Members of Boston University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program celebrated the end of the semester on Saturday at Nickerson Field with the annual Tri-Service Pass in Review, which included a 15-gun salute and an Air Force fly over as well as remarks from guest of honor Army Lt. Gen. John Vines.
The ceremony celebrates seniors that are graduating ROTC and lower classes moving up in ranks. The 350 cadets are inspected and addressed by a ranking official.
College of Engineering sophomore Kaloian Barbukov called Vines’ speech “extremely motivational,” noting that he enjoyed the remarks because they were a reminder of the responsibilities he bears as an ROTC member.
“He motivated us by letting us know that we were the next great generation of the United States’ defenders and that we have our work cut out for us,” he said. “However, being an ROTC graduate himself, he has every sense of security in our capabilities as leaders for tomorrow’s military.”
College of General Studies sophomore Sean Pillai said the ceremony is one of his favorite parts of being a member of ROTC.
“I absolutely loved the event because it gets to basically show off the individual battalions to the school in a very formal historical ceremony,” he said.
BU’s ROTC program, divided into Army, Navy and Air Force branches, is designed to balance classes with hands-on training including studies in leadership development, military skills and adventure training, according to the Army ROTC website.
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore Gabe Santiago said the training to be a member of the naval branch of ROTC is rigorous.
“We have to keep up with physical fitness standards, so we have mandatory physical training three times a week,” he said. “We also take classes in naval leadership and naval history.”
Pillai said he wanted to take advantage of the great opportunity that ROTC presents.
“I joined to follow in my family’s footsteps in serving in the Armed Forces,” he said. “It is also a great opportunity for me to earn a college degree.”
Other cadets, like Santiago, were motivated to join the military because of the war on terrorism.
“I decided I wanted to join the military after September 11th,” he said. “It was a wake-up call for me that everyone should do their part in defending the country.”
Barbakov said a cadet in today’s world is very important.
“War in history has been catastrophic and many have died defending their country,” he said. “The war today is different. It is not conventional anymore. It is a war on terrorism.”
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