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Chase Hinkle goes through an interview with the board of ROTC in hopes of getting a scholarship t

They are the next potential enlistees in the army, the next potential leaders of U.S. soldiers and the next potential recipients of up to $80,000. And on Thursday, candidates for ROTC scholarships had 30 minutes to prove they were worthy.

It was a short time to convince the panel of five members that they deserved the scholarship funds that would help cover their a significant chunk college costs for the next two to four years of their education.

“They want to see strong leadership potential, a good work ethic, and they want us to be strong academically,” said William McCarthy, a second-year history student at UCLA applying for a two-year scholarship.

The students who applied are either already involved with ROTC or are interested in pursuing a future with the military, and the scholarships serve as added benefits and compensation for the time they will dedicate, though most say not getting one won’t change their decision to be involved with ROTC.

“I would say that the majority of the students, though some will apply for the money, most will do ROTC no matter what,” said Peter Komorowski, who is applying to UCLA as a graduate student and is applying for a two-year scholarship. “I want to make sure we have better officers ... and I look to stay in the Reserves and maybe pursue a military career regardless of whether I get the scholarship or not.”

Each of the eight student applicants was allotted a time slot to be interviewed for the Army ROTC scholarships, and each is either currently participating in ROTC in college, or is applying for the scholarship while simultaneously applying to school.

The scholarships offered are for two or four years of financial support which include up to $20,000 for tuition and other mandatory fees, and are offered to students not only at UCLA, but also at other schools in the area such as Pepperdine University, Loyola Marymount University and Cal State Northridge. The equivalent amount of money may be applied to housing expenses.

Most of the students were applying for two-year scholarships as they were already enrolled in school.

Chase Hinkle, an undergraduate applicant to UCLA who is applying for a four-year scholarship, recently completed Army Basic Training and is looking to attend college and pursue ROTC.

“I only applied to UCLA,” Hinkle said. “I plan to go active if I don’t get the ROTC scholarship or get into UCLA; at least I would have to look at any money I would receive because there is the whole money issue.”

The money, for Hinkle, is not the only reason why he would participate in UCLA ROTC, though it would allow him to fund his education. He said he also wants to join ROTC to become an officer, which he said he will do regardless of whether or not he is selected both by UCLA and for a scholarship.

“I wanted to join out of a sense of duty ... and it was largely of my own accord,” Hinkle added. “The funding, for the most part, would be helpful to be able to go without piling up debts, but I really want to be an officer.”

McCarthy also said that with or without the offered scholarships, he would continue to participate in ROTC.

“I have always wanted to be an army officer,” McCarthy said. “The money helps, but I would have done it even if I don’t get a scholarship now.”

McCarthy added that the ROTC program doesn’t take just any student who comes in expressing interest, because the students must be there not only for the money but because they are qualified and want to serve in the army.

Major Michael Berry, the admissions and recruiting officer at UCLA, said it is important in the recruiting office to make sure students are joining ROTC for the right reasons.

“People can sit there and tell me falsehoods, and I have to take them at their word,” Berry said. “I have to make sure to ask them the right questions.”

Even if they do not win the scholarship, most students who originally express an interest in ROTC and are accepted to UCLA participate in the program for at least their first year.

“They test the water because they at least had interest in the beginning,” he said. “They have to want to do this and for the right reasons.”

In order to qualify for the scholarship, the students are evaluated on a variety of levels. The funds are awarded based on a point system with points given for extracurricular involvement, academic achievement, an interview with an officer and the selection board scores.

The board itself consists of five members – Lt. Col. Shawn Buck, Master Sgt. Jason Detty, Maj. Ariel Axelrod, senior cadet Rosa Ramirez and a civilian, Berky Nelson.

Nelson, who is the director of the Center of Student Programming, said each board member asked questions about a specific area such as leadership or community involvement, but they each evaluated the student in every area.

“After we hear the responses, we total up what we think and then total up the composite score,” Nelson said. “It is very enlightening ... because you get an understanding of the level of competence that students in the military program bring forward.”

There are many opportunities for ROTC students to receive scholarships, and about 45 percent of the 60 to 80 current UCLA ROTC students are on some kind of scholarship. Scholarships offered range from two to four years in length at up to $20,000 a year. Also, one-time scholarships for $5,000 are offered each quarter.

“Many people who go into the military will sacrifice an income where they could generate more easily as civilians that they could going into the military,” Nelson said. “If people are deferring a higher income or, in the case of military, are willing to put their lives on the line on behalf of the country, you should be willing to provide them with some kind of reward.”