Records of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps

Congress passed the National Defense Act in June 1916, establishing the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). The Colorado State Board of Agriculture applied for the establishment of an ROTC unit on the Fort Collins campus on December 13, 1916. All first and second year male students were required to participate in military instruction. Enrollment in ROTC increased steadily in line with student enrollment. When the United States entered World War II, enrollment doubled due to a need for officers.

On October 22, 1946, General Dwight D. Eisenhower signed General Order No. 124 which created a separate entity of the Army ROTC called Air ROTC units. Colorado State University was among the first schools to have an Air ROTC unit. In 1947 the responsibility for Air ROTC was assumed by the newly created U.S. Air Force.

In 1962, the mandatory requirement for ROTC at CSU was dropped and all participation became voluntary. Under provisions of the ROTC Revitalization Act of 1964, the two-year course for juniors and seniors was implemented in 1966, and women were added to the two cadet corps in 1969. The ROTC program, the Ram Battalion, at Colorado State University is currently ranked as one of the best programs in the nation.

The Poudre Musket Company was established as a separate unit within the University's Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). Begun after the end of the Korean War, the Poudre Musket Company was originally designated as a drill team, with a different uniform than the rest of the ROTC members. In 1961, with the United States involvement in the war in Southeast Asia, the Poudre Musket Company began combat training, and in 1963 started counter-guerrilla and Ranger warfare training. This training continued until the end of 1973.