LSU has been unanimously invited to join the prestigious Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States, or AMCSUS. The invitation was issued because of the university’s long-standing military tradition, active ROTC programs, and its current efforts to support the U.S. military through cybersecurity research and education.

AMCSUS was founded in 1914 and serves as an advocate for the nation’s premier military colleges and schools. Other members of the association include University of North Georgia, Norwich University, Virginia Tech, The Citadel, Texas A&M University, Virginia Military Institute (VMI), and 28 additional universities, colleges, military high schools and preparatory schools.

LSU’s membership in AMCSUS provides the university with direct connection to those member military colleges for best practice sharing and collaboration, as well as access to grants, scholarships and internships for students, recruitment assistance for students interested in the military, and direct engagement and communication with the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense.

LSU’s history is steeped in military tradition, and in recent years, LSU has increased its focus on cybersecurity and national defense, prioritizing these areas as part of President William F. Tate IV’s Scholarship First Agenda.

In 2022, the National Security Agency, or NSA, the nation’s preeminent cybersecurity agency, designated LSU as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations – one of only 21  universities in the U.S. with the designation, and the only one in Louisiana. In 2023, LSU established a Security Operations Center on campus that helps protect the university from cyber threats while also training students to assist in the effort and learn these critical skills. In total, LSU holds more than $62 million in military research grants, offers courses to educate the next generation of cybersecurity experts, and is involved in a number of research and service projects to assist the federal government and the state of Louisiana with cyber protection.

But LSU’s military connections date back to the university’s beginnings. Founded in 1860 as a military academy, LSU was initially under the leadership of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and nicknamed the “Ole War Skule.” ROTC is LSU’s oldest student organization, and the university has had active ROTC and Military Science programs from the start. Today, LSU offers Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC, and LSU students can enroll in Navy ROTC through a crosstown agreement with Southern University.

LSU’s Memorial Tower honors Louisiana citizens killed in WWI, and LSU’s Memorial Oak Grove behind the Student Union and the LSU War Memorial at the center of the Parade Ground honor those from LSU who gave their lives in service to our country in WWI and all subsequent wars.

The William A. Brookshire LSU Military Museum is located inside Memorial Tower. The museum is a repository for artifacts and stories that reflect the university’s rich military history and heritage. Admission is free to the public.