Military Science

Why Study Military Science at Northwest

Army National Guard GOLD Program

Northwest offers the Guard Officer Leadership Development Program on the Maryville campus.  The Show Me GOLD Program is an officer candidate school preparation program resulting in a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army National Guard.  Students enlist in the Army National Guard and attend basic and advanced individual training.  They are then attached to the Northwest GOLD Detachment where they take military science courses on the Maryville Campus from Army National Guard instructors. Between their junior and senior year, student officer candidates then attend the accelerated National Guard Officer Candidate School where upon completion they are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Army Guard.  The students then return to Northwest to complete their degrees.  While completing their degrees, the GOLD Lieutenants fulfill their military duties working with the GOLD Program.  GOLD Program students may apply their military science coursework toward a minor in Military Science.

GOLD Financial Assistance

The Missouri National Guard pays GOLD officer candidates monthly pay equivalent to monthly drill pay based on the candidate's military pay grade.  The Missouri National Guard also has substantial financial assistance for all Guardsmen in the form of the GI Bill and tuition assistance programs.

GOLD Requirements

GOLD officer candidates are already qualified National Guard Soldiers.  The GOLD officer instructor determines the required military science courses for each candidate necessary to prepare them for Officer Candidate School.  GOLD officer candidates desiring a minor in Military Science must complete the course requirements for the minor listed later in this section. 

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available through the U.S. Army Scholarship Program. Two- and three-year scholarships are awarded each year to selected students who are enrolled or will enroll in the program. The scholarships provide payment directly to the college for applicable tuition and fees. Each student receives a textbook allowance of $1,200 annually paid in two increments of $600. In addition, a tiered monthly tax-free stipend is paid directly to the student for the duration of the scholarship, not to exceed 10 months for each year of the scholarship. These scholarships are available for both undergraduate and graduate students. Non-scholarship contracted cadets in the advanced course also receive the tiered monthly tax-free stipend, not to exceed 10 months per year for two years. Students are furnished free textbooks for military science classes. 

The tiered stipend pay is: first year contracted cadets MSI, $300; second year MSII, $350; third year MSIII, $450; and 4th year MSIV, $500; per month not to exceed 10 months of the year.

Faculty Liaison to Military Science:  Travis Surprise