Black Bear Battalion earns prestigious MacArthur Award
Black Bear Battalion, the University of Maine’s Army ROTC unit, has won the prestigious MacArthur Award, which recognizes the top eight schools, selected from among the 275 senior Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs nationwide. The award, presented by Cadet Command and the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Foundation, recognize the ideals of “duty, honor, and country” as advocated by MacArthur. The award is based on a combination of the achievement of the school’s commissioning mission, its cadets’ performance and standing on the command’s National Order of Merit List, and its cadet retention rate. Cadet Command and the MacArthur Foundation have given the awards each year since 1989. Black Bear Battalion won top honors for 2nd Brigade, whose 42 schools include MIT, Northeastern, BU and Rutgers. It’s the first time in 28 years Cadet Command has selected UMaine Army ROTC for the award.