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Air Force ROTC honors POW and MIA soldiers

At 5 a.m. on Friday, while much of the Utah State University community was asleep, Sam VonNeiderhausen, the USU Air Force ROTC cadet vice wing commander, paid his respects to American soldiers who never made it home.

He was one of many USU Air Force ROTC members who participated in a 24-hour vigil on the Quad to honor soldiers who are missing in action (MIA) or prisoners of war (POW). The vigil, which was held from Thursday at 5 p.m. to Friday at 5 p.m., was similar to those held at Arlington National Cemetery.

“We’re here to remember the people that have given the ultimate sacrifice for us,” VonNiederhausen said. “Some may be dead, some may not be here, but we do this to commemorate that they were willing to do that for us and for our country.”

During each hour of the vigil, two Air Force ROTC cadets guarded flags positioned in the center of the Quad. A sign near them instructed passerbys to place flags in the grass to pay respect to the soldiers.

Many people participated and soon the lawn was blanketed with miniature American flags.

The gesture was small, but significant, said to Joshua Cruzan, the USU Air Force ROTC cadet wing commander.

“It’s not a lot,” Cruzan said, “but it’s our offering and sacrifice to remember the people who have given their lives or never came home. Hopefully by doing this we’re instilling that same sense of patriotism in the cadets as well as everyone who walks by.”

VonNeiderhausen said he hopes the community will recognize the importance of POW and MIA soldiers’ sacrifices.

“Sometimes we forget what it is to have these freedoms in America,” VonNeiderhausen said. “We need to remember that people had to make sacrifices throughout our entire American history to give us these freedoms we enjoy so we can just be students on campus and not have to worry about people threatening our lives our anyone else’s.”

Air Force ROTC detachment commander Alex Dubovik said the ROTC members who participated in the vigil may one day be placed in the same position as the soldiers they are honoring.

“Many of them are going to choose a career where they’re going to sign a blank check to the United States with their lives to support and defend the freedoms we enjoy here,” Dubovik said. “I think it should be a distinct source of pride to have people within the USU community that are willing to dedicate their lives to that kind of service.”

Dubovik said this is the group’s fifth time honoring the soldiers with the vigil. The event is held annually around Veterans Day.

“This is something the cadets look forward to all year long,” Cruzan said.

Temperatures reached a low of 30 degrees Thursday night. The low temperatures were nothing compared to the snow a few years ago, VonNeiderhausen said. Whether they faced rain, snow or below-freezing temperatures, the Air Force ROTC was determined to continue the vigil.

“We make this 24-hour sacrifice for people who have given the ultimate sacrifice,” Cruzan said. “We hope that as people walk by, they’ll remember that Veterans Day and Memorial Day isn’t just a day off. It means something.”

—melmo12@gmail.com