ROTC Cadets Honor the Sacrifices of Fellow Service Members

UVA ROTC students marching with rifles in front of US Armed forces flags

POW / MIA Vigil at UVA

Cadets and midshipmen from the University of Virginia’s ROTC units held a 24-hour vigil Monday and Tuesday in the McIntire Amphitheater to remember American prisoners of war and those missing in action.

The vigil ended Tuesday afternoon with a ceremony honoring all veterans. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Paul S. Wilson, commander of the Army Legal Services Agency and a graduate of the UVA School of Law, was the keynote speaker. Among his posts, Wilson served as the director of the Center for Law and Military Operations at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville.

“The opportunity to remember and honor all the veterans who have served before us is an amazing honor and very personally inspiring to me,” said Air Force Cadet Katherine Krawietz, deputy squadron commander, an Arnold Air Society cadet captain and an organizer of the annual event. “The sacrifices that men and women in the military make each and every day are very easy to forget because they handle it with such grace and selflessness, but they are what allows us to enjoy the freedoms we have here at home. Soldiers serving overseas currently, those who have served previously, and especially those who have not returned home deserve our greatest thanks and remembrance.”

Ninety-six cadets and midshipmen participated in the vigil, in groups of four rotating every hour, silently marching throughout the duration. The vigil also featured a display of service flags, including the POW/MIA flag. Approximately 300 cadets and midshipmen participated in the veteran’s ceremony that followed.

“We hold this vigil to give ourselves and our fellow students an opportunity to recognize and reflect on serving others and sacrifice,” Krawietz said. “It is an honor to follow in the footsteps of these veterans and serve my country in the United States military.”

Media Contact

Matt Kelly

Office of University Communications