Teaching The Leaders Of Tomorrow

The Department of Military Science was established at South Carolina State University (formally South Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical College) during School Year 1947-48.  The first graduating class in 1949 consisted of six cadets; five received Regular Army Commissions and one a Reserve Commission.

The ROTC program was initially branch material, producing only Infantry officers. The program was supplanted in 1954 by the General Military Science Program enabling graduating cadets to select the branch of the Army in which they were most interested and qualified.  From 1947 until 1968, enrollment in the ROTC program was mandatory for all physically qualified freshman and sophomore male students.  A cross-enrollment program was initiated in 1968 to permit students from other local institutions, which do not have an Army ROTC program, to receive training at South Carolina State University without transferring from the institution of their choice.  To date, South Carolina State University has a cross-enrollment agreement with Claflin University, Voorhees College, Denmark Technical College, and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.

During school year 1972-73, the Department of the Army initiated, on a trial basis, a five-year program of enrolling women into the ROTC program.  South Carolina State University was one of the ten institutions selected nationwide to participate in this program.  The first female cadets graduated in 1976.  The Bulldog Battalion, averages approximately 100 cadets, continues to be recognized as one of the largest producer of minority officers for the Army.

MORE THAN A  HALF CENTURY OF HONOR

The Department of Military Science was established at South Carolina State University (formally South Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical College) during School Year 1947-48.  The first graduating class in 1949 consisted of six cadets; five received Regular Army Commissions and one a Reserve Commission.  Since the establishment of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at South Carolina State University, 1,991 students have received commissions in the Armed Forces as of September 2006.

The ROTC program was initially branch material, producing only Infantry officers. The program was supplanted in 1954 by the General Military Science Program enabling graduating cadets to select the branch of the Army in which they were most interested and qualified.  From 1947 until 1968, enrollment in the ROTC program was mandatory for all physically qualified freshman and sophomore male students.  A cross-enrollment program was initiated in 1968 to permit students from other local institutions, which do not have an Army ROTC program, to receive training at South Carolina State University without transferring from the institution of their choice.  To date, South Carolina State University has a cross-enrollment agreement with Claflin University, Voorhees College, Denmark Technical College, and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.

During school year 1972-73, the Department of the Army initiated, on a trial basis, a five-year program of enrolling women into the ROTC program.  South Carolina State University was one of the ten institutions selected nationwide to participate in this program.  The first female cadets graduated in 1976.  Since the enrollment of females, South Carolina State University has commissioned 253 females.

As of this date, ten South Carolina State University Army ROTC graduates have achieved the rank of General Officer: Brigadier General (Retired) George B. Price, ‘51; Major General (Retired) James R. Klugh, ‘53; Lieutenant General (Retired) Henry Doctor, Jr. ‘54; and Major General George F. Bowman, ‘69; (United States Army Reserves); Brigadier General Harold L. Mitchell, ‘72 (United States Marine Corps); Major General Larry Knightner, ‘72 (United States Army Reserves); Major General Abraham J. Turner, ’76; Major General V. Nolen Bivens, ’76; and Brigadier General Frederick J. Johnson, ‘76.  Also, Brigadier General Amos M. Gailliard began his distinguished military career at South Carolina State University Army ROTC program, ‘51; (United States Army National Guard).

The Bulldog Battalion, averages approximately 100 cadets, continues to be recognized as one of the largest producer of minority officers for the Army.