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1 1 (November 9, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govegqm0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressionol fles drch Servic samat Informing Ih leg iltive debhate sino 1914 Updated November 9, 2021 Defense Primer: Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps Background The Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (SROTC)- more commonly referred to as the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)-is an officer training and scholarship program for postsecondary students authorized under Chapter 103 of Title 10 of the United States Code. By enrolling in ROTC, students can pursue an undergraduate degree while also training to become U.S. military officers. The military departments - Army, Air Force, and Navy - manage their own ROTC programs, which are hosted at civilian universities and colleges. The Navy ROTC program includes a Marine Corps option and the Air Force program allows for commissions to the Space Force. The Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, does not have an ROTC program, but does offer a College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) that awards scholarships to students at minority-serving institutions and placement in the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. The military departments provide scholarships and other forms of financial assistance to participating students. In return, students commit to accept an appointment as an officer in the U.S. military upon graduation. The ROTC program is the largest single source of commissioned officers, producing more than 6,000 officers annually (see Figure 1). Other major commissioning sources include service academies (the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy); Officer Candidate/Training Schools; and direct appointment. Figure I. Active Duty Officer Gains by Commissioning Source FY20 I 9 serveeeAcVomy o rect Appcntment 10 Source: Center for Naval Analysis, Population Representation in the Military Services, FY2019, Appendix B, Table B-30. Notes: ROTC includes both scholarship and nonscholarship. OCS/OTS/PLC includes Officer Candidates School (OCS), Aviation OCS, Officer Training School (OTS), and Platoon Leaders Course (PLC). Legislative History During the Civil War, Congress passed the Land Grant Act of 1862 (P.L. 37-130; also called the Morrill Act) to address a shortage of trained military officers. The act provided funding and land to establish public colleges in each state. These colleges taught military tactics along with other subjects. However, the implementation and quality of military instruction across these schools lacked standardization. The National Defense Act of 1916 (P.L. 65-84) abolished the land-grant system for military education and created an ROTC structure to standardize and enhance military training for the Army. In 1925, under P.L 68-611, the Navy was allowed to participate in ROTC. Congress added a naval scholarship program in 1946 (P.L 79-729). In 1964, following a decline in ROTC enrollment, Congress passed the ROTC Vitalization Act (P.L. 88-647). The act standardized the program across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and authorized the department secretaries to pay for ROTC participants' educational expenses, including tuition, fees, and books. It capped the number of participants who could receive financial assistance at 16,500 (5,500 for each department). The military departments lifted restrictions on full participation by women in ROTC programs in 1969 (Air Force) and 1972 (Army and Navy). Past Controversies Historically, ROTC programs have been seen by military and civilian stakeholders as an opportunity to augment force structure and foster civilian-military relations. At times, however, the presence of ROTC units and students on campus has been contentious. During the Vietnam War era, student antiwar protests were widespread, and at several universities ROTC programs were downgraded to an extracurricular activity or denied access to on-campus facilities and support. As a result, the military shuttered the ROTC programs at some universities. For example, in 1969, the Navy chose not to renew its contract with Yale University following a faculty member vote to disallow academic credit for ROTC courses. In the 1990s, additional controversies around the ROTC program arose due to the Department of Defense's (DOD) admission and separation policy for gay individuals. This policy, known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), became law in 1993 as part of the FY1994 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 103-160, §571). Some faculty members and students criticized DADT for being discriminatory and some universities barred ROTC programs from their campuses, citing rules protecting LGBTQ individuals from discrimination. In 1996, as part of the FY1996 NDAA (P.L. 104-106, §541), Congress passed legislation that denied certain federal funding to any higher education institution that prohibited or prevented the operation of ROTC units,

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