BYU Army and Air Force ROTC gathered Thursday, Nov. 7, to participate in the annual Presidential Review and award the Young Men General President Steven J. Lund Patriot Award.

The annual Presidential Review is a formal ceremony that showcases the dedication, discipline and commitment of future military leaders as they stand in formation to be recognized for their achievements.

Lt. Col. Travis R. Bailey made it a point to showcase and recognize the cadets’ accomplishments.

“I’m going off script for a second. I want to emphasize that our cadets here at BYU are asked to do a lot,” he said.

Bailey pointed out that in addition to having to maintain high academic standards here at BYU, cadets also take extra ROTC classes and wake up at dawn to participate in physical training in all types of weather.

“Not only do they do all of this, but they do it extremely well,” Bailey praised the cadets.

Commenting on the BYU cadets’ ferocity, BYU President C. Shane Reese expressed the admiration he has for them during their early morning rounds of the gym.

“It is with great admiration that I watch our cadre in the gym, and I am always amazed at what I see,” said President Reese.

He went on to express that he sees grit in each of the BYU cadets. He sees that they are “willing to make an effort day in and day out. Endurance, but not just endurance, it’s a special blend of endurance with passion.”

At the end of his remarks, President Reese conveyed BYU’s gratitude for how BYU cadets stand and defend the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of “this great country” and to “cougg.”

The highlight of the event, according to Major Jacob A. Johnson, was the presentation of the Patriot Award.

This is an award given to an individual who has exemplified lifelong service and devotion to American ideals and values.

This year, the Patriot Prize was awarded to President Lund.

President Lund was sustained as Young Men General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 2020. He served as an enlisted soldier in the United States Regular Army for three years.

President Lund became emotional when he said that he felt this award was “very undeserved” but that for the day he would pretend to be “all that”.

President Lund mentioned how proud he was to wear the military uniform so long ago and enumerated the promises it represents.

“This voluntary garment that you wear is representative of vows to you, vows to God in heaven, vows to your country and vows you have made to each other,” he said.

President Lund recalled how he was led to military service as a young returned missionary.

After returning from a mission, President Lund went straight to the temple to try to get revelation about what to do next. In the temple, he had a “strong spiritual impression” that he should join the military.

He recalled feeling like “it was pointless” that he would put off his college education for the military, and since his lottery number was 346, he would “never get drafted.” But he followed the impression and went on to the army.

President Lund concluded his statement with his testimony about God and the military.

“This time you serve as a member of the military, short, long or otherwise will be some of the most important times of your life,” he said.

He admitted there was a reason God sent him to the military when asked what he should do next.

“And when I needed more, he sent me to you in the military to get what I could there, so that later in my life I could do the things that I have been able to do,” President Lund said.