University of Wyoming. Department of Military Science records, 1892-1991

Military training at the University of Wyoming began in 1891 after the Board of Trustees established the School of Military Science and Tactics. Military training was required of all able-bodied male students. The first commanding officer of the school was D.L. Howell. In 1916, Wyoming became one of the first seven institutions to have a Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC). During World War II, the university was host to the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and the Specialized Training Assignment and Reclassification Unit (STAR). In the 1960s, military training became optional. The first female cadet was admitted in 1973. The program offered college students the opportunity to graduate as officers and serve tours in the U.S. Army, National Guard, or the National Reserve. In 2001 it was named "Most Outstanding Unit in the Country" by the U.S. Army.