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Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) · Patriot
Army ROTC in South Carolina runs out of Francis Marion University as the Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion).
About this program
Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) is the Army ROTC battalion hosted at Francis Marion University in South Carolina. The unit commissions officers into the U.S. Army.
The battalion pulls cadets from Coker University and Florence-Darlington Technical College alongside its host enrollment. Military Science I-IV is taught on-site, and sister-school cadets bus or drive over for class days, PT, and the weekly leadership lab.
Cadets can pursue AROTC 4-Year National or, once on contract, AROTC 3-Year Advanced. Francis Marion University brings academic depth in computer science and cybersecurity, and the unit aligns major selection with branch-board competitiveness.
Scholarships available here
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
Covers full tuition and fees OR room and board (your choice), plus a $420/month stipend (10 months/yr) and $1,200/yr book allowance. Merit-based board score with PT assessment and SAT/ACT. Application opened June 14, 2026; final deadline to start an application is March 4, 2027. Three selection boards (Oct, Jan, Mar). 8-year total service obligation; you can exit after freshman year with no obligation.
Service obligation: 8 years
Cross-town & partner schools served
Students at these schools can commission through Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) by commuting to Francis Marion University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Francis Marion University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Francis Marion University.
Contact & location
Located at: Francis Marion University, Florence, SC 29506
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) located?
Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) is hosted at Francis Marion University in South Carolina. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Francis Marion University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
In addition to Francis Marion University, students enrolled at Coker University and Florence-Darlington Technical College can contract through Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) via cross-town agreements. Cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to the host for ROTC-side coursework.
What scholarships are available through Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
Army ROTC cadets at this battalion compete for AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard), Green-to-Gold (prior-enlisted). National awards apply out of high school; on-campus side-loads kick in once a cadet is enrolled and contracted.
What's the Army ROTC summer training for cadets at Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
After the MS-III year, cadets ship to Cadet Summer Training (Advanced Camp) at Fort Knox for the 31-day capstone evaluation that drives branching and order-of-merit standing.
How big is the corps at Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
Public corps-size figures aren't always published year-to-year; Army ROTC battalions in this size class generally carry between several dozen and a few hundred contracted cadets depending on host enrollment.
What's the commissioning path through Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
Cadets who complete the four-year Army ROTC curriculum and meet medical, fitness, and academic standards commission as officers in the U.S. Army. The battalion reports through U.S. Army Cadet Command.
Can students at other schools join Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
Yes — Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) accepts cross-town and partner students from 2 other institutions, including Florence-Darlington Technical College, Coker University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion) as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Francis Marion University. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
Interested in Patriot Battalion (Francis Marion)?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any branch of the U.S. military.