Notre Dame president leads cadets on change of pace

  • Published
NOTRE DAME, Ind. --  As wind swirled and snow accumulated outside on a frigid northern Indiana morning, ordinary students slept warmly inside.  On the contrary, the university president and vice president here paced through the wintery elements early Tuesday in leading extraordinary ROTC cadets and midshipmen on the annual Tri-Mil Warrior Run.

The event, which develops camaraderie among Air Force, Army, and Navy ROTC students, is a change of pace from the usual physical training sessions and provides participants with a glimpse of how fellow ROTC branches are instructed.

The two guests of honor were not there to earn a commission or complete a physical training session.  However, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, and Dr. John Affleck-Graves, vice president --both marathon runners and enthusiasts--were there to lead the group and set the pace during the two-mile trek through inclement conditions.

Cadets and midshipmen seemed to be inspired by the leadership of Notre Dame.

In support of both service and training, Father Jenkins spoke words of encouragement after the run.  He said, "We expect when you go forth from Notre Dame, to be leaders in your various branches of service, to be leaders in your communities, and to be leaders who have a sense of service and duty." 

The Notre Dame president further elaborated how important it is for military leadership to have the moral and ethical values that both Notre Dame and the ROTC programs strive to inspire.

Cadet John-Paul Adrian, the fall semester Wing Commander at Detachment 225, said, "Having the President of the university attend an event such as PT was a great morale-builder and outward sign of the community's respect toward all of those about to begin a career in our nation's armed forces." 

ROTC officials said the President Jenkins' appearance demonstrated the enormous amount of support and encouragement that ROTC detachments at Notre Dame receive from the university.