ROTC’s Beginning

The Beginning of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps

On June 30, 1919, in response to the National Defense Act of 1916, UGA’s Department of Military Science and Tactics transitioned into the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), making the first two years compulsory and the last two elective for selected students. While freshmen and sophomores no longer received stipends, upperclassmen received uniforms and rations amounting to approximately $370.

A Cavalry Unit was organized on October 8, 1919, and remained active until World War II. UGA was one of the few universities in the US offering cavalry training. During the late 1920s, Cavalry ROTC students had the opportunity to join the trick riding squad, the Monkey Drill Team. For many years, the team performed at horse shows and fairs as well as exhibitions on campus. In 1928, the commandant of ROTC installed a Polo Team which also consisted of students from the Cavalry Unit. The Polo Team competed against other military teams at military installations across the southeast.

In 1924 UGA was placed on the War Department’s list of distinguished colleges for the quality of military training offered at the school.  The current Military Building was built in 1931 to support Army ROTC.  By 1932, any student wanting to participate in the two-year advanced course had to apply for acceptance. The number allowed to participate was based on an allotment determined by the War Department. During the summers, Infantry students in the advanced course trained at Ft. McClellan, AL, while advanced cavalry students trained at Ft. Oglethorpe, TN.

At the start of World War II, the Cavalry Corps was disbanded as mechanized warfare took precedence. In 1944, at the War Department’s request, UGA combined its Infantry and Cavalry ROTC units into a single basic training program. Due to a shortage of officers, advanced ROTC students supervised and drilled basic units. A total of 8,863 UGA graduates served in the armed forces during World War II.

The Department of Military Science and Tactics was renamed General Military Science in September 1956. The ROTC Vitalization Act of 1964 reinforced ROTC’s role in commissioning active-duty officers, offering scholarships and stipends to qualified cadets. By 1972 women were allowed to fully participate in the ROTC program and commission as lieutenants after graduation.

Beginning in 2014, all collective ROTC summer training was consolidated at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Hands-on training opportunities expanded, allowing cadets to participate in internships and global military immersions to enhance cultural awareness.

Since World War II, UGA Army ROTC cadets have played a significant role in military conflicts. These commissioned officers have led troops during the Korean War (1950-1953), Vietnam War (1955-1975), Gulf War (1990-1991), and the wars in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and Iraq (2003-2011). Their contributions have been vital to maintaining the effectiveness and readiness of the US Army, shaping the leadership of the armed forces in conflict spanning the Cold War era to modern global engagements.

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