JOHNSON CITY – In early May, 11 cadets at East Tennessee State University received their commission as second lieutenants. Hailing from across the Southeast, these recent ETSU graduates joined a proud tradition – one that has been happening on campus for 70 years.
This year marks seven decades since what was then East Tennessee State College held its first commissioning ceremony in 1953.
“As we consider the past 70 years, ETSU’s Army ROTC program has not just been a source of outstanding officers for the United States military,” said Lt. Col. Kent Monas, a professor of military science at ETSU. “The program has also been a successful academic department, housed within the College of Business and Technology, and an excellent contributor to ETSU and the region.”
The story of the university’s ROTC program is one of achievement and, especially early on, considerable perseverance.
The United States established the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps through the National Defense Act in 1916. The goal: train men on college campuses for commissioning into the military. But for East Tennessee College, and many other programs throughout the country, the task was not easy.
In 1950, then-college president Dr. Burgin Dossett received an invitation to an ROTC conference at Georgia Tech. The start of the Korean War nixed the conference, but Dossett pushed hard to see a program established in Johnson City.
The path wasn’t easy, and East Tennessee College faced rejection early on. Finally, an application was accepted, and the U.S. Army assigned a unit to the school on May 12, 1952. The program became mandatory for all physically qualified male freshmen, and, a year later, the college held its first commissioning ceremony.
Over the decades, ETSU has produced scores of men and women who have seen combat. A total of 11 graduates became generals in the Army, and 10 gave their lives in active duty, nine in Vietnam and one in Desert Storm.
Since 1953, the ROTC unit has commissioned more than 1,500 second lieutenants.
“Today’s battalion cadets continue to train and prepare for challenging careers in the service of our nation, while the skills they develop in ROTC allow our alumni to be successful as Army officers and civilian leaders,” said Monas. “Building on a strong tradition of excellence and continued growth in cadet numbers, the future looks bright for ETSU Army ROTC.”