UW-L’s ROTC program to continue

Program secured U.S. Army approval

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — UW-La Crosse’s ROTC Eagle Battalion Reserve Officers’ Training will continue.

The news came in a letter dated July 30 from the U.S. Army Cadet Command to UW-L Chancellor Joe Gow.

“This is an incredibly good letter to receive- especially after what we went through last year,” Lt. Col. James Hill, ROTC Eagle Battalion commander said in a statement.

In October 2013, the U.S. Army notified UW-L that its ROTC program was being considered for closure due to budget issues. About a month later, UW-L received word that it was being put on a two-year probation, along with 12 other programs while the Army created a set of metrics to evaluate ROTC programs across the country.

UW-L said its ROTC program has a three-year average of commissioning 15.3 ROTC officers into the U.S. Army a year. The minimum commission average is 15 officers a year nationally.

The letter from the U.S. Army Cadet Command also notes that 22.9 percent of UW-L’s ROTC program graduates have degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. This percentage exceeds the ROTC national average of 16.1 percent.

Represntative Ron Kind and U.S. Sentators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin sent a letter to the Secretary of the Army expressing support for UW-L’s ROTC program when it was considered for closure last year.

Rep. Kind released the following statement:

“This is terrific news for UW-L and its ROTC cadets. UW-L’s program is meeting and exceeding the metrics put in place last year as part of a national evaluation of ROTC programs, with particular success in producing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates who will bring cutting-edge skills and knowledge to the U.S Army.

“I commend every student who pursues a career in our military while attending college, and I look forward to continued success for this program for years to come.”

The program will be re-evaluated annually with the next evaluation set for June 2015.