Congratulations 8th Brigade ROTC at Pacific Lutheran University for winning another MacArthur Award, this time for the school year 2012-2013.

Let's read the U.S. Army Cadet Command's news release:

Fort Knox, Ky. (Feb. 28, 2014) - The U.S. Army Cadet Command announced today the eight winners of the MacArthur Awards for the school year 2012-2013.

The award recognizes the eight schools, selected from among the 275 senior Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) units nationwide, as the top programs in the country.

The awards, 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.

This year's eight winners are:

Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va. which represents Cadet Command's 1st Brigade. The brigade consists of the nation's six senior military colleges and five of the military junior colleges.

Niagara University, of Niagara University, N.Y., which represents 2nd Brigade. The brigade consists of the 42 senior Army ROTC programs in the Northeast.

Iowa State University, of Ames, Iowa, which represents 3rd Brigade. The brigade consists of the 41 senior Army ROTC programs in the Midwest. This is the third consecutive year that Iowa State has won the award.

The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., which represents 4th Brigade. The brigade consists of the 38 senior Army ROTC programs in the Mid-Atlantic region.

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colo., which represents 5th Brigade. The brigade includes the 36 senior Army ROTC programs in the Southwest.

University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla., which represents 6th Brigade. The brigade consists of the 39 senior Army ROTC programs in the Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico.

University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky., which represents 7th Brigade. The brigade consists of the 38 senior Army ROTC programs in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Pacific Lutheran University, of Tacoma, Wash., is the repeat winner for 8th Brigade. The brigade consists of the 30 senior Army ROTC programs on the West Coast, as well as Hawaii, Alaska and Guam.