University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

After the United States entered World War I, the Stout Institute began a Student Army Training Corps (SATC) detachment in the fall of 1918. SATC was the predecessor to the modern Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. Stout’s SATC program was disbanded after the first quarter of the 1918-1919 school year. The university tried for a military training program during World War II, but was unsuccessful. The Stout Institute was surveyed as a possible location for an ROTC program during the Korean War. Stout received a positive recommendation and the focus was to be on producing Ordnance Corps and Corps of Engineer officers, but after the war ended, there was no longer a need for ROTC expansion.

Stout State University applied for an ROTC program in September of 1969. It was approved by the Army on 18 January 1970. During this same time, the idea of an ROTC consortium between Stout, Eau Claire and River Falls was considered. The idea of an ROTC program was debated by the university and did not get the endorsement of the governing bodies on campus and failed two student referendum votes in December 1970 and February 1971. The University of Wisconsin Board Of Regents decided to offer the program to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in March of 1971. 

In 1974, Chancellor Robert S. Swanson sent a note to the U.S. Air Force expressing an interest in starting an Air Force ROTC program at UW-Stout, but the Air Force was not interested at the time. In 1988, Natalie Fisher, a student at UW-Stout inquired about getting an Army ROTC program started at UW-Stout and that same year the Student Senate forwarded a motion to the Chancellor to investigate the possibility of getting an ROTC program on campus. In 1995, the Army ROTC program at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse made Stout an affiliate university. No classes were ever conducted on campus and any UW-Stout students interested in ROTC had to commute to LaCrosse. A few students pursued this route, but there was never any significant interest.

The Professor of Military Science for UW-Stevens Point from 2003-2005, Major Ed Ripp, who had previously been assigned to the UW-LaCrosse ROTC program, saw the potential of UW-Stout and he made the proposal that UW-Stout should become a partnership program of UW-Stevens Point.  During the 2004-2005 school year, the affiliate was transferred to UW-Stevens Point by Colonel James Coates, the 9th ROTC Brigade Commander. 

Major Ripp approached UW-Stout about the possibility of opening a partnership unit at UW-Stout. The original plan called for offering only the ROTC advance course courses which are designed for juniors and seniors. It was to be primarily a lateral entry program with the majority of the students belonging to the Simultaneous Membership Program with the Army Reserve and the National Guard.

Major Ripp made presentations before the Faculty Senate, Academic Staff Senate and the Student Senate. A proposal was drafted and the discussion regarding ROTC seemed favorable and the proposal passed the Faculty Senate and the Stout Student Association. Colonel Coates was informed by the University Provost Robert Sedlak, that the ROTC proposal would be approved by the Chancellor, because both the Faculty Senate and the Student Senate Association approved the measure. Captain Jay Hanson was selected to be the Assistant Professor of Military Science for UW-Stout. In the Academic Staff Senate, the proposal was voted down after discussion regarding the Department of Defense’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy occurred.

UW-Stout Chancellor, Charles Sorenson informed the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate on 3 May 2005, that he would not invite ROTC on campus because of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, and released a public statement regarding his decision on 5 May. This decision made national news. CPT Hansen, who was enroute to UW-Stout, was reassigned to the ROTC program at UW-LaCrosse. State politicians became involved and the President of the University Of Wisconsin Board of Regents released a statement on 19 May 2005 which caused more media interest. On 31 May 2005, Chancellor Sorenson reversed his decision and allowed ROTC onto the campus of UW-Stout. The partnership agreement was signed by the Chancellor Sorenson; UW-Stevens Point Chancellor Linda Bunnell, Lieutenant Colonel Scott Bolstad, the incoming Professor of Military Science at UW-Stevens Point; the Deputy Adjutant General of Wisconsin National Guard; Brigadier General Kerry Denson, the ROTC Western Region Commander; and Colonel Steven Corbett. This partnership agreement was unique in that the Wisconsin National Guard was an active Participant.  They agreed to provide one cadre member, a vehicle, and training support to the new program.

Even with Chancellor Sorenson’s approval of an ROTC program, there was a problem of getting cadre for the program. CPT Hansen had been reassigned and Cadet Command would not reassign any current cadre to the new program. LTC Bolstad was the only member of the UW-Stevens Point ROTC program who was transitioning that summer and he asked for Colonel Coate’s permission to work out of UW-Stout to establish the new program. Colonel Coates agreed and by 1 August 2005 the program was ready to begin.