The GMC Corps of Cadets is designed to enhance leadership capabilities of students in both military and civilian lives. Cadets do daily physical training to improve fitness. Some cadets are selected to partake in the
ranger challenge competition. During the day, cadets attend classes throughout the day to work on academics. Along with this, cadets also frequently stand in for
parades and command retreat. There are also multiple clubs and extracurriculars cadets can take part in such as
drill and
color guard teams, a
glee club, and more. Cadets also may be selected to hold leadership in the corps where they will be assigned at the
team to
regimental levels or
staff duty. When cadets first arrive at GMC, they go through a six-week "plebe" phase to introduce them to military customs and life at the junior college. GMC opened its modern barracks (dorm) facility in January 2007 for the 254 students that comprise the Corps of Cadets. A new academic building and dining hall have recently been completed.
Cadet types The Corps of Cadets have several types of cadets in the program. These include Early Commissioning Program cadets, State Service cadets, Civic Leaders, and Service Academy Prep cadets.The Corps of Cadets also includes the middle and high schoolers in the
Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AJROTC) of the GMC Preparatory School. JROTC cadets do not participate in most of the college-level cadet activities and have no military obligation after graduating high school.
Early Commissioning Program GMC's
Early Commissioning Program (ECP) is designed to enable students to become a second lieutenant in the US Army after the first two years in college. GMC offers funding specifically to help pay costs for Corps of Cadet members on the Milledgeville campus. The State Service Scholarship Program provides 39 full scholarships to qualified Georgia residents with an interest in military service as well as a quality college education. The program is funded through the Georgia General Assembly. Scholarship recipients are required to become members of either the Army or Air National Guard, and must be nominated by a member of the Georgia General Assembly. These scholarships cover tuition, fees, rooms, board, books and supplies. Scholarship winners must join the Corps of Cadets and participate in Army ROTC. Army ROTC scholarships are also available for qualified cadets interested in the Early Commissioning Program (ECP). These scholarships are funded through ROTC and cover tuition, fees, and books, plus a monthly stipend. There are various options for ROTC scholarship based on the student's desire for active duty or reserve component duty. After completing studies at GMC, a transfer scholarship is available for those GMC graduates desiring to complete their four-year degree at a university of their choosing with an ROTC program. Being commissioned, they do not take military science classes, however, are still expected to get their
bachelor's degree or have their commission revoked. One of the ways in which a student can become an ECP cadet is to attend Basic Camp (not to be confused with
Basic Combat Training, which is for enlisted soldiers). The course is thirty-one days long. Between the cadet's freshmen and sophomore years, the cadet will attend the Advanced Camp at
Fort Knox,
Kentucky. Following AC, the cadet may be able to attend additional training with Army units all over the world and in the United States. After completing required training, the Cadet is commissioned as a U.S. Army officer at the end of his/her sophomore year. The ECP program allows cadets to become commissioned second lieutenants two years earlier than normal ROTC and West Point cadets. These commissioned army officers can then serve in the
Army Reserve or
Army National Guard, or compete for revocation and then for
active duty. After completing their four-year degrees, they will be promoted to first lieutenant.
Civic Leaders Civic Leader cadets hold no military obligation and upon graduation may choose to further their education at a
4-year university or seek employment. These cadets still are able to get the benefits of increased discipline and leadership skills.
Service Academy Prep cadets Students who apply to a
service academy may be redirected to attend GMC for a year. During this year, they are expected to take a strong course load, take on extracurriculars, and excel physically in hopes of receiving appointment to the service academy of their choice. These cadets are divided between cadets who have been nominated from their service academy and receive a scholarship from their branch's academy and self-prep cadets who have not been nominated and pay through other means (financial aid, cash, loans, other scholarships). ==High school and middle school==