News-Info-Alerts

Re: POW-MIA Vigil

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: September 14, 2002

"Tech's MIA-POW Vigil Affected By 9-11

Shots fire out, and Texas Tech ROTC cadets lower flags to honor the service men and women who are either missing in action or prisoner's of war.  Guest speaker Air Force Colonel Michael Moeller says those heroes will always be remembered.

"When we send our men and women overseas, when we send them to fight for us we will never forget them," said Colonel Moeller.  "We will never leave them behind, whether their loss missing, captive, we'll come back to find them."

To represent our servicemen's continued search for those lost, cadets salute this empty dining table.

"It's a visible reminder of those that are missing in action, that we continue to search for them in memoriam," says Tech ROTC Cadet Philip Yarborough.

While many patriots participate in the vigil, cadets say this year is particularly special.

"This ceremony has greatly been affected by September 11th," says Yarborough.  "It's always been very serious.  It's even more serious today.  We had a huge turn-out and a bunch of people stopping in from class."

ROTC cadets are posting guard for the flag.  They've been out here since noon and will continue for twenty-four hours.

"I'm proud to be an American," says Yarborough.  "I love the fact that our freedom here in America, I'd like to protect that for future generations."

Texas Tech's ROTC program has held the POW-MIA vigil since1985.  Last year, the vigil was cancelled becuase of September 11th, but they say this year the large turn out was due in part to that tragic event.

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