Why Join ROTC

What is ROTC?

The Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps ("NJROTC") program is conducted at accredited secondary schools throughout the nation, by retired officers and enlisted personnel instructors from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The NJROTC curriculum emphasizes citizenship, leadership development, the significance of sea power, and naval topics such as U.S. maritime heritage, the fundamentals of naval operations, seamanship, navigation and meteorology. Classroom instruction is augmented throughout the year by community service activities, drill competition, field meets, orientation visits to naval facilities, marksmanship and other military training.

Benefits of Joining

  • The NJROTC program motivates and encourages cadets to excel scholastically and pursue a college degree.
  • NJROTC cadets have higher attendance, develop positive life skills, and graduate at a higher rate.
  • The values, principles, and self-discipline taught in NJROTC promote productive, positive behaviors and provide a support structure that is critical in helping cadets avoid negative behaviors such as abuse of drugs and alcohol.
  • While the training is along military lines, it is conducted so as to encourage initiative and individuality, to teach self-control, develop personal character, leadership, responsibility, and qualities of integrity, loyalty, and dedication.
  • Cadets who have completed two years of NJROTC may be recommended by the Senior Naval Science Instructor to receive special consideration for NROTC college scholarships.

Goals of NJROTC

The intrinsic value of good order and discipline in the accomplishment of objectives, the fundamentals of American democracy, and to expand the understanding of naval academic subjects are focus areas of this curriculum. Broadening the student’s comprehension of the operative principles of military leadership, as well as the concept and significance of teamwork.

While it takes a dedicated group of go-getters to make the unit the award-winning program that it is, most cadets find time to contribute their talents to other organizations as well. NJROTC Cadets are actively involved in many different activities such as church and civic groups, student government, band, and athletic teams such as football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling.


NJROTC cadets participate in a number of outside activities throughout the school year and during the summer months. These opportunities are designed to stimulate learning by hands-on experience and to reinforce classroom instruction.