Welcome to the Detachment of Champions! Our faculty and staff are committed to maintaining the most elite Air Force ROTC program in the nation here at USC. We are incredibly proud to be part of the Trojan Family! The university’s administration has created a culture that values the military and veterans, and provides services and support to our students, enrolled both here at USC, as well as those traveling from our crosstown partner institutions.
Our program, alongside those of our sister services, is truly unique at USC. We build senior leaders for the Air Force, as well as the Defense, Federal Service, and Aerospace sectors – and the legacy of success among Trojan ROTC graduates is unparalleled, with more than 200 notable USC ROTC alumni making the ranks of general officer or senior civilian in the Department of Defense.
The Department of Aerospace Studies teaches curricula related to National Security Studies, Leadership, application of Air Power, and National Defense Strategy. We emphasize the Air Force Core Values of Integrity, Service, and Excellence, along with such leadership traits as Courage, Humility, Nobility, Loyalty, and Compassion. Our graduates and commissioned officers are true Warrior Scholars!
We believe a healthy civil-military discourse is foundational to the future of our nation. Our academic classes are open to ALL students, regardless of major or background, whether they wish to enter military service or not.
Most of our academic students are dual enrolled as Air Force ROTC cadets, and will take courses such as Leadership Laboratory as a practical component to their academic studies. Our program puts those students on an executive leadership track with guaranteed employment upon graduation, and the promise of practical, measurable leadership experience along the way.
Finally, we have opened our aperture recently to include upperclass and graduate students. We have a wealth of commissioning programs available from traditional 4-year tracks to abbreviated tailored tracks ranging from 1 to 3.5 years. It’s never too late to consider a future that begins with servant leadership in the Air Force!
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