The University of Illinois at Chicago's "Fire Battalion" is dedicated to maintaining the the traditions and history of the unit, its diverse cadet population, and the various partnership schools that span the city we have served for more than five decades. 

	In 1859, 22 years after the incorporation of the city of Chicago, the College of Pharmacy was founded.  It was closed temporarily during the Civil War and reopened in 1872.  Since that time the University has expanded and grown to the campus it is today.  In 1946, just after World War II, the University responded to the needs of the returning veterans by establishing a two-year undergraduate program at Navy Pier.
	On, 25 April 1947, then Chief of Staff of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower signed general Orders 91 creating the ROTC on the University of Illinois Urbana Campus.  Because the old Navy Pier campus was an extension of the University of Illinois, the ROTC detachment at Navy pier was officially part of the University of Illinois program.
	ROTC Flourished during the post WWII years.  The Fire Battalion's history  indicates a cadet battalion enrollment reaching 600 cadets during the early 1950's.
	In 1953, ROTC instruction was split into a basic and advanced course phase of instruction.  Each phase correlated with the  academic alignment of the students.  Thus, basic course students were Freshmen and Sophomores while the Juniors and Seniors conducted more rigorous campus based training and a six week summer camp in the Advanced Program.
	1964 saw the first implementation of a two year program and scholarships to match the newly designed program of instruction.  As a result of the ROTC Revitalization Act, the Battalion witnessed a growth.
	In 1965, the university campus moved from Navy Pier to its present location, offering courses in four colleges to about 5000 students.
	The Vietnam Years, 1965-1975 the Fire Battalion was still a detachment of the the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus.  While enrollments declined significantly,  the detachment continued to produce quality officers of exceptional talent and dedication.   During the Seventies, many of the established battalions in the Chicago Area were consolidated into a single Battalion.  UIC was not among those consolidated, as officially we were already a detachment but on 22 October 1976,  DePaul University was consolidated with the Loyola Battalion.
	In 1973, Pursuant to Department of the Army Guidance women were allowed into the ROTC Program
	Around 1976 UIC Fire Battalion was officially designated a Battalion separate and distinct from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
	In 1978, a staff study, nicknamed the subway study was conducted by the Loyola Instructor Group at the behest of the Second region Commander.  The study was designed to test the feasibility of tying all the Chicago Area Programs together using the subway-rapid transit  system.  The idea was abandoned due to excessive travel times for students
	Under President Reagan, during the Cold War years of the 1980's, the program was reinvigorated and many of the city's, smaller schools and universities were cross- enrolling in the UIC ROTC program.  ROTC was located on the 8th floor of the Science Building on Main Campus.
	In the early 1990's the Battalion was moved to the Sangamon Building, which is its current location.
	17 May 1991, The Loyola-DePaul Battalion commissioned their last 5 cadets and folded its colors for the last time.  The Fire Battalion assumed responsibility for the cross-enrolled students from Loyola and DePaul Universities as well as Northeastern Illinois University, Northwestern University.  The later two schools were official extensions of the Loyola Battalion.
	In 1996, the Fire Battalion became the host ROTC unit for all of the Chicago Area.   Chicago State University folded its colors as did Illinois Institute of Technology.  With the closing of these last two Chicago area detachments, the Fire Battalion now was the only Senior ROTC Battalion in Chicago.
	In April of 2002, the Battalion moved back to main campus from 115 S. Sangamon Street to the Roosevelt Street Building.
	Today, 2008, UIC has an active and diverse cadet population of 240 cadets from across the city's major institutions.  Our cadre and staff, who represents over 200 years of experience, trains and commissions approximately 25-30 cadets a year and are one of the nation's largest battalions.