About Us

History

"WE CAN, WE WILL"

The Suncoast Battalion’s roots trace back to July 1975, starting with a cross-town partnership between the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa’s Army ROTC program. Just a year later, the U.S. Army established the Tampa Area Instructor Group, bringing together a dedicated cadre of instructors to train cadets across eight regional colleges and universities.

By November 1979, USF officially stood up its own program—the "Bulls" Battalion. As cross-enrollment agreements expanded to include schools like Saint Leo University and local community colleges across the region, the unit evolved into the Suncoast Battalion.
A major turning point came in March 2007 when the U.S. Army Cadet Command designated USF as one of only two "Super Host" programs in Florida. That designation transformed the battalion: cadre staff doubled, scholarship funds tripled, and the cadet corps surged in size. By that fall, military science courses officially expanded onto the USF St. Petersburg campus as well.

Today, the Suncoast Battalion consistently ranks in the top 10% of all 278 Senior ROTC programs nationwide. Driven by the motto "We Can, We Will," our cadre and cadets are defined by high standards, grit, and genuine camaraderie. Above all, we hold sacred the duty we’ve been given: preparing exceptional leaders worthy of leading America’s most vital resource—our soldiers.