2026-05-29T17:01:00
(BPT) – Key Takeaways
- Recent graduates are struggling in today’s job market, with fewer entry-level positions available and more competition than ever — making graduation feel less celebratory and more stressful.
- Unlike traditional civilian pathways, the U.S. Army’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) can cover the cost of higher education and guarantees a defined career path following graduation, coupled with competitive salaries, extensive benefits, advanced technical training and immediate leadership responsibilities.
- Cadets can pursue an Army career that aligns with their individual goals by commissioning into the Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard as Officers, the leaders of the Army who are responsible for planning missions, managing resources and guiding teams.
Graduation season has always promised new beginnings, but for many recent grads, the hard-earned diploma feels less like a golden ticket and more like an incomplete puzzle. With a tightened job market, scarce entry-level positions and fierce competition, the pressure for young adults to land the “right” role at the beginning of their career has never been greater.
For those mired in uncertainty, the U.S. Army offers something increasingly rare in today’s market: a clear path forward. From competitive pay and comprehensive benefits to on-the-job training and career development opportunities, the Army provides the stability that many young adults are looking for. At the beginning of their Army journey, young Soldiers build experience in a wide range of fields, develop transferable skills and can even pursue new career paths over time — all while gaining financial security and leadership experience early on.
The U.S. Army’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) can cover the cost of higher education while providing a defined career path after graduation.
One path to Army service is through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Offered at more than 1,000 college campuses nationwide and producing about 60% of all Active Duty Officers, ROTC helps Cadets invest in their future by easing the cost of college, all while building the skills needed to become the next generation of leaders in the Army and beyond. After graduation, ROTC Cadets walk away with a reliable job and immediate leadership responsibilities, as they commission into the Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard as Officers.
The following list represents just a few of the many choosing this path — from twin brothers who are extending their family’s tradition of service, to a father obtaining the degree he always wanted, to a rising senior with her eyes on a career in healthcare. They all demonstrate how Army service can transform uncertainty into opportunity:
Twin brothers, 2nd Lts. Alex and Luke Rogers, continue their family’s legacy of service
2nd Lts. Luke and Alex Rogers knew from an early age that Army service could help shape their futures and provide a deeper sense of purpose. Inspired by their father, who participated in ROTC at Florida State University before serving in the Army, they chose to apply for ROTC scholarships at the University of Kansas — a decision that would help them pursue higher education while lowering the cost of college.
For both brothers, ROTC provided more than just tuition assistance. As a high school football and track athlete, Alex says, “I immediately fell in love with it,” finding that the program mirrored the teamwork he found in sports, and offered structure, accountability and a close-knit community of like-minded Cadets. Luke notes that the experience strengthened his self-belief, saying, “I’ve gained a lot of confidence in myself through ROTC. I am a better public speaker and more physically fit (because of the experience).”
At KU, Alex followed his passion for health and fitness by earning a degree in exercise science on a pre-physical therapy track, while Luke majored in electrical engineering, earning several accolades along the way, including the Outstanding Senior Award, where he was recognized by faculty as the top student in his class. Outside of the classroom, both brothers took full advantage of their ROTC opportunities, including morning physical training (PT) with their unit and participating in specialized Army training, including Airborne School, where they were trained in parachute jumps, and Air Assault School, where they focused on helicopter insertion, rappelling and sling-load operations. Alex also completed the Sapper Leader Course, a rigorous program that teaches advanced combat tactics, demolitions and mountaineering, which he describes as one of the most demanding, yet rewarding, times of his ROTC journey.
After graduating from KU in May 2026, their commissioning paths reflect the various ways ROTC Cadets can serve. Luke has commissioned into the Kansas Army National Guard while he pursues a master’s degree in radar systems, allowing him to advance his education while serving part-time and making a direct impact on his community. Alex commissioned as an Active Duty Infantry Officer (11A), where he will lead Soldiers in offensive and defensive operations when they are in the field, while pursuing his strength and conditioning certificate.
Cadet Madeline Dively forges her path to a healthcare career
Originally from Pine Bush, New York, Cadet Madeline Dively knew that she wanted to become a nurse. What she did not initially envision was a career that would allow her to practice healthcare while serving in the Army. That possibility first came into focus during her freshman year at the University of Kentucky, when an ROTC recruiter invited her to the Cadet orientation, also known as Zero Week, where she made a spontaneous decision to join the program. When she was offered a scholarship at the end of her first semester, she fully committed.
“It was very out of the blue,” she says, “but once I pictured it in my future and saw how many opportunities it would bring to me, I was completely sold.”
Cadet Madeline Dively knew from an early age that she wanted to be a nurse, and when she arrived at college, she realized the vast opportunities of an Army healthcare career.
Balancing a rigorous nursing curriculum with ROTC duties is demanding, but what sustains her is the tight-knit community she has with her fellow Cadets. “It’s nice to have someone who understands both nursing and ROTC,” she says of the bond that she shares with the three other nursing majors in her ROTC class. She has also received invaluable mentorship from a local Brigade Nurse who meets with her each semester and helps her navigate the ins and outs of Army nursing.
But perhaps Dively’s most notable transformation has been in developing her leadership and confidence. What started as a reluctance to be in the front of a room has evolved into her naturally stepping into leadership roles, including serving as a platoon sergeant her sophomore year and leading the unit’s PT profile.
“Who I thought I was capable of becoming has completely expanded,” she says. “One day it clicked, and I didn’t even realize I was doing it.”
Now entering her senior year, she plans to commission into the Army after graduation and combine her love of nursing with the adventure of serving her country. If she could share one piece of advice with someone just starting out, she says, “You’re going to be scared, but you just have to do it. Before you know it, you’ll be on the other side and a completely new person.”
2nd Lt. Juan Loera Rogers discovers his purpose and path to leadership
As he neared the end of his high school career, 2nd Lt. Juan Loera Rogers was seeking direction and stability, and with only a month until graduation, he made the decision to enlist in the Army as a Carpentry and Masonry Specialist (12W). As the first Soldier in his family, he says, “I wanted to challenge myself, and create a better future not only for myself, but for my family. Becoming a first-generation Soldier was something that gave me a strong sense of purpose and pride.”
While in the Army, Loera Rogers took advantage of countless leadership and training opportunities, including Air Assault School, Sapper Leader Course, and, perhaps most notably, the grueling U.S. Army Ranger School, where candidates are trained in small-unit tactics, mountaineering, reconnaissance and waterborne operations. He recalls, “I really leaned on my people, and that’s where the basis of my leadership skills came from. Those moments when I was leading a platoon as a 20-year-old Sergeant gave me the confidence that I could lead anybody through anything.”
After serving in the Army for several years, 2nd Lt. Juan Loera Rogers utilized the Army’s Green to Gold program to earn his degree and become an Officer.
Wanting to further his career, Loera Rogers explored the possibility of earning a degree through the Army’s Green to Gold program, a scholarship designed for enlisted Soldiers to earn a higher education degree while serving as Cadets in their chosen school’s ROTC program. Upon graduation, they commission back into the Army as Officers. He was accepted into the program and earned a bachelor’s degree in applied management from Grand Canyon University in May 2026.
Now, as he prepares for his new role as an Army Officer, Loera Rogers has his eyes set on building a sense of belonging and camaraderie within his unit. He is also continuing to challenge himself physically, including through CrossFit. For students who may be in the same position he once was — uncertain about the future but ready for something more — Loera Rogers offers direct advice. “Take that leap,” he says. “I know it’s daunting, but just three to four years can change the trajectory of your life forever.”
2nd Lt. Josey Arbogast continues a family legacy while finding her voice
Although she grew up in an Army family, 2nd Lt. Josey Arbogast arrived at Coastal Carolina University wanting to forge her own path. Throughout her freshman year, she made friends while doing well in school and pursuing a degree in physics, but something was missing. “I just felt very unfulfilled,” she says. “I wasn’t serving a common purpose or common goal.”
That summer, Arbogast made the decision to try ROTC and quickly found what she was looking for. “I loved it,” she says. “The other Cadets became some of my best friends, and everybody was working towards the same purpose, which was really fulfilling.”
Her studies benefited, as well. “The busier I was, the better I did with school. Whenever I had a second, I would get on top of my homework, and I think it helped a lot with my relationships with my professors.”
Wanting to serve a common purpose, 2nd Lt. Josey Arbogast (far right) notes that her ROTC experience not only fulfilled her, but also gave her the skills to motivate and lead others.
ROTC accelerated Arbogast’s leadership development, moving her from quiet observer to instructor within just a few years. By senior year, she was designing and teaching coursework to fellow Cadets. Through programs like Leader Challenge — an experiential learning initiative that originated at the United States Military Academy — she helped Cadets examine real scenarios from Army leaders and brought them firsthand insight into how critical decisions are made under pressure.
Arbogast’s most meaningful growth came from a personal realization. Early in her ROTC journey, her instinct was to direct and react. Over time, she discovered the power of genuine listening. By pausing to understand her peers’ backgrounds, concerns and motivations rather than simply telling them what to do, she fundamentally transformed her leadership approach.
Following graduation in May 2026, she is now preparing to begin her career as an Active Duty Logistics Officer (90A), with the goal to eventually become a Space Operations Officer.
2nd Lt. Ryan Sanders finds stability and camaraderie through service
During the uncertainty of COVID-19, 2nd Lt. Ryan Sanders enlisted in the Army as a Combat Engineer (12B) to provide stability and support for his young family. At 27, he had already developed a strong foundation of adaptability and resilience, but he says, “The Army pushed me to become mentally and physically stronger, placing me in the best shape of my life while also teaching me that age is only a number.”
His age did not slow him down, and he quickly moved through challenging Army training programs, including Ranger School, Air Assault School, Airborne School and Sapper Leader Course. But his most transformative experience came through the Green to Gold program, which made it possible for him to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from his dream school, Texas Christian University.
While attending Texas Christian University through the Green to Gold program, 2nd Lt. Ryan Sanders (far right) helped lead the school’s Ranger Challenge team to a historic finish.
At TCU, Sanders excelled academically while continuing to pursue high-level Army training as a member of the Ranger Challenge team, an elite group of Cadets who compete against other schools’ ROTC programs in a variety of skills, including land navigation, physical fitness and casualty care. In 2025, for the first time in school history, TCU advanced to the international Sandhurst Competition at West Point, a grueling two-day event that tests the most elite squads from around the world. This year, the team went back-to-back and placed in the top 20, a testament to their dedication and teamwork. “The morale and camaraderie were always there,” Sanders reflects. “We didn’t get there because just one guy showed up.”
After graduating in May 2026, Sanders continues to live by the philosophy of relying on your team — a belief that is more important than ever as he begins his career as an Infantry Officer (11A). For him, his leadership is rooted in the responsibility Soldiers have to one another. “You have to lean so much on the men and women to your left and right to ensure that everybody comes home,” he says. “You’re not focusing on yourself; you’re focusing on the people around you.”
To find out more about ROTC and the career opportunities available in the Army, visit GoArmy.com.
