A salute to Air Force cadets

To the editor:

I want to thank all of the Air Force ROTC cadets who participated in the all-night Veterans Day vigil this past weekend at Freedom Corner. These cadets volunteered to take time out of their hectic schedule to show their respect to veterans and to the brotherhood of arms which they will soon be undertaking.

These cadets are students at Southeast Missouri State University, and I like to believe they are special. Not only did they participate in the vigil, earlier that same day they did a color guard in the Veterans Day parade in Jackson. But, like the commercial says on television: Wait, there's more.

After being up most of the night, come Saturday morning the cadets were at it again. They participated in the Show Me Day at the university answering questions from prospective Southeast students about the Air Force ROTC program.

However, the cadets we not finished just yet. After the Show Me Day that morning, the cadets participated in yet another color guard, this time for the Redhawks football game where there was a tribute to the military services at halftime.

These young men and women are leading the way by example. After they graduate from Southeast, they will become military officers with rank of second lieutenant. I salute the men and women of the Air Force ROTC cadet corps for a job well done.

VANCE PAWIELSKI, U.S. Air Force (Retired), Cape Girardeau