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ROTC History
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Father Comerford J. O'Malley, President of DePaul University, submitted the formal application for a Quartermaster (QM) or Infantry (IN) ROTC unit on January 17, 1951. The request was approved by the Commanding General, 5th Army, General A.C. Smith on May 23, 1952.
The Department of the Army established a new Branch General ROTC program at DePaul University on September 1952, which offered general basic and advanced military training and qualified the student for an Army commission. This program provided military training under the National Defense Act of 1916 and 1920, as amended. The Reserve Officers' Training Corps was organized under these laws to provide the required basic training and to offer advanced voluntary training on a selective basis. This program is an integrated part of the academic curriculum of the university. The basic program for the freshman and sophomore years included three hours a week of military science, for which the student received two semester hours of university credit per year. The final two years of training offered six semester hours of credit per year, a total of sixteen hours in military science applicable toward the student's university degree. Additionally, Cadets under the Regular Officer Program and Augmentation Officers received $600 per year for tuition, plus a monthly payment of $50 for 4 years.The ROTC program was originally located at 2235 North Sheffield Avenue, but was relocated to Wangler Hall in 1958, 2319 N. Seminary in 1964, 2348 N. Kenmore in 1965, and to 2323 N. Kenmore in 1967. The Military Science Department is currently located at 990 W. Fullerton.LTC Everett V. Mead, IN, was the first Professor of Military Science and Tactics assigned to DePaul University.