Cadet Life (cont.) - UNC Army ROTC

ROTC is divided into three main parts; PT, the classroom and lab.

PT occurs three days per week, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Cadets assemble at UNC’s Hooker Fields to conduct squad or platoon-based PT, depending on the plan for the week. Juniors, sophomores and freshmen are all given opportunities to write original PT plans, and execute them the following week.

Cadets discuss the plan for a morning PT session.

During class, Cadets learn leadership basics and tactical and technical military proficiency from Cadre members. The Cadre at UNC have many years of cumulative experience in the military, and enrich the classroom experience with this prior knowledge.

During the weekly lab portion, Cadets wear the Army Combat Uniform and bring their classroom lessons into the real world through the use of Squad Training Exercises (STX). Junior Cadets lead tactical missions, such as Battle Drills and medical rescues, using the skills they’ve honed over years in the ROTC program. Sophomore and freshman Cadets act under direction from the juniors, filling Team Leader positions or performing basic rifleman duties.

Cadets plan for a tactical Battle Drill.

In addition to class and lab, three weekends per year are dedicated to battalion-wide training events. To learn more about these events, click here.

While training is important, make no mistake: Cadets are students first. A Cadet’s first priority lies with class and degree completion. One advantage ROTC students enjoy over their Military Academy colleagues is a traditional college experience. Cadet lives are not vastly dissimilar from everyday college students; they work at local businesses, join fraternities or sororities, and perform community service. Cadets learn discipline through personal time management, rather than strict institutionalization. UNC AROTC offers the best of both the civilian and military worlds, preparing Cadets for a bright future in the military and beyond.