What Is a ROTC Instructor and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructors (ROTC instructor) prepares college students for positions in the armed forces. Your duties focus on providing training that prepares students for leadership roles in the military as commissioned officers. An ROTC instructor works for the branch of the armed services in which they served, such as the Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines, or Coast Guard. Your responsibilities vary slightly depending on the branch of the military, but these training programs typically involve classroom work, fitness activities, and training in the field.

A Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructors (ROTC instructor) uses classroom work and field training to prepare college students for leadership positions in the military. The qualifications that you need to become an ROTC instructor depend on the branch of the armed forces for which you work. Almost all positions require instructors to have extensive military experience and achieved at least a bachelor’s degree from a university. An Air Force ROTC instructor, for example, needs at least 20 years of service in the Air Force and a bachelor's degree. In some cases, instructors who teach technical subjects only need an associate’s degree. A junior ROTC instructor works at the high school level and may need additional certification or a teaching license from the state in which they work.

A Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructors (ROTC instructor) prepares college students for leadership positions in the armed forces, while a JROTC instructor works with high school students. JROTC instructors work at the high school level where they teach general leadership skills, physical fitness, and general military history and theory. ROTC instructors at the college level teach students specific skills that they need to function as commissioned officers in the military. ROTC program participants typically sign a contract that requires them to serve as an officer after completing the program.