Air Force/Space Force ROTCVerifiedDrill TeamColor GuardAir Force ROTC at Virginia Military Institute
Yes — Virginia Military Institute hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute. Students from 3 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute · Cavaliers · 880
Since 1972, Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute has run AFROTC at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA.
About this program
Air Force ROTC at Virginia Military Institute is a large, well-established program: the detachment describes itself as the 7th largest of 145 AFROTC detachments nationwide. Cadets prepare for service in the Air Force or, if selected, the Space Force across the air, space, and cyberspace domains while earning a degree in the major of their choice.
The program follows the standard AFROTC structure of a four-year course split into two parts: the General Military Course (GMC) in the first two years and the Professional Officer Course (POC) in the last two. Transfer students coming from Army or Navy ROTC receive equivalency credit for the GMC, easing the switch between programs.
VMI also opens the program to students at several Lexington-area partner schools: Mary Baldwin University and the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership (VWIL), Southern Virginia University, and Washington and Lee University. Recent detachment highlights include six first-year (AS100) cadets earning prestigious three-year scholarships for their academic, fitness, and leadership performance.
Scholarships at this unit
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
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
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
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 880 Virginia Military Institute. They travel to Virginia Military Institute for training.
Cross-enroll students take Aerospace Studies courses at Virginia Military Institute.
Contact this unit
ROTCScholar is an independent directory. We do not run Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute, and we cannot answer questions about it. The details below belong to the unit. Use them to reach the unit directly.
Unit email
afrotc@vmi.eduThis is the address Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute publishes. You can email the unit directly. Or use the form below, and we will forward your message to that same address.
Phone: 540-464-7591
Official site: https://www.vmi.edu/afrotc
Location: Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Air Force ROTC FAQ
Does Virginia Military Institute have Air Force ROTC?
Yes — Virginia Military Institute hosts Air Force ROTC on campus through Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute. Students from 3 partner schools also join it cross-town.
Is Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute a host unit or cross-town?
Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute is the host unit, based at Virginia Military Institute. Students at 3 partner schools join it cross-town and train at Virginia Military Institute.
Where is Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute located?
Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute is hosted at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. The detachment's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Virginia Military Institute campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute?
In addition to Virginia Military Institute, students enrolled at Washington and Lee University can contract through Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute via cross-town agreements. Cross-town cadets keep their primary academics at the partner school and travel to the host for ROTC-side coursework.
Is Virginia Military Institute a Senior Military College?
Yes — Virginia Military Institute is one of the six Senior Military Colleges recognized in 10 U.S. Code §2111a. The corps of cadets is the dominant ROTC delivery model on campus, and cadets live in the corps rather than commuting in for ROTC events.
What scholarships are available through Detachment 880 Virginia Military Institute?
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.
How large is Air Force ROTC at VMI?
The detachment describes itself as the 7th largest of the 145 Air Force ROTC detachments in the country.
Which nearby schools can join Air Force ROTC through VMI?
VMI partners with Mary Baldwin University and the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership (VWIL), Southern Virginia University, and Washington and Lee University in the Lexington area.
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