Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps
A pilot Naval Reserve unit was established in September 1924 at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland.
Its purpose was to produce a reserve of qualified officers who would be needed for a possible rapid expansion of the military in the case of an unforeseen emergency.
The first NROTC students received one uniform and (during their junior and senior years) a subsistence allowance totaling $210.
They had the option of attending a fifteen-day training cruise each summer for which they would be paid seventy cents per day and a transportation allowance between their college and the ports of embarkation and debarkation.
They complete all activities and requirements of scholarship midshipmen and if they continue in the program for four years will also be commissioned as Ensigns or Second Lieutenants.
They continue to receive pay in accordance with their rank, however any promotions while they are attending school are considered non-competitive and will be revoked if they fail out of the commissioning program.
There are three basic parts to a student's ROTC commitment in a typical week: One or, in some cases, two days a week are set aside as uniform days, where the midshipmen spend several hours attending military training such as inspections, close-order drill practices, and training lectures (either by officers attached to the NROTC unit or guest lecturers).
Usually one to three physical training sessions are required in a week (depending on the specific NROTC unit), generally early in the morning.
During a normal school year, Navy ROTC midshipmen must take two official physical readiness tests (PRTs).
[8] In addition to those activities, there are regularly scheduled classes in Naval Science that must be taken on top of the usual college load.
There are a few ROTC programs that do not follow this model, and instead require a full-time commitment from midshipmen during the school year.
At a Senior Military College, the midshipmen are normally housed together with other ROTC cadets in barrack-like dormitories, a uniform is worn at least 5 days a week, and regular morning and evening formations are mandatory.
Other students prefer standard NROTC programs, which allow them to focus more of their energy on academics rather than being limited by a regimented military life.
NROTC students who are on scholarship participate in a summer cruise in the fleet, to get hands-on training with real Navy personnel and equipment.
In the next two summers, Navy Option scholarship midshipmen spend time with either a surface ship, submarine, or aviation squadron.
College Program midshipmen must either obtain the scholarship before their junior year or receive "advanced standing".
The standard issue uniform is the poly/wool khaki, while Summer White and Service Dress Blue (commonly known as SDBs) are often seen on college campuses.
The normal, "baseline" service commitment for Scholarship NROTC graduates is eight years, with no less than five served on active duty.
Once a naval officer completes their active duty commitment, they must serve the rest of their three years in some portion of the Navy Reserve.
