BYU’s Army and Air Force ROTC hosted a wreath-laying ceremony on May 21, honoring the BYU students who gave their lives during military service.
The ceremony took place in the Wilkinson Student Center, with pre-ceremony speeches and an introduction given in the Garden Court. The wreath ceremony then took place in the Reflection Room.
Finished in 2017, the Reflection Room contains the names of every BYU student who has died while serving in the military.
The space is open to the public, providing a quiet environment throughout all hours of the day.
The wreath-laying ceremony takes place in the Wilkinson Student Center each spring, creating a special time for the continued commemoration of BYU students who have died in the line of duty.
The annual ceremony also featured speakers from Brigham Young’s ROTC programs, as well as a keynote address from BYU professor and retired Army Colonel Kenneth L. Alford.
The remarks highlighted the lives of individual soldiers, providing a look into their lives and sacrifices.
Cadet Taylor Dryden was one of the speakers at the event.
Dryden shared the story of Corporal Howard Joshua Hales, a soldier who died during World War I.
She shared what speaking at the event meant to her.
“I'm very grateful for the opportunity to actually act on how I feel towards people who have given their lives for me, and for my friends and my family,” Dryden said.
Alford gave a keynote address centered on the biblical theme “Greater Love Hath No Man,” highlighting the importance of sacrifice in the pursuit of liberty.
“We have feelings of remembrance, sorrow that these lives were lost, but also gratitude. And a joy in understanding the plan of salvation,” Alford said.
Quoting Jewish-American writer Elias Lieberman, Alford expounded upon why sacrifice matters.
“I believe that there are greater things in life than life itself. I believe in my country and her destiny,” he said.
After Alford spoke, the wreath-laying ceremony began.
Moving from the Wilkinson’s expansive Garden Court to the quiet Reflection Room, the wreath was put into position at the front.
The names of the fallen BYU students, along with their associated conflicts, were then read.
After the reading of the names, the ceremony concluded. Cadet W. Blake Thompson, an Army ROTC member, helped to direct the proceedings.
Thompson explained that ROTC was important in his personal leadership development, allowing him the chance to organize field exercises, direct events, and become a leader of the ROTC program.
“(It’s) some of the best leadership training I’ve had to date,” he said. “We put on these events for the training of the cadets to build leaders for the United States military.”
Thompson also shared what the ceremony meant to him, quoting the idea of “greater love” shared in Alford’s keynote.
“These people who we have memorialized here today exemplify this greater love,” he said.
The ROTC program's next event will take place this November as their yearly Presidential Review.