Cadet Summer Training (CST)

As a cadet, you’ll have the opportunity to attend summer training programs. Below is a list of some of the most popular courses NIU cadets attend.

Basic Camp is the premier leadership program of its kind in the United States. An intense four-week introduction to Army life and leadership training of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, held at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The aim of the course is to motivate and qualify cadets for entry into the Senior ROTC program. This course is designed for college students, between their sophomore and junior years who did not complete MILS 100 and MILS 200 classes. Upon successful completion of the course, graduates can take part in ROTC at their college as a third-year student in the four-year program.

Advanced Camp is held annually at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The U.S. Army's largest training exercise, Advanced Camp is the U.S. Army Cadet Command's capstone training event. The purpose of the course is to train U.S. Army ROTC cadets to Army standards, to develop their leadership skills, and to evaluate their officer potential. Most Army cadets attend this course between their junior and senior undergraduate years after having contracted to join the Army. Successful completion of Advanced Camp is a prerequisite to becoming an Army officer through ROTC.

Cadets may be selected to attend the U.S. Army Airborne School for three weeks at Fort Benning, Georgia. They will learn the skills they need during ground and tower weeks to make five actual jumps during jump week. Graduates earn the coveted "Airborne Wings" which they are authorized to wear on their uniform for the rest of their career.

U.S. Army Air Assault School is a two-week course of instruction conducted at several locations across the Army, including Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Drum, New York; Camp Smith, New York; and at overseas locations in Germany and Hawaii. In each case, the course of instruction is focused on combat assault operations involving U.S. Army rotary-wing aircraft. Graduates earn their Air Assault Wings which they are authorized to wear for the rest of their career.

NSTP is a clinical elective offered at Army hospitals in the United States and Germany. NSTP is a paid elective attended during the summer between your junior and senior year of college. It gives you the opportunity to develop both your leadership and nursing skills. It will introduce you to the Army Medical Department and the roles and responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps officer. This program is only open to nursing majors.

CTLT provides cadets the opportunity to experience leadership in an actual Army unit over a three- to four-week period. Cadets serve in lieutenant-level leadership positions in active-duty units. Platoon Leader positions have a three- to four-week duration depending on the hosting unit and location. Assignments include units located in the U.S. and overseas. Cadets are assigned a unit mentor and are provided on-post lodging and meals via a dining facility. This program is exclusively designed for MS III Cadets before and after completion of LDAC.

Internships provide cadets with an opportunity to exercise specialized language, technical or research skills. Internships range from three to four weeks long and are offered in a variety of fields. Some of the fields include: engineering, medical, chaplaincy, public affairs, intelligence and science/research. Cadets will spend three to four weeks working as an intern with an Army organization specializing in one of those fields.

Project Global Officer (Project GO) is a collaborative initiative that promotes critical language education, study abroad, and intercultural dialogue opportunities for ROTC students. Project GO programs focus on the languages and countries of the Middle East, Asia, Central Asia, Africa and South America.

Contact Us

Department of Military Science
Chick Evans Field House
Room 110
1050 Lucinda Ave.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-752-ROTC (7682)
niu_rotc@niu.edu
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