Army ROTC at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) · Saluki
Saluki is the Army ROTC battalion at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Illinois.
About this program
Headquartered on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus in Carbondale, Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) is the local accession point into the U.S. Army.
Sister-school participation is a real piece of this battalion. Cadets from Shawnee Community College, John A. Logan College, and Southeast Missouri State University contract through Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) and travel to Southern Illinois University Carbondale for the military-side requirements while keeping their core degree at the partner.
On the scholarship side: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard) are all live channels at Saluki Battalion (Carbondale). Academically, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is well-regarded for international affairs and language study — a track that pairs well with ROTC's emphasis on technical and leadership majors.
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 Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) by commuting to Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Contact & location
Located at: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901-4512
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) located?
Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) is hosted at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Carbondale, Illinois. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
In addition to Southern Illinois University Carbondale, students enrolled at Shawnee Community College, John A. Logan College, and Southeast Missouri State University can contract through Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) 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 Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
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 Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
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 Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
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 Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
Yes — Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) accepts cross-town and partner students from 3 other institutions, including John A. Logan College, Shawnee Community College, Southeast Missouri State University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Saluki Battalion (Carbondale) as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
How do I contact Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Saluki Battalion (Carbondale)?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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