ROTC plans own ceremonies

Published on November 11, 2005

Lt. Col. David T. Vacchi, director of the Army ROTC at UMass, said his group will hold its own Veterans Day commemoration, as it has for many years. His cadets will join those from the UMass Air Force ROTC in a ceremony today at 4 p.m. in front of Memorial Hall on campus. An opening ceremony was held yesterday at a marker on campus that honors fallen UMass and Massachusetts veterans. Since then, Army and Air Force ROTC cadets have stood vigil through the night. ''The cadets are very proud that they do this,'' Vacchi said.

Veterans Day, Vacchi says, is a time to honor soldiers who answered their country's call, and did the jobs they were assigned to do.

''Our opinions are not tremendously relevant, nor are the politics of an issue,'' Vacchi said. ''I make no judgment whether or not we should have gone [into Iraq] or if we should get out ... I don't get to make that decision.

''We're merely soldiers who do what we are told. I pursued my mission - whether it was to destroy the enemy or establish a local government - I pursued it with the same zeal.''

Jo Comerford of the western Massachusetts chapter of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is an organizer of other UMass Veterans Day events which begin today and include a talk on campus Friday by anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. Comerford says she plans to attend today's ROTC ceremony - not to protest, but to ''reach out'' to the group.

''We may disagree, but what if, for a couple of days, we all could agree that human life is precious?'' Comerford said.

o KATHLEEN MELLEN