Military cadets walk up the aisle in the Catholic chapel at Virginia Tech Matthew. Cavanaugh / EPA
Military cadets at Virginia Tech experienced a sad role reversal late Monday when they began taking condolence calls from alumnae serving in Iraq.
The calls started coming in as word spread that Matthew La Port, a sophomore Air Force cadet from Dumont, N.J., was among those killed in the shooting at Norris Hall, said David Wheeler, 22, a senior in the Corps of Cadets who was La Port’s platoon leader last year.
“We were getting calls from alumnae in Iraq all last night,” he said.
Virginia Tech is one of just a handful of colleges that have full-fledged cadet programs that send graduates directly into military service.
In addition to grieving for their fallen comrade, the cadets were standing as an honor guard at Tuesday’s convocation on campus and standing guard 24 hours a day as a ceremonial guard at the campus chapel, where a memorial wreath was hung.
Andrew Ton, a 19-year-old freshman cadet from Hawaii, said La Port wasn’t the first cadet to die this year, saying a car wreck and medical problems have claimed several other lives. He said such tragedy is an unfortunate part of training for a military career.
“I don’t mean to be cold about it, but we have to get used to this,” he said. “We’re going to be commissioned, we’re going to be in the service and we have to get used to it.”
EMAIL THIS
TRACKBACKS
Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do no appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b0aa69e200d8341ce7c853ef
As officials, students and families struggle to come to terms with the tragedy at Virginia Tech, a team of MSNBC.com reporters and editors and NBC News producers and correspondents is on the scene.
Reading in Hebrew
My wife and I would like to express our deepest regret regarding the recent events. With myself being deployed to Iraq and Darcy to Kuwait,
we are doing our best to follow the news. We already know, with pride in our hearts, how the Corps will stand as the backbone of the University in this time of turmoil. Please know, that even though we aren't there, that the multitude of Hokie Alumni deployed overseas are with you and the rest of the Corps. We know both the VTCC and HTs will
represent the University with the utmost pride and professionalism during this time.
Ut Prosim,
LTJG Stephen Gray, USN, HT02
1LT Darcy Gray, USAF, HT04
Stephen Gray, Iraq (Sent Apr 17, 2007 1:41:01 PM)
Everyone is questioning how this all could have been avoided if only the police had had a way to contact the students about the first shooting... Well, where I am from (NH), whenever someone escapes from the state prison, or there is a potential threat to a particular area, the police utilize a "Reverse 911" notification system, in which a prerecorded message is sent to ALL of the people in that area. Why couldn't the college administrators REQUIRE students, professors, and other college employees to provide their phone numbers - both land-line AND cell numbers -so that in an event like what happened yesterday, after that first shooting, the campus police could have utilized this type of approach, and I would bet that at LEAST 80% of the students would have been contacted - but more importantly, the PROFESSORS and other ADMINISTRATORS would have been notified, and then THEY could have locked down their particular class or building. I realize that hindsight is always 20/20... it is just so sad that it takes something horrific like this to happen to make us realize our system weaknesses and vulnerabilities. And btw - I apologize if someone else has mentioned this already - i haven't read all 1500 msgs!!
Michael Kost, Portsmouth NH (Sent Apr 17, 2007 1:42:27 PM)
We are all with you in your grief and pray for the recovery of the injured. As a mother of a 19 and 16 year old, I can sympathize witht the parents' loss of their youngs ones. I just want to say I am so very sorry and wish that there was something I could do...but know that your pain is felt throughout the country. We throw our youth away in this country and its time the older generation stood together and protect them.
Julie, Parkersburg, WV (Sent Apr 17, 2007 2:40:11 PM)
As sad and senseless as this tragedy is I cannot help but to remember the latest death toll for Americans in Iraq is over 3000. A lot of young men and woman who never got a chance to go to college or live their lives to the fullest. Please remember them and lets stop this now senseless war.
P. Coston (Sent Apr 17, 2007 3:26:35 PM)
As a mother of 2 children myself here in the UK, I am utterley shocked with the news of yet gun massacre in your country. Surley its time for gun laws to be tightend? What a sensless waste of young lives being taken, and for what?
My heartfelt condolences to all those parents who have lost beloved children and also those injured.
May god be with you all.
Katie Argyrides Manchester, Great Britain (Sent Apr 17, 2007 6:49:17 PM)
Yes hindsight is 20/20 however it is STARTLING that
having "learned" countless things from previous acts
of public violence AND the sheer speed and mainstream
status of EMAIL and the HYPER connectivity of a college community why why why why why why and WHY would two people having been KILLED on a quiet safe
campus is not reported instantly per having NO suspect or weapon IN-HAND / IN-SIGHT.
No it would not have stopped the killer from attempting to do what he did however the bleek
results of a innocent Norris Bldg would have been decreased DRAMATICALLY ... The heat from the legal
community is probably coming and deservingly so.
When are we going to LEARN from what we LEARN ????
Now comes the hoardes of people that knew this guy was a complete WHACKO with ample evidence of anger .... why is there not a list of 20-50 students that deserve to be monitored or at least
on a list like this. WHY ? We learned this from
Columbine bigtime.
Hell when a F2 tornado is 8 miles away the entire area is RIVETED with PIERCING LOUD WARNINGS and typically it reduces injuries and death significantly if not totally.
This VT killer was a F5 tornado and had already
killed but a hesitant cautious police reaction did not warn the masses ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? No excuse, none.
John Bond, Denver, Colorado (Sent Apr 18, 2007 10:01:19 AM)
please people don't assume at this point, i believe they thought they had the shooter, thats why a young man was retained around 8am ,sounds like they had the wrong guy. tragic events happen we learn and go on the best we can , god bless all the students,i'm so sorry you had to go thru this.
katrina (Sent Apr 18, 2007 10:37:52 AM)
SEND A COMMENT
PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to this post, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.