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Army ROTC
Army ROTC
Posted on Nov 22, 2025
Can SMP cadets earn the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (ARCOTR) if they're on orders for professional development?
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S1 question - I have an SMP cadet in the reserves (he was a prior 12B) who got on orders from ROTC to go to cadet summer camp and then orders to Germany for "professional development" at USACE. He emailed mee asking if he could rate the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon for his ROTC orders. I thought we only give this out if they're doing annual training as a unit and not at in individual level. Thoughts on this before I push this up to the brigade adjutant?
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Army Reserve Elements
Posted 2 mo ago
Responses: 4
While it is usually given to Soldiers who perform AT overseas with their unit, there is no requirement as such.
As long as the SMP cadet is on ADT orders for at least 10 consecutive duty days on foreign soil (e.g., 10 days 'boots on the ground'), then they are eligible.
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AR 600-8-2 (Military Awards) - https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN42665-AR_600-8-22-000-WEB-1.pdf
As long as the SMP cadet is on ADT orders for at least 10 consecutive duty days on foreign soil (e.g., 10 days 'boots on the ground'), then they are eligible.
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AR 600-8-2 (Military Awards) - https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN42665-AR_600-8-22-000-WEB-1.pdf
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COL Randall Cudworth
(Join to see) - As long as he's on ADT orders, that fits the eligibility criteria. From the AR (AR 600-8-22, section 5-3), the pertinent eligibility criteria are:
● Members of the RC of the Army (ARNG and USAR)
● Annual training or ADT for a period not less than 10 consecutive duty days on foreign soil
● RC member does NOT reside overseas
● Required training does NOT occur in the country you are assigned (i.e., if you're a reserve member assigned to a unit in Germany, you don't get credit for doing AT in Germany).
His status as a ROTC cadet can be ignored completely as it is just confusing the issue. Since he's in the SMP, he is a member of the RC and as long as he is on ADT order with 10+ days in country for training, he's good to go.
● Members of the RC of the Army (ARNG and USAR)
● Annual training or ADT for a period not less than 10 consecutive duty days on foreign soil
● RC member does NOT reside overseas
● Required training does NOT occur in the country you are assigned (i.e., if you're a reserve member assigned to a unit in Germany, you don't get credit for doing AT in Germany).
His status as a ROTC cadet can be ignored completely as it is just confusing the issue. Since he's in the SMP, he is a member of the RC and as long as he is on ADT order with 10+ days in country for training, he's good to go.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
So RC soldiers residing in AK, HI and territories would not be eligible since they live overseas?
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COL Randall Cudworth
MAJ Ronnie Reams - Good catch (mistakenly botched the wording). As long as the RC member performs the training in a foreign country that is not the one their assigned primary duty position is located, then that meets the one of the eligibility criteria.
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Having served in the USACE Wiesbaden office as a reservist and active duty, I can say this will be a great training tour for the individual, especially if they receive an EN commission. There is a very large mission (project load) throughout Europe. I would suggest doing homework (contact sponsor) on the Euro, driving, etc.
Haven’t been there since 2002, but it shouldn’t have changed too much.
Haven’t been there since 2002, but it shouldn’t have changed too much.
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