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Volunteer Battalion · Volunteer
Army ROTC in Knoxville, TN runs out of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville as the Volunteer Battalion.
About this program
Volunteer Battalion is the Army ROTC battalion hosted at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in Knoxville, Tennessee. The unit commissions officers into the U.S. Army.
The battalion pulls cadets from Maryville College, Tusculum University, Carson-Newman University, and Pellissippi State Community College alongside its host enrollment. Military Science I-IV is taught on-site, and sister-school cadets bus or drive over for class days, PT, and the weekly leadership lab.
Cadets can pursue AROTC 4-Year National or, once on contract, AROTC 3-Year Advanced. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville brings academic depth in computer science and cybersecurity, and the unit aligns major selection with branch-board competitiveness.
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 Volunteer Battalion by commuting to The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Contact & location
Located at: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Volunteer Battalion located?
Volunteer Battalion is hosted at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in Knoxville, Tennessee. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the The University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Volunteer Battalion?
In addition to The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, students enrolled at Maryville College, Tusculum University, Carson-Newman University, Pellissippi State Community College, and Tennessee Wesleyan University can contract through Volunteer 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 Volunteer 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 Volunteer 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.
Can students at other schools join Volunteer Battalion?
Yes — Volunteer Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 5 other institutions, including Pellissippi State Community College, Maryville College, Carson-Newman University, Tennessee Wesleyan University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Volunteer Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
How do I contact Volunteer Battalion?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Volunteer 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.