ARMY ROTC

CADET HANDBOOK

 

BLUE DEVIL BATTALION

 

DUKE UNIVERSITY and

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE STARTS HERE

 

 

Revised as of 1 August 2005


 


August 1, 2005

Dear Cadet,

              Welcome to the Blue Devil Battalion, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).  You are part of a proud unit, a proud program, and a proud Army.

 

              You have probably noticed or will soon notice that everything in the Army comes with a manual—field manuals, technical manuals, etc.  In your MS I class, you will likely use The Soldier’s Guidebook  as a reference for basic soldier skills.  In your MS IV year, you will continually refer to The Army Officer’s Guide.  This handbook has been designed to fill the gaps between the two—a so-called Cadet’s Guide.  In it you will find much important information about ROTC, your responsibilities as a cadet, and your opportunities.  If you are serious about your career as an Army cadet, don’t put this handbook in the bottom of a desk drawer along with The History of Western Civilization.  Read it, learn it, highlight it, memorize it.

 

              In the beginning you will find a section on the standards of an Army cadet.  If you only read one section, read this one.  It is the groundwork for all that you will become.  Next, you will find an explanation of the ROTC organization and its day-to-day activities.  Whether you are a freshman or a senior, there are important details with which you must be familiar.  Finally, you will find numerous annexes, ranging from professional development requirements to uniform guidelines to traditions of ROTC.  These annexes are meant to be a resource for you throughout your years as a cadet.

 

              You should consider this handbook a work-in-progress.  As a cadet, you are the most qualified to know what is or is not helpful.  Corrections, changes, and additions should be suggested to the cadet personnel officer (S-1) or your class adviser.

 

 

 

 

 

H. Charles Hodges Jr.

LTC, IN

Professor of Military Science

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Cadet Standards—3

 

Cadet Organization—6

 

Cadet Battalion Staff Positions—9

 

Cadet Activities—11

 

Army Physical Fitness Test—15

 

Height and Weight Standards—20

 

Cadet Professional Development Training (CPDT)—21

 

Cadet of the Semester Competition—24 

 

Professional Military Education (PME) Requirements—25 

 

Uniforms and Appearance—26

 

              Standards—26

              Blue Devil Battalion Uniform Standard Operating Procedures—29

              Uniform Diagrams—32

Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia—39                      

               Maintenance of Uniforms—46

 

Websites – 48

 

History and Traditions of ROTC—49

 

              Cadet Creed—49

              Oaths—51

              ROTC Shoulder Patch—52

              Cadet Command Song – 53

              History of ROTC at Duke and NCCU—54

               Military Social Events—56


Cadet Standards

 

 

  1. General

 

 

 

b.  Personal Conduct:

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate anyone who does.”

 

This cadet honor code is intended to be a touchstone in your life as a cadet and a commissioned officer and should always serve as your guide when in doubt.  The non-toleration clause requires you to report observed violations of the cadet honor code to the ROTC cadre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

d.  Physical Fitness:

 

 

 

 

 

                                          Fall                       Spring

 

                            MS I                                  150                      210

 

                            MS II                                 220                      250

 

                            MS III                                250                      270

 

                            MS IV                               270                      270

 

Cadet Organization

 

Organization of the ROTC

 

  1. General

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Individual Organization

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These same examples hold true for ROTC.  By virtue of their rank or position, fellow cadets will hold authority over you and vice versa.  Just relax and learn the ropes—you will soon know who holds authority over you and over whom you hold it. 

It is much more important for you to understand the other aspects of rank.  Besides authority, rank usually denotes a person’s qualification.  For Basic Cadets, your rank is used mainly to identify your level of skill and experience.  Hence, cadets on the Ranger Challenge team wear a higher rank.  Most importantly, your rank is also a symbol of your responsibility.  The higher your rank the greater your responsibility to your subordinates, to your peers, to the battalion, to the Army, and to the country.  It should be your personal resolution to conduct yourself in a manner that befits your rank. 

 

 

 

 

  1. Unit Organization

 

 

DO NOT REFER TO THE ORGANIZATION AS A DETACHMENT; THE AIR FORCE IS A DETACHMENT, WE ARE A BATTALION!

 

Cadet Battalion Staff Positions

 

The MS IV cadet seniors are responsible for training the MS1s, IIs, and IIIs.  Below are descriptions of each of the staff positions, their rank, and their responsibilities.  The major staff positions (CO, XO, S1, S3, S4, S5) must all be filled.  The other positions are optional, but highly recommended.  Specialized duty positions other than those listed here might also exist according to the commander’s intent and the needs of the battalion.

 

Battalion Commander (CO, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel): The CO is ultimately responsible for the entire working of the cadet staff.  The CO is the primary liaison between the senior cadets and the cadre.  This officer is responsible for the recruiting, retention, motivation and training of all cadets in the battalion.  The CO does this by delegating these responsibilities down to other members of the staff and then supervising their planning and execution.  The CO provides a vision for the battalion in the form of a commander’s intent.  This intent, given for each battalion operation, describes how the CO envisions the progression of the operation and what the end-state should be at its completion.  The battalion commander also reviews requests for excusal from training events and submits them to the Commandant of Cadets with a go/no-go recommendation.

 

Executive Officer (XO, Cadet Major): The XO is the chief of staff.  He/she coordinates the different staff officers to execute the commander’s intent.  The XO and the CO must work closely together to ensure that they are working toward the same goals.  The XO is also responsible for running staff meetings and keeping track of all After-Action Review (AAR) records and continuity files for all staff positions.

 

Personnel Officer (S1, Cadet Captain); The S1 is responsible for keeping accurate, up-to-date records of all cadets.  These records contain addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, PT scores, scholarship status, and other personal information.  The S1 is responsible for maintaining full accountability of all cadets at all training events.  The S1 also conducts the military ball/ dining-in social function, and administrates the cadet peer’s tutoring program.

 

Intelligence Officer (S2, Cadet Captain): This officer is responsible for creating training scenarios and writing situation paragraphs for training operations orders (OPORDs), including weather and light data and the status of opposing forces (OPFOR) during training operations.

 

Operations Officer (S3, Cadet Major): The S3 is responsible for planning all the training operations in the battalion according to the commander’s intent.  The S3 usually has a group of assistants to help plan the operation.  The S3 writes the mission and execution paragraphs for every training OPORD.  The S3 works closely with the S1, S2, and S4 staff positions to compile the full OPORD and then submit it to the CO for his/her approval.  The S3 uses the commander’s intent to determine what training events should be held.  He/she then conducts reconnaissance of the training site to form a plan for the training event.  The S3 accomplishes the duties of the Asst S3-PT if that position is unassigned.

 

Logistics officer (S4, Cadet Captain): The S4 is responsible for coordinating the logistics functions for every training event.  The S4 coordinates for food, uniforms, equipment, ammunition, and whatever other supplies are necessary for successful completion of the mission. All logistics should be coordinated well in advance of any operation.  The S4 works closely with the battalion supply technician to keep track of all supplies that are issued through the battalion.                                                                

 

Recruiting Officer (S5, Cadet Captain): This officer is responsible for devising an aggressive on-campus recruiting strategy and then executing it with recruiting activities.  The S5 is also the public affairs officer for the battalion, and, as such, is responsible for advertising ROTC events (open houses, info booth, fun runs, scholarship incentives, recruiting events), updating the cadet’s bulletin board, inviting dignitaries to training events, and editing and distributing the cadet newsletter.

 

Evaluation Officer (TAC): Many cadets serve as TACs in addition to other staff duties.  TACs are responsible for evaluating the performance of MS III cadets in leadership positions, assessing their performance, and counseling them on ways to improve.  They are trained in the leadership development program (LDP).  TACs act as the liaison between the MS IV cadet staff and the MS III cadets.  They are responsible for ensuring that information gets passed down through the MS III chain of command properly and conforms to the battalion commander’s intent.  The TACs also act as disciplinarians by making on-on the-spot corrections to any cadet that is not upholding the set standard.  The TACs’ efforts are coordinated through a Head TAC that keeps records of all the evaluations and uses them to make training recommendations to the CO.

 

Ranger Commander (Cadet Major): This officer is responsible for conducting Ranger events.  The Ranger program is an extracurricular activity designed to heighten cadet interest in Army ROTC through exciting and motivating training events. It also serves to provide additional training events for those in need of honing their skills, or those just willing to get more practice.  The Ranger commander works with the CO and the TACs to determine what additional training is most needed by the battalion.

 

Physical Training Officer (Asst S3-PT, Cadet Captain): This officer is responsible for planning the physical training program for all cadets and ensuring they adhere to it.  The Asst S3-PT assigns cadets to lead PT on scheduled dates, supervises their performance, and coordinates their evaluation.  The Asst S3-PT is responsible for enhancing the physical readiness of all cadets in the battalion.  He/she maintains PT performance data and recommends corrective action for any cadet struggling with their physical training or performance.

 

Cadet Activities

 

While enrolled in the ROTC program at Duke and NCCU, you will participate in many activities, either as part of your Military Science course, the Leadership Laboratory, or extra-curricular activities.  The following pages are designed to give you a brief synopsis of each event.

 

I.  Military Science Courses

 

 

 

 

MILITSCI 11S—Officership as a Profession

This class teaches the fundamental components of service as an officer in the United States Army, including values, fitness, leadership, and officership.  It also features training in ''life skills,” such as discipline, communications theory and practice (written and oral), and interpersonal relationships.

 

MILITSCI 12S—Principles of Military Leadership

This class continues on the concept of the military as a profession.  It addresses questions of ethics and values in the military and the issue of war and morality.

 

MILITSCI 51—Leadership and Communication Skills

This class is the principal leadership instruction portion of the Basic Course, focusing on communication and leadership theories, and the practical application thereof. 

 

MILISCI 52—Tactics and Officership

This class is an introduction to planning, organizing, and conducting small unit offensive and defensive operations, and to the principles of war.

 

MILITSCI 113—Advanced Military Operations

This class features instruction in the fundamentals of conducting military operations including advanced military topography; unit movements; route planning; nuclear, biological, and chemical defense; and military communications.

 

MILITSCI 114—Advanced Tactical Applications

A continuation of MILITSCI 113, this class features the study of threat forces to include doctrine, organization, equipment, and training, and instruction in conducting platoon offensive, defensive, and patrolling operations for infantry units.

 

MILITSCI 152—Leadership and Command Management

This class focuses on the theory and practice of leadership and on military management techniques for mission accomplishment.

 

MILITSCI 151—Authority, Character, and Principled Leadership

This class is an introduction to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, selected topics in military law, the law of land warfare, and war and morality, Evaluation and development of junior leaders.  Stewardship and maintenance of materiel and resources.  Application of leadership to these topics.

 

Leadership Laboratory

 

  1. Cadets enroll in the Leadership Laboratory each semester.  As mentioned before, the Leadership Lab constitutes the practical portion of your officer training.  Throughout the year, you will receive instruction in physical training, drill and ceremonies, marksmanship, land navigation, infantry tactics, and numerous other activities. 

 

  1. Most of this training occurs at the designated Lab time.  However, the Leadership Laboratory also includes diagnostic PT tests (APFT), occasional week-day PT events (BN runs or ruck marches), a three day Field Training Exercise (FTX) each semester, as well as military social events.  These events are detailed below.

 

 

 

 

 

Cadet Extracurricular Activities

 

  1. In addition to Military Science courses and Leadership Laboratories, you have the option to participate in ROTC extra-curricular events.  You should take advantage of these additional opportunities.  They are critical to your development as a cadet and officer.

 

  1. Ranger Challenge—The Ranger Challenge Program is the varsity sport of ROTC.  Cadets participate in extra physical and skills training to earn a spot on the Ranger Challenge Team.  The team competes with the ROTC units of North Carolina and Virginia at the Ranger Challenge—an eight-event competition designed to test your physical stamina and soldier skills.  Events include a physical fitness test, written land navigation and patrolling exams, weapons assembly and disassembly, grenade throwing, a team obstacle course, orienteering, rope bridge construction, and a rigorous road march.  Competition for slots on the team is very keen, especially at Duke.  Our battalion sent two teams to last year’s competition, capturing first place in Division II. 

The Ranger Challenge Program is one of the most demanding and fun activities in which you can participate as a cadet.  You will likely push yourself further than you have ever done before.  Yet it is invaluable in preparing you to be a soldier and an officer.  Be the best and learn what is meant by “RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!”

 

 

 

 

 

Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)

The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) is used to test your muscular endurance and cardio respiratory fitness.  You will be administered an APFT each month.  Most of these are diagnostic APFTs, used to monitor your progress.  Once a semester you will take the APFT for record.  The record APFT is very important for contracted cadets, as a failure may jeopardize their eligibility in ROTC.

 

The APFT consists of three events—the push-up, the sit-up and the two-mile run—conducted in that order.  Each event is worth up to one hundred points, for an overall total of three hundred.  Your score is determined by the number of push-ups you perform in two minutes, the number of sit-ups you perform in two minutes and how quickly you run two miles.  Point matrices and a sample scorecard are found on pages 17-19 of the cadet handbook.

 

The Push-Up

 

The push-up event measures the endurance of the chest, shoulder, and triceps muscles.  On the command of “Get Set,” you will assume the front-leaning rest position.  When viewed from the side, your body should form a generally straight line.  On the command of “Go”, begin the push-up by bending your elbows and lowering your entire body as a single unit until your arms are parallel to the ground.  Then return to the starting position by raising your entire body until your arms are fully extended.  Your body must remain rigid in a generally straight line.  You are graded for the number of correct repetitions you perform in two minutes.

 

 

The Sit-Up

 

 

The sit-up event measures the endurance of the abdominal and hip-flexor muscles.  On the command of “Get Set,” assume the starting position by lying on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.  Another person will hold your ankles with the hands only.  The heel is the only part of your foot that must stay in contact with the ground.  Your fingers must be interlocked behind your head.  On the command of “Go,” begin by raising your upper body forward to, or beyond, the vertical position.  After you have reached or surpassed the vertical position, lower your body until the bottom of your shoulder blades touch the ground.  You are graded for the number of correct repetitions you perform in two minutes.

 

The Two-Mile Run

 

The two-mile run is used to assess your aerobic fitness and you leg muscles’ endurance.  You must complete the run without any physical help.  At the start, all soldiers will line up behind the starting line.  On the command “Go,” begin running at you own pace.  To run the required two miles, you must complete eight laps plus an additional 61 ft. 4 in. to the finish line.  You are being tested on your ability to complete the two-mile course in the shortest time possible.

 

APFT Goals

 

                                                        Fall                                                   Spring

MS I                                                150                                                  210

 

MS II                                               220                                                  250

 

MS III                                              250                                                  270

 

MS IV                                             270                                                  270




Height and Weight Standards

 

Below you will find the height and weight standards of the Army.  As a cadet, you must maintain these physical standards.  You must meet these standards to be commissioned, to attend LDAC, and to take part in CPDT.  If you fail to meet them, you will be placed on a supervised weight control program

 

Cadet Professional Development Training (CPDT)

 

General

 

 

 

 

 

CTLT (CTLT, DCLT, CIP, AIAD, NSTP)—Open to MS IIIs

CPFT (BAC, AAS, NWCOC, MWS)—MS II, MS I (on a limited basis), MS III

Miscellaneous—(MMT, CFT, UKOTC, CST)—MS II

 

CTLT Programs

 

  1. CTLT—Cadets serve as platoon leaders (or the like) in Army units worldwide. The cadet receives an officer evaluation report (OER) upon completion of the assignment.

 

  1. Drill Cadet Leader Training (DCLT)—Training is conducted in Basic Training for four weeks.  Cadets work closely with Drill Sergeants as they train soldiers in basic skills.  Cadets receive a non-commissioned officer evaluation report (NCOER).

 

  1. Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD)—Cadets train for three weeks as interns with the Army Corps of Engineers or other government agencies.

 

  1. Mounted Maneuver Training (MMT)—Training takes place at Fort Knox, Kentucky where cadets are exposed to the full compliment of mounted forces.  The training is one week long and utilizes the evaluation system used at NALC.

 

  1. Cadet Intern Program (CIP)—CIP allows cadets to work with the Department of the Army and other similar offices for three weeks.  Cadets receive an OER upon completion.

 

  1. Cadet Field Training (CFT)—CFT is an eight-week program of instruction executed by the United States Military Academy to develop the leadership skills of sophomore cadets.  Cadets must be contracted and have finished their MS II year.  Seven weeks of CFT are at Camp Buckner, West Point, NY, with one week at Fort Knox, KY for MMT.  CFT consists of basic skill level training ending with the Maneuver Light Training, where the cadet trains on how to defend against and attack an opposing force. 

 

  1. Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP)—The training is only available to nurse cadets and provides opportunities to develop and practice a clinical phase of instruction at Army Medical Command Treatment Facilities worldwide.  The cadet receives an OER upon completion.

 

CPFT Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cadet of the Semester Competition

 

General

 

  1. Most semesters, the cadet battalion staff and the cadre select a Cadet of the Semester from each of the MS I, MS II, and MS III classes.  Eligible cadets compete before a Board of Review comprised of five to six MSIV cadets and cadre.
  2. You are eligible to participate in the competition if you are in “good standing” as a cadet.  Your respective class instructor makes this determination based on a criteria of their own discretion, but generally it means that you are passing your Military Science class and the Leadership Laboratory at a certain level, and that you have had exemplary attendance at all ROTC events.

 

II.  Board of Review Procedures

 

  1. The Board of Review will be held at a place and time to be determined by the cadet Operations Officer.
  2. You will receive the following briefing prior to the Board of Review:

 

Stand at the open door, knock twice and say, “Cadet Rank/Name requests permission to enter.”  When permission is granted, enter the room and execute the appropriate facing movements in order to center yourself in front of and approximately six feet from the battalion commander.  Salute, and say “Cadet Rank/Name reporting as ordered.”  Drop your salute after it is returned to you by the battalion commander.  At this point, you will be ordered to execute various facing maneuvers while being inspected.  When ordered to do so, sit down.  Sit erect with your hands on your knees.  When dismissed, stand, salute and say “Cadet Rank/Name requests permission to leave.”  When permission is granted, face the door and exit the room. 

 

  1. The Board of Review will consist of a 15-minute interview focusing on topics covered in lab, drill and ceremonies, and your military science class.

 

  1. You will be judged on your appearance, knowledge, poise, and motivation.

 

III.  Announcements of Winners:

 

 

 

 

Professional Military Education (PME)

 

 

 

North Carolina Central University

 

Duke University

 

 

Uniforms and Appearance

 

This annex contains pertinent information regarding your appearance and the way in which you wear the uniform.  As always, the standards are up front—both for appearance and uniforms.  The next section describes in detail the proper way to wear the uniform and insignia.  Pages 39-46 detail the correct placement of rank, insignia, and other awards and pages 32-38 show pictures of properly worn uniforms.  The final section describes the uniform Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the Blue Devil Battalion.  As a cadet, you must ensure that you meet all the standards, that you place accessories on your uniform properly, and that you wear your uniform in accordance with the battalion’s SOPs. 

 

 

Standards

 

Appearance Standards