UCI Army Reserve Officer Training Corps

Training and Courses

Required for all ROTC Graduates

Advanced Camp
Location: Fort Knox, Kentucky

Advanced Camp is a 37 day training event that is designed to assess a Cadet’s ability to demonstrate proficiency in basic officer leadership tasks. Cadets are evaluated on their ability to lead at the Squad and Platoon levels, both in garrison and tactical environments. Cadets are mentally and physically tested during a 12-day consequence driven field training exercise that replicates a combat training center rotation. Successful completion of the Advanced Camp is a prerequisite for commissioning.

Basic Camp (Required if joining as a junior)
Location: Fort Knox, Kentucky

Basic Camp is a 31-day training event designed to introduce Cadets to the Army. The objective is to develop Cadet leadership skills and train them on individual and junior leader tasks to develop and reinforce Warrior Ethos and our Army Values. Basic Camp provides the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in ROTC, and, ultimately, the Army. Basic Camp Cadets graduate the course prepared to lead at the team (3-4 Cadets) and squad (9-13 Cadets) level.

Basic Camp’s primary target audience is the Lateral Entry Cadet and the freshman Cadet. Lateral Entry Cadets typically decide to join ROTC in their sophomore year of college, thus require Basic Camp to learn what normal-progression Cadets have learned in their first two years of military science classes, during their freshman and sophomore years of Army ROTC. As an ancillary target, Basic Camp allows second-year (Military Science II or MS II) Cadets to gain squad leader experience, which provides opportunities for some MS III (rising senior) Cadets to fulfill roles as platoon-level leaders. Basic Camp consists of eight Cadet Regiments, nearly 3,000 Cadets.

Optional/Competitive Opportunities

Cadet Professional Development Training (CPDT) Program

Each year, over 800 special training opportunities are extended to cadets through the Cadet Professional Development Training (CPDT) program. The CPDT program supplements campus training with practical leader development experiences and some additional skill identifier awarding courses. Cadets train in Army schools and with Active and Reserve units. CPDT consists of two subprograms

Cadet Leader Training (CLT) – Cadet Leader Training (CLT) is a two track program consisting of Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) and Drill Cadet Leadership Training (DCLT). Most positions are linked to a specific regiment of Advanced Camp. As a result, attendance to the specific regiment is mandatory. The assigned regiment will not be changed to accommodate personal situations.

Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT)

CTLT provides select Advanced Camp graduates the opportunity to increase their leadership experience by assigning them to shadow a platoon leader or like positions with Active Army units or with government agencies for three weeks (CONUS) to four weeks (OCONUS). Refer to Annex A, Figure 1 (CTLT Training Opportunities).

You may also find yourself anywhere in the country, or overseas, involved in the Cadet Troop Leadership Training Program. This internship program places you in actual Army units acting as a real Lieutenant. This two or three-week challenge is a definite learning experience, allowing you to gain a perspective on what you will be facing as a future officer. Generally, you are placed in a platoon leader position, leading 30+ soldiers and responsible for millions of dollars of equipment. You receive a rate of pay and allowance similar to that at NALC, you stay at the Bachelor Officer Quarters on that specific base, you train and lead soldiers, and receive an OER upon completion of the program.  If you are assigned to a unit on jump status, and you are already airborne qualified, you may participate in unit jumps on a permissive basis if approved in advance. CTLT is the best way to familiarize yourself with a branch before having to choose your branch preferences during the accession process at the beginning of the MS IV year.

Drill Cadet Leader Training (DCLT)

Training is conducted in Basic Training and One Station Unit Training (OSUT) for four weeks. Cadets work closely with Drill Sergeants as they train soldiers in basic skills. The cadets leave with an NCOER.

Cadet Practical Field Training (CPFT) – CPFT is a summer training program that affords highly qualified and motivated cadets to attend some of the Army’s specialty schools during the summer. The Cadet Command goal for attendance to any CPFT school is 75 percent ML II and 25 percent ML III. ML I’s can attend, but require a waiver from the PMS approved by the brigade commander. The various specialty schools are listed below:

Basic Airborne School (BAC)
Location: Fort Benning, Georgia

The Basic Airborne Course is a three-week training program conducted by the Airborne Department, USAIC, Fort Benning, GA that trains students the use of the parachute as a means of combat deployment. Successful completion qualifies cadets to wear the Parachutist Badge.

You begin your first week on the ground, learning the basics of parachute landings, and start a vigorous training program. During the second week, called tower week, proper exiting of the plane will be mastered. As a cadet, you will be then given the opportunity to parachute from a 250 foot high tower. The third and final week is the jump week. Cadets make five jumps from either a C-130 or C-141, including one night jump and two combat jumps with full combat gear.

Air Assault School (AAS)
Location: Fort Campbell, Kentucky

The Air Assault School is a 10-day course of instruction that trains cadets on Combat Assault Operations involving associated equipment and U.S. Army rotary-wing aircraft. Successful completion qualifies cadets to wear the Air Assault Badge.

This is available at a number of installations, but the largest is located at the air assault home of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. This eleven-day course is very demanding both physically and mentally, involving obstacle courses and several long ruck marches. You will learn the basics of aircraft familiarization and recognition, sling-load operations, and rappelling.

Pre-Combat Diver Qualification Course (Pre-CDQC)
Location: Key West, Florida

The most highly selective program available to cadets, the Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC) has less than fifteen cadet slots each year. This means that they only select the best of the best cadets. The training is physically and mentally exhausting, so preparation above and beyond the basic requirements of the school is mandatory. To get accepted into CDQC, one must complete a Pre-CDQC course. Pre-CDQC training includes an APFT and pool events, including a 25-meter sub-surface swim, a 50-meter sub-surface swim, clump retrieval, two minute water tread, weight belt swim, underwater knot tying, ditching and dawning of equipment, treading water for five minutes with a weight belt and twin 80 air cylinders, and drown proofing.

Mountain Warfare School (MWS)
Location: Jericho, Vermont

A two-week program conducted at the Ethan Allen Firing Range, Jericho, VT. The course teaches cadets the skills needed to operate in a mountainous environment during the summer and fall.

Mountain Warfare School introduces you to the techniques and tactics required to operate in a mountainous environment under hostile conditions. The emphasis is on field exercises where you learn mountain-related skills. The instruction includes advanced navigational training, special mobility training (with special operations forces mountaineering equipment), and mountain tactical instruction.

Northern Warfare Cadet Orientation Course (NWCOC)
Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska

A two-week program conducted at the Northern Warfare Training Center at Fort Wainwright, AK. The course is designed to train cadets in the skills required for conducting military operations in typical mountainous terrain found throughout the world. Special emphasis is placed on basic military mountaineering skills.

This course focuses on mobility in mountainous terrain, rappelling, and climbing skills. The training is demanding both physically and mentally but also extremely rewarding. Those who live up to the challenge come away with not only a vast knowledge of climbing skills but also a new level of self-confidence born from facing adversity and overcoming it.

Combat Survival Training

CST is a 20-day program that affords the cadet the opportunity to practice employing the principles, procedures, techniques, and equipment that enhance survival and evasion prospects, regardless of hostile or adverse climate conditions.

Cadet Intern Program (CIP)

Internships offer over 500 opportunities for Cadets who seek additional training in specialized areas such as scientific application, engineering, nursing, medicine, intelligence, and cyber applications based on hosting organizations’ requests. Examples of available internships include the US Army Corps of Engineers (EIP), MIT Lincoln Lab Internship (MITLL), Museum Internship Program (MIP), the National Security Agency (NSA), Communication, Electronics, Research Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC), and Army Medical Department (AMEDD) as well as opportunities at West Point, the FBI, and US Congress.

Army Science Board (ASB)

Army Science Board (ASB) is the newest program. Only one cadet will be selected to work with the ASB unit for approximately 38 days. This is a three-phase internship program. Initially, cadets will develop the Program of Instruction (POI) for ASB Internship Program with future studies in Technical and Tactical Opportunities for Revolutionary Advances in Rapidly Deployable Joint Ground Forces in the 2015-2025 Era. The cadets receive an AER upon completion.

Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP)

Nursing students who are also Army ROTC Cadets have an opportunity for a unique summer nursing experience. The paid, four-week Nurse Summer Training Program assigns Cadets to Army hospitals throughout the U.S. and Germany. The nursing program introduces Cadets to the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) and to the roles and responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps Officer. Under the supervision of an experienced Army Nurse Corps Officer, Cadets obtain hands-on experience. Training opportunities include one-on-one clinical experience which enables Cadets to hone their clinical skills, develop problem-solving techniques and become comfortable with developing professional skills as a member of the U.S. Army Healthcare Team.

United Kingdom Officer Training Camp (UKROTC)

A three-week program hosted by British Army ROTC counterparts. UKOTC provides cadets the opportunity to conduct ROTC training with a foreign nation.

Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD)

Cadets train for three weeks as interns with the Army Corps of Engineers or other government agencies.

Useful Resources for more information: