Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Program Overview
U.S. Army JROTC has a long and proud tradition of service to the nation through the betterment of our youth. Public and private educational institutions apply for JROTC units and commit to share costs and meet program requirements. Title 10, United States Code, section 2031 prescribes that no unit may be established or maintained at an institution unless 10 percent of the number of students enrolled in the institution who are in grades 9-12 or 100 students, whichever is less, are enrolled in the JROTC Program as Cadets. A JROTC unit is required to be staffed with a minimum of two instructors. JROTC Instructors normally consist of one retired officer (the Senior Army Instructor, or SAI) and one noncommissioned officer (the Army Instructor, or AI). JROTC Instructors teach a rigorous curriculum and supervise Cadets in all their activities. Additional staffing may be authorized for schools with enrollments above 150 Cadets. The Army reimburses schools for a percentage of each instructors pay and provides Cadet uniforms, equipment, automation, and an accredited and rigorous curriculum. The study of ethics, citizenship, communications, leadership, life skills, character education, service learning, and other subjects designed to prepare young men and women to take their place in adult society, serve as the core of the program.
National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC) Program Overview
An NDCC program is virtually identical to a JROTC program except it is fully funded by schools which choose to pursue a JROTC unit without financial assistance from the U.S. Army. The NDCC unit is an excellent alternative for schools that wish to expedite the opening of a program. The school incurs all costs, to include instructors salaries, uniforms, and daily operational expenses. The U.S. Army will supply curriculum material for the instructors, the students and Cadets. The U.S. Army will also supply forms and regulations which are required to successfully conduct the program. Schools hosting an NDCC unit must comply with statutory and regulatory guidance as regular JROTC units; specifically, units must employ a minimum of two instructors certified by HQ USACC. Schools hosting NDCC units may apply and be placed on the OML for a JROTC Program.
The following steps are required for a school who desires to establish a JROTC or NDCC program:
- Determine the program (JROTC or NDCC) which best meets your schools requirements.
- Complete the corresponding application(s).
- Mail or e-mail completed application(s) to the appropriate brigade address in your state (below).
Once a school’s application for an NDCC or JROTC program is received by the brigade, the brigade will review the application to ensure it is correctly completed and signed by a district or school official and forward the application to USACC, JROTC. Applications for NDCC programs will generally be immediately approved, as NDCC programs are operated at no cost to the Army. The brigade and school will be notified in writing the date the school may establish the NDCC Program. Once an application for a JROTC Program is received at USACC, JROTC, we will complete an Order of Merit List (OML) point computation worksheet for the school and add the school to the command’s OML. A letter will be generated and sent through the brigade to the school requesting the JROTC program notifying the school they have been placed on the OML for a JROTC Program. A schools position or numerical score on the OML is never disclosed; every schools position on the OML is subject to change each time a school is added or removed from the OML. The time schools remain on the OML is based on funding and available slots for new units. USACC, JROTC is limited to the current number of 1,734 JROTC programs based on congressionally mandated funding. We can only open a new JROTC program when approved and resources are available. As JROTC programs become available, USACC, JROTC will generate an offer letter to the number one (1) school on the OML. The offer letter is emailed to the Brigade JROTC Chief for presentation to the school and direct coordination with the school POC for opening the program.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to call JROTC at (502) 624-1649 or e-mail the JROTC Schools Manager.
Additional Information and Application Forms
- White Paper – JROTC (.pdf)
- JROTC Application/Contract (DA Form 3126) (.pdf)
- NDCC Application/Contract (DA Form 3126-1) (.pdf)
- Evaluation Worksheet Potential Army Junior ROTC Program (DA Form 7410) (.pdf)
Brigades by State
2nd Brigade
(CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, Germany, Italy)
2nd BDE (JROTC)
U.S. Army Cadet Command
Bldg 5212 Maryland Avenue
Fort Dix, NJ 08640-5240
Phone: (609) 562-4448
Fax: (609) 562-2041
3rd Brigade
(IA, IL, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD, WI)
3rd Brigade
U.S. Army Cadet Command
Great Lakes Naval Base, Bldg 73
Great Lakes, IL 60088
Phone: (847) 688-3328, ext 126
Fax: (847) 688-3259
4th Brigade
(DC, DE, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
4th BDE (JROTC)
U.S. Army Cadet Command
2175 Rock Merritt Avenue, Stop A
Fort Liberty, NC 28310
5th Brigade
(AR, AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT, WY)
5th Brigade
U.S. Army Cadet Command
1939 Buck Road, 2nd Floor
Ft. Sam Houston, TX 78234-5050
Phone: (210) 295-2009
Fax: (210) 295-2017
6th Brigade
(AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, PR, VI)
6th Brigade
U.S. Army Cadet Command
246 Blanton Road, Bldg 1031, Suite 100
Hunter Army Airfield, GA 31409
Phone: (912) 315-8460
Fax: (912) 315-7800
7th Brigade
(IN, KY, MI, OH, TN)
7th Brigade
U.S. Army Cadet Command
328 Third Ave, Bldg 1468
Fort Knox, KY 40121-5610
Phone: (502) 624-8299; (502) 624-3275
Fax: (502) 624-6241
8th Brigade
(AK, AS, CA, GU, HI, ID, MP, MT, NV, OR, WA, Korea, Japan)
8th Brigade
U.S. Army Cadet Command
Attn: JROTC Ops Section, MS 83
Box 339500
Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA 98433-9500
Phone: (253) 966-7184
Fax: (253) 477-3540