UVA Honors Military Service With 24-Hour Vigil

ROTC cadets held a 24-hour vigil before a Rotunda ceremony recognizing service members who were killed, missing, or held as prisoners of war.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Military

Wide view of the white columned Rotunda and an empty stone terrace under soft daylight, with green trees on either side. — ROTC cadets at the University of Virginia held a 24-hour vigil before a Friday ceremony at the Rotunda honoring service members killed, missing, or held as prisoners of war. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Members of the three University of Virginia ROTC corps stood guard and held vigil for 24 hours before a Friday afternoon ceremony on the North Terrace of the Rotunda. The ceremony featured remarks from Maj. Gen. Robert Borcherding and attendance by UVA President Scott Beardsley, Vice President Dean Krehmeyer and Provost Brie Gertler.

Why it matters

The ceremony honored service members who were killed, missing in action, or incarcerated as prisoners of war, marking the military contributions of the university community. It gives Charlottesville residents a public recognition of the ROTC program's role at UVA.

The ceremony lasted about 40 minutes and followed a 24-hour vigil by cadets from all three UVA ROTC corps. A table set for four represented the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, and the event closed with a 21-gun salute by the Gregory Guard from Virginia Tech.

The players

Maj. Gen. Robert Borcherding

Borcherding is a U.S. Army major general who delivered remarks honoring UVA's military contributions at the ceremony.

Scott Beardsley

Beardsley is the president of the University of Virginia, who attended the ceremony.

The details

Chaplain Tecara Dade gave the invocation, and the Virginia ROTC Corps presented Borcherding with a Jefferson Cup. Officers representing all branches of the service attended the ceremony on the North Terrace of the Rotunda.

Friday afternoon, November 6, 2026: UVA Rotunda ceremony concluded the 24-hour ROTC vigil.

Military Context

The ceremony is a campus-based observance by the University of Virginia ROTC program, which trains officer candidates for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. It recognizes service members who were killed, missing in action or held as prisoners of war.

Charlottesville residents and UVA students can see how the university recognizes military service through public ceremonies like this one. The event reflects the ongoing presence of ROTC programs on campus and their role in officer training.

The takeaway

Campus ceremonies like this one provide a visible way for communities to acknowledge service members who died, went missing or were held as prisoners of war. Residents interested in the university's military programs can follow ROTC activity through UVA's public channels.