Military Review English Edition July-August 2014 | Page 10

Photos from U.S. Army Cadet Command

Cadets on a 2013 CULP mission to Togo visit with Queen Essoham of Pya who rules over eight villages, including her own, and is one of
nine leaders under the prefect of the Kara region. They discussed various medical issues that affect her village, such as malaria and HIV.

education and career plan starting as cadets and continuing as lieutenants.
U.S. Army Cadet Command reported in September
2013 that it had awarded 348 STEM scholarships
worth $8.4 million.8 These scholarships offers were,
no doubt, extended to some of the best and brightest
college freshmen in America—scholars, athletes, and
leaders. The average SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
score for all Army scholarship recipients was more
than one standard deviation above the national average.9 However, the proportion of STEM majors receiving scholarships remained low (estimated at about 20
percent or less of the total).10
Bluntly put, the basics of infantry maneuver have
changed very little over time. The tools needed to lead a
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transportation platoon have changed very little as well.
The Army does not need financial managers from the
Wharton School to fill these roles. It needs financial
managers from the Wharton School to fill financial
management roles.
To improve the use of ROTC STEM scholarships,
high school students still should compete nationally.
Selected students still should major in their discipline
at a school of their or the Army’s choosing, depending
on how the program was arranged. Upon graduation,
new lieutenants should be assigned to a basic combat branch for no more than a few years, to “learn
the Army.” After this period—and most important,
before critical STEM skills could atrophy or become
obsolete—the lieutenants should be transferred to
July-August 2014  MILITARY REVIEW