Commander’s Welcome
You navigated to this page with a goal in mind. Whether it is a strong desire to serve your country, an exploration of ways to pay for school; or maybe your future career is hazy and you are exploring options after high school. Whatever the reason, we are thankful that your search brought you here.
The University of Maine Army ROTC program trains future leaders. Whether you want to make the Army a career, or to use service as a stepping stone for other professional aspirations, we have trained leaders at the University of Maine for over 150 years.
As you explore your college options, you will need to decide what are the most important aspects. Do you like the natural beauty of the outdoors? Do you prefer a more realistic teacher-to-student ratio to enable your learning goals? Do you want one-on-one mentorship to help define and shape your future goals? Would you like community strength and to belong to an intimate organization? Would you like a guaranteed career upon graduation from college? If these questions resonate with you, let us help you achieve your life goals.
The University of Maine Army ROTC is a family; a group of professionals focused on similar goals and tied together by a professional ethos. We train foundational leadership with sprinklings of philosophy, psychology of motivation and mentoring, nutrition, sports medicine, and life-long fitness. We strive to give you the foundational skills to not only succeed at military life, but to prepare you better than your peers for a civilian career, post-military service.
Within the Army ROTC program, we strive for balance. College is your opportunity to find yourself. You learn time-management, your strengths and weaknesses, your true interests, and you are able to create a life-long network of friends, colleagues, and professionals. Army ROTC allows you this balance with flexible classes, instructors that help you craft a long-term plan, and with tailored advice and one-on-one mentorship for your entire college career.
Why choose the University of Maine? Located in Orono, eight miles north of Bangor, the University of Maine campus encompasses 660 acres and is bound by the Penobscot and Stillwater Rivers. The campus offers an extensive trail network for running, biking, and skiing. We are able to take advantage of the DeMeritt Forest for physical training, tactical training, and land navigation by literally stepping out our back door. With Acadia National Park about an hour away, fishing and outdoor recreation in every direction, and within 4 hours to Boston and the surrounding areas, we offer the complete learning and active environment!
If you have read this far, and you want to join our team; our family, I hope that the University of Maine and the Black Bear Battalion are part of your future success and development. As many have come before you, this first step begins the path towards life-long success, camaraderie, and professionalism.
We will see you soon!
LTC Mike Gain
60th Professor of Military Science