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Air Force ROTC at University of Southern Mississippi

Yes — University of Southern Mississippi hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi. Students from 3 partner schools also join it cross-town.

Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi · Golden Eagles · 432

AFROTC in Hattiesburg, MS runs out of University of Southern Mississippi as the Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi.

Detachment 432 University of Southern…
Founded1972
FY2012: 10 officers commissioned2012: 40 cadets enrolledSource: GAO, GAO-14-93 (published 2013). Later years are not public.

About this program

Operating out of University of Southern Mississippi, Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi commissions cadets into the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force under Air Force ROTC (Holm Center). Cadre and cadets commonly identify by the unit's nickname — the Golden Eagles. The program traces its lineage on this campus to 1972.

Cadets from William Carey University, Pearl River Community College, and Jones County Junior College cross-enroll into Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi on a typical once-per-week schedule, with leadership labs, PT, and Military Science classes held on the University of Southern Mississippi campus. AFROTC General Military Course (GMC) and Professional Officer Course (POC) blocks both flow through the host detachment, with consortium shuttles or carpools handling the commute.

Funding paths into this detachment include AFROTC HSSP Type 1 (full tuition) and AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap), with AFROTC HSSP Type 7 (in-state) also available. University of Southern Mississippi's academic strengths in nursing and health professions and mathematics and applied analytics give contracted cadets flexible major options on either side of the technical/non-technical line.

Scholarships at this unit

AFROTC HSSP Type 2 ($18k cap)

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

AFROTC In-College Scholarship Program

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

AFROTC HSSP Type 4 ($36k cap)

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

AFROTC HSSP Type 1 (Full Tuition)

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 432 University of Southern Mississippi. They travel to University of Southern Mississippi for training.

Cross-town · 2.8 mi
William Carey University

Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at University of Southern Mississippi.

Cross-town · 35.6 mi
Pearl River Community College

Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at University of Southern Mississippi.

Contact this unit

ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.

We do not have an email address for this unit.

Use the phone number or official site below if we have one. If not, look for the Air Force ROTC program on the University of Southern Mississippi website. If you know the unit's email, tell us and we will add it.

Location: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001

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Air Force ROTC FAQ

Does University of Southern Mississippi have Air Force ROTC?

Yes — University of Southern Mississippi hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi. Students from 3 partner schools also join it cross-town.

Is Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi a host unit or cross-town?

Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi is the host unit, based at University of Southern Mississippi. Students at 3 partner schools join it cross-town and train at University of Southern Mississippi.

Where is Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi located?

Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi is hosted at University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The detachment's training events, classes, and PT all run on the University of Southern Mississippi campus.

Which colleges and universities can attend Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi?

In addition to University of Southern Mississippi, students enrolled at William Carey University, Pearl River Community College, and Jones County Junior College can contract through Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi 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 432 University of Southern Mississippi?

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 432 University of Southern Mississippi?

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.

Can students at other schools join Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi?

Yes. Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi takes cross-town and partner students from 3 other schools, including William Carey University, Pearl River Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. See the cross-town section above for distances and how to enroll.

Can I commission through Detachment 432 University of Southern Mississippi as any major?

Air Force programs take students from most majors at University of Southern Mississippi. Some scholarships and commissioning options require a specific major, such as nursing, engineering, or a foreign language. Ask the unit before you declare a major.

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