Spring Break
ROTC members not deterred by fears of Iraq
Issue date: 11/8/07
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Enrollment in the Blue Jay Battalion, Hopkins' Army ROTC, has hardly been affected by the prospect of serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.
National ROTC recruitment has suffered a 16 percent drop over the past three years, according to the Washington Post. But Hopkins student recruitments have stayed relatively consistent, according to Captain Rolando Rodriguez, Enrollment and Scholarship Officer.
"For the last few years now we have experienced a plateau," he said. "But this year there has been an increase in the number of freshman individual enrollments."
When asked about the effect of the war on the ROTC program, Department Head LTC Ken Romaine said, "I don't think that the war has much impact at all," noting that noting that he has not witnessed a significant change in the number of enrollments since the war in Iraq began back in March 2003.
For the 2004-2005 academic year, the Blue Jay Batallion had 74 cadets, 25 of whom were new recruits.
The following year saw 28 new recruits, though the total fell to 60 cadets.
Last year recruitment increased to 32 cadets, but the total only increased to 61.
Nineteen students enrolled with ROTC this fall. Spring enrollment will be complete by the second week of Februay 2008. There are currently 46 cadets.
"We lose total cadets for various reasons: Some don't choose to pursue because they don't want to contract, some cannot maintain academic standards, some for medical reasons," Rodriguez said.
"The war in Iraq and Afganistan has been one of the factors we've been struggling with as well."
Rodriguez attributed Hopkins's increasing enrollments partially to financial incentives.
"At Hopkins, I think [enrollment] is more a financial motivation because the University covers full tuition," he said.
"Individuals see ROTC as a means for paying for their education and utilizing career experience."
Chris Von Dollen, a freshman cadet, explained he joined the ROTC not just for the funding but for the experience as well.
National ROTC recruitment has suffered a 16 percent drop over the past three years, according to the Washington Post. But Hopkins student recruitments have stayed relatively consistent, according to Captain Rolando Rodriguez, Enrollment and Scholarship Officer.
"For the last few years now we have experienced a plateau," he said. "But this year there has been an increase in the number of freshman individual enrollments."
When asked about the effect of the war on the ROTC program, Department Head LTC Ken Romaine said, "I don't think that the war has much impact at all," noting that noting that he has not witnessed a significant change in the number of enrollments since the war in Iraq began back in March 2003.
For the 2004-2005 academic year, the Blue Jay Batallion had 74 cadets, 25 of whom were new recruits.
The following year saw 28 new recruits, though the total fell to 60 cadets.
Last year recruitment increased to 32 cadets, but the total only increased to 61.
Nineteen students enrolled with ROTC this fall. Spring enrollment will be complete by the second week of Februay 2008. There are currently 46 cadets.
"We lose total cadets for various reasons: Some don't choose to pursue because they don't want to contract, some cannot maintain academic standards, some for medical reasons," Rodriguez said.
"The war in Iraq and Afganistan has been one of the factors we've been struggling with as well."
Rodriguez attributed Hopkins's increasing enrollments partially to financial incentives.
"At Hopkins, I think [enrollment] is more a financial motivation because the University covers full tuition," he said.
"Individuals see ROTC as a means for paying for their education and utilizing career experience."
Chris Von Dollen, a freshman cadet, explained he joined the ROTC not just for the funding but for the experience as well.
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Jay-jay Blue
posted 11/10/07 @ 8:19 AM EST
Everyone in the Blue Jay Battalion joined with the expectation that they will become a military officer and knows well that there is a war in Afghanistan and also one in Iraq. (Continued…)
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