What does it mean to be: FORGED IN FIRE! STRONG AS STEEL!
The Steel Battalion
Our program
Location: The Steel Battalion is located in the Lehigh valley, with our headquarters on Lehigh University’s Mountaintop campus. Lehigh University is a historic private university located in beautiful Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Here, cadets gather for leadership labs, physical training sessions, military science classes, mentorship meetings and much more.
Universities: The Steel Battalion is made up of 11 colleges and universities from throughout the Lehigh Valley. While cadets attend many different academic institutions, all are unified into one Steel Battalion community by our shared values and commitment to making the best leaders possible. Our Institutional Partnerships Page
Cadets: The cadets of the Steel Battalion live the Army values and work as a community to develop each other as scholars, athletes and leaders. Our cadets are motivated young leaders who push themselves and seek excellence in the classroom, on the field and within their campus communities. Cadets come from all backgrounds and bring their own perspectives and insights to the program. Within any given year, Steel Battalion cadets are participating in NCAA athletics, studying abroad, excelling in professional internships, conducting academic research and taking part in student clubs and Greek life. There is no one type of cadet in the Steel Battalion.
Values: As leaders, cadets exemplify Army ideals in and out of uniform. All cadets live the 7 Army values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage and 5 pillars of the Army profession: Trust, Honorable Service, Military expertise, Stewardship, and Esprit de Corps 24/7. Steel Battalion cadets are sought after and recognized leaders within their universities, demonstrating the very best of what college students can be.
Community: The Steel Battalion is a tight knit, supportive community that allows cadets to succeed at every step of their collegiate and ROTC experiences. From the moment new cadets report to orientation, cadets are welcomed into the Steel Battalion family, an institution that has created leaders of character for over a century. Guided by their cadre, upperclassmen mentors, peers and even alumni, cadets grow into confident young leaders who are prepared to succeed wherever life may take them. Cadets step into a ready made community of lifelong friends and forge unbreakable bonds as they learn, struggle and succeed together.
Our culture
The never-quit spirit.
FORGED IN FIRE!
Our commitment
The Steel Battalion is committed to providing each cadet the best training and learning environment possible in order to prepare them to commission as U.S Army officers. Cadets will be challenged and supported throughout their four years as they are developed morally, mentally and physically. By commissioning, each cadet is ready to join the long legacy of the Steel Battalion and succeed as a U.S Army officer.
Our headquarters
Our Battalion Headquarters are located in Jordan Hall on the Mountaintop campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. Click the link below to schedule a tour and meet with our cadre and cadets.
Our Schools
Partner Institutions: Steel Battalion cadets attend a wide variety of academic institutions including Lehigh University, Alvernia University, Desales University, Kutztown University, Lafayette College, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Moravian University, Muhlenberg College, Northampton Community College, Penn State Berks, Penn State Lehigh Valley and Albright College. No matter where you’re a student, you’re still a member of the Steel Battalion family and are provided with equal opportunities for success. All students attend leadership labs at Lehigh but many cadets conduct physical training and military science courses at their own universities or with other cadets in their area.
Our logo
The history of our logo: Our logo is derived from the Bethlehem Steel corporation, a Lehigh valley institution that was not only important for the development and growth of Bethlehem but for the nation as well. Throughout the 20th century, the Bethlehem Steel corporation was one of the largest steel producers in the world and was responsible for manufacturing steel for some of the country's most recognizable landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the World Trade Center, the Hoover Dam and many more. The company also served as America's life line during World War II, producing huge amounts of steel for weaponry, vehicles and naval ships. The Steel Battalion upholds this legacy by producing leaders of character who serve not just the Army but their communities and the nation at large. Whether our alumni are active duty officers stationed around the country and world or reservists and guardsmen working in civilian sectors, the Steel Battalion is proud to continue to send our best and brightest to contribute all they can, wherever they can.