contracting – EWU Army ROTC

10 Myths About Army ROTC

11/24/2020 by jstafford3

Myth #1: Enrolling into ROTC the Same As Enlisting into the Army

Enrolling into ROTC is not the same as enlisting into the Army. ROTC is the one way for college students to explore military service without having to sign any contract. Signing up for a Military Science class is exactly that, it is a class. Students enrolled in the Military Science Basic Course are those exploring the ROTC program’s 100 and 200 level courses. Enrolled students ARE NOT obligated to contract, meaning to enter a commitment and finish the program. Students can drop after one term, or they can complete the entire two years of the Basic Course before making their decision. Enrolled students earn elective credit towards their degree while in the Basic Course. Enrolled students are NOT receiving any type of financial assistance from the Army for college. Enrolling into Military Science Advanced Course of 300 and 400 level courses does require the student to make a decision to contract into ROTC.

Myth #2: Contracting into ROTC the Same as Enlisting into the Army

Contracting into Army ROTC is not, strictly speaking, joining the Army. You will not be sent to boot camp. However, the primary purpose of the Army ROTC program is to produce Army officers, so you must agree to serve as an officer in the Army after graduation. In return the Army will provide financial assistance and scholarships to qualified Cadets to help them complete their college degree.

Ten EWU Cadets contract into the ROTC program on September 20, 2018 in front of historic Showalter Hall.

Myth #3: An Army Officer is a Military Policeman

Being an Army officer means that you will become the civilian equivalent of a manager, not a military policeman. Officers are tasked with making important decisions in stressful situations and are responsible for the well being and safety of the Soldiers under their command. Being officer requires exercising discipline and learning leadership skills that carry over very well in civilian service after the Army. After graduation ROTC Cadets will commission into the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. After completing their initial military training a 2nd Lieutenant will generally hold the position of Platoon Leader and be responsible for approximately 30 Soldiers.

Myth #4: Everyone goes into the Infantry

Prior to commissioning Cadets will go through an accessions process where they will compete for one of the 18 branches they want to be part of. If a Cadet does not want to branch into the Infantry they do not have to.

Former EWU Army ROTC Cadets Kyle Stanton, Bryce Stanton, and Scott Hinshaw are pinned their infantry rifles by retired Brigadier General Neal Sealock during the 2018 Branching Ceremony.

Myth #5: College is Free to All Cadets

Joining ROTC does not mean that a Cadet automatically receives a scholarship to pay for school. Cadets have to compete for scholarships either through the national high school scholarship process or the campus based scholarship process. Cadets that excel in academics, fitness, and leadership have increased odds of either receiving 4, 3, or a 2 year scholarship. Just joining ROTC does not guarantee anyone a scholarship; the Cadet has to put the work in first to earn one.

Cierra Neumann is a 4-year Army ROTC National Scholarship recipient to Eastern Washington University who received scholarship benefits worth $77,000.

Myth #6: Army ROTC Cadets are Deployable

No, it is Army policy that Cadets cannot be deployed while enrolled in ROTC. Only after commissioning as an officer after college graduation and then completing nearly a year of advanced training will someone become eligible to deploy.

EWU Army ROTC Cadet, Rebekah Hardin takes a test.

Myth #7: Athletes Cannot Participate in ROTC

Yes, student athlete can still enroll into ROTC. For example a Duke University basketball player joined ROTC and commissioned as an officer in the National Guard while playing in the NBA for the New York Knicks. ROTC will work with student athletes to adjust assignment due dates and class attendance to not interfere with practice and games during the athletic season.

Mahliek Roberts from the Class of 2018 was an athlete and a Cadet during his time at EWU. He is now a successful commissioned officer serving in the Military Police branch.

Myth #8: National Guard or Reservists Cannot Join Army ROTC

EWU Army ROTC has many Cadets that are part of the National Guard or Reserves. They participate in ROTC through the Simultaneous Membership Program. SMP Cadets not only conduct ROTC training activities, but also participate in one weekend a month and two weeks annual drill with their Reserve or National Guard unit. Contracted SMP Cadets not only receive $420 a month from ROTC, but also receive money from the Army Reserve or National Guard for their drill days. SMP Cadets also can choose to accept a Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duties (GRFD) Scholarship that will allow them to pay for college and then commission as an officer in the National Guard or U.S. Army Reserves after graduation. If an SMP Cadet accepts a GRFD they cannot commission into the Active Duty Army.

Thomas Luce is an SMP Cadet that serves in the Washington State National Guard.

Myth #9: There is Not Enough Time to Work a Job and Still Do ROTC

Most of our Cadets have jobs and still are full time students and conduct their ROTC requirements. If there are work scheduling issues that come up the ROTC Cadre will accommodate Cadets on a case-by-case basis.

Myth #10: It is too Late to Enroll in ROTC If You Don’t Join as a Freshman

Students who are already in their second year of study can still join ROTC. If the Basic Course curriculum is not able to be compressed before the student’s projected graduation date, they may have to attend Basic Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky during the summer to catch them up. Basic Camp is not Basic Training. It is a four-week summer leadership training camp that enables Cadets that joined ROTC late to enter the Advanced Course (300-400 level courses) and compete for an ROTC scholarship. All Cadets who attend Basic Camp are paid along with all transportation, lodging, and food provided by the Army. About half of our Cadets join ROTC later in their college careers so this is nothing new or unusual. Contact our EWU Army ROTC office at rotc@ewu.edu or 509-359-6110 to discuss your options for joining ROTC.

Note: There are many myths out there about ROTC and want this to be a forum to address them. If anyone has any questions of things they heard about ROTC please leave a comment below and we will answer it. ROTC is definitely not for everyone, but having accurate information will help you make a better decision on whether you want to enroll or not.

Fighting Eagles Cadet Contracts into Army ROTC to Pursue A Masters Degree

11/13/2020 by jstafford3

Congratulations to Zachary Becker for being the latest Cadet to contract into ROTC. With his contracting Cadet Becker is activating a full tuition scholarship to EWU to pursue his Masters Degree in Accounting. He will also receive a $420 a month stipend and $1,200 annually for books to assist him financially on his path to receiving his Masters.

Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Stafford (right) the EWU Army ROTC Professor of Military Science gives the Oath of Enlistment to Cadet Zackary Becker (left).

We offer Masters degree scholarships that will pay for full tuition with no obligation to serve on active duty. Cadets have the option of serving in the National Guard or Reserves if they are looking to start a civilian career after the completion of their Masters degree. Get in contact with us at 509-359-6109 or rotc@ewu.edu to learn more. Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Cadet Zackary Becker salutes the American flag.

More pictures from the ceremony can be seen and downloaded from our EWU Army ROTC Flickr page.

EWU Army ROTC Conducts 2020 Contracting Ceremony

09/25/2020 by jstafford3

On September 24, 2020 the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program contracted 6 Cadets into the U.S. Army. The Contracting Ceremony was held in front of the historic Showalter Hall on the EWU campus. Showalter Hall is the oldest building on EWU’s campus that was built back in 1915 when EWU was a teacher’s college. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the Contracting Ceremony was attending by a small number of Cadets and family members and masks and social distancing requirements were followed. Full video of the ceremony can be viewed below:

During the ceremony the 6 Cadets recited the Oath of Enlistment given to them by Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Stafford, the Professor of Military Science for the EWU Army ROTC program. The first Oath of Enlistment was developed during the Revolutionary War when the Continental Congress established different oaths for the enlisted men and officers of the Continental Army. The first Oath of Enlistment under the Constitution was approved by an Act of Congress on 29 September 1789. It applied to all commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted Soldiers in the United States military.

EWU Army ROTC Cadets, Isabell Pannell, Caleb Geringer, Nik Chapple, Charles Golding, Giovanni Beegen, and Kyle Collins stand in formation preparing to contract.

Contracting Cadets salute the unfurling of the U.S. flag.

Contracting ceremony officer in charge (OIC) Cadet Crystal Cruz turns over the formation to LTC Jonathan Stafford.

The oath would receive minor modifications during the 1800’s, but the current oath recited by the contracting Cadets has remained unchanged since 1959. Here is the current Oath of Enlistment:

“I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Cadets are given the Oath of Enlistment by LTC Jonathan Stafford.

LTC Jonathan Stafford contracts 6 Cadets into EWU Army ROTC.

Following the reciting of the Oath of Enlistment, the 6 Cadets were then given their right shoulder sleeve EWU Army ROTC patch. The patch was presented by Master Sergeant Michael Zehring who explained the importance of the right shoulder sleeve patch that recognizes combat service in the active U.S. Army. In the EWU ROTC program the right should sleeve patch recognizes these Cadets’ commitment to serve their country by contracting into EWU ROTC.

Cadet Charles Golding proudly displays his EWU ROTC patch after contracting.

By contracting the Cadets can now activate scholarship benefits, receive a $420 a month monetary stipend, attend advanced training, internships, and other opportunities to help them towards their goal of becoming a U.S. Army officer after graduating from EWU. Congratulations to all six of our newly contracted Cadets!

Isabell Pannell
Caleb Geringer
Nik Chapple
Charles Golding
Giovanni Beegen
Kyle Collins

Note: More pictures from the ceremony can be viewed on our Flickr page.

How to Contract into ROTC

When Cadets first enroll into an ROTC class, they have no military obligation. Taking an ROTC class is the one way to explore military service without having to contract into the military. For students who find that military service is something they want to pursue they can then contract into ROTC. Contracting requires the Cadet to meet specified academic, physical fitness, character, and medical requirements. The are various options to contract and a college student does not have to join ROTC as a first year student to explore military service. We have many transfer students, sophomores, and juniors and even Masters students enroll into ROTC to explore military service before making a decision to contract. Please read our Contracting page or reach EWU ROTC through our Contact page for more information on contracting options.

Fighting Eagles Alumni Excels in Her Career as an Army Nurse

05/07/2020 by jstafford3

For National Nurses Week, the EWU Army ROTC “Fighting Eagles” battalion would like to recognize 2017 EWU graduate, Kaylee Nunley who has started off a great career as an Army nurse. Kaylee grew up in Spokane Valley where she attended EWU for pre-nursing and joined ROTC. After completing the pre-nursing curriculum at EWU, she was accepted into the Washington State University (WSU)-Spokane College of Nursing. While attending nursing school she had the opportunity to attend a summer internship at the Army hospital at Ft. Wainwright, AK.

After graduating from EWU and the College of Nursing, she commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. She next completed her Basic Officer Leadership Course for nurses at Fort Sam Houston, Texas before arriving at her first duty station at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Walter Reed is the military’s premier hospital. At Walter Reed Kaylee served for three years as a registered nurse serving as a medical surgical pediatric nurse.

After completing her assignment at Walter Reed, the now First Lieutenant (1LT) Nunley is currently attending public health nurse training at Ft. Sam Houston. After she completes her training later this month, she will then move to her next duty station in Ft. Wainwright, Alaska. There she will serve as the Chief of Army Public Health Nursing focusing on preventive medicine for Soldiers and families.

During her Army journey, 1LT Nunley has also married and became a mom. EWU Army ROTC congratulates Kaylee for a great start to her career as an Army nurse.

World War II Army Nurse Corps recruiting poster.

Did you know that EWU Army ROTC has the largest ROTC nursing program in Washington State and the Inland Northwest? We have a track record of commissioning quality nurses on to Active Duty and into Army Reserves. If you are interested in serving your country as well as beginning a career as a health care professional, consider Army nursing. Scholarships are available to qualified applicants and Army ROTC has guaranteed slots into Nursing School. Learn more about about the ROTC nursing program at this link. You can also use our Contact page or email us at rotc@ewu.edu to answer any questions you may have.

Go Army Nursing! Go Fighting Eags!

EWU Army ROTC Nursing Cadet Featured in Inside EWU Article

05/04/2020 by jstafford3

Recently one of our outstanding nursing Cadets, Kylie Crooks was awarded the Major General Barbara R. Holcomb Army Nurse Cadet Excellence Award as the top nursing Cadet in the 8th ROTC Brigade. Eastern’s very own, Inside EWU did a great profile piece on Cadet Crooks and the award. Definitely worth reading the whole profile piece at this link and once again great job by Cadet Crooks for being selected for this prestigious award.

Is Army Nursing for You?

Any EWU student who wants to be a healthcare professional and has an interest in serving their country should consider Army nursing. If you are not sure if the Army is for you, ROTC is the one way to explore military service with no obligation to join. Our nursing Cadets complete their first two to three years of Nursing and ROTC pre-requisites on Eastern’s Cheney campus. The nursing Cadets then complete their final two years at the Washington State University (WSU) College of Nursing in downtown Spokane. The WSU College of Nursing reserves seats in each class for ROTC Nurses that achieve their admissions standards. To qualify for one of the reserved nursing seats you must make the decision to contract into ROTC by then.

EWU Army ROTC currently has the largest Cadet nursing program in Washington State and the Inland Northwest. We have a proven track record of our nursing Cadets receiving scholarships and going on to become healthcare professionals in service to our nation. You can learn more about our nursing program at this link and feel free to contact us at this link with any questions.

Go ROTC! Go Army Nursing!

EWU Army ROTC Cadet Receives the Major General Barbara R. Holcomb Nurse Cadet Excellence Award

04/22/2020 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program is pleased to announce that Kylie Crooks has been awarded the Major General (MG) Barbara R. Holcomb Nurse Cadet Excellence Award. The award recognizes the top nursing Cadet in the 8^th ROTC Brigade that covers the 30 different ROTC programs across the west coast of the United States to include major universities such as USC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Washington St. etc. MG Barbara Holcomb is a 1987 graduate from the Seattle University’s ROTC program and the former Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. She retired from active duty last year and established this award to recognize nursing excellence in the brigade.

Cadet Crooks is studying nursing and is on pace to graduate with honors. She has also demonstrated a high level of physical fitness by scoring above 90 points on each event of the Army Physical Fitness Test. She has further demonstrated her fitness by receiving a Gold German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) during testing held by German Army officials at EWU. She was also selected for a Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship that is currently paying her full tuition. Kylie last summer completed ROTC Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky where she received the highest rating of “Outstanding”. Besides being a Cadet, Kylie also serves as a watercraft engineer in the U.S. Army Reserve’s 467th Transportation Company.

After graduating from EWU and the Washington State University College of Nursing in December 2020, Kylie will commission as an officer into the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. She will then attend basic officer training and be assigned to an Army hospital where she hopes to specialize in being an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse. She also has a long term goal of pursing a Doctorate Nurse Practitioner in the future. EWU Army ROTC wishes Cadet Crooks all the best in her future endeavors and congratulate her for receiving this prestigious award.

Is Army Nursing for You?

Go ROTC! Go Army Nursing!