{"id":240675,"date":"2026-09-15T16:10:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T02:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=240675"},"modified":"2026-09-16T09:17:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:17:03","slug":"uh-rotc-cadets-9-11-hike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/15\/uh-rotc-cadets-9-11-hike\/","title":{"rendered":"糖心视频<\/abbr> ROTC<\/abbr> cadets climb Koko Head to remember 9\/11"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>
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糖心视频 M\u0101noa ROTC students at the top of Koko Head Crater.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a solemn tribute marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, 156 Army<\/a> and Naval<\/a> Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC<\/abbr>) cadets from the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa scaled the steep, railway track of Koko Head Crater in the early morning hours. <\/p>\n

The strenuous climb honored the nearly 3,000 lives lost, as well as the heroic first responders and military personnel who answered the call in the tragedy’s aftermath.<\/p>\n

For Army ROTC<\/abbr> Professor of Military Science Lt. Col. Patrick Kelley, the remembrance is personal.<\/p>\n

\"ROTC<\/p>\n

“I was in ROTC<\/abbr> when 9\/11 happened. That day changed my life in that it led to a career of multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during my career,” he said. “9\/11 is always a reminder of the sacrifices a lot of Americans made, not only that day, but in the years that followed in combat, as well as the families that stayed behind to support them. I love that I am in a position to pass that knowledge and passion down to the next generation.”<\/p>\n

Annual tradition of remembrance<\/h2>\n

According to program officials, the trek gives cadets an opportunity to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those affected by 9\/11 while strengthening bonds with their fellow cadets.<\/p>\n

The annual climb also helps a new generation of cadets understand the significance of the attacks and their aftermath. Many of today’s cadets were born after September 11, 2001.<\/p>\n

The cadets carried that remembrance with them throughout the climb, marking the 25th anniversary with a shared commitment: “We climb to remember. We climb to honor. We will never forget.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A total of 156 Army and Naval ROTC<\/abbr> cadets participated in the annual memorial climb.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":240741,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[422,1611,9],"class_list":["post-240675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-nrotc","tag-rotc","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t