More Than 75 Years of Excellence
The Department of Military Science was established at what is now South Carolina State University during 1947-48.
The first graduating class in 1949 consisted of six cadets. Five received regular Army commissions, and one received a reserve commission in the Infantry. Since the establishment of ROTC at SC State, over 2000 students have received commissions in the Armed Forces.
The Army ROTC Program was initially branch material, producing only Infantry officers. The program was supplanted in 1954 by the General Military Science Program, enabling graduating cadets to select the branch of the Army in which they were most interested and qualified. From 1947-1968, enrollment in the ROTC Program was mandatory for able-bodied freshman and sophomore men.
A cross-enrollment program was initiated in 1968 to permit students from other local institutions without an ROTC program to receive training at SC State and remain at the institution of their choice. To date, South Carolina State University has a cross-enrollment agreement with Claflin University, Voorhees College, Denmark Technical College, and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
During 1972-73, the Department of the Army initiated a five-year program of enrolling women in ROTC. SC State was one of 10 institutions selected nationwide to participate in this program. The first women graduated in 1976, and since then, South Carolina State University has commissioned over 300 women.
South Carolina State's graduates move on to become highly decorated officers. The Bulldog Battalion averages approximately 150 cadets and is still recognized as one of the largest producers of minority officers for the U.S. Army.
General Officers
Twenty-one SC State graduates and one Claflin University graduate have achieved the rank of General Officer, with seventeen of them commissioned through the Army ROTC Program. They are:
- Retired Brig. Gen. George B. Price, ’51.
- Retired Brig. Gen. Amos M. Gailliard, ’51 (U.S. Army National Guard).
- Retired Maj. Gen. James R. Klugh, ’53.
- Lt. Gen. Henry Doctor Jr. (deceased) ’54.
- Retired Maj. Gen. Arnold Fields, ’68, (U.S. Marine Corps).
- Retired Maj. Gen. George F. Bowman, ’69, (U.S. Army National Guard).
- Retired Brig. Gen. Julius J. Lawton, ’69, (U.S. Army National Guard).
- Retired Maj. Gen. Clifford L. Stanley, ’69, (U.S. Marine Corps).
- Retired Maj. Gen. Harold L. Mitchell, ’72 (U.S. Air Force).
- Retired Maj. Gen. Larry Knightner ’72 (U.S. Army Reserve).
- Retired Brig. Gen. Nolen V. Bivens, ’76.
- Brig. Gen. Frederick J. Johnson, (deceased) ’76.
- Retired Maj. Gen. Abraham J. Turner, ’76.
- Retired Lt. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty, ’85.
- Retired Rear Admiral John W. Smith Jr. ’80 (U.S. Navy).
- Retired Lt. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, ’86.
- Retired Brig. Gen. Norman Green, ’85.
- Retired Brig. Gen. Richard B. Dix, ’87.
- Retired Brig. Gen. Kenneth D. Hubbard, ’86.
- Retired Brig. Gen. Twanda Young, Claflin ’88.
- Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., ’90.
- Brig. Gen. David Jenkins, ’90.