A History of the Xavier Military Program

1847 - Xavier is founded

1884 - First military presence at Xavier. The New York National Guard begins teaching
students.

1891 - The military program is taken over by the War Department.

1892 - Captain John Drum is assigned as the first Senior Army instructor (He had a
different title back then, Commandant of the Xavier Cadets).
- His son, Hugh Drum, goes to Xavier and later in World War II is considered for the
position of Chief Military Advisor to President Roosevelt. General Marshall gets the
position instead.

1898 - Captain John Drum is recalled to active duty for service in the Spanish-American War.
He died in the charge of San Juan Hill.

1916 - Congress passes the National Defense Act that authorizes the JROTC program in
schools.
- Xavier does not join the ROTC program yet.
- Xavier becomes a regimental concept: it is divided into two battalions.

1935 - Xavier becomes a ROTC unit.

1937 - The X-Squad, the regimental dril team, is founded.

1947 - Xavier becomes the largest JROTC High School in the country with over 1,000
cadets.
- This is significant in that it happens during the school’s centennial anniversary.

1968 - Xavier is designated as a military institute.

1972 - JROTC becomes an optional program at Xavier.
Gold Star (Honor Unit With Distinction) Years:

1971-74 *
1976-78*
1981-83*

1993- Present
*only 1993-Present is required knowledge