Thursday, Sep 04, 2025 • Brian Lopez : Contact

This story was originally published in the Summer 2025 UTA Magazine 130th edition. Find more magazine stories here. 

The streets of Arlington are still dark when the first sounds of movement echo from the UTA campus. Footsteps strike the pavement in a perfect, unwavering cadence. The city is still asleep, but the cadets of the Maverick Battalion are already pushing their limits. Sweat drips from their brows as they run drills in the early morning, rucksacks bouncing on their backs. Their training isn’t just physical—it’s a test of willpower, perseverance, and the ability to lead under pressure.

For these students, the Maverick Battalion is more than an extracurricular activity; it’s a calling. The program stretches back over a century, almost as long as the University itself. Before UTA was UTA, before it was Arlington State College or even North Texas Agricultural College, it was a military school, shaping students into disciplined, duty-bound leaders.

Today, the Maverick Battalion is the longest running student organization on campus. As the University celebrates its 130th anniversary and looks back on its history and traditions, the battalion comes up again and again—its roots buried deep in UTA’s identity.

“Our cadets carry forward a legacy of resilience, discipline, and service,” says Lt. Col. Gregory LeClair, head of the program and professor of military science at UTA. “They are the embodiment of what this institution stands for.”

Built on Military Excellence

UTA’s military heritage extends far in the past, helping shape its character long before it became the thriving research university it is today. In 1902, when Col. James M. Carlisle established Carlisle Military Academy on the site that would one day become UTA, students weren’t just earning an education; they were learning discipline and leadership skills. Just like today’s cadets, their days were filled with rigorous academic study and military drills, as they trained not only for exams, but for futures defined by service and responsibility.

Following Carlisle Military Academy, the school evolved through multiple identities—Grubbs Vocational College, North Texas Agricultural College (NTAC), and Arlington State College—all while maintaining a strong military presence. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) became an official program in 1921, producing generations of officers who served during times of war and peace. From performing mandatory drills to competing on elite teams like the Sam Houston Rifles, cadets played a large role in campus life.

When Arlington State College became UT Arlington in 1967, the institution expanded its academic mission, but its military legacy endured. Today, the ROTC program continues to uphold that tradition, preparing the next generation of military leaders for their future careers.

Cadets of Character

“I always say we don’t have recruiters—we have talent scouts,” says LeClair. “We’re looking for people who are hungry for chaos, who thrive when things get uncomfortable.”

To LeClair, the most important trait in a future officer isn’t physical fitness or even academic excellence; it’s character. The Maverick Battalion trains leaders—officers who will command soldiers in both peace and crisis. They need to be resilient. They need to think fast under pressure. They need to make the right call, not just the easy one.

“Our cadets don’t get to be tired,” he explains. “They don’t get to be cold, hungry, or hot, because the moment a leader lets those things affect them, their troops suffer. The mission suffers.”

The battalion today consists of around 85 UTA cadets, along with another 135 from partnering institutions like the University of North Texas, UT Dallas, and Southern Methodist University. These students balance their coursework with rigorous military science training, field exercises, and leadership development.

A cadet who exemplifies this is Deon Rodrigues, UTA Student Government president for the 2024-25 academic year and a UT System ambassador representing students across all its institutions. A first-generation college student and the son of Indian immigrants, Rodrigues has made a name for himself not just in ROTC, but across campus as a dynamic leader.

“He doesn’t just meet expectations—he shatters them,” says Capt. Hunter Callahan, military history instructor. “We set the bar high, and he throws it up even higher.”

Rodrigues served as the cadet command sergeant major for the Maverick Battalion, a role requiring exceptional discipline, initiative, and the desire to mentor younger cadets. His ability to balance his academic, military, and leadership responsibilities has made him a standout in the broader UTA community.

“ROTC has taught me how to step back, look at the bigger picture, and tackle one thing at a time,” he says. “And without ROTC, I wouldn’t have been able to pay for school, travel to elite military training programs, or build a network with leaders at the highest levels. It’s a place full of opportunities—it just takes someone to reach out and grab them.”

Leaders and Legends

The Maverick Battalion’s history isn’t just measured in miles marched or early mornings endured—it’s written in the lives of those who came through its ranks.

Among its most distinguished alumni is Gen. Richard Cavazos (’49 BA, Liberal Arts), a graduate of North Texas Agricultural College. He went on to become the U.S. Army’s first Hispanic four-star general, and his career—spanning from serving in the Korean War to commanding the U.S. Army Forces Command—was marked by unwavering leadership, courage under fire, and a commitment to mentoring the next wave of military leaders. His impact was so profound that in 2023, Fort Hood was renamed Fort Cavazos in his honor, ensuring that his legacy will continue to shape the Army for decades to come. In 2025, he was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Then there’s Col. Neel Kearby, a NTAC student whose bravery led him to be the first in the Army Air Corps to receive the Medal of Honor. Today, his legacy is immortalized in a statue in Arlington’s City Center Plaza—part of a World War II memorial that outlines the contributions of more than 5,000 NTAC students, alumni, and faculty who fought in the war—and in the newly opened National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, where he and Cavazos both have displays.

Beyond these well-known figures, the Maverick Battalion has produced countless officers who have commanded brigades, served in elite military units, and contributed to national security efforts across the globe. From leading humanitarian missions to coordinating operations in active combat zones, UTA’s ROTC graduates have shaped military strategy, protected American interests, and led troops through some of the most challenging conflicts of the modern era. But the impact of UTA’s ROTC program doesn’t end with military service. Many of its graduates carry the leadership, discipline, and resilience they honed in the Maverick Battalion into their civilian careers, becoming business leaders, educators, public servants, and advocates for their communities.

One such example is Jeannie Deakyne (’11 MA, ’98 BA, Political Science), a combat veteran and 2025 Military Science Hall of Honor inductee. After serving 12 years in the Army, during which time she earned the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge, Deakyne devoted her civilian life to veteran advocacy and community engagement. Currently executive director of the Arlington ISD Education Foundation, she has played a vital role in shaping the school district’s future. Her work has been recognized by organizations such as the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Texas PTA, and the Junior League of Arlington.

“My years with Army ROTC and UT Arlington’s Maverick Battalion shaped who I am today. The lessons I learned there and in the Army continue to guide my work in education and public service,” she says. “Giving back to my community feels like a natural extension of the values I learned in uniform. ROTC and military service didn’t just prepare me for a job—they gave me a lifelong commitment to making a difference.”

A New Chapter

As the University has evolved over its long history, so has the Maverick Battalion.

“We look different than we did 130 years ago, and it’s clear how much we’ve grown,” LeClair says.

The battalion has grown to reflect the rich backgrounds and experiences of UTA’s student body. One of its newest additions is UTA’s first all-female color guard team, named in honor of Lt. Col. Lora Rimmer, the first female professor of military science at UTA.

Even as the program moves forward, it remains tied to its roots. Soon, a new veterans’ memorial will be unveiled on campus featuring plaques dedicated to UTA’s Medal of Honor recipients and alumni who served. The historic Carlisle Cannon—once a signature of UTA’s military past—was reintroduced at UTA’s 2025 Hall of Honor ceremony, bringing back a tradition that evokes the University’s earliest days.

But the Maverick Battalion’s greatest legacy is found in the people it produces, as their impact extends far beyond campus. ROTC programs like UTA’s are responsible for commissioning 80% of the officers in the U.S. Army, shaping the future of military leadership in America.

It’s a responsibility that LeClair takes seriously.

“When you think about the face of the Army, the future of leadership in this country, you have to understand—those leaders are coming from places like UT Arlington,” LeClair says. “They are the ones entrusted with our national security, with the continuity of our government, with the responsibility to lead in the most uncertain of times. And they’re ready for it.” 

— Written By Amber Scott, photos courtesy Deon Rodrigues and UTA Libraries Special Collections