NU cadets honor veterans with parade, speaker

By Kyle Blaikie
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

The enormous American flag was draped in front of Jackman Hall as the men and women of the Norwich University Corps of Cadets gathered on the Upper Parade ground Friday, Nov. 9, to march in honor of the nation's veterans.

Formed into their three battalions, the Cadets marched north from the south end of the UP, stopping just short of the tour strip and coming to parade rest to hear this year's Veterans' day speakers.

Bill Passalacqua, is the director of operations for leadership development and training at Norwich.

"This Veterans' Day is important, because we have people at war today," Passalacqua said. "This is a special occasion, considering we have young students here who are getting ready to get commissioned and go into the military within months. Our graduates will be involved with this war. I think that adds to the event."

According to Norwich University VP for student affairs Michael McKean, with inexperienced graduates going off to war, this upcoming generation needs advice from their elders.

"We look back to these great heroes, and we ask them," McKean said. "It's not time to go away yet. We need you to help us."

The reviewing officer for the Veterans' day parade was Lieutenant Colonel Bill McNamara, USA retired, who graduated from Norwich in 1936.

According to McNamara, the current generation of young Americans "doesn't know what war is", and he believes that they are not prepared for this war due to lack of experience.

Seeming to disagree with Lieutenant Colonel MacNamara's remarks, McKean voiced his belief that the elder generations of Americans feel very proud and secure when observing the nation's future leaders.

"As the elders pass the mantle, they look upon this generation and feel very proud," McKean said. "They see a bunch of bright young men and women with a little skip to their walk and they are going to keep America free."

The cadets who marched in the parade were also positive about both the presence of the veterans and the ability of their generation to wage war on the nation's enemies.

"We owe a lot to them, because they have defended the country and went through things that we haven't before," said Ken Chin, 20, a junior Computer Information Systems major from Wilmington, Mass. "I don't think that the vets think that we can do it, because our whole patriotism isn't the same as before, but that doesn't mean that we aren't able to do it."

Bryan Bonatati, 18, a criminal justice major from Annapolis, MD, also marched in the day's parade.

"Most of them, due to what they went through, see our generation as getting it easy and the lazy generation," Bonatati said. "I don't think that we are a lazy generation. I think that we are ready. Back then, they really needed the physical training. We don't need that type of training. They had their rifles and their legs."

McKean said he wants to make Veterans' day a bigger event on Norwich's campus.

"I can't think of a more fitting location for the state of Vermont to celebrate Veteran's Day than at the oldest private military college in the nation," McKean said. "I would like to get some more recognized speakers here. Maybe even from the federal government."

"This parade is a special one," Passalacqua said. "Here we are the oldest private military college in the nation. This is where people should come to see a Veterans' Day parade."

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