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UNDERSERVED A CASE STUDY OF ROTC in New York City CHERYL MILLER FOREWORD BY GENERAL JOHN M. KEANE, USA (RET.) A REPORT OF THE AEI PROGRAM ON AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP MAY 2011 UNDERSERVED A CASE STUDY OF ROTC in New York City Cheryl Miller Foreword by General John M. Keane, USA (Ret.) A Report of the AEI Program on American Citizenship May 2011 Contents Foreword 1 Executive Summary 3 Introduction 7 ROTC in New York City Today 11 Why New York City? 15 A History of the ROTC in New York City 17 Missed Opportunities 27 Conclusion 34 Recommendations 35 Appendix 39 Notes 45 Acknowledgments 53 About the Author 55 Cover image: Getty Images/AFP/Dom Emmert iii Foreword Cheryl Miller from the American Enterprise Institute makes a compelling case that the nation’s military is ill served by the dramatic decrease in ROTC oppor- tunities offered in the Northeast, particularly New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. For forty years now, the ROTC program has shifted its priorities to the South and Midwest and from urban to rural and suburban areas because it is less costly, perceived as easier for recruiting, and also perceived as drawing on a more supportive population in general. As such, the ROTC program is less representative of the population as a whole now than at any time in its history. Moreover, this is occurring at a time when the American people as a whole are more disconnected from the military because it has been a volunteer force since 1973; therefore, few Americans are touched by someone who serves in the mili- tary. Indeed, it was the ROTC program of citizen soldiers that throughout much of its history helped to provide such a valuable connection to the American people. Not only does the current program deny adequate opportunity to the largest college-age population in the country, but also to a multicultural, ethni- cally diverse population that is rich in languages and is so much in demand by today’s military. —GENERAL JOHN M. KEANE, USA (Ret.) 1 Executive Summary he military-civilian disconnect has been a source increasingly detached from civilian society—is pre- Tof increasing concern over the last few decades. cisely what the ROTC was intended to protect against. National security leaders—including the commander With over 8 million residents and the largest uni- in chief, President Barack Obama—have warned that versity student population of any city in the United many Americans are unaware of the military’s sacri- States, New York City demonstrates the challenges fices and its growing sense of isolation from wider faced by urban ROTC programs—and their great society. In remarks at Duke University in September potential. For the past twenty years, New York has 2010, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates identified been served by just four ROTC programs within its this issue as the “narrow sliver” problem, reflecting on five boroughs—programs that are insufficiently both the achievements of America’s all-volunteer force resourced and not centrally located. To the detriment and the challenges it now faces. of the military’s ability to recruit from a diverse and Gates noted that few Americans today have a per- talented segment of America’s youth, New York’s stu- sonal connection to the military. Veterans represent dents are not being afforded the same opportunities 9 percent of the total population (a number that for military service as students in other US regions. continues to decline), and less than 1 percent of The New York City ROTC has had a remarkable— Americans serves in any of the military services, and rocky—history. Once the home of some of the largest active duty or reserves. Soldiers also come from a and oldest ROTC programs in the country, the city still narrower segment of society—geographically and has much to offer today’s military. With its diverse and culturally—than ever before. Southerners dispro- growing population, the city can help supply the cultural portionately populate all the branches, while the competency and language skills the military needs to Northeast and large metropolitan areas—New York, fulfill its many and varied global responsibilities. By Chicago, and Philadelphia—are underrepresented. expanding its reach, the military can ease the enor- The homogeneity of today’s military is partly a mous pressures on the service men and women cur- product of self-selection, as the services seek out the rently in the field and reconnect to wider American most eager volunteers. As Gates acknowledged, how- society. Finally, returning the ROTC to New York City ever, it is also a product of budgetary and policy deci- would restore a proud tradition of military service. sions made by the armed services and government. The post-9/11 moment and the repeal of the “don’t The recent history of the Reserve Officers’ Train- ask, don’t tell” policy have found students, faculty, and ing Corps (ROTC) provides just one such example. administrators newly supportive of the military and Originally envisioned as a hedge against a civil- ROTC. Already Harvard and Columbia University have military divide, the ROTC has become subject to the reestablished ties with the Navy ROTC, and other elite same trends as the military as a whole. Since the Viet- schools—Stanford and Yale—look poised to follow. nam War era, ROTC units have shifted to the South As welcome as these changes are, however, the and Midwest for economic and cultural reasons. lifting of elite-school bans against the ROTC will be a Urban areas have been abandoned in favor of lost opportunity unless the military and civilian leader- cheaper and larger training sites in rural and subur- ship push for more substantive changes to the ban America. The result of this shift—an officer caste ROTC program, broadening its base and seeking 3 UNDERSERVED: A CASE STUDY OF ROTC IN NEW YORK CITY more geographic and institutional diversity. Absent military should be ready to think crea- such a push, universities and the military likely will tively about how to broaden its reach. stick with something very close to the status quo, in One option is to headquarter and admin- which token, light-footprint programs continue to istratively consolidate an ROTC program operate largely on neighboring campuses. at one centrally located institution but Urban areas and the Northeast will remain under- quarter full-time cadre at other univer- served. Even with the recent agreement between sities across the city. Columbia and the Navy, New York will still have only four ROTC host programs—compared to twenty • The twenty-first-century security envi- such programs in Virginia (population 8 million) and ronment requires a new breed of officer— ten in Alabama (population 4.7 million). New York one who is innovative, creative, and City’s sole Navy program, for example, is closed to the versatile. However, knowledge and majority of New York City’s six-hundred-thousand- skills take time to develop. If the military plus college students, and students interested in other intends to grow its cadre of warrior- service branches face the same obstacles as before. scholars, it will need to look outward—to the next generation of military officers. Key Findings • The absence of ROTC units on urban campuses, especially in the Northeast, Current policy has resulted in many missed oppor- prevents the military from taking full tunities for the armed forces. advantage of their large, ethnically diverse populations. This is particularly • The ROTC is absent from two of New true in the case of the City University of York’s most populous and diverse bor- New York (CUNY), the third-largest public oughs. Although Manhattan Island is host university system in the country and the to over 1.5 million people and forty col- alma mater of nearly half of New York City’s leges and universities, there is not a single college population. Yet today there is not a school in the borough of Manhattan with single ROTC program at any CUNY school. an ROTC host program. Nor is there any ROTC presence in Brooklyn, which • By overlooking institutions like CUNY— would be the fourth-largest city in the among the top producers of African United States if it were its own city. American baccalaureates—the military is not accessing minority officers fully • The ROTC’s one-size-fits-all approach reflective of the population. This absence fails to account for the unique needs of might account, in part, for the lack of black each market. New York’s ROTC programs officers in the top leadership ranks. have logistical, outreach, and transporta- tion challenges incomparable to the more • The military is missing out on another typical ROTC detachment at a Southern prime recruiting opportunity—New state school. York’s Junior ROTC (JROTC) programs. These units are among the largest and high- • There are alternatives to establishing est performing in the country, yet senior new ROTC host programs in New York ROTC allocations do not reflect where most City. Given budgetary constraints, the JROTC graduates attend college. As a result, 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY dozens of potential officers, already familiar placing these officers at ROTC programs with the military, are lost every year. and with officer-recruiting teams, the mili- tary could retain valuable talent for the • The military should make better use of short term, while giving its top officers a a currently wasted resource—young, chance to transition into civilian life—and but experienced, separating officers. By replace themselves. 5 Introduction My participation in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps of “the relationship between those in uniform and granted me the opportunity to do something that is more the wider society they have sworn to protect.” than just an occupation, something that I, as many sol- Gates identified the widening gap between the diers have before me, look upon as an honor and a privi- “narrow sliver” of Americans who serve in the mili- lege: the chance to lead our nation’s service men and tary and those who do not.

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