Historical

In accordance with the Morrill Act (Land-Grant) passed in 1862 and by the approval of the Secretary of the Army on November 22, 1967, a Senior Division of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) was established at this institution, effective September 1968.

Upon the shoulders of Lieutenant Colonel A.B. Battiste fell the responsibility for the organization and development of this program. Under his supervision, we saw both an advanced and a basic corps grow during the first semester.

We witnessed crack performance of the first Military Drill Team. At homecoming, we saw a massive parade of some 500 Cadets march in the downtown parade. The men of A. M. & N. Cadet Corp took this year to lay the foundation for a program that promises to install pride, confidence, individual character, and attributes essential to an officer and a leader.

The primary objective of the Department is to produce Junior Officers, who by their education, maturity and inherent qualities exhibit a capacity for leadership in the Army. Instructions cover fundamentals common to all branches of the service.