By Randall Mah
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps students will receive a stipend increase this fall.
Effective Oct. 1, the new stipend will be $250 for freshman and sophomores, $300 for juniors and $350 for seniors.
Prior to the new policy, cadets were entitled to a $200 per month stipend, regardless of their position in the ROTC.
The increase is designed to mature as the cadet progresses in the ROTC program.
The Department of Defense will implement the program in two phases over a two-year period.
Brigadier General Paul Hankins, Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools commander said, 'It will also give each cadet more money in his or her pocket and it will increase as they advance in responsibility which will help retention.'
Phase two will take effect Oct. 1, 2002. The monthly stipend will increase to $300 from $250 for sophomores, $350 from $300 for juniors and $400 from $350 for seniors.
The increase means Air Force ROTC students can earn up to $14,000 during their participation in the program.
'The bottom line is Air Force ROTC offers great scholarship and training opportunities, now made even better with this latest innovation, the stipend,' Hankins said.
Hankins predicts the stipend will make the program more attractive and help recruiting.
'It is tremendous for the ROTC cadets,' said Ron Knight, 25, a senior and ROTC cadet from Ontario, California, majoring in international relations.
'A lot of us have to work part time on the side to provide enough income with our scholarships,' he said.
The increase in money will allow cadets to not have to work so much and dedicate more time to schooling, Knight said.
The new program will provide Knight $350 per month because he is a senior.
'A lot of people here have families and other responsibilities, and the pay increase will allow them to focus on their family and school,' said Meredith Shake, 22 a senior and ROTC cadet from San Demos, California, majoring in Spanish.
Shake believes the increase in stipend as the cadets progress in school is fair.
'You have different needs at different ages,' Shake said. 'Any other job where you have the possibility of more seniority, there usually is a pay increase that goes along with it.'