Matt Troisi ’22

“Atten-hut”

UNH Army ROTC program earns top honor

Matt Troisi ’22

he university’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program recently received the MacArthur Award as the No.1 top-performing unit out of 42 units in the brigade, which includes New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and New England. The unit learned of the award via a videoconference in January.

The annual award is given based on academic and fitness scores, retention and commissioning rates, program administrative metrics and organizational culture. It has been presented annually since 1989 by the U.S. Army Cadet Command and the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Foundation to recognize the ideals of duty, honor and country.

“The MacArthur Award means a great deal to our program. Part of our program vision is to be a premier program in the Northeast, and this year, we are the premier program,” says Jacob M. Johnston, Lt. Col., aviation and professor of military science. “We are proud of all our cadets and cadre who contribute to our strong and positive culture.”

Jeremy Gasowski

There are 140 cadets in the UNH Army program currently. According to ROTC leaders, it had been anticipated UNH would commission 25 “leaders of character” during the 2019-20 academic year. Instead, 33 were commissioned, and the program is on track to commission 37 in 2021.

The first ROTC instructor at UNH was hired in 1884; the 1895-1896 course catalog listed the course Military Science and Tactics.