NJROTC
Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC)
Helping Today's Youth Meet Life's Challenges
Our program mission is to instill in students in United States secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.
History
The NJROTC program was established by Public Law in 1964 and may be found in Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 102. The program is conducted at accredited secondary schools throughout the nation, by instructors who are retired Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers and enlisted personnel. The NJROTC curriculum emphasizes citizenship and leadership development, as well as our maritime heritage, the significance of sea power, and naval topics such as the fundamentals of naval operations, seamanship, navigation and meteorology.
Classroom instruction is augmented throughout the year by community service activities, drill competition, field meets, flights, visits to naval activities, marksmanship training, and other military training. Uniforms, textbooks, training aids, travel allowance, and a substantial portion of instructors' salaries are provided by the Navy.
Statistics
- 583 NJROTC Units and 31 NNDCC Units as of January 2017
- 88,719 students in NJROTC & NNDCC programs, School Year 17/18
- 61% of graduates continue to post-secondary education (including ROTC programs and military academies)
- 47% of program graduates intend to enter military service
- 61% of students are ethnically diverse, 39% are female, 26% are African American, 27% are Hispanic
What are the benefits of NJROTC?
- Approximately 60 percent of the NJROTC cadets who are graduating seniors continue to higher education.
- The NJROTC program is motivational in encouraging cadets to graduate from high school and continue to higher education offering free ACT/SAT preparation.
- NJROTC cadets are better behaved, have higher attendance, are role models for the avoidance of substance abuse, have higher self-esteem, develop positive life skills, on average have higher grade point averages and graduate at a higher rate.
- Cadets learn the value of teamwork and individual accomplishments from belonging to NJROTC.
- The character education in NJROTC teaches values, principles, and self-discipline promoting positive, productive behaviors and provides a support structure that is critical not only in helping cadets avoid the use of drugs, but living a healthy and fit lifestyle.
- NJROTC provides the opportunity for secondary school students to learn the basic elements and need for national security and their personal obligations as Americans.
- The program enhances the image of the military in the eyes of the community by providing a chance for success to the nation's youth.
- While the training is along military lines, it is conducted so as to encourage initiative and individuality to develop natural gifts, to teach self-control, develop personal character, responsibility and qualities of integrity, loyalty, and dedication.
- Cadets accepted for enlistment, who provide evidence of successful completion of at least 3 years of NJROTC are entitled to advanced promotion to pay grade E-3 upon initial enlistment in an active or reserve component of the Navy, or Air Force, and pay grade E-2 in the Army or Marine Corps; or completion of 2 years are entitled to E-2 in the Navy.
- Senior Naval Science Instructor is authorized to nominate a maximum of three eligible cadets each year to compete for U.S. Naval Academy appointments.
- Administrators of host schools that are designated as Distinguished Units with Academic Honors may nominate three eligible NJROTC cadets as candidates for appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Air Force Academy in addition to the three nominations above to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Senior Naval Science Instructor
LCDR Robert Kerchner, USN, Retired
Naval Science Instructor
AZC (AW/SW)
Helen Sowinski, Chief