In recognition of his leadership and contribution to the ROTC Military Science and Leadership Program at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a US Army award ceremony was held to honor MAJ Ben Smith, Professor of Military Science. LTC David Leach, PMS of the UTK Military Science Department, presented the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Award.
Smith has completed his three year tenure at UTC and has been assigned to Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His new assignment begins in June.
“Major Ben Smith has been with our Reserve Officers Training Corps since its reinstatement in 2007, and his leadership has brought stability and success to the new program,” said Chancellor Roger Brown.
From the beginning, enrollment in the UTC ROTC program met and exceeded expectations. Through an innovative partnership with other campuses, the ROTC program brought dually enrolled students to complete the ROTC leadership training at UTC while still pursuing an academic degree from another campus.
With assistance from Dr. Robert Swansbrough, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Smith led the re-activation of the UTC Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) unit in 2007.
A unit of ROTC was officially established on April 7, 1950, at the University of Chattanooga. In 1994, the program was selected for closure due to national budgetary cuts and program reviews. The ROTC program was phased out over the next three years, and by the end of 1997, was no longer a part of the UTC campus. The ROTC unit was activated again in 2007 to meet the demand of quality Army officers.
UTC ROTC graduates have gone on to successful careers as both Army officers and civilian professionals. Many have served honorably in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts.
