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Congressional Research Service
Informing the legislative debate since 1914


September 19, 2019


Defense Primer: Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps

(JROTC)


Overview and Mission
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a
voluntary high school (grades 9-12) program of instruction
administrated by the Department of Defense (DOD)
through the military departments. The purpose of JROTC,
according to 10 U.S.C. §2031, is to instill in students in
U.S. secondary educational institutions the value of
citizenship, service to the United States, and personal
responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. JROTC was
established as an Army program by the National Defense
Act of 1916 (P.L. 64-85) and in 1964 expanded to the Navy
and Air Force. Congress authorized Coast Guard units at
two specific schools: one in 1989 (P.L. 101-225) and one in
2005 (P.L. 109-241).

There are over 3,000 JROTC units operating in every state
and in DOD  schools overseas. Estimated enrollment in the
JROTC   program is more than 500,000 students.

   Table I. Distribution of JROTC  Unit Sponsorship

              Service             Number   of Units

    Army                                  1,701*
    Navy                                    583
    Marine Corps                            271
    Air Force                               920
    Coast Guard                               2
Source: FY2020 budget justification documents (-books) for the
Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. *Army data is for FY2016;
updated data is not available in Army J-books.

JROTC Instructors
Most JROTC   instructors are retired or reserve officers and
enlisted noncommissioned officers (NCOs) who serve as
employees of the school district. Service level policies
require JROTC  schools to have a minimum of one officer
(Senior Military Instructor) and one NCO (Junior Military
Instructor) on staff. Requirements to qualify as a JROTC
instructor (e.g., education, certification) are specified in law
(10 U.S.C. §2033). Instructors are also required to abide by
standards set by their parent service, as well as the policies
set by their host institution.

Retired servicemembers who are eligible for retired pay
may continue to receive such pay while employed as an
instructor. By law (10 U.S.C. §203 1), military departments
may  subsidize instructor positions by reimbursing the host
institution for a portion of the salary. DOD financial
regulations refer to the salary that a school must pay the
instructor as the Minimum Instructor Pay (MIP). The MIP


is the difference between (1) the active duty pay and
allowances the instructor would receive if recalled to active
duty and (2) the instructor's retired pay entitlement. For
example, if annual military retired pay is $24,000 and total
active duty pay and allowances is $52,000 the institution
would pay the instructor the difference of $28,000. The
military may reimburse the institution $14,000 (one-half of
$28,000). Additional sample salary calculations can be
found in DOD  Instruction 1205.13.

Curriculum
JROTC   courses are taught over a 3- or 4-year period. The
curriculum typically includes academic coursework on
topics such as leadership and ethics, civics, history, and
health and wellness. There are also service-specific courses
such as Aerospace Science or Seamanship and Navigation.
In addition, units offer extracurricular activities such as
color guard/drill team, marksmanship, and field trips to
military installations.

Establishing a JROTC Program
Educational institutions interested in hosting a unit must
apply to the respective military department. By law,
participating host schools are required to maintain
participation levels of 10% of the student body, or 100
students, whichever is less. The military departments
establish criteria for unit placement. For example, the Army
maintains an Order of Merit List, based on a point system
that awards credit to institutions for categories such as Title
I status under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(P.L. 89-10, as amended), local indicators of need (e.g.,
high unemployment  or illiteracy), student enrolment, school
financial solvency, and fair and equitable distribution of
JROTC  programs  among states.

Schools may also apply to host or convert an existing
JROTC  unit to a National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC)
per 10 U.SC. §2035. NDCC  statutory and regulatory
requirements are similar to host a JROTC unit. However,
instructor salaries and other costs for NDCCs are the
responsibility of the host institution and not subsidized by
the government. There are approximately 110 NDCCs
nationwide.

Federal Funding
Beyond  instructor salaries mentioned earlier, the military
departments also fund uniforms, cadet travel, training aids,
text books, educational materials, and other unit operating
expenses. Host institutions provide classroom space,
facilities, and administrative support for the unit. Congress
annually appropriates JROTC funds as part of DOD's
Operation and Maintenance (O&M)  and Military Personnel
(MILPERS)   budget. JROTC funding for all of the Services


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