Dartmouth's Reserve Officers Training Corps is relatively invisible on campus now, but during the Vietnam War the program ignited such controversy that it was banned from campus by the administration. The current Dartmouth chapter of ROTC, reinstated in the early 1980s, consists of a small but dedicated group of students taking military ethics courses, doing regular physical training and planning to devote several years after college graduation to serve their country.
Jacob Wijnberg '12 used to joke with his friends about joining the military if he was not accepted into college, he said. During his senior year of high school, however, Wijnberg began to consider the prospect of joining the U.S. military more seriously.
"Now, I'm a pretty liberal guy, so most people who know me are surprised to find out I'm doing ROTC," Wijnberg said. "But I entered ROTC with a goal of serving, and I'm looking to fulfill that goal."
The ROTC program existed at the College until the Vietnam War. During the 1960s, nearly 400 students participated in the ROTC program at the College, which provided substantial scholarships to participants, as well as course credit. Like at other college campuses across the country, anti-war protests were a regular occurrence at Dartmouth during the Vietnam War years. Student protests mainly centered around the role of ROTC as a military presence on campus. In 1969, approximately 80 students took over Parkhurst Hall for 12 hours to protest the College's military ties and the trustees' decision to continue to support the ROTC at Dartmouth.
The atmosphere of those days is illustrated by an article in The Dartmouth, which reported that there was a pro-war rally on the Green at the same time as a peace vigil. Fifty people were present at the pro-war gathering, compared to 1,500 people at the anti-war demonstration. By the early 1970s, Dartmouth's ROTC program was completely eliminated. Then College President David McLaughlin '54 allowed ROTC to return to campus in the 1980s, but only the Army branch was continued.
The current chapter of ROTC is inconspicuous and most students do not even know it exists -- some have even mistaken the cadets' uniforms for Halloween costumes, ROTC students said.
"When I wear my military uniform, I might get looks of disapproval, but mainly people tell me they did not know there was an ROTC on campus," Phil Aubart '10 said. "Some people don't like it because they consider it military brainwashing."
Aubart, who signed an official contract with the program his freshman fall, said the College could do more to support ROTC participants.
"I think the College should give scholarship cadets room and board -- after all, there are over a hundred colleges and universities that do," he said. "I think [College President James Wright] has shown that he's passionate about the cause of veterans, and while I admire and appreciate that, he limits that strictly to veterans and doesn't seem willing to do as much for those who will become veterans."
Aubart is a member of The Dartmouth Staff.
Approximately seven Dartmouth students are currently taking classes in military leadership and completing a physical training course through the ROTC program. Participating in the ROTC is a considerable time commitment, but Wijnberg said it is time well spent. Wijnberg started the program this fall and said the requirements are reasonable.
"I expected the program to be more rigorous than it is," he said. "I thought I was going to be dragged out of bed at 6 a.m. for drill and ceremony. Thankfully that is not the case."
Chris Koppel '09 likened ROTC participation to enrollment in an extra class.
"I'd compare the time commitment of ROTC to a science lab course," Koppel added. "I've got about three hours of class a week, plus a four or five hour 'military lab' on Fridays."
There have not been anti-ROTC demonstrations at Dartmouth in recent years, although anti-ROTC sentiments at other universities have focused on the controversial Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy that prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation while serving in the military.
Koppel said he thinks the controversy about the DADT policy is mainly driven for the sake of argument by people who have no connection to the ROTC.
"Yes, if you are openly gay, you will be discharged from the army, but you will also be discharged from the army if you are deaf, have bad knees or have broken too many bones," Koppel said. "The military is not for everyone, but so are most other things in life."
Students participating in the program on campus said they have not felt negative effects from the controversy about the ROTC in the Ivy League and, if anything, would like more recognition.
"Personally, I've never received any particularly harsh criticism about being in the program," Koppel said. "A couple of people have told me I'm throwing away my education, which I believe is quite the contrary. Not only am I using my degree to help out a part of our nation that needs higher education, but the valuable management experience will be invaluable when I return to the civilian sector."
Koppel said he believes that students do not realize the missed opportunity in ignoring the option of serving in the armed forces.
"I'm always a little disappointed that more people don't take interest in ROTC on campus," he added. "I'm surprised that...more people aren't interested in the direct management experience you will receive in the army."
