How to Join
Master's Degree Students and ADSO
Joining Army ROTC and becoming an officer is definitely possible as a graduate student but requires planning. Since a graduate student will automatically start off in the junior year of Army ROTC, certain requirements must be met even before a student begins their graduate program in order to make up the prerequisite 100 and 200 level ROTC courses.
Generally speaking ADSO (Active Duty Service Obligation) is added for schools, promotions, and PCSs. Active Duty Commissioned Officers or Commissioned Warrant Officers incur an ADSO of two years unless involuntarily separated by the Army.
Reserve Component Officers or Commissioned Warrant Officers incur a RDSO of four years after completion of the last course for which TA is provided unless involuntarily separated by the Army. If approved for voluntary separation an Officer will be required to reimburse the Army the amount of TA representing the unserved portion of the ADSO/RDSO.
The ADSO reimbursement of TA will not take place prior to OPMD Functional Area Division and Army G1 approval of the request for voluntary separation.
For National Guard and USAR officers, the service requirement and any recoupment actions with the RDSO will be administered by the component鈥檚 officer personnel management office.
The Army provides tuition assistance benefits to Soldiers in order to pursue a college degree or certificate at $250 per semester-hour (SH) and 16 SH limit per fiscal year. This is not a loan but unsuccessful grades must be repaid.