By Laura Rodell
A commemoration for those who were lost in the 9/11 attacks has traveled from Afghanistan to the University to act as a daily reminder to the community.
Uniformed members of the University’s ROTC gathered in Memorial Quad Thursday to retire a flag donated by University alumnus LTC Patrick Higgins.
Higgins, who graduated from the University in 1980 and was a member of the Pershing Rifles, had raised the flag over his base camp in Afghanistan to mark this year’s anniversary of 9/11. He then bestowed it upon the University in memory and honor of the University alumni and students who lost their lives on that day.
At the ceremony, LTC William Abb, professor of military science at the University and chairperson of the military science department, accepted the flag on the behalf of the Universtity. The flag is currently on display in the military science department office, 265 Physical Fitnesss Center.
“The retreat ceremony was a joint event, representing ROTC cadets and brothers of Pershing Rifles,” Maj. Gary Morea, recruiting officer at the University and organizer of the event, said.
Also present were members of the Veteran’s Association and alumni brothers of Pershing Rifles Company Q8.
“The retreat ceremony was exciting to be apart of,” freshman Cadet Kristen Josephs said. “It was nice to see former Hofstra ROTC cadets come back to Hofstra and present to us the base flag that flew over Afghanistan. It was very moving.”
Higgins, a Long Island native, who served three tours with the Third Special Forces Group, is a former Navy Seal and a former commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A).
In 2002, he was appointed operations officer at Special Operations Command Control, in which he was part of the team that put together the plan for Iraq – the largest application of special forces since World War II.
He currently serves as commander of the third Special Forces Group in Afghanistan, a position he was appointed to in 2004.
Though Higgins was unable to attend the ceremony, Bruce Charnov, professor of management and entreupreneurship at the University and a retired U.S. Navy Reserves Captain, was among those who spoke.
“[This flag represents] those who put on this country’s uniform, set aside their own business and do their country’s business,” Charnov said. “They are willing to go into harm’s way, willing to die.”
He also called the flag “a sacred symbol.”
The flag, previously flown over a base in Afghanistan, has now found a new home at the University. (Chirs Lai/The Chronicle)