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Ram Battalion · Ram
Ram Battalion draws cadets from Virginia Commonwealth University and surrounding Virginia campuses.
About this program
Operating out of Virginia Commonwealth University, Ram Battalion commissions cadets into the U.S. Army under U.S. Army Cadet Command. Cadre and cadets commonly identify by the unit's nickname — the Ram.
Cadets from University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, and Virginia State University cross-enroll into Ram Battalion on a typical once-per-week schedule, with leadership labs, PT, and Military Science classes held on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.
Funding paths into this battalion include AROTC 4-Year National and AROTC 3-Year Advanced, with Minuteman (Reserve/Guard) also available. Virginia Commonwealth University's academic strengths in nursing and health professions and business and political science give contracted cadets flexible major options on either side of the technical/non-technical line.
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 Ram Battalion by commuting to Virginia Commonwealth University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Contact & location
Located at: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284-2512
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Ram Battalion located?
Ram Battalion is hosted at Virginia Commonwealth University in Virginia. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Ram Battalion?
In addition to Virginia Commonwealth University, students enrolled at University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, and Virginia State University can contract through Ram 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 Ram 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 Ram 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 Ram 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 Ram Battalion?
Yes — Ram Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 3 other institutions, including Virginia Union University, University of Richmond, Virginia State University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Ram Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Virginia Commonwealth 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 Ram Battalion?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Ram 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.