University of Oregon. Dept. of Military Science.

The Department of Military Science was established at the University of Oregon in 1919. The school had sponsored military training through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program before the creation of a Military Science department.

In January 1916, then University of Oregon, (UO) president Prince Lucien Cambell, established a ROTC curriculum led by LTC John Leader, a retired British officer. Over 100 students participated in the first drill in March 1916, led by officers from the Oregon National Guard. By the fall term 1916, ROTC became compulsory for all male freshmen and sophomores. On January 27, 1919, ROTC was officially established at the UO, commanded by Col. William Bowen. ROTC became voluntary in the fall of 1962. The long tradition of ROTC at the UO has produced the highest number of General Officers of all nonmilitary ROTC schools nationwide. A total of 46 flag officers are University of Oregon graduates.

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