By: Emily Rinehart (Feature Twirler for The Pride of West Virginia )
Every year, there's one special show on our list that sticks out from the rest. It's the show where we honor the brave men and women who have served proudly in the U.S. military, risking their lives in the hopes of a better tomorrow for us all.
Our country's servicemen and women hold a special place in The Pride's heart, and they always will. After all, the Mountaineer Marching Band got its start as an ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corp) Band 117 years ago.
With just 8 ROTC members at its inception, it grew to be hundreds of musicians large after going through a few key transitions, like allowing civilians to be a part of the ensemble.
They performed in parades, community get-togethers, and of course, at football games. To honor our Veterans and where we've come from, The Pride prepares a special patriotic show nearly every year.
In 2011, our patriotic show went viral when the band performed a traditional show, that started being used every few years from 1989, to March of the Armed forces, a medley comprised of each branch's representative tune.
The band formed a tank with spinning gears, flew an airplane complete with exhaust across the field, and submerged a submarine, among other great pictures. Thanks to social the media, the video had over 1 million fews in a week, and many past and present military members shared it with their brothers and sisters.
This year, we performed yet another show to honor our servicemen and women, which featured a patriotic introduction, followed by a somber rendition of taps and Amazing Grace, and then gave the audience a tune to dance to with a song popular during World War II, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
As a Feature Twirler, I am honored to have been able to the perform the show from 2011 myself, as well as be a part of the new show this year. We love being able to give back and honor our Veterans through our art.
Veterans, thank you for your service. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed, and as long as our flag still waves, your bravery will never be forgotten.
