 1996). "75 Years Later, Tech Women Still Face Challenges". The Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Va. Associated Press. p. C6. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
- ^ "About the Corps of Cadets". Virginia Tech. 23 March 2007. Archived from the original on 23 March 2007.
- ^ "Officer Programs". Coast Guard.
Notes
- ^ The following Americans have been promoted to five-star rank or above:
• General of the Armies John J Pershing3 September 1919 • Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy 15 December 1944 • General of the Army George Marshall16 December 1944 • Fleet Admiral Ernest King17 December 1944 • General of the Army Douglas MacArthur 18 December 1944 • Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz 19 December 1944 • General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower 20 December 1944 • General of the Army & Air Force Henry H. Arnold 21 December 1944 & 7 May 1949 • Fleet Admiral William Halsey, Jr.11 December 1945 • General of the Army Omar Bradley 20 September 1950 • General of the Armies George Washington 4 July 1976a The timing of the first seven appointments established both a clear order of seniority and a near-equivalence between the Army and Navy services. In 1949, Arnold was honored by being made the first, and to date only, General of the Air Force. He is the only American to serve in a five-star rank in two of its military services.
Of these generals, only Marshall and Washington did not graduate from one of the service academies. Washington never graduated from college and Marshall graduated from VMI.
By a Congressional Act of 24 March 1903, Admiral George Dewey's rank was established as Admiral of the Navy, a rank which was specified to be senior to the four-star rank of admiral and was equal to admiral of the fleet in the British Royal Navy. Admiral Dewey was the only individual ever appointed to this rank, which lapsed with his death on 16 January 1917.
- ^a During the United States Bicentennial year, George Washington was posthumously appointed to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States by the congressional joint resolution Public Law 94-479 passed on 19 January 1976, with an effective appointment date of 4 July 1976. This restored Washington's position as the most senior U.S. military officer.