Austin High School is home to the 2nd battalion in the 5th brigade.The first Panther Battalion was organized in the fall of 1928, a year before the school's doors opened to students. Major Shreffler as well as Lieutenants Fessinger and Mendoza were sent from El Paso High School to Austin to help fully establish the program. Due to their success, both Austin and El Paso High Schools (also the oldest schools in the district) helped lay the foundation for the JROTC program in the El Paso School District.
