OVERVIEW OF THE INSTITUTION

The cadets at CFOT are richly diverse in age, socioeconomic background, previous educational experiences, and culture. All instruction at CFOT is given in English. A robust English Language Development program provides support, including English Intensives, to cadets whose English proficiency scores indicate the need for additional English support.

One of the unique features of CFOT is that married cadets must complete the training program along with his/her spouse, because an officer in The Salvation Army can only be married to an officer. Thus married couples take the same courses and are graduated, ordained and commissioned together; and each individual then serves with equal rights and privileges.

With rare exception, the training program at CFOT is fully residential. Cadets are required to sell their homes, furniture, and cars (as these are provided as part of an officer’s compensation) and live on campus, with their spouses and school-aged children. Cadets are provided with a fully furnished apartment (which includes washer/dryers, refrigerator, and dishwasher).

Quality family care is also an integral part of the residential training program. A specially designed Family Care Center built in 1988 now complements these services, which are provided to the children of cadets and CFOT officer staff. 

Because CFOT is a wholly owned proprietary institution of The Salvation Army, some of the functions normally associated with a college are assumed by other corporate offices of The Salvation Army. The Training Principal, Assistant Training Principal, and Director of Personnel serve on the Territorial Candidates Council and provide input into the process of accepting candidates for training. Once a candidate is accepted as a cadet, full responsibility for the cadet's training rests upon CFOT staff. 

CFOT is privately endowed and funded, receiving no tax moneys of support. 

Further Information: A Brief History of CFOT (College Catalog)

COMMITMENT TO STUDENT LIFE

The mission of the Personnel (Cadet Services) Department is to mentor, minister and model wholeness within the CFOT community in order to prepare cadets to become blood and fire officers, ready to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. This vital unit within the College is responsible for:

• promoting spiritual direction, development, and spiritual leadership,
• facilitating the development of knowledge and skills needed for Christian service,
• modeling accountability in administrative operations and management, and
• providing a comprehensive range of student services, including pastoral care, counseling, childcare, residential housing, nutrition and food services, and financial aid for cadets.

The staff in this area are skilled in working with cadets and their families and providing regular advising regarding decision-making and Council participation, grievances, disciplinary proceedings, cadet conduct in terms of dress standards, use of scheduled and unscheduled time, attendance, chapel, campus relationships, health, pastoral care, counseling and mental health, cadet councils, activity centers, the cadet wellness program, the fitness center, cadet finances including loans and scholarships, safety, security, emergencies, food services, family care, and teen programs.

The Personnel Department staff are committed to cadet assessment and outcomes in the College academic and co-curricular programs and have been so engaged over an extended period of time.  The staff has high respect among cadets for their authenticity and integrity as well as confidentiality, availability and general support for cadets and their families. The development of officers of good character and the nurturing of Christian compassion and ministry are core goals of the institution. To that end, the staff in modeling for cadets, play an essential role in the broader and more specific areas of cadet education and training.

ADMISSIONS

A cadet attends the College for Officer Training with the sole aim of becoming a full-time minister within The Salvation Army.  As such, recruitment is restricted to those, residing in the 13 western States, who feel called by God to become a Salvation Army officer. The primary responsibility for recruitment, therefore, rests with the individual’s Corps Officers (pastors). The administrative process is supported, initially, by the Divisional Candidates and Recruitment Secretary and ultimately by the Territorial Candidates and Recruitment Secretary at Territorial Headquarters. Admission to the College is granted by the Territorial Candidates Council.

Further Information: Admissions Website