Aztec Battalion
Hosted at San Diego State University · San Diego, CA
Army ROTC in California runs out of San Diego State University as the Aztec Battalion.
Quick facts
About this program
Aztec Battalion sits inside San Diego State University as the campus's Army ROTC battalion. The mission is straightforward — produce U.S. Army officers — and the cadre run a four-year curriculum to do exactly that.
University of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene University, and California State University San Marcos are the cross-town partner schools feeding Aztec Battalion. All ROTC-side curriculum runs at the host; partner-school students typically attend twice a week and full PT three to five mornings.
Cadets compete for the AROTC 4-Year National Scholarship as high-school seniors and the 3-Year Advanced board on contract. Minuteman seats route Reserve and National Guard contracts, and Green-to-Gold opens the door for prior-enlisted soldiers transitioning to officer. On the academic side, San Diego State University draws cadets into history and the humanities as well as mathematics and applied analytics, and the cadre work directly with academic advising on time-conflict resolution between ROTC and major requirements.
Cross-town partners
| Institution | Relationship | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of San Diego San Diego, CA | cross-town | 8.5 mi | — |
| Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA | cross-town | 11.1 mi | — |
| California State University San Marcos San Marcos, CA | cross-town | 25.1 mi | — |
Scholarships available
Scholarship route obligating service in the Army Reserve or National Guard rather than active duty.
Service obligation: 8 years
Active-duty enlisted soldiers transition to officer via ROTC with several scholarship options (2-year, 3-year, 4-year).
Service obligation: 8 years
On-campus scholarship awarded to enrolled cadets at the start of their MS-II year.
Service obligation: 6 years
High-school senior scholarship covering full tuition + books at most public schools or up to a fixed amount at private schools. Requires a competitive board score, fitness test, and SAT/ACT minimums.
Service obligation: 8 years
Academic programs at San Diego State University
Cadets at Aztec Battalion pursue degrees across San Diego State University's undergraduate catalog. Branch-preferred fields (engineering, foreign language, nursing, computer science) often carry scholarship benefits. See San Diego State University's profile →
Training & summer
Army cadets attend Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox between their MS-III and MS-IV years for Advanced Camp, plus optional CULP overseas, Airborne, and Air Assault schools.
Contact & location
Address: San Diego, CA 92182-0001
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Photos
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Aztec Battalion located?
- Aztec Battalion is hosted at San Diego State University in San Diego, CA 92182-0001.
- Can students at other schools join Aztec Battalion?
- Yes — Aztec Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 3 other institutions, including University of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene University, California State University San Marcos. See the cross-town partners table for distance and enrollment paths.
- Can I commission through Aztec Battalion as any major?
- Army programs accept students from most academic majors at San Diego State University. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
- How do I contact Aztec Battalion?
- See the contact section for current cadre information.
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