The U.S. Army Cadet Command 5th Brigade recently named the Army ROTC Sun Devil Battalion at Arizona State University as the winner of the esteemed Geronimo Award for Best Large Program in 2023.

This prestigious accolade, presented by the 5th Brigade encompassing 36 schools within the southwest region of the country, recognizes excellence in fulfilling the mission of the U.S. Army Cadet Command: to recruit, educate, develop, and inspire ROTC cadets to become commissioned officers of character for the Total Army.

"I am so proud of the Officers, NCOs, Department of the Army civilians, university employees, and our cadets,” said Col. Erich B. Schneider, Sun Devil Battalion professor of military practice and ROTC lead. “The honor of being recognized with the Geronimo Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team; especially our student-athlete-leaders.

“At ASU Army ROTC, we are passionate about serving our university, community, state, and nation. We take tremendous pride in producing future leaders of character for the Army and remain grateful to all of those who support our program in the pursuit of excellence."

The Geronimo Award highlights the Sun Devil Battalion at ASU for its outstanding commitment to diversity, both in terms of student demographics and academic disciplines, with a particular emphasis on graduates holding degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields. Moreover, the award acknowledges the battalion's remarkable commissioning production, exceeding expectations by producing over 50 second lieutenants annually, surpassing the mission's target of 36.

In addition to academic achievements, the Geronimo Award evaluates programs based on community involvement and integration, particularly in charitable assistance and Junior ROTC mentorship, Schneider said. It also recognizes programs that have demonstrated exemplary engagement with the local community, and shown strong morale and Esprit de Corps among its members.

The Sun Devil Battalion was founded in 1935 and is one of the oldest Army ROTC programs in the nation. At ASU, the battalion is established as the Department of Military Science within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Sun Devil Battalion cadets maintain an average 3.47 GPA with an impressive graduation rate of 95 percent. Other key facts about the cadets include: 85% receive scholarships, 35% pursue STEM degrees, 21% are women, 29% are minority students, and collectively they log over 5,000 volunteer hours per year in the local community.     

For more information about the Army ROTC Sun Devil Battalion, visit: militaryscience.asu.edu