2008 Woodie Awards
Candlelight vigil honors American soldiers
By: Adam Louis
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Campus
Republicans and Democrats came together last night to pay tribute to soldiers both currently serving and fallen.
Encircled by American flags - one for every 10 soldiers either killed or on active duty in Iraq - the group huddled together in the Union Oval on a chilly spring night as members of the Air Force ROTC presented the flag and the "Star-Spangled Banner" played.
Since the beginning of the war in 2003, 4,029 soldiers have been killed, according to The Associate Press.
USG President John Waynick asked the gathering to remember recent BG graduate 2nd Lt. David Mitchell, a 26-year-old National Guard recently killed in a training accident in Arizona, and encouraged the crowd to continue to remember and support all soldiers.
"Thank a soldier when they pass by," Waynick said. "Raise your flag and be proud."
Iraq War veteran and former congressional candidate Scott Radcliffe was at the event last night and spoke about his two tours of duty.
He recalled his returns home when every person in the airport, regardless of political stance or opinion, would warmly greet him and show their support to the soldiers as they walked through the terminals.
"Every warm body [in the airport] ripped into applause," Radcliffe said. "That's something not every generation of soldier got to enjoy."
Radcliffe said supporting the troops can be as simple as tying a yellow ribbon to a tree."Continue to support the troops," Radcliffe said. "They're doing a hell of a job."
College Democrats secretary Ron Collier was the only member of his organization present last night. He was impressed by the Republicans setting aside political opinions to remember and honor the soldiers.
"The fact that they even invited us shows they were more about supporting the troops than partisan politics," Collier said. "It shows we can do something together."
Encircled by American flags - one for every 10 soldiers either killed or on active duty in Iraq - the group huddled together in the Union Oval on a chilly spring night as members of the Air Force ROTC presented the flag and the "Star-Spangled Banner" played.
Since the beginning of the war in 2003, 4,029 soldiers have been killed, according to The Associate Press.
USG President John Waynick asked the gathering to remember recent BG graduate 2nd Lt. David Mitchell, a 26-year-old National Guard recently killed in a training accident in Arizona, and encouraged the crowd to continue to remember and support all soldiers.
"Thank a soldier when they pass by," Waynick said. "Raise your flag and be proud."
Iraq War veteran and former congressional candidate Scott Radcliffe was at the event last night and spoke about his two tours of duty.
He recalled his returns home when every person in the airport, regardless of political stance or opinion, would warmly greet him and show their support to the soldiers as they walked through the terminals.
"Every warm body [in the airport] ripped into applause," Radcliffe said. "That's something not every generation of soldier got to enjoy."
Radcliffe said supporting the troops can be as simple as tying a yellow ribbon to a tree."Continue to support the troops," Radcliffe said. "They're doing a hell of a job."
College Democrats secretary Ron Collier was the only member of his organization present last night. He was impressed by the Republicans setting aside political opinions to remember and honor the soldiers.
"The fact that they even invited us shows they were more about supporting the troops than partisan politics," Collier said. "It shows we can do something together."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 5
Quentin
posted 4/10/08 @ 2:19 PM EST
This is very good, I come from a military family on both sides and support them. But all too often we don't really think much about the IRAQI dead, you know the people from the country we 'liberated' into terror and anarchy?
With 4,029 American casualties, that means Support the Troops rally put up 402-403 American flags. (Continued…)
Torin
posted 4/10/08 @ 6:51 PM EST
Though it is great that those who showed up last night did, but there is so much more that all, including myself could do. What our soldiers are doing, is so more than any of us are, and that needs to change. (Continued…)
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