Honoring Service: VMI Cadets March in Army’s 250-Year Celebration

A group of 49 VMI cadets, along with VMI Army ROTC staff members, marched in the Army’s 250th anniversary parade in Washington, D.C., June 14, 2025, to commemorate the founding of the U.S. Army in 1775. The Army is the oldest of the six branches of the U.S. armed forces.

The parade highlighted the Army throughout the years, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Global War on Terror, the Army of today, and the Army of the future, in which VMI was included.

Col. Jody Hansen, professor of military science at VMI’s Army ROTC unit and Blue Ridge Battalion commander, told cadets of the invitation to march in the parade at an assembly of the full Corps of Cadets in Cameron Hall May 13. Since VMI would be on summer furlough at the time of the parade, Hansen asked for volunteers from among VMI’s Army ROTC cadets, of which 49 cadets volunteered to participate.

Maj. Mackenzie Colella ’08, assistant professor of military science at VMI, said it was an honor for VMI to be part of the Army’s birthday celebration. “We are very proud of how they performed in the parade. They marched with precision and looked great!”

Cadet Blake Darmante ’26 from Lexington, Virginia, said it was a pleasure to participate in the parade. “It was a unique opportunity offered to us to represent VMI in our nation’s capital.”

While in D.C., Jamie MacDonald ’83, VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors member, coordinated a tour of the Capitol Building for the cadets led by Lt. Col. Rob Kelly ’08, Army Congressional Defense fellow. They also ran in the Army Birthday Run through Arlington National Cemetery alongside Army units from across the capital region. The run was preceded by addresses from Daniel P. Driscoll, secretary of the Army, and Gen. Randy A. George, chief of staff of the Army.

Founded in 1916, the VMI Army ROTC program, known as the Blue Ridge Battalion, is the largest Army ROTC program in the country and commissions more Army officers each year than any other ROTC program. The Blue Ridge Battalion is also responsible for providing basic military instruction to all non-commissioning cadets in support of VMI’s mission to produce citizen-soldiers.

More news coverage about VMI’s participation in the parade may be found here and here.