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By Col. Rock Roszak

Cadet 1st Sgt. Scott Forsythe

BLACKSBURG, Va., September 2, 2009 -- For a number of years, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has partnered with the Virginia Tech football team to highlight the Colors during the pre-game ceremony at every home football game.

Three football players are selected, because of their performance in the last game or during practice, to carry the American flag, the state flag, and the team’s spirit flag as they lead the team onto the field at Lane Stadium. They carry the flags the length of the field and deliver them to three first-year cadets, also selected for their performance during their training, waiting for them on the south goal line. The cadets render honor to the flags and then securely carry them off the field.

This year, that partnership will be extended to include away games. At each regular season game on the road in 2009, one or two cadets who have distinguished themselves in the performance of their duties will be selected to accompany the team to the game and secure the flags on “enemy territory.” The cadets, who are being rewarded for their outstanding performance, will travel, lodge, and eat with the team. The tradition will also continue at all home games this year with three first-year cadets being selected for each game based on their superior performance.

The first cadet to travel with the team will be Cadet 1st Sgt. Scott Forsythe of Germantown, Md., a junior majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Enrolled in Army ROTC, he is the first sergeant in Delta Company and was selected for this honor as the top performing cadre member during the cadre and new cadet training weeks, where he excelled in preparing and then training first-year cadets. There are 26 first-year cadets in Delta Company that he is responsible for, part of the second-largest incoming cadet class in 35 years.

Future members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets will continue to be selected for this honor based on their performance in the cadet regiment. The program will continue in this way in partnership with the Virginia Tech Athletic Department and the Virginia Tech football team.

Read related Virginia Tech News stories:

• “Parade marking entrance of Class of 2013 into the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets to be held Aug. 22”
• “Army ROTC cadets take first and third place at Army 10-miler in Washington D.C.”

Contact Col. Rock Roszak at roszakrs@vt.edu or (540) 231-9369.

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