The United States flag flying over the UAlbany Downtown campus. The United States flag flying over the UAlbany Downtown campus.

Army ROTC at UAlbany

Army ROTC

Start your Army Career at the University at Albany

Charlie Company is located at the University at Albany and is a part of Mohawk Battalion at Siena College.

Army ROTC takes no more of your time than other college courses and counts as credit toward your college diploma. You can take entry level ROTC courses without making any commitment to the military.

In Army ROTC, you will be challenged both mentally and physically. As you find yourself rappelling from cliffs or leading your team through various obstacles, you'll develop skills you can use throughout your entire life and career. Skills like thinking on your feet, taking charge and making smart decisions. You will be offered opportunities that your fellow peers will not have such as leading large groups of your peers, traveling across the country for training, volunteering in another country, training with another nation's army and going to various types of Army schools.

For the latest information on UAlbany's Army ROTC activities, please see our Mohawk Battalion Facebook page.

We invite you to explore our website and encourage you to contact us with any questions about participating in Army ROTC at the University at Albany.

Additional Information
What is ROTC?

Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is first and foremost a commissioning program. ROTC is the Army's largest source of officers, resulting in more commissions than either West Point or Officer Candidate School.

ROTC has produced well known and respected officers such as General Colin Powell, General Peter Schoomaker and General George Casey. Students who successfully complete ROTC enter the Army as 2nd Lieutenants and immediately serve as leaders in a variety of assignments. They can serve on either active duty, meaning the Army is their full-time career, or they may serve part time in either the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, while simultaneously pursuing a civilian profession.

Secondly, Army ROTC is a college elective. Any student may take the first 2 years of Army ROTC courses without any obligation to serve in the Army. In class you'll learn things like basic leadership skills, confidence, team building, Army history and traditions, and basic Soldier skills such as land navigation and battle drills.

Whether you decide to take ROTC to pursue a commission as an officer or to simply take an interesting elective, Army ROTC is "the smartest college course you can take." The experience you'll have in Army ROTC will give you the confidence needed to succeed in college and beyond. Furthermore, you'll be a member of a team and immediately enjoy the camaraderie and friendship of other students just like you.

For more information, visit the U.S. Army ROTC website.

UAlbany ROTC
Campus Center 335

1400 Washington Ave
Albany, NY 12222
United States

Phone
Fax
518-783-2576

Training and Competition

Our cadets participate in a variety of training events, some like Physical Training (PT) occur a few times a week, others like Leadership Labs or Field Training Exercises (FTX) occur less often.

Weekly Events
Physical Training

Cadets participate in PT three times a week in order to improve their physical condition to meet the Army standard as well as the Mohawk Battalion Standard.

Leadership Lab

One lab every Thursday. In Leadership Labs, our cadets get the hands on training needed to be successful as an officer in the Army.

Yearly Events
Mohawk Day

Mohawk Day Mohawk Day is a welcome ceremony for Mohawk Battalion cadets and their families. The cadets participate in team building competitions and enjoy a picnic. Cadets develop a feeling of pride, fellowship, and warm welcome into the Mohawk Family by participating in the awards ceremony, barbeque and enjoying the available sports and games. 

Fall LTX

Once every semester, the Mohawk Battalion embarks on a weekend-long training exercise to test our skills and leadership capabilities. Some of the leadership training included are 24 hour Tactical Leadership positions for MS IIIs, FLRC Lanes, M4 Range Qualifications, and Day Land Navigation. Through triumphs and leadership challenges alike, the LTX experience ultimately provided for an enriching and enjoyable weekend for all!

Dining In

Once in the fall semester
Dining In is less formal than the Military Ball and is exclusively for Mohawk Battalion cadets. It serves to build camaraderie and unity within the Battalion and allow everybody to enjoy themselves in activities such as skits, toasts and the infamous grog bowl.

Spring LTX

Spring Field Training Exercise is a demanding weekend event where cadets participate in a multitude of events. Spring LTX differs from Fall LTX because instead of training with only Mohawk cadets, our Spring LTX incorporates training with a multitude of other ROTC programs throughout the region. Some leadership events included are, Rappelling, M4 Range, Patrolling, First Aid training, and land navigation training.

Military Ball

The Military Ball is a fine Army tradition where military personnel dress in their best uniforms. The ball allows cadets, cadre and guests to interact in a social yet formal environment.

JSAC Awards Ceremony

An awards ceremony in the spring gives outstanding cadets an opportunity to be recognized for their hard work and commitment throughout the year. Our Award Ceremony recognizes cadets and midshipmen from the capital district who have excelled in their respective ROTC programs. This event takes place at the end of the spring semester and is held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Ranger Challenge
Competition Information

Part of becoming an Army Officer is challenging yourself beyond what you can do. We include adventurous activities into our program allowing Cadets to push themselves to the edge and beyond and to do things most Americans do not get to do.

We rappel down a 40-foot tower, run through challenging confidence courses, conquer a Field Leadership Reaction Course, and learn how to survive in the water.

Cadets, who want more adventure and like to compete on teams, may try out for our outstanding Ranger Company and possibly make the Ranger Challenge Team. Only the best compete in ranger challenge, a competition where your 9 person team goes up against others schools in a series of military skills events.

Ranger Challenge is the Army ROTC Varsity Sport. The team forms early in the semester and trains rigorously nearly every morning of the week. Ranger Challenge team members accomplish more before 8am then most college students accomplish in an entire day. The team trains all the way up until the Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition. Like most sport teams, cuts have to be made and only the best remain. The remaining members will go on to represent the Mohawk Battalion in the Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition.

The Brigade Ranger Challenge Competition is a two-day event conducted on a non-tactical course. The mission is to challenge Cadets' mental and physical toughness and to develop leadership while fostering teamwork and esprit-de-corps. Teams participate in nine graded events.

Photos

  • Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Team.

    Army ROTC Ranger Challenge Team.

  • Army ROTC team defeating NROTC and AFROTC for the Taylor Trophy.

    Army ROTC team defeating NROTC and AFROTC for the Taylor Trophy.

  • Army ROTC Spring FTX.

    Army ROTC Spring FTX.

  • Army Ten Miler Team 2023.

    Army Ten Miler Team 2023.

  • Army ROTC members with Damien the Great Dane mascot on UAlbany Accepted Students Day.

    Army ROTC members with Damien the Great Dane mascot on UAlbany Accepted Students Day.