ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course is the most important training event for an Army ROTC cadet. The 31-day camp incorporates a wide range of subjects designed to develop and evaluate leadership ability. The challenges are rigorous and demanding, both mentally and physically. Leader Development and Assessment Course tests intelligence, common sense, ingenuity and stamina. These challenges provide a new perspective on an individual's ability to perform exacting tasks and to make difficult decisions in demanding situations.

The camp places each cadet and officer candidate in a variety of leadership positions, many of which simulate stressful combat situations. In each position, cadets are evaluated by platoon tactical and counseling (TAC) officers and noncommissioned officers. In addition to proving their leadership ability, cadets and officer candidates must meet established standards in physical fitness, weapons training, communication, combat patrols and demonstrate their proficiency in many other military skills. Cadets and officer candidates must excel at camp to be considered competitive for a commission as an Army officer. Over 5000 Army ROTC cadets from throughout the nation will attend the ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course. The camp will consist of 12 ROTC and 2 OCS training cycles with the first cycle beginning in June and the last cycle graduating in August. Since 1993, the Fort Lewis ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course has conducted Army National Guard Officer Candidate School Phase III training concurrently with Advanced Camp training. The ROTC committee cadre will provide leadership position evaluations of the candidates, using the same criteria as for ROTC cadet regiments.

One special aspect of Leader Development and Assessment Course is the Regimental Affiliation Program. Each cadet regiment is affiliated with an established and honored Army Regiment. The cadet battalions adopt the honors, lineage and heraldry of their respective active regiments. The purpose of the program is to infuse each cadet with regimental esprit de corps and pride.

Field Leaders Reaction Course

FLRC is designed to develop and evaluate leadership and to build teamwork early in the camp cycle. Course administration is accomplished using the established cadet organization and chain of command. Cadet leadership potential is assessed by committee evaluators. Cadets are provided the opportunity to get early feedback on their leadership strengths, weaknesses, styles and techniques.

Automatic Weapons

Squad Automatic Weapon / M60 machine gun training teaches cadets the characteristics, functions and employment of the weapons. This training provides skills used in later tactical phases of camp.

Land Navigation

Land navigation training must be mastered early in the camp cycle for the cadets to be fully successful in the tactical training which follows. The land navigation evaluation consists of three portions totaling 100 points. The written examinations is worth 30 percent. The day land navigation test is worth 50 percent. Night land navigation is worth 20 percent. Each cadet must earn 70 percent on each test to pass this event. A passing score in land navigation is a camp completion criterion.

Individual Tactical Training

ITT is the first block of instruction in tactics at National Advanced Leadership Camp. It covers individual battlefield skills, combat movement techniques, and procedures necessary for subsequent tactical training at the squad and platoon level.

Fire Support

Fire Support teaches cadets the importance and lethality of artillery fire on the battlefield, employment of indirect fires, and gives them the opportunity to perform the duties of howitzer crewmen.

Hand Grenade

Basic understanding and use of hand grenades is an important facet of weapons and tactical training. Cadets learn to identify major types of grenades. They learn the grenades' characteristics and uses. Cadets also employ live grenades.

Nuclear, Biological, Chemical

NBC training provides basic soldier skills that cadets must master to meet pre-commissioning requirements. Cadets learn characteristics, maintenance and employment of NBC equipment. They also develop confidence in defensive equipment during mask confidence exercises.

Squad Situational Training Exercises

Squad STX is a five-day, two-phase event. The first two days, the Squad training phase, are designed to train squad battle drills and collective tasks. The last three days, the Squad STX lane phase, are designed to evaluate leadership using tactical scenarios. Each cadet receives two formal evaluations of their performance as a squad leader during this phase. Squad operations builds on and reinforces all previous instruction. Cadets use knowledge of land navigation, terrain association, weapons systems, and all individual training previously presented.

Patrolling Situational Training Exercises

Patrolling STX is a three-day event that provides cadets practical experience leading soldiers at the section level. The first day is a training day on which cadets are taught the fundamentals of patrolling missions. The following two days are designed to evaluate leadership potential using tactical scenarios by giving cadets opportunities to utilize the training as patrol leaders and assistant patrol leaders. Patrolling STX builds on and reinforces all previous instruction, and teaches cadets the basics of air assault operations. This event culminates cadets' training at National Advanced Leadership Camp.

This publication is an extract from FM 7-8 Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad. It provides the tactical standing operating procedures for infantry platoons and squads and is tailored for ROTC cadet use. The procedures apply unless a leader makes a decision to deviate from them based on the factors of METT-T. In such a case, the exception applies only to the particular situation for which the leader made the decision.

Note the use of adjectives and adverbs. Don't just tell your evaluator what you did. Tell them how you did it and why.

On the back of your yellow cards, list at least two strong and two dimensions to improve. Also, tell your evaluator why they are your strongest and weakest dimensions. List bullets comments following those dimensions.Your Name, Unit, Unit Position, Length, and Date will be written in black pen. The rest of your yellow card will be written in pencil.If you have any further questions regarding the requirements for your yellow cards, ask your TAC.

Download the MS Word version of the yellow card below

1) Communications.

a) Oral Communication: The ability to express oneself effectively in individual or group situations; includes gestures and other nonverbal communication.

b) Written Communication: The skill required to express ideas clearly, in writing, using good grammatical form.

c) Oral Presentation: The ability to present ideas or tasks to an individual or group when given time for preparation; includes gestures and other nonverbal communication.

2) Personal Motivational behavior.

a) Initiative: The discipline that requires attempting to influence events to achieve goals beyond those called for; originating action; self-starting rather than passive acceptance.

3) Interpersonal behavior.

a) Sensitivity: Those actions that indicate a consideration for the feeling and needs of others.
b) Influence: The art of using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods in guiding subordinates, peers, superiors, or groups toward task accomplishment.

4) Administrative skills.

a) Planning and organizing: The ability to establish a course of action for self or others to accomplish a specific goal; planning proper assignments or personnel and appropriate allocation of resources.
b) Delegation: The ability to use subordinates effectively; the allocation of decision-making and other responsibilities to the appropriate subordinates.
c) Administrative Control: The ability to establish procedures for monitoring and regulating processes, tasks, or activities of subordinates and job activities and responsibilities; to monitor actively the results of delegated assignments or projects.

5) Decision making skills.

a) Problem Analysis: The skill required to identify a problem, secure information relevant to the problem, relate problem data from different sources, and determine possible causes of problems.
b) Judgment: The ability to develop alternative courses of action based on logical assumptions that reflect factual information.
c) Decisiveness: The readiness to make decisions renders judgments, take action or commit oneself.

6) Field skills.

a) Technical/Tactical Competence: The ability to use technical and tactical proficiency to accomplish tasks to specified standards; includes demonstrated understanding of technical information.

b) Physical Stamina: Demonstrated operational endurance under stressful situations.

c) Mission Accomplishment: Ability to complete assigned tasks according to specified standards and within time allotments.

d) Followership: Willingness to cooperate in the accomplishment of mission and exhibit high degree of teamwork and cohesion.

b. The Leadership Assessment Program (LAP) will highlight and enlighten you on your individual strengths and weaknesses illustrated through the 16 leadership dimensions. Cadre will evaluate your leadership dimensions using the Leadership Position Evaluation Report (Cadet Cmd Form 156-4-R), commonly referred to as a "Blue Card." Each class advisor will give an in-depth briefing on the complete LAP and its impact upon you as a cadet.

e. Below is a sample of how your yellow card should look. The Situation, Tasks, and Results will remain the same for every position. The Action statements are what will change for your individual positions. Also, don't forget to include some event Times.