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Indian Battalion · Catamount
Indian Battalion commissions cadets from Western Carolina University into the U.S. Army.
About this program
For cadets at Western Carolina University, the path to a commission runs through Indian Battalion. The unit goes by the Catamount. The battalion reports up through U.S. Army Cadet Command, and graduates pin on as second lieutenants.
Beyond Western Carolina University, the unit serves cadets from University of North Carolina at Asheville, Mars Hill University, Brevard College, and UNC Asheville under cross-enrollment agreements. Field training, drill, and Military Science classes run at the host; partner-school cadets manage the commute.
Scholarship-wise, expect the full Army ROTC menu: AROTC 4-Year National, AROTC 3-Year Advanced, Minuteman (Reserve/Guard), Green-to-Gold (prior-enlisted). Academically, Western Carolina University is known for mathematics and applied analytics alongside engineering and physical sciences, which gives cadets a meaningful range of degree paths under the same commissioning umbrella.
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 Indian Battalion by commuting to Western Carolina University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Western Carolina University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Western Carolina University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Western Carolina University.
Cross-enroll students take Military Science courses at Western Carolina University.
Contact & location
Located at: Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723-9646
Army ROTC FAQ
Where is Indian Battalion located?
Indian Battalion is hosted at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The battalion's training events, classes, and PT all run on the Western Carolina University campus.
Which colleges and universities can attend Indian Battalion?
In addition to Western Carolina University, students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Asheville, Mars Hill University, Brevard College, UNC Asheville, and Southwestern Community College can contract through Indian 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 Indian 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 Indian 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 Indian Battalion?
Yes — Indian Battalion accepts cross-town and partner students from 4 other institutions, including Southwestern Community College, Brevard College, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Mars Hill University. See the cross-town options for distance and enrollment paths.
Can I commission through Indian Battalion as any major?
Army programs accept students from most academic majors at Western Carolina 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 Indian Battalion?
See the contact section for current cadre information.
Interested in Indian Battalion?
Send your details and the cadre can reach out about visits, scholarships, and next steps.
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