Advocates for ROTC

"Advocates for ROTC" is an umbrella group for organizations that promote an atmosphere supportive of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps on college campuses. 

ROTC was active at all major universities in the United States until the Vietnam War, when it was de-certified by some colleges amid anti-war sentiment.  Students at these colleges still can take part in ROTC programs at other colleges and receive ROTC scholarships.  Although much of the anti-military sentiment of the 1960s has waned, opposition to ROTC continues, centering around the "don't ask, don't tell" law about homosexuality in the armed forces passed by Congress in 1993 and signed into law by President Clinton.

ROTC is a core part of the nation's military training, producing more officers than the service academies.  At colleges without ROTC, students are growing up separated from some of the most important leaders of the future.  President Barack Obama said in response to a question about ROTC at Columbia "the notion that young people here at Columbia or anywhere, in any university, aren’t offered the choice, the option of participating in military service, I think is a mistake".  Gen. David Petraeus, head of the Central Command, stresses that ROTC "is very important for our Army and our country" and that many ROTC graduates are "true national assets".  Both the country and the universities will benefit from having more such leaders.

Please click links on the sidebar to find out more about ROTC coverage or groups on various campuses, including detailed coverage of the ROTC over the past several decades.  Visit this site periodically to check on recent coverage.  Please send the address for this page (www.AdvocatesForROTC.org) to others who may be interested and please send us material that would be good to add to this site.

Find us also on Facebook