By Jesse Coleman
The United States Armed Forces gears up for a war, and the soldier cadets at BYU are helping students remember why America will take the lead in this war.
Standing tall, proud and erect, cadets of the BYU Air Force Reserve Officer''s Training Core stood at the foot of the American flag just south of the Maeser Building for a 24-hour vigil Friday, Sept. 21.
The flag vigil is for the cadets of BYU Air Force ROTC to honor the men and women who died last week in the terrorist attacks, said Captain Brett Swigert, assistant professor of aerospace studies.
Changing of the guard every hour was an hourly practice for each cadet involved. At the top of each hour, a different cadet would take his or her place before the flag, the symbol of our nation''s strength and pride.
This vigil is uniquely related to BYU, and was a brainchild of the members of the corps, said Cadet Captain Samuel Rogers, color guard commander for the vigil.
Rogers, whose family has been in the military for three generations, saw this vigil as an opportunity for the ROTC to reflect upon what happened in New York and Washington D.C.
'It''s a memory of all the people that died, also it''s to help us remember why we''re doing this, it''s to protect the country. That''s why we''re in the military, it''s not for us, not for money, it''s to help freedom,' Rogers said.
By standing in front of the flag for an hour, each cadet has a lot of time to think about what they''re doing, he said.
For another cadet, the vigil was a representation of the countries newfound unity.
'It was a tragedy that happened, but those who died didn''t die in vain. It brought the country closer,' Cadet First Lieutenant Joseph Lopez said.
It was an honor for me to take my place in front of the American flag, he said.
At noon, dozens of students gathered as four cadets laid a wreath at the foot of the flag. The flag continues to fly at half-mast as reminder of those who died in the terrorist attacks September 11.
Joseph Austenson, a sophomore from Idaho Falls, Idaho, watched the wreath lying with tears in his eyes.
Austenson, who is studying psychology, said he came to pay his respect for those who died in the terrorist attacks.
'Those who died in the World Trade Center died for our freedom,' Austenson said. 'If it didn''t happen, then perhaps the fight for terrorism wouldn''t have been what it will be in the future. We''re getting into a long struggle for freedom, but it''s one I think we''ll come out on top.'