ROTC Programs
Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Our mission is to produce leaders for the Air Force and to build better citizens for America.
Year-end Enrollment in AFROTC as of June 2003
| Freshmen | Sophomore | Juniors | Seniors | Total | |
| MIT | 6 |
8 |
6 |
11 |
31 |
| Harvard | 1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
| Tufts | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Wellesley | 1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Total | 8 |
10 |
9 |
13 |
40 |
Accomplishments
The academic year 2002-2003 was outstanding. In the junior class, 5 out of 6 applicants for pilot/navigator categorization were selected. We held New Student Orientation at Fort Devens Army Reserve Training area and were afforded terrific support. The Civil Air Patrol Program has been one of our motivational tools, with 5 cadets flying. In October 2002, 25 cadets traveled to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland for a base visit. In the spring semester, we took 10 cadets to the Pentagon where cadets received briefings and met senior Air Force leaders. We also took the detachment on one fall and one spring overnight hike on the Appalachian Trail. In November, we sponsored a Veterans Week Program, which began with a tri-service Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Vigil. We also marched in the Boston Veteran's Day Parade. In November, we had our annual dining-in. Former Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall, professor of aerospace engineering at MIT, mingled with cadets and guest speaker LTC Whisenhunt, one of our National Defense University students. In March, we sponsored the Tri-Service Military Ball. Retired Lt General Tad Oelstrom from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government was the guest speaker.
Staffing Changes
Major Sobnosky and Captain Nelson arrived this summer. Lt Col Keating arrived in October 2002 as the result of a humanitarian assignment. After impressive tours, both Major(s) Henry and Captain Stephenson departed this summer.
For more information about the AFROTC program, please visit our detachment web page at http://web.mit.edu/afrotc/www/.
Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The mission of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is to develop, train and commission the future officer leadership for our Army by providing instruction and training in military science subjects with a focus on leadership development.
Accomplishments
We doubled enrollment and are on track to commission 14 second lieutenants in 2004 and 2005 reversing a 10-year declining enrollment trend.
Army ROTC Cadre planned and executed the IAP leadership seminar, 15.952 with Sloan's Leaders for Manufacturing Program during IAP.
Students enrolled in 15.305 Leadership and Management received credit from the Sloan School for the 4th consecutive year.
The department inducted president emeritus Paul Gray into the ROTC Hall of Fame during a ceremony in April of 2003.
Harvard University made great strides to facilitate student interest and participation in ROTC. President Summers spoke of Harvard's close partnership with MIT during his commissioning address in Harvard Yard.
We established close ties with newly formed Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology (ISN); a nearly $100M Army/MIT Research endeavor to enhance soldier survivability.
We re-energized the MIT Student Chapter of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). The department head was subsequently inducted as a member of the board of directors in SAME, Boston Post and awarded Regional Vice Presidents Medal for Leadership. MIT Student Post subsequently earned designation as "Distinguished" Post.
Army ROTC recognized at MIT and Harvard for leadership prowess as the department head was appointed to the Harvard College Visiting Committee on Leadership and MIT's Working Group on Student Leadership Development.
At the end of the academic year, 64 students were enrolled in our program. Of those 64 students, 16 are minority (25 percent), and 16 are women (25 percent).
Year-End Enrollment in AROTC as of June 2002
| Freshmen | Sophomores | Juniors | Seniors | Total | |
| MIT | 6 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
| Harvard | 8 |
7 |
7 |
1 |
24 |
| Wellesley | 4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
| Tufts | 3 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
12 |
| Other | 2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
| Total | 23 |
20 |
16 |
5 |
64 |
Of the 12 enrolled MIT students, 6 are currently on scholarship. This year the Army ROTC commissioned 5 new second lieutenants, 2 from MIT.
Off-campus learning opportunities continued to attract cadets who volunteered for training at Fort Benning, GA (Airborne School) and Fort Bragg, NC (Troop Leadership). Participation continued to be strong in the MIT Pershing Rifles Company, a group of both ROTC and non-ROTC students dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in military leadership and tactics.
Two faculty members have departed the department: Captain Alan Wiernicki and Master Sergeant Kraig Haas—no replacements have been identified as of this report. The PMS, LTC Baker, finished his third year at MIT and was approved to extend his tour of duty for two additional years, through 2005.
More information about the AROTC program can be found online at http://web.mit.edu/armyrotc/.
Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The mission of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program at MIT is to "develop midshipmen mentally, morally, and physically and imbue them with the highest ideals of duty and loyalty, and with the core values of honor, courage and commitment in order to commission college graduates as naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the naval service, and have the potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government."
At MIT, the officers and staff assigned to the Naval Science Department are committed to ensuring that every midshipman balances his or her time and energy to realize the tremendous benefits of a MIT, Harvard, or Tufts education along with the professional development opportunities afforded by the NROTC Program.
During the 2002–2003 academic year, 19 men and women were commissioned. Program enrollment just prior to June commencement was as follows.
Year-end enrollment in NROTC as of June 2003
| Freshmen | Sophomores | Juniors | Seniors | Total | |
| MIT | 9 |
10 |
5 |
11 |
35 |
| Harvard | 7 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
19 |
| Tufts | 3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
| Total | 19 |
14 |
9 |
19 |
61 |
The Navy's financial assistance for MIT students totaled $776,325 for the year. We are expecting approximately 24 new freshmen to enter the program this year.
Accomplishments
Academic Year 2002-2003 was most successful in many regards. Following is a summary of key accomplishments:
During the summer, all scholarship midshipmen participated in active duty training with deployed naval units. This summer, midshipmen served aboard submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, aircraft carriers, and amphibious assault ships, to name a few. This training provides invaluable experience for their future careers as naval officers.
We completed instruction of nine Naval Science courses of instruction. These classes are convened at 7:30 am so as not to interfere with the academic schedules of the host and affiliate universities. These classes are monitored by the visiting professor of naval science at a frequency appropriate to ensure a high quality of instruction.
The MIT NROTC unit hosted Admiral Skip Bowman, director of naval nuclear propulsion, the second most senior admiral in the US Navy. Admiral Bowman spoke about the future of the Navy's nuclear-powered vessels and encouraged the current junior class to apply for selection to attend Naval Nuclear Power School. The unit also hosted the commanding officer of the fast attack submarine, USS Toledo (SSN-769).
MIT midshipmen are involved in numerous activities throughout the year. In the fall, an annual formal ball was held to celebrate the birthdays of both the Navy and Marine Corps. Tufts midshipmen coordinated a tri-service September 11 memorial as well as a Veterans Day ceremony. The midshipman battalion was also active in community service, including cleaning up several Cambridge parks, supporting the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, and hosting a Military Excellence Competition for area High Schools. Midshipmen participated in military excellence competitions at Villanova, Cornell, George Washington University and Holy Cross. The Midshipman Battalion ended the year by hosting the Tri-Service ROTC Pass-in-Review on Berry Field. The guest speaker was Rear Admiral Vivian S. Crea, VSCG, Commander, First Coast Guard District.
The culmination of four years of training was reached on June 8, 2003, as 11 MIT students were commissioned as ensigns in the United States Navy in a service alongside the USS Constitution at Charlestown Navy Yard. Guest speaker was RADM Kathleen L. Martin, SHCE, USN, deputy surgeon general of the Navy.
Staffing Changes
The aviation technical advisor instructor and freshmen advisor duties were assumed by Lieutenant Robert Holmes who reported in October 2002 after a tour of duty as a Naval Flight Officer in Jacksonville, FL.
More information about the Navy ROTC can be found on the web at http://navyrotc.mit.edu/.