Program History
The university mascot is the “Vaquero” or the “Cowboy” in Spanish. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Army ROTC program began in 1981 as the Pan American University Bronc Battalion. The program commissioned its first lieutenants in 1982. In 1988, the University’s name changed to the University of Texas-Pan American and retained its Bronc mascot.
In 1992, the University of Texas at Brownsville became an extension campus of the UTPA ROTC program. In 2006, the program was recognized as the General Douglas MacArthur Award winner for the Best Battalion in Cadet Command in the Small School Category.
In 2015, the University of Texas-Pan American was renamed the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and in 2016 the former campus of the University of Texas at Brownsville became part of UTRGV. The Battalion’s designation was changed to the Vaqueros Battalion and consists of Bronc Company (A) in Edinburg and Scorpion Company (B) in Brownsville.
Symbolism of the ROTC Crest
The shoulder loop insignia contains three main symbols: the chevron, the star, and the school’s colors. The chevron reversed alludes to the letter ‘V’, signifying Vaqueros, the school mascot, as well as the Rio Grande Valley. The solitary star is in tribute to Texas, the Lone Star State, and orange, blue, and green are the school’s colors.