ROTC wants to recruit new students

By James Fay

Hood ROTC is looking to recruit more students to the program. Members will have a table set up for Accepted Students Day on March 23 and April 6 with more information on the benefits of joining the officer training corps.

 “See what the program has to offer with zero commitment,” Cadet Battalion Commander Emanuel Granados said.

ROTC is a leadership development program designed by the military to create future officers for the U.S. Army from college students. There are currently 18 students enrolled in the program at Hood. Scholarship cadets get tuition, room and board, and their meal plan covered. Additionally, they receive a $600 stipend each semester to cover books and a $420 stipend each month. 

An additional benefit of ROTC is that cadets can obtain a government security clearance, which translates to the civilian world and puts them a step ahead of their peers. 

Each cadet is required to serve four years active duty or six years in the reserves or National Guard after graduating. 

“The Army doesn’t see you by your race or how fast you can run; they see you by your leadership skills,”Granados said.

Granados is a computer science major with a minor in mathematics. He is also a collegiate athlete, which he said is quite challenging.

 “It’s not easy,” he said. “You got to wake up early; you got PT; you got hard events like ruck marches; you got to be uncomfortable. It’s not for everyone, but the return on investment is very high.”

Granados wants to be a cyber officer. “The schooling and course they put you through is very extensive,” Granados said. He is looking to go into the U.S. Army Reserves. With this job, they will offer him many certifications and top-secret clearances that can transfer over to the civilian side.

Cadet company commander Noah Turner joined ROTC to be an officer because it complements his lifestyle. “Personally, I like being out in the rain; I like being out in the mud; I like sleeping in the cold,” he said. “I think it’s fun.”

Upon completion of the Army ROTC program, Turner will be an explosive ordnance disposal officer, also known as a bomb tech. Turner will spend a year of school in Georgia and another year in Florida for special training. He then hopes to be moved to South Korea.

If interested in joining Hood’s ROTC, contact Captain Myron Mansfield at mansfield@hood.edu.