University of Oklahoma Army ROTC
Encyclopedia
The University of Oklahoma Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) is the primary officer training and commissioning program at the University of Oklahoma
and one of the oldest in the nation, having existed in some form since the First World War. It is known as the "Sooner Battalion
" and is notable for having produced thousands of officers for the United States Army
, including 19 general
officers. As of December 2007, 98 students from the University participate in the program. It is led by three officers and two noncommissioned officers
.
The OU Army ROTC has its roots in the Student Volunteer Regiment, which was formed in 1917 as a result of the entry of the United States
into the First World War. Then-University President Stratton D. Brooks
approved the creation of an amateur military unit at the behest of the study body, which demanded instruction in basic military skills and tactics. The Regiment, however, lacked instructors, equipment, and formal support from the Army. Lasting only one semester, the Student Volunteer Regiment was soon supplanted by the Student Military Regiment, which was led by two retired Army officers who themselves hand-carved wooden military drill rifles.
The War Department
finally granted formal support for military training at the University of Oklahoma in the fall 1918 with the creation of the Student Army Training Corps - a program designed to train students for immediate wartime service. With the abrupt end of the War, however, the program was short-lived, and it was soon replaced by the Reserve Officer Training Corps, which sought to train college
-educated men for commissioned Army service.
Since then, the OU Army ROTC has continually produced Army officers - save a brief interruption during the Second World War, which was a war in which 503 OU Army ROTC alumni were killed. OU Army ROTC alumni have served in every major American war
. Today, most recent graduates have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
and military organization
of a real Army unit. The highest ranking officer and current professor of military science of the OU ROTC program is LTC Kennan Horn. Basic course cadets in their first and second years serve in roles equivalent to those filled by junior enlisted soldiers. They learn basic skills such as orienteering
, marksmanship, survival skills
, physical fitness
, and basic leadership
principles.
Cadets in their third year serve in roles equivalent to those held by noncommissioned officers
and junior officers. They are responsible for mentoring younger cadets, ensuring that necessary unit functions are completed to standard, and providing basic leadership. Their training mostly focuses on preparation for Warrior Forge, their summer field training exercise
. Held at Fort Lewis
, Washington, it is a 33 day field problem that challenges cadets physically and mentally while assessing their leadership skills in a variety of tasks and small unit tactical exercises. Third year students learn squad
tactics
and continue to develop themselves personally and professionally.
Fourth year cadets serve in roles equivalent to those held by senior company grade
and field grade officers. They are responsible for literally running the unit and planning training, taking only a minimum amount of guidance from training cadre and superior officers. They teach the first through third year cadets the skills that they need to be successful and continue to develop them as leaders and soldiers. A lieutenant colonel
personally instructs the senior cadets, refining their leadership skills and teaching them the nuances of Army officership
before their commissioning as second lieutenant
s.
pre-game show by providing a military color guard
to open the event.
Each year, OU Army ROTC sends cadets to participate in the Bataan Memorial Death March, which is a marathon
held annually at White Sands, New Mexico
in honor of the survivors and victims of the actual Bataan Death March
. OU cadets also participate in other events, including the Oklahoma City Marathon and competitive shooting events.
Cadets are also allowed to attend special Army training schools, such as Airborne School, Air Assault
School, Mountain Warfare
School, Northern Warfare School, and SCUBA
School.
or Oklahoma National Guard
. As such, they are entitled to financial remuneration which may include the complete payment of all costs associated with higher education and a modest tax-free salary.
Many cadets are also former soldiers, having served in the enlisted grades either in the Reserve Component or Regular Army. There are also several former sailors and marines pursuing an Army commission.
While enrolled as a cadet, soldiers who also serve with a reserve component unit may not be deployed. Cadets live as typical college students while at the same time engaging in military instruction and officer education. They are not subject to many of the same regulations that govern other soldiers. For example, they are not legally obligated to report their whereabouts to the chain of command
when not on duty, and, aside from several mandatory events, may live their lives as they see fit, provided their activities are in accordance with propriety
as well as military law and custom, to which cadets must still adhere.
's Norman
campus. It contains offices, classrooms, a supply room, a drill floor, and a newly-constructed cadet lounge.
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
and one of the oldest in the nation, having existed in some form since the First World War. It is known as the "Sooner Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
" and is notable for having produced thousands of officers for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, including 19 general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
officers. As of December 2007, 98 students from the University participate in the program. It is led by three officers and two noncommissioned officers
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
.
History
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
into the First World War. Then-University President Stratton D. Brooks
Stratton D. Brooks
Stratton Duluth Brooks was the third president of the University of Oklahoma and eleventh president of the University of Missouri.-Early life:...
approved the creation of an amateur military unit at the behest of the study body, which demanded instruction in basic military skills and tactics. The Regiment, however, lacked instructors, equipment, and formal support from the Army. Lasting only one semester, the Student Volunteer Regiment was soon supplanted by the Student Military Regiment, which was led by two retired Army officers who themselves hand-carved wooden military drill rifles.
The War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
finally granted formal support for military training at the University of Oklahoma in the fall 1918 with the creation of the Student Army Training Corps - a program designed to train students for immediate wartime service. With the abrupt end of the War, however, the program was short-lived, and it was soon replaced by the Reserve Officer Training Corps, which sought to train college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
-educated men for commissioned Army service.
Since then, the OU Army ROTC has continually produced Army officers - save a brief interruption during the Second World War, which was a war in which 503 OU Army ROTC alumni were killed. OU Army ROTC alumni have served in every major American war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
. Today, most recent graduates have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Program organization
The OU Army ROTC unit mimics the chain of commandChain of Command
Chain of Command may refer to:* Chain of command, in a military context, the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed* "Chain of Command" , the fifth episode of the first season of Beast Wars...
and military organization
Military organization
Military organization is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer military capability required by the national defence policy. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation's armed forces...
of a real Army unit. The highest ranking officer and current professor of military science of the OU ROTC program is LTC Kennan Horn. Basic course cadets in their first and second years serve in roles equivalent to those filled by junior enlisted soldiers. They learn basic skills such as orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
, marksmanship, survival skills
Survival skills
Survival skills are techniques a person may use in a dangerous situation to save themselves or others...
, physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
, and basic leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
principles.
Cadets in their third year serve in roles equivalent to those held by noncommissioned officers
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
and junior officers. They are responsible for mentoring younger cadets, ensuring that necessary unit functions are completed to standard, and providing basic leadership. Their training mostly focuses on preparation for Warrior Forge, their summer field training exercise
Field training exercise
A Field training exercise, generally shortened to the acronym "FTX", describes a highly coordinated and well planned exercise conducted by military units for training purposes.-FTX's in Active Duty:...
. Held at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington, it is a 33 day field problem that challenges cadets physically and mentally while assessing their leadership skills in a variety of tasks and small unit tactical exercises. Third year students learn squad
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
and continue to develop themselves personally and professionally.
Fourth year cadets serve in roles equivalent to those held by senior company grade
Company-grade officer
In US military usage, a company-grade officer is a Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, or Captain.In the Army, company-grade officers are typically assigned to a company as a platoon leader or executive officer or as a commander . They may also be assigned as staff officers. They may preside...
and field grade officers. They are responsible for literally running the unit and planning training, taking only a minimum amount of guidance from training cadre and superior officers. They teach the first through third year cadets the skills that they need to be successful and continue to develop them as leaders and soldiers. A lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
personally instructs the senior cadets, refining their leadership skills and teaching them the nuances of Army officership
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
before their commissioning as second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
s.
Training opportunities and activities
Cadets in the OU Army ROTC program are extremely active on campus, in the state, and across the nation. Along with the Pride of Oklahoma, the OU Army ROTC assists with the Oklahoma Sooners footballOklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
pre-game show by providing a military color guard
Color guard
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...
to open the event.
Each year, OU Army ROTC sends cadets to participate in the Bataan Memorial Death March, which is a marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
held annually at White Sands, New Mexico
White Sands, New Mexico
White Sands is a census-designated place in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,323 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in honor of the survivors and victims of the actual Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
. OU cadets also participate in other events, including the Oklahoma City Marathon and competitive shooting events.
Cadets are also allowed to attend special Army training schools, such as Airborne School, Air Assault
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces...
School, Mountain Warfare
Mountain warfare
Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
School, Northern Warfare School, and SCUBA
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
School.
Cadet status
Many contracted cadets are actual uniformed members of the Army ReserveUnited States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
or Oklahoma National Guard
Oklahoma National Guard
The Oklahoma National Guard, a division of the Oklahoma Department of the Military, is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Governor of Oklahoma is Commander-in-Chief of the Oklahoma National...
. As such, they are entitled to financial remuneration which may include the complete payment of all costs associated with higher education and a modest tax-free salary.
While enrolled as a cadet, soldiers who also serve with a reserve component unit may not be deployed. Cadets live as typical college students while at the same time engaging in military instruction and officer education. They are not subject to many of the same regulations that govern other soldiers. For example, they are not legally obligated to report their whereabouts to the chain of command
Chain of Command
Chain of Command may refer to:* Chain of command, in a military context, the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed* "Chain of Command" , the fifth episode of the first season of Beast Wars...
when not on duty, and, aside from several mandatory events, may live their lives as they see fit, provided their activities are in accordance with propriety
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
as well as military law and custom, to which cadets must still adhere.
Location
The unit is headquartered in the Armory, which is a small brick building located at the center of the University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
's Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
campus. It contains offices, classrooms, a supply room, a drill floor, and a newly-constructed cadet lounge.
Notable alumni
- Jack RidleyJack RidleyJackie L. "Jack" Ridley was a colonel in the United States Air Force and a noted test pilot who worked with Chuck Yeager....
, USAF test pilot and project engineer for the Bell X-1Bell X-1The Bell X-1, originally designated XS-1, was a joint NACA-U.S. Army/US Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived in 1944 and designed and built over 1945, it eventually reached nearly 1,000 mph in 1948...
program. - Bob KalsuBob KalsuJames Robert "Bob" Kalsu was an All-American tackle at the University of Oklahoma and an eighth-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League in 1968....
, the only professional football player killed during the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. - Major General Geoffrey Lambert, former commander of the US Special Forces.