210.030 Reserve Officer Training Corps

Bd. Min. 2-10-56, p. 8,757; Bd. Min. 12-12-64, p. 26,064; Bd. Min. 6-27-69, p. 34,656; Amended Bd. Min. 4-27-79.

1. Voluntary -- Effective September 1, 1965, enrollment of students in ROTC programs at the University will be on a voluntary basis.
   
   1. The University of Missouri is interested in and will maintain to the best of its ability strong and viable ROTC programs at all times.
2. Policy Statement
   
   1. Society depends on its institutions of higher education to furnish educated leadership in a wide variety of roles and occupations. These include professionally-trained individuals for service in government at all levels, local, state, and national. Only in the area of education for careers in the Armed Services has the Federal government established its own institutions for the education of a portion of the officers required for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. However, despite the existence of the U.S. Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies, civilian colleges and universities have historically and do presently provide the substantial majority of officers for the regular and reserve forces.
   2. Recently the desirability of civilian educational institutions being involved in the education of those who may serve as officers in the Armed Services, on a temporary or career basis, has been subject to criticism and attack. It is charged that this involvement contributes to the "militarization" of our society. We believe that the opposite is true. The continued presence in substantial numbers in the Armed Forces of officers from a wide variety of civilian educational institutions and backgrounds is, in fact, one of the best guarantees against the establishment in this country of a "military" caste or clique or establishment. It is no more desirable or appropriate for the education of future officers to be nationalized, or cast in a single mold, than for this to occur with respect to future leaders in any other professional or occupational field.
   3. The program of education of officers, like any other educational program, is and needs to be constantly under study and revision. Variety and flexibility of approach, within a basic framework of common objectives, is desirable and to be encouraged, as in any other profession. The basic issue, however, should not be obscured in the process of legitimate debate and discussion of questions of curriculum content, of who may appropriately offer instruction for credit, of the amount of credit to be given in a particular curriculum in a particular institution, etc.
   4. The basic issue, as this committee sees it, is whether or not it is appropriate for state universities and land grant colleges, which have traditionally taken leadership in offering opportunities for both professional and general education for those entering the various "pursuits and professions of life" in our country, to include among them opportunities for those who wish to prepare themselves for service in the Armed Forces. We believe it is most appropriate.
3. ROTC Awards -- In addition to the present Curators' awards for students enrolled in ROTC, the following are established, the cost of materials to be provided from Expense and Equipment funds of the department concerned.
   
   1. One additional medal, making a total of two, to the outstanding cadets of the preceding Army ROTC Summer Camp. This is needed because of the much larger size of the Advanced Course in Army ROTC over that in the other departments.
   2. A medal to the outstanding cadet in the freshman course in Army, Air Force, and Naval ROTC.
   3. A medal to the outstanding cadet in the junior course in Army, Air Force, and Naval ROTC.
   4. ROTC Departments may issue Certificates of Merit to cadets outstanding in academic achievement, conduct and character. Such certificates shall be on the standard form employed, shall bear the name of the President of the University and the Secretary of the Board of Curators and shall be signed by the PMS & T, the PAS, or the PNS, as the case may be. Certificates shall be furnished by the Director of Admissions.
   5. The Curators Cup for the best drilled unit in Army, Air Force, or Naval ROTC may, in the discretion of the Department, be presented to several units during the same year.
   6. That the Board of Curators Marksmanship Medals be awarded annually to each ROTC program using the following criteria:
      
      1. A gold medal to the member of each ROTC program's Rifle Team having the highest average scores in official marksmanship competition during the current year.
      2. A silver medal to the member of each ROTC program's Rifle Team having the second highest average score.
      3. A bronze medal to the member of each ROTC program's Rifle Team having the third highest average score.