In the basement offices of Garrison Hall, there is a hidden world of military life on campus. Idaho State University’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training (ROTC) prepares students to enter the U.S. Army as officers.
“In total, we have almost 30 cadets,” said Major Matthew Godfrey, officer in charge and assistant professor of military science.
Godfrey described how the military has academies that prepare individuals to enter the military, much like ROTC. But in the ROTC programs, cadets interact with civilians and live integrated into non-military life.
“They’re typical students who do ROTC on the side,” said Godfrey. “It allows the army to choose from a better pool of people.”
ISU students in the ROTC program enter as MSI students and attend military science courses and mandatory physical fitness lab, said Godfrey. At this point, students are not contracted to the army.
The next step is becoming an MSII student. MSII students take next level of military science and continue the physical fitness lab. These students have the option to be contracted by the military and paid a stipend.
MSIII then follows with a continuation of the previous courses, plus a military history course. Students complete the ROTC Leadership Development and Assessment Course capstone project. A physical fitness test is administered and students must practice a garrison situation and conduct a practice raid.
“Someone from the army will be here to evaluate them,” said Godfrey.
With the completion of the program, a grade is administered. According to Godfrey, about 20 percent of students receive an “excellent,” 72 percent receive a “satisfactory” and about 17 percent receive a “non-satisfactory.”
The overall GPA of ROTC students determines where they are placed within the military. The Army distributes new officers to the branches that need them. Officers then have an eight-year commitment to active duty service.
“They all have a wish list,” said Godfrey on branch placement.
Currently, ISU Army ROTC contains 6 freshmen, 14 sophomores, 5 juniors and 4 seniors.
“It’s an intensive leadership program,” said Godfrey.
ROTC students perform Color Guard duties at campus events and can be members of two organizations, Ranger Challenge and Scabbard and Blade.
