Advocates For Columbia ROTC: February 2007

Sunday, February 25, 2007

ROTC retreats from American cities

25 February 2007 Intel Dump Blog item "ROTC retreats from American cities". Note: Blogger Phillip Carter discusses the 22 February WSJ article and many respond, including sources for the original article.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

A Retreat From Big Cities Hurts ROTC Recruiting: Though Army Seeks More Ethnic Officers, It Shuns Northeast

22 February 2007 Wall Street Journal article "A Retreat From Big Cities Hurts ROTC Recruiting: Though Army Seeks More Ethnic Officers, It Shuns Northeast" (free link with the article attributed to AP here). Note: By having few ROTC programs in big cities, the military is missing out on recruits who have familiarity with foreign cultures and languages. One of the offices said of New York City "There were times when I felt like I was back in Iraq. There were people dressed in those man-dresses that they wear in Iraq. The women had veils. I know I shouldn't say this, but it made me want to look for IEDs". Some additional material is at this free WSJ link. See 25 February Intel Dump blog item for discussion.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

When Anti-war is Anti-peace

15 February 2007 Columbia Spectator Op-Ed "When Anti-war is Anti-peace" by Eric Chen GS'07. Note: One of the leaders of the ROTC and veterans' movements at Columbia observes how anti-war sentiment is undermining nation-building. Through an error, a non-final version of this article was published. The version that was suppose to be published is here.

Advocates for ROTC

is an umbrella group for organizations that promote an atmosphere supportive of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps on college campuses.

ROTC was active at all major universities in the United States until the Vietnam War, when it was de-certified by some colleges amid anti-war sentiment. Students at these colleges can take part in ROTC programs at other colleges and receive ROTC scholarships. Although much of the anti-military sentiment of the 1960s has waned, opposition to ROTC continues, centering around the "don't ask, don't tell" law about homosexuality in the armed forces passed by Congress in 1993 and signed into law by President Clinton.

ROTC is a core part of the nation's military training, producing more officers than the Service academies. At colleges without ROTC, students are growing up separated from some of the most important leaders of the future. Gen. David Petraeus, the military commander in Iraq, stresses that ROTC "is very important for our Army and our country" and that many ROTC graduates are "true national assets". President George W. Bush said "It should not be hard for our great schools of learning to find room to honor the service of men and women who are standing up to defend the freedoms that make the work of our universities possible". Both the country and the universities will benefit from having more such leaders.

Advocates For Columbia ROTC