{"id":8728,"date":"2025-11-05T15:02:47","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T15:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/online\/?p=8728"},"modified":"2026-02-10T19:22:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T19:22:46","slug":"purdues-military-legacy-extends-from-the-universitys-founding-to-present-day-bolstered-by-accessibility-of-online-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/online\/purdues-military-legacy-extends-from-the-universitys-founding-to-present-day-bolstered-by-accessibility-of-online-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Purdue\u2019s military legacy extends from the university\u2019s founding to present day, bolstered by accessibility of online programs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Purdue University has a storied military history<\/a> that began at its inception in 1869. The Morrill Act, which established Purdue as Indiana\u2019s land grant university, included a requirement that all male freshman and sophomore students participate in military training. To fulfill this requirement, Purdue established an on-campus infantry that housed over ninety men by 1889. \u201cThe Infantry,\u201d as it was called, oversaw Purdue\u2019s military training for 32 years, producing many Boilermakers alums who went on to serve their country at home and abroad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military students, faculty and staff remained central to Purdue\u2019s legacy in the 20th<\/sup> century. In 1916, The National Defense Act led to the creation of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Purdue. Back then, ROTC was a requirement for all male freshman and sophomore students, and the organization\u2019s presence on campus led to the construction of a new center for military training \u2014 referred to by students as The Armory. The Armory burned down in 1916, but it was replaced by a new armory that still acts<\/a> as Purdue\u2019s ROTC headquarters today.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purdue also played a central role in World War I and World War II. During WWI, Purdue served as an army training center, temporarily turning into a military camp. When WWII struck, Purdue was once again transformed into a training center for service members. During this time, there were more military personnel<\/a> on campus than regular students. After WWII, the 1944 Servicemen Readjustment Act (also known as the GI Bill) provided educational benefits to veterans, enabling even more service members to get an education at Purdue. Today, the GI Bill continues to benefit many Boilermakers and their families.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Service members have made an immeasurable impact on Purdue, and Purdue remains committed to supporting service members as they pursue educational opportunities. Currently, over 500 students are part of Purdue\u2019s ROTC program, and Purdue serves hundreds of service members through its undergraduate and graduate programs, particularly its online programs,<\/a> which meet service members where they are by providing flexible, on-demand learning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable Purdue Service Members<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n