Baylor’s AFROTC Detachment 810 Earns Top National Honor
Prestigious award highlights 75 years of excellence, innovation and military leadership at one of the nation’s oldest ROTC programs

Baylor Photography: Matthew Minard
Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, 254-327-8012
Follow us: @BaylorUMedia on X and LinkedIn
Baylor University's Air Force and Space Force Reserve Officer Training Corp (AFROTC), Detachment 810, has added another milestone to its distinguished history as one of the nation's oldest Air Force ROTC units. Detachment 810 has been ranked as the No. 1 Medium Detachment in the country, outperforming 49 other detachments nationwide to claim the top honor.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Sterling, commander of Detachment 810, accepted the Air Force ROTC Detachment Right of Line award at the AFROTC’s Detachment Commander symposium. The annual event brings together all 145 detachment commanders nationwide, representing cadets from over 700 colleges and universities.
“This award validates the value of thinking outside the box, building a great team and harnessing the creative power of 80-plus cadets,” Sterling said. “Baylor’s support of this program is second to none and in line with the school’s longstanding commitment to supporting the military.”
The award considers multiple criteria, including production, education, recruiting and retention, university and public relations, cadet activities, Arnold Air Society activities and other notable achievements.
Sterling defined three main factors that have allowed the detachment to impact the entire ROTC enterprise and innovate new ways to increase training value: dedicated cadre members, great cadets and fantastic support from Baylor.
“Baylor asked the Air Force to set up a Detachment in 1948 and has stood by that decision for over 75 years,” Sterling said. “This award reflects Baylor’s commitment, generosity and partnership with Air Force ROTC and the quality of students at Baylor and our cross-town schools.”
Baylor’s Detachment 810 was established in July 1948, only 10 months after the creation of the Air Force as a separate military unit, making it one of the first ROTC programs in the nation.
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is an educational program designed to give men and women the opportunity to become Air Force or Space Force officers while completing their degrees. Baylor AFROTC began the fall 2024 semester with its largest Cadet population in a decade, with a current roster of 85 cadets. Historically, they have commissioned between eight and 12 officers per year but expect to commission 15 cadets as officers this year.
Sterling will be leaving Baylor this summer for his next assignment, leaving a legacy to be continued by Lt. Col. Kimber Nettis, ’07, who will become the program’s first female commander.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.