UK Army, Air Force ROTC to Honor the Victims of 9/11
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 10, 2021) — Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and the University of Kentucky Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs are remembering those who lost their lives in the deadliest terrorist attack in human history.
Zach St. Hilaire, company commander of UK’s Pershing Rifles chapter, says cadets will continue their annual tradition on Saturday, dressing in uniform and placing small flags in memory of each of the nearly 3,000 victims of 9/11 on the front lawn of UK's Main Building. From a podium, cadets will also read the name of each victim throughout the day. They will begin reading the names at 8:46 a.m., when the first attack occurred.
The Lexington Fire Department will be present during the opening of the ceremony.
A large memorial flag will also be erected, and a cadet will continually march in front of the flag carrying a replica rifle until all names have been read.
Students and community members are welcome to observe and take photos, organizers just ask they do not disturb the cadets reading the names or performing guard duty.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.