Mount Carmel College of Nursing participates in both the Air Force and Army ROTC programs offered at The Ohio State University. These programs offer qualified students the chance to compete for a variety of scholarships in addition to career opportunities for nurses. Qualified students interested in an officer’s commission in the United States Army may enroll in Army ROTC classes through a contracted agreement between The Ohio State University and the United States Army.
Air Force ROTC
The first two years of enrollment (freshman/sophomore) is the General Military Course (GMC), which includes coursework on officership, communication, aerospace doctrine, and history of military aviation. There is no obligation to serve in the military for non-scholarship cadets for the first two years. The last two years (junior/senior) is the Professional Officer Course (POC) dealing with leadership, management, supervision, communication skills, and national defense policy. Air Force ROTC cadets also attend a two-hour leadership laboratory period each week and participate in two hours of physical fitness training. A cadet must enroll in the POC for two academic years to be eligible for a commission.
Financial Benefit
There are two, three, and four year scholarships available to nursing students. The four year scholarship is applied for during the senior year in high school. The two and three year scholarships are offered to qualified men and women in college, regardless of major (in-College Scholarship Program, Foreign Language EXPRESS Scholarship, and EXPRESS Scholarship). The benefits provided by scholarships may include full payment of tuition, a book stipend, and a monthly tax-free allowance.
These scholarships provide:
- 100% tuition and mandatory fees
- $1,200 for textbooks per year
- One time $650 bonus
- Monthly tax free stipend from $300-500 per month to defray the cost of living
- NCLEX fee ($200)
- $650 for required nurse uniforms, clinical supplies and equipment needed for Upper Division clinicals.
For more information, contact the AFROTC office at The Ohio State University at 614-292-5441, ext. 9508 or visit www.afrotc.com.
Army ROTC
Army ROTC is a program of leadership and military skills training with the opportunity to serve as an officer in the active Army, Army Reserves, or Army National Guard following graduation. Classes and activities are offered through The Ohio State University.
Army ROTC involves one course and leadership lab each term in the freshman and sophomore years covering introductory topics such as basic military skills, leadership, customs and traditions, military history, and map reading. Advanced courses in the junior and senior years cover land navigation techniques, unit tactics, justice, leadership theory, and officer preparation and development. A weekly leadership lab involves military skills training, marksmanship, rappelling, and leadership development. Introductory level courses require no military obligation. Once students accept a scholarship or enter advanced courses, they make a commitment to serve as an officer on active duty or reserve duty upon graduation.
Financial Benefit
High school students are eligible for either a three or four year scholarship. College students may apply for two or three year scholarships covering tuition, most books and fees, plus a monthly stipend.
These scholarships provide:
- Full Tuition
- All Mandatory Fees Paid in Full
- Book Stipend is $1200 per Year
- Monthly nontaxable Stipend: $300 for Freshman, $350 for Sophomores, $450 for Juniors, and $500 for Seniors
- Required Student Nurse Uniforms and Clinical Supplies are Paid in Full
- Nurse Malpractice Insurance (Provides Coverage During Clinical Rotations)
- Littman Stethoscope Valued at $250
- NCLEX Test Fees ($200)
- NCLEX Review Course (1) Valued Up to $500
What Happens After Graduation?
- All newly commissioned Army Nurse Corps Officers attend a specialized Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC), which is a nine week school in San Antonio, Texas. There you will learn the basics about how to be an Army Officer. There is a limited (3-4 day) field training exercise where you get your first chance to see what an Army Field Hospital looks like. This exercise is a hands-on experience of how medical care is delivered in a field setting. By attending AROTC, you will acquire considerable amounts of knowledge and experience that most Direct Commissioned Officers have not received, and during BOLC this experience will be noted by your leaders.
- The Clinical Nurse Transition Program (CNTP) is 12 months in length where newly commissioned second lieutenants perform an “orientation” at one of 12 Army Medical Centers which begins after the completion of their Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC). The program is for new graduates with less than six months of acute care nursing experience. It consists of three phases: orientation, preceptorship and clinical immersion. All of the phases include critical thinking, communication, and deployment skills to help the Army Nurse with complex clinical challenges they could face at home or overseas.
What is the Service Obligation?
Accepting an AROTC Nursing scholarship entails signing a contract which commits you to a total of eight years. In exchange for two, three, or four years of college tuition and a monthly stipend, the graduate nurse agrees to serve on active duty for at least four years, or the Army Reserves or Army National Guard for six years. After the “obligation” phase, you may choose to stay on active duty or leave active service. If you choose to leave the service, your remaining service obligation can be fulfilled by:
Army Reserves or National Guard
- Monthly drills
- Two weeks annual training
Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)
- No monthly drills
- Potential to participate in annual training
- Available in case of national emergency
For more information, contact the Army ROTC office at The Ohio State University at 614-292-6075 or visit www.ohio-state.edu/arotc.
The ROTC Liaison at Mount Carmel College of Nursing is:
Ken Sigler, EdD
Director, Enrollment Management
ksigler@mccn.edu
614.234.4495