Does Lafayette have an ROTC program or battalion? No, Lafayette does not have an ROTC battalion. Lafayette is a satellite school in the Steel Battalion, based out of the host school, Lehigh University. Lafayette is the headquarters of Charlie Company, which means that some PT (physical training) and Military Science classes are offered on campus. Lafayette cadets cross-enroll in Military Science classes at Lehigh.
What does host school mean? Lehigh University is the host school for the Steel Battalion, which means that the facilities, faculty, personnel, equipment, and some training/classes are based out of Lehigh. Other schools in the Lehigh Valley, including DeSales, Moravian, Muhlenberg, and Kutztown, are also part of the Steel Battalion. Thursday labs, MSIII (junior year) and MSIV (senior year) classes, and other battalion-wide events are typically held at Lehigh.
What is the time commitment for ROTC? During the school year, each cadet must attend PT (physical training) sessions three times per week, enroll in a military science class, and attend weekly leadership labs and a once-per-semester FTX (field training exercise). PT is typically from 5:50 am-7:00 am at either Lafayette, Moravian College, or Lehigh University. Military Science class is one hour for MSI year, two hours for MSII year, three hours for MSIII year, and three hours for MSIV year. Class times vary.
Leadership labs are held Thursdays from 4:30 pm-7:30 pm. One FTX per semester is held and takes up one weekend.
There are additional summer training requirements and opportunities.
Can ROTC cadets be deployed? No, cadets cannot be deployed. ROTC is for training future officers; cadets will never be deployed.
What is the commitment for Army service after graduation and commissioning? Each second lieutenant, regardless of component (Active Duty, National Guard, or Reserves), has an eight-year commitment after commissioning. They may serve longer, but eight years is the minimum.
- Active duty: four years in Active Duty, four years in Reserves
– An Additional Service Obligation (ADSO) is a proviso under which a second lieutenant agrees to serve an additional three years of Active Duty service in order to receive a specific branch. Typically, ADSO’s are used when a second lieutenant’s OML points are not sufficient to receive a desired branch. - National Guard: eight years in the National Guard
- Reserves: six years in Reserves, two years on Individual Readiness Reserve (IRR)
Is it possible to be both a cadet and a Division-1 athlete? A number of Lafayette cadets have successfully participated in Division-1 athletics. Cadets who are also athletes are allowed to attend one PT a week when their sport is in season; they also are not required to miss practice, games, matches, or meets to attend ROTC events.