UW-Oshkosh ROTC Program to Shift to Wisconsin National Guard Leadership

The program faced closure in 2025 before being picked up by Marquette University, and now it's making changes again.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The ROTC program at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which encompasses five universities in the Fox Valley area, is transitioning from being run by the U.S. Army to being led by the Wisconsin Army National Guard. This change is set to take place before the fall 2026 semester.

Why it matters

The ROTC program provides leadership training for future U.S. Army officers, and its continued presence in the Fox Valley is important for the region. The transition to National Guard leadership aims to ensure the program's long-term viability after it faced potential closure in 2025.

The details

The ROTC program, known as the Fox Valley Battalion, currently has 53 enrolled students, which is an increase of 19 students from the previous semester. The universities are working on improving transportation for students to attend the weekly training exercises held at Plamann Park.

  • In 2025, the program faced closure from the U.S. Army before being picked up under Marquette University's program.
  • The transition to Wisconsin Army National Guard leadership is set to take place before the fall 2026 semester.

The players

Lt. Col. Jon Doiron

The officer who leads the ROTC group.

Marquette University

The university that took over the ROTC program in 2025 after it faced potential closure.

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What they’re saying

“Getting a chance to do our weekly, what we call 'leadership laboratory training,' so the process of ROTC is all about developing future leaders for the United States Army, so what we're doing today is developing leadership through a tactical setting.”

— Lt. Col. Jon Doiron, ROTC Group Leader (FOX 11 News)

“UW-Oshkosh is going to transition from an active duty, Army-run organization to a Wisconsin Army National Guard-run organization. It will take a slight step down in its size, in its current stature.”

— Lt. Col. Jon Doiron, ROTC Group Leader (FOX 11 News)

What’s next

The transition to Wisconsin Army National Guard leadership is set to take place before the fall 2026 semester.

The takeaway

The ROTC program's shift to National Guard leadership aims to ensure its long-term viability in the Fox Valley region after facing potential closure in 2025, highlighting the importance of maintaining leadership training programs for future U.S. Army officers.