Adventure-Based Orientation Programming and First-Year Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2025-12496Keywords:
Outdoor Orientation, adventure orientation, belonging, trust, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)Abstract
The United States military has encountered challenges in meeting recruitment and retention goals, during a time when college outdoor orientation programs have been reporting positive impacts on retention. This study investigated the impact of different first-year orientation program models on student sense of belonging and trust; factors linked to retention by comparing adventure-based Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) orientations with traditional ROTC orientations, and the national data from outdoor orientation programs. Using quantitative analysis, this exploratory study found statistically significant increases of student belongingness (via the Student Belongingness Scale) when comparing adventure-based ROTC orientation programs to traditional ROTC orientation. This study also found ROTC orientation programs yielded higher measures of leader trust when compared to national data of outdoor orientation programs. These findings suggest that the use of adventure activities may benefit ROTC program retention through a cadet’s sense of belonging and trust.
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