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

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

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—The Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) offers qualified rising juniors (for Fall 2024) an opportunity to enroll in the program at Gardner-Webb University. By attending one of the 30-day Basic Camps next summer at Fort Knox, Ky., students will become eligible to enroll in the final two-year Advanced Army ROTC program.

Attending a Basic Camp helped Cadet Parker Corwin, now a senior at Gardner-Webb, make his decision to enroll in the ROTC program. He also attended the camp, because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and older brother who serve in the military.

“Basic camp is the closest experience to basic training you will receive in the ROTC,” Corwin shared. “From the hands-on training as well as the friendships made, it confirmed to me that this was something I wanted to pursue. Over the month, we all became super close friends.”

Corwin noted that camp activities taught him how the Army works and how to be a team leader. He participated in field training and rappelling, and he gained experience with military weapons.

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 Army ROTC program through Basic Camp. First, he said, the program is an opportunity for students to determine if serving in the military is right for them, and there is no obligation to serve in the military afterward.

Corwin added that the experience is worth the time and effort. “Go, it is a great 30 days, and you even get paid,” he affirmed. “This is an opportunity not everyone has, and you’re not committing to the ROTC by going. After the month, if you enjoy it and feel ROTC is right for you, then you can commit. If not, you still have that experience.”

Frederick listed other benefits of attending the ROTC Basic Camp:

• Students will be flown (for free) to and from Fort Knox, Ky.
• 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 contracting requirements) the opportunity contract in the Fall 2024. If they contract, they will receive a signing bonus and also start to receive a 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 remaining (starting in the Fall 2024) until they will complete their bachelor’s degree.
• Must be medically cleared to attend by a physician.
• Complete the required documentations.

The deadline to apply is May 1, 2024. For more information and further details, students may email Rick Nash, UNC Charlotte Army ROTC, at [email protected] or call (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.