Basic Camp Provides Opportunity for Eligible Rising Juniors to Join ROTC at Gardner-Webb

Three 30-Day Camps Offered Over the Summer Provide Path to Enrollment

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—The Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) is offering qualified rising juniors an opportunity to enroll in the program at Gardner-Webb University. By attending one of three Basic Camps held this summer at Fort Knox, Ky., students become eligible to enroll in the final two-year Advanced Army ROTC program.

Gardner-Webb’s Army ROTC is a partner in the 49er Battalion, hosted at UNC-Charlotte. The Department Chair and Professor of Military Science at UNC-Charlotte, Lt. Col. Joseph Frederick, noted several benefits of entering the ROTC program through Basic Camp. The 30-day camps are offered June 26-July 27, July 6-Aug. 6, and July 16-Aug. 16. The deadline to register is one week before the start of each camp.

First, there is no military service obligation to attend the camp, and participating in the program is an opportunity for students to determine if serving in the military is right for them. Other benefits include:

• Students will be flown (expenses paid) to and from Fort Knox.
• Students will receive free meals, free lodging, and a $40 daily per diem while attending. 
• After completing Basic Camp, the student will be offered (after meeting all requirements) the opportunity to contract in the fall. If they accept, they will receive a signing bonus and also start to receive monthly, tax-free Cadet stipend, during the academic year, until they graduate.
• Additionally, if they have a competitive college GPA and do well on the Army Combat Fitness Test, they could end up being awarded a 2- or 2.5-year Army ROTC scholarship. If they receive a scholarship, then they will be required to forfeit the signing bonus mentioned above.

To qualify for Basic Camp, students:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Can only have four or five semesters (starting in the fall) remaining until they complete their bachelor’s degree.
• Must be medically cleared to attend by their family physician or local physician.
• Complete the required documents. 

For more information and further details, students may contact Rick Nash, UNC-Charlotte ROTC, at [email protected] or (704) 687-8633.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.