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Jackrabbit Battalion · Jackrabbit
Jackrabbit Battalion trains cadets at South Dakota State University for service in the U.S. Army.
About this program
Run by cadre at South Dakota State University, Jackrabbit Battalion is the Army ROTC battalion for Brookings and surrounding South Dakota. Cadets and alumni use the unit's nickname, the Jackrabbit, on guidons and class shirts.
Cross-town agreements bring Dakota State University and Lake Area Technical Institute into the battalion's footprint. Most cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to South Dakota State 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 computer science and cybersecurity, 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 Jackrabbit Battalion by commuting to South Dakota State University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at South Dakota State University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at South Dakota State University.
Contact & location
Located at: South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007-1898
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Jackrabbit Battalion located?
Jackrabbit Battalion is hosted at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the South Dakota State University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Jackrabbit Battalion?
In addition to South Dakota State University, students enrolled at Dakota State University and Lake Area Technical Institute can contract through Jackrabbit Battalion 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 Jackrabbit Battalion?
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 Jackrabbit Battalion?
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 Jackrabbit Battalion?
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.
Can students at other schools join Jackrabbit Battalion?
Yes — Jackrabbit Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 2 other institutions, including Dakota State University, Lake Area Technical Institute. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Jackrabbit Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at South Dakota 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 Jackrabbit Battalion?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Jackrabbit Battalion?
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.