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NAVAL RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS HISTORY
Established in 1926, the Naval Reserve Officer Training
Corps (NROTC) is designed to offer selected college students the necessary
Naval Science courses to qualify them for a commission in the United States
Navy Reserve. Initially, NROTC Units were established at six Universities.
Being a great success prior to World War II, the NROTC program was expanded
to additional universities across the United States. The NROTC Unit at the
University of Southern California was founded in 1940 and our “Sister”
Battalion at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) was founded
in 1938.
Midshipmen (a generic term for future Naval and Marine Officers while at
school) were generally young men serving as officer apprentices who were
quartered amidships in sailing vessels. Hence the origin of the word
“Midshipmen.” Today a Midshipman is a young man or woman training to become
an officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps through
the NROTC Scholarship program. He or she has many duties and responsibilities
as a future officer and a student, which must be accomplished with the
highest possible degree of proficiency. These are in keeping with highest
standards of the United States Naval Service and the mission of the NROTC to
create the finest future leaders of not only the Navy but also of America.
One of only a limited number of Consortiums, the USC Trojan Battalion was
joined with the UCLA Bruin Battalion to form what is now the NROTC Unit Los
Angeles Consortium. Both Schools have a proud tradition and heritage, which
has produced some of the finest Naval and Marine Corps Officers to serve our
great nation. Through the portals of the Trojan Battalion has come a
“Congressional Medal of Honor” recipient, an Astronaut, leaders in business
as well as Admirals and Generals.
Uniquely, the cross-town rivalry with UCLA provides some opportunity for
“bragging rites” to the fine city of Los Angeles, but we are one unit with
one common goal and share numerous events together such as the Annual Ball,
field training, and Consortium picnics. Being “Brothers in Arms” we band
together as one and maintain focus on the mission of serving our great Nation
and its way of life.
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