MEDIA ADVISORY
New program for community and technical college students to strengthen military and public service workforce pipeline
WHAT:
Ivy Tech Community College’s Sellersburg campus will host a signing ceremony to mark the launch of a new partnership with the U.S. Army and the Indiana National Guard that establishes the first-ever Enlisted Training Corps (ETC) unit in the United States.
Authorized by the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, the ETC is a credit-bearing, pre-enlistment program modeled after the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) but focused on enlisted service. Through a combination of academic coursework and hands-on training, students develop the skills and readiness needed for roles as soldiers, technicians and specialists in active duty, the Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. Ivy Tech is the first two-year institution in the United States to offer the ETC.
WHO:
- Lt. Gen. Johnny Davis, Commanding General, U.S. Army Recruiting Command
- Brig. Gen. Larry Muennich, Adjutant General, Indiana National Guard
- Dr. Marty Pollio, President, Ivy Tech Community College
WHEN:
Monday, August 12, 2025 Program begins at 2:30 p.m. ET
WHERE:
Ivy Tech Community College – Sellersburg Ogle Hall Community Room (Room 181) 8204 Hwy 311, Sellersburg, IN 47172
WHY:
About half of all young people admit they know little to nothing about military service, according to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. This low awareness, coupled with declining eligibility and increased competition from the civilian workforce, poses significant recruiting challenges to all military branches. The ETC initiative aims to reverse these trends by embedding military preparation within educational institutions – offering a more accessible, career-aligned entry point into service.
MEDIA RSVP & CONTACT:
Tyiana Thompson, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Marketing, Ivy Tech Community College Sellersburg tthompson297@ivytech.edu, 812-246-3301 ext 4287
