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History of the Golden Lion Battalion
The Department of the Army established the Reserve Officers Training Corp at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in November 1967. With the first classes held in September 1968. Establishment of the ROTC program fulfilled the statues of the Morrill Act of 1890, which required the University to instruct Military Science. In 1984 the GLBN moved into its current facilities, the James Hazzard Gymnasium, the program is temporarily displaced as the building is undergoing renovations (2023). The program Cadre and Cadets can be found in Dawson-Hicks Hall, home of the School of Education.
Since the establishment of the program, over 600 officers have received their commission through this program. As of the publish date of this document, the highest rank attained by an officer commissioned through the UAPB ROTC program is Lieutenant General (LTG—3 stars) Aundre Piggee who retired after exemplary performance as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army for Logistics, G-4; newly promoted Brigadier General Tomika Seaberry is the second General Officer Commissioned through the GLBN at UAPB, she took command of the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command in San Antonio, Texas on December 10, 2022.
The first class that was enrolled had to make up both their Military Science I & Military Science II years (freshman & sophomore) by attending what was known as an Army ROTC summer camp, which was held at Fort Benning, Georgia. Among the first group of cadets was (Ret.) LTC Grover L. Gibson. In an interview, he described his experience in Georgia as that of a regular Army Boot Camp; as he goes on to explain that the company beside his consisted of actual enlisted soldiers going through Boot Camp.
Looking at the program enrollment size post 9/11 you will see that the number of cadets enrolled in the program is drastically different from that of the first decade (more than 1,000). The average number of cadets in the program now ranges between 70 to 100 cadets. “ROTC teaches the skills that employers look for in management - critical thinking, problem solving, team building, leadership theory, time management, communications, physical, mental and spiritual health - more than just Army stuff.”
ROTC teaches, coaches, and mentors students to be leaders. Whether serving in the Reserves or National Guard, or only 4 years on Active Duty, our officers take the ROTC training and apply it to civilian careers in other government agencies - local, state, and Federal, nonprofit, corporate and community organizations.
Women were allowed to enroll into the program in 1972, however, the first group of women commissioned into the United States Army from UAPB did not happen until 1978. The highest ranking female Officers to graduate from UAPB have reached the rank of Colonel, one such distinguished officer is Colonel Karen A. ChipChase, a native of Dermott, Arkansas another is Retired Col. Erica Ingram has had the honor and privilege to serve as first African American female Arkansas Army National Guard Battalion Commander (2014), first African American female National Guard Association of Arkansas (NGAA) president (2014-2015), the first African American female colonel (2018) in the Arkansas National Guard’s 218-year history and first female Camp Robinson Post Installation Commander (2020) and currently serves as the chief of staff for the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs.
The program at UAPB can take a person who has dreams of becoming a dentist and turn that same person into a General. That is the positive impact that the program at UAPB has had on it alumni.
Contact Us
Division of Military Science
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
1200 N. University Drive, Mail Slot 4944
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601
LTC Nicolai Birch, PMS
Jalina Williams, Retention and Scholarship Officer
Email: ROTC@UAPB.EDU
Phone: 870-575-8446