[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S3534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RESERVE OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to commemorate the 100th 
anniversary of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, or ROTC, the 
Nation's training program for commissioned officers of the U.S. Armed 
Forces. Founded in 1916, ROTC prepares young adults to be leaders in 
our Nation's Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. ROTC cadets commit to 
serving their country in uniform after college graduation in exchange 
for ROTC assisting with costs associated with their college education.
  Although military training took place at civilian colleges and 
universities in the 19th century, it was not until the National Defense 
Act of 1916, signed by President Woodrow Wilson, that this training was 
consolidated under a single entity: the Reserve Officers' Training 
Corps. ROTC is the largest officer-producing organization within the 
U.S. military.
  In 100 years of history, ROTC has commissioned more than 1 million 
military officers. The U.S. Army ROTC program started in 1916 with just 
46 initial programs, and today it has commissioned more than 600,000 
officers at almost 1,000 schools across the Nation, with a presence in 
every State, as well as Guam and Puerto Rico.
  In 2016, Army ROTC has an enrollment of more than 30,000 and produces 
over 70 percent of the second lieutenants who join the Army, Army 
National Guard, and U.S. Army Reserve.
  Army ROTC is one of the most demanding and strenuous leadership 
training programs a young person can choose today. ROTC training molded 
and shaped six Chiefs of Staff of the Army, two Chairmen of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, a current Supreme Court Justice, the current Governor 
of Kentucky, as well as countless other leaders in government, 
business, science, sports, and the arts.
  For decades, Army ROTC has conducted summer training for many cadets 
at Fort Knox, KY. In 2013, I was pleased to help Army ROTC get an ROTC 
training program called the Cadet Leader Course relocated to Fort Knox 
as well. More than 6,000 cadets attend that particular leadership 
course at Fort Knox every year since the installation began hosting the 
program in 2014. In all, over 10,000 cadets attend various summer 
training courses each year at Fort Knox.
  ROTC serves as a vital introduction to life and a career in the 
military for America's young men and women. Supporting our Armed Forces 
means supporting ROTC programs at institutions across the country. ROTC 
creates America's next generation of leaders, in the Armed Forces, and 
in American life.
  I know my colleagues join me in commemorating the 100th anniversary 
of the creation of our military's ROTC and in thanking the hundreds of 
thousands of brave cadets who have successfully completed the 
challenges of the program and gone on to become officers. We are 
certainly grateful for their service and their sacrifice. Without ROTC, 
our Nation's military would not be the superior fighting force that is 
today. I am proud that Kentucky plays a significant role in the 
training of ROTC cadets.

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