ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s ROTC cadets, midshipmen to mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 with Memorial Stair Climb
Army, Naval, and Air Force ROTC units see steady growth in enrollment
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s ROTC cadets, midshipmen to mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 with Memorial Stair Climb
Army, Naval, and Air Force ROTC units see steady growth in enrollment
Army ROTC Redhawk Company Commander Hope Keith wasn’t alive when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks happened, but she said that day is still meaningful to her generation.
“We learned about it through our families, teachers, photographs, videos, and stories from people who experienced it,” said Keith, a senior majoring in Chemistry.
On Friday — the 25th anniversary of 9/11 — ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s ROTC units will participate in the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Yager Stadium to honor the firefighters and other first responders, military personnel, and civilians who lost their lives on that day. Air Force and Army cadets will join the Naval midshipmen in climbing the stadium stairs from 6-7 a.m.
For Keith, participating in the annual event gives her an opportunity to connect with what happened.
“Climbing stairs for an hour cannot compare to what the firefighters and first responders experienced that day, but it gives you a small physical reminder of the effort and sacrifice they made,” she said.
“Many of those people were simply doing their jobs, but when something extraordinary happened, they stepped up and put other people's lives before their own. That is something that has a lot of meaning to me as I prepare to become an Army officer.”
Air Force cadet Charles Gill, a junior majoring in Political Science, said the cadets will climb the equivalent of 110 stories, honoring the firefighters who ascended the World Trade Center’s twin towers (each had 110 stories) in their rescue efforts and commemorating the first responders, service members, and civilians who lost their lives.
“The run serves to boost morale, challenge our cadets physically, and give pertinent time to reflect on the sacrifice and selflessness displayed that day by our heroic first responders,” said Gill, who wants to become a pilot. “Most importantly, it serves as a reminder of why we have chosen to serve and the responsibility we will one day carry as future officers in the United States Air Force.”
Marine Capt. Jake Karczewski, a Marine officer instructor and assistant professor of Naval Science, noted that in addition to the stair-climbing event, Naval ROTC midshipmen will participate in a memorial team-building event next week related to the Global War on Terror.
‘What history books will say’
The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC) is part of the larger Cincinnati Battalion, led by senior cadets. Like other ROTC units, the rigorous program focuses on developing cadets’ academic, athletic, and leadership traits with an end goal of producing military officers for service.
Army cadet Max Fuhrig, a junior with a double major in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and Data Analytics, will be the cadet platoon sergeant during the 9/11 stair climb.
“When I think about what history books will say about the period of my life so far, 9/11 will mark the beginning of the era,” Fuhrig said. “I think about the sacrifice and murder of thousands of Americans on that day, yet also of national triumph in the face of terror; the American flag rising out of the rubble. And, of course, I think about the thousands of American service members killed and wounded over the last 20 years.”
Fuhrig, who has been in ROTC since 2024, participates in the simultaneous membership program, which gives cadets the opportunity to serve simultaneously in the National Guard while completing college in Army ROTC.
“It has been a valuable supplemental experience to my regular ROTC activities,” said Fuhrig, who used a grant from the Havighurst Center for East European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú to visit Mongolia this summer to conduct research on its unique position between China and Russia.
Finding a greater purpose
Keith joined ROTC because she wanted a career that combined leadership, service, and the opportunity to challenge herself.
“I have always enjoyed working with other people and solving problems, and I wanted to find a career where I could use those skills in a way that had a greater purpose,” she said.
“My four years in ROTC have definitely challenged me and pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I've had opportunities to lead, I've experienced failure, and I've had to learn how to communicate effectively and work with people who have very different personalities and experiences,” she said. “Overall, ROTC has given me the opportunity to grow, not only as a future Army officer, but also as a person. It has taught me a lot about leadership, resilience, teamwork, and the importance of continuing to improve.”
This summer, the Chemistry major was a technical research intern at the DEVCOM Army Research Lab at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Adelphi, Maryland.
“My research focused on the galvanic viability of titanium and armor steel. My work involved using accelerated and electrochemical testing to study how these metals interact and what that interaction could mean for materials used in military environments,” she said. “It was a really valuable experience because it allowed me to take concepts that I had learned in my Chemistry courses and apply them to an actual Army research problem.”
ROTC units experience growth
Air Force Lt. Col. Nick Torroll, chair and professor of Aerospace Studies and commander of the Air Force ROTC Detachment 640, said that for his generation, “9/11 was a lived experience and was a strong motivating factor for many young Americans in seeking to serve in the nation’s armed forces. It certainly was for me.
“Our Air Force cadets now don’t necessarily have that same lived experience, but despite being 25 years ago, that seminal moment in U.S. history is still being honored with events such as our stair climb. It is my hope that the events of 9/11, and the heroes that responded to that tragic day, remain an inspiration for younger generations to serve something greater than themselves.”
Torroll said the Air Force ROTC is seeing a growth in enrollment in the program in the current first-year class of 20 new cadets. “Interest in students pursuing to become an Air Force or Space Force officer is also outpacing previous years,” he said.
Naval ROTC also has seen a steady increase in new midshipmen over the years. In 2020, it received a from the Department of Defense.
“I attribute it to the professionalism of the staff before us (and now with my fellow members) that have done fantastic work in creating a strong unit,” Karczewski said. “Additionally, there is never a shortage of inspired young men and women who wish to challenge themselves and serve the nation.”
‘The university is supportive of our mission’
Army Master Sgt. Jacob Hill, senior military science instructor, said, “It's hard to determine if what we are seeing this year will be sustained growth of the Army ROTC program, but it certainly feels like we are going to keep getting bigger.
“This is the largest freshman class in the last four years with a ton of potential inside it,” he said. “I think a good portion of our growth can be attributed to more students wanting to come to ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University to be a part of our program.
“We've got the right culture to create Army officers of character that can excel once they get out into the force, and the university is supportive of our mission.”
