Southeast to offer U.S. Army Reserve officer training program

Expect the military presence to increase next year at Southeast Missouri State University.

University officials and representatives of the Missouri National Guard announced during a Tuesday news conference the formation and fall 2013 launch of a U.S. Army Reserve officer training program.

The program, named Show Me Gold, will include for-credit classroom instruction, leadership laboratories and physical conditioning training, according to a university news release. Participants who complete the program will become commissioned officers of the U.S. Army Reserve who will serve in the Missouri National Guard. For-credit leadership courses from the National Guard will be required of students in addition to enrollment in the university's regular academic programs. Some of the leadership courses will also be open to university students who are not enrolled in the program.

The university will enroll 20 students in the program the first semester and each year thereafter.

University president Dr. Ken Dobbins said in the release that the program will be similar to other military officer training programs at the university, such as the existing Air Force ROTC program, which celebrates its 40th anniversary at Southeast this year.

Dobbins and Maj. Gen. Stephen Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri Army National Guard, told attendees of the news conference that the program is needed to ensure members of the National Guard can receive a college education and at the same time fill a gap that exists in the service's officer ranks.

Danner said there is currently a "great falloff" in the number of officers who can move from lieutenant to captain in the National Guard because certain levels of college education are required for the promotion.

"We need this program to make sure that we have the educated officers we need in the future," he said.

The National Guard also plans to start the program at other universities in Missouri.

Danner said funding for the program will likely come from several areas, including scholarships and various GI Bill program benefits.

Students must meet admissions requirements of the university and the National Guard for entrance into the program. The university will also allow students who qualify for merit-based scholarships to apply up to 75 percent of a scholarship's value to room and board costs.

Along with the launch of the program, Southeast will create a director's position within the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs. The director's duties will include administration of the officer training programs and expanded services for students who are veterans. The university is advertising for candidates to fill the position. A National Guard officer to recruit students will also be based at the university soon. The officer will also assist in developing the academic program and providing instruction for cadets, according to the university. An office on the campus will be set up for use by the program's administrators, although a definite location for that office has not yet been determined.

Dobbins and Danner signed a memorandum of agreement pertaining to the program during the news conference.

eragan@semissourian.com

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