Leadership Development and Assesment Course

ROTC National Advanced Camp is the most important training event for an Army ROTC cadet or National Guard Officer Candidate. The 32-day camp incorporates a wide range of subjects designed to develop and evaluate leadership ability. The challenges are rigorous and demanding, both mentally and physically. Advanced Camp tests intelligence, common sense, ingenuity and stamina. These challenges provide a new perspective on an individual's ability to perform exacting tasks and to make difficult decisions in demanding situations.

The camp places each cadet and officer candidate in a variety of leadership positions, many of which simulate stressful combat situations. In each position, cadets are evaluated by platoon tactical officers and noncommissioned officers. In addition to proving their leadership ability, cadets and officer candidates must meet established standards in physical fitness, weapons training, communication, combat patrols and demonstrate their proficiency in many other military skills. Cadets and officer candidates must excel at camp to be considered competitive for a commission as an Army officer.

Over 4000 Army ROTC cadets and National Guard Officer Candidates from throughout the nation will attend the ROTC National Advanced Camp. The camp will consist of 12 training cycles with the first cycle beginning in June and the last cycle graduating in August.

Since 1993, the Fort Lewis ROTC National Advanced Camp has conducted Army National Guard Officer Candidate School Phase III training concurrently with Advanced Camp training. Approximately 300 candidates from units throughout the country will make up an OCS regiment to undergo 15 days of training using Advanced Camp sites and facilities. The ROTC committee cadre will provide leadership position evaluations of the candidates, using the same criteria as for ROTC cadet regiments. Each OCS regiment will have its own National Guard tactical staff and will be under the command and control of the Washington State National Guard Military Academy.

One special aspect of Advanced Camp is the Regimental Affiliation Program. Each cadet regiment is affiliated with an established and honored Army Regiment. The cadet battalions adopt the honors, lineage and heraldry of their respective active regiments. The purpose of the program is to infuse each cadet with regimental esprit de corps and pride.