Detachment 610 History

Detachment 610 was originally formed from two distinct units that eventually merged into one.

In 1952, both the University of North Dakota(UND) and North Dakota State University(NDSU) chose to offer the Air Force ROTC program. ROTC units were established at each institution later that year, on 1 August at NDSU and 10 October at UND. The NDSU unit was designated Detachment 610, while the UND unit was designated Detachment 615.

The program initially saw significant success, with UND alone reaching an enrollment of 572 cadets by the fall of 1964. However, this growth declined sharply during the social and political upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, when widespread public opposition and decreased student interest led many universities nationwide to close ROTC detachments across all branches of service.

While Detachment 610 remained continuous, Detachment 615 was closed in 1979. Interest in Air Force ROTC at UND resurged in the mid-1980's, leading to efforts to reestablish the program. On 1 August 1992, UND was reinstated as a crosstown school under Detachment 610. Enrollment grew rapidly, driven by UND's expanding aerospace programs and the aviation-focused goals of incoming cadets. This growth necessitated the establishment of a permanent location in Grand Forks, which was completed by 1 January 1996. As a result, the NDSU unit became known as Eagle Wing I, while the UND unit was designated Eagle Wing II.

Since 1967, Detachment 610 has served as the host unit for crosstown AFROTC programs at Minnesota State University-Moorhead and Concordia College. The creation of a second wing further expanded crosstown opportunities. The University of Minnesota Crookston joined Eagle Wing II in 1998, followed by Park University in 1999, both of which maintain programs at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Mayville State University joined Detachment 610 in 2005, marking the most recent addition to the detachment.