ROTC cadets, David Kirkland, left, and Jonathan Roth, stand watch over the American flag outside the UMD's Darland Administration Building on the evening of Monday, Nov. 11. The weather that night was the first sign of yet another cold Minnesota winter with temperatures below 20 degrees and anticipated to reach below zero. Photo by Kim Hyatt
Around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, two Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets stood in the harsh, arctic blast of cold air to honor all U.S. service personnel.
During their service and recognition, the UMD cadets, David Kirkland (left) and Jonathan Roth, bundled up in heavy coats, hats and gloves to combat the bitter weather.
Their mouths remained frozen shut while watching over the American flag that night. The sign beside them read,
"The cadets will not respond to any questions,
as they are to remain silent during watch."
The two cadets, left, stood in silence while campus remained bare and the very few passerby's rushed to escape the seriously cold weather on Monday night. ROTC cadet, David Kirkland, right, signs his name to use as reference for this story on Monday., Nov. 11. Kirkland was under silence while watching over the flag on Veterans Day, but agreed to comply to the request
To attribute their name to the story, both cadets nodded their heads without breaking straight-forward gazes like royal guards for the Queen of England. They agreed to sign their names on a piece of paper, using the upright, frigid flagpole they firmly stood in front of as a surface to write upon.
It was not clear how long they had been standing there, or how much longer they planned to endure. But just the fact that they were standing there at that very moment said enough.
Click here for the follow-up story.
To see other Veterans Day images from around Minnesota and the U.S., check out this collection Minnesota Public Radio put together.
Feel free to submit and share any images from Veterans Day with Lake Voice News by tagging or hash tagging our news team, @lakevoicenews or #lakevoicenews.