Virginia Tech Cadets Will Give $9000 To D-Day Memorial
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets will present a $9000 check to a D-Day Memorial representative at a ceremony in Bedford on Saturday Feb. 1 at 11 a.m.
Approximately 100 cadets helped raise the money as a service project. Col. Edward Schwabe said the idea surfaced last year when memorial officials were having trouble financing the final stages of the project.
Bravo Company Commander, Cadet Major Greg Grubbs, who headed up the project this year, hoped to exceed the $6000 raised by cadets for the memorial last year. This year the project was expanded to include the entire battalion of four companies.
The cadets raised the money by asking tailgaters at VT home football games for donations.
"This is an example of a significant service project," said Schwabe. "It's a way to recognize the sacrifices of those who have gone before us in this kind of profession, and ties us to that in a small way."
Grubbs said "The D-Day memorial is near and dear to all our hearts, so it just seemed to fit the bill. This project has impacted me in a positive way, as does anything you do to help a worthy and distinguished cause."
About 40 cadets in uniform will attend the simple ceremony in Bedford. The cadets were selected from across the corps in an effort to represent as many units as possible.
The Corps of Cadets has a quiet presence at Tech. "The cadets have an extremely busy schedule on a day to day basis. They are, compared to the average student on campus, pretty overloaded," said Schwabe. "They're up before dawn for physical training and they've got 18 to 24 more credit hours to take for the ROTC to get their degree," he added.
About 80% of Tech's cadets go on to serve active duty. In reference to the war on terrorism Schwabe said, "Most of the young people who are in the corps now clearly see the writing on the wall. Their focus will be considerably different than their grandfathers' experience."
For additional information contact Col. Edward Schwabe at fschwabe@vt.edu.
Written by Meredith Trotter, Intern in the Office of University Relations
