UC s Army ROTC Honored with MacArthur Award

The University of Cincinnati’s Army ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program is recognized as one of the top units in the nation, as the Bearcat Battalion becomes one of only eight Army ROTC programs to receive the distinguished 2010 MacArthur Awards. The annual awards are presented by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, the parent organization of Army ROTC, in conjunction with the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation. The award will be formally presented at the Feb. 22 Commanders Conference in Covington, Ky.

The nation’s entire Army ROTC command is represented by 273 ROTC battalions with operations at more than 1,100 universities. The UC Bearcat Battalion was selected as best in seventh brigade, which includes all Army ROTC programs in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Individual units are selected for best exemplifying General MacArthur’s ideals reflecting duty, honor and country. Criteria include outstanding accomplishments in cadet training, retention, commissioning officers and support of the program by their university. UC’s Bearcat Battalion took first place among 38 competing universities in recruiting, enrollment, retention and physical fitness.

“Receiving a unit award named after a Medal of Honor Recipient and historic Army leader is an incredible honor,” says Lieutenant Colonel Randy Judd, the battalion’s commanding officer and UC professor of military science. “The MacArthur Award reflects the high standards that the Bearcat Battalion espouses for leadership development, scholastic achievement, physical fitness and overall program performance. Achieving this award is truly a team effort reflective of the hard work, determination and total commitment exhibited daily by our cadets and outstanding full-time cadre. The outstanding support from the University of Cincinnati administration, campus student body and the local community also made receipt of this award possible.”

G.I. Jobs 2010 list of military friendly schools lists UC among the top 15 percent of the nation’s higher educational institutions that are making efforts to embrace America’s veterans as students. UC is leading the state’s four-year public institutions in offering post-9/11 veterans Yellow Ribbon opportunities crossing undergraduate, graduate and professional school programs. UC’s “Salute to Service” fundraising initiative as part of the “Proudly Cincinnati” capital campaign is also underway to support military and veteran students at UC.