Army ROTC

By Col. Jamie Cogbill, Virginia Tech Army ROTC Professor of Military Science

Partnership Excellence

On Sept. 20, 2023, the commanding general of U.S. Army Cadet Command, Maj. Gen. Andy Munera, acting on behalf of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, presented the New River Battalion with the 2021-2022 Department of Defense (DoD) ROTC and Educational Institution Partnership Excellence Award. This award recognizes the top ROTC unit and host educational institution from each military department (Army, Navy, Air Force) based on accomplishments in three broad categories: performance, educational institution support, and other noteworthy achievements.  

Four days after receiving the award at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Virginia Tech Professor of Military Science Col. Jamie Cogbill, traveled back to Virginia to meet the New River Battalion actively training in the field during their fall field training exercise (FTX). At the conclusion of the FTX, during the normal end-of-event awards ceremony, Col. Cogbill unveiled the award for the 500 assembled cadets. Jubilation and general pandemonium ensued.

The New River Battalion originally submitted its nomination packet for the award in December of 2022, basing the award on an extraordinary record of accomplishments in the previous year, which included netting the most proceeds in the country at the cadet-organized “Ruck for Life” in November 2021, a first-place finish over 60 ROTC teams at the Army Ten-Miler race in October 2022, and having four cadets in the top 25 of the national order of merit list, the only program to boast more than one!

Also especially notable in Virginia Tech’s award write up was the outstanding support from the Corps and university, especially the over $100 million invested into the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building and Upper Quad Hall North residence hall. The commendation from the Secretary of Defense noted the strong support provided in the form of Emerging Leader Scholarships to over two-thirds of incoming first-year cadets.

In February 2024, the 1st Brigade of U.S. Army Cadet Command, which comprises all the Army’s senior military colleges and military junior colleges, announced that once again, the New River Battalion would represent the brigade in the national competition. As such, Virginia Tech and Radford Army ROTC was named for the second year in a row as the top military college in the nation and the recipient of the General Doulas C. MacArthur Award for 2023.

In 2023, the New River Battalion’s accomplishments included the following: having 7 cadets in the top 100 of the national order of merit list (the only SMC to have more than two), producing the #6 cadet in the nation (now 2nd Lt. Garrett Lyons), boasting an exceptional record of success at Cadet Summer Training 2023, and accomplishing 117% of our commission mission by commissioning 105 officers of character. The strong partnership with the Corps continued with the opening of our beautiful new headquarters, in which the commandant hosted the 2023 Senior Military College Conference.

Regardless of the outcome of the 2022-2023 DoD award competition, the New River Battalion is proud of its record of accomplishments in strong partnership with the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. We remain firmly committed to developing the future leaders of our Army by cultivating character, a commitment to service, and a winning mentality.