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Bear Battalion (Mercer) · Bear
Bear Battalion (Mercer) trains cadets at Mercer University for service in the U.S. Army.
About this program
Run by cadre at Mercer University, Bear Battalion (Mercer) is the Army ROTC battalion for Macon and surrounding Georgia. Cadets and alumni use the unit's nickname, the Bear, on guidons and class shirts.
Cross-town agreements bring Wesleyan College, Middle Georgia State University, Fort Valley State University, and Central Georgia Technical College into the battalion's footprint. Most cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to Mercer University for ROTC class and lab.
The battalion runs all standard Army ROTC scholarship channels: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard). Major-wise, cadets here cluster around engineering and physical sciences and nursing and health professions, with cadre encouraging technical degrees where the cadet's career interests fit.
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 Bear Battalion (Mercer) by commuting to Mercer University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Mercer University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Mercer University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Mercer University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Mercer University.
Contact & location
Located at: Mercer University, Macon, GA 31207
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Bear Battalion (Mercer) located?
Bear Battalion (Mercer) is hosted at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Mercer University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Bear Battalion (Mercer)?
In addition to Mercer University, students enrolled at Wesleyan College, Middle Georgia State University, Fort Valley State University, and Central Georgia Technical College can contract through Bear Battalion (Mercer) 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 Bear Battalion (Mercer)?
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 Bear Battalion (Mercer)?
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.
Can students at other schools join Bear Battalion (Mercer)?
Yes — Bear Battalion (Mercer) accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Wesleyan College, Middle Georgia State University, Central Georgia Technical College, Fort Valley State University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Bear Battalion (Mercer) as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Mercer 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 Bear Battalion (Mercer)?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Bear Battalion (Mercer)?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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