Army ROTC training is broken into a Basic Course and an Advanced Course. Normally, a Cadet enrolls in the Basic Course freshman and sophomore year, and the Advanced Course junior and senior year. There are other options, so you should contact the enrollment officer if you are interested, regardless of your academic standing.
Basic Course
Freshmen in the Golden Knight Battalion meet for class once a week. Freshman class focuses on basic life skills such as fitness and nutrition, time management, and goal setting. The class touches on basic military knowledge with subjects like rank structure, customs and courtesies, and infantry squad composition. We emphasize beginning to adopt the Army Values and Warrior Ethos, and start to explore the Army leadership model. Land navigation is covered extensively as we develop the foundations for this critical skill. Interaction with upperclassmen and instructors allows the freshman to learn about opportunities in today’s active force, National Guard and Army Reserves.
Sophomores attend MS 221 Innovative Team Leadership and MS 222 Foundations of Tactical Leadership. Class meets twice a week. These classes explore the dimensions of creative and innovative tactical leadership strategies and styles by examining team dynamics and two historical leadership theories that form the basis of the Army leadership requirements model. Cadets practice aspects of personal motivation and team building in the context of planning, executing, and assessing team exercises and participating in leadership labs. Focus is on continued development of the knowledge of leadership attributes and core leader competencies through an understanding of Army rank, structure, duties and basic aspects of land navigation and squad tactics.
Advanced Course
All cadets in the Advanced course are contracted (getting paid), and are expected to attend all regularly scheduled training.
Juniors attend MS331 Adaptive Team Leadership and MS 332 Applied Team Leadership. These courses use increasingly intense situational leadership challenges to build cadet awareness and skills in leading small units. Skills in decision-making, persuading and motivating team members under stress are explored, evaluated, and developed. Cadets are expected to apply basic principles of the Law of Land Warfare, Army training, and motivation to lead. Cadets receive systematic and specific feedback on their leadership attributes and core leader competencies. Based on such feedback, as well as their own self-evaluations, cadets continue to develop their leadership and critical thinking abilities. The focus of the junior year is preparation for Warrior Forge.
Seniors in the Golden Knight Battalion are required to attend class once a week. The course provides instruction on administrative, training and logistical consideration to prepare our Cadets for their first unit of assignment. We use case studies, scenarios, and “What Now, Lieutenant?” exercises to prepare Cadets to face the complex ethical and practical demands of leading as commissioned officers in the United States Army. We consistently reflect on our Warrior Ethos and Army Values during the decision making process to ensure that our future officers have the resolve to serve as the moral compass in our military formations.
Along with class the Battalion hold lab most Thursdays during the semester for 2 hours. This is the time that all cadets are together conducting collective training. The seniors plan and execute the training, the juniors hold most of the leadership positions and are evaluated during lab, and the sophomores and freshmen watch and learn while develping the key skill of followership.
Physical Readiness Training (PRT) The Golden Knight Battalion holds PRT three days a week for all cadets. Juniors and seniors may be required to attend PRT 5 days a week as the juniors prepare for LDAC and the seniors prepare for their role as Army leaders shortly after graduation.
NEXT – what are the benefits?
Golden Knight Battalion Blog 