Hampton Roads Chapter of the Rocks Inc.

The ROCKS, Inc. is a tax-exempt non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) comprised of ROTC and Military Academy Cadets, active duty, reserve component, commissioned officers and active duty or reserve component warrant officers and Department of Defense GS12 and above civilians. The organization was formed to provide mentorship, professional development and social interaction to strengthen the officer corps. In addition to the R.C. Cartwright Scholarship Fund, the "Leadership Outreach" program provides the opportunity for teams consisting of ROCK members to visit Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to provide professional career development guidance to ROTC students.

In 1974, The ROCKS, INC. began as a metropolitan Washington, DC organization with one chapter. Since then, The ROCKS, Inc. has steadily grown to a membership of over 1150 members in ~15 chapters and interest groups established worldwide. The organization has positioned itself as an essential leader in providing developmental guidance to members of the Army officer corps and ROTC cadets. Simultaneously, the ROCKS is providing information and processes to assist members transitioning into the civilian sector ROCKS is not an acronym, the Organization is named for one of its founding members. BG Roscoe “Rock” Cartwright who tragically lost his life in an airplane crash about a month before the organization was officially formed.

The mission of the HAMPTON ROADS CHAPTER OF THE ROCKS, INC. is to "Strengthen Department of the Army officers and civilians by providing and promoting mentorship, professional leader development, diversity, scholarship and networking" . 

The Hampton Roads Chapter of the ROCKS, Inc. was formed in 2001. Two of our annual activities are providing scholarships for graduating JROTC Cadets and providing Outstanding Student Awards to JROTC cadets. This year we will be awarding multiple $1000 scholarships to cadets who will be enrolling in senior ROTC programs and who have expressed a desire to serve as officers in the military. We will also be presenting numerous Outstanding Student Awards to JROTC cadets nominated by their Senior Military Instructors.