Military Science and Leadership (MSL, AFL)
For information, contact the chair, 989-774-3049, Finch 111; https://www.cmich.edu/colleges/class/MilitaryScience/Pages/default.aspx
Why Study Military Science and Leadership?
Every generation has leaders who stand above the rest. Today’s generation needs leaders who are knowledgeable, responsible and have a strong foundation of diverse global experiences. The U.S. Army officership path is one of the best ways to gain this distinct knowledge and experience.
Train as an Army Officer and you train for leadership in and outside the Army. Army Officers have used their careers not only to serve their country, but also the skills they developed in uniform have served them for success in a host of civilian careers. CEOs, business managers, scientists, entrepreneurs, mayors, police officers, teachers and professors have at one time worn officer rank, or still wear it with their participation in the Army Reserve or National Guard. Leadership counts in and outside the Army.
Army Officers can receive funds to further their education or pay off existing student loans. While hands-on skill training in the Army is a key priority, so is encouraging officers to attend college for advanced degrees or continuing education.
Military Science at CMU
The Military Science/ROTC program is one of the best leadership development programs in the nation, committed to attaining a national ranking. The focus of the program is leadership development and the curriculum supports all degree programs at CMU. All organizations, in all career fields, are looking for proven leaders.
- Our curriculum is fun, challenging, exciting and relevant. Classroom instruction moves quickly from lecture to group discussions, practical exercises, and hands-on experiences that support learning. Planning, participating, and leading physical training/fitness sessions is also a regular component of the curriculum.
- All classes include student-led Leadership Labs, which are hands-on and consist of training such as: rapeling, rock-climbing, high-ropes course, marksmanship, water survival, orienteering, map reading, first aid, weapons, drill, squad tactics, patrolling, and team-building exercises.
- Upper level courses include a leadership practicum where students apply the leadership lessons they learned in the classroom to real life, by filling leadership positions within the Corps of Cadets. Senior year includes research and battle analysis briefs and culminates with a staff ride to a historically-significant battlefield.
- The Military Science program offers leadership internships both in-state and around the world; basic and advanced leadership camps; leadership development training at the United States Military Academy and in the United Kingdom; leadership training at the Army’s most challenging schools, such as Airborne, Air Assault, SCUBA, Northern Warfare, and Mountain Warfare. There exists many team building opportunities within the Military Science and Leadership Department through the participation is one or more of the following Clubs: Rifle Club, Cannon Club, Color Guard, and/or Ranger Club.
The majority of the program’s activities are planned, organized, prepared, executed and assessed by student leaders of the Corps of Cadets. The leadership potential of a student is developed through formal leadership assessments and feedback, mentorship, and whole-student counseling.
The Faculty
LTC John R. Bacon, SFC Bryan Boykin, CPT Patrick O'Neil, SSG Nicholas King, Mr. Arnaldo Huertas, Mr. Keith Linville, Mr. Brian Jones, Mr. Aaron Stephens
The Program
Military Science Minor
Career Options
Your experience in the Military Science program provides you with the skills that Fortune 500 companies aggressively seek – proven leadership. Besides your unmatched development as a leader, if you also choose to become an officer, you will expand your breadth and depth of acquired skills, opening up myriad opportunities for future employment.
- The Army has 19 exciting and high tech career fields to choose from that directly relate to the civilian sector, some of which are aviation, medical service, engineering, intelligence, security, law enforcement, cybersecurity, information technology, human resources, finance and distribution management.
- Junior military officers are scouted by employment head-hunters. Officers have priority for hiring in government jobs, and many organizations and universities give preference to military officers.
- Nationwide, graduates of ROTC fill high positions in all branches of government (administrative, judicial and legislative), businesses, non-profit organizations, universities, and professional sports.
- The CMU program has produced numerous presidents/CEOs, vice-presidents of Dow Chemical and Merrill Lynch, justices, professors, general officers, and leaders in national security organizations.
- The program supports lateral entry into America’s most elite organizations, like the State Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Secret Service.
- Students who choose to serve as officers in the active Army can rejoin the civilian sector after completing their mandatory service obligation. Students who serve in the Reserves have the ability to work anywhere they want, in whatever civilian profession they choose, or to pursue a graduate degree.
- For more information about Central Michigan University's Army ROTC program, visit: https://www.cmich.edu/colleges/class/militaryscience. To learn more about Army ROTC, please visit https://www.goarmy.com/rotc.
Academic Programs
Military Science instructors are committed to excellence in teaching and learning. The department has been recognized as one of the top programs at CMU in the area of assessment. Students receive credits for each Military Science course. The Military Science department offers two programs:
- The Commissioning Program courses are taken along with your academic degree program courses. Students who desire to become Army Officers receive their commission upon completing both their degree requirements and the military science curriculum. The military science curriculum consists of one class, weekly Leadership Lab, and physical fitness training each semester for eight semesters in progressive order, and a Constitutional History elective. Latecomers and graduate students may make up the first four semesters of the curriculum by attending the month-long Basic Camp during the summer, or by making a commitment to the Reserve Component. All students seeking commissions as officers attend the month-long Advance Camp, which is normally completed during the summer prior to a student’s last year of school.
- The Minor in Military Science is designed to provide an interdisciplinary education in military science and leadership. The foundations for this minor are the advanced military science courses, lectures, and a course in military history. This foundation is supplemented by elective studies in cultures, politics, geography, constitutional history and law, public relations, international relations, foreign policy and religion.
Scholarships
Army ROTC Scholarships. Student scholarships and other financial aid packages range from $4,200 to $21,300 dollars per year. These financial benefits will allow you to focus on excellence in the classroom, as well as engage in extracurricular activities that are an important part of your overall college experience. Students have the option of using an ROTC scholarship towards tuition and fees or room and board costs, on and off campus.
- Incoming freshmen may compete for four-year scholarships worth $17,500 per year, which provide tuition, book allowance and fees, and monthly spending money, by applying on-line at armyrotc.com, and then following up with an on-campus interview. Four-year scholarship students may also receive a matching room and board scholarship from CMU worth an additional $9,088 per year (see below).
- Students already on campus may compete for two-, three-, and four-year scholarships worth $17,500 per year, which provide tuition, book allowance and monthly spending money, by applying at our office in Finch 111.
- Students may simultaneously enroll in both our program, and the Army National Guard or Army Reserve components. There are substantial benefits to participating in this program, including Leadership Internships, obtaining training in one of 212 marketable job skills, the most lucrative financial aid packages worth $21,300 per year, and guaranteed duty in the Reserves.
- Students may compete for alumni scholarships worth up to $2000, made available through supporters of CMU’s Army ROTC program.
- There are numerous other national-level scholarships made available through corporations and endowments available exclusively to participants of Army ROTC programs.
Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarship. CMU established six room and board scholarships in 1993. These are competitive awards given annually to both high school seniors winning four-year ROTC Scholarships and current students.
Reserve Components Simultaneous Membership Scholarship Program (SMP) allows students to earn up to 100% for your college tuition. While obtaining valuable leadership experience in an Army unit.
Additional ROTC scholarship information may be obtained by contacting personnel of the Military Science Department.