Drawing Cadets from Throughout Central Massachusetts
Bay State Battalion Schools
Become a Leader in the Army—and in Life
For the men and women enrolled in Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), becoming the best officers they can be is just the beginning. They also learn life skills that can help them succeed academically and gain an edge in their chosen careers.
ROTC is an educational program that teaches students to excel in small group leadership, and it instills strong moral values, a warrior and fitness ethos, and much more. Joining Army ROTC means a guaranteed job in the U.S. Army after college. Upon completing their studies, cadets serve as officers in the Army, performing a variety of jobs and gaining hands-on managerial experience that’s simply nowhere else.
Cadets from all Worcester Consortium colleges and universities, plus Fitchburg State University and University Massachusetts Lowell make up what is known as the Bay State Battalion. Headquartered at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, this unit prides itself on turning motivated and intelligent cadets into educated and well-rounded officers.
The Bay State Battalion typically trains 90-120 cadets each year. All cadets attend their MS III and MS IV Military Science classes at Ft. Devens, while MS I and MS II Military Science cadets attend classes at either WPI or UMass Lowell. The battalion conducts regular labs with the entire battalion in attendance, immersing all cadets into field training scenarios. Physical readiness training is an integral part of the program and is conducted on a regular basis during the week, in the morning before classes.