Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, football team to highlight the colors at University of Pittsburgh game
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and the Virginia Tech football team continue their proud partnership to highlight the colors during the pre-game ceremony at every football game.
Three football players are selected, because of their performance in the last game or during practice, to carry the American flag, the state flag, and the team’s spirit flag as they lead the team onto the field. They carry the flags the length of the field and deliver them to cadets at the south end of the field.
The cadets performing this honor are also selected based on their performance during their training. The cadets render honor to the flags and then securely carry them off the field. At home games three freshman cadets are selected and one or two upper-class cadets travel with the team and receive the flags at away games.
Cadet Capt. Jonas Pasion of Valencia, Calif., a senior majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences who is a recipient of the Ed Norwood '44 Emerging Leader Scholarship and is also a member of the Army ROTC program was selected to receive the flags at the University of Pittsburgh game. He will travel and lodge with the team, as well as participate in all team meetings and meals.
Pasion is currently serving as the executive officer for Lima Company in Third Battalion. Due to the continued growth of the Corps of Cadets, Lima Company was reactivated this year for the first time since the 1980s. Pasion did an outstanding job of leading his company during New Cadet Week training and was recommended for this honor by both his peers and the Corps of Cadets staff.
Pasion volunteered to move to a new company for his senior year to help develop a distinct culture and to bring cadets from the entire regiment together as a new organization.
Born in the Philippines, Pasion came to the United States when he was 13 years old and says he looks forward to serving in the U.S. Army upon graduation and commissioning this May.
Future cadets will continue to be selected for this honor based on their performance in the cadet regiment. The program is part of the proud partnership the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets has with the Virginia Tech Athletic Department and the Virginia Tech football team.