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Vaquero Battalion · Vaquero
The Vaquero Battalion commissions U.S. Army officers at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
About this program
Headquartered on the The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus in Edinburg, Vaquero Battalion is the local accession point into the U.S. Army.
Sister-school participation is a real piece of this battalion. Cadets from South Texas College and Texas A&M International University contract through Vaquero Battalion and travel to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 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 Vaquero Battalion. Academically, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 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 Vaquero Battalion by commuting to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Contact & location
Located at: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX 78539-2999
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Vaquero Battalion located?
Vaquero Battalion is hosted at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Vaquero Battalion?
In addition to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, students enrolled at South Texas College and Texas A&M International University can contract through Vaquero 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 Vaquero 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 Vaquero 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 Vaquero 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.
What's the commissioning path through Vaquero Battalion?
Cadets who complete the four-year Army ROTC curriculum and meet medical, fitness, and academic standards commission as officers in the U.S. Army. The battalion reports through U.S. Army Cadet Command.
Can students at other schools join Vaquero Battalion?
Yes — Vaquero Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 2 other institutions, including Texas A&M International University, South Texas College. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Vaquero Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Some scholarships and commissioning options (e.g., nursing, engineering, foreign-language) carry major requirements — confirm with the unit before declaring.
Interested in Vaquero Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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