ROTC stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps. It is a United States programme, mostly on university campuses. Students take military classes and training while they work toward a degree. The army — and the other US services have their own versions — often helps pay for university. In return, after graduation the student usually serves as an officer for a set number of years, often two to four, sometimes longer, depending on the deal. Some students join because they want to lead in the military. Some join because US university is very expensive, and ROTC is a way to get the degree with less debt. Though actually, it is not free money with no strings. You are signing up for service. Leave late, and you may still owe time or money. People say the letters one by one: R-O-T-C. It is an American path; other countries train officers in other ways.