Panther Battalion Army ROTC

Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP)
with ROTC and National Guard or Army Reserve

SMP is a volunteer officer training program designed to increase the number of ROTC officers available for Reserve Forces Duty. It allows simultaneous enrollment and participation in the ROTC Advanced Course (Military Science (MS) III and IV) or MS II level of military instruction and enlistment in the Reserve Components (RC). It provides the future officer with leadership and Reserve Component unit experience.

By definition, the SMP Cadet is a reserve officer trainee assigned to an Reserve Componet Troop Program Unit (TPU), while simultaneously participating as a contracted Cadet in ROTC at a university or college. Should the Reserve or National Guard soldiers' unit deploy, and the soldier is contracted into the SMP ROTC program, the soldier will not be required to deploy.

Enlisted members of the Army National Guard (ARNG) or U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) cannot be contracted into the ROTC Advanced Course or MS II until they have elected to participate in either the SMP or be discharged from the TPU. At this time, they must reenlist in the USAR Control Group (ROTC).

Enlisted members of the ARNG or USAR must be discharged from TPU to accept regular campus based ROTC scholarships that can access Active Duty (AD) and reenlist in the ROTC control group. They must have their scholarship converted to ARNG or USAR before they can participate in the SMP.

For an ROTC Cadet to become a participant in the SMP, an individual must:

    1. Be fully contracted as non-scholarship in the ROTC Advanced Course, contracted as an MS II Cadet, or be fully contracted on a Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship (GRFD).

    2. Be eligible for enlistment in or already assigned to, an ARNG or USAR unit as an officer trainee and have completed an SMP agreement.

ROTC Cadets/participants not eligible to participate in the SMP program.

    1. Cadets contract on an Army ROTC AD scholarship. They must request conversion of any regular Army ROTC Scholarship to a GRFD Scholarship before they can participate in the SMP.

    2. Green to Gold scholarship recipients. They are not authorized to convert their scholarships to GRFD scholarships.

    3. Green to Gold Active Duty Option participants. These participants have not been discharged and are still on active duty; therefore, ineligible to SMP.

    4. Cadets assessed AD. (meaning they have already attended LDAC, and are well into the advanced program)

    e. Nurse majors are allowed to participate on a limited number.

Benefits of the Simultaneous Membership Program:

*100% coverage of tuition and fees.

*A cash bonus depending on MOS.

*Monthly stipends ranging from $300 - $500

*Drill pay at E-5 Pay Grade

*G.I. Bill benefits for those who qualify.

Those interested in the SMP program may also be interested in the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) option, which guarantees service in the Reserve Component upon commissioning.