BECOMING A MIDSHIPMAN

New Student Orientation 2018 Welcome Package
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Steps to  becoming a midshipman:

  1. Contact MIDN Hyams at dhyams2@illinois.edu for information on New Student Orientation Program (NSO). This optional training occurs a week before classes start, and the benefits of attending cannot be understated.
  2. Register for Naval Science 100 and 101 when picking classes for Fall 2018. Naval Science 100, Leadership Laboratory, commonly known as “Drill”, is a battalion-wide instruction period on Wednesdays from 0600-0900. This time is used to develop midshipmen with necessary knowledge for the fleet. As a first semester freshman, this class is mandatory and must be taken at the scheduled time. Any class conflicts must be approved by the freshmen class advisor. On the registry website, this class is listed as NS 100 section A. Naval Science 101, Introduction to Naval Science, is taught by the freshman advisor, LT Verone. This class reinforces some material taught at Indoc as well as introduces deeper concepts with that material. As an introductory course, this class sets the foundation of Navy and Marine Corps concepts. Both sections A and B cover the same material, so midshipmen should register for the section that best fits their schedule. PT is also held on Monday and Tuesday mornings from 0600 to 0715 for Navy options, and on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 0600-0715 for Marine Options. With regards to scheduling classes, be sure to avoid any 8 am classes on those days. 
  3. Complete the New Student Orientation welcome packet and mail all necessary forms to the unit by 01 JULY. Note that some forms require a medical evaluation.
  4. Follow the steps outlined in the welcome packet on studying knowledge, physical training, nutrition planning, and swim familiarization to ensure that you are prepared for involvement as a midshipman in the World’s Greatest NROTC Battalion.

For the High School Student

Visit the Navy's NROTC Website to complete a scholarship application. This can be done by going to www.nrotc.navy.mil and clicking on the 'Apply' link in the center side of the page. The application will include and academic information as well as several short answer questions, similar to those of a college application. You will be asked what your choice of major is, as scholarships are divided by majors into tiers. The list of majors and tiers at the University of Illinois can be accessed here. The application will also ask you for the school where you intend to use your scholarship. It would be wise to research your potential college choices and their NROTC Units before applying for the scholarship.

After completing the online application, you will be contacted by your local recruiting officer. You will be scheduled for an interview to review your application before it is forwarded to Navy Recruiting Command in Pensacola, Florida. When you meet with your recruiting officer, you should treat the interview like a job interview. Generally this will be a Navy lieutenant who has most likely been through the NROTC program. You want to impress upon the officer exactly why it is that you would like to join the Navy ROTC. After meeting with the recruiting officer and submitting your application, take the initiative by calling your prospective unit to express your interest in the unit. You can also ask if there is anything else you can do to further the application process. 

If your scholarship application is approved, you will be notified the unit to which you have been assigned and they will take you through the final steps to becoming a Midshipman at their unit. Many units, including the University of Illinois, offer a New Student Orientation Program of some kind, which will provide you with an idea as to what being a Midshipman is like.

For the College Student

If you are currently a college student at the University of Illinois, you may join the NROTC Battalion without being accepted for the federal scholarship that is awarded during your senior year in high school. The College Program allows current college students to join the program and gain exposure to the Battalion. College Program Midshipmen are treated the same as Scholarship Midshipmen, except for the fact that they do not receive a monthly stipend, book money, or go on summer cruises. They attend the same required NROTC classes, drill periods, and compete on the same teams. The purpose for the College Program is to allow students to see if the Battalion is right for them.

The ultimate goal for College Program Midshipmen is either to pick up Advanced Standing or Scholarship. If you are a resident of the state of Illinois, tuition waivers are awarded each semester to NROT C Midshipmen who enroll in the WGNB. These waivers pay your tuition each semester up to the end of your sophomore year where you should have either picked up scholarship or advanced standing. If you are a freshman or sophomore, and have completed a year within the program, you may be eligible to pick up scholarship. Those who fail to pick up Advanced Standing or Scholarship by the end of their sophomore year, will be dropped from the program and incur no service obligation.

As soon as you pick up a scholarship or advanced standing, you will be able to attend summer training sessions at a variety of commands around the world.

If you are interested in joining the NROTC program at the University of Illinois as a Navy Option, please call LT Alec J. Verone at 217-333-8314 or email at averone2@illinois.edu for more information about joining the Battalion. If you are interested in joining as a Marine Option, please call Captain Benjamin T. Held at (217) 244-1439 or contact him via email at btheld@illinois.edu. If you desire to join prior to the fall semester, you have the opportunity to participate in the New Student Orientation Program (NSO). This program will prepare you for entrance into the WGNB and it is highly recommended that you attend.