UNC-Chapel Hill’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) was recently honored with the General Douglas MacArthur Award, marking the fifth time the program has earned the national distinction. The award recognizes programs for “excellence in leadership, training and overall performance.”

“This award is far more than a simple recognition; it is a testament to the unyielding grit, character, and drive of our UNC Army ROTC Cadets,” said Lisa Klekowski, lieutenant colonel and chair of the UNC department of military science, in a release. “These men and women don’t just chase excellence—they live it, embodying the ‘Duty-Honor-Country’ ideal in every mission they undertake.”

The award has been given out yearly since 1989 by the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Army Cadet Command. It honors what both groups consider to be the year’s eight most elite college ROTC programs across the country. UNC’s ROTC previously received the award in 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2023.

“While we are humbled to stand among the nation’s premier programs, this honor belongs to our cadets,” Klekowski continued. “Their commitment to being elite teammates and selfless community leaders defines our culture. They represent the very best of the United States Army and the enduring standard of excellence at UNC-Chapel Hill. I am immensely proud of these cadets.”

UNC’s ROTC accepted the award on Apr. 17 during its annual Military Ball, presented by Major General (Ret.) Joseph Reynes, who also serves as the executive director of the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation.

“The Army ROTC program is an integral part of the College, and this recognition underscores the extraordinary caliber of our cadets and the faculty and staff who support them,” said Jim White, dean of the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, in the same release. “The MacArthur Award reflects not only excellence in training and leadership, but also a deep commitment to service, scholarship and community. We are proud to see our students recognized at the highest level and grateful for the role this program plays in preparing principled leaders for the future.”

In addition to honoring college cadets, the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation gives out individual awards to outstanding U.S. Army junior officers and cadets, scholarships to third-year cadets at Old Dominion and Norfolk State universities, and honors to the best essays and papers on leadership and joint operations from the U.S. military’s staff colleges.

Featured image via UNC ROTC

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