The mission of ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps) is to develop the future officer leadership of the U.S. Army, and to motivate young people to become better citizens. Army ROTC is a college program designed to provide students with the necessary skills and leadership training to become officers in the United States Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard. This includes recruiting, training, evaluating, selecting, and commissioning quality people for military service in the Army.

Nearly 70 percent of the commissioned officers in the U.S. Army are products of ROTC. As the largest single source of Army officers, the ROTC program fulfills a vital role in providing mature young men and women for leadership and management positions in an increasingly technical Army. In addition to their normal studies, students take prescribed military leadership study courses and participate in scheduled leadership laboratories.

Upon successful completion of WJC baccalaureate degree requirements and the Military Leadership Studies Minor/ROTC the United States Army commissions the rank of 2nd Lieutenant to the student at graduation. A college graduate who is commissioned through ROTC is placed on active or reserve duty, depending on his or her desires and on the needs of the service at the time of graduation. Typically ROTC commissioned officers serve 4 years of active duty and 4 years in the reserves.

Army ROTC is an elective course that provides a combination of academics and important hands-on training. Students will be offered physical and mental challenges geared to help them succeed in college and beyond. Students will learn teamwork and be given responsibilities like teaching younger cadets the same skills they have learned. All cadets contracted to become Army Officers upon graduation earn $3500 - $5,000 a year while enrolled in ROTC.

The Military Leadership Studies/ROTC courses will count up to 25 percent of the normal college load for a WJC student.. With the exception of a five-week advanced training and assessment (LDAC - Leadership Development and Assessment Course) experience between the junior and senior year, all instruction is presented on a college campus. In addition to military science courses, students desiring to obtain an Army commission must take at least one course in military history. Additionally, students must demonstrate a basic swimming ability and complete the Cadet Command Enhanced Skills Training Program (ESTP). Various field experiences are conducted to further enrich the student’s appreciation of national defense in its broadest sense and to develop leadership skills.

• The WJC ROTC program would be part of the 10th brigade (IL, MO, AR, OK) of which there are 22 host schools.
  
• As part of the 10 th. brigade The Pony Express Batallion is headquartered at MO Western State University which is the host school for our area. –
  
• Lieutenant Colonel Suzanne Self is the Chairperson of Military Science with the Pony Express Battalion and her primary office is located at Missouri Western University
  
• Schools with ROTC agreements within this battalion are: Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western, Benedictine, Park, UMKC, Avila, Rockhurst, and Calvary Bible College
  

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