At Ohio State University, a gesture of gratitude was extended toward the university's ROTC students by President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. and head football coach Ryan Day. The meeting on Wednesday was a show of thanks for the students' dedication to service, in line with the Veterans Day celebrations hosted by the university the day prior. The Ohio State football team, preparing for a military appreciation game against UCLA come Saturday, found in Carter and Day, two figures acknowledging the dual commitment of these cadets and midshipmen to academics and service.
"There is no greater honor that any of us could do in our lifetime than to choose a life of service. And everybody here, whether you’re a midshipman or a cadet, supporting our ROTC programs, supporting our academic mission here, you’ve all chosen that life of service," Carter said, with an insight steeped in his own experiences as a once midshipman turned 38-year U.S. Navy veteran. Despite the certain uncertainties tied with such future endeavors, Carter encouraged the ROTC students. "I would just offer you two things. One, don’t be afraid of the future. And second, pick something that will make you an expert in your field and go out and be the very best at it," he advised, in a statement obtained by OSU News.
Coach Day didn't shy away from expressing his team's reverence for the ROTC program. Aligning with the university's sentiments, he underscored the ROTC's influence on the football team's own ethos. "We use the military, really, as a beacon and a standard for how we operate. Our motivation and our program is all about the brotherhood. We call it love," Day told OSU News. Reinforcing the sense of camaraderie found in military service, Day highlighted the importance of team spirit over hostility, "The idea, which many of you know, is that you're fighting for the brother that’s behind you, not because of the hate you have for the enemy that’s across from you."
The significance of the ROTC programs was not only noted by President Carter and Coach Day but also by Norman Jones, vice provost and dean for undergraduate education, who along with the others, addressed an audience of over 300 ROTC members. The event underscored the aligned values of the university, the ROTC, and the athletic department, culminating in handshakes, photographs, and personal appreciations. In his commitment to make Ohio State the first choice for every veteran seeking education and more, President Carter recently outlined his goal for the university as a beacon for postsecondary education and transition to civilian life—a mission mirrored in the resolve and appreciation showcased in Wednesday's gathering.
