Air Force/Space Force ROTCVerifiedDrill TeamColor GuardAir Force ROTC at Mississippi State University
Yes — Mississippi State University hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 425 Mississippi State University. Students from 2 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Detachment 425 Mississippi State University · Bears · 425
AFROTC at Mississippi State University commissions officers alongside Mississippi University for Women cross-town students.
About this program
Air Force ROTC Detachment 425 has been part of Mississippi State University for roughly 75 years, a long-standing program at the land-grant institution that trains cadets to commission as officers in the U.S. Air Force and Space Force.
The detachment is home to active service organizations that have earned national recognition: its Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings chapters received the Ciccoli Joint Operations Award for excellence in community service at CHEESECON, the organizations' national conclave.
Cadets also pursue standout summer opportunities. In 2024, for example, one cadet served as a Cadet Training Assistant at the U.S. Air Force Academy Prep School's Basic Military Training, working alongside senior NCOs to build leadership and training-management skills — a firsthand look at Academy life that sets the experience apart.
Scholarships at this unit
Tuition + fees capped at $18,000/yr, plus $900/yr textbook allowance and monthly stipend ($300-$500); may convert to a housing scholarship (up to $10,000/yr). AY27-28 minimums: SAT 1310 / ACT 28 / CLT 93, GPA 3.3. Window: July 1 - December 11, 2026. Award type is fixed at selection - no upgrades.
Service obligation: 4 years
In-College Scholarship Program for freshmen/sophomores already enrolled in AFROTC. Merit-based with fall and spring selection phases; same capped/uncapped structure as HSSP plus the $10,000/yr housing conversion. The General Charles McGee Leadership Award (CMLA) covers non-scholarship cadets who receive an enrollment allocation.
Service obligation: 4 years
Tuition + fees capped at $36,000/yr, plus $900/yr textbook allowance and monthly stipend ($300-$500); may convert to a housing scholarship (up to $10,000/yr). Type 4 replaced the old in-state Type 7 award in the current HSSP structure. AY27-28 minimums: SAT 1310 / ACT 28 / CLT 93, GPA 3.3. Window: July 1 - December 11, 2026.
Service obligation: 4 years
Full tuition with no cap + $900/yr textbook allowance + monthly stipend ($300 freshman to $500 senior); may convert to a housing scholarship (up to $10,000/yr). Most competitive tier. AY27-28 minimums: SAT 1310 / ACT 28 / CLT 93, unweighted GPA 3.3, single test sitting. Window: July 1 - December 11, 2026; two boards (Oct 2026, Mar 2027). 4-year active-duty obligation (longer for rated career fields).
Service obligation: 4 years
Cross-town and partner schools
Students at these schools can join Detachment 425 Mississippi State University. They travel to Mississippi State University for training.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Mississippi State University.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Mississippi State University.
Contact this unit
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Detachment 425 Mississippi State University, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.
Unit email
afrotc@afrotc.msstate.eduThis is the address Detachment 425 Mississippi State University publishes. You can email the unit directly. Or use the form below, and we will forward your message to that same address.
Phone: 662-325-3810
Official site: https://afrotc.msstate.edu
Location: Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762
Air Force ROTC FAQ
Does Mississippi State University have Air Force ROTC?
Yes — Mississippi State University hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 425 Mississippi State University. Students from 2 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Is Detachment 425 Mississippi State University a host unit or cross-town?
Detachment 425 Mississippi State University is the host unit, based at Mississippi State University. Students at 2 partner schools join it cross-town and train at Mississippi State University.
Where is Detachment 425 Mississippi State University located?
Detachment 425 Mississippi State University is hosted at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. The detachment's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Mississippi State University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Detachment 425 Mississippi State University?
In addition to Mississippi State University, students enrolled at Mississippi University for Women and East Mississippi Community College can contract through Detachment 425 Mississippi State University 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 Detachment 425 Mississippi State University?
AFROTC cadets at this detachment compete for AFROTC HSSP Type 1 (full tuition), AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap), AFROTC HSSP Type 7 (in-state), ICSP (in-college). National awards apply out of high school; on-campus side-loads kick in once a cadet is enrolled and contracted.
What's the AFROTC summer training for cadets at Detachment 425 Mississippi State University?
Between sophomore and junior year, cadets compete for slots at AFROTC Field Training at Maxwell AFB — the gate that converts a GMC cadet into a POC contracted cadet.
How big is the corps at Detachment 425 Mississippi State University?
Public corps-size figures aren't always published year-to-year; AFROTC detachments in this size class generally carry between several dozen and a few hundred contracted cadets depending on host enrollment.
Has Mississippi State's Air Force ROTC been recognized nationally?
Yes. Its Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings chapters received the Ciccoli Joint Operations Award for community service at CHEESECON, the organizations' national conclave.
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