Hegseth taps LSU cadet corps for new generation of military officers

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday he is elevating LSU’s corps of cadets program and granting the university a new military designation. 

LSU will be made a Distinguished Military College, a newly revived federal designation that offers graduates of its Reserve Officer Training Corps program priority in becoming a commissioned military officer, Hegseth announced at his State of the Force address at the U.S. Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. 

Other schools given the designation are Mississippi State University, Tuskegee University, Hillsdale College and Liberty University, though Hegseth said more will be named soon. 

The distinction also puts LSU on the path to becoming a Senior Military College, a prestigious designation that is essentially a step between a normal ROTC program, like what LSU currently offers, and one of the U.S. service academies, such as West Point or the Naval Academy in Annapolis. 

The existing Senior Military Colleges, designated in federal law, are Texas A&M, Norwich University, the Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel, Virginia Tech and the University of North Georgia. 

LSU, sometimes referred to as the “Ole War Skule,” was founded  in 1860 as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy. It has maintained a close connection to military service, including sending more officers into World War II than any other university except the service academies and Texas A&M. 

“LSU’s history has long been tied to service, leadership and preparing graduates to meet the needs of our state and nation,” LSU Chancellor Jim Dalton said in a statement. “This designation recognizes that long-standing commitment, and positions LSU to build on that legacy for the next generation of military and civilian leaders.”