Air Force ROTC cadets stand at attention during the annual Chancellor’s Review in the Dome.
Last week, members of the campus community and Chancellor Kent Syverud gathered in the Dome for the 102nd Annual Chancellor’s Review of the Syracuse University Army and Air Force ROTC cadets. University leaders, alumni, community members, educational partners and special guests attended the event sponsored by the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA).
The yearly review celebrates the ROTC cadets and their commitment to service. Syracuse boasts the longest consecutively running ROTC program in the country—a legacy in keeping with the University tradition of support for veterans and military families as the “best place for veterans.” During the event, Chancellor Syverud announced an impressive milestone related to the University’s commitment: “I’m proud to say that veteran and military-connected enrollment has passed five percent of our total enrollment here at Syracuse University,” he said.
Under the review of the Chancellor, more than 150 cadets performed drills and ceremonies in formation. Cadets were celebrated during an award ceremony honoring achievements throughout the year.
“Our Army and Air Force ROTC programs and cadets are terrific exemplars of the University’s commitment to service,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA. “As we further our initiatives and resources for veterans and military-connected students and staff, the ROTC program remains a strategic pillar of Syracuse University’s campus community and to the defense of our nation. These cadets are driven, ambitious and hardworking. It is a privilege to have them as members of our university and prepare them to lead the next generation of our country’s armed forces.”
Immediately following the review, nearly 25 Army ROTC cadets departed Syracuse for their senior staff ride to Lexington Concord Battlefield outside Boston. There, they completed a weekend-long battlefield analysis as part of their commissioning requirement. Air Force cadets completed their senior staff ride to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey during the week of the review.
The ROTC program is an integral piece of the University’s commitment to the veteran and military-connected population. Recently ranked the No. 1 private school for veterans by Military Times, Syracuse is furthering its commitment with the construction of the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC), a first-of-its-kind multi-use facility dedicated to advancing academic research, programming and community-connected innovation serving the social, economic and wellness concerns of the nation’s veterans and families. The NVRC is scheduled to open in 2020.
