Teaching The Leaders Of Tomorrow

From 1947 to present, the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of California at Santa Barbara has provided the nation with highly motivated lieutenants trained to lead and command.  In 1991, UCSB was selected as the best ROTC program in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and western Texas.  In 2003 the US Army Cadet Command placed UCSB in the top third of all 272 programs.   In January 2005, the Surfrider Battalion was selected as the top small school in the 14th ROTC Brigade, which encompasses 23 schools in four states;  it later was recognized as among the top fifteen percent of all 272 schools in the US Army Cadet Command.  The legacy of the proud Surfrider Battalion continues to prosper at UCSB.

A detachment of the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) was established in 1947 on what was then the Santa Barbara College of the University of California.  The College and ROTC, located on the Riviera above the City of Santa Barbara, moved to its  present location in 1953 into what was previously a Marine Corps Air Station.  The College reached "General Campus" status in 1958 and was renamed the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB).  The University grew in size during the 1960s from about 2,400 to over 12,000 students.

The Army ROTC program is only as strong as its instructors. That's why we provide highly qualified faculty and staff for Cadets.

Here's where you can learn about the ROTC experience from motivated students just like you. Read more...