University of South Dakota ROTC, The Prairie Fire Battalion

University of South Dakota ROTC, The Prairie Fire Battalion Welcome to the official page for the University of South Dakota, Army ROTC, Prairie Fire Battalion. This is a violation of privacy. www.

The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) was established when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Defense Act of 1916. Since its inception, Army ROTC has provided leadership and military training at schools and universities across the country and has commissioned more than a half million Officers. It is the largest commissioning source in the American military. User Agreements ...



Army ROTC is one of the most demanding and successful leadership programs in the country. For years, Army ROTC has been creating leaders who go on to rewarding careers in the military and civilian worlds. Army ROTC produces approximately 60 percent of the Second Lieutenants who join the active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard. More than 40 percent of current Active Duty Army General Officers were commissioned through ROTC. www.Army.mil

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Welcome to the OFFICIAL page for The University of South Dakota, Army ROTC. While we aim to provide an open, interactive space for all, we ask that you share your opinions and feedback in a respectful manner. As a fan of our page, you take personal responsibility for your comments, your username, and any information you submit. In that spirit, users are asked to adhere to the guidelines below. Violation of any of these guidelines may result in your comment being removed:

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For more information, visit the DoD Social Media user agreement at:
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Come join USD ROTC for the 9/11 stair climb at 6 am at the Dome!
09/03/2026

Come join USD ROTC for the 9/11 stair climb at 6 am at the Dome!

Come join USD ROTC for that 9/11 stair climb!!
09/02/2026

Come join USD ROTC for that 9/11 stair climb!!

The Prairie Fire Battalion would like to take the time on this somber day to remember those that came before and gave ev...
05/26/2026

The Prairie Fire Battalion would like to take the time on this somber day to remember those that came before and gave everything. To honor their sacrifice by realizing that we owe them our gratitude and remembering them while we are enjoying our long weekends and our barbecues with our families.

“Let us not forget our fallen comrades, but remember them always, for they have earned our respect and admiration with their lives. We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured the agonies of pain, deprivation, and death; To the fallen!” 🍻

The Prairie Fire Battalion would like to congratulate these four new 2nd lieutenants!This past Saturday, these dedicated...
05/12/2026

The Prairie Fire Battalion would like to congratulate these four new 2nd lieutenants!

This past Saturday, these dedicated individuals took their oath and officially commissioned into the United States Army. After years of rigorous training, academic excellence, and leadership development, they have earned their gold bars and are ready to lead the next generation of soldiers.

We are incredibly proud of your hard work and the character you’ve shown throughout your time in the program. The legacy of the Prairie Fire Battalion continues through your service.

Learning to lead through multiple avenues- CDT Wear represented USD ROTC at the National Guard Association of South Dako...
04/25/2026

Learning to lead through multiple avenues- CDT Wear represented USD ROTC at the National Guard Association of South Dakota’s Annual Officer Conference this past weekend, helping to maintain our strong relationship with the Army National Guard.

The conference saw talks from people like COL Scott Wence who has been at the forefront of developing the new doctrine in tackling the continuing threat of UAS on the modern battlefield, as well as the passing of a new scholarship for ROTC that will support our efforts to commission the next generation of US Army Lieutenants.

Thank you to the NGASD for extending the invitation in partnership!

A night of tradition and excellence honoring the dedicated members of the Prairie Fire Battalion. 🇺🇸We extend our sincer...
04/20/2026

A night of tradition and excellence honoring the dedicated members of the Prairie Fire Battalion. 🇺🇸

We extend our sincere gratitude to Ines White for serving as our guest speaker and imparting invaluable wisdom to our cadets. The 2026 ROTC Military Ball was a landmark event, celebrating the future leaders of the U.S. Army and recognizing those who consistently exceed expectations.

Congratulations to our scholarship recipients and award winners. Your unwavering dedication and hard work are the foundation of this program’s success.

Diving into another morning of pool PT! There is no better way to build team cohesion than a high-intensity water volley...
04/18/2026

Diving into another morning of pool PT!
There is no better way to build team cohesion than a high-intensity water volleyball and basketball session.

Honored to walk where heroes rest 🇺🇸USD ROTC cadets had the privilege of visiting the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and ...
03/22/2026

Honored to walk where heroes rest 🇺🇸

USD ROTC cadets had the privilege of visiting the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, paying tribute to those who gave everything. We were especially honored to perform a sanding at the gravesite of Pvt. Lester R. Arneson, 47th Infantry, 9th Division, a fellow South Dakotan whose sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Moments like these remind us that freedom is never free—and that we carry forward the legacy of those who came before us.

Paestum, in southern  , is where the ancient Mediterranean world and   intersect. In September 1943, during Operation  ,...
03/20/2026

Paestum, in southern , is where the ancient Mediterranean world and intersect. In September 1943, during Operation , elements of the U.S. 36th Infantry Division landed on the nearby beaches and pushed inland past these Greek temples, turning a landscape of classical ruins and farmland into a contested battlespace. The same columns standing since the 5th century BCE suddenly overlooked supply routes, aid stations, and assembly areas for an amphibious invasion.

For Allied units trying to secure the beachhead, functioned not as a tourist site than as a practical landmark and anchor point in a confused, dispersed fight. Pilots, staff officers, and platoon leaders alike used the temples and adjacent airfields for orientation as counterattacks drove in toward the sea. The juxtaposition is stark: modern mechanized war unfolding in the shadow of structures built long before Rome’s rise, in a region that had already absorbed earlier waves of conquest and upheaval.

When we bring cadets and leaders to Paestum today, we invite questions about how warfare intrudes into civilian landscapes with deep histories, how quickly “ordinary” places become operational terrain, and what it means for a leader to make decisions that will become part of that layered story. Standing between the temples and the former invasion beaches, we can see both the brevity of a single campaign and the enduring weight of the choices made there.

03/20/2026

CPT Arlo L. Olson, Medal of Honor recipient, USD alum

VFW Post 3061 - Vermillion, SD

Address

DakotaDome/-/414 E Clark Street
Vermillion, SD
57069

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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