About 80 members of Grand Canyon University’s Army ROTC program worked in nearly complete silence Thursday morning as they planted about 3,000 handheld flags on a lawn adjacent to GCU Ballpark.
That quiet atmosphere was just one way that officer Emma Davisson and her cadre wanted to remember those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“We wanted to add a lot more to what 9/11 meant,” Davisson said after the flag planting, a 9/11 memorial that was completed in about 30 minutes.
The cadets’ morning training also honored the day, starting with nine exercise stations and 11 repetitions for each set. As soon as they completed those duties, they ran to the field at a nine-minute, 11-second pace.
As cadets and officers installed the flags, they listened to an audio tape recalling the attacks and those lost.
“We kept it quiet so that we could all remember what it was all about instead of going through the motions of it,” said Davisson, a senior psychology major who was in charge of the 9/11 remembrance ceremony. “A lot of people came together to make it happen.”
This morning’s ceremony held special significance for Juan Loera, who was celebrating his eighth anniversary in the Army and was one of the first to arrive at about 6 a.m.
“People may just think it’s another day,” said Loera, a senior business major. “But people who are running by here or walking to class will realize this is not just a normal day.
“This is cool because of lot of the cadets aren’t in the Army yet but recognize the patriotism.”
Loera would like to serve in the Army for at least 20 years “or until the wheels fall off” and is grateful to serve while attending GCU.
“It’s cool to see how (GCU) open its arms and fully supports whatever we want to do to show patriotism and our freedoms.”
Travis Durand, assistant officer in charge of the event, appreciated the chance to participate for the first time as a senior.
“Even though I wasn’t around during 9/11, I still hear the impact – especially from my parents,” said Durand, a pre-vet medicine major. “It was a day that changed a lot of things in the world, and it’s important to remember it.
“To being involved, it’s just super important to bring awareness for new generations. It’s important to remember these events so you know the importance behind them and the reason for the sacrifices.”
Assuming a leadership role was important for Sergio Machuca, who enlisted in the Army nine years ago and believed serving as an officer would expand those skills.
“I wanted to go from a soldier who does one specific job to being a leader who can impact multiple soldiers’ lives,” said Machuca, a senior finance/economics major. “And I think GCU does a great job of instilling that.
“A lot of these cadets will attest that GCU is very leadership-oriented. In almost every degree plan, there’s almost some sort of class program that’s leadership-oriented.”
GCU’s ROTC program has maintained a strong tradition of installing the flags on 9/11, even though nearly all of its members weren’t born at the time of the attacks.
“I love that we do it every year,” said Sadia Diouf, a senior nursing major from Oakland, California. “I feel it has two very special things. First, us commemorating all the lives lost during 9/11, and doing that first bonding experience as a program.”
Diouf recognized a common theme, based on her participation for the first time last year.
“No matter whether someone was participating for the second or fourth time, the environment is the same,” Diouf said. “We’re getting together to do something better than ourselves.”
The flags are scheduled to be removed Friday.
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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