What is NJROTC?

Defining NJROTC

What is the NJROTC PROGRAM?

The NJROTC program was established by Public Law in 1964 which may be found in Title 10, U.S. Code, and Chapter 102. The program is conducted at accredited secondary schools throughout the nation, and taught by instructors who are retired Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers and enlisted personnel. The NJROTC accredited curriculum emphasizes citizenship and leadership development, as well as our maritime heritage, the significance of sea power, and naval topics such as the fundamentals of naval operations, seamanship, navigation and meteorology. Classroom instruction is augmented throughout the year by extra-curricular activities of community service, academic, athletic, drill and orienteering competitions, field meets, flights, visits to naval or other activities, marksmanship sports training, and physical fitness training. Electronic classroom equipment, textbooks, uniforms, educational training aids, travel allowance, and a cost-share of instructors' salaries are provided by the Navy.

What does the NJROTC program do?

•Promotes Patriotism

•Develops informed and responsible citizens

•Develops respect for constructed authority

•Develops leadership potential

•Promotes high school completion

•Promotes higher education

•Promotes community service

•Develops a high degree of personal honor, self-reliance, individual discipline and leadership

•Promotes an understanding of the basic elements and need for national security

•Provides information on the military services as a possible career

•Provides an alternative to gangs

•Provides incentive to live healthy and drug free

What are the benefits of NJROTC?

•Approximately 60 percent of the NJROTC cadets who are graduating seniors continue to higher education.

•The NJROTC program is motivational in encouraging cadets to graduate from high school and continue to higher education offering free ACT/SAT preparation.

•NJROTC cadets are better behaved, have higher attendance, are role models for the avoidance of substance abuse, have higher self-esteem, develop positive life skills, on average have higher grade point averages and graduate at a higher rate.

•Cadets learn the value of teamwork and individual accomplishments from belonging to NJROTC.

•The character education in NJROTC teaches values, principles, and self-discipline promoting positive, productive behaviors and provides a support structure that is critical not only in helping cadets avoid the use of drugs, but living a healthy and fit lifestyle.

•NJROTC provides the opportunity for secondary school students to learn the basic elements and need for national security and their personal obligations as Americans.

•The program enhances the image of the military in the eyes of the community by providing a chance for success to the nation's youth.

•While the training is along military lines, it is conducted so as to encourage initiative and individuality to develop natural gifts, to teach self-control, develop personal character, responsibility and qualities of integrity, loyalty, and dedication.

•Cadets accepted for enlistment, who provide evidence of successful completion of at least 3 years of NJROTC are entitled to advanced promotion to pay grade E-3 upon initial enlistment in an active or reserve component of the Army, Navy, or Air Force, and pay grade E-2 in the Marine Corps; or completion of 2 years are entitled to E-2 (except in the Marine Corps and Air Force).

•Senior Naval Science Instructor is authorized to nominate a maximum of three eligible cadets each year to compete for U.S. Naval Academy appointments.

•Administrators of host schools that are designated as Distinguished Units with Academic Honors may nominate three eligible NJROTC cadets as candidates for appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Air Force Academy in addition to the three nominations above to the U.S. Naval Academy.