NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps) instructors are retired Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard personnel employed by schools that host NJROTC units. These instructors are certified by the Naval Service Training Command (NSTC).

Senior Naval Science Instructor (SNSI): This role is filled by a retired commissioned officer or warrant officer with a bachelor’s degree. The SNSI is the head of the Naval Science Department at the school.

Naval Science Instructor (NSI): This role is usually held by retired enlisted personnel, warrant officers, or limited duty officers (LDOs) who do not have a bachelor’s degree. They may be required to obtain an associate’s degree within five years of employment.

Instructor Initial Certification Eligibility. 
Per 10 U.S.C. Section 2031 and OPNAVINST 5761.1, the following are eligibility requirements to apply for certification. 

• Service Requirements. Applicants must be veterans or retirees with at least eight years of service from the categories below, who have separated from their respective service within the past five years and demonstrated excellence throughout their military career. 
  • Category I. Veterans and retirees from the U.S. Navy. 
  • Category IIa. Veterans and retirees from the U.S. Coast Guard. Separation must be within the past five years of the Coast Guard or employed as a Coast Guard JROTC instructor within the past five years. 
  • Category IIb. Veterans and retirees from the U.S. Marine Corps who possess a current Marine Corps JROTC instructor certification (provisional, final, or recertification). Separation from the Marine Corps must be within the past five years or worked as a Marine Corps JROTC instructor within the past five years. 
  • Category III. Actively participating members of the selected reserve (Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) with at least eight years of credible service. Marine Corps reservists must possess a current MCJROTC Instructor certification. 
     
• Waivers to Five Year Policy. Waivers to the five-year separation or employment requirement may be considered for applicants who demonstrate sustained engagement in education or youth development. Examples may include but are not limited to: achieving higher levels of education, attaining teaching certifications (other than JROTC), employment in an education related position, or continuous volunteer work with youth organizations. Applicants must submit a formal letter detailing the justification for the waiver with the application package. 
   
• Rank Requirements 
  • (1) O-3 through O-6 
  • (2) CWO-2 through CWO-5 
  • (3) E-5 through E-9 
  • (4) WO-1, O-1, or O-2 with prior enlisted service 
     
    • Education Requirements 
      • Senior Naval Science Instructor (SNSI). Officers and Chief Warrant Officers applicants must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. 
      • Naval Science Instructor (NSI). Enlisted applicants or officers, Chief Warrant Officers, and Warrant Officers without a bachelor’s degree seeking NSI certification must earn an associate's degree from an accredited institution within five years of their first employment date in any service JROTC program. Failure to attain an associate’s degree will result in decertification. 
         
  • Active-duty Members. Personnel on active duty may begin the certification process within 12 months of their approved separation date. The application will not be reviewed by the board until the separation date is approved and a geographic state of intended employment is selected. 

1. Copy of DD-214 or Statement of Service 
2. Copy of Degree and Transcripts (if available) 
3. Full Length Photo Requirements (Neutral Background) within 1 year 
   1. Coast Guard Applicant: 4x6 inch and taken in the tropical blue service uniform 
   2. Marine Corps Applicant:  4x6 inch taken in the Service Bravo or Sercive Charlie uniform 
   3. Navy Applicant: 4x6 inch and submitted as follows:  E-7 to O-6 Khaki Service uniform, E-5 & E-6 in Navy Service uniform. 

Instructors are employed by the host schools. To qualify for partial reimbursement, the school must hire a certified instructor (refer to 'Salary and Benefits' below). To seek employment as an instructor, you should contact the school's hiring official directly. The process of certification and job searching can occur concurrently.

Application: Candidates must complete the NJROTC Instructor Certification Application and submit it along with other required documents, such as a current photo, height/weight verification, and service record.

Contact an Area Manager: Candidates are encouraged to reach out to the NJROTC Area Manager responsible for their desired employment region. The Area Manager can provide you contact information for schools in the Area that may have future vacancies not currently listed.  You can find a list of Area Managers and their contact information here. 

Area Manager Interview / Interview Form: This is not a formal hiring interview. The Area Manager will discuss the role of an instructor and identify schools that may have upcoming availability. Afterward, the Area Manager will complete the interview form and submit it to the Instructor Admin. Applicants actively seeking employment, have a confirmed separation date, and an anticipated state of employment will be referred to security FDR background check processing. For those expressing interest but not actively seeking immediate employment, the form will be forwarded with a recommendation to keep their application on file for six months, or longer if the applicant remains on active duty.

Background Investigation: Applicants actively seeking employment will be contacted by the Naval Service Training Command Security Department to complete an SF-85 form and receive fingerprinting instructions for the Tier 1 Child Care National Agency Check and Inquiries (CNACI) background investigation. This federally mandated background check is required in addition to any other checks conducted by the school.

Board Review: A certification board will review applications and service records after initial screening of background check. Applicants will receive a 1-year provisional certification or a 5-year final certification.  Those who have an initial provisional certification will receive their final certification upon adjudication of the CNACI background check.  Certification lasts for 5-years upon final adjudication of the CNACI background check.

• Teach the Naval Science curriculum.
• Instruct cadets in military drill.
• Mentor and counsel students.
• Manage government-furnished equipment like uniforms and training aids.
• Plan extracurricular activities, such as drill teams and field trips.
• Maintain financial accounts related to the NJROTC program.
• Keep up with Navy developments and complete required training.

NJROTC instructors must maintain military standards in appearance and decorum. They are required to wear uniforms during instruction and other appropriate times, and they must meet Navy height and weight standards.

All newly certified instructors must complete the following requirements to maintain certification. Failure to comply will result in the suspension of the instructor's certification and a referral for decertification. 

• Within 30 days of being notified of certification, instructors must submit the signed DD 3200, JROTC Instructor Prohibited Activities Acknowledgement form. 
   
• New Instructor Orientation Training (NIOT). This two-part training is mandatory for all new Navy JROTC instructors, even if they taught in another service JROTC program. 
• Online NIOT. Upon notification of certification, newly certified applicants will be provided access to NIOT online material. These courses must be completed within 90 days of certification notification. 
• In Person NIOT. All new instructors must attend an In Person NIOT within the first year of employment. (A NSTC CD headquarters directed virtual course may meet this requirement only if directed by the Director of Citizenship Development at the authorization of the Commander, NSTC.) Requests for deferral for up to one school year may be considered based on extenuating circumstances and will be requested via a formal letter request from the instructor, through the school principal, via the Area Manager’s endorsement to the Director of Citizenship Development. Extensions beyond one school year will not be considered. 
   
• Advanced Certification. All instructors must complete the five required DoD JROTC Advanced Certification courses within two years of initial employment. Failure to complete the courses within two years of initial employment will result in decertification. Marine Corps and Coast Guard instructors must provide evidence of completion with their service if previously completed. 
  • EDU-105 Contemporary American Education/Dynamic Teaching 
  • EDU-106 Secondary Methods 
  • EDU-107 Learning and the Brain 
  • EDU-108 Educational Psychology 
  • EDU-109 Classroom Management
     
• Associate’s Degree. Enlisted instructors and officers serving as NSIs must complete an associate's degree within five years of initial employment. This requirement will not be waived. 

Instructors receive a salary that bridges the gap between their military retired pay and what they would earn on active duty. Schools cover at least this minimum salary, and the Navy reimburses half. Instructors typically receive the same benefits as other teachers in the school district.

In summary, NJROTC instructors are retired military personnel who teach and manage NJROTC programs in schools, upholding military standards and guiding students in military and leadership education.

Recent legal changes have introduced a new pay scale for instructors, determined by position and educational level. Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) integrated this pay scale into the financial system, aligning with the 2025-2026 school year. Instructors employed before this date will not experience a reduction in pay under the JROTC Standardized Pay Scale (JSIPS), as long as they remain employed at the same school.

The JSIPS pay structure is modeled after the GS pay scale, including locality adjustments, although instructors will not be considered government employees. Schools may still offer contracts of 10, 11, or 12 months.

Screening Table for Weight by Height
Instructor Certification Application
Photograph Submission Sheet