After more than 20 flag presentations this year, JROTC will cadets travel to Missoula Nov. 15 to present the colors with an estimated audience of 30,000 at a Grizzly football game. “Seven cadets go down the 15th, spend the day and host the colors at the game,” said JROTC commander 1st Sergeant Michael Jurczak. “It is a reward for the kids who have done the most color guards.” The opportunity to do the presentation came because the senior ROTC group at the University is on break at the time of the game. “They could still do it, but they offered our kids the chance to come down and enjoy the college,” said Jurczak. In the guard, one American flag, a state flag, school colors and a ROTC flag are presented. The lowest-ranked cadets will carry rifles to guard the flags, and the commander will carry a saber. Senior Lt. Col. Ryan LaVoie — Flathead’s highest ranking student, who has been a color guard for three years — will be in command. “Cadets have to know how to march and face,” said LaVoie. “I give forward march, salute, drop salute, present arms and order arms commands.” Another responsibility of the cadets at the game will be loading and firing the cannon when the Grizzlies score a touchdown. “When you stand so close (to the cannon) it hurts your ears,” said junior Becky Buttler, who did a color guard at the University last year. Others going to Missoula are freshmen Jack Schwwulst, Jennifer Selzman and Crystal Sylva, and juniors Tammi Postlethwaite and Misty Hanson. “It is exciting,” said Buttler. “There’s a lot of people.” Cadets said they sense the honor of the opportunity to present before such a large audience. Said LaVoie: “Any time I do a color guard I feel very honored and patriotic to be presenting the colors.” |
