Behind The Uniform
An Inside Look At Loyola's ROTC Program
The ROTC or Reserve Officer Training Corps is a college program offered at over 1700 universities across the United States to prepare young adults to become officers in the Armed Forces.
Loyola University Maryland became one of those schools in 1953 when they established an Army ROTC. Their first class of Army Lieutenants graduated in 1955.
However, The ROTC as a whole has a much deeper history.
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The ROTC at Loyola is not just Loyola University Maryland students though, there are University of Towson, Notre Dame University , and Goucher College students as well. They are collectively called the Greyhound Battalion and have a total of 110 members.
There are two different ways to join the ROTC. The First way is to fill out an application for the National Scholarship while in High School.
The U.S Army Cadet Command ( the organization that helps colleges recruit cadets) will distribute Scholarships to schools like Loyola. Loyola then distributes these scholarships to the most qualified students.
The Second way to apply to the ROTC is to sign up while in College whether a Freshmen or a Senior. However, Cadet Matthew Boland says that in order to get a Scholarship or a Contract, one must apply.
Joining the ROTC has many benefits. It introduces Army life to ROTC Students, or Cadets as their called, yet lets them have a normal college experience. There are also many job opportunities for Cadets as well if they chose to contract and commission after graduation.
In the Army alone there are seventeen specialities from Infantry and Armory to Engineering and Medic Core. However, the reasons why most cadets join are more personal according to Cadet Anna Krueger and Cadet Peter Friedrichs.
Some Cadets even knew they wanted to go into the Army since High School like Cadet Boland.
After joining ROTC, all Cadets must take a fitness test called the OPAT. The OPAT or Occupational Physical Assessment Test is the Army's form of a Career Test except it determines what field or branch you will be placed in.
For example, if someone wanted to put a combat job on their wishlist (because technically the Army chooses where people go) they would need to do extremely well on the OPAT.
The ROTC has a medal-like system but they call theirs bands. There are three bands: Gold, Gray, and Black. Gold being the lowest and Black being the highest. In order to pass the OPAT you must get Gold on all your events.
The test is performed once each semester and takes place at Loyola's FAC. If you don't pass it the first time, the ROTC also holds a makeup one.
Besides the OPAT, the average Cadet is also required to attend Physical training, Military Science classes, and weekend training and bonding events.
Despite the early mornings and huge time commitments, many Cadets including Cadet Krueger , Cadet Friedrichs , and Cadet Boland, wouldn't have it any other way. They even have a favorite thing about the ROTC.
If you are interested in seeing or learning more about the Loyola ROTC, click on their website: https://www.loyola.edu/academics/rotc or check out their Instagram and Facebook accounts below.