In 1970, at the height of the Vietnam War, Southeastern established an Army Reserve Officer Training Program. The ROTC program played a crucial role in preparing students for military service. The same year the program was established, the university constructed a building (which would later become the home of the University Police Department) for the new program. General William Westmore, who commended Southeastern for its contribution to national defense, attended the building’s dedication ceremony.
Although phased out in the mid-1990s, the ROTC program would return in 2016. The university has also since established a wide array of support services for both current and former military service members and their families, becoming consistently ranked as a top military-friendly school.
