VMI Alumni Review 2017-Issue 1 by VMI Alumni Agencies

VMI Alumni

Review

2017-Issue 1

2017 USIBA BOXING NATIONALS March 23-25

HOSTED BY

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All for Nationals!

Contents

Virginia Military Institute Alumni Review 2017-Issue 1

In This Issue . . . This issue includes class notes and news items covering the time period of Aug. 15, 2016, to Nov. 1, 2016.

Features 5

VMI Foundation Hosts The Institute Society Dinner

Message from the Campaign Chairman

Wells ’99: A U.S. Secret Service Agent’s Transition from Presidential Security to Proactive Safety for America’s Citizens

11 Forgotten History Brought Back to Life

by Landrum ’75 in Charming Kentucky

PUBLISHER The President of The VMI Alumni Association, Inc. Managing Editor: Jordan Moore Editorial Assistant: Elaine Wood ALUMNI REVIEW ONLINE www.vmialumi.org/alumnireview PUBLISHING OFFICE The VMI Alumni Association, Inc. Alumni Review Office VMI Moody Hall, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450; 540/464-7224 review@vmiaa.org PRINTER Progress Printing Co., Inc. Lynchburg, Virginia

Community 13 First Fall Reunion 15 Second Fall Reunion

Volume 93, No. 4

News and Updates 3

Our Alumni Serving

Association/Chapter News

Class Notes

149 Births, Marriages, Degrees 151 Provisional Appointments 152 Taps 157 After Taps 162 Alumni News

Departments 2

President’s Letter

The VMI Alumni Review (USPS 954-740) is published four times yearly in fall, winter, spring and summer by The VMI Alumni Association, Inc., P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. It is sent to alumni and friends of the Institute without subscription. ATTENTION POSTMASTER : Send changes of address to: VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450 Periodicals postage paid at Lynchburg, VA. MISSION OF THE VMI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION To organize the alumni and old cadets of VMI into one general body to keep alive the memories of Institute life and, by their united efforts, promote the general welfare of the Institute and the successful prosecution of its educational purposes. VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES TELEPHONE NUMBERS The VMI Alumni Association: The VMI Foundation: The VMI Keydet Club:

540/464-7221 540/464-7287 540/464-7328

WEBSITE ADDRESSES Alumni Agencies: www.vmialumni.org VMI: www.vmi.edu

159 Association Directory 165 The Institute

155 2017-Issue 1

175

168 Keydet Athletics 170 The Foundation 174 The Keydet Club

ON OUR COVER Front Cover: A light snow blanketed the Institute in January 2017 as the cadet battery made its reappearance with new cast aluminum carriages. Photo by Micalyn Miller, VMIAA.

A Message From the President

Greetings Fellow Alumni and Friends of the Institute, I hope this Review reaches you after what were wonderful and heartfelt holidays. The Alumni Agencies have been busy while moving forward. We recently circulated a letter explaining the organizational changes under way, and we will keep the VMI community posted as we identify the executive who will lead all three organizations. During the fall, the Alumni Association hosted the reunion Classes of 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2006, 2011 and the one-year reunion for the Class of 2015. There is something special about a fall football weekend in Lexington, setting the perfect stage for a spirit of comradery and friendship that enlivens post. The VMI Foundation hosted more than 620 guests for the Institute Society Dinner on Founders Day in Marshall Hall, commending them for annual unrestricted gifts to the Foundation Fund. During the event, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, Superintendent, acknowledged the record-breaking achievement of the Class of 1966 in raising more than $50 million through its 50th Reunion Campaign, and shared the progress of The Campaign for VMI, topping $310.3 million raised thus far.

Louthan ’82

This Review highlights new inductees into the VMI Hall of Fame – seven former athletes of VMI and one alumnus who is a distinguished sports journalist. The Keydet Club hosted more than 725 VMI cadet-athletes and their families, scholarship donors, fund representatives and coaches for the annual Scholarship Awards Banquet on Parents Weekend. Of special interest in this Review is an article titled, “Wells ’99: A U.S. Secret Service Agent’s Transition from Presidential Security to Proactive Safety for America’s Citizens,” highlighting Jason W. Wells ’99 who now commits his time to protecting our nation’s schools, businesses and communities from violence. You will also find a telling piece about how William Landrum ’75 balances his role as Kentucky’s Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet while maintaining a quaint family restaurant and museum in the historic town of Greensburg, Kentucky. And finally, our best wishes to Col. Adam Volant ’88, Alumni Association Executive Vice President, who will be mobilizing with his Virginia National Guard unit. Adam, we are very proud of you, and look forward to your safe return. God bless you and all those under your command. In the bonds,

Robert P. Louthan ’82 President, VMI Alumni Association, Inc.

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Pictured at Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California, Aug. 20, 2016, participating in the I Marine Expeditionary Force Exercise/Large Scale Exercise were, from left, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Craig Giorgis ’00, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Josh Montero ’04, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Peter Dillon ’91, retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Robert Clark ’84 and U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. James “Cliff” Ford ’99.

Our Alumni Serving Recognizing Those Who Serve Others in Their Communities, Country and the World The Alumni Association would like to pay tribute to our citizensoliders, who are, as Col. J.T.L. Preston said and as printed on the parapet, “an honor to our country and our state, objects of honest pride to their instructors ... and ready in every time of deepest peril ... .” Those alumni whose photos and articles appear in this section of the Review could be members of the armed forces serving anywhere in the world, or they could be members of police and fire departments, doctors offering their services to those less fortunate, alumni volunteering at food pantries or serving as Boy or Girl Scout leaders.

If you or someone you know is serving others, please submit a high resolution photo (3 or 4 megapixels, minimum) taken at the location you are serving or with the people whom you serve. Along with the photo, please submit a caption that explains what your service is, where you perform it and for whom. Send these to the VMI Alumni Review staff at review@vmiaa.org or by mail to VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450, Attention: Editor. We will review your submission and consider it for publication.

Are you or someone you know serving the community, country or the world? Send in a photo and a description of what you’re Are you orand someone you serving the community, country or the world? Send in a photo and a doing, where for whom. See know instructions above. description of what you’re doing, where and for whom. See instructions above. 2017-Issue 1

Stationed together at the Combined Joint Operations Center – Jordan in 2016 were U.S. Army Capt. Robyn Chatwood ’06, JAG; Capt. John Parson ’01, JAG; and U.S. Army Col. Todd Hubbard ’91.

Major Katrina D. Powell ’06 was promoted at a ceremony held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. At the ceremony were Chris Perry ’05, Barry Hammond ’06, Ebony McElroy ’01, Turner Mebane ’91 and Sean Lanier ’94. Powell is currently a second-year doctoral student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology in Bethesda, Maryland.

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VMI Foundation Hosts The Institute Society Dinner, Campaign’s Progress Updated by Scott Belliveau ’83, Director of Communications, VMI Foundation

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n Nov. 11, 2016, Marshall Hall was the site of the annual Institute Society Dinner, which is hosted by the VMI Foundation and recognizes alumni and friends who are leaders in support of the Institute through annual unrestricted gifts to the Foundation Fund. This year, more than 620 guests attended this always highly anticipated event. Hugh M. Fain III ’80, the VMI Foundation’s president, related that, in Fiscal Year 2016, giving to the Institute had totaled more than $77 million – a new record – and said that, “the Institute Society’s abiding generosity continues to be a significant force ... and has significant impact on the Foundation’s ability to provide critical support to the Institute.” He also recognized the Class of 1966, the Class of 1989 and the Class of 2005, which together in FY 2016 raised an extraordinary $51.3 million. In his remarks, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 acknowledged the society’s support and spoke to the enduring importance of private financial support to VMI’s continued progress in the future. He gave special recognition to the Class of 1966 for its record-breaking achievement of raising more than $50 million through its 50th Reunion Campaign. Donald M. Wilkinson ’61, the chairman of An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant Future: The Campaign for VMI, informed the audience that the campaign had raised $305 million with gifts and commitments coming from more than 14,500 donors. He stressed that the campaign is “all about enabling the Institute to achieve its mission in the best qualitative way possible: through supporting academic excellence ... supporting opportunities for cadets in physical training and sports ... and enhancing Corps and barracks life.” Brian Scott Crockett, who retired as the Foundation’s chief executive officer in December, received praise for his service to VMI. Fain said that Crockett’s “legacy of seven years of dedicated service has been nothing short of extraordinary.” On behalf of the campaign, Wilkinson presented Crockett with an engraved silver bowl in appreciation of his service. He said of Crockett, “Your commitment to engaging the Institute, the Alumni Agencies, and thousands of VMI alumni and friends in the work of the Foundation has been truly remarkable. And your tireless dedication to ensuring that this campaign has been a historic success has been an inspiration to the cabinet and all of us to give our best for VMI.”

6. 7.

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1. The posting of the colors marked the opening of the event. 2. Kurt A. Polk ’95, left, and John C. Miller II ’61. 3. The VMI Herald Trumpets played the National Anthem. 4. General J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent, greeted guests. 5. The Class of 1966 was recognized for its 50th Reunion Campaign, which raised a record-setting amount of more than $50 million. 6. General John P. Jumper ’66, president of the VMI Board of Visitors, was in attendance. 7. Major John P. Casper ’04, the Richard and Laurelea Goodall Class of 1966 associate chaplain to the Corps of Cadets, provided the invocation. 8. Brian Scott Crockett received a gift from Wilkinson and was recognized for his service as the VMI Foundation’s chief executive officer and the campaign’s chief operating officer. 9. The Hall of Valor again provided an excellent venue for the event. 10. From left, Elaine Wilkinson, Brian Scott Crockett and Cadet John J. Borchick ’17. 11. From left, Jack Keane ’80, Zymora Scott and Gene Scott ’80. 12. General Peay explained how private financial support is important to VMI’s past achievements and future progress. 13. Hugh M. Fain III ’80, president of the VMI Foundation, welcomed guests and recognized their support of the Institute. 14. The Glee Club closed the evening by leading everyone in “The Spirit” and the “VMI Doxology.”

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Message from Donald M. Wilkinson ’61 Campaign Chairman

At the 2014 Institute Society Dinner, Donald M. Wilkinson ’61 announced the launch of the public phase of the campaign.

Several years ago, when the members of the Campaign Cabinet and the leaders of the Institute and the VMI Alumni Agencies were planning An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant Future: The Campaign for VMI, many people told us that our initial goal might be overly optimistic. A few advised us to postpone this effort or forego it altogether. For a number of reasons, however, we pressed on. First, we did not want the considerable progress the Institute had made since the late 1990s to be imperiled due to a lack of financial support. Second, the pressure on public spending on higher education was becoming more intense. Third, the costs associated with running colleges and universities had been steadily increasing, and the cost of providing an education as comprehensive and as extraordinary as VMI’s was increasing even faster. Our final reason for moving ahead, however, was the most compelling: Our nation needs what VMI provides – that is, capable and energetic leaders of integrity and character who are willing to be active citizens – perhaps now more than any other time in its history. This campaign would ensure that VMI would have the resources to execute that mission. Ever since we presented the case for An Uncommon Purpose, laying out the reasons behind it and explaining its specific priorities, the VMI family has responded magnificently. I am pleased to announce that, as of Dec. 31, 2016, more than 14,750 alumni

and friends have made $310.3 million in gifts and commitments. As pleased and as proud as we are of this response, the campaign’s leaders have decided to end the campaign at the end of the current fiscal year, June 30, 2017. Having officially initiated the campaign’s “quiet phase” in July 2011, this represents a best practice in higher education campaign fundraising. Furthermore, during the campaign, a new generation of alumni and friends of the Institute who are willing and able to take a leadership role in building a culture of philanthropy at VMI has risen. Ending the campaign in June will give them the time they need to develop the knowledge and skills and gain the experience to succeed as leaders in support of VMI. This decision in no way means that anyone associated with the campaign will be slackening their efforts in any way. Like all good athletes, we are aware of the need to give our all until the end of the contest. More importantly, the reasons why we embarked on An Uncommon Purpose remain, and in fact, have become even more pressing. We will, therefore, keep taking the message of An Uncommon Purpose to the VMI family, engaging donors and making everyone aware of the opportunities that remain to participate in this campaign. I thank everyone who already has participated in this campaign. Through your generosity, you have proved that the decision to launch this campaign was one of the better ones made in the history of VMI.

Vmi Alumni Review

Wells ’99: A U.S. Secret Service Agent’s Transition from Presidential Security to Proactive Safety for America’s Citizens by Elaine Wood, Editorial Assistant

lumni of VMI are no strangers to threat assessment. As cadets, they’re trained in defensive and offensive measures to ensure the safety of themselves and those around them. It’s a necessary characteristic for any leadership position in not just the military but civilian society, as well. Jason W. Wells ’99 brought these qualities into an elite field not many people get to be a part of: The U.S. Secret Service. “I wanted to be a part of a program that set its graduates apart from everyone else so that I would have an edge to get into the Secret Service. That’s what I always wanted to do. I achieved that and was with them for nine years,” he explained. But despite fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming an agent, Wells asserted that through working heavily in strategic security and protection management, he was able to discover his true passion, which is to combat the national epidemic of violence that has taken rise over the past few years. Specifically, Wells focuses on combatting these issues through teaching school systems, workplaces and other environments how to proactively protect themselves against threats, as well as identifying threatening behaviors and potentially violent situations. Although the Secret Service tremendously matured his capabilities and training to help others, Wells quickly realized that in order to achieve the full spectrum of his goals, he had to step away from the organization and focus solely on a more singular career. The motivation to finally take that leap of faith, unfortunately, was provided by an extremely tragic event for the nation. “I was completing my thesis ... for my master’s in strategic security and protection management. Then Sandy Hook happened. I’m a father of two ... it was obviously devastating,” Wells explained. “As a parent, it hit very close to home. It changed my mindset in that I wanted to change something about it.” Although Wells’ goal within the Secret Service was to more heavily involve himself in cooperative programs with the Department of Education, those ideas never came to fruition, which left him feeling the need to take more initiative in tackling these issues with which he felt so emotionally linked. “So, I resigned,” Wells continued,

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and Forbes. “People wanted a guide; they fireman, and you’re not qualified to make fire, “and I started my own company.” Originally creating Defender Training wanted a reference point that could empower but you are qualified to call 9-1-1 and say to them that there’s a bad fire. And then those and Consulting LLC, Wells began the ex- them if they saw something or recognized individuals come in to take care of it.” He plorative part of his career to hone in on something with someone’s behaviors,” explained Wells. “Something that would allow further described that his job is to fill the gap where his talents would best be realized and how he could most effectively help society them to do something about it ... so that’s between the two and hopefully keep action against a threat from happening by stopping combat threatening behavior. “My initial how the book came up.” Having already worked on his thesis for his master’s degree, the threat in the first place. “If we can train target was K-12 schools for about a year-anda-half,” stated Wells. “I reached out to school the information for “Our Path to Safety: A our teachers, our parents, our community members to feel empowered to know they U.S. Secret Service Agent’s Guide to Creating districts, and the answers were always the have the resources at their disposal, to say, same: ‘Sounds like you have a very interesting Safe Communities” was already on paper, and program; we’d entertain speaking to you.’” Wells even had an outline to discuss the topic ‘Hey; wait a minute, that guy Wells told me But, as Wells continued, it wasn’t that easy of proactive safety even more in depth. “I’m to be looking at this,’ and we can start getting our communities involved ... we’re going to of a solution. “They either didn’t have the hoping that people will read the book and feel see a significant decline in things like activeempowered to do something proactively about money [to host the program], or they didn’t shooter violence, bullying and threat-related behavior intervention,” he stated. have the time.” As far as the threating behaviors Wells in- behaviors, and not a shot is going to need to be Wells is well-versed in figuring out solutions to problems and efficiently overcame sists others need to be wary of, he contended fired.” Wells also placed special significance the lack of money in one simple step. “I that one of the biggest things to overcome is on disregarding gun regulation or the need for gun control, as his philosophy insists started a nonprofit, and that took on addressing the behavior before even the money equation out ... schools becoming a threat. “You should trust shouldn’t have to pay for this seryour instincts,” he explained. “They are vice, anyway,” expressed Wells. true and work well.” The 501(c)(3) nonprofit, National With growing interest in his program, Advancements for Proactive Safety, Wells hopes to see NAPS expand its Inc., quickly streamlined the process footprint. Currently, the nonprofit allows for Wells and his mission of helping Wells to open up his 6- to 8-hour class to better educate our society on how to schools and classrooms. He has taught a proactively respond to threatening course at Mary Baldwin College, as well situations. For one, creating NAPS as a K-8 school in Maryland, and he leaves set the groundwork for networking the opportunity open for businesses and abilities, allowing the program to environments who are interested in learnhave an outreach with communities ing more about the program. and businesses that the program Bringing forth his knowledge as a might not have had before. Although earning the official ac- Jason Wells ’99 pictured standing watch as a Secret Service former Secret Service agent combined with his passion to help others combat creditation to become a nonprofit agent over former President Barack Obama. violence proactively, Wells believes he is no easy feat, Wells couldn’t help feeling qualified to make those observations can break the cycle of what he calls reactive but understand the importance of doing so in order to expand the capabilities of his about somebody. “People feel that they’re violence. “What that is is how our society program. However, as with any process such not qualified to recognize that something is initially deals with [tragic situations]. Initially, as this, problems still arose. Wells illustrated, different [about someone] ... but, you’re not we are impassioned and emotionally drawn “One of the things I kept finding was that diagnosing the conditions ... what you are to what has happened. People become upset, people would come to me saying that they’d capable of is alerting somebody who is quali- angry; social networking goes off the charts, fied to do something about it,” he explained. and people immediately call for reactionary love to be a part of my program and learn To further address why being able to identify measures ... but people lose interest until more about it, but they weren’t active in a bad and potentially threatening behavior is a the next one happens, and we need to get PTA or weren’t active in school or didn’t have our society into a proactive methodology so social responsibility everyone should exercise, kids.” Wells decided the easiest way to make these things will never happen again, and so he provided the analogy that although we are this program even more accessible was in the that we’re always in tune for it beforehand,” not all firemen, we all can understand the difform of a book that could easily be distributed ference between bad fire and good fire. “You he concluded. across many different environments, so all To learn more about NAPS, please visit can walk down the street and see that people demographics could reach and access the are cooking s’mores, and you know that’s a www.take-naps.org. To find out more about information. No stranger to publication, Wells has been good fire; it’s safe fire,” clarified Wells. “But Wells’ book, “Our Path to Safety: A U.S. Secret Service Agent’s Guide to Creating Safe Comyou can also walk down the street and see featured discussing his program and its intermunities,” please visit jasonwellsauthor.com. that Maury-Brooke is in flames. You’re not a ests by The Huffington Post, Slate magazine

Vmi Alumni Review

Forgotten History Brought Back to Life by Landrum ’75 in Charming Kentucky Community by Elaine Wood, Editorial Assistant

Nestled in a quaint area in Green County, Kentucky, amongst a historically nostalgic community directly in the center of Greensburg’s public square, sits Longhunters Coffee and Tea Company, owned by William Landrum ’75 and his wife, Justine. With family ties deeply rooted in the area, Landrum’s return to Greensburg was inevitable after retiring from 30 years of service in the military. “My dad primarily raised Black Angus beef cattle and grew tobacco, and that’s kind of the way that I grew up. The plan was always for Justine and me to come back to the family farm,” explained Landrum. But what was unexpected about this new venture for the couple was the prospect of opening a one-of-a-kind restaurant focused on emulating and preserving the historical significance of the area. Although Longhunters has become quite successful, Landrum highlighted how the vision for the business was initially instigated. It all began with a desire to make the history of the Kentucky town more accessible and

relevant within the community. “The idea was to create the first nonprofit Green County history museum ... that’s what started it all,” exclaimed Landrum. “Greensburg never had a history museum, and I figured every 232-year-old county needed to have a museum.” In the center of the public square was a two-story building that Landrum could not pass up. Spanning roughly 4,000 square-feet in size, the building was to become host to the history of the county for the local community to enjoy and also allow the chance for visitors passing through to explore. “The children here didn’t know anything about the county they were living in, and I wanted to provide a facility for the preservation and display of a wide range of historic objects and recorded events,” explained Landrum. But with the top floor of the building filled with a significantly successful museum, the community started wondering what was to become of the first level of the building. “It seemed like our vision for Longhunters

Coffee and Tea Company was the perfect complement to the museum upstairs,” expressed Landrum. Home-cooked meals such as sandwiches, hot browns, salads, crepes, deserts and pastries are all served with a personal touch to the Greensburg community, with Landrum explicitly cooking each Sunday brunch himself. Aside from the food, the restaurant has become a venue for wedding parties and business events, as well as offering an 8-foot theatre screen, free Wi-Fi and a stage for live performances. The restaurant also offers full catering and has a television show, Country Junction, regularly use its stage for filming. Despite the business that comes with running such a venue, Landrum’s passion for service expands beyond just running the restaurant and museum. He also serves as Kentucky’s secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, meaning he spends his work week hours away in Frankfort, Kentucky, but makes the drive back every weekend to help Justine with operating the Below: Longhunters Coffee and Tea Company, located in Greensburg, Kentucky.

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William Landrum ’75 and his wife, Justine, inside Longhunters Coffee and Tea Company.

restaurant. That equates to a seven-day workweek. But as Landrum explained, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “Public service, to me, has always been the heartbeat of Kentucky, so I’m very honored that I now serve as the secretary, chief financial officer and chief procurement officer for the commonwealth of Kentucky,” stated Landrum. As such, Landrum’s responsibilities for the state include managing all the financial resources for the commonwealth, managing 2,000 employees and 370 contractors, all within a cabinet budget of almost $600 million. After coming from a military career heavily involved in the financial sector, it was a clear answer for him to take responsibility of this position for Kentucky, and it comes as no surprise that he has been so successful in progressing Longhunters from a simple, sweet idea to a community-involved hub and an instant tradition. Contributing to the uniqueness that causes Longhunters to be frequented by not only their loyal customers but visiting tourists are the little details that bring the restaurant to life. For

instance, each sandwich offered is named after historic people of Green County, while all the salads are named after historic places. “I tied the history part with the food part,” explained Landrum, “which is kind of a concept that people really like. So when a youngster orders a Nathaniel Green, they learn that’s the individual the county is named after.” The name Longhunters itself stems from a historic group of people, as well. “The name is taken from a group of about 22 hunters who came from Virginia around 1770 and were led by Colonel James Knox, and they established a camp here in what is now known as Green County. The name Longhunters originated from a single expedition of these folks taking up to two years to complete,” Landrum elaborated. This history inspired Landrum to fully form the concept of Longhunters Coffee and Tea Company. “I was always a kind of historian,” he joked. The trials and tribulations of creating a business were certainly realized by Landrum before opening Longhunters’ doors, but they were gracefully avoided due to his

longstanding experience handling complex financial strategies throughout his military career. Landrum also contributes key capabilities to VMI. “As far as VMI or my military experience, what I took away when I left VMI [were] good core values: Integrity, honesty, treating people with dignity and respect ... and to know that it’s important to listen to others,” said Landrum. “Also, having the strength of character to finish what I start. I work five days a week, then on the weekends I go to the family farm and work there and cook brunch on Sunday ... it keeps me busy, but it’s a lot of fun and I enjoy it, and it’s just been a real joy to be back in public service.” As far as where he sees himself with his many careers moving forward, he plans to continue in the public service sector until his duties as secretary are complete. But returning to his beloved Green County full-time is certainly on the agenda. He endearingly stated, “What started out as just a small coffee shop has turned into this. We’re very fortunate.”

Vmi Alumni Review

First Fall Reunion

Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2016 Classes of 1971 and 1981

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Vmi Alumni Review

Second Fall Reunion

Oct. 28-29, 2016 Classes of ’91, ’01, ’06, ’11 and ’15

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Association News Alumni Gather at Bucknell University Pregame Event

Alumni gathered for a VMI tailgate before the kickoff at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Sept. 24, 2016. Left: Kimber Latsha ’77 and wife Debbie spoke with Buzz Berzinieks ’64, Keydet Club president, at the VMI tailgate.

Cedarfield Community Alumni Host Cocktail Party

Residents of the Cedarfield retirement community pictured at a cocktail party Sept. 14, 2016, were, from left, Win Koontz, Vivian Johnson, Reed Johnson ’53, Eddy Phillips, John Phillips ’51, Jim Wiley ’52, Carol Wiley, Doug Gottwald ’56, Betsy Gottwald, Claiborne Terry ’54, Mary Fleming (widow of Rives ’47), Bill Curdts ’45, Marilyn Louthan (widow of Louthan ’41), John Taylor ’50, Alice Spilman (widow of Wortham ’42) and Warren Koontz ’53.

Vmi Alumni Review

Association News

Chicago Chapter Hosts Rat Send-Off The Chicago Chapter hosted a rat send-off in August 2016. The event had 25 attendees in total, and five decades of VMI were represented. Pictured at the event were, from left, first row, Ethan Koska ’20 Jake Hall ’20, Josiah Clair ’20, Joe Ryan ’20, Isabelle French ’20 and Jeff Golden ’99. Second row: Gordon Williams ’70, Christiaan Potgieter ’19, Zach Holland ’17, Bob Costigan ’70 and Dan Young ’88. Third row: Sean Burke ’95 and Charlie Hanroe ’80. Present but not pictured was Greg Staat ’05.

New Jersey and New York City Alumni Host Rat Send-Off New Jersey and New York City area alumni hosted a rat send-off in August 2016. More than 70 people attended the event, including nine matriculating cadets and a prospective cadet, their parents, eight alumni, and family and friends. Captain Ned Riester ’78 was the featured guest speaker and gave a presentation geared to the new cadets and parents, which was very well received. He was preceded by John Lane ’68, who orchestrated the audio visual with his son-in-law and shared one of the Foundation’s “Got-a-minutes” on VMI professor Col. George Piegari (Hon.). Photos by Danielle Mezzacca.

Northern California Chapter Hosts Happy Hour The Northern California Chapter hosted a small get-together for a VMI happy hour at the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Leandro, California, Aug. 24, 2016. Pictured at the event were, from left, back row, Pat Chang-Lo ’66, Brian Andrew ’03, Craig Blackwood ’03, Barry Maxon ’90, David Kaulfers ’90, Todd Arris ’87 and Victor Huang ’68. Front row: Joe Kohen ’50B and his wife.

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Association News

Pacific Northwest Chapter Hosts Rat Send-Off In attendance at the Pacific Northwest Chapter family picnic and rat send-off in Edmonds, Washington, July 31, 2016, were, from left, back row, Alex Rawling ’07; Larry Sexton ’68; George Coulbourn ’60; Dave Adkins ’66; Doug Conte ’75; Philip Frank ’75; Pete Farmer ’68, chapter president; and Charles Rex ’75. Third row: Zack Huson ’07, Brian Albro ’90, John Lento ’07, Walter Witschard ’60, Ken Chun ’67, Kirke White ’63 and Tony Braxton ’98. Second row: Bill Netherton ’03, David Pitkethly ’58, Roy Palmer ’58, Larry Miller ’56, Herb Brasington ’68, Walter Wilson ’74 and Ben Bird ’95. Front row: Patrick Keller ’20, Carisa Kunkle ’20, Cadet Carley Kunkle ’18 and Calvin Makfinsky ’16. Present but not pictured were Randy Urmston ’66, Kyle Farmer ’13 and Gary Tyler ’70.

VMI and The Citadel Alumni Host Rat/Knob Send-off Pictured at the VMI and The Citadel gathering for a rat/knob send-off at Po Folks Restaurant in Panama City, Florida, Aug. 5, 2016, were, from left, Wayland Patterson ’80; Glenda Patterson; Renee Papas; Becky Baughn; Jim Papas, Citadel ’66; Don Baughn, Citadel ’68; Bill “Swifty” Swift, Citadel ’62; John Tomasi; Samantha Tomasi; Barbara Wells; Bob Wells, Citadel ’72; Jerry Walker, Citadel ’71; Catherine Tomasi; Joe Oglesby, Kara Noble ’11; Mei-Ling Frishkorn; and Jim Frishkor ’81.

VMI Alumni Review

Association News

Potomac River and George C. Marshall Chapters Host Rat Send-Off

The Potomac River and George C. Marshall Chapters of the VMI Alumni Association co-hosted the annual rat send-off at the Arlington Fairfax Chapter Inc. Izaak Walton League of America in Centreville, Virginia, Aug. 6, 2016. Among the 129 attendees were 31 new cadets and their families along with about 30 alumni, active cadets and friends of VMI. The Hon. Brian Detter from the VMI Board of Visitors attended, as well. Photos courtesy Cassie Mulheron Photography.

2017-Issue 1

Association News

Rappahannock Chapter Hosts Rat Send-Off The Rappahannock Chapter hosted a rat send-off with 50 attendees Aug. 14, 2016. Pictured at the event were, from left, Madeline Hassler ’20, Jacob Hogge ’20, Clayton Hogge ’20, William Neikirk ’20 and Russell Simpson ’20.

Tampa Alumni Gather for Rat Send-Off Tampa area alumni and two current cadets gathered at the Hula Bay Club restaurant to give their best wishes and advice to matriculating cadets. New cadets Clay Radford ’20 and Hunter Jacob ’20 got their last taste of the Florida lifestyle of sun, seafood and saltwater. Also present were Cadet Bryson Kelly ’18 and Cadet Ben Wagner ’19. Right: Pictured at the event were, from left, Wagner, Kelly, Radford, Jacob, Jeff Hamilton ’07, Phil Valenti ’66, Bob Bailey ’72 and Chris Radford ’93. Present but not pictured were parents David and Yvette Varnadore, Steve and Darci Jacob and Nicole Radford, as well as alumni wives Betty Valenti and Grace Bailey.

Save the Date: Legacy Day

April 22, 2017

Please contact Erica Putney ’15, program outreach coordinator, at eputney@vmiaa.org.

Post-Graduate Scholarships Available Graduates from VMI may apply for post-graduate scholarships to support their graduate and professional study. These scholarships are for those pursuing a graduate degree in any field including Law, Business or Engineering. Application materials and instructions are available from Lt. Col. Meagan Herald, chair of the Graduate Education Subcommittee (heraldmc@vmi.edu). The deadline for the receipt of all application materials is March 15, 2017.

VMI Alumni Review

Association News

Wilmington Chapter Hosts Rat Send-Off and Old Corps Breakfast

Left: The Wilmington Chapter hosted a rat sendoff Aug. 11, 2016, at Wrightsville Beach’s Surf Club. More than 50 alumni, cadets and parents participated in sending off two new cadets for matriculation. Brigadier Gen. Jeffrey Smith Jr. ’79 was the keynote speaker at the event and discussed the challenges and opportunities of VMI.

Right: The Wilmington Chapter’s Old Corps Breakfast was held Sept. 15, 2016, at the Boat House Restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. In attendance at the event were Tom Peyton ’44, Chris Holland ’52, Greg Griffin ’72, Bill Todd ’68, Henry Brown ’60, Jimbo Smith ’60, Tom Tolbert ’66, Mickey Finn ’65, Gregg Griffith ’72, Jim Whitehurst ’66, Don Jebo ’65 and John Gangemi ’61.

Save the Date: Upcoming Networking Breakfasts The networking breakfasts have continued to grow over the years with great support from both alumni and current cadets. The events are a great opportunity for alumni to network with each other and assist current cadets in internship and job searches. If you would like to sponsor one of these events in your area, please contact Eric Hunter ’08 at ehunter@vmiaa.org

2017-Issue 1

Date: March 11, 2017 Locations: Hampton Roads Chapters Potomac River & George C. Marshall Chapters Richmond Chapter

Association News

2016 Jonathan Myrick Daniels ’61 Pilgrimage The annual Jonathan Myrick Daniels ’61 Pilgrimage was held in Hayneville, Alabama, in August 2016. At the event, VMI alumni took up the offering and Rev. Bob Graves ’60 gave an account of his association with Daniels at VMI, when Daniels was a 4th Class cadet and Graves was a 3rd Class cadet, in which he claimed that Daniels had a profound impact on him and inevitably inspired him to attend seminary after VMI to become an Episcopal minister. 2016 marked the 20th year since Rev. Francis X. Walter began the pilgrimage.

Above: Father Walter, right, and Tom Jones ’69.

Graduate School Partnerships Virginia Military Institute has forged relationships with some of the best graduate and professional schools in Virginia and across the United States. These agreements offer a range of opportunities, including admissions concessions, internships, guaranteed interviews and, in some cases, guaranteed admissions. Partnership institutions include Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, College of William & Mary, Florida State University, Norwich University, Arizona State and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Programs vary but include law, medicine, business, engineering, communications and other fields. If interested in learning more about the available partnerships, please contact Atin Basu at basuchoudharya@ vmi.edu.

We welcomed them as rats in our own special way ... now let’s welcome them as alumni! Please join the Young Alumni Committee in giving warm and hearty congratulations to our newest alumni ranks, the Class of 2017! We will celebrate with them Monday, May 15, 2017, in Moody Hall.

For more information, contact Erica Putney ’15 at eputney@vmiaa.org.

VMI Alumni Review

Association News

New Cadet Recruiting The Alumni Association is hosting more than 20 different new cadet recruiting events nationwide in order to promote further awareness of the Institute’s great potential to build competent and capable leaders both in the civilian world and in the military. These events serve to begin the process of networking and building connections with VMI alumni, faculty and cadets for any individual interested in learning more about VMI. Please contact Erica Putney ’15 at eputney@vmiaa.org if you would like to volunteer with New Cadet Recruiting.

Erica Putney ’15, program outreach coordinator, presented about her experience at VMI and current information about the Institute at a recent New Cadet Recruiting event.

Brashears ’95 Joins Alumni Association Thomas A. Brashears ’95 joined the VMI Alumni Association staff as the director of alumni outreach in November 2016. In this position, Brashears is responsible for the planning and implementation of strategies, programs and projects that increase individual alumni and chapter engagement to the Institute and the Alumni Association. Further, with supervisory responsibility for Career Networking and New Cadet Recruiting, Brashears will insure these vital programs are integrated at the chapter level. He will also work with the Chapter Operations Committee, providing a strategic vision and assisting with identifying new areas for programming. Brashears is a 1995 graduate of the Institute, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in English. Commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Army upon graduation, he served just under 11 years on active duty with extended deployments to both Kosovo and Iraq. Brashears’ last assignment on active duty was as the MS-III branch chief and cadre operations officer in the VMI Army ROTC Department. He has also earned two master’s degrees from Liberty University – one in management and leadership, and the other in human services counseling. After leaving active duty, Brashears worked in Arlington, Virginia, as a defense contractor, culminating with a sixyear stint as the deputy program director for the Military and Family Life Counseling Program, a program designed to supplement the mental and behavioral health needs of service members and their families. In July 2013, Brashears returned to VMI full time as the associate director of financial aid and was promoted to become the director of financial aid in December 2015. Brashears believes that this new position is a great fit for him, explaining, “This is a perfect for me, and I could not be more honored and humbled to serve the greatest alumni body in our nation. My Brashears ’95 previous experience as a chapter president and officer on two other chapter boards will and should serve me well.” Adam Volant ’88, executive vice president of the Alumni Association, stated, “Thom was selected from a large pool of well-qualified candidates. He brings a unique set of experiences as a former chapter president, class agent, board member and alumnus. He understands how we serve to engage alumni in this newly-created role.” Brashears also serves as VMI’s public address announcer for all home football and basketball contests and has been doing so since 2008. He is married to the former Jill Glick of Dayton, Virginia, and they have two children, a daughter, Alanah (7), and son, Blake (5).

2017-Issue 1

Association News

Career Development Forum by Eric Hunter ’08, Career Networking Officer On Oct. 22, 2016, more than 70 alumni attended the Career Development Forum held in Springfield, Virginia. The event focused on providing alumni the opportunity to learn from industry experts about the latest and future trends within four different industries: engineering, construction and technical, government/government contracting, information technology/cybersecurity, and sales/business development. The event also featured three different plenary sessions. Mac Curtis ’79, chief executive officer of Vencore, was the keynote speaker and did a phenomenal job sharing about his career and how he moved forward in decision making. He challenged all alumni to “learn the business” while at work and mentioned it was one thing that set him above others early in his career. Grover Outland ’81 and Christian Hoff ’96 spoke on the “the pulse of the job market” and shared about hiring trends within different industries. Andre Thornton ’98 closed out the morning with “standing out in a crowd.” He shared material with alumni that would help them in standing out within their careers. Andre closed out the first Career Development Forum with another challenge, which was, “What are you doing to make things better?” Thank you to all alumni who attended and supported the event, including more than 20 alumni who prepared as panelists within the four different groups, as well as Mac Curtis ’79, Grover Outland ’81, Christian Hoff ’96 and Andre Thornton ’98 for leading the plenary sessions.

Kevin Marshall ’16, Austin Holmes ’16, Travis Klein ’16 and Duncan Mahnken ’16.

Andre Thornton ’98 closed the forum on how to stand out within your career.

Mac Curtis ’79 answered questions from the audience after sharing about his career.

VMI Alumni Review

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2017-Issue 1

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CLASS NOTES

1935

Richard H. Knight Jr. ’70

General Burton’s military awards include the Legion of Merit (“v”) and the Bronze Star (“v”). Today, he and his late wife, Nora Davis Burton, rest at peace in Arlington National Cemetery. Major Gen. Humphreys was from Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He received a reserve commission from the Army and was assigned to the cavalry. His status as a reserve officer made it possible for him to enter the Medical College of Virginia (Richmond), where he graduated in 1939. General Humphreys began a residency in surgery but had not completed it when he was ordered to active duty in 1940. He soon transferred to the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and during World War II, he was assigned to the European Theater, where he commanded a medical battalion and then a medical group. After the war, Gen. Humphreys was assigned to the Iranian army for two years and was the recipient of the Iranian government’s Order of Merit (3rd grade) for that service. General Humphreys, now in the Air Force, returned to the United States and completed his surgical residency in 1951. From that point until his retirement, he achieved significant prominence, including service in Vietnam, culminating in his position as director, Space Medicine, Manned Space Flight, NASA. The nation’s astronauts were his patients. General Humphreys’ military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (with

Greetings from the Class of 1935! Jim and Peggy Sherman and their families will gather March 31, 2017, to celebrate Jim’s 103rd birthday. I know the entire VMI family joins me in wishing Jim many happy returns of the day. Jim and Peggy, who reside at the Belle Meade Retirement Community in Southern Pines, North Carolina, are very active. They like to entertain, and they enjoy a wee nip of Scotland’s famous export in the evening. Without fail, Jim finds time to exercise every day. Jim was recently featured in a local newspaper article about World War II veterans. Readers of this column know that Jim saw quite a bit of action in Europe. The Class of 1935 has five general officers: U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Custis Burton Jr.; U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. James William Humphreys Jr., M.D.; U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Rowland Falconer Kirks; U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas Felton Riley; and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Carl Frederick Schupp II. In this issue of the Review, I would like to recap the careers of two of these gentlemen. I will do the same for the other three gentlemen in a future issue. Brigadier Gen. Burton was from Hopewell, Virginia, and graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. Upon graduation, he was commissioned by the Marine Corps and was at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, and on Midway Island in June 1942, where he was a member of the garrison that resisted the Japanese invasion of that island. General Burton commanded an artillery regiment during the Korean War and was decorated Class of 1935: Jim and Peggy Sherman in the fall. for valor for that service. 30

Oak Leaf Cluster), the Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Bronze Star. Generals Burton and Humphreys reflect the very best traditions of VMI. Until next time, all the best to you and yours. Dick Knight ’70

1936

Paul E. Munson ’87

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1936.

1938

Cody Hennelly ’10

Good evening from the Old Corps! I write to inform the VMI community of both good and bad news. The good news is Mr. Johnson is doing well and still enjoying the Virginia countryside. He and I will catch up soon via our biannual phone conversation. Unfortunately, the Class of ’38 lost Mr. Frank Langfitt. His lovely bio is as follows: “Frank V. Langfitt Jr. died in the loving embrace of his family at Mary’s Woods in Lake Oswego. Born in Salem, West Virginia, July 16, 1916, to a country doctor and a vivacious and fun-loving woman, who were affectionately known to all the grandchildren as Daddy Doc and Mamoo, Frank was the middle child of three. Growing up in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Frank enjoyed a bucolic Tom Sawyer-like childhood, which also had a decidedly Norman Rockwell-like tinge. After graduating from high school in 1934, Frank elected to attend the Virginia Military Institute, where he studied for two years before transferring to the University VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes of West Virginia. After graduating in 1938, Frank attended one year of medical school at the University of Maryland. Despite academic success, the future life of a doctor was not to his liking. Leaving medical school, Frank was at loose-ends for a short time before activating his commission as a second lieutenant in the Army. It was 1940. America’s entry onto the world stage as a combatant was clear to Frank. In his typical fashion, Frank stepped up to do his part even before hostilities broke out. The Army sent Frank and thousands of other soldiers to occupy Iceland while the British evacuated the island and sent those troops home to defend their shores. This pre-Pearl Harbor decision had lifelong consequences for Frank. In the same convoy to Iceland as Frank was an Army nurse from Virginia Beach, Amy Werz. Frank and Amy met at a dance, fell in love and married Feb. 23, 1942, some two-and-a-half months after Pearl Harbor. Amy departed Iceland and had the first of their seven children, Shirley (Langfitt) Barnes, Aug. 25, 1943. They did not see each other again until 1945. Shortly after landing on Utah Beach, Frank learned he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel. It was D-Day plus 34, and Frank was 10 days short of his 28th birthday. His task was to lead a battalion of 1,000 men into combat: The Battle of Normandy, the Breakout at St. Lo and the Battle of the Bulge were all ahead of him while serving in General Patton’s Third Army. Kept safe by the lucky scarf his beloved Amy gave him when they parted, Frank returned home to her a decorated but unwounded veteran, having earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and the Air Medal. It was the first time he had a chance to meet his 23-month-old daughter, Shirley. In 1946, through an Army friend, Julian Cheatham, Frank learned of an opportunity with a company then known as the Georgia Hardwood Lumber Company, which, in time, became Georgia-Pacific. Frank seized this opportunity, which led to a long and successful career in the timber products industry. Frank retired from Georgia Pacific in 1981, having risen to become a senior executive. With Georgia 2017-Issue 1

Pacific came stops in Georgia, New York, Washington and Oregon, with Portland becoming the true family home. With the moves came the births of six more children: Sharon, Frank, Sheila, Susan, Sandy and Chuck. Frank lost Amy Feb. 19, 1976, to cancer. After remarrying and then losing his second wife, Vi Luther, May 10, 2001, Frank moved to Mary’s Woods, where he found wonderful fellowship created by endearing and engaging friends. Frank loved to travel, enjoyed gadgets and was a self-professed car nut. He was the ultimate gentleman: Poised, measured and considerate. He led by example and yet had a well-developed sense of humor, which he shared with his morning coffee group at Mary’s Woods. He loved his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and was unstintingly generous and kind. Although a man’s life is laid in the loom of time to a pattern he does not see, those touched by a great man’s passing discern that for some the looms of time have woven a life’s pattern in gold, illuminating the dark for all to see that here was a man well-worth knowing. We will miss him so very much.” With affection, Cody J. Hennelly ’10

1939

fresh mussels and oysters, but she clearly was the raw PEI oyster champ. We saw where Anne of Green Gables was written, as well as saw the movie on the bus! Personally, I really enjoyed seeing Grand Pre, where many of the “Cajuns” here in Texas and Louisiana have strong family roots. The scenery was amazing, even though the fall colors were just starting, and the company was outstanding. Keep in touch.

1940

Robert Smith

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1940.

1941

Stuart Seaton Jr. ’73

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1941.

Frank Parker III ’64

1942

I talked with Ira Saxe, and he is sounding chipper. He gets up every day and does what he can. His housekeeper and family are a great support. Marcy and I just returned from a bus tour of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island along with my brother rat, Tony Munera ’64, and Barb and 30-some other intrepid travelers. It was great weather; much cooler than the 90-plus degrees at home. We ate more than our share of lobster, mussels, oysters and fish. I think I ordered beef once in 16 days. Barb and I really enjoyed the very

The last time I looked, there were still a couple of classes ahead of the Class of 1942 in the Class Notes section. The five remaining brother rats from the Class of 1942 – Harry Siebert, Bob Goodman, Fred Love, Jack Patton and me – are all 95 or very close to it. We do our best to stay in touch. Harry Siebert let me know that Fred Love was honored last summer for “exceptional service” to his community and Bethesda Health, which operates two not-for-profit hospitals in Palm Beach County, Florida. Fred was a surgeon at one of those hospitals

Charles B. Miller

Class Notes Alumni Association only found out refor 22 years, from 1966-88. He served on away and flew back to our base in Guam. For a time after the war, a photo of “The cently that Bob had died – and that he had the organization’s board of directors from 1978 until 2016. In August, a plaque with City of Virginia Beach” was on display in the moved from his California home to ColoFred’s name was added to the hospital’s Virginia Beach Town Hall. I’m the skinny rado to be near his son, Cris. guy in the middle of the back row. By my unofficial reckoning, 24 class Wall of Honor. members survive. Today, Fred lives not far from Same old story regarding those where he grew up in Delray surviving: A paucity of news Beach, Florida. He started out in except what I am able to obtain the VMI Class of 1942 but transthrough a few telephone calls. ferred to get pre-med training. FolI had a few interesting telelowing World War II, he worked phone chats with Jim Tapley, for 20 years with the U.S. Public the sum and substance of which Health Service. Jim is in good health and so is Like Fred, I also live not far Martha. Jim reports that “by orfrom where I was born in Richder of his wife” he can no longer mond, Virginia. And, like a lot of drive. My advice to Jim is to reRichmond people, I spend part of lax and enjoy and leave the drivevery summer, if possible, at Viring to “us” (as the ubiquitous ginia Beach. This year, I ended up Greyhound bus ads keep telling on the front page of the Norfolk us to do). In Jim’s case “us” likeVirginian-Pilot, with this headline: ly means his good wife, Martha. “World War II Veteran Has a As an example of practice what Special Bond with Virginia Beach Class of 1942: Class agent Charles Miller said of this photo, “Harry Siebert sent in a wonderful picture of himself with R.T. That Began 75 Years Ago and Davis, a Marine Corps and Academy graduate and carrier pilot, I am preaching, I voluntarily Continues Today.” and Col. Mac Miller, age 103, World War II South Pacific fighter gave my car to one of my daughThe article was geared to the 71st pilot. They were being honored at his Wolf Laurel Country Club ters. However, I am blessed in having several nearby daughters anniversary of the formal surren- 12th Annual Fly Boys-Veterans Approbation Dinner.” to provide ready transport. As der by Japan to the Allies, which I was gratified the Virginian-Pilot story re- most of my readers know, I lost my beautitook place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay Sept. 2, 1945. I was one of hundreds of ceived so much positive response. If you’d ful and beloved my wife, Jane, on our 65th bomber pilots ordered by Gen. MacArthur like to read it, you can type “Virginian-Pilot wedding anniversary, June 2, 2013. I suspect that my “cousin,” Gordon to fly low over the warship during the signing Charles Miller” on Google. Harry Siebert sent in a wonderful picture Smith, has earned the accolade: Most ceremony, in a show of strength. Then we were supposed to fly out to sea, turn around of himself with R.T. Davis, a Marine Corps Physically Fit. I base that on his regimen and fly back over once more in a double and Academy graduate and carrier pilot, for “working out.” He has a small gym in and Col. Mac Miller, age 103, World War II his house to make this possible. And he show of force. In World War II, American pilots got to South Pacific fighter pilot. They were being works out in that small gym at least thrice name their planes. Our group commander honored at his Wolf Laurel Country Club a week. And knowing Gordon, I am cerhad us choose the names of American cities 12th Annual Flyboys-Veterans Approbation tain that he goes at it with all he has to ofto keep up interest on the homefront. “The Dinner. Harry and Jody hope to join Jack fer – which is a lot. He has the voice and City of Richmond” was already chosen, so Patton, Mary Easterly and me at the reunion spirit of a 25 year old to go along with it. I am pleased to let you know that I am I named my B-29, “The City of Virginia in May. recovered from the bruises and sore spots Beach.” I incurred when I fell a few months ago! The only time in my military career I ever I am much more careful as I am up and broke formation was when I was supposed Jeffrey G. Smith about on my way here and there on our to fly again over the Missouri. You can imagspacious grounds at the Fairfax, my curine how we felt. Finally, the war was over. rent retirement abode. We had made it. We were going home. BeDeadlines are the essential vampire fore leaving, probably forever, I wanted to blood of all writers and editors, the VMI take a closer look at Tokyo. So I was flying genjeffrey@aol.com Alumni Review being no exception. My the plane pretty low when, all of a sudden, I saw a large battleship. I was about to buzz It is my sad duty to report the death of deadline to submit the class cotes for our the Missouri! Not a good idea, so I turned Bob Reveley Sept. 16, 2015. The VMI class is – Nov. 1, 2016. No delays allowed!

1943

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Before going to press, we received the sad news that Mr. Robert “Egypt” Jones died Nov. 27, 2016.) We know that of the 240 (plus or minus) who started out with us in September 1940, 198 have gone on to greater glory. There are 29 others we have lost, to the extent that after leaving VMI in the first or second year, they Tom L. Peyton Jr. have declined to maintain contact offered by the Alumni Association. The records show the first one to leave after matriculation did so after sticking it out for eight days. Little wonder he chose to distance himself from the Rat Line and any other further contact. An earlier postcard went out to those on At this point in time, it is likely that most, if our mailing list announcing the death of not all, of these 34 have also died. our Brother Rat Jack Kirkham. His daughFor those who don’t receive The Institute ter, Christine, has now provided a detailed Report, it was interesting to note the items in obituary, which is summarized as follows. a recent issue relating to VMI’s reputation Lindsay Jack Kirkham, M.D., 92, died in as an educational institution. U.S. News Bellevue, Washington, Aug. 19, 2016. Jack and World Report magazine, in rankings entered the Institute from Independence, released recently, placed VMI fourth on Missouri. He completed pre-medical studies the list of public liberal art colleges, beat VMI and the University of Kansas. Jack hind the three U.S. service academies. In enlisted in the Navy in 1942, and under an the overall rankings for national liberal accelerated Navy program for prospective arts colleges, VMI ranked 72 out of 239 medical officers, he remained on inactive schools. In the engineering category for status until completing medical school at colleges whose highest degree is a bachWashington University in St. Louis in 1946 elor’s or master’s, VMI was ranked 25th. and a medical internship. He then went on A phone call to the nomadic Helmens, active duty as a lieutenant to serve as mediBob and Miriam, revealed that Bob concal officer aboard the USS George Clymer in tinues to recover from the painful injury the Far East. Upon completion of his active received at the Monterey farm. They are military service and a residency in internal currently in residence on the Ilmedicine, he joined a medical linois leg of their annual migrapartnership in Mason City, Iowa, tion. Bob was bemoaning the remaining there for 24 years. He current market prices for beef then served as an examining phycattle. Perhaps he has been more sician for the U.S. Public Health successful at his farming venService. In 1980, Jack earned a ture. In my own personal efforts master’s degree in public health with Black Angus cattle, fortufrom the University of Hawaii nately now a fading memory, I and served the state of Hawaii learned that it was an expensive as chief of Hospital and Medical hobby. The Helmens plan to be Facilities and of the Research and in Wilmington, North Carolina, Statistics Division. He retired in in May for a family wedding, So 1988. Judy Beam and I will likely see Jack apparently never enjoyed them there. being idle. His hobbies were In September, Judy and I went woodworking and electronics. He to Raleigh, North Carolina, for was granted a U.S. patent for an electrocardiograph switching sys- Class of 1944: Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Bob Smothers attend- an overnight visit with John tem that improved the mobility of ed the Air Sea Rescue reunion at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Irby, where he lives at the Cyin October 2016. press of Raleigh Retirement electrocardiogram machines. In WILCO – “Will comply.” Next time, I’ll try to do better. But no promises. And the more you keep me current on your coming and going, the more fodder for my class notes. So long.

1944

2017-Issue 1

his seventies, he began researching historical rates of heart disease in the U.S. and published a book on his findings, “The epidemiologic characteristics of a century of end stage atherosclerotic deaths: Ischemic heart disease and cerebral thrombosis: A surprise, a disappointment, a new etiologic concept.” Jack taught, designed and built many awardwinning pieces of custom furniture, some of which he donated to be auctioned for worthy fundraising programs. Jack and his wife, Mary Ann Reynolds, were married in 1952. They raised seven children, all of whom survive him, together with five grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. The passing of one of our few remaining brother rats frequently raises the question, “How many are left,” so with the help of the records that Egypt Jones passed to me, here is my best answer. There are 14 members of our class (all in their 90s, of course) currently on the Alumni Association’s mailing list: Meade Bell, George Crane, Dick Doom, Jim Doss, Bob Gibson, Bob Helmen, John Irby, Bob Jones, Harold Lockwood, Dick Niess, Tom Peyton, Bob Smothers, John Williams and M.C. Wilhelm. Dick Doom has a substantial lead in being the senior member of our class, and I edged out Dick Niess and M.C. Wilhelm by a couple of months as being the junior member of our elite group. (Editor’s Note:

Class Notes Center. John and his late wife, Margaret, moved to the center a number of years ago. We spent some time catching up. After some coaxing, John showed us an impressive book he wrote describing his life’s adventures and lessons learned. The book has had multiple purposes – the primary one being guidance to his grandchildren. An inspiring effort for all. We met John’s neighbor and spent some time socializing, including having dinner at the Carolina Country Club. John, as is the case with many of us, now significantly limits his driving but is fortunate in having his nearby friend to fill a needed role. So far, I have avoided the thought of living in a formal retirement home/community; however, I must say that the one John and Margaret chose is very impressive. Meade and Ginny Bell also live in a continuing care facility called Ginger Cove, located in Annapolis, Maryland. They also have physical mobility limitations but can rely on an excellent bus service provided by the facility. After the independence that cars give us most of our lives, it is a jolt to lose that capability. Meade said that his test of his mental capabilities is to remember the names of all of his grandchildren. I’m not sure about the exact number, but it is on the order of a dozen, divided between Meade and Ginny from their previous marriages. In the course of our conversation, Meade told me that his brother David served in World War II with the U.S. Army’s 42nd Infantry Division in one of their Intelligence and Reconnaissance units. Also in the same unit was our Brother Rat M.L. “Tootie” Tyler. David said that he and “Tootie” were together April 1, 1945, when “Tootie” was killed in action when they came under repeated fire by German troops. For the heroic actions he had taken, “Tootie” was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross. This award is second only to the Medal of Honor, our Nation’s highest military honor for bravery. A recent call to George Crane provided the opportunity to fill in some of the details about his post-VMI life. However, I also found that some of his experiences during the World War II period did not 34

follow the typical pattern that the majority of us experienced and bear repeating. In 1943, most of us were called to active duty in the Army Reserve; however, there were some, George included, who sought and were transferred to the Army Air Corps. The objective was to achieve flying status and, under the best circumstances, to be a pilot. Unfortunately, George could not pass the required vision tests. This put him back with the rest of the Army, and he was assigned to a combat engineer unit. In time, his unit was to be attached to the 2nd Marine Division for an assault on one of the islands in the Japanese homeland group. Fortunately, the atomic bombs negated these plans. George did say that he was a very early visitor to Nagasaki, the target of one of the two bombs. He then returned to the U.S. and re-entered VMI in 1946. A reassessment of his career plans resulted in a change of his major in chemistry to the English program. This resulted in extra course requirements and a delay in graduation until 1948. This extra year took him beyond the temporary life of the all-veteran Company G and back into the regular Corps, where he was captain of Company D, the new Air Force-designated unit. Since George was not commissioned in World War II, he again took ROTC upon his VMI return, qualifying him for a commission upon graduation. He was offered a regular commission, which he accepted, still hoping to gain flying status. Through persistence, he was able to pass the required physical and flew in B-29 combat missions during the Korean War. He wound up his active military service at 20 years and retired in the mid-1960s to Evergreen, Colorado. George and his wife, Kitty, later moved to Wenatchee, Washington, their current home, to be near one of their sons and his family. Bob Smothers continues his travels. A photo accompanies these notes showing Bob at an Air Force Air Rescue reunion at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Bob’s interest in this activity stems from his assignment during the Korean War, where he was assigned to this type of duty. I should add that Bob was awarded the Silver Star for his

heroic rescue actions there. The equipment shown in the photo is truly remarkable, and such a far cry from what was available in earlier air rescue days. I was stationed at Goose Bay, Labrador, in the mid-1950s, where air sea rescue actions were a frequent activity. Fuel capacities for aircraft traveling over the north Atlantic between the U.S. and Europe were limited. Equipment available to rescue those aboard aircraft that had gone down was limited to World War II leftovers and makeshift improvisations. A call to Faye Jones confirmed that Bob is now in a health care unit, relying on a wheelchair to move about. He, like most of our brother rats, has a significant hearing problem, so I did not attempt to speak with him this time. Perhaps I will try on my next call. I have enjoyed telephone conversations in recent times with M.C. Wilhelm and Jim Doss. Both seem to be able to find a way to deal with the inevitable physical limitations that all of the ’44 bunch are experiencing. Dick Doom and I were able to make contact but were interrupted, so I will try again. A special tip of our shakos to the 10 Class of 1944 ladies who made generous gifts to the VMI Foundation during the recently concluded Fiscal Year 2016. Among just our brother rats, we had a 57 percent participation rate during the same

Class of 1944: John Irby and Tom Peyton met in Raleigh, North Carolina, in September to talk about their days as horse cavalrymen at the Institute. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes nearby. Eiland is proud to say that he still drives around town, goes to church and attends his monthly rotary club meetings. He enjoys specific activities, like watching sporting events and reading. His favorite football team is the University of Alabama of which he is a true-blue fan. At the end of our conversation, he recalled spending the night with Mr. and Mrs. Doug Quarles after their 50th wedding anniversary many years ago. He said they were wonderful hosts. As the winter months approach, please consider sharing your news or story. It is always wonderful to hear from the Class of ’45.

period; a little better than average for those classes from the 1940s. I know that we are capable of doing much better. Alumni support is very much related to the dramatic success that has been achieved in the Institute’s academic programs. Your continued support will be deeply appreciated. Tom Peyton Jr.

1945

William Quarles

James “Jim” Adams provided a quick update that he is doing fine and living independently in a retirement home. He giggled while stating, “No use complaining at this age.” He reported that his four children are also doing well. His two sons from Texas visit when they can. His two daughters live closer, but one travels frequently with her job. The other daughter, who attended the 70th Reunion, helps Jim tremendously. He said, “She really enjoyed herself at the Institute meeting everyone.” Jim then reflected on his career days as a real estate lawyer, in addition to traveling as a guest speaker giving many speeches on communication to salesmen and women. He states, “Those earlier days were fun.” Upon calling Robert “Bob” Allen on the phone, he was busy at work studying local rocks and land surfaces. This is not a surprise to us, for Bob loves being a geologist. He spoke about an electric log, retrieved from the bottom of a well that was 24,065 feet deep, that tells about the land surfaces of Ardmore, Oklahoma. The log has curvatures where rocks once stood and is made up of limestone; the same limestone found at The Natural Bridge near Lexington, Virginia. “Every layer of rock in the ground surfaces to the top of Arbuckle Mountains,” Bob said, “which is located in southern Oklahoma, but north of Ardmore.” Bob also reported that Fran, his wife, is doing fine, keeping busy with her activities. They are both very excited to attend the Oklahoma Geological Foundation Dinner 2017-Issue 1

1946 Class of 1945: Kay and Joe Gantt.

in Oklahoma City soon. They will drive to the event, about 100 miles away. With sadness, we share that John D. Williams died Oct. 11, 2016. A true VMI brother rat who has given much time, energy and love to the Institute. We send our condolences to his wife, Mary B., and family. During a telephone call at the end of October, Kay Gantt, the wife of Joseph “Joe” Gantt, spoke sadly of the death of John Williams, who was Joe’s VMI roommate. She said, “They both had many memorable times together.” Kay reported that she and Joe currently live at Westminster Canterbury in Lynchburg, Virginia. She said that Joe speaks highly about his experiences at VMI and also about being a fighter pilot in World War II. Kay also recalled the last VMI reunion with their son, Bob, attending. She said, “Bob lives in Virginia Beach and recently retired as captain from the Navy. He is currently working in management for Dollar Tree, the largest retailer in the world.” Her step-grandson, Blake Bryant ’13, also attended the reunion, for he and his brother, Derek Bryant ’08, are both VMI alums. Eiland E. Anthony Jr. chatted with us on the phone for a few minutes recently. He is living by himself, for his wife died several years ago. He has five children. One daughter is living in Florida, three sons reside in Birmingham and one daughter lives

William A. Eliason

In September, we lost our Brother Rat Zeke Dameron. His obituary can be found in the Taps section of this issue. (Editor’s Note: Mr. Dameron’s Taps entry appears on page 152 of this Review.)

1947

Gus Robbins

The first news is bad news, as I must report on the deaths of two more of our BRs, Jim Brice of Roanoke, Virginia, and Bruce Taylor of Severna Park, Maryland. Jim left the “I” after our 4th Class year and joined the Merchant Marine. He served for some time, making several runs in the North Atlantic. During this time, Jim lost his older brother, 1st Lt. Robert Brice, to a German bullet on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944. Near the end of World War II, Jim joined the U.S. Army and trained with the Army Counter Intelligence Corps, where he served on the Japanese Island of Hokkaido, a dangerous duty station. After the war was over, Jim obtained his undergrad degree from the University of Virginia and 35

Class Notes Betty Lane and I had an eight-day coach 2016, in Patriot’s Colony, Virginia. I had then his Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee Law in 1954. He went on into tour with Tauck Tours throughout the Cape followed the travels of Irene and Jack private practice, moved to a post in Veterans Cod area and Newport, Rhode Island, in Sadler through the years, as our paths Affairs, then the U.S. district attorney’s office early October and enjoyed it thoroughly, even crossed in many parts of the world. Irene in Roanoke before finally becoming a judge though we did get stranded for one night on is survived by her three sons. Lamar Whitmore left us in Norfolk Sept. in the Roanoke General District Court, a po- the island of Nantucket when Hurricane 14 at age of 87. It was always a pleasure to Matthew made a quick surprise visit. That sition he held for 20 years. Jim traveled extensively as a substitute judge in retirement and made for a lot of excitement and discomfort! chat with her. Shortly before her death, we Our 70th Reunion is still on schedule for chatted, remembering the good times of enjoyed an excellent reputation as an evenhanded judge with a big heart. He died in April 24-25, 2017. The Robert E. Lee Hotel the past with her and Bill Whitmore. She September 2016. His wife, Phyllis, survives, in downtown Lexington will be our head- is survived by her six children. Blake McFeely, out in California, has quarters. It has been recently renovated, exas do three sons and three grandchildren. disappeared, and I have been unable to William Bruce Taylor matriculated at udes a lot of old southern charm and is close VMI from Big Island, Virginia. Like most of to restaurants and shopping, as well as the contact him. I hope all is well. John and Barbara Trumbo remain the us, Bruce left after a year to serve in the U.S. Institute. Details of the activities and schedNavy for two years, 1944-46. He returned ules will be sent out in early January by the last couple still being able to be together. Barbara said she has been in contact with to VMI after the war and graduated with a Alumni Association. Have a lovely winter season, and I hope you Sarah Stagg, and John has heard from Gilcivil engineering degree in 1949. While he is listed as a member of the Class of 1949C, enjoyed your Thanksgiving and Christmas ly Williamson. By the time you read this, John and Barbara will have been basking I always reminded Bruce he was a ’47 first! holidays. Let me hear from you! in the warm Florida sun for the holidays. In the spirit, Bruce spent his entire business career with Finally, as your old class agent, I, Dale Gus Bethlehem Steel in Baltimore, Maryland, Wykoff, report that all goes well here in and retired in 1982 as resident manager of Asheville, North Carolina. the Washington, D.C., sales office. Bruce lost his first wife, Mary Janet, in 1991 and is survived by their two children. In 1994, Dale E. Wykoff Bruce married Anna Mae Cahill and is Lionel T. Wolford survived by her and her son and daughter. Bruce was an avid golfer and member of several golf clubs in the Washington, D.C./ I am sorry to report the loss of two Maryland area, including the Congressional Country Club. During the time he and Anna spouses in the past three months. Irene I received the confidential giving list Mae had a second home in Hilton Head Is- Sadler, age 90, died peacefully Sept. 17, from the alumni office. As a land, Betty Lane and I had many class, we did all right. The first enjoyable visits with them. personal giving request that I In a recent phone visit with Sarremember receiving in 1950 ah Newsom, I learned she did not was from John Gorman, thenmake her annual trip to Colorado class agent. It was on a penny in the summer, as a grandson’s postcard and said, “Hope you wedding and a family reunion kept are well. How about a contribuher busy in Virginia. She is healthy tion?” I put it aside. But without and happy and keeps busy with telling me, Marion Wolford sent her four bridge groups and other in a small contribution. I learned social dos. of this when the next Alumni I also enjoyed a phone visit with Review arrived. John Gorman Helen Gillespie recently, and she wrote, “Brother Rats, we got a is happy and relieved to have the contribution from the guy who sale of her house completed. had the reputation of being the She lives at Kendal Retirement worst correspondent in the class, home in the nursing home wing now but says she gets along well Class of 1948A: Irene Sadler, widow of Jack Sadler, pictured Lionel Wolford. His mother had in her wheelchair and enjoys with Dale Wykoff in Tokyo, Japan, in December 1949. Photo to send him self-addressed postwas taken by Jack. cards with instructions to mark visitors and phone visits.

1948A

1948B

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes one: ‘I am well or I am not well.’” That wasn’t really so. I did write my mother. I admit, I didn’t get in touch with her the first week or two after arriving at VMI. I was overwhelmed with the Rat Line, drill parade, classes, etc. My mother had to call Gen. Anderson to find out if I had matriculated. An upperclassman, Robert Patterson ’48A, heard of this. He instructed me to write my mother every night and to bring it along with a stamped envelope to him before Taps. He would mail the letter. Of course, my mother was pleased to get a letter every day but eventually asked me what caused the change in my writing habits. I told her an upperclassman made me do it. For the rest of that year, Robert Patterson ’48A received a package of homemade cookies from my mother. Many years later, the distinguished Robert Patterson ’48A and I recalled these events at several reunions. It was my pleasure to receive a long phone call from Sonny Laine. We all know that Sonny had one of the most distinguished military careers of any one in our class. As a marine lieutenant, Sonny served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea. In early 1953, he participated in the military operation instigated by then president-elect Eisenhower to end the war. As a Marine lieutenant colonel, he commanded the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, and participated in heavy combat in Vietnam, receiving the Silver Star medal. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, he and Paul Applin were guests of the South Korean government for a memorable visit there. Both Sonny and Paul had an interest in Korean augmentation to U.S. Army soldiers. I will explain in some detail. At the outbreak of the Korean War (1950), Gen. MacArthur had four understrength divisions in Japan. He immediately committed the understrength 24th Infantry Division, and it was almost wiped out. To bring the 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division up to strength, he transferred several thousand men from the 7th Infantry Division (Paul Applin’s outfit) to them. To complete the buildup of these divisions, 2017-Issue 1

he also added 1,000 South Korean soldiers to each. These South Korean soldiers were known as KATUSA. A few weeks later, when the depleted 7th Infantry Division was needed for the Inchon landing, 6,000 or 7,000 KATUSA were added to fill up the ranks. So, Paul Applin’s 50-man Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon (written about in the last quarterly Review) probably contained 20 or more KATUSA soldiers. Sonny reported that, on their 50th anniversary trip, Paul spent a great deal of time trying to locate some of the KATUSA soldiers he had served with. Unfortunately, he found no trace. KATUSA soldiers were armed, clothed and fed like American soldiers but were not paid like them. KATUSA soldiers were paid in South Korean won amounting to about 50 cents per month. I had personal experience with KATUSA soldiers. When I joined the 159 Field Artillery Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division in early 1951, the unit had about 100 KATUSA soldiers. My four man forward observer party included a KATUSA soldier named Pak. I found the KATUSA soldiers to be brave, honest, hardworking, very good-humored and eager to please but difficult to communicate with. They knew little or no English, and many were illiterate. I had a recent visit from a young friend, Joe Cummings, who now lives in the Washington, D.C. area. Joe was a State Department official in South Korea for several years and is married to a wonderful Korean lady, Kay. Joe told me that, at the present time, many KATUSA soldiers are serving with American units at the Demilitarized Zone. For a young South Korean to become a KATUSA, he has to have two years of college and a workable knowledge of the English language. Incidentally, Joe and Kay’s daughter has her sights set on going to VMI after completing her high school education. Sonny Laine also explained something I was very curious about but had no clue. As I wrote in the last newsletter, in late November 1950, Paul Applin and the 17th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division were at the Yalu River as hundreds of thousands of Chinese poured across a few miles to their west. The other two regiments

of the 7th Infantry Division were in the path of the Chinese and suffered very heavy casualties. How did Paul Applin and the 17th Infantry Regiment escape? Sonny Laine reported that they hijacked a North Korean train, which took the regiment eastward to the coast and south to Hamhung. They helped to defend the Hamhung-Hungnam perimeter until the proud but battered 1st Marine Division was loaded onto ships. Eventually, all American and South Korean forces were evacuated under the protection of naval gunfire and air support. Sonny commented on another item from a previous newsletter, i.e., the recovery of our Civil War cannon in 1947. Sonny Laine participated in this event as a 3rd Class cadet (with 1st Class privileges) in Bill Bercaw’s Company A. He then shifted our conversation to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University raid on the VMI campus the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 1946. I referred to this traumatic event in an earlier newsletter but will go into more detail now. The VMI tactical officers called a meeting of all cadet officers at 10 p.m. We were informed that a sizable force of VPI students were en route with the intent of damaging VMI property. Each company was assigned an area to defend. I was taken aside by one of the TAC officers and told to defend the Limits Gate with my platoon. We made our way to the Limits Gate, concealed ourselves and awaited developments. After a short time, a car containing about five Hokies drove up and stopped. One emerged with a paint can in one hand and a brush in the other. One of the members of my platoon, L.M. Lewis ’49B, was a husky lad and a tackle on the football team. To distinguish him from the star center on the team, Paul A. (Mole) Louis ’45, L.M. Lewis ’49B was known as the “Earthmole.” He sized up the situation perfectly. Without any instruction from me, the Earthmole charged the intruder and grabbed him in a bear hug, causing him to drop his brush and paint can. The other Hokies slammed the car doors shut and sped away as quickly as they could, abandoning their comrade. I asked the Earthmole and a couple of other platoon members to escort the captured Hokie to 37

Class Notes the guard room. While these events were taking place, Company A, along with Bill Bercaw and Sonny Laine, received the assignment of defending the bridge over the highway that led to the athletic field. The Hokies, perhaps 8 or 10 carloads, now alerted to the fact that they could not gain access to any campus facilities, gathered on the highway near or under the bridge. Their next tactic was to carry out yelling and taunting exercises, which went on for quite a period of time. At some point, some of the VMI defenders picked up handy stones and rocks and hurled them at the invaders. There were many large rocks lining the steep hillside near the bridge, and eventually they were rained down on the Hokies and their cars. From our position at the Limits Gate, we could not see any of this, but we could hear it very well. First, the obnoxious shouting and, finally, the large rocks crashing onto the hoods, roofs and windshields of the cars. I remember having an uneasy feeling about the perceived property damage caused by our actions. Sonny Laine remembered not only Hokie cars being damaged but cars of innocent “tourists,” as well. He also remembered that the assessment to pay for the damage was much larger than the later assessment we received for damaging the Washington and Lee University fraternity house during the Civil War cannon event. Sonny Laine further recalled that when the Hokies finally left, it was past 3 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. The entire Corps slowly made their way back to barracks, anxious to hit the hay. Some cadets with Sonny still had flaming torches from the pep rally held hours earlier. It was time to finally extinguish them. Unfortunately, Robert Pagliaro chose to extinguish his torch by stuffing it into the muzzle of one of the Civil War cannons. The one he chose was loaded with an unexploded charge from the pep rally. The resulting explosion forced the other end of the torch into our brother rat’s body. Doug Hamner was about 20 paces away and was one of the first to reach the injured cadet. Doug remembered that Robert Pagliaro was still alive, and others immediately carried him to the dispensary. Doug said that death occurred at 5 a.m. 38

A six-man team, including Ofus Slayton, accompanied the body to New York. Doug did not remember any of the other members of the escort team. Sonny Laine also recalled some events from his 1st Class year at VMI. He roomed with Billy Guin. As a hop weekend approached, they were asked to be blind dates for two lovely Virginia girls. Both, Sonny (quite tall) and Billy (shorter) agreed. As it happened, the two girls were cousins, and one was considerably taller than the other. The pre-date assignments, of course, had Billy with the tall girl and Sonny with the short girl. After a brief discussion, appropriately, they decided to switch. Everyone got along so well that some time after graduation both Sonny and Billy married their blind dates (Angela and Nancy). Sonny asked me if I had heard from Billy. I told him that I had tried several times but had not made contact. Later, I did reach Billy by phone. He sounded great and confirmed Sonny’s story about the blind dates. He and Nancy are in good health, and their five children help out. Billy had a very rough time earlier this year. He had pneumonia, a stroke and open heart surgery. No wonder I couldn’t get in touch. We did recall that we had been roommates our 3rd Class year. Billy had a distinguished military career as a reserve officer, retiring as a colonel. He and his grandson and I shared a table at dinner at the 65th Reunion, along with Harriet Ramsey; Sonny Laine; and my daughter, Ann. I was in touch with Doug Hamner recently, and he, too, has had a hard time health-wise. He had a serious operation in late July. Bones in his neck had deteriorated and were pressing on the spinal cord, causing significant pain. The operation was successful. He is in rehab – still a bit wobbly but steadily improving. He sounded great to me. I also made contact with George Ramsey. He and Harriet were in good health and also sounded great to me. George goes to the VMI football games in Lexington with his son, Peter Ramsey ’72. Here is a fact which is very, very impressive to me: They are both past presidents of the VMI Board

of Visitors. Our football team has done well so far this year, and I hope the winning ways continue. George still plays golf and now is also playing tennis. He and Harriet have 14 grandchildren, 13 greatgrandchildren and two more on the way. Way to go, George and Harriet. Brother rats, have a great winter season. Let me hear from you!

1949A

James Harrington

Joseph Frederick Fil, 1928-2016: Joe left us in September after a productive life of service to his family, the United States Army, the state of California and VMI. Joe leaves behind his loving wife, Susan; four sons; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a handful of grieving brother rats. Joe was buried with full military honors at a ceremony conducted by his son, Lt. Gen. Joe Fil Jr. It’s hard for me to write these notes under the circumstances. There were only three of us at our 65th Reunion: Bill May, myself and Joe Fil. Joe came all the way from California and brought two of his sons with him who shared in our reunion activities. They were good company, appreciative of the reunion ceremonies and very supportive of Joe. I’ll miss his friendship and regular communications. Now for the Harrington adventures since my last report. We had a fairly quiet summer with visits from our Colorado granddaughter, her brother (recently out of the Army) and their parents. We were joined (and entertained) in early October by a visit from the Connecticut branch of the family, including daughter Mary, son-in-law, granddaughter Maggie, grandson-in-law and two great-grandsons. Joining the festivities from Waynesville, North Carolina, were our son, Michael; daughter, Mollie; our doctor son-in-law and three granddaughters. All together, there were 14 of us, representing four generations, for a VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes four-day party. Fortunately, they all left just before Hurricane Matthew paid us a visit. Ann and I vacated the island for the weekend, which turned out to be a mistake, because the storm took a left hook as it went through South Carolina and swamped much of the interior of North Carolina. Our house on the island suffered only a few shingles lost and a lot of small twigs and plant debris. We should have stayed home. We’re back home now and enjoying the company of our daughter, Stephanie, and her husband up from Florida. Things should slack off now that it’s cooling down. Margaret Noftsinger has some happier news in a couple of emails: “We have had the hottest summer that I can remember. We are looking forward to several weddings – one Oct. 1 and another in February 2017 – and another great-grandchild in March 2017. We will also see our last grandchild graduate from Hampden-Sydney College in May. The New Year holds lots of fun expectations ahead. That will take care of half of the year; that is what makes time fly! Much too fast for me; I would like to savor each event. Sorry I did not make the last news, but this machine was out of order for a spell. Have a beautiful fall, and I will be in touch. My eyes are so bad, so bear with me; you know Bill is not going to use this machine. Our news is mostly about family (so what’s new). Our youngest grandson is going into his senior year at HampdenSydney, and his older brother, who graduated last May, is in a training program at Ferguson (a supplier for builders of bath and kitchen needs). I do not think we will be above ground when the greats graduate. All are doing great. We will have a granddaughter getting married in October at the same church and using the same prayer book that her great-grandmother used in 1911. Bill is sitting watching golf and wishing he could play the game again, but too much and too many penalty tours have gotten to his legs. All of the grands are now located this side of the Mississippi.” “I will begin again with the news. Today (Oct. 9), our youngest granddaughter announced her engagement, so we have another wedding, this one is in February. Last Saturday, our fourth in line was married in 2017-Issue 1

Richmond. All say the wedding was the most beautiful ever, but this one truly so. And not just from me; after a week of rain, the sun came out, the sky cleared and the wedding proceeded as planned at Old St. Johns, where Patrick Henry issued a few important words. Too bad he can’t issue more today. (Enough of politics!) We also have great-grandbaby No. 4 waiting in the wings to make his entrance! So, 2017 is full of special events already – February and March are marked. Then in May, our last grandchild graduates from HampdenSydney College. I know I have already told you, but just in case you misplaced the Noftsinger news. We rarely have anything to tell you and probably will not have any more for ages. We are hanging on; Bill has not felt chipper for several weeks. But at our age, that comes with the years. Have not heard from Bill May in some time, but no news is good news. Our best to all; we will try to keep in touch.” And here’s Allen Penniman’s welcome contribution: “Dear Class: I read and watched Hurricane Matthew as it moved up our eastern shoreline. I immediately thought of Jim Harrington and his wonderful home on Bald Head Island. My thoughts were that I wished the best for him but also thought the power might fail, his computer might go out and we would not receive his request for our notes for the Alumni Review. I did Google Bald Head Island and found everything there was all right and that power had been restored. When this happened, I received Jim’s appeal, so I am trying to answer it this morning. “Talking about the weather, Baton Rouge received a once-in-1,000 years flood, which meant that it had happened just once in my lifetime and should not happen again, which is a good thing! We had a deluge of rain focused mostly on the area of the shoreline of Louisiana. We had rain day after day, and the damage was unbelievable. The worst scenario would be for a resident of Baton Rouge to have 4 feet of water in his home, 4 feet of water in his automobile, and then have his employer suffer 4 feet of water in his place of business. Result: No house, no car, no job, and this was true for something like 100,000 people in the city

of Baton Rouge. The devastation was unbelievable, and we are still suffering from its effects. Fortunately, living on Highland Road, Joanie and I were spared from any water damage or difficulty. This was true of three of our families who live here as well. Have you noticed how different and difficult our weather patterns have been? It looks like we may be having a change. Could it be global warming? I am glad all of us were spared, and I hope that is true with the Harringtons. “I notice that Jim’s request for class notes comes only two months after we wrote in August. This gives me a real problem, because I am not doing much at this point, and he is not giving me much time to do as little as I am doing. But, all in all, this is not bad, as I feel my activities are concerned. Saturday morning, two weeks ago, I received a call from a grandson who advised me that he loved me and then told me that he planned to be married in May 2017. As chance would happen, the phone rang again, and this time it was a granddaughter who lives in Charleston, West Virginia. Her happy voice exclaimed that she was engaged, and they had picked a date for their marriage in July. How thrilled we are! Later that same morning, I received two more calls – one from a son and one from another grandchild. Both of those were fun, and they were excited about keeping me up with all of the wonderful things happening in their lives. After spending the best part of Saturday morning on the telephone, I realized that my life and activities have been passed on to my grandchildren and children. As I slow down, they speed up, and isn’t this a nice thing? I can feel fully energized just by receiving a telephone call or two from them. But, Joanie and I are not petrified yet or standing completely still. For example, we are planning for a reunion for all of our families on Thanksgiving Day. As far as I know, two families are unable to come, but the rest will travel to Baton Rouge to celebrate the holiday. That will be a glorious thing, and I can promise you there will be enough activity over that weekend to last me until at least Christmas. Sometimes, I sit in a chair and watch them run around 39

Class Notes and that is the fun in my life at this point. “As we are all growing older, I was saddened by the loss of Joe Fil. Joe was a good friend of mine at school and after school. He was one of the few I really kept up with over the years, and I reviewed his many accomplishments. A special word of sympathy and love must go to Sue and his sons, who were with him when he died. Joe Fil was a good man. “Joanie and I remain in good health, and I am eternally thankful for that.” Bill May doesn’t write or email, so I called him. He says he’s “very well;” healthy, except for upcoming cataract operations, eating well and diligently exercising. Despite being surrounded by a lot of retirees, he’s still lonely. You can write him at 2205 Birch Glen Court, Midlothian, VA, 23112, but he probably won’t answer, so call him at 804-744-1264. He’ll be glad to hear from you. Herb Johnston writes: “Glad that you are back home. We hope that you did not have a lot of damage from Matthew. I just came into our house after covering our plants that are still blooming. We have a frost warning for tonight. We are looking forward to Halloween. Last year, we had over 100 trick-or-treaters. If the weather is good, we think we could do as well or better this year. We have lots of young children in our neighborhood, and their parents really do a great job in costuming them. Our children were home for Jeanne’s birthday. We had a great time with them. We were so sorry for the loss of Joe Fil. I hope that the ’49As who are left can hold our own for long, long time. Let’s hope for a mild winter and good health for all of us. Have a great Thanksgiving and wonderful Holidays. P.S.: The World Series starts tonight. Columbus has the AAA farm team for Cleveland – the Columbus Clippers. They helped Cleveland a lot. Go, Indians, go!” I received a brief note from Harrison Whitten expressing his sorrow at Joe Fil’s passing but no news of his own. Harrison does read his emails, so I suppose he keeps up with the rest of us through these notes. The news these days and stories about campus youth at other colleges makes me ever grateful for VMI and the background it afforded me and my brother rats. I hope we have done the Institute proud. 40

1949B Dan Smaw

These notes cover the period from late August to late October 2016. On Sept. 7, our granddaughter, Ashley, had a little boy who is our first great-grandson. Mother and son are doing fine. We now have two great-granddaughters and one greatgrandson. The ’49B mini reunion was held Oct. 2-4, 2016, at the Holiday Inn Express in Lexington. It was attended by: Greg and Kitty Nelson, Nux Enochs, Tommy Altizer, John and Mary Haggerty, Hotz Lardon and son Bob, Max Feinman, Mack and Inge VanHook, George Wolfe, Harv and Barbara Bradley, Bill and Ann Stribling, Ding and Nobbie Patton, Grover and Teancy Outland, Charlie and Alicia Hurt, Tom and Virginia Cooke, Benny Harmon, and Buddy and June Marshall. As I recall, this is the first reunion Tommy Altizer and the Hurts have attended, but Charlie and Alicia did attend the cookout at Mack VanHook’s when we had the Charlottesville reunion. Greg and his reunion staff of George Wolfe, Ding Patton, Benny Harmon, Buddy Marshall and Nux Enochs put in a lot of work arranging everything. I heard from several that this was one of the best reunions ever. Nux was new to the group since he replaced George Dooley, who was not able to make it. Quite a few attended the football game Saturday afternoon then went to the Southern Inn for dinner. I understand it was a very loud table during dinner; just a typical ’49B get-together. Kitty, Barbara, Benny, the Striblings and the Lardons took a carriage ride around Lexington Monday and reported it was very interesting and informative. Their driver was very knowledgeable about Lexington and told them things they had never heard before. They went through areas not normally seen when just driving around. Ding and Nobbie arranged the menus for

the Monday and Tuesday night dinners, which everyone said were excellent. Monday night was held in the small upstairs dining room in Moody Hall. Tuesday night was in the hospitality suite at the motel. Monday night, the VanHooks’ grandson, Tyler, who is a 1st Class cadet, attended the dinner. Tuesday night, the Outlands’ two grandsons, Matthew and Ben, attended. Matthew is a 1st Class cadet, and Ben is a 3rd. Ann Stribling composed a beautiful prayer for the Memorial Ceremony remembering our 98 deceased brother rats. Barbara Bradley took photos of the two dinners, the hospitality room crowd and most of the attending BRs. She arranged it so I could send the two pictures with the BRs to everyone in the class who has an email address. Barbara put it a lot of work getting all those pictures together. Max Feinman sent me pictures of the red, white and yellow tulips he plants in his yard each year; they are beautiful. He sent a picture of them to the alumni office, and they are interested in getting the seeds so they can grow them on the post. Max is working with them on that project. I had conversations with several while the mini was in progress; I enjoyed them all, even though it made me realize how much I missed being there. Greg sent emails covering everything that went on they are the source of these notes. Thanks a million, Greg. I recently had a conversation with Izzy Maxwell. She is getting along OK and has a weekly bridge game which she enjoys. As some of you know, she is a master bridge player; I forget the proper term for it. Thanks to all who have contributed to Annual Giving. God bless America, VMI and ’49B.

1949C

Haywood France

Editor’s Note: Notes are no longer being submitted for the Class of 1949C. Haywood France remains the contact for the class. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

1950A Bill Moore

I have been having a lot of difficulty the past 10 days catching up with you remaining guys and gals of the Class of 1950A. Those of you whom I don’t reach by the deadline for this report can expect an email, snail mail or worse from me very shortly inquiring about you. When I can’t find you, I worry a lot, and my imagination runs wild. I’m crazy enough without having to put up with this uncertainty. Having said that, let’s get on with what news I do have. Syd and Beverly Stealey have settled into their relatively recent independent digs in Fairbanks. Their new address is 1035 Kellum, Fairbanks, AK 99701. Syd reports that, like here in Virginia and the southeast, they have had a remarkably warm fall/early winter. We can argue the relative causes of global warming until doom’s day, but it’s hard to deny it. Their health is holding up well for people our age, and it’s nice to know that they love and enjoy each other as they do. Not a lot to report, but all seems well with them. They do have relatives and many friends nearby, and I’m sure that’s a great joy to them. Kenny Stagg says he’s plagued with minor aches and pains like most of us, but he is mobile and enjoying life. He needs a hip replacement but is reluctant to tackle that at our age. I tried to encourage him to do it as his improved mobility will, in my not-so-humble opinion, make life even more enjoyable for him. He is particularly gratified that B.J. is holding up well and is enjoying being back doing realty sales, a profession that she enjoys and is very good at. Apparently, she suspended working for a while as she had other things, like our esteemed brother rat, that needed her attention. Thanks from all of us, B.J. Barbara (Hugh) Barnes is doing well 2017-Issue 1

in her independent living quarters in the Richmond area. She wishes she had more food choices on her facility’s food menu. She’s especially disgusted that they can’t get soft scrambled eggs right. I know exactly what she’s up against. I wish I could send her some scrambled eggs that the cooks at the original Moore’s Country Store near me whip up. Mmm! One lady in particular, who has been with us for 25 years, is the epitome of a great egg cook. I eat three of these soft scrambled eggs at least twice every week and enjoy every bite of them. I consider myself a good poached egg cook (learned from Anne) but not a good scrambled egg cook. Living by oneself is for the birds, and even they don’t. Dick Mandt and son Richard are doing well and still enjoying each other while watching reruns of “Bonanza,” “Gunsmoke” and other TV and movie jewels of the past. They also enjoy the Charlotte area football and basketball teams on TV. No sign of the heart and circulatory problems that Dick has had in the past. Elliott and Nancy Hudgins had all of their immediate family members at their home in New Bern, North Carolina, for Thanksgiving dinner – all four generations of them. The youngest is their greatgrandson, “little” Elliott, who is a year old and, by all accounts, all boy. Elliott and Nancy are doing well. Of course, Elliott and Syd are our over-90 brother rats. Nancy tells me that Elliott doesn’t have the strength he used to have (who has?) but manages very well. He still has reasonable mobility and is able to do most of the things he would like to do. Their son, Reed ’90, lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, and is stationed at Fort Eustis heading up one of the Army’s major petroleum units which is quartered at Eustis. He expects this will be his last assignment before retirement. Jackie (Dick) Martin and I shared similar mishaps over the summer and early fall. We both were t-boned in our vehicles. Jackie’s was a brand-new Subaru, and mine was a 22-year-old Ranger pickup – my trash and mulch truck. Neither of us were seriously injured, although Jackie has had some neck problems since her accident.

Luckily, she was hit on the passenger side of her Subaru. I was hit on the driver’s side of my pickup but behind the cab, which was fortunate for me. I had no broken bones or lacerations, but two days after the accident, I was loaded with bruises along my left side, arm and leg. I also had bad seatbelt bruises across my chest. I’ve been a sore guy and am just now getting back to my YMCA routine. More news from Jackie: Her grandson is at Sloan Kettering in New York in the oncology department. I know she’s very proud of him. Nancy (Hank) McWane was having company when I called but assured me that she is doing well, and she sounds like it. Debra and I are also sharing experiences this winter. She’s having a hip replacement in early December, and I’m having another knee replacement in early January. These joints slowed us down this fall. Debra had her left hip replaced when she was 52 because of degenerative bone disease in the ball. At that time, she was told that she would have to have the other one eventually replaced. Nine years later, and that time has arrived. She is having considerable discomfort and pain and is no longer postponing the operation. I’m not having much pain or discomfort, but the cartilage is worn-out and the knee is becoming more and more unstable. Most people my age would probably limp along with make do treatments, but I’m not going to. I want to have it replaced while I’m in good health and my surgeon is still practicing. Otherwise, I’m facing reduced mobility and damage to the other knee and both hips. My family is doing well and busy in the family businesses.

1950B

Joseph B. Kohen Jr.

Other than thanks and congratulations from classmates, there has not been much communication. I am planning to visit VMI for the Founders Day celebration 41

Class Notes and afterward will head to Richmond and visit the Medical College, now Virginia Commonwealth University, and hope to meet any brother or sister rats available. I received a note from Bob Lynd stating he is planning to visit Cuba, is in good health and is still bicycling. That reminds me of two wonderful bicycle trips I have taken. The first one in 2007 from Savannah to Charleston, and the second one was with my children and grandchildren on my 80th birthday. It was a barge and cycle trip along the Mosel River between France and Germany. On that trip, I spent a half day visiting the Maginot Line Fortress, which I had heard so much about in my youth. John Taylor, whom I plan on seeing in Richmond, informed me of the death of his wife, Ruth, a year or so ago. Jim Flippen wrote from Norfolk, Virginia. He enjoys easy living in a high-rise apartment on the waterfront and receives joy from his children and grandchildren. Jim had two sons and one granddaughter graduate from Washington and Lee University and thus has continuing Lexington

Class of 1950B: William Jack Buchanan, first captain, in spring 1950. 42

connections. Jim is a frequent attendee of Founders Day. I hope each member of our class will make a donation, no matter how small, to VMI. I will be so proud if 100 percent of our class can accomplish this.

1951

John Ross

This note covers the period Aug. 11 to Oct. 27, 2016, and is basically in sequential order. I had a call from A.J. Marchand ’52 in Jennings, Louisiana. He reports that he suffered two falls but is OK. Once again, I remind you to be careful and watch your balance. A.J. remains in touch with the Quisinberrys in Enterprise, Alabama. I had a very nice and thoughtful note from Cindy Marshall thanking me for our memorial contribution to VMI. She stated, “Jim was very proud of VMI and all his brother rats.” And in return, the Institute should and does acknowledge Jim’s outstanding military career. My birthday card to Dick Lawrence was returned with notice of a new address in Tyler, Texas. I notified VMI of the change. Remember to notify me or the Institute of any change in your contact info. I had a long visit with George Cohen concerning his survey with regard to our next reunion. He reports that Marty is improving, but she had another fall – be careful. I continue to not reach Winston Baber in Omaha and keep receiving a message to try later, as there is “utility trouble.” Shortly thereafter, the sad news began. VMI informed me that we lost Les Spellings Aug. 17. He was with us for two years and then graduated from Texas Tech. As I recall, Les attended a mini reunion in the mid-90s flying up from Texas with Frank McGee in the latter’s plane. Pinkey Wornham informed me that Tom died Aug. 23, and George Cohen called to tell me that George Maxwell died Aug. 28. Both George and Tom were with me in

the electrical engineering section for the entire three years before graduation. Further, Tom joined me in the Marine Corps upon graduation, while George followed a religious calling in the Episcopal Church. Then VMI informed me that our BR Lain Peck died Sept. 29. I had been unable to reach Lain for some time. He was a Korean War vet. Finally, Jigger Baxley called to inform me that Johnny Leddy died Oct. 8, 2016. He left VMI after two years and graduated from the Southern College of Optometry. He retired from the Army after 30 years of service. Thus, we lost five brother rats in three months. Our mortality is increasing. Let’s hang in there and stay in contact. I checked in with Bounce Carstens in Louisiana and was glad to hear that his area escaped the flooding that hit parts of the state. I left a birthday greeting for Ray Moncrief in Georgetown, Texas. I checked in on Bill Caldwell in Daleville, Virginia, and he reports he does not get out much due to mobility problems, but he really appreciates VMI contacts. I still have not been able to contact Pete Ames in California, as the number furnished by the Institute is “not in service.” Win Baber called to report that emails to Carolyn McCallum and George Cohen were returned. I checked and learned that Carolyn had moved to a retirement community and that George knew of his problem and would correct it. Incidentally, I am reminded to once again thank Winston for the great job he does for the class. I left belated birthday greetings for Paul Shrader with Polly, as Paul was, as usual, golfing. They are both doing well. On Aug. 20, I once again celebrated the trifecta – I wished Jake Wamsley, Win Baber and Marie happy birthday. Gracelyn Parks called to report George Maxwell’s death. She is doing well and enjoying her bridge and dinner group. I wished Johnny Lyden in Mobile, Alabama, a happy birthday, which he celebrated with his family. He is doing well and we had a nice visit. I learned from a Sam Scott email that VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Bob Nolley is in North Carolina for surgery. I immediately called Bob and wished him well. I then called Sam Scott to report on my call to Bob Nolley, and we then reminisced about the loss of George Maxwell. I was happy to note that 14,339 alumni gave $301.1 million in the current campaign at VMI. I had a very enjoyable visit with Fred Watson in Weatherford, Texas, when I called to wish him a happy birthday. He inquired about Sam Scott and Jake Wamsley. I failed to reach Jack Evans, Jim Enochs, Dick McFarlin or Phil Barton with belated birthday wishes, but left messages. I did reach Roger Little in St. Louis with birthday greetings and learned he is scheduled for heart surgery next month. He reports that his Florida home escaped most of the Hurricane Matthew damage. I received an email from Frans Kasteel thanking me for my birthday wishes. He and Daphne had spent the summer in the Adirondacks and thus did not receive my calls. I received a nice note from Lee Duval in Lewisville, Texas, in which she noted Marie’s hip injury and “will continue to pray for her rapid healing.” When I called Jim Enochs to wish him a belated happy birthday, I had a nice visit with Jean, as he and Bounce Carstens were, as usual, on the golf course. Incidentally, Jim is now the youngest living member of the class. I wished Phil Barton in Garden Grove, California, a happy birthday, and we had a nice visit. He is doing well and is sorry to have missed the last reunion. I called John Evans in Greenville, South Carolina, to wish him a happy birthday and talked to Ann, as John was out. They both are doing well and have downsized. She confirms Jim Close’s analysis – that downsizing is a real chore. Ann reports they had substantial damage to their Hilton Head house by Hurricane Matthew. I checked back with George Cohen and learned his Hilton Head home survived the hurricane and that he is back in it while Marty is up in Connecticut. Jim Enochs sent me an informative thank you note from Madison, Mississippi. He 2017-Issue 1

and Jean are hanging in there. He reports that he took his daughters on their usual hiking trip – Grand Teton and Yellowstone – and that Jean is going to visit her daughter in Tuscany after Christmas. Jim also gets together with Carl Carstens for golf. He concludes, “I enjoyed our reunion and hope there will be another one.” I join Jim in this hope and add, “soon.” I checked in with Sam Scott in Hollywood, South Carolina, and was glad to hear that Hurricane Matthew did not cause him any real damage. We then had a nice visit. I have failed in a number of attempts to contact Bob Nolley concerning his operation and have left messages. I received an email from Rick Meador, the son of our BR Carl Gooch Meador, requesting any stories or vignettes about his dad. Contact: meador826@gmail.com. I need help to contact the following or information concerning Pete Ames, California; Howard Crisp and Jack Nichols, Asheville, North Carolina. As I close this note at the end of October, Marie and I wish you a happy holiday season. Marie continues to make progress in her recovery. I have always wanted to use this quote of President Reagan but never had an opportunity. However, as mortality has reduced us to two living Marine brother rats, Paul Shrader and me, it would seem to be appropriate. “Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference to the world, but Marines don’t have that problem.” Semper Fi, Jack

1952

James M. Mecredy

As I start class notes for the February 2017 issue of the Alumni Review, the first item I received was a nice note from Langhorne McCarthy saying he planned to join us at our 65th Reunion in April.

I received an obituary from Lou Delisio about the death of G.G., the wife of Col. Pancake ’38. Of course, we all remember him as our commandant from 1951-54. Next, I received a photo from Hob Richey ’51 of the contingent of our class at Fort Benning in 1951. The photo included Warren Meola, Hob Richey ’51 and Scurvy Patton. Unfortunately, the photo is not sharp enough for inclusion here. I told Hob that Scurvy is no longer with us, and Warren lives in Atlanta. Hob also wrote that several of our brother rats will remember that hot, hot time in Georgia. Hob did not get his commission. On the last day before finishing, he was told his eyes were not good enough. He went on to Harvard Law School, after which he was drafted and went through Fort Knox as buck private. He ended up in Heidelberg, Germany, married a DAC and lived happily ever after. Joe McCarthy’s daughter, Lannie, wrote asking for a copy of the photo I had placed in the Alumni Review. After receiving the copy, she wrote me again about how pleased she was to have the photo. She went on to write how near and dear VMI was to her daddy’s heart, and it is nice having a picture of him as a cadet. I called Ted Ball to wish him a happy birthday. He is doing well, but his wife, Kitty, fell a few months ago and received a serious break of her femur. After months of recovery, she is beginning to walk again. Ted said he now knows what Kitty did all the times he was working, because he has been doing all that she would do. I called Pat Powers, as her birthday is coming up. She is doing well, except for varicose veins which limit her walking. She still lives in south Roanoke, a few blocks from my parents’ home. Charlie Piper was out mowing 2 acres of his 6-acre home in South Dakota when I called him. He and Sharon are staying active. When I last talked to Charlie, they were planning a trip to Europe, but the conditions were so unstable, they dropped those plans. Instead, they took a trip on the Canadian Railroad and thoroughly enjoyed it. The trip included Lake Louise, Banff and Vancouver. The train travels by 43

Class Notes day and first class hotels at night. Rim Simpson has been tracking Root Hopkins since I lost track of him. He had a nice conversation with John Root’s daughter, Melissa Hopkins. She reported that John is living with her at the Butterpat address. This is a large property with several houses built on it, all owned by Melissa and her husband. She calls it “the compound.” He is in severe dementia, bed bound and incontinent. He has good days and bad days, and talking on the phone is not always reliable. He has 24-hour care. Melissa is a partner in a law firm in Dover, Delaware, called Hopkins and Windett. Yancy Clark died Aug. 27 at his home in Danville, Kentucky. Yancy was 86. I was surprised, because I talked to him last year, and he was doing fine. He had lost 33 pounds – back to his VMI fighting weight – and was off blood pressure medicine. I just heard from Russ McCarthy, and he has two items on his current bucket list: Stay in shape and attend our 65th Reunion. He said he is walking to stay in shape because the doctor told him that swimming was harming his shoulders. He now has a monitor to tell him when he has walked 10,000 paces (about 5 miles). He walks half miles three times a week with the 10,000 as a goal.

Even though Russ is quite capable of walking to see all of the improvements at VMI, he thinks we should get a bus tour, because we are not all up to a lot of walking. He wants to see the ROTC building, the sports complex, the cadet obstacle course and the tank maneuver area/cross-country practice area. We remember we had the horse stables rebuilt into the ROTC facilities. I am requesting this be added to our agenda. I talked to Joe Craven, who lives in the Napa Valley, California, and he is planning to come to our 65th Reunion. Joe wears a prosthesis which will present a challenge to traveling, but he thinks he can work it out. He will fly into Richmond or Roanoke, and I will help him find a brother rat who can meet him. I don’t know anyone else planning to come from that distance at this time. I have tried several times to reach Austin Bridgforth in Baton Rouge without success. I receive an automatic answer that the party is not available. It may be that Austin and Ernestine were affected by the flood. I will keep trying. I had a nice long conversation with Ann Hutchinson. She is 93 and in hospice but is doing very well. She has 24-hour care, and her children take care of her on the weekends. Tolly Greer and Winnie did all right in

Class of 1952: A group of VMI alumni restored the gravesite of New Market Cadet William S. Carmichael ’867. 44

the recent storms, but they lost their hunting lodge in the country four years ago, along with all of the trees in the area. They are planting some trees which will take some years to replace the ones lost. Fortunately, the wildlife – deer and turkeys especially – are still plentiful. Other than slowing down, they are holding up. Bill Gordon wrote to thank me for his birthday card and express his sadness to read about Yancy, our brother rat. He died on Bill’s birthday, and they were just weeks apart in age. He said thank you for the birthday card. It was one of many from folks remembering his 86th. Chuck Haley is complaining that he can’t see as well as he used to, and his memory isn’t working as well as in past years. Other than that, he can’t complain. He and Virginia are planning on attending our 65th Reunion. Neal Petree sent me a note that he took a boat down to the Keys and came home to fill his freezer with fish and lobster. Healthwise, Neal exercises at a gym five times a week. He also thanked me for keeping up with the birthdays and news of our class. This assignment, plus other things such as local county emergency services, serving coffee at church and ham radio keeps me from vegetating. Chris Holland and Sugar have been living in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, since 1980. They came through the recent storm with minor damage. Chris is still active in many local activities. Recently, he received an Award for Excellence from his Masonic Lodge. Chris is also active in the VMI Foundation and the Keydet Club. We keep losing BRs and widows to this world. Recently, I have lost touch with Howard Williamson, John Carson, Leon Carr, and the widows of Ed Burton, Jim Stallings and Harry Carter. Deaths so far this year are: Dewey Noland, Joe McCarthy, Skip Nay, David Harvey, Yancy Clark and George Bookman. I have learned that John Cure has been transferred to Westminster, and I am awaiting more information. Back in 2004, a VMI group in Augusta, Georgia, led by Terry Bowers ’68 found VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes the gravesite of New Market Cadet William S. Carmichael ’867 and initiated the restoration of the cemetery. The location of the cemetery was a little difficult to find, because it was off the road behind some commercial establishments in south Augusta and was overgrown. We found the gravesite and cleaned up the area around it. Recently, a local group has undertaken the task of restoring the entire cemetery. I have included a photo of the VMI group. Clark Britton’s wife died July 10 (her birthday). Clark is downsizing and continuing to have exhibitions of his work. He says he is slowing down but keeping busy. Bob Gerdetz called to tell me about his recent activities. Recently, from the safety of his TV in Texas, he watched the storm, Matthew, hit all the places in Florida, South Carolina and Georgia where he called on ship builders while he lived in Florida and sold aluminum for Alcoa. He recently talked to Ann Hutchinson, Chris Holland and Ray Hart. Ray and Violet are doing all right, because they live in Florida well west of the storm. Chris and Sugar in North Myrtle Beach rode out the storm, because they were well above high water. Trees down and debris in the neighborhood, but they were not affected. Ann Hutchinson is having heart problems, so at Ray’s suggestion, I called her to encourage her and pray for her. I did call Ann, and she is having difficulty with breathing and plaque. We prayed together on the phone, asking the Lord to bring healing. She was scheduled to see the doctor the next day to learn whatever needs to be done. I called Henry Nanninga who lives in Savanah, Georgia. Henry was at their cabin cleaning up, so I talked to Betty. She said Henry slept through the storm, and she stayed up all night. They had trees down in the neighborhood, and they had water in their basement, but no tree damage. They were among the 1 percent who did not lose electricity. Their daughter, her dog and a friend all spent the night with Henry and Betty. We did not suffer any damage, because Augusta is well west of the coast and the storm. We suffered damage to a bedroom five weeks earlier when a local 2017-Issue 1

storm dropped a tree limb on our roof and poured water into the attic and bedroom. Insurance took care of the problem, and we only suffered inconvenience. In October, I received an email from David White’s daughter about David’s current condition. His son, David Jr., met with the nursing home medical staff. They told him it was time to put David Sr. in hospice. He is having more and more difficulty swallowing. Usually, this is the time pneumonia sets in, which would then lead to death. Sophie went to see her dad, and he did not know her. David will likely be with the Lord by the time you receive this. Bill Austermann is doing well living in sunny California, along with Joe Craven, Charlie Coulbourn and Jack Roche. Bill has two daughters, both married, with one living in California and one in Arizona. John Taylor returned my call and reported he is doing great despite being a little wobbly on his feet. He and his son are flying to Chinghai, China, for four days just for fun. He is able to reserve seats with extra leg room so he can sleep. Also, he and his younger son, a physician, travel to football games in 30 ballparks. They started in 2002 going to a game in Wrigley Field and ending this year with a trip to City Field in New York. To top off his active life, his older son has twin daughters, Betty and Cordelia, who John sees often. They were 11 months old Nov. 1. Bill Massie wrote to thank me for his birthday card, and he added that he has stopped having birthdays. I will try to remember this next year and send him a non-birthday card. Bill and Mitch Mays see each other often, and everyone misses Joe McCarthy. Natalie Long wrote from Melbourne, Florida, that she is well, but life is dull without Bob. She has moved to a new address. Esther Stringer traveled to Ireland for two weeks. She and George had gone to Ireland a couple of times when he was alive. This time, she went with five friends traveling in a minibus with a guide and had a wonderful time. She did break the little finger on her left hand, which only bothered her when she forgot and clapped at some entertainment. She is hard of hearing with little hearing in her

left ear. One night in Ireland, their hotel was across the street from a loud pub. Esther slept on her right side and heard nothing all night. In that case, it was a blessing. She is still able to drive and travels to Mississippi often from Louisiana. Your reunion committee, made up of Dick Valack, Jim Wiley, Jack Lanford, Sally Birge, Bill Ruffin, Army Welford, Zeke Finney and me, are making progress. You can expect details from VMI in February. We are arranging: The Hampton Inn Col Alto for our class headquarters and guest rooms preferably on the first floor. Bus transportation from hotel to functions and a bus tour of new additions is being arranged. The Alumni Association sponsors dinner Monday night, April 24, and the Lexington Golf & Country Club is reserved for dinner Tuesday night, April 25. Golf outing may be arranged with Zeke separately. The class picture will either be in front of Preston Library at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday or at dinner. In lieu of favors, you may contribute to the Walter G. Robertson Jr. 1952 Scholarship Fund. We are hoping that many of you will be able to join us. Your brother rat, Jim

1953

William C. Noell Jr.

The first thing that I would like to announce is the date of the April ’53 “Richmond and Beyond” lunch gathering, which will be April 27, 2017, at noon at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond. I am placing this at the head of the class notes so that you will be certainly aware of the date, and maybe you would like/consider making plans to come back to Virginia to attend this ’53 lunch gathering. This will be the last one before our 65th Reunion in 2018. How about many of you giving this some serious consideration? Of course, email announcements will be sent out after the first of the year. Before the last class notes were written, I 45

Class Notes had received pictures and news from Jane Fortin, but I had left it all in Lexington and was at the lake at the time, so here is late news from Jane and Paul. The pictures in these notes were taken a year ago in September at the 30-year retirement of their second daughter, Joan, from the Air Force. Paul had the honor of reading her retirement orders, as he did also for her enlistment and commissioning orders. Joan was in a medical unit after graduating from Washburn University School of Nursing (Topeka, Kansas). She finished off her military career after transferring to the Missouri Air Guard as the medical unit commander for Missouri. She is now the risk management for Liberty, Missouri, hospital. Her second son, Brandon Zembles ’14, graduated from the Institute and is now with the Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Paul has recovered fairly well from his knee surgery of over a year ago, so they have plans to do some traveling, like to some grandchildren’s graduations, Alaska, as well as Kansas. Then hopefully to Hawaii or Iceland, but have not heard if both or either happened. I had a couple of telephone conversations with Art Moncrief recently, mostly as to how his nephew, Weston Gloger ’19, is getting along as a 3rd Class cadet at VMI, which I noted he is doing well. He is a corporal in the Corps this year, and we have been with him several times on weekends – the last being Parents Weekend, when his mother, Kim, came up from Houston and stayed with us for four days. Art said he had just had a checkup in Houston and that everything was great; he does not have to go back for six months. However, you will recall that Art is on oxygen most of the time. 46

Class of 1953: Colonel Joan Peterson with her son, 2nd Lt. Brandon Zembles ’14, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and his grandfather, Col. Paul Fortin.

Class of 1953: Cadets stopped at Augusta Military Academy and were treated to lunch during the 80-mile march to New Market in August 2016. Pictured were, from left, Tom Spencer; Ben Zinkhan, Augusta Military Academy ’60; Frank Spencer, Augusta Military Academy ’49; Buddy Krise, Augusta Military Academy ’60; David Spencer, Augusta Military Academy ’76; Doug Carter, Augusta Military Academy ’72; and Michael Langford. Photo by Sherri Langford.

Class of 1953: Pictured at Daytona Beach their 2nd Class year before Air Force summer Camp were Cliff Gornto, Dave Rose, Joe Morison, Tom Street, Ernie Jones and Charlie Steward.

Ran across Sut and Lucy Sutherland briefly at a football game in Lexington. When we were delivering Halloween/fall treat bags to the shut-ins living at Kendal Retirement Facility for our church, we ran into Lucy Moise in the hall (she lives there). We had just finished looking at some of her artwork in the gallery at Kendal; she is very talented. You will, of course, note the write-up and picture furnished by Sandy Morgan, Frank Spencer’s daughter, about his reunion at Augusta Military Academy – recall AMA is outside of Staunton. Regretfully, Jack Trigg’s wife, Peachy, died in October, which was sad but also a relief, as Peachy has suffered from Alzheimer’s for over eight years and has not been able to know Jack for two-and-a-half years. There was a small service for her in Birmingham, but we were not able to attend. We visited with Peachy years ago when she was first coming under the disease, as well as since then. I think I mentioned years ago that my first cousin, Lestra; Jennifer’s husband’s mother, Pat; and Peachy went to the same school in Mountain Brook and had sleep overs at Pat’s home – “Small world,” as the saying goes. Just received an email from Page Murray that said: “Slowing down with age but still moving. Just returned from a nice two weeks in Jackson, Wyoming, and Yellowstone. Had a great time photographing the wildlife. Now will visit the East Coast wildlife refuges and photograph the birds and other life there. It keeps me busy.” Page also sent in a picture he took of BRs that he dug out of old slides he was going through. It seems Joe Morison or Charlie Steward arranged to rent a house at Daytona Beach before VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes summer camp our 2nd Class year for Charlie, Page and Joe, as well as Cliff Gornto, Dave Rose, Tom Street and Ernie Jones. Page said they had a great time, but he lost his class ring in the ocean during a midnight dip. As I write these notes, I am looking out over the Gulf of Mexico at a timeshare in Destin, Florida. Judy and I are here with some friends from BV. This is our first trip here, although our friends were here four years ago. The weather is great, and we had a great meal our first night – soft shell crabs and fried crab claws. However, probably our biggest event this year was having two grandsons go off to college: Jackson Beacham to Texas Christian University and Jordan Noell (John Lee W. Noell ’84) to Florida State University. Judy and I joined the family to attend the services of my three sons’ mother earlier this year in Norfolk at Christ and St. Luke’s, where we were members many years ago. Betsy died in England from cancer, and her husband brought her ashes back to the U.S. to spread off the Outer Banks. In September, Judy and I attended the University of Tennessee versus Virginia Tech football game at the “Battle at Bristol” – the largest crowd at a football game in the States ever with 156,990. We left the lake at noon (normally a two-hour trip) for the 8 p.m. game and did not get back home until

Class of 1953: Colonel Paul Fortin with daughter Col. Joan Peterson at her 30year retirement Sept. 15, 2015. 2017-Issue 1

just after 5 a.m. We had a great time; UT won, and the weather was very good – not sure I would want to do that crowd again, especially the traffic. I have never before seen so many cars, vans, RVs, buses and such all in one area and parked anywhere and everywhere besides the parking lots. We attended the two VMI football games on the first two weekends in October, and they were very wet weekends. It rained two days before each weekend but thankfully not at the game. However, the Parade Ground was so wet that there was not a parade either weekend, and all the tailgating had to be held in parking lots – anywhere you could find open. We tailgated on the first weekend but visited friends’ tailgates having cadets at VMI on the second. The first VMI football weekend was also Washington and Lee University’s parents weekend. We had two couples stay at our house for the weekend for the Habitat Housing project. They pay $100 per night, thus we generated $400 that weekend for Habitat Housing in the Lexington area. This is an annual event by W&L, but we have not been able to do this in recent years, as we seem to always be in Tennessee for UT football at the appropriate time. Trivia, sort of class historic: I assume most of you remember the phrase, “Maggie gives green stamps.” In this day and time, as we all know, you receive points for various purchases from your credit cards which you can redeem for travel, items or whatever. However, in the 50s, about the only credit cards were for gasoline. If you recall, in those days, you received “green stamps” for various purchases from stores and pasted them into books, and when you had sufficient number of books for the item in the catalog you wanted, you redeemed them at the S&H Green Stamp Store. During our times at the Institute, a magazine was published quarterly by the classes named the Turnout. In the advertising section in the back of the magazine in one of ad blocks, there was usually the ad, “Maggie gives green stamps.” It, however, did not make it into the ad section of our ’53 Bomb. For all of you of the newer classes, Maggie’s was the “house of ill repute” in Lynchburg. Right?

Class of 1953: Pictured outside Robert E. Lee Church were, from left, Bill and Judy Noell, along with Cadet Weston Gloger ’19 and his mother, Kim.

1954

J.M. Perry Archer

Greetings, Brother Rats: I mentioned last time that Tom Webb died. Bud Bare wrote to me about Tom’s class ring. None of Tom’s children (Ed was told by Tom’s wife, Grace) wants Tom’s ring, and Grace Webb wanted to know if anyone in the class might want it. Well. Guess what? Tom’s roommate, Tom Mayo, had lost his ring and asked if he could have Tom’s, and he will get the ring. Almost supernatural. The universe did it, my oldest daughter would say. Mirabile dictu. Bob Hanson wrote briefly about an incident when he was flying an F-4 across the sea to the U.S. He ran into a flock of birds, and blood and you-know-what got all over the aircraft. He was lucky and made it to the mainland. For my scary U.S. Air Force story: In 1956, I was a radar intercept controller with the 708th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron in 47

Class Notes Alaska, about 170 miles due west of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks. Groundcontrolled interception controllers ran intercepts with friendly aircraft all the time. Back in those days, it was with F-89s and KB50s. Every now and then, MIGs would approach us from Siberia. When they came onto our radar, we would scramble fighters out of Ladd Air Force Base. When things got close, both sides just returned to their respective bases. Cold War stuff. Anyway, most of the time, we practiced with live aircraft of our own. One night, I had some F-89s and was running practice intercepts. Somehow, I left one aircraft in the exercise too long. I had been positioning the flight for return to Ladd, and when I looked at the screen, the blips were melding toward each other! They painted into one blip, and passed each other head-on. There was nothing to do but watch. Then the blips came apart. One pilot said to the others, “Was that you?” Our code name was Ester, and I was Ester 14. Pilot: “Ester 14, we’ll be getting on the horn with you...” They did call, but decided, after p.....g on me for a while, not to report the incident. Do you think I was always on high alert after that? It still wakes me up, 60 years later. Thank God they didn’t hit each other. Those aircraft were only about 20-25 feet apart when they passed one another, and at the same altitude. It was my only error while I was in GCI, but it was a big one, with a lucky outcome. On a lighter note, Roy Alexander was at the same station in Alaska and was also a controller. For those who knew Roy, you know he was an incredibly tough guy. Our station was on top of a mountain. I don’t have to tell anyone about Alaska’s snow. We were only a few miles south of the Arctic Circle. The road down to the foot of the mountain was six or so miles long. A few times a week, Roy would run to the bottom and back to the top – about 12 miles. For those of us who have run marathons, 12 miles is really no step for a stepper, but Roy ran it in the snow and ice in “bunny boots” (snow combat boots), long johns, sweatpants, ski gloves and parka. Jack Tiller called, and we had a long talk. Jack was found to have bladder cancer a while back. He was treated with a solution 48

containing depleted tuberculosis germs and underwent an operation. The docs got it all. There were a couple of routine post-surgical tests scheduled in December, but things look very good as we go to press. The doctors have told him he has an extremely strong immune system. During treatment, something occurred to cause the treating physician to order carotid artery testing and an MRI of the brain. The arteries were found to be as clean as those of a very much younger man. (Jack joked that, when the MRI was done, they said: “We couldn’t find anything!”) Lastly, when Jack was recovering in the hospital, they told him he had to get up and, with a nurse, take a walk in the hall. Word got around the hospital that he had run 31 marathons. The nurse said she had run four. Jack said, “OK, let’s run.” They ran down the hall. Jack won. “Purty” tough! Bill Turner’s wife, Sonja, wrote to thank us for our recent comments about Bill in the last Review. She mentioned that she misses him every day. There used to be, you will remember, one national publication’s routine story called, “The Most Unforgettable Character I’ve Met,” or something like that. We could say with confidence that Bill was indeed a most unforgettable character. I never knew anyone who did not like him, and his personality was truly unique, capped off by that Turner sense of humor. More – still more – concerning our class ring. VMI would have been interested, we found, in having Tom Webb’s ring for the VMI Museum, but Tom Mayo has it now, as stated. So happens that I have two, having decided some time ago to replace my earlier one because of wear and tear. That left me with two rings, so I offered one to VMI for the museum. The museum has agreed to accept one of those rings. By the way, when I first ordered a replacement ring, I was very excited when it came. I opened the small box with great anticipation, but the stone was red or maroon and Balfour Co. had fashioned a ring that had as its base our VMI class ring, but the top with the stone reading: Virginia Polytechnic Institute 1954. No comment is satisfactory to describe my reaction. Now here’s a story from Ray Helmer. The International Justice Mission is an organization of Christian attorneys who

work to release men, women and children from bonded slavery, and women and children from sex slavery (forced prostitution) in India, Cambodia and a number of other countries in Asia and Africa. Ray determined that he wanted to help, so he joined. His mission trip with the organization was nearly a year in preparation. It started Dec. 5, 2003. The group consisted of six from the U.S. and Canada. Five men and one woman (three attorneys, an engineer, a human resource consultant and a pastor). All six were from different denominations. In spite of all differences, they were a committed and congenial group. They flew more than 24 hours to Chennai, previously known as Madras, a city of about 6 million people on the southeast coast of India. The first impression was culture shock, the sight of cows and other animals wandering among the traffic and mass of humanity, and the prevalent paralyzing poverty. The average annual income for a family in India is around $500. International Justice Mission has a staff of about 20 in Chennai, composed of attorneys and support people, all professional, cordial and committed, who mastermind operations. Indian laws forbid slavery, but the laws are not enforced. In order for slaves to be freed, an organization like IJM must investigate instances of alleged slavery, document them and present a written report of violation to government officials. Before he arrived, the office had investigated several instances of slavery and they were ready to conduct raids where slaves were being held. This raid is where the volunteer “westerners” were plugged into the process. They took a train to Tirupati, a small city to the north. The train trip was interesting – the Indian people, the scenery, people who boarded to sell all manner of strange foods and drinks, and beggars. They left early in the morning in three vans and drove for several hours to the site of the raid, a rock quarry where a number of bonded slaves (men, women and their children) were being held and who worked under primitive and abusive conditions. On the day of the raid, the first van went to meet the government officials to present IJM’s documentation. The second van, VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes transporting two native IJM staff members named Moses and Daniel, drove slowly down the long drive to the quarry to reconnoiter the situation. The third van remained out on the highway to ensure that the “perpetrators” did not escape. During this time, the three vans were in communication with each other by cellphone. It was like what is seen on TV and in film. The raid was coordinated so that the three vans, the officials and the police would finally enter the quarry together. Ray was in the third van with an intern and the lead attorney, Barry. IJM had compiled a comprehensive legal document describing the slaves, family by family, where they originated, how they became enslaved, the children in each family and numerous other facts. An intern passed the document back first to Barry then to Ray. Ray asked how IJM obtained such detailed information. He was told that Moses and Daniel had traveled many times to the small city adjacent to the rock quarry. They knew the day of the week when the slaves were permitted to go into town to do their weekly shopping. They gradually, week by week, talked to and gained the trust of the slaves and learned their stories, which were used to prepare the thick legal document that was to be presented to the government officials. The others waited while Moses and Daniel drove down the long driveway through the woods, which consisted of two wheel tracks, and which curved so that the quarry was not visible from the highway. They were on a high state of alert. Soon, Moses and Daniel came back and told them that the coast was clear and that those in the third van could enter the quarry. They found the quarry deserted. Only one manager remained. The workers and other managers in the quarry, they suspected, had been tipped off, but Moses and Daniel knew where to find the slaves in town. The slaves were afraid to return to the quarry, but Moses and Daniel assured them that they were there to free them. The slaves then trickled back to the quarry a few at a time over the next few hours. Three government officials arrived and took statements from the slaves, one family at a time, sitting outside on the ground. All of the slaves were illiterate, so each statement 2017-Issue 1

required about an hour for the official to ask questions and document facts. By sundown, all statements had been taken. Slaves had time to gather their few belongings from little grass huts, and then they were loaded on a large truck to be transported to the nearby town to meet with the high level official, a 24-year-old Indian. They met with her one-by-one and were given their release certificates. The number of slaves that were free numbered 39 men and women and 15 of their children, a total of 54 persons. The 54 slaves were loaded on a bus and were transported to their original homes in an area nine hours to the south at Salem, India. Two members of the IJM Chennai office staff went with them to ensure that they arrived at their destination, and to get them settled there. IJM has an extensive after-care program to ensure that freed slaves are integrated into society, get jobs, have food and clothing, etc. Eighty percent of IJM’s efforts are involved in providing after-care for freed slaves. The IJM folks returned to Tirupati at the end of the 18-hour stint, then to Chennai on the following day. They spent the rest of the time doing preliminary investigation on IJM’s next case to be dealt with, possible slavery in rice mills. After this life-changing experience, Ray and friends were grateful to be on their 26-hour trip back to their homes in Houston, Nashville, California and Canada. Ray stepped way outside of his comfort zone to do this bit of the Lord’s work – freeing captives. Hats off to BR Helmer. Bill Ralph told this tale: A group of “good ole boys” were talking about quail hunting. One man had his bird dog “Diesel” with him, and he said that his dog was best, because there wasn’t a quail anywhere under any circumstances that Diesel could not find. About that time, a little boy came walking by and Diesel instantly pointed him, tail straight, foreleg off the ground, head steady. One of the men laughed and said, “Ha! What kind of dog points little boys?!” He asked the little boy if he had been around quail and the boy said, “No, sir.” Then he asked, “Have you had a quail in your pocket?” the boy answered, “No.” “Boy,” asked the man, “what’s your name?” “Bob,” said the boy. “What’s your last name,” asked

the man. “White,” said the boy. “See?” said Diesel’s owner, “My dog can find any quail where no other dog can! Anywhere!” I told my wife, Shirley, that I have lately wanted to go to a mall and say in a loud voice – a 1950 mess hall voice – “I am the king of Siam. I am, I am, by God I am!” She said, “You’re a booby, and they’re going to put you in the booby hatch!” Until next time.

1955

Read Hanmer

After applying thumb screws and other enticements, I’m finally able to assemble some notes of interest to our brother and sister rats. I am writing these notes in the final couple of weeks of an often troubling election campaign. The deadline for inclusion of news is Nov. 1, so I will not be able to comment on the election outcome, other than to say a prayer for the future of the country. Brian Crockett, chief executive officer of the VMI Foundation, provided an update on the VMI Class of 1955 Scholarship Fund. The fund, which provides scholarship support to two or three cadets each year, has a current balance of $419,302.54. It is important to note that 25 percent of VMI’s annual operating budget comes from private funding. I received a nice note from Helen O’Neill. Her son, Patrick ’88, works for Cushmond-Wakefield Commercial real estate. Helen said she wishes he would become involved with the Dallas Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association, but he hasn’t yet done so. Now, some fun stuff. I couldn’t attend the Annual Bryan Beach Bash at Sandbridge in early September, so I’ll rely on Ron Bryan’s account. Ron wrote: “Nita and Ron Bryan again hosted the Tidewater area reunion at their cottage in Sandbridge, Virginia. This was the 12th year that our class has gathered here. Great food and a well-stocked bar greeted classmates and guests upon 49

Class Notes arrival. Nita’s son, John Taylor, and her daughter-in-law, Lorraine, again provided the catering. They selected the menu and put it all together. It was delicious as well as nutritious.” Ron provided updates on some of those attending. Judy and Frank Brooke are still living in Jacksonville, Florida, in close proximity to lots of family. They spend summers at Lake Gaston in central Virginia. Boots and Bill Wainwright traveled over from Yorktown. Bill had a few words about our recently fallen classmates. Clara and Bob Rennicks made the trip from the low country of South Carolina. They are enjoying life at Hilton Head. Jane and Dr. Bob Bowden added to the festivities. They also have a cottage at Sandbridge and provided drinks the following evening. Bob is still sporting his highly shined brass oval VMI belt buckle and says he does not use a blitz cloth. The belt buckles were a reunion gift on around our 40th Reunion. Rody and Dusty Rhodes made the trip from Lexington. Dusty said he has slowed down a bit, but Rody is still active on the golf course. Barbara and Jim Parker are presently living in the Pungo area of Virginia Beach, so they did not have far to travel. Betsey and Moose Tyler (some call him Fielding) brought our class guidon and, as usual, had a few words

Class of 1955: Zelda and Joe Brenner at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to watch the Annapolis women’s lacrosse team compete against Army. Joe Jr. was the U.S. Naval Academy’s military liaison to the midshipmen. 50

to say. The group was joined by Annah and Parker Cross ’53. The ranks are getting a bit thin compared to previous reunions, but the attendees were in relatively good health and enjoyed the friendship. In a separate note, Jim Parker wrote: “Frankie, my wife for 57 years, died in August 2011. I have since been remarried to a wonderful girl I knew in high school. Between us, Barbara and I have 10 children and 20 grandchildren. I have enjoyed sailing all my life but have just purchased a power yacht. We are having much fun learning how to operate it. Wish us luck; we need all the help we can get.” Joe and Zella Brenner wish all in the Class of ’55 a most happy and healthy holiday season. Joe and Zella recently went to Michie Stadium, where the Navy lacrosse team beat Army in a spring 2016 contest. Joe Jr. was the U.S. Naval Academy’s military liaison to the team. Faithful correspondent Travis Russell reported that the Alumni Association’s Northwest Chapter held a summer picnic and rat send-off enjoyed a large turnout. Travis was unable to attend, because while pruning one of his trees, the ladder slipped. In the resulting fall, he fractured his right heel. That was in June, and he is just now (October) able to put weight on his foot and walk without a chair. The Russells have had to cancel bike tours scheduled for the Piedmont region of Italy and the Loire Valley of France. Travis says he is looking forward to a better year next year. Larry Price brought me up to speed on his and Boot’s doings. They saw The Beach Boys at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi and then took an extender trip to the Tunica, Mississippi, casinos below Memphis. Larry wrote that he has had a series of health issues but is able play golf twice a week, though experiencing some discomfort and more tiredness than usual. Bill Wainwright provided an update on the VMI Wainrights: Bill’s son, Jack ’82, graduated with the Class of ’82 and Doug ’83 is an Army major and is at VMI as a professor of computer science and cyber security. Grandson Nick is with the Class of 2021. Bill and Boots were at Parents Weekend and discovered that Bill’s rat ring

is making a fifth tour in the Rat Line. Well done, Wainwrights. This from Bill Nolley: “I got my old roomie, Charlie Luck, out for a lunch last week. He and True are now residing at Westminster-Canterbury in Richmond. Charlie misses his old home but is becoming acclimated to retirement living. Staige and I have been signed up for over 15 years there, but we plan to stay in our home as long as we can. As I write, we are making plans to attend the VMI versus Furman University football game in Lexington. Both teams have beaten ETSU this year, but Furman might have an edge (Class agent note: Furman won). We will ‘tailgate’ with our close friends who have a rat at VMI. Next week, our country club is sponsoring the PGA Champions Golf Tour at our James River course. Dominion Power is the primary sponsor, and 54 of the top senior golfers will be playing. The best 36 will move on to Scottsdale for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Some members of our foursome have volunteered to be marshals since we still play this course twice a week – not from the same tees, though! It ought to be fun. We need a mini reunion soon to catch up.” Tom Williamson said he did an interview with a writer from The Washington Post for an article on retirement home living. It is supposed to be published in late November in the Post’s Sunday magazine, perhaps with a picture. I’ll keep an eye out for the article and will forward it to classmates when it appears. Tom and his daughter, Sarah, had dinner with Susan Dobyns, daughter of Sam Dobyns ’41. (Class agent note: I seem to recall Sam Dobyns was a fearsome tactical officer) Susan was a friend of Col. Newman’s daughters. See a picture nearby taken by Sherry Sidney on what was a fabulous trip to Myanmar (formerly Burma). Sherry wrote, “I have never seen so much gold glitz.” Sherry said that anyone looking for a little adventure would enjoy the country, the wonderful people and the smiling children. Bob Bowden wrote that the Bowdens have returned to Lynchburg from their summer home in Sandbridge, Virginia. He noted that Hurricane Matthew generated a rainfall of 25 inches in a three week period. Bob said VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes that he feels like he’s now had a practical course in coastal hydraulics, up close and personal! Bob said that he and Jane continue to keep mobile with the usual aspects of their increasing maturity, and he can report that Masers Tyler and Parker survived the storm. It seems I always have to close these notes on a somber note. Ron Bryan wrote that he represented the Class of 1955 at Marty Fisher’s funeral Aug. 25. Also in attendance were Bill and Boots Wainwright, Barney and Helen Lawless, Ron and Nita Bryan, and Bob Beale. Ron reported that it was a very nice Catholic service with a very wide attendance. Doctor James L. Ferrell died peacefully in his home Sept.18, 2016, after a 7-month battle with lymphoma. He attended VMI from 1951-54 in preparation for medical school. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in medicine from West Virginia University College of Medicine in 1956 and his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1958. He served as an active duty officer for the United States Public Health Services with the Coast Guard in Boston, Massachusetts, (1958-59) and San Juan, Puerto Rico (1959-61). In 1962, Jim and his wife, Judy, moved to Paris, Kentucky, where he practiced medicine from 1961-2013. I have an extensive obituary if you would like to see it. Donald W. Hoatson, a retired Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. worker and avid fisherman, died Friday of kidney failure at his Upperco home. In 1955 he earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. He began his career that year with the old Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. At the time of his retirement in the late 1970s, he was a district manager. Mr. Hoatson met and fell in love with Betty Ann Dorfler, when they were both members of a youth group at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Cedarcroft. They married in 1956. Mr. Hoatson also established the Listening Room, a Pikesville audio products firm, in 1978. The company is still family-owned and operated. For two decades, he served as president of United Cerebral Palsy of Central Maryland, family members said. He was an avid freshwater and saltwater fisherman. In addition to 2017-Issue 1

his wife, he is survived by two sons, David Hoatson of Chestertown and Richard Hoatson of Glen Rock, Pennsylavania, and two grandsons. Finally, I have been notified that Sam Marshall died in August.

1956

Richard M. Smith

Several persons contacted me with info after I had sent in my report, so I am including this as my first items of the next quarter report. Dave Blair informed me he had been teaching sailing for three years at the YMCA. He has enjoyed flying his plane for the past eight years but has decided it is time to get rid of it since he has started to forget a few things. He and Anne enjoy living in Punto Gorda, Florida. Fred Farthing and Mary Jo are busy with the planning for their granddaughter’s upcoming wedding the end of August. He informed me his golfing buddy, Marty Fisher ’55, who graduated with our class, died in August. Jack Prizzi sent me an email saying he had returned to playing golf after 10 years of absence. He joined several of his nephews on a hilly course in Windom, New York, and enjoyed hitting the ball straight most of the time. He looks forward to playing with some of his BRs next time we get together. I had a call from Bob Brickner, and I discussed with him a number of issues he wishes to pursue. First, he wants to remind the class of the upcoming 64th anniversary of our first meeting, Sept. 3, 1952. He would like to see our list of deceased BRs put in a chronological order of their deaths. I will look into it with the Institute. I advised him of recent class gifts to the Foundation and Keydet Club, since he doesn’t receive email reports. Bob is working with Buddy Bryan ’71 of the VMI Foundation on yet another group of scholarships from his estate. His contributions in the past have been exceptional. He

continues to work hard to keep in shape and plans to participate in another senior marathon. Larry Miller informed me of the recent accomplishment of his daughter, Diane. She completed the hike solo across Washington state on the Pacific Crest Trail Aug. 30, 2016. It covered 514-and-a-half miles, and she was in good health and spirits at the end. Fred and Mary Jo Farthing planned to attend the service honoring BR Fred Dreyer at Arlington National Cemetery Sept. 29. Les and Pat Belsha visited on the Eastern Shore at Tangier Island recently and enjoyed the wonderful seafood there. They talked to Ina Gee Pittman when they returned and learned that Jack had to be put in a full care facility in Franklin. She could no longer physically care for his needs. It is hoped that she can now get to enjoy some things she wasn’t able to do while caring for Jack. A note from Alan Jackson informed me that he rode in August in the Gallatin Valley

Class of 1956: Tony Waring, center, with sons Anthony, left, and Matt ’83, in Budapest, Hungary. The three took a Danube River cruise to check off one of Tony’s bucket list items – to see the other side of the Czech border. He patrolled the border along with Bill Stokes in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a member of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. 51

Class Notes Bike Club’s Three Rivers Metric Century annual ride. It’s a 61 mile distance from Bozeman and return from Three Forks of the Gallatin, Madison and Jefferson Rivers. He did it in five hours and 30 minutes with an average speed of 13.1 mph. Tiger’s primary interest these days are learning how to efficiently get out of the bathtub and get up from a prone position on the floor. He sends his best to BRs. I received a note from Scott Boland saying he was doing well and looking forward to my coming to Florida next year to visit. He had talked with John Kirchmier ’57 and learned he had fallen and broken his hip. He was hoping to visit Virginia this fall but now says it’s doubtful. Bob Morris responded to my notice of Bill Woodward’s death that he would prefer to get good news instead of death notices. However, he and Jackie enjoyed celebrating their 60th anniversary on a Baltic Cruise, “The Love Boat,” or Regal Princess. He was in Las Vegas in September to meet his former Army unit from Mannheim, Germany. No money was lost since he couldn’t figure out the new type slot machines. Matt Waring ’83 sent a picture of himself; his brother, Anthony; and Tony after a Danube River Cruise in front of a Czech statue. Tony patrolled along the Czech border with Bill Stokes and the 2nd Cav. Regiment during the 50s and 60s. This is all for now. Yours in the spirit, Dick

1957

George Sydnor Jr. Howard Lawrence

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1957. 52

1958

Lee McCown

On the evening of Oct. 28, sculptor Sir Moses Ezekiel ’866 must have risen from his grave at the Confederate Monument in Arlington National Cemetery to salute Bill Harshaw, who was recognized for his work in raising the funds to restore the 11 white marble Ezekiel statues now in beautiful surroundings at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. Bill’s efforts (and, of course, those of Carolyn, who was by his side throughout the whole process) prompted the NBG to tie the statue restoration to a redo of the grounds around them, running from the waterfront to a raised stage area now edged with beautiful walls containing information about Ezekiel and listing the major donors who contributed to the project. It is a stunning tree-lined setting, now very popular for weddings. Trish Rawls, sister of Waite Rawls ’70, was NBG’s chair for the campaign, and her gift to Bill in recognition of his fundraising prowess was a needlepoint canvas of Old Barracks done by her brother. Other VMI alumni on the Campaign Leadership Committee were Andrew Protogyrou ’84 (a former Norfolk city council member) and Willcox Ruffin ’52, M.D. They were joined by Alex Pincus, a member of the Ezekiel family and a former law partner of our own Hunter Clarke. The city of Norfolk was a big contributor, and their mayor at the time of the gift was Paul Fraim ’71, who was at the ceremony, as was Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam ’81. Seventy-four percent of the donors to the cause had a connection to VMI. Colonel Keith Gibson ’77, director of the VMI Museum System, did his usual fine job of putting the Ezekiel statues in a historic context, telling how they were commissioned in the early 1880s by William Wilson Corcoran for the first American art museum actually built for that purpose. The statues were originally in niches around Corcoran’s Washington, D.C., building now housing the Renwick Gallery, which has copies of

two of them in the only remaining niches. The originals were removed from the original outgrown building in 1897 and eventually ended up around the swimming pool of a wealthy woman. After her death, several other private individuals bought them. Eventually, all came to the NBG. Laura and I were among the representatives/donors from our class at the beautiful event, including Shelby and Staff Balderson, B.J. and Hunter Clarke, and Charlie Hayes. Other ’58 contributors to the campaign were Ernie Edgar, Ken Godfrey, Bill Harshaw, Onza Hyatt, Maurice Menefee, Hull Negley, Jack Payne, Dave Pitkethly, Jim Poteet, Tom Saunders, Jim Stillwell, Stirling Williamson and Sam Witt. Thanks to all for your support, which has resulted in an endowment that can keep the marble white forever. On a recent football Saturday in Lexington, I ran into Barney Odend’hal near Washington Arch before the Mercer University game. Barney was happily on duty in his sixth year of working in the facilities management department at the “I.” He has just passed his 80th birthday and looks great. He obviously enjoys his gig. He took me to the flag room, located in the main sinks area of Old Barracks, to show me our ’58 banner, which I had left in his care following the 50th Reunion. It’s ready to go at our 60th, April

Class of 1958: Vista of the sculpture garden with the 11 recently restored Ezekiel statues. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes 23-24, 2018. Thanks, Barney. Aide de camp Jan Woodman has recently made some calls to check up on BRs. We concentrate our hopes on Jane and Stirling Williamson, whose daughter, Blair, now chief executive officer of the family business, is undergoing cancer treatment. May she survive and thrive and continue to bless her parents. Jack Payne recently spent a very pleasant three days in Lexington visiting his daughter and her children. Bob Spurrier, that veteran of Vietnam and Latin American scary situations, took a fall and has been in rehab. I’m sure everyone knows that Bob has a tattoo on his leg denoting the 2,000-plus jumps he made from perfectly good airplanes. Ironically, a lot of his current suffering is due to an automobile accident a few years ago. Gene Martin, another Vietnam vet, has undergone another back operation to have a pain monitor implanted in hopes for relief. Our warriors are paying the price for their service. Jan would be the first to say that his “war experience” was not the same as Bob and Gene’s. He was a general’s aide in Laos, responsible for setting up the badminton game each morning at 6 a.m., before it got unbearably hot. (Laura says there should be medals for service in hot weather.) He was also the man in charge of cold water after the games. One morning, the water got mixed up with the gin in the cooler, and the general took a big swig. He choked and sputtered but did not relieve Lt. Woodman of his duties. War is hell, for sure. In a hopeful current war note, of the type that our age group frequently experiences, Jan’s prostate cancer is in a holding pattern, with his PSA at 1. 2017-Issue 1

I’ve learned from his son, Mike, and Mike’s wife, Tawny, that Steve Delich’s wife, Yvonne, died in 2010. Steve, who died in 2008, was one of the varsity football team managers during our glory days. A quiet chemistry major, Steve was at last contact living in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. He had a career as a chemist and was a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. Steve and I were members of the cadet waiter “company” that formed up on the bricks on the south side Class of 1958: Metal conservator Andrew Baxter grooming the of barracks each morning at zero dark 30 under the very relaxed statue of Francis H. Smith. command of Howard Dean. Occasionally, we would be observed by an owl on the head or shoulder of the Washington statue. The Hon. Nicholas Edward Persin, one of the many good Pennsylvanians recruited by Coach John McKenna for what became the undefeated team of 1957, died Aug. 24, 2016. Nick went on to law school at the University of Virginia and eventually became a judge of the 29th Judicial Circuit Court, covering Buchanan, Tazewell, Russell and Dickenson counties from 1974-95; chief judge 1979-80, 1985-86, 1991-92. DeClass of 1958: Baxter’s team member, James Robertson, restor- tails about Nick’s life will be in the Taps section of the Alumni ing the parapet on Old Barracks. Review. He is survived by his wife, Brenda, and his step-children. Sam Witt remembers him as a “first-class BR, judge and friend.” Earl Talley sent greetings from Arab, Alabama. “Recently my son, Earl Jr., and I completed a trip that has been on my bucket list for some years. We visited seven national parks and one national monument in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. We drove, and our trip took the best part of a month. Along the way we camped, hiked and took lots of pictures of animals Class of 1958: Charlie Hayes, Lee McCown and Hunter Clarke enand some magnificent scenery. joying the waterside breeze. Our camping consisted of tents 53

Class Notes and sleeping bags until we experienced some rather low temperatures. I found that it was somewhat of a challenge to unzip my sleeping bag and climb out of the tent in the morning when the temperature was 18 degrees. Under those conditions, we started using lodging facilities with in-door plumbing. We did experience some snow in Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. “One of the highlights of the trip was visiting with my roommate, Jim Cowan, while traveling to the Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Jim looked good and was most gracious in treating us to lunch at a restaurant in Hill City. Jim joins me in looking forward to our 60th in 2018. It was a great trip. We thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it to others. I am already looking forward to a similar trip to visit national parks on the West Coast.” Laura nominated a skilled artist/craftsman she knows for an award from the American Institute of Architects Virginia. Andrew Baxter is a metal conservator who has restored many outstanding historic sculptures throughout Virginia and beyond. He will be receiving the AIAVA’s Virginia Honors Award for his work on many objects known

Class of 1958: Bill Harshaw and Col. Keith Gibson ’77 ready for the ceremony at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. 54

to Virginians, including Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on Richmond’s Monument Avenue and the equestrian statue of George Washington at the Capitol, designed by Thomas Crawford, the only American among the 11 luminaries honored by Moses Ezekiel with a statue for the Corcoran, described above. I mention this because Laura is on the board of the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, allied with AIAVA, and because Andrew has done a number of projects for VMI, including the restoration of “Virginia Mourning Her Dead” and Jackson statues by Ezekiel, the Washington and Smith statues and the parapet on Old Barracks. The barracks project required working two summers on the roof in 100-plus degree heat. Andrew has the highest regard for Col. Keith Gibson and particularly enjoyed fabricating a pair of bronze glasses for “Old Specs,” Francis H. Smith. “We made them steal-proof,” he said, “using silver solder and welding to make them rather secure from the prying hands of would-be thieves.” We know that those specs might well be the object of attention from those pesky Washington and Lee University guys next door. At this moment, the iconic photograph of Sam Woolwine, Duke Johnston and Pete Johnson ’59, on the football field against Richmond in our undefeated 1957 season is on its way to the football locker room to inspire our team. This was the brainstorm of Jim Moore, who has worked tirelessly to get all the required permissions. You have seen the photo via email recently. Thank you, Jim. And thanks, too, to Donnie Ross ’74 of the Keydet Club for all his help. You have all received a letter about the football scholarship fund initiated by Jim, Stirling Williamson and me. We have had a positive initial response to this. We encourage everyone to contribute to the education of cadetathletes, and our class has a connection to VMI athletics at its best, the 1957 team that made us so proud. A cash gift is welcome, as is including this scholarship in your will or insurance policy. Donnie Ross ’74 and the Keydet Club have been tireless in their support of this effort. Contact Donnie at 1-800444-1839, ext. 233, for further details on how to lend your help.

All this attention to art at VMI might explain our ranking as one of the – frequently the – best liberal arts colleges in the U.S., and in the early 1860s, we must have had the best sculpture department in the country ... Laura reminds me that the VCU Sculpture Department has that distinction now. An old engineer leaves you on that happy note, Lee

1959

Shep Shepard

This quarter began on a sad note when we received word that Lucy, Jim Sam Gillespie’s wife, died in September at their home in Pounding Mill, Virginia. Needless to say, Jim Sam was devastated by her unexpected death; they were soulmates for 54 years. The funeral was held at Richland’s Presbyterian Church and was attended by Dick and Linda Phillippi (Dick was a pallbearer), Max and Dorothy Guggenheimer, Bobby and Alice Ross, Mark and June Smith, and Steve Reithmiller ’63. Rusty Loth, as he always does, arranged for a beautiful basket of red, white and yellow flowers to be delivered to the funeral home from the Class of ’59. Max said the most moving part of the service was when Jim Sam’s two daughters spoke from the pulpit and expressed their love for their mother and how much Lucy meant to Jim Sam and them all. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim Sam and his family as they come to grips with the loss of Lucy. No sooner had I received word about Lucy when Carl Kasko wrote to tell me that Phyllis suffered a stroke. The stroke affected her speech and swallowing, as well as strength in her right leg. Thank God her speech came back immediately, as did her capability to swallow. She is well on the road to recovery. I have always admired Phyllis; she is such a strong woman. Ever since I have known her, I have never heard her complain about her injuries, and I have VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes always admired her strength and determination. We missed them both at our Florida group mini reunion, since they have become such permanent fixtures in our Florida group. Please continue to keep Phyllis and Carl in your thoughts and prayers. Also keep Jim and Carole Seeley ’60 in your prayers. They lost their daughter-in-law to cancer. Although not a BR, Jim has been closely associated with our class for many years. I got a very nice note from Judy MacWillie, and it was great to hear from her. She is doing well, albeit she misses Don terribly. However, her daughters call every day to make sure she is eating right and taking all her required medicines. For companionship, Judy bought a dog, because the house was all too quiet and much too clean. Judy said the dog is a ball of energy and a delight to behold. She also fills her time with many activities thanks to a network of close friends. Their son, Skip, has retired from the U.S. Army and is teaching at the Bush School in College Station, Texas, home of the Texas Aggies. He stops by about once a month and works on her “honey-do” list. The weekends seem to be the hardest, but the many wonderful memories she shared together with Don get her through. Before I received word of Lucy’s passing and Phyllis’ stroke, I thought for once this quarter would start off on a good note. Obviously, it did not, but Ann and I did begin the quarter with a few Florida BRs as we welcomed Billy and Sue Kornegay to Florida. Billy was invited by the Palm Coast Chapter of the Civil War Round Table to present a paper on John Brown’s Raid: Virginia’s Call to Arms. 2017-Issue 1

Class of 1959: Four ladies with VMI connections met in Tallahassee: Betty Huffcut (wife of Bill Huffcut ’57); Barbara Wallis (daughter of William A. Barksdale Jr. ’48B); Betty Spivey Sellers (wife of Phil Sellers) and Edna Parker (wife of Fred Parker).

Class of 1959: The Richmond Group celebrated Marvin Myer’s 80th birthday at PT Hastings Seafood. Pictured were, from left, John Martin, Marve Myers, Ned Addison and Rusty Loth.

Class of 1959: From left, Max Guggenheimer, Coach Frank Beamer, Gordon Eubank and Buck Bradley ’67 got together at the National D-Day Memorial Golf Classic at the Omni Homestead.

Since Billy and Sue were in Florida, we all decided to meet in St. Augustine for lunch. We ate at one of our favorite places, The Columbia, a Cuban restaurant founded in 1905 in Ybor City, Florida. Ron and Mary Alice Marley came over from Orange Park, a small suburb outside of Jacksonville. Ron and Mary Alice left immediately after the lunch to make sure they got to Savannah in time to celebrate a romantic and intimate evening, their 50th wedding anniversary. Mary Alice still looks like a young bride, and I can’t believe she has been married to Ron for half a century. Bill and Yvonne Traylor drove over from Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando. Bill and Billy were roommates while at Basic Officers Course and have been close friends ever since. Bill and Yvonne stuck around St. Augustine to talk about the good old days with Billy and Sue – both pre- and post-graduation. Bud and Denyse Kramer came over from Sanford, a suburb just north of Orlando. Although Bud has been suffering with some stability problems, he gets along fine using a cane. It was great to see everyone if only for a couple of hours. The stories don’t change, albeit they are embellished a bit here and there. From what I heard, Billy was a great success at the Civil War Round Table and has been asked back for a command performance. Let me remind any brother rats that if you are anywhere in Florida, let me know and we can get some BRs together somewhere in our great state; it’s not that big. Shortly after our meeting in St. Augustine, I got a nice note from Billy and Sue Kornegay saying how much they enjoyed getting together with BRs and their 55

Class Notes wives and getting a chance to talk to everyone. Billy and Sue and Bill and Yvonne got together after lunch and went out for an afternoon tea, wine and bourbon sip at one of the hotels. As you can imagine, the war stories have grown more exciting each year, so they had a ball. Billy remembers that Buddy and he served on the regimental staff together at VMI, but he has not seen him much since graduation. The following day, Billy and Sue went to Palm Coast and visited with their good friends from Virginia. The presentation at the Palm Coast Civil War Round Table went well, and Billy told them a few things they did not know about John Brown and his impact on the Civil War or the preparation of Virginia for that conflict. There’s so much history; so little time to learn it. Dick and Judith Irons from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, were directly in the path of Hurricane Matthew but survived with no damage to speak of. Dick spends his days trying to ease the life of his beloved wife, Judith, who is still coping with her illness. He does manage to get on the golf course every once in a while and can still shoot his age. I figure I’ll be able to do that in 20 years or so. We think of them often and wish them the best.

Patrick and Kay Hughes were not so fortunate but still feel very lucky. On Aug. 13, they were at home in Baton Rouge when they decided to drive to Husser to see if, after many days of torrential rainfall, there was any damage to their farm. They ran into some high water and got trapped on the interstate and could not return to Baton Rouge. Friends came to their rescue and escorted them to the South Walker Baptist church refugee center. They were there for over two days, but it was comfortable, stabilizing and safe. Pat said that if they had been in their house, someone would probably have drowned. The water was 3 feet deep inside the house. The U.S. National Guard trucked them out from the church, and they hired a man to drive them to their farm in Husser. Pat says that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been kind to them, but the cost to rebuild is estimated at about $75,000, so they are still in the discussion stage as to whether they should rebuild or sell it as-is. Dick Bingham reported that the “three ministers” are all doing pretty good. Robert Martin has moved into a retirement home in Brandon, Florida, while Dick, who lives in Tampa, Florida, spends his

Class of 1959: Members of the Florida Group met at the Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, to welcome Billie and Sue Kornegay to Florida. Pictured were, from left, Mary Alice and Ron Marley, Shep and Ann Shepard, Billy Kornegay, Bud and Denyse Kramer, Sue Kornegay, Yvonne and Bill Traylor. 56

time traveling all over the country. Noland Pipes, who lives in Memphis, Tennessee, has been experiencing a few health problems but seems to be coping. The Florida group met in Mount Dora, Florida, for their annual mini reunion Oct. 4, 2016. We had a great turnout with Mel and Jean Anderson coming up from Tampa and Bob Haines and his significant other, Monique Harnetty, from Sarasota. They are all preparing for their next big adventure, an exciting trip down the Amazon River. Bob is still raving about his granddaughter, Tiffany, a 2015 graduate of VMI who just completed her first solo flight at flight school in Columbus, Mississippi. Lee and Nancy Southard came up from Fort Myers, where they have been very busy renovating their new home. It is not easy to convert a six-car garage to livable space. Lee made me sign a pledge that if he ever even murmurs a word about buying or renovating another home, I am certified to shoot him between the eyes within 24 hours. Lee and Nancy brought along the delightful Alice Burke, Nancy’s mother, who just recently celebrated her 91st birthday. I spilled the beans on Alice, having found out that she was one of the original Rosie the Riveters and built airplanes during World War II. I also found out she improved her working conditions significantly by seducing her boss, who just happened to be Nancy’s father. It is always a pleasure to have Alice around to add a little class to our functions. Bill and Connie Nebraska, who suggested we have our reunion at Mount Dora, came over from Hernando, Florida. This area is their stomping ground, and they had been here many times before. Bud and Denyse Kramer arrived from Sanford, Florida, only about a half-hour drive away, so they are also quite familiar with the surrounding area. Ron and Mary Alice Marley along with Tex Carr and his significant other, Emily Hanzok, drove over from the Jacksonville area. Sonny and Skippy Bishop showed up from Knoxville, Tennessee. Sonny is on his way to Sarasota, Florida, for his annual cancer check up. We were thrilled that John and Vel Engels flew in from Aspen, Colorado, to join our VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes group. John has relatives in the Sarasota area and planned to pay a visit to them before heading back to Colorado. We were also thrilled by the presence of Bill and Betty Huffcut ’57, our old regimental commander and the most feared man on the planet at that time. When Bill said he would attend, I got more calls from BRs asking if we had to strain when we talked to him. The group quickly found out what I have known since Bill and I went to high school together in Munich Germany back in 1953: He is an exceptionally nice guy. I have to say that Bill found a jewel at Holland’s College who certainly was far above his expectations. His lovely bride, Betty, is a true Alabama girl who is the sweetest thing Troy has ever produced. We were so happy to have them join us. Betty Sellers was supposed to come down from Tallahassee with Bill and Betty, but at the last minute, Betty’s dog got sick and had to have surgery, and she felt she could not leave her loving companion alone. We missed spending time with Betty, but we are looking forward to next year’s get-together, which we hope she will be able to attend. The afternoon was spent in the hospitality room, where stories we have heard for 57 years were embellished and polished to perfection. I was totally surprised when I was inducted into the Ugly Shirt Club. Members include Mel Anderson, Bill Nebraska, Bob Haines and Lee Southard. Check out the last issue of the Review for a picture of the members in uniform. That evening, we adjourned to a small restaurant Ann and I have been frequenting for the past 26 years: Jeremiah’s. Everyone had a great meal, after which we once again assembled in the hospitality room for more storytelling. The whole time we were at dinner and while reminiscing in the hospitality room, we all had one eye on the television keeping track of Hurricane Matthew’s progress. Things kept looking worse with the track heading directly for our home in Melbourne and the Marley’s home in Orange Park. Tex and Emily were particularly concerned, since they lived right on the ocean, and Matthew was heading right toward their homes. Others were concerned about the high winds that 2017-Issue 1

would cover the whole state, as well as the traffic congestion we always encounter because of the limited number of east/ west arteries. The following morning, Bill and Betty Huffcut elected to depart early to escape any traffic problems. Ron and Mary Alice Marley and Tex Carr and Emily thought since they were in the path, it would be best that they leave, as well, and they all departed after breakfast. The remainder of us stayed around for the historic train ride from Mount Dora to Tavares, but upon our return, John and Vel Engels and Bud and Denyse Kramer decided it would be best to leave early. That evening, we met in the hospitality room for a drink or two, then went over to the dining room for our semiformal dinner. Dave and Sandy Goode drove all the way from Sarasota to attend, and Billy and Yvonne Traylor drove up from Winter Park. We had a nice dinner, but afterward, Bob Haines and Monique and Ann and I decided to head for our respective homes. The hurricane was heading right for Melbourne, and we thought seriously about leaving earlier, but we didn’t want to miss the dinner. Everyone else left the next morning. As it turned out, Matthew was generous to Floridians and especially our BRs; they

all came through it with little or no significant damage. Although interrupted by Matthew and a little confusing at times, it was a success, and everyone enjoyed getting together, telling stories and spending time with their BRs and their significant others. In 1995 in Jacksonville, Florida, the Florida group women’s human alphabet team made their first unsuccessful attempt at forming the VMI spider. The team, at that time, was under the stewardship of B.J. Goode and was composed of Jean Anderson, Mary Alice Marley and Ann Shepard. Their first attempt was a complete disaster when the ladies, having consumed far too much alcohol, lost control and were unable to complete the task. They wanted to surprise the men with their skilled choreography, and when they thought they were finished, they called out, “What does this look like?” The response in unison was, “Four drunk women on the carpet.” There was much talk over the years that they could do it, but it wasn’t until 2015 at our Florida group mini reunion in Sabastian, Florida, when an ambitious new member of the team, Nancy Southard, reenergized the human alphabet team and made a second

Class of 1959: Present at the Mount Dora Florida Group mini reunion were, from left, John Engels, Emily Hanzok, Tex Carr, Vel Engels, Bill and Betty Huffcut ’57, Jean Anderson, Denyse and Bud Kramer, Monique Hanretty, Bob Haines, Ann Shepard, Ron and Mary Alice Marley, Lee and Nancy Southard, Mel Anderson, Connie and Bill Nebraska, Skippy and Sonny Bishop, Alice Burke, and Shep Shepard. Present but not pictured were Dave and Sandy Goode and Bill and Yvonne Traylor. 57

Class Notes attempt to form the VMI spider. Again excessive alcohol and childish behavior interfered with their performance, and yet another disastrous attempt was left in shambles. Ann Shepard was determined that 2016 would be the mini reunion, but we were struck with Hurricane Matthew, and the team scattered to the safety of their homes. We are looking forward to the 2017 Florida group mini reunion and their successful third attempt at forming the VMI spider. We will have a bake sale at the next Florida mini reunion in order to raise sufficient funds to finance the purchase of red, white and yellow uniforms for the women’s human alphabet team. Betty Sellers wrote that at a recent Golden Eagle Country Club luncheon in Tallahassee, Florida, she met with four ladies all with VMI connections: Betty Huffcut, (wife of Bill Huffcut ’57), Betty Spivey Sellers (wife of Phil Sellers ’59), Edna Parker (wife of Fred Parker ’59) and Barbara Wallis (daughter of William Barksdale ’42). Betty said it was great fun to share precious stories about a special place with so many wonderful memories. Ned Addison and Lee Wilkinson are proud grandfathers, each having a grandson attending VMI in the Class of 2021. Lee’s grandson is a Wilkinson and Ned’s is a Lagarde. Who would have believed that two 1st Class privates would have grandsons at the Institute? Ned has heard that his grandson is far more “running” than Lee’s. When you visit the Institute, please look them up and add a little spice to their lives. Not long ago, Ned got together with some BRs at PT Hastings Seafood in Richmond, Virginia, to celebrate Marvin Myers’ 80th birthday. Also attending were John Martin and Rusty Loth. Marvin said he’s on the 18th fairway of life, but the good news is it’s a par 5. Bob and Susie Old are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. To celebrate, Bob took the entire family to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Their children joined them. Hunter came with his wife and two children from Williamsburg, Virginia, and Christopher came from California with his wife and three children. Bob and Susie traveled from their home 58

in White Post, Virginia. Their house in Mexico overlooked the Pacific and came equipped with a pool, cook, yard/maintenance man, and a large Chevy Suburban into which they squeezed all 11 for short trips hither and yon. The whole experience was a huge success, so they are already planning their 100th wedding anniversary. Last June, Bob and Susie traveled on a Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, with an extended trip to Lucerne. Their next expedition will be to Ireland, and they welcome all suggestions about that trip. I provided him a few tidbits from the trip we took back in 2002 when we joined Noland and Mary Pipes for a wonderful three week trek around the island of Ireland. Max and Lee Ann Blanchard are doing great. Lee Ann had a shoulder joint replacement not long ago, but she is now doing well. She organized an 80th birthday party for Max in August, and most of their extended family attended. A good time was had by all. Max Guggenheimer recently consorted with the enemy – albeit for a good cause – and the enemy, Coach Frank Beamer, is one of the most respected retired college football coaches of all times; with the exception, of course, of our own Bobby Ross. Also attending was Buck Bradley ’62 and Gordon Eubank ’65. They were participating in the second Annual National D-Day Memorial Golf Classic held at the Omni Homestead. Bob and Lois Hobson are doing well. They spoke with Margo Cotton after her recent fall, and she seemed to be doing well. She has lots of family and longtime friends around to give her the support she needs. Bob and Lois just celebrated the birth of their 25th great-grandchild, and they have two more on the way. They have a grandson serving a mission in Fernandina Beach, Florida. This is the lovely resort where we had our 2014 mini reunion. I pointed this out to Bob and told him I would love to have a mission there, but he assured me that being on a mission was like being in the Rat Line. Bob traveled to Lexington recently for convocation at Southern Virginia University. Bob is still

on their advisory council. SVU is celebrating 20 years since taking over the bankrupt school. It is gratifying to Bob to see the remarkable progress that has been made with more than 800 students and growing. I had a nice telephone conversation with Dean and Kathryn Helfer recently. Dean is doing all right and spends a lot of his time working around the farm. As a matter of fact, as I was talking to Kathryn, Dean was just coming up to the house from the south 40. Kathryn, on the other hand, is recovering from a very serious foot operation that has kept her in a cast, boot or walker for the past six months. She is on the mend, but she has had a tough time of it. Our thoughts and prayers are with her as she works her way through PT. Keep those cards, letters and emails coming in. Yours in the spirit, Shep

1960

James A. Smith III

Greetings from St. James Plantation, North Carolina. I would like to begin this edition with a request for more news. Please let all of us hear from and about you. As I’ve said many times, we don’t want to read about our brother rats in an obituary. Let us hear about family, hobbies, crops and even when you’ve had a run in with the law. Bo Bowles is back on his feet after some cardiovascular events and is doing well. I spoke with Bo and told him I thought he would have been a difficult patient, and he agreed. No, he is behaving and did behave. We discussed our mutual loss of Bill “Elrod” Cressall. Jane, Bill’s widow, called me in late October to let me know he died June 25 with dementia and an untreatable malignancy. He is to be interred in Arlington National Cemetery at some time in the future. “Elrod” is in a better place, as his last days were apparently not happy ones. Bolling Williamson has prepared comments that will appear in the After Taps section of the Review. He VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

Class of 1960: Henry Brown and Bill “Peanuts” Elliott at VMI.

Class of 1960: Jimbo and Ruth Smith in front of the Palace of Caserta outside of Naples, Italy.

Class of 1960: Guy and Phillipa Smith celebrating their 50th anniversary. 2017-Issue 1

wrote, “Bill was one of those rare cadets who never allowed the burden of chevrons on his sleeve to interfere with a good time, yet was never inconvenienced by disciplinary consequences. A regular visitor to the ‘Crow’s Nest,’ he was always game to crank up his car and get off post. Following graduation, he completed Airborne, Ranger School and Flight School. He then participated in the early development of attack helicopter tactics, deploying to Vietnam with one of the first UH-1 Huey units in 1962 where he and Brother Rat Herb Vaughan flew support missions for troop-carrying helicopters. “At least one other tour followed. Not being a strong believer in written correspondence, it’s difficult to reconstruct his Army career; most of it was spent in aviation. He did spend one tour as a senior aviation adviser to Iran in the early 1970s, noting that he ‘couldn’t wait to get out of the place.’ Following retirement in 1981, he worked for McDonnel-Douglas in various capacities, most of the time in the Middle East. He is credited with two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, two Meritorious Service Medals, 25 Air Medals and two Army Commendation Medals.” Bolling further wrote, “Herb said that we need to mention Bill’s pet monkey, Sylvester, who lived in a little hootch next to the one the guys lived in. Sylvester would go along on some of the missions, sitting on the back of Bill’s neck, and Herb remembered on one occasion when they rolled in firing the machine guns, Sylvester scooted down into Bill’s shirt and peed all over him. He found a female companion for Sylvester, which evidently made his life much more enjoyable. Since the Review is a family magazine, I don’t think you should go into further details. Herb did confirm that they were the first armed Huey Company in Vietnam.” I also had a sad call from Jimmy Seeley, as his daughter-in-law has just died. Jimmy and Carol felt so very close to her. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I am writing Aug. 24 from home, as I have been in the hospital with good old diverticulitis. As a result, I missed Steve Sewell’s, Roanoke, Virginia, and Len Carmine’s, McCordsville, Indiana, birthday call, Aug. 20. Steve sent me an email of thanks and related

that he enjoyed celebrating the big 80. I left a voicemail message with Len, as we have no email address. Len, let us hear from and about you. Jim Pittman wrote that he is adjusting to life by himself since Nancy died 15 months ago. He said his life is more tranquil since he discontinued The Washington Post and stopped watching the news. He had one granddaughter graduate from the University of Pittsburgh grad school with a master’s in social work. His other granddaughter, the sister of the first, graduated from Delaware Valley University in zoology with a goal to be a park ranger and work with wildlife. His third granddaughter is pregnant, and he is looking forward to his first great-grandchild. Jim attended the Bayliss Scholarship award ceremony and enjoyed those brother rats who were there, as well. I received a telephone call from Terrie Conrad with the VMI Foundation. She solicits gifts from many non-alumni. One such person who has been so very generous to the Foundation over the years expressed gratitude for the treatment he received from members of the Class of ’60. The following is a copy of Terrie Conrad’s email to me: “As I mentioned, I met with a non-alumnus in Minnesota this past week who was interested in doing a significant gift for VMI. He has already given over $100,000 to the VMI Foundation and earned Marshall status. He said he wanted to do this gift as a result of the very favorable impression he had of the VMI English department and ... the reception he received from the Class of 1960 when he joined them for an Institute Society Dinner several years ago. He said he was welcomed so warmly and was invited to an oyster roast sometime during that weekend that the Class of ’60 was holding. He felt right at home. As I said to you – the Institute is an easy organization to fundraise for (look what it stands for), but it’s also you, our alumni that help us to convince folks VMI should be supported for the future of this democracy. By the way, this is the third non-alumni gift I have been able to close this year ... and every one of those donors have mentioned our alumni as a significant reason for their support.” I don’t know the members of our class who are responsible, 59

Class Notes but kudos to our class. I’ve had hard luck turning 80. Currently, he is well and hopes hope to visit soon. On Oct. 1, I finally got catching up with some of you on your birth- to come to our mini reunion in May. I left Jon Quinn out of bed, having spoken to his day. I could only leave a birthday message a phone message for Alex Dunlap for his son and daughter-in-law. Jon called me back on the phone for our twins, Jim and John birthday. John “Stump” Fulton, in Corval- in the afternoon very refreshed and related Powell, Aug. 28. On Aug. 29, I left a voice- lis, Oregon, celebrated his birthday Sept. 13. that he was having a good birthday. It was mail message of birthday wishes for Don An email wish was sent. On Sept. 16, I was good to speak with him. From Oct. 2-5, I able to share emails with Earl Marquette, had the pleasure of playing golf in Pawley’s Hammond. This week, Ruth and I went to the Olde wishing him a happy birthday. He is well. Island, South Carolina, with Henry Brown, Mill Resort in Laurel Fork, Virginia, to I emailed Barry Worst, Clemmons, North Joe Sisler, Sam Horner and Joe Morabit. Otis Pool was supposed to join check out the place for a class us but had a pacemaker put in reunion in spring 2017, May 16 successfully instead. There were to May 19. You will hear more days on the golf course when I about this. It would be nice if we needed a pacemaker. Because can get together before 2020 while I play from the “very forward” we can still walk, see and hear. On tees, Sam was thoughtful enough Aug. 29, I received a wonderful to give me three pink golf balls to phone call from Jimmy Seeley explay. We had two outside playpressing his gratitude to our class ers fill in, who went away with a for the flowers set for his daughvery favorable impression of the ter-in-law’s funeral. It means a lot VMI “bandits.” We had a great when we can perform as a class. time. Nick Delaplane met us for I spoke with Jim Pittman on his lunch one day. He is in the process birthday, Aug. 31. He is well. On Sept. 2, Joe Sisler was celebrating Class of 1960: Jim Belvin (guest), Sam Horner, Joe Sisler, Mi- of building a house in Surfside his birthday by being Joe. He says chelle, Henry Brown, Joe Morabit and Jimbo Smith at Pawley’s Beach, South Carolina. Joe Sisler had made all the arrangements, he wished he kept up with more Island. which were terrific, by the way. of our brother rats. He is preparWhile on the trip, I spoke with ing to take all of Sam Horner’s, Roy McLeod Oct. 3 and George Otis Pool’s, Joe Morabit’s, Henry Uhlig’s voicemail wishing them Brown’s and my money on a golf both the happiest of birthdays outing in October. I spoke with and many more. On Oct. 6, I got Kenny Scott Sept. 3, wishing him a message to Ed Duncan for his a happy birthday. Since last year, birthday. Ed is one of our class’ he has gotten completely out of master farmers. Hurricane Matthe Tennessee walking horse busithew came through our coastline ness. Last November, he gave his Oct. 7-8, and has created terrible trophy stallion to a family he felt flooding north of St. James. Other would continue love and affecthan some 40-50 mph winds and tion. He continues to keep the surgical oncology physicians with Class of 1960: Henry Brown, Joe Sisler, Joe Morabit, Nick rain, we came through without the University of Pittsburg busy Delaplane, Sam Horner and Jimbo Smith golfing at Pawley’s any damage or loss of power. Others in the area were not so fortuand currently is very optimistic Island in October 2016. nate. I was unable to get Seaborn about his maladies. He loves his great care. It was wonderful to speak with Carolina, Sept. 18, and hope he had a good “Seafus” Brown on his birthday, Oct. 12. He day. I emailed Bill Driver a much belated got an email birthday wish. Hap Miller, rehim. I’m sure you all read Patrick Hughes’ ac- email for his birthday Sept. 18. On Sept. 24, cently, was in the PX after giving a test to get count of his harrowing experience with I was able to share emails with Mike Shoe- a sandwich when he was approached by Suthe flooding in Baton Rouge in August. maker. He is well. On Sept. 27, I caught up zanne O’Dell. Suzie and Jim were passing Pat feels, despite his material losses, the with Tony Di Caprio in Florida. He is well through Lexington on their way to Bluffton, he and family were blessed to have been and hopes to come to the mini reunion in South Carolina, their “winter home.” Suzie saved. Pat, we ache with you and are with May. Nick Delaplane, birthday Sept. 29, is still recovering from a third knee replaceyou and your family in spirit. On Sept. 4, I lives down the road from me in the Myrtle ment, but Hap reports that she and Jim spoke with Bill Knowles as he was enjoying Beach area and is building a new home. We looked wonderful and were in great spirits. 60

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Hap wonders how many brother rats “slip” through Lexington without giving him an opportunity to say, “Hi.” Jack Willard was alive and well on his birthday, Oct. 20. Annaliese is also doing well having gotten good reports from her oncologist. There was some sad news, however, as Jack’s mother of 98 years has died. Many of you may remember when Jack brought both very elderly parents to our 50th Reunion. I got hold of Roy Quinn in Summerville, South Carolina, for his birthday. Roy is well and hopes to come to our mini reunion next May. I’m happy to report he had no Hurricane Matthew damage. Bill Spicuzza had a good birthday Oct. 21. I received an email from Bill. He plans to come to our mini reunion next May. On a sadder note, I received the obituary for Sterling Lewis of Laurel, Maryland, who died Oct. 14, 2016. His obituary can be seen in Taps. Frank Ferrier was having a great birthday Oct. 27. He is still working as a vascular surgeon taking on disorders of peripheral veins. He is with a group with multiple offices in Atlanta. He got balloons in one office and cake in another. His health is good. He was living the dream. On Oct. 29, my birthday, I received many messages of goodwill, welcoming me to senior citizenship. I had a good day hearing from all of my children. Ruth spoiled me, as she usually does. It’s time to close this edition of our class notes. I want to remind you all of our responsibility to support the Eagle Bayliss Scholarship, our class legacy, as well as the Institute in any way you feel you can and are able. Please remember that we are going to have a mini reunion May 16-19 at The Olde Mill Resort in Laurel Fork, Virginia. We want to get together before we get “too old!” More importantly, we enjoy each other’s company and it’s a reminder of the importance of our time together from 1956-1960. So far, 16 brother rats and wives have signed up. I plan to get out a letter and emails with specific information about our plans after Jan. 1. Stay healthy, safe and in touch. Let me hear from and about you. I look forward to our birthday chats. God bless you all and VMI. In the spirit, Jimbo 2017-Issue 1

1961

Sal Vitale Jr.

There were several times during the past months that I thought I might never get another chance to write the 1961 class notes for the Alumni Review. I cannot find the words to adequately express to you my gratitude for all the cards, emails, telephone calls and visits to the hospital that helped me through this difficult time. A special thanks to my wife, Sue, and my children who came from Maryland to help mom. I learned that you need to be your own advocate, or you could be lost in the medical system. A word to the wise: Coordination between specialists does not (at least in my case) happen unless someone is directing. Sue and my children were my advocates. My experience has brought my need to be closer to God, family and you. During my absence, David Gibbings ’88 volunteered to help me. David wrote the August class notes and kept the class updated on my recovery and was available to me and Sue anytime we needed help at home. If you were with me right now, I would ask you to join me in an Old Yell

for Gibbings ’88. David recently underwent detached retina surgery on both eyes. Now it is our turn to keep David in our prayers. Bill and Jane Hill, Spike and Mary Callander, John Tharrington, Mike and Jan Bissell, Ray and Sally Hanlein, Dave and Charlotte Harbach, and Sal and Sue Vitale visited Arlington Cemetery and placed roses on the graves of those brother rats interned there. We also visited the grave of Gen. George C. Marshall ’901. The day ended with lunch at the Sine Irish Pub & Restaurant in Arlington. We took pictures at every brother rat gravesite and sent them to the widows. Several of the widows emailed me that they greatly appreciated the brother rats taking the time to visit the graves. It is always nice to hear from those brother rats who, for whatever reason, did not graduate with us but have kept in touch. Ben Cleveland, George Ward’s roommate, is still living in Green Valley, Arizona. Ben said, “I often think fondly of my time at the Institute and truly wish that my family finances would have allowed me to continue and graduate with my brother rats. I remember them all and the good (and bad) times we shared.” Jim Oliver was in Montana, and he visited with Dick Butler who lives in Whitefish, Montana. Over lunch, Dick said he

Class of 1961: At the annual golf outing at the Olde Mill Golf Club in Hillsville, Virginia, Sept. 15, 2016, were, from left, front row, Sally Hanlein, Peggy Alligood, Terry Fridley, Jeannie Burks and Dianne Stone. Second row: Pat Williamson, Ray Hanlein, Dick Stone, Mary Callander, Rod Hudgins and Doris Hudgins. Back row: Bob Burks, Robert Williamson, Bud Alligood, Harrison Fridley, Clayton Smith, Jud McLester, John Miller, Spike Callander, Ken Ayala and Jim “Peaches” Miner. 61

Class Notes doesn’t have any problems with the class or brother rats, but he is still mad at VMI. John McDougal has been a silent participant of our class but looks forward to reading the Review. Thanks to the efforts of Dick Lindquist, several lost BRs have been located. M.R. Satterfield is living in Greensboro, North Carolina, and completed his college education at Tech. P.F. Bertram from New York is deceased. W.A. Burress spent the entire rat year with us and then joined the Army. After serving three years, he returned to VMI and graduated with the Class of 1965. F. Lewis Wilson was a roommate of Copenhaver and Woodford. Wilson now lives in Stafford, Virginia, and would enjoy a phone call at (540) 6594031 since he does not use email. Dick Hartman spent two weeks at his cabin in Pennsylvania where he caught lots of mountain trout and cooked what he called north mountain surf and turf, which is a combination of trout and venison. Sounds good to me! Bob and Loretta Coltrane attended the Bucknell versus VMI Alumni Association tailgate party before the football game. Bob could not locate any 1961 brother rats, so they enjoyed the game with Frank Pinizzoto ’68 and Gil Piddington ’68. Paul Thompson still lives in South Africa and looks forward to the Alumni Review, as it is the only way he can keep up with our class activities. Dick and Judy Youngblood traveled to Orlando, Florida, and visited with the Copenhavers, Crows and Hennings. Then the Youngbloods drove to Venice, Florida, to spend some time with Judy’s sister and then back to Richmond. John Wiggins left Maryland for the winter. John’s itinerary was Alaska, and then residing on his boat in a marina near Key West for the 62

Class of 1961: At the Bucknell University versus VMI Alumni Association tailgate party Sept. 24, 2016, were, from left, standing, Bob Coltrane and Loretta Coltrane. Seated: Frank Pinizzoto ’68 and Gil Piddington ’68.

Class of 1961: Pictured during a bike ride from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to Cumberland, Maryland, Sept. 19, 2016, were Tom Phlegar and Dan Phlegar ’68. They were located where the Alleghany and Monongahela Rivers form the Ohio River.

Class of 1961: Larry Williams, Hill Browning and Frank Oley having dinner at Oley’s home in High Point, North Carolina.

winter. In April 2017, John plans to bring his sailboat back to Maryland. Harrison and Terry Fridley spent a lovely weekend with Fred and Carolyn Ayers in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The couples especially enjoyed the Indian Market in Santa Fe, which is a wonderful, exciting exhibit of art, pottery, weaving, jewelry and many creative things. Sue and I missed the annual get-together in Lexington with REL Huddle, Tom Bradshaw, Hill Browning and Larry Williams. The evening before the Huddle gathering, Larry and Hill had dinner with Frank Oley at his house in High Point, North Carolina. The Oleys are trying to sell their house and move to Wilmington, North Carolina, where one of their daughters lives. In September, Hill and Heather Browning vacationed for two weeks in St. Martens, and Pete and Carol Roberts joined them for a week. Bill and Danya Redd moved to Greenville, North Carolina, and both are doing well. Shon and Bill Maurer moved in October to Mendham, New Jersey, and are now 2 miles from grandson Karl and granddaughter Emma Maurer, children of Adam and Julie Maurer ’90. Bill still participates with the Livingston Masonic Library Board and enjoys it. Bob and Jeanne Burks spent a few days at The Villages and, while there, had dinner with Stu and Lee Crow and Dude and Cathy Copenhaver. Maybe another BR will relocate to The Villages? George and Edna Henning took a long driving trip north and east to visit relatives, medical school friends and family. George is happy to be back in The Villages. Lee and Betsey Badgett are still in Colorado. Betsey had knee surgery and wanted to have therapy there. They expect to be back in The Villages in mid-November. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes The Badgett Colorado house has a structural problem with the foundation and the house cannot be listed for sale until the work is completed. Dick Stone and Dick Huneycutt got together, but I do not know where or when, because they didn’t say. The annual Olde Mill golf outing near Hillsville, Virginia, was a great success. The weather was outstanding, the golf course was in good shape and the company was great. Those there were: Ray and Sally Hanlein, Bud and Peggy Alligood, Harrison and Terry Fridley, Bob and Jeannie Burks, Robert and Pat Williamson, Dick and Dianne Stone, Spike and Mary Callander, Rod and Doris Hudgins, Clayton Smith, Jud McLester, John Miller, Ken Ayala, Jim Miner, Jim and Blair Bickford, and Rhett and Jan Clarkson. Jim Bickford again conducted a landscape painting class, and the aspiring artists included Mary Callander, Jim Miner, Rod and Doris Hudgins, Sally Hanlein, and Bud and Peggy Alligood. The golf outings are not just for golfers. There is always lots of bridge and good conversation, shopping trips and other activities to keep the non-golfers returning. Clayton Smith is working on a winter Florida golf outing on Amelia Island. Also, plans are underway for our spring gathering at Oak Island during the first week of May 2017 (mid-week), so mark your calendars now. Ray Hanlein is in the wine business, and I was privileged to taste Ray’s first attempt at red wine making; it was outstanding. Ray is trying to make a white wine and another red, and I am sure they will be drinkable. Ray and Sally took a foliage tour through New England and had a fabulous time. While in Connecticut, they had dinner with Jim and Johanna Needham. Jud McLester took a two-week auto trip to Churchill Downs, Kentucky; Chicago for granddaughter’s dance recital; Mount Rushmore, South Dakota; Devils Tower, Wyoming; Denver for dinner; McDonald Observatory at Fort Davis, Texas; Avery Island, Louisiana, which is a natural paradise of botanical treasures and wildlife; then home. Tom Phlegar is not letting his age stop him from jumping out of airplanes or taking a 150-mile bike ride 2017-Issue 1

from Pittsburgh, Pennsylavania, to Cumberland, Maryland, on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. Accompanying Tom on the bike trip was his brother, Dan Phlegar ’68; Tom’s wife, Barbara; and Dan’s wife, Kathy, brought up the rear. Tom took a side trip to the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The monument is very dignified and respectful to the individuals who lost their lives there. Tom is still active in the Sons of the American Revolution, is president of the Charlotte Folk Society and still performs in music gigs with a bunch of old guys. In early October, Tom played taps at the celebration of the Battle of Kings Mountain. Hurricane Matthew caused a lot of problems for those brother rats who live in coastal Florida, Georgia and Carolina, so I called, and a “no answer” meant they vacated. Bill and Marcia Keech packed their clothes and essentials and headed to Savannah to stay with friends. Unfortunately, Savannah was ordered to evacuate, so Bill repacked the car and headed north to stay with friends on high ground. Mike and Gloria Payne evacuated to a friend’s farm in western Georgia, and when they got back home, the lights were on and they suffered no damage to their home! Clayton Smith packed his bag and was off to Copenhaver’s for a few days. Charlie

and Margie Finnigan evacuated to their daughter’s home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and when they returned, they found only two downed trees and two screen panels gone. John and Irene Gangemi stayed home and experienced debris and, for two days, minor electrical and cable outages. Dick and Dianne Stone stayed in their home and rode the storm out. Dick said they have never left for a hurricane. Ken and Bert Modine weren’t taking any chances and evacuated to Hawaii. Henry and Brenda Huntsberry also evacuated to Palm Springs, California. Lucky guys! Sue and I had no problems and even had power the entire time. That was a first for this part of Virginia Beach. Dick and Anne Weede are fine. Dick has been attending the football games with Mike Carmichael when Mike is up to it. Anne and Dick attended the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet at Crozet Hall for Bill Haeberlein. Bill initiated the Class of ’61 Football Scholarship. Lou and Pris Shuba are enjoying the fall warm weather. Lou planned to be at The Citadel versus VMI football game cheer the Big Red on to a victory. Dick “Mac” McMurry has been busy speaking and conducting tours at VMI for the Robert E. Lee Fellowship. Dick was a guest speaker at the Civil War Museum in Richmond and

Class of 1961: Gathered around the headstone of Gen. George C. Marshall ’901 in Arlington Cemetery Oct. 10, 2016, were, from left, Jane Hill, Bill Hill, Mary Callander, Spike Callander, John Tharrington, Jan Bissell, Sally Hanlein, Mike Bissell, Charlotte Harbach, Sue Vitale, Ray Hanlein and Dave Harbach. They also visited the graves of 1961 brother rats and placed roses. Photo by Sal Vitale. 63

Class Notes also a speaker and guide on the Mississippi River trip from Memphis to New Orleans. Wyatt Durrette stopped by our home to see me on his way to a concert by Zac Brown Band at the Virginia Beach outdoor theater. As you know, Wyatt’s son, Wyatt, writes music for them and has been doing so for about 12 years. In September, Bill and Connie Nelms stopped by to visit. We usually go out for steamed crabs but had to put it off until next year. Dennis and Jerry Curtis also made the trip from Richmond to see how they could help. It is nice having Dennis back with the brothers. Troy and June Jones are both doing about as well as two people in their 70s can expect to do and better than many. Troy is still climbing trees in order to remove large limbs that threatened his roof. Local police, FBI and TV crew visited the Norfolk FBI agent who was in charge 25 years ago to discuss an old unsolved crime. Some new evidence surfaced and our Irv Wells, the FBI agent in charge at that time, was interviewed, and a portion of the interview was on the 6 o’clock news. Irv looked and sounded great. Larry and Jeri Wetsel, Stu and Sylvia Woodcock, and Hugh and Nelle Gouldthorpe had two glorious weeks in France. Larry said they especially enjoyed Paris; the waterway cruise was great, and the wine was flowing. Gaylia Hudgins called and caught us up on her life. Gaylia is still traveling, volunteering and enjoying the grandkids. Gibbings’ beer and cookies event is still going on. I had my first Friday night out (only for one hour and no beer) and enjoyed talking to Dorsey Pender, Charlie Fuller, Larry Williams, Don Kern, Larry and Joann Respess, Charlie and Ann Stevens, and Kenny Legum. Dorsey is still Dorsey (Smile)! The gim list grows, but I am pleased to report that Kathy Copenhaver’s kneecap operation went well, and she is back driving. Playing golf will have to wait a little while longer. Betsey Badgett is in rehab for her knee replacement. Pat Williamson went through a delicate operation to regain use of her right arm, and all went well. Peggy Myruski is doing as well as can be expected considering what she had been through. Peggy isn’t walking long distances as she used to, but she has not given up. Heather 64

Browning had orthopedic surgery and is doing well. Dunbar Hoskins is having a few back problems but other than that is doing fine. Larry Respess is recovering from his fractured arm and torn a rotator cuff. Marina VanOrden had her right knee replaced, and she is in rehab. We did have a scare when, at the beer and cookies at Gibbings’, Charlie Fuller collapsed, and we called 911. Charlie is diabetic and after two days in the hospital was released and told to mind his diet and stay hydrated. Ken Patrick does not have to return to Cleveland Clinic for a long time. However, Ken did spend some time at the local Sentara Hospital, and the reason was his cellulitis infection. Ken is a fighter, so I hope he puts this current problem quickly behind him. Kim Lindquist is coping with her cancer, and Dick said she was improving. Irene Gangemi is still in good spirits even with the arthritis pain she must endure. Battle Haslam is doing well with his pacemaker and is especially happy to have Elisabeth with him. Ashby and Sandra Taylor have both recovered from their medical issues and are doing fine. Ashby was very helpful to me when I was trying to mend and set me straight on what I needed and what to tell the doctors. This was very important to me due to the lack of coordination between specialists. As for me, I am on the mend. Blood now flows from the heart to my legs and returns. I can wear shoes, and my tux fits, so I planned to attend the Institute Society Dinner at VMI. Long trips will get even longer, because the doctor said I need to stop often and walk around. That is a small price to pay considering what could have happened to me. So I am not off the gim list yet, but I am getting closer. The truth of the matter is, at least 75 percent of the class has something medical going on. We lost two brother rats since the last Review: Brother Rat Owen A. Lester Jr. and Brother Rat Malcolm Barry Smith. Owen A. Lester Jr. died June 22, 2016. Owen was cremated and his ashes dispersed in Galveston Bay, per his instructions. Owen was a civil engineering major at VMI, never married and lived with Barbara Sherwood, his sister and best friend. He served as a surrogate father to his nephews for most of his life and took care of his sister for 10 years until

she died. For the remainder of his life, Owen lived alone in a suburb of Houston: Cypress, Texas. Owen retired from engineering, and during his professional career, he held project manager positions with various companies in Houston. Denis Curtis was taken aback by the news of Owen passing since he talked to him this spring. I don’t remember Owen ever returning for reunions. Malcolm Barry “M.B.E.” Smith died Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, at his home in Florence, Massachusetts. Barry was a VMI “LA” and went on to do graduate work in philosophy at Cornell University. After his Army obligation was completed, he finished his graduate work and returned to teaching philosophy at Smith College. Smith College gave him leave to pursue a law degree at Boalt Hall, University of California at Berkeley, and afterward, Barry again returned to teaching at Smith. Until passing, Barry practiced law, concentrating on criminal defense. Barry valued and richly enjoyed his friends, always eager for conversation, debate, listening, telling stories and sharing ideas. Lee Badgett said, “I have fond memories of Barry from our Institute days, and the two of us would inevitably rehash a couple at reunions.” His love of music – playing the guitar, singing, sharing songs – was another form of conversation for him. I talked to Barry several months ago when he told me that he had a bone marrow illness for which there was no cure. I called Tricia, and she said a memorial service will be held in October and would let me know what, when and where but as of the writing of these notes, I have not received any information. Hill Browning and Stu Crow were Barry’s rat year roommates. Captain Marty Fisher ’55 died. Marty was an instructor in the Civil Engineering Department and also a TAC officer. Marty lived in York Town, Virginia, and I would see him once in a while at VMI functions. As I recall, Marty was an excellent instructor and a fair minded TAC. Don Wilkinson has done an outstanding job in chairing the current campaign. Don said, “14,307 alumni and friends have donated more than $302.2 million in gifts and commitments to An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant Future: The VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Campaign for VMI. This is a considerable achievement; however, it is not entirely surprising. After all, generosity in support of the Institute and its mission has long been a hallmark of the VMI Family.” For Fiscal Year 16, our class ranked second in percent alumni participation, and this deserves a big thank you. (VMI Class of 1966 was first.) At our last reunion, the (55th), many of you asked Bill Haeberlein to remind you of The Class of 1961 Endowed Football Scholarship Fund. This year, a small scholarship was awarded. Hopefully by the time you read this, you have made a contribution to this fund or the VMI Foundation. There are many of you who I have not heard from and wish you would take the time to call, write or email me with an update. It is my view that the older we get the more we need to communicate. The class cruise did not have the turnout I thought we would have. Sue and I plan to be on the cruise and will update you on how it was in the next issue. Maybe we need to try something else like a mini reunion either in the fall, winter or spring at a resort somewhere. What say you? Until we meet again, stay healthy and happy, and may God bless you, VMI, our troops and our country. Again, thank you for all your support, and please let me know how you are doing.

1962

Tony Curtis Jerry Burnett

Tony Curtis: “Before my knee surgery, Judy and I used up all of our ‘condo time’ and spent a week at Daytona Beach (just before Hurricane Matthew) and then went up to Bluffton, South Carolina, and stayed with Ted and Betty Cooley and got ‘caught up.’ They live in a beautiful ‘mini’ village that is very well organized! We then continued 2017-Issue 1

north to New Bern, North Carolina, where Noel and Harriet Pinckard entertained us and then took us on a wonderful tour of this very old (1710) city. We returned home via Johns Island, a very historic off-shoot of Charleston, South Carolina, to visit my old roomie and chemistry major, Don DeLuca – the legendary head cadet waiter! He and his wife, Gerry, asked their sons and grandkids over to meet us; what an honor! Thanks again, Don. Made it home just in time for the knee surgery. Many thanks to all BRs who offered their vital suggestions on my exciting adventure! My advice to all: Keep your knees inside your golf cart! Will spend Thanksgiving with friends and family in Ellijay, Georgia, and go to one of our favorite haunts, New Orleans, for a few days. Hope to see Pete Tattersall while we’re there.” Bill Harris: “First of all, hope all gets better with your knee quickly. This is our uniform for our next cruise, which will come the day after Thanksgiving. If I am sober, I’ll send pictures of our trip.” Ran Hamner: “Allison and I continued our ‘catch up’ world travel plans another trip with Bob and Nancy Mitchell in September. We went to Spain last year with the Mitchells and the Candlers. John and Kristine had a scheduling conflict this year and couldn’t go. Kristine is a renowned concert violinist with commitments as a soloist and concertmaster in North Carolina. She is in great demand in the fall. John had a conflict, as well. He couldn’t find a sub for his paper route. So, Bob, Nancy, Allison and I took on Paris and Provence. What a trip! Nancy and Bob are the best travel planners ever. The entire trip was seamless. Bob, always the quarterback, declared ‘wheels up’ that kicked off each morning. Nancy scouted out the coolest cafes in every hamlet. We even had front row seats for the running of the bulls in one setting. How cool was that! Finally, I was awarded the French Legion of Reverse for backing up a mile and a half on a one-lane cobblestone street through the heart of Avignon. My hands are still shaking. Other occupants of the car had to be hospitalized. We remain undeterred and are ready to hit the road again next fall. Mitchells, Candlers, Allison and I are off to Lexington this weekend to stay with Carolyn Worrell for the Furman

game. What a great time that will be. Stay tuned!” Marcus Muth: “This may not seem like much to some of you who live or visit places where they are plentiful, but an eagle has decided to visit us. I have never seen one here before. I have never seen one this close-up. It is camped out by the pond. He showed up yesterday and was hard to identify at first, as he took off before I could react. I thought he would move on, but he keeps returning. We got a really good look at him just a while ago. Shining white head and tail. Bright yellow beak and beautiful wings. No mistaking what he is – like an aviation buff looking at the silhouette of a Spitfire. Very exciting to see such a beautiful creature on your own place. Uplifts the spirit. ‘The eagle is the chief overall the winged creatures. Eagle conveys the powers and messages of the spirit; it is man’s connection to the divine because it flies higher than any other bird. The eagle brings the message of renewed life because it is associated with the east winds - the direction of spring, dawn and rebirth.’ “Hopefully it is an omen that, in spite of all the rancor of this election and the world in a shambles, somehow the country will turn out all right. By the way, newly restored Model A John Deere Tractor, manufactured 1950.” Ed Northrop: “I am still doing BK stuff, although my two sons do all the work. I am still the project coordinator for our 12th Infantry Regiment Monument effort, which we hope to dedicate on Memorial Day, May 31, 2017, at the National Infantry Museum’s ‘Walk of Honor.’ I served in the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment as a company commander for 12 months. But this monument is being

Class of 1962: George Collins’ dog, Sully. 65

Class Notes dedicated to all battalions of the 12th Infan- a 76-year-old person. I’m wearing my VMI east to Chicago. Our goal was to stay on try Regiment. The 12ths history goes back to hat as I type this. I have to defend myself the original road as much as possible. That from the Hokies who are here. I’m glad you was tough to do at times. We were on the the War of 1812.” Skip Davis: “Good to hear you are do- are doing better recovering from your knee road 10 days and could have spent 20 and ing well. Knee replacements hurt, but pain replacement; I keep wondering if I need to not seen all that was there. It was an amazing trip. The weather was perfect and little relief and mobility make the recovery seem get one.” traffic. It was sad to see all of the places put Don Arey: “Bragging on my granddaughlike a distant memory quickly. Knocked off another bucket list item and had a fantastic ter, Mikaela Arey, Weeb’s daughter in out of business by rerouting of the interfishing trip in Alaska. Six days of bent rods, Tampa. She just got awarded a black belt in state. We had a great tour book; however, it was written for a westbound trip, large fighting fish and big bear ponot eastbound. Carol navigated tential! All the action is invigoratand did good job of thinking in ing and keeps one alert. The rest reverse. The official distance is of the year is with family events 2,278 miles, and I put 2,900 on the for Thanksgiving and Christmas rental. Digital cameras are great. I and excited grandkids. January took over 4,000 shots to keep less brings another bucket list event, than 900.” with a three week trip to New ZeaCal Seybold reports that yearly, land enjoying their summer while a few guys he served with in the it will be snowing here. FebruSpecial Forces 3rd Corps Mobile ary to Maui to our timeshare for Strike Force during the Vietnam several weeks, and in March, we War try to get together. This year, head to Palm Dessert until May. they lost one of their members, a I’m sure you understand that this retired Special Forces command gives our snow shovel and plow a sergeant major, who was a Diswell-deserved rest! We have had a tinguished Service Cross winner wet fall, and October is the fourth Class of 1962: Bill and Christa Harris. from one of his many tours in highest rainfall on record. Good Vietnam. The small group went to for preventing fires, growing winhis funeral at Arlington National ter wheat and replenishing rivers, Cemetery for the full military fubut bad for golf! We are looking neral honors. It was the first time forward to the reunion; hopefully most of them had been to a funeral the weather will be better than our with full military honors, i.e., color 50th. guard, band and honor guard pla“We are still blessed with good toon, in column, with the casket health, although aging reminds us on a horse drawn wagon, provided from time to time that we are not by the 3rd Infantry Division (The as spry as we use to be, and like Old Guard). It was impressive. On many of you, more money goes a lighter note, this year between to doctors, dentists and the pharThanksgiving and Christmas Cal, macy. ‘Hanging in and living on!’ along with his wife, Roxanna, and Our best to all!” eldest daughter are going to take a Jim Wood: “Tony: Glad to Class of 1962: Buck and Carol Houston at the midpoint of Route 66. bucket list cruise for eight days on learn that, hopefully, both you the Rhine River, north, from Baand Judy made it through round one with the medical rat-race as winners. I mixed martial arts, plays on a traveling soc- sel, Switzerland, to Cologne, Germany, with am also playing the doctor’s game with glau- cer team out of Tampa and is a competitive stops in France and Germany along the way. Bob Miller: “No big news, just filler. Nancoma. Nothing close to your journey, and I state-ranked triathlete. Age eight. I believe cy and I just got back from a cruise from will continue with crossed fingers and high that Weeb is sensing a possible athletic scholQuebec City to New York with five stops in hopes. Aside from the above and doctors, arship somewhere down the road.” Buck Houston: “On Sept. 13, Carol and Canada and four in the U.S. on the Caribnothing new with me.” John Cooke: “I have successfully moved I flew to Los Angeles to see our newest bean Princess. They certainly aren’t the ‘love from Murfreesboro, North Carolina, to grandson born July 21. On the 16th, we boats’ anymore, as the average age was probChesapeake, Virginia. It was very hard for rented a car and started driving Route 66 ably in the late 60s-early 70s. That said, we 66

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes had good weather for all but two of the 11 days and visited, with the exception of the Boston area – places we hadn’t visited before. In only one place in Canada were the leaves really turning and colorful, but the Shenandoah is as pretty or prettier in the fall. Will see when we go to the VMI versus Furman game this weekend if it is not too late. Played golf with Charlie Talbott ’63 yesterday. He annihilated me.” Weldon Eddins: “Following is pic on fishing trip this summer with Pat Morrison. We get together once or twice each year for fishing and eating crabs. Nancy and I heading back to Hawaii first week of November.” Syd Bradbury: “I am happy to report that my rehabilitation after knee replacement surgery has gone well, and I’m back playing softball with the Virginia Crackerjacks, including the USSSA East Coast Championships Tournament at Fort Myers, Florida, in November. For exercise, competition and friendships, I highly recommend that my BRs have a go at the game. The degree of difficulty depends on what kind of team you are associated with, but there are senior leagues all over the country that are looking for new blood.” Doug Marechal: “Happy you and Judy are mending well with health challenges. Cannot think of much now, as I’m sure you’ve received complete details of BR Spenser’s funeral, attended by many BRs. Our Big Red football team has greatly improved over the last year, and we hope we can beat Furman Oct. 29. I see several BRs at our home games: Randy Campbell, Tony Michaels, Lewis Graybill, Columbus Cartwright, Ware Smith, Jim West, Bobby Mitchell, Howard Cobb, Dave Wagner, Joe Weakley (sometimes!) and Jerry Wagner (before they moved recently to Arizona); also Buck Bradley and, of course, our greatest fan: Binnie Peay! We are about to kick off basketball season with optimism; a tough schedule, but we have three really high scoring upperclassmen coming back, plus a host of good looking rat recruits. It should prove to be a challenging but fun season! Really impressed with Dan Earle, our second-year coach. The Institute looks great with continued improvements to existing buildings and new construction; give Binnie and his team super credit for dedication 2017-Issue 1

and hard work that makes all this possible!” Bill Mizell: “Most of the news from Virginia Beach is weather related over the past two months. On Sept. 2-3, Hurricane Hermine dumped 6-10 inches of rain on us. About two weeks later, what appeared to be a Nor’easter in behavior dumped 10-12 inches on us in a couple of days, followed 10 days later by Hurricane Matthew, which dumped another 10-12 inches on top of the previous accumulation. Needless to say, there was widespread flooding and areas that had never flooded in over 50 years, experienced flooding. Yours truly falls in the last group, having the water table rise up and kindly leaving 10-20 inches of water in my crawl space. After five days of pumping water, three days of drying out with a big fan, four days of HVAC ductwork removal and installation, and spraying the entire system to prevent mold and mildew, the system is back up and running. I consider myself lucky when viewing the magnitude of the flooding and loss of life and property damage that Matthew caused in Florida, South and North Carolina, Virginia, and a few points north. I have been recovering from a broken collarbone suffered in a fall during Hurricane Hermine. It has been almost two months, and I am back on the putting and driving range, trying to work myself back into golf shape. I have not seen many from

the Institute over the past couple of months, as I have been pretty much confined to quarters. Hope everyone is doing well.” Mott Robertson: “We were at Les Cochons d’Or restaurant in Hot Springs the Friday before the VMI versus Furman game. We highly recommend this restaurant.” George Collins: “Maureen and I did a San Juan Island cruise in June. In July-August, we took a long and meticulously planned trip with seven of our 10 grandchildren, two of our sons and a daughter-in-law. First stop was Doonbeg, Ireland, for golf. Next a quick visit to London. Finally, a cruise on a Viking Longship from Amsterdam to Budapest and an auto trip to Prague. We touched several ancestral countries – Ireland, Britain, Austria and Hungary – along the way. Late October, we moved back to Miami Beach from Guilford, Connecticut, for the season. It is sad to report that after 53-plus years of marriage and 58-plus years of dating, my wife decided she needed new companionship. We have added a puppy to the household. We have not had a dog in more than 25 years. Wow, the toys and particulars now available to spoil dogs. My wife named him Sully. Her maiden name is Sullivan. Her father was torpedoed off Okinawa, survived and brought back a small panda bear doll which she named Sully. Sully is a product of my daughter-in-law’s dog, which supposedly

Class of 1962: From left, Louise Bradley, Bowles Pender, Diane Robertson, Mott Robertson, Patsy Pender and Buck Bradley at Les Cochons d’Or restaurant in Hot Springs. 67

Class Notes was too young to have puppies. Two of the puppies died. The father was her mother’s dog, which was supposed to have been fixed. The vet wanted the dog. The grandchildren wanted the puppy to stay in the family. So, we got the dog.” Walt Perrin: “Our fall has been filled with downsizing and moving! Move complete! We are on the 21st floor of high-rise in Buckhead, Atlanta. Getting rid of stuff is an ongoing process! Son David’s house is well furnished! Others all have gotten a few things. We love our new space. Simplified living makes sense! Winter will bring fun travel!” Tom Henriksen: “My just-published new book, ‘Eyes, Ears & Daggers: Special Operations Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency in America’s Evolving Struggle against Terrorism,’ received an unusual kind of roll out from the average book christening. It was launched at a well-attended dinner of over a hundred people with commentary by three active duty members of the Special Operations Forces. As you would anticipate, no visual or audio recorders were permitted at the event on the Stanford University campus, which added to the drama. I gave a brief overview of the book, and the three spec-ops officers weighed in with muchsanitized wartime experiences that related to my themes. With my past books, I have just made remarks and then took questions from an audience. It was a different and thrilling experience for me at the October dinner. Late next spring, I anticipate the publication of another book entitled, ‘Cycles in U.S. Foreign Policy since the Cold War,’ at Palgrave in New York City.” Mike Lilge: “This is late, I imagine. I am traveling around the Triad area of North Carolina by using Uber. If not too late.” Joe Weakley: “Still being a groupie for my wife’s steel pan group, Patsy’s pans, which they have now named themselves, Sisters of Steel. They have performed for several events and hoping to once again to get the privilege of performing at a VMI basketball halftime. Other than that, just keep hacking away at that little round ball that keeps evading being able to get into the hole! Also, have once again trying to get back into fly fishing – a real challenge after years of not engaging in its great pleasures. Did talk to BR Bob Tyson a few 68

weeks ago. Was a great pleasure to converse with him, as always. Hopefully, I’m looking forward to getting to a home football game and seeing some of our BRs! Best wishes to all BRs; stay healthy!” Thanks for all the input, and remember, we’re now only two months (by the time you get the Review) from our 55th Reunion – April 23-24-25, 2017. Plan now, please! In the spirit of ’62! Tony, Jerry and Monty

1963

Michael J. Curley Beau Walker Michael Smither

Sadly, we must begin with notice of the passing of two brother rats. We loved both and will miss both Buff DeLeo and “Scotty” Scott. Obituaries should be available in the Taps section of the Alumni Review. The world said goodbye to Dr. William T. DeLeo Aug. 23, 2016. A funeral mass was held Aug. 26 at St. Peter Catholic Church. Stories of Buff abound. A small number of us actually spoke with him just days before he died. Collette wrote, “One of the saddest moments of the last few days after we went home from the hospital was when my husband had just gotten off the phone with you [Mike Curley]. He broke down and cried. I sat next to him and cried with him. I wanted to share this with you, because at the same time, it is a beautiful testament of how he felt about his brother rats.” His daughter, Elise, passed along a few words from the Buffer. “Thank you all for being brother rats of mine and for putting up with me and my antics for those four years. I am eternally grateful for all the experiences we shared together, along with the examples that you have set for so many others to follow after we left. I’m going to miss y’all, but when your turn comes, I look forward to being with you again. God bless, Buffer.” We’ll

also never forget his love and devotion for our late Frank Kennedy. “Early Monday, Oct.17, I [Mike Curley] announced to the class that Willard Scott has departed our ranks. Scotty was a Lexington rat who, sadly, spent the last several years in a Richmond area nursing home with his wife, Dottie, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Many of you will remember that Scotty had a series of strokes that resulted in failed surgery to correct the venous mass causing the strokes. I had the pleasure of delivering him several favors from our 50th Reunion, and although he was unable to speak, he rendered a beautiful ’63 smile! It’s been a tough road for his entire family. May God grant you the peace you deserve, Scotty! Although Scotty was one of the quieter men in the class, let it be noted that he was president of the Lexington High School class of 1959, holder of the Bronze Star and an inspiration to Pat Kelly, a Lexington High classmate, to attend VMI! Who knew? Thank you, Scotty, for all you left us!” From Kent McCraney, written Sept. 9, 2016: “We entered VMI Sept. 9, 1959. I took my Army uniform off for the last time after 22 years Sept. 9, 1986. That was 30 years ago today. My father-in-law’s birthday was Sept. 9. He would have been 99 today. He was a World War II vet in the Battle of the Bulge, on Heartbreak Ridge in the Korean War and grew up in Lexington, Virginia. And his father was head of the history department at VMI in the 1930s. Sept. 9 is a big day for us.” From Bill Shaner: “I sat across from Buddy Cato and beside Bob Powell at the Richmond luncheon, and we enjoyed talking about things. I see Bob at the Foundation dinner each year, and it is good to see a few of our BRs. I am still working but only 30 hours a week, and that is just right for now and really helped after B.A.’s death. I have been updating our house (five bedrooms, plus an office and laundry room) so that I could put it on the market and downsize. Missy’s husband works for General Electric, and they transferred to GE’s Boston jet engine factory in Lynn, Massachusetts, from the Salem plant. Everyone is well and fine with our family in Salem, Virginia, but we miss Missy’s family very much. It’s a long VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes trip to Boston from here. Will is married and has a 3 year old and works for the city of Salem. I thought he was going to teach parks and recreation at SIU, but he changed his mind. John lives in Salem and is married, has one son, and is the director of Parks and Recreation for Salem. It is good having them here. That’s about it for now.” From Bunny Reynolds: “Bless you for stepping up to this job; very ‘BR’ of you and much appreciated by all. The more I read the class notes, the more I am thankful for our good fortune. We continue to have the occasional health issues, but so far everything has been a case of mechanical repair – relatively easy to correct – rather than things requiring chemicals. The latest is an upcoming hip replacement for Judy; not something one looks forward to, but it should get her back on the tennis court and other normal activity, and that is her main goal. We just returned from a driving trip out west; we flew to Salt Lake City and spent three weeks driving across Nevada, up the coast to Seattle, then back to SLC via Jasper, Banff, Yellowstone, etc. We managed a couple of days on each end of the trip to visit our son and his family in Park City, including a new grandson, ‘River’ Reynolds, Class of 2038. His is the sixth provisional appointment issued to a Reynolds. I keep planting the seeds, but so far, nothing but crop failure to show for it. For your information, I got three quotes from Hertz for a ‘standard’ car from three different locations (airport, downtown and Park City) ranging from $561 to $1,440. Lesson: It pays to shop around, even within the same company. At this point, I’m hoping to see some BRs at the Founders Day dinner Nov. 11. It depends somewhat on how the new hip is working for Judy.” From Ken Reeder: “We had sent a bit of news about my meeting up with Binnie Peay ’62 this summer; I think you have it. Anyway, Bonnie and I want to send all good thoughts and wishes for wellness to Michael Curley. Going through such a tough time these days. Think of him, keeping him in prayers as we all are, I’m sure.” From Dave Wade: “A few of us were present for the heartbreaker football game against Mercer. Bill Wray and Bob Gregory represented the Richmond area. The other 2017-Issue 1

class attendees were all of the permanent class residents of Lexington. That is Steve and Peggy Riethmiller from their spread out in the county, Bill and Becki Wells from their home overlooking Lexington, and Kent Wilson and David Wade from abodes in the same neighborhood in town. A good game, a competitive game, a long game; it went into overtime. Hopefully, we will have more class attendees at next week’s home game.” From: Dusty Custer. Date: Oct. 9, 2016. Subject: civil engineering mini reunion. “A mini reunion of seven Class of 1963 civil engineers was recently hosted by Brother Rat Sleepy Moore at his ranch in Burkes Garden, Virginia. The crew included Sleepy Moore, Dusty Custer, Johnny Mitchell, Pete Brunel, Mike Smither, Bill Jones and Willy Pendleton. Sleepy requested we bring hand tools and be prepared to tackle some legitimate civil engineering projects on the ranch. Of course, we didn’t take him seriously, but come Monday morning, he rustled us up and deposited us at three different job sites. Smither and I were superintendents at a dam site challenged with constructing a drainage weir from scratch to take the place of a plugged overflow pipe culvert. The other sites included trail clearing and extension and another brand new dam/culvert project. Since we didn’t have a surveyor’s level or transit, you should have seen how we set and checked elevations! Our old professor, Ben Clark ’931, no doubt must have spun in his grave. We all worked our butts off and tried to make Sleepy pay in the way of excess cocktails and dinner each evening, but we were too tired and old to do much damage. In the end, it was a helluva enjoyable time. Of course, we relived our VMI experience in detail, particularly the rat year, and we tried to make comparisons of today’s VMI to our VMI as best we could. Phenomenal how those times 50-plus years ago came to life with laughter and, of course, comradery.” From Fred McBride: “I would write more often, but Huntsville, Alabama, just isn’t the most exciting place in the world. Amy and I, along with four other friends, did make the birthday pilgrimage to Australia in the spring, where we boarded a cruise ship and

sailed up to New Caledonia then to New Zealand and finally back to Sydney. That was my birthday present to me. Next year, about this time, we are going to visit Paris before taking a cruise through the French wine country. If anyone wants to go, just give me a holler. Huntsville has a very active Citadel alumni association that likes nothing better than to invite VMI alums to watch the annual football game at a local watering hole. Last year, we couldn’t find anyone in town to attend. Hope it’s different this year.” From Mike Smither: “I read Dusty Custer’s description of recent construction attempts [see above]. Concurrently, Beau Walker, after also reading Dusty’s narrative, thought that we civil engineers needed help, and sent me his father’s ‘Useful Data,’ the 1920s engineering handbook that all civil engineers kept close at hand. [It is inscribed ‘M.B. Walker Jr., Hdq. Co., Room 64, 1st Div.’ Beau’s father was a 1930 VPI graduate, and Ben Clark was a 1931 VMI graduate, and they became close friends following their graduations.] Little did Beau, a devout LA, know that it was much too late and that much more than ‘Useful Data’ was needed during the ‘construction’ performed by senior CEs. Earlier this summer, Betty and I drove with friends to Quebec, a popular and historical city with very friendly natives. It is an easy trip, and we were happy to spend four days there. We have also enjoyed several games at Fenway Park with family and friends, though the Sox did not continue their success into October. The Patriots, however, have overcome the ‘deflategate’ diversion and continue to roll. Autumn was here in all its finery, blazing colors in spite of the summer’s heat and drought. The trees were indeed magnificent. Finally, Beau Walker and I have enjoyed helping Mike Curley in his class notes efforts, and I join the rest of the class in wishing Mike continuing success in his valiant strive for good health.” From Mike Curley: “What a glorious day! Today [Oct. 25] I am a happy and grateful man. Those who know me well understand that I generally feel this way; however, today I am especially happy and grateful to God and the wonderful doctors and dedicated staff at the McGuire Veterans Affairs Hospital who delivered especially good PET scan 69

Class Notes results late yesterday afternoon. Although Peg and I have not actually seen the written results, both my primary care physician, Phil Tarkington, and oncology physician, Bonny Moore, managed to deliver one phrase from the report that lifted my thoughts to the heavens: ‘Complete response to therapy.’ We will continue some chemotherapy after some minor side effects to the therapy are dealt with, and by the grace of God, we may have kicked this cancer’s butt. Thank you all for your marvelous prayers and support!” That’s all folks! Please keep those cards and letters and photos coming. And, as Mike Curley would say, let’s pray for the safekeeping of all our troops in harm’s way and for all those on the gim.

1964

John R. Cavedo

Unfortunately, after a year-plus long battle, Doug Walker died Thursday, Oct. 6, in his hospital bed in Richmond. Both Butch Nunnally and David Ayers had been with him earlier in the day. As of this writing, final arrangements had not been made. We also lost Sylvia Suiter, Charlie’s wife. She had a long and ongoing battle with leukemia and died in August. Our

heartfelt condolences to Charlie. Some of you may already be aware, but Tom and Helen Davis moved from Lexington to the Tidewater area to be closer to children. At this writing, it’s not certain whether they’ll sell their house in Lexington, but this will be a truly historic development for our class. Tom has been the mainstay of information relative to the Institute for well over 40 years. And, speaking for the entire class, I can say that he was the glue which kept our class together for all that time. We’ll be relying on Buzz Birzenieks and Hank Cronin to keep us informed. Andy Tucker: “I wanted to share about my 17-year-old granddaughter. She’ll be a senior this coming year (that’s not the news). But, as a junior, she was selected for second team all-state as an outfielder. She’s been playing on travel ball teams all over the southeast. She’s already been offered scholarships to three smaller schools in North Carolina and South Carolina. About five more schools have shown interest via emails. “We’re very proud of her. She’s been carrying higher than a 3.5 grade-point average (it’s closer to 4.0) but don’t want to be too wrong if I said 3.9.” John Manley: “Parker Duncan, Matt Jablonka and I meet in Nashville or Franklin once a month for lunch. We rotate on who chooses the restaurant and location.

Class of 1964: From left, Cliff Crittsinger; C.J. Rambali ’19, class historian; Colin Smith ’19, class vice president; James Seal ’19; Eli Facemire ’19, class president; Brig. Gen. Jeffrey G. Smith Jr. ’79, VMI dean of faculty and deputy superintendent; Ben Washechek ’18, class historian; Henry Wiswall ’18, class vice president; Joey Brown ’18, class president; Tristan Silverstorf ’18; and King von Schilling. 70

Class of 1964: Sherrel and John Cavedo in St. Elmo Ghost Town, Colorado, in August 2016.

At times, we end up trying to one up each other’s restaurant choices. Nevertheless, this is a great chance to stay abreast of what we are doing, VMI and any unique occurrences in our lives. It is something that we all look forward to and enjoy.” Chuck MacDonald sent a nice email. “Last week, Henry Foresman ’76 and I visited with Lieutenant General Smith ’43 for about an hour in his apartment in The Fairfax retirement facility. I had not seen him since a brief encounter in Saigon in 1970 (I think). Henry’s vast knowledge of VMI personalities over the years really took us on a tour of history. General Smith is delightful and sharp as a tack. We talked a lot about the development of our class ring, General Shell ’932 and our step-off. Just like it all was yesterday! I hope to see him again in the future.” Kerry Hines: “Marianne and I are enjoying a relatively quiet and peaceful summer. In late May, we met Bernie and Donna Hylton and Tony and Barb Munera for lunch in Charlottesville. In June, Marianne and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. Also got to spend the better part of a week in late June cutting up and hauling away the debris from a storm that VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes blew some dozen trees and large limbs “Two days later, the problem finally got to see him taken away yesterday. Now, all resolved – I thought. The bear not only re- I have to do is repair my fencing before across our driveway.” I first got wind of something happen- turned, but also tore out a 4 foot section of half the National Forest critters decide to ing in California. First, it seemed to be a my 6-foot-high fencing which allowed coy- move in. “Another week later, Humphrey rehoax. But, Edmund Hoy has assured me otes and bobcats to roam at the watering it’s true. “I was watching the Olympics hole of my now accessible pool. Evidently, turned to the neighborhood. He was back last evening from the comfort of my fa- he had frightened enough neighbors that into the pool yesterday afternoon. This vorite leather lounge chair. It was about there were sufficient complaints to warrant time, Fish and Game would not come for him. They said to shout real 7:45 p.m., and daylight was loud and wave our arms up and fading to night. I thought I down to frighten him away. I saw a glimpse of a big brown guess he will have to maul or eat fur ball moving past the west someone before we get any resliding glass door of my family sponse this time. I tried shouting room out of the corner of my and waving my arms. Humphrey eye. Every old hunter or soldier only waved back; and, I swear, knows to trust his side vision he had a smile on his face!” to pick up movement, even Cliff Crittsinger: “Having now though my concentration was been presented for the third time on the synchronized pairs divlast May 14 at the annual VMI ing competition. Three seconds Awards Presentation Ceremony later, hardly 5 feet to my left, means there are only two statues and standing fully upright pawremaining from the initial casting the south glass sliding door, ing of five back in 2013. I have was the 400-plus pound cinnaClass of 1964: Pictured in Richmond in June 2016 were, standmon black bear which appar- ing, Tom Myers, Dave Ayers and Butch Nunnally. Seated: Doug located a new foundry called Art Castings of Colorado, Loveland ently had just enjoyed a swim Walker. where a set of 10 new statues will in my pool and had smelled be cast in hot bronze this fall. Adthe fish and chips baking in the ditionally, a smaller packaging kitchen oven. To my astonishsystem to protect the statue durment, the glass slider was not ing shipping will be developed to latched, and he was coming inmake it more compact than the side, lured by the scent of the previous bulky containers. On food. There was no time to run another related issue, a CNMLA the other way (bad idea anyway Guidelines Binder has been cre– I have seen bears in the woods ated and placed in the office of close 50 feet in mere seconds), the academic dean. It contains so I did the only thing left to do: the new guidelines that were I charged up from my lounger, tested and finalized last spring, grabbing a nearby wooden tray a chronological listing of previtable and attacked. Mr. Bear ous award winners and CNMLA probably couldn’t see very well in Selection chairmen, identificathe room, but I am sure he heard Class of 1964: Pictured at the Rappahannock River in June 2016 tion of where new statues can be my best Mississippi Rebel yell were, standing, Bill McVey, Susan and Dick Atkinson, and Maricast and wooden bases built plus as I rushed him and bashed on and Bill Garber. Seated: Millie McVey. room for Selection Committee the tray table again his head. My wife heard my bloodcurdling scream intervention by California Fish and Game chairmen to add notes on the existing profrom the other side of the house. By the to shoot him with a tranquilizer gun and cess which will be reviewed and updated time she reached the family room, all she haul him away to be released 60 miles into as necessary at established five-year incould see was a crazy China man swing- the National Forest. I am sure that my wife tervals. The CNMLA Fund, maintained ing a tray table like a giant meat cleaver at did not complain. Harriet loves all animals. by the VMI Foundation, will be down to a frightened bear in full retreat down the She had already adopted ‘Humphrey.’ I about $5,000 after this next casting and is driveway with me in hot pursuit. Needless reminded her that he was a wild bear and in need of your continued contributions. to say, that got my adrenaline pumping! not to be trusted. Anyway, I was relieved You can write a check or use your credit 2017-Issue 1

Class Notes card to make a tax deductible gift; just identify it as going to the Class of 1964 CNMLA Fund. A sincere thank you to all those who have given so generously given in the past.” Bernie Hylton sent in, “Donna and I were at her Keyser-Sedwick family reunion yesterday in Luray, Virginia. Of the 30 or so attendees, three were VMI alumni: ‘Dickie’ Sedwick ’71; ‘Parky’ Parkman ’66, who married Mary Fran Sedwick; and me, who married Donna Keyser. Of course, no one had a camera at hand.” Ted Gammon: “We just returned from a small boat (70 passengers, 26 crew) on the inner passageway of Alaska plus another week.” Jack Trossbach: “We have booked a cruise on the MSC Divina sailing out of Miami Feb. 6, returning on the 12th.” Pete Mazik: “I am still alive and walking. I had a few bad days in late April. I had some internal bleeding and had to go the hospital for a few days. It took me until September to recover. It could have been worse, but with God’s help, I am as well as I will ever be. I am above ground and hope to be that way until I hit 80s. Charlie Cole visited me quite often and called on the phone. He helped me a lot, got me home after my hospital stay. “I am interested in how Doug Walker is doing and tracking our BRs in caring for him. I see where you and some of BRs have been traveling and getting your bucket list completed. Hope you are well and enjoying life to the fullest.” Hurricane Matthew arrived at the coast of Florida and visited many brother rats as it made its way up the coast before heading

Class of 1964: John Cavedo and Jim Brittingham in Beavercreek, Ohio, in July 2016. 72

back east from northern North Carolina. No problems here in Florida. The Sebrells did fine in Savannah. The Tornabenes also reported in safe, as did the Crones. But the Crones’ jointly held beach house lost the roof. Fortunately, there was no rain, and the roof was repaired before damage could occur inside. The Garbers left town before the storm, and we haven’t heard back from them about potential damage to their home on Emerald Isle. There is another mini reunion planned for Florida in February. Activities hosted and arranged by Don and Margaret Carson. Unfortunately, it will occur before you receive this copy of the Alumni Review in the mail. Again, if you’re not receiving notifications about these mini reunion possibilities, you’ve either not elected to be on that particular list or your email has changed and you didn’t update it with me. With Doug Walker’s death, his situation reminds me how important it is that each of us has a valid and updated will – preferably accompanied by a trust. Plus, we all need powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney (not the same thing), instructions about how we are treated in medical facilities and detailed instructions for burial, etc. Doug had none of that, and several brother rats scrambled and tried working with the hospital and Doug’s family to take care of too many details. All could have been avoided with up-todate documents named above. Another update from Cliff Crittsinger accompanied a group photo of those working on the New Market Legacy Award, “I am currently at VMI for my fall visit to continue working with the Classes of ’17, ’18 and ’19 concerning their roles in ensuring the selection and awarding process of the CNMLA. The academic dean and commandant continue in their solid support of the award and are working together to ensure some level of unobtrusive oversight to ensure its continuance. The Corps has recently nicknamed the CNMLA the ‘Brother Rat Award’ to better relate to its criteria – I believe a positive step on their part as to taking ownership. “A photo is attached from a dinner I hosted for the Classes of ’18 and ’19 which King von Schilling and Brigadier General Smith ’79 also attended. You have every reason to

be proud of these young men as they take a firm grasp of their responsibilities and obligations in the management of the Class of 1964 CNMLA. Work still needs to be done and these classes are more than up to the task! “It has been a busy last few months concerning the CNMLA. The pamphlet describing the award, which is available where the statue is on display in Preston Library, has been corrected, updated and reprinted. To avoid further reprinting costs Colonel Gibson ’77, director of the VMI Museum System, has agreed to take responsibility for ensuring new copies are reprinted by his office as required. “Finally, I was able to have a pleasurable lunch with Buzz Birzenieks (new president of the Keydet Club) and an enjoyable dinner with Pete Mazik. It was great to share time with them during my stay at VMI.” I had a nice phone call with George Rapport. Both he and Jane are healthy and enjoying life in the northeast (where he says there are very few BRs). He intends to be present for the Annual Founders Day and The Citadel game. He also mentioned that he meets for lunch with a group from Company C every month or so. That includes him, Andy Colyer, Mike Murphy, Ed Seager and Dick Harbaugh ’61. This has been a tradition going back many years. George related a cool story. In Vietnam as a lieutenant and artillery battery executive officer, he was supervising a battery-size convoy. They came across an engineer company and forced the engineers to get off the road to let them by. It turned out the engineer company was commanded by Dick, by then a captain. After some tense moments, George reintroduced himself and things calmed down. Later, Dick’s company assisted George’s battery with some construction efforts. Small world. Bill McVey and I talked a few days before Halloween. He and Milly were having coffee overlooking their golf course near San Antonio. They have one daughter and grandson living only a couple of blocks away, making their lives even more enjoyable. Their other daughter lives in Wilmington with five more grandchildren. Wilmington is the reason Bill and Millie travel to the East Coast every summer. Millie had hip VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes surgery recently but is now doing fine. Bill followed up our phone call with the following email: “In June, Millie and I took a seven-week driving trip to South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia to see family all along the way and to spend six weeks at the rental house we have been using for the past several years. It is located on the East Corrotoman River near Kilmarnock, Virginia, about 3 miles from where it empties into the Rappahannock and about 10 miles upstream from the Chesapeake Bay. It is very quiet and idyllic there (except when the Atkinsons and Garbers were with us) and has its own dock and crab pots, so we were never short of steamed crabs. We had other company as well, including younger daughter Shelley and husband Eric with their four wonderful children from Wilmington who were with us for a week, as well as a couple of other visits, including visiting with Jenny Cummings Agnor. I’ll attach a photo of the house, Shelley’s family and Jenny. The tallest grandson, Andy, had just turned 15 a couple of months before this photo! “In September, we made our biannual trip to Reno for a reunion with Navy and Marine squadron mates which we always schedule in conjunction with the annual Tailhook Convention. All of the major vendors are there with their latest gizmos, weapons, systems and even F-16 and F-35 cockpit simulators to try to fly. My favorite booth is Omega Company. It contracts planes to aerial-refuel around the world. Their display is a refueling boom coming out of the wall ... instead of dispensing JP-5, it dispenses draft beer! After this reunion, one other couple and we flew to Pensacola for a week to see the Blue Angels perform and visit the outstanding Naval Aviation Museum. “While home, we are active with our church in which Millie has been a choir member for the past 20-22 years, we both attend our club fitness center, and I play tennis twice each week and sailboat race at least twice each month year-round. I race a 20-foot Flying Scot centerboard boat and a J22 keelboat. We have good active fleets in both – racing since we moved here 24 years ago. Millie raced with me in the Scot for about 10 years until she started having hand and wrist difficulties. We have our 52nd anniversary Dec. 21.” 2017-Issue 1

As a reminder, since we are limited to five photos each edition of Alumni Review, all the other photos you send me are put on our private Facebook page. Seventy-three of us use that site. If you want to be added, send me an email or call me.

1965

Mickey Finn

First, my thanks to the wonderful staff who produce this quarterly history we know as the VMI Alumni Review. My computer lost its video, causing this submission to be late. Thank you, Jordan Moore, for your patience and excellent work! Bob Morgan sent a health update Aug. 26, 2016. “As some of you know, I’ve been in better health. I got my diagnosis Tuesday, Aug. 23, I have follicular Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. My bone marrow biopsy came back clear, but I am symptomatic. I began chemo immediately the 24th and 25th. It was a piece of cake. I’ve had no side effects so far, no need of the pills they gave me and feel well. I’ll receive four to six two-day cycles of chemo every 28 days. The better it goes, the fewer needed. Also, the beneficial effects reduce with the number of administrations. The tumor is very large but slow growing. It’s incurable but is amenable to suppression and remission. I’m moving to Mount Laurel to Carol and Richard Foley’s at 250 Cemetery Road (08054) under orders from she who must be obeyed – now. She’ll try to micromanage me and my doctors, but I will do my best to retain some independence. I’m transferring from the Veterans Affairs White River Junction to the Philadelphia VA. I was in their wedding in ’71 and have known Richard since Parris Island. (He was executive officer of Bill Dabney ’61 in India/3/26 at 881S at Khe Sanh. I was in 2/26 on 558.) I’ve a wide circle of friends in Mount Laurel I’ve known for decades who are at my semi beck and call; however, I expect to remain reasonably healthy through the process, albeit, I’m not forgetting Robert Burns and his

mice. It’s a bit odd, but a refrain from ‘The Spirit’ often runs through my mind: ‘The Keydets’ll fight ’em and never say die. That’s the spirit of VMI.’ I expect I’ll continue to hear it, whatever the outcome which awaits us all. I’ve no fear of death; I admit it’s the dying that makes me a tad anxious. “I apologize for cluttering up y’all’s email. The word was getting out, and I won’t bother any of you again unless you inquire. I don’t intend to be consumed by this. I’ve obtained access to all of the Teaching Company’s courses on a subscription. I intend to travel extensively once able. Now am only booked on a Viking Rhine Getaway (Basle to Amsterdam; Oct. 4-12, 2017) and intend (?!) to get proficient in French, German and Spanish, read all the Edgar Awards I’ve missed, and improve my knowledge of history. The only thing that paralyzes me with depression is an electoral process that offered up a loon, a buffoon and a liar. Don’t waste time with cable so much being unable to stand the shallow analysis and horrible oratory of the three stooges. For you younger than I, beware of becoming curmudgeons and climbing on soap boxes and facing any nearby sets or eyes quickly glazing over. Luck to you all. Semper fi, R.I. Morgan ’65, BOC 5-67, 2/26 (Oct. 67-June 1969).” Marty Hash responded with: “Wishing you the best! Thank you for your good work and thoughtfulness. No news to report except glad I picked up a mass communications/journalism degree so I can compare notes with today’s reporting of the ‘news.’ Happy autumn!” Lou Siegel has a thoughtful request of us all: “I hope you are healthy or healthy enough. I’ve managed to lose about 20 pounds since the reunion, and it does make a difference. Joan and I were fortunate to be presented with our second grandson April 14 of this year. Or was it the 15th? He is truly a delight. We are still living in Lanexa (west Williamsburg) and thinking of moving to Nellysford, Virginia, (Nelson County, where the new grandson is) when we sell our house. “Mickey and I were talking recently, and we thought that maybe we should put together a list of those in the class who have had some direct operational contact with 73

Class Notes the Institute in either employment (teaching, judicial conference (translation: relax by the Kilmarnock in September. At that time, I had administrative), service (on a board of some pool), and on the way, we met with Dr. James a chance to have breakfast with Lou Siegel, sort, helped start a program), athletics (hall Vardaman, the VMI GE College Bowl team who brought me up to date on his and Joan’s of fame, coaching) or some other category coach, whom some of you may recall from plans, which sound quite exciting. “Jamie and I went to Poland for our ‘usual’ we hadn’t thought of. This is not related to courses in history. He is now a distinguished money donated. Mickey might include it in professor emeritus at Baylor University and autumn visit. Initially, we visited Kraków on one of his publications, and it could generate is every bit as sharp as when we knew him at what turned out to be a rainy but fun day. On Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, at the some other reminders. Around the Academic Year Ceremonies, the time of the reunion, I got asked Fundacja Absolwentów (alumni about a lot of these individuals and foundation) of the Marie-Curie answered as best I could, but frankSkłodowska University in Lublin, ly probably didn’t get it quite right Poland, announced the Dr. Jafor some. So, could you assist in mie Lynn Marshall Outstanding getting this started? If you respond, Graduate Prize, to two recipients consider responding only to me, as for 1,000 zlotys (about $390) each probably not everyone wants to to continue their studies at UMCS. hear every thought we might have. The award was named in honor of If you think this is a really bad Jamie, who, eight years ago, creidea, let me know. Also, be specific ated the first alumni foundation in what the BR did with dates, if for a European university using the possible. Take care of yourselves. Class of 1965: Jamie Marshall, wife of Johnny Mac Marshall, model of the VMI Foundation and We’re always getting better!” accepted the thanks of Prof. dr hab. Stanisław Michałowski, Jack Cook wrote, “Survived rector of the university, and Arkadiusz Wronowski, president remains on its board as founding Matthew, since he decided to of the Fundacja in Lublin, Poland, Oct. 23, 2016. Jamie had the director. The Fundacja began with veer closer to Hilton Head than honor of presenting the first two scholarships named after only about $300 in funds on hand her, the “dr Jamie Lynn Marshall Outstanding Graduate Prize.” and has since grown to having supSavannah. Being slightly west of Photo by Johnny Mac Marshall. plied many thousands of dollars in I-95 (Savannah) also helped. The support of the university for varineighborhood did have lots of rain ous projects, including the sponsorand high winds and several trees ship of the formal graduation cerdown. Amazingly, only lost power emonies and obtaining a grant of for a few minutes. Our community 2.7 million euros for the enhancestill (after almost two weeks) has ment of student programs in the debris stacked for removal. Have Environmental Science Departbeen able to watch Keydet football ment. The photograph of the cereonline, which is really welcome. monies at which she was invited to Hope they can get a couple of present personally the first award more wins under their belt. VMI, named for her includes Prof. dr ’65! ’65! ’65!” hab. Stanisław Michałowski, recJohnny Mac Marshall submittor of the university, and Arkadited this outstanding report on his usz Wronowski, president of the wife, Jamie. “Jamie and I have Fundacja. Uncharacteristically, I Class of 1965: Bonnie and Mike Flinn ’80 enjoyed a mini reunion had a busy but very interesting with Jamie and Johnny Mac Marshall in San Antonio, Texas. am not in this photo, because I late summer and early autumn, The occasion was an early celebration of Bonnie and Mike’s which probably comes as no sur- first wedding anniversary with the man who performed their took it. Yes, it is exhausting to be a ‘spear carrier in her chorus,’ but prise to you. Starting in June, we marriage ceremony in 2015. what can I say? hosted my great-nephew, Kevin “This time, our trip included a stop in McClellan Marshall ’16, in Dallas while he VMI. While in San Antonio, we had supper unwound from his time at the Institute and with Mike Flinn ’80 and his lovely wife, Bon- Frankfurt on the way home. This part of the looked for employment. That, of course, nie, whom I joined in wedlock last year. As visit was focused on the activities of Phi Delis not an easy task in this day and age, but you may know, my older brother, Sam Mar- ta Phi, since I am now the international vice it was a lot of fun for us to have an ‘adult shall ’55, died rather suddenly in August, so president. While that sounds rather grand, son’ with us for part of the summer. In early whatever plans we had at that time were put in this case, it had a decidedly social compoSeptember, we went to San Antonio for a on ‘hold’ until after his memorial service in nent to our time there. We have just returned 74

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes and I am doing what I can to not let jetlag get me, but I may fail by midafternoon. We look forward to seeing you all whenever and wherever possible. Wishing you a wonderful autumn and holiday season.” Danny “C.D.” Price, in celebration of 50 years: “Barbara and I have had an event-filled recent experience. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in August. For that, we had a dinner with friends here in Kilmarnock then went to Luray and a gathering with family and friends at the Minslyn Inn, and we then had a ‘retreat’ with our children and grandchildren at Bryce Resort for five days, where our crowd filled one cottage. My high school class (Stanley, 1961) had its 55th reunion in September. We get back to Lexington when possible for the Marshall Foundation Lecture Series. The most recent of these told the story of the Jeep. From there, we went to Radford, where Barbara’s class celebrated their 50th reunion. It was fun but tame compared to our VMI experience. My guess is that there were plus or minus 1,000 kids in that class when they started, and probably 600 when she graduated. This was their 50th, and 30 of their classmates registered for the reunion! We went from Radford into West Virginia to the Pipestem State Park for several days (beautiful scenes that are sufficiently ahead of our season here to allow the colors to be pretty good). The peak for color in our area is a bit late this year. Came back into Floyd County, Virginia, to visit with Barbara’s best friend ‘forever’ and her husband. These two girls were in pre-school Sunday school together and were then classmates throughout primary, elementary, junior high and high school and then were classmates and suitemates at Radford, and finally were maids of honor in their respective weddings several weeks apart in 1966! So, it is good for us to let them get together occasionally! So, on this sojourn we came back to Luray for two nights and then just got back to Kilmarnock last evening. It’s time to stay home for a while.” On Larry Umberger’s celebration of 50 years: “In February, Fi and I began the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. Our son and family put together a surprise celebration party about a month later, and then we took a trip to Alaska as our final celebration event the first of August. Some 2017-Issue 1

friends, who were in our church in the 1970s and have lived in Alaska for over 30 years, were our tour guides to see the area north and south of Anchorage. It is a beautiful and rugged state with an interesting history. We saw some wildlife during our travels to include whale and harbor seals, and we had opportunity to learn from some native Alaskans. We hiked some trails and saw the salmon fighting their way upstream to lay eggs and die. God’s creation is so varied and interesting. Unfortunately, Mount McKinley (now known as Denali) was socked in all the time that we were there. We do recommend a trip to Alaska! We plan to join Ken Jordan and his friend, Liz, along with Bob and Becky Semple at the Wofford College football game. Thanks for all you do, Mickey!” My roomie, Dave Thompson, is updating us with the recovery effort he has been through. “Alas, poor Finn, once again calling through the wilderness for words, any words, from rat brothers. I wish him well in his endeavors and strive to assist him as best I can. So, in answer to his call, here is a feeble attempt to provide some fodder for his effort. I can’t remember where I left off on my journey, so if I repeat myself, just chalk it up to age. “We moved back into the house in June. Things are still a mess with boxes cluttering the dining and living rooms, plus a garagesized storage unit full of stuff. I have become a minimalist, but my daughters refuse to let go of a lot of stuff. As a result, I am constantly berated because I’ve thrown out something valuable. Maybe valuable should be in quotes, as the value of stuff is strictly in the eye of the beholder. “One thing I do know for sure is that once you move everything out of your house and put it in storage for nine months, you have a heck of a time trying to remember where it came from, why you ever needed it and deciding where in the hell you are going to put it now. Sort of like putting toothpaste back into the tube. Personally, I’d like to downsize, but my daughters insist on same size. “I’ve been writing a little more poetry and trying to complete a novel. Maybe when I die I’ll be famous. I find the poetry provides me opportunity for some emotional release. Other than that, I satisfy myself with going to the

YMCA as much as possible and my knees and back will tolerate. Who stole my youth? “I see we are ‘friends’ on Facebook, but I never see anything you’ve posted. Probably just as well, as Facebook seems to have become an outlet for political opinions and drivel. (There are exceptions. The VMI 65 page is active thanks to Joe Straub and frequent input from other members of our class.) “Hurricane Matthew blew through but didn’t drop a lot of rain. I think we were fortunate compared to last October. The critter cover on my chimney blew off, and I had to have it reinstalled. I had USAA come out and inspect my roof for wind damage, but they couldn’t find any. I’ll take small blessings wherever I get them. “I hope to do some traveling after the first of the year; at least as much as my budget will allow. It is not well for a man to contemplate his navel and the fate of the universe for extended periods of time. “I hope you enjoy Thanksgiving. Christmas this year will be different around here, and I have tried not to think too hard about it. Jewel loved Christmas and everything that goes with it. Yep, gonna be different. And just so you know, I can’t read ‘Not Over It’ without shedding tears. I hope this finds all of you well and still on dry ground. Take care.” It is a new year as you read this first issue, but at the time it was written, it was with great turmoil not only with the election (Jane and I were early voters) but with the uncertainty of the world we live in. There are few things we can be certain about. Our God being the primary but also on the short list is the strength of how we feel about our brother rats, the VMI Class of ’65! ’65! ’65!

1966

Nick Hoskot

By the time you read these words, the 2016 Christmas and New Year holidays will have passed into history, with those memories joining earlier versions of other year-end events. These class notes can only be as interesting, informative and fun 75

Class Notes to read as you make them ... since yours number of law degrees. Jim is also compil- those two were on their way to Lexington. truly relies on each of you to provide the ing a list of those who went on to become Charlie is also working on the formation of tidbits that fill up this space. (I have been “highly successful” in civilian life. Should his newest alumni chapter in eastern North told that “creating filler information” is the you have any questions, please contact Jim Carolina. If you would be interested in assisting Charlie, you may contact him at clleast preferred method of keeping the class directly at keydetman@aol.com. On Nov. 2-3, 2016, VMI’s seventh Annual ramsburg@gmail.com. informed). So, if you could provide me Terry Crump responded to my email plea with “fodder” for these notes by sending Leadership and Ethics Conference was held along news of gatherings of brother rats, at the Institute, featuring James A. Baker of last October with the following inforindividual inputs about your worldwide as the keynote speaker. Secretary Baker mation. He had just returned from taking travels, family happenings, awards and was also awarded VMI’s Harry F. Byrd ’35 his 5-year-old grandson to his second VMI accomplishments you have attained, etc., Public Service Award. Brother Rats Dick football game. Grandson is 2-0 in games I would be immensely grateful. To keep Goodall and John Jumper were panelists he has attended. Keep taking him along to these notes as current as possible, your in- on two panels held during period III of that the games, Terry! Also in attendance were puts should reach me via your preferred conference: “Forging Strategic Vision and Cliff Martin, Paul Robblee and Woody method of communication (see above for Grand Strategy in an Age of Disruption.” Sadler. Terry shared one of those “small snail mail, email and text messages) by one Dick’s comment: “We know Jumper will world” experiences we have from time to of these dates: Feb. 8, May 8, Aug. 8 and be interesting; perhaps it would be best if I time. They were on a cruise ship last summer, between Iceland and NorOct. 24. way, when a guy came on deck The following information is with a VMI shirt on: Joe Kruszeprovided from the most recent wski ’65, the former captain of U.S. News & World Report about the basketball team. Small world, college rankings: VMI is ranked indeed! 72nd among National Liberal The Atlanta area lost Spence Arts Colleges; third in best value Wilkinson to Orlando and Paul and 59th in high school counRobblee to Lexington. selor rankings. Total student Bill and Gin Edmonds and body was reported as 1,717 caJim Broman attended the interndets with a student-faculty ratio ment service for Pete Vanags in of 11:1 and with 68 percent of mid-September at the National the classes with 20 cadets or less. Cemetery of the Alleghenies in New Cadet Recruiting events are held in multiple locations during Class of 1966: Bo Savage ’63; his rat dyke, Cliff Martin; Ray the Pittsburg area. Sandy Vanags Melton; and G.P. Michael enjoyed storytelling at the VMI verthe fall and winter months, with sus University of Tennessee at Chattanooga pregame tailgate. hosted everyone to a late lunch after the service. events scheduled in Philadelphia, Cliff and Ray flew in from Virginia like they did two years ago. Dale Saville noted that he and Pennsylvania, Jan. 17; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jan. 18; and Parsip- just yielded him my time. Still working full Kay had visited “The Peace Palace” while pany, New Jersey, Jan. 19, 2017. If you feel time, and life is good.” I’m sure these two in The Hague, The Netherlands, in September of last year. so inclined, contact your local chapter and dynamos enlightened those in attendance! Tom Evans posted his final installment volunteer to assist with upcoming events. News received from Charlie Ramsburg, Jim Pauls provided the following bot- now serving his sixth year as the regional for the fall 2016 climbing season for his El tom line information regarding our class by director for North Carolina and South Cap photos and reports in late October and culling information from our 50th Reunion Carolina with the VMI Alumni Associa- then departed on a cruise Nov. 10, an auspacket and the most recent VMI Register. tion. Brother Rat Parky Parkman has been picious date in U.S. history (at least for the Here is some raw data about the Class of attending the Central North Carolina/Ra- U.S. Marine Corps). A reminder: If you move, change email 1966: 358 matriculated and 256 graduated. leigh Old Corps (senior alumni) monthly Of the matriculants, 62 are now deceased. breakfasts that the local alumni chapter providers or get a new telephonic contact Of the graduates, 36 are now deceased. has been hosting organized by Bill Gibson number, would you please update me and/ Five brother rats became general officers, ’65. In early August, Charlie was joined by or the Alumni Association? I use it only to including both our brother rats from Thai- Marshal and Kathleen Taylor and Jim and be able to keep brother rats in touch with land; 16 became colonels (O-6s for you Judith Upton at the eastern North Carolina one another, and since the 50th Reunion, I non-Marines); 25 have been awarded doc- rat send-off in Williamston, North Caroli- have had several requests from our brother torates: nine M.D.s, three dentists, seven na. And in early October, he and Gail had a rats wanting to contact another BR to rePh.Ds and an as of yet to be determined nice visit with Frank and Carey Louthan as establish their relationship. 76

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Finally, as I mentioned this in our last notes, the efforts of so many of you contributed immeasurably to the success of the 50th Reunion, you were able to contact so many BRs who had “dropped out of sight” over the years, perhaps you would consider becoming front-line reporters by using those in your network for providing more information to me to use. A larger net catches more BR news! Thanks.

1967

Jan Abernathy

Hello to all of the Class of 1967. This issue of the Alumni Review is the last one you will receive before our reunion, April 26-30, 2017. The deadline for the May issue is Feb. 15, and generally the second 2017 issue will arrive in early May – just after our 50th. So, this is just a “last minute” reminder to check your schedule and pack your bags. If you don’t have your registration and hotel room finalized, time is running out. On the last day in August, I had a long conversation with Bill Kiniry. His emails had been bouncing back (none of the three addresses in the files worked), and his home phone was “no longer in service.” In my experience, these things are generally not good signs. But I finally left enough voice messages with his business numbers that he was able to reach me with a call. The man is really busy and has offices in Richmond and Williamsburg. He spends a lot of time in his car up and down eastern Virginia supervising real estate projects. I wanted to check with Bill to see how his son, Spencer, was doing at St. Andrews University in Scotland. Spencer graduated and has been working in micro finance in Kenya. His efforts have earned him a scholarship for a two-year master’s program at the University for International Development in Geneva. Once the master’s is completed, he has been approached to transfer his talents to open a new office for his employer. He will certainly have other opportunities to explore at that time. Page was in Switzerland helping 2017-Issue 1

Class of 1967: John Shea and Randy Heneberger beside John’s boat in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Class of 1967: Mel Wright’s daughter, Kim Sebrell, with the VMI ring she found in the used car she bought.

young Spencer get settled. I hope I got all of this correct, as Bill was on his cell and driving, and my headset was not working at its best. To be sure I did transcribe my scribbled notes, I sent a copy to Bill, and he added the following about his other two sons. His oldest son, Christian, is also in the real estate business. He recently developed, along with Ted Ukrop, an art hotel called QUIRK in downtown Richmond and is beginning a new one in Charlottesville. “He and I were recently in Charlottesville to attend Human/ Ties celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Humanities. While there, Christian and I spent some time with Liam, the youngest brother, who is a third year man at the University of Virginia Architecture School.” In the last issue, I said Joan and I were in Colorado in August for her high school reunion. She and other students from different classes come from all over meet periodically in different cities, as going back to Iran is not a possibility. One of the things on my list of places to visit was the U.S. Air Force Academy. The rest of the story: While we were walking across one of the many expansive concrete yards (I was wearing a VMI ball cap and one of our VMI reunion shirts), we were greeted by a young man with, “Hello VMI!” He turned out to be Paul Quinston

Piper ’01, who was a member of the first pipe band. His name belies the fact that he was a highland snare drummer and the first African-American heritage member of the VMI Pipes and Drums. He left VMI after two years and enlisted and is now a U.S. Air Force master sergeant instructor at the academy. He and his wife have two youngsters. We had a great time catching up. Fred and Judy Smith seem to stay on the road in their 40-foot-long RV towed by a monster pickup truck. I think I recall Fred telling me – maybe published in a previous set of notes – that he and Judy had to use walkie-talkies when she stood outside to guide his efforts backing up the “land yacht.” “Jan, we drove up with our fifth wheel trailer and came across on the ferry. We’re with about 20 other RVers traveling with Adventure Caravan, our tour group. It’s a 30-day tour, with most of the tour in Newfoundland. Having a ball and seeing a lot of wonderful scenery. We took a ranger guided hike in the Tableland section of Gros Morne national park in Newfoundland. A very interesting section where the earth’s magma, molten thick lava, was thrown up mountainsize. It is so toxic with heavy metals, iron, magnesium, nickel, etc. that very few plants will grow on it.” Wayne McDermott: “For class notes, if 77

Class Notes you think others would be interested. I reunited with 1st Class roommate Skip Hathaway; when he heard about my multiple myeloma, he contacted me, and the reunion has been great. We usually have a barbecue lunch together once a month. Skip is a southern Baptist minister and is an inspiration to me; he has such a positive attitude and is a great listener. Also, Skip can still tell life stories that are captivating. Skip’s son is also a southern Baptist minister. Since I cannot take any long vacations or trips – chemo two days per week with three weeks per 28 day cycle – Barbara and I purchased a condo in the Outer Banks (Kill Devil Hills). We will always welcome any BRs who need a day or two at the beach. We are usually there one week a month. Very respectively, Wayne ‘Chemo Brain’ McDermott.” I will add that, through his health challenges, Wayne attributes his continuing recovery to “faith, a super human caregiver (wife Barbara), solid friendships, glass 90 percent full attitude and excellent medical care.” Chuck Keblusek said Ginny had her first knee replacement (yes, the second one is in the planning stage) and has experienced a lot of discomfort. Bob Randolph sent her a long list of encouragements and suggestions

as to how to mitigate her pain. Bob himself recently had a knee replacement and spoke with experience. “As Ginny found out, once the new knee begins to heal, one becomes more conscious of the infirmities in the other knee; especially since you are putting more pressure, weight and stress on the old knee as the new knee heals. One of the tricks for minimizing back and ‘old knee pain’ is to avoid limping and to consciously stride as much as possible with the new knee (in fact, both knees) with the heel-to-toe stride, pushing off with new knee toe as one steps forward with the old knee (and vice versa). I have learned so much about ‘rehabbing,’ especially about what not to do during rehab, that I can’t wait until January 2017 when I will have the left knee ‘fixed.’ With the benefit of experience, I hope that I will be able to cut the rehab period in half. Well, here’s hoping to continued recoveries for us both.” Ginny is still recovering, and Chuck said she is a fighter. Ginny also lost both parents within a month of each other last summer while she was recovering from her surgery. John Shea: “Hi, Jan. Peggy and I just enjoyed a nice two-day visit with Randy Heneberger and his friend, Kathy. They were on a tour of folks in Pennsylvania;

Class of 1967: Class of 1967 players at Pinehurst were, from left, standing, George Sanborn, Tom Gillette, Barry Hedquist, Ruben Terry, Carter Melton, Dave Fink, David Wilkinson, Dave Neel, Kip Jones, John Vaughn, Kermit Quick, Rick Irby and Mike Bagnulo. Kneeling: Robert Klink, Ted Mervosh, Bruce Weiner, Tex Young, Jim Phlegar, Lane Kelly and Jamie Hannah. 78

Salem, Massachusetts, and stopped off to enjoy the cape before heading back south. It was good to renew friendship and show them some of the local attractions. The weather cooperated and we were able to use the boat and cruise down to Hyannis, dock, have lunch and show them the Kennedy Compound. Hope all is well with the Class of ’67. Randy is detailed to send along some photos of our time together. Hope to be able to reunite in April. John.” Randy sent a couple of photos that show them standing in front of John’s sailboat that was sporting a VMI flag, and one should be in these pages. Tom Rhodes (message sent to me by a family member): This story is a repeat from an email as there are some 60 or so BRs who do not have or share an email address. Tom B. Rhodes Jr. placed second in the National Aerobatics Championship in Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 29. An anonymous family member said, “We’re really proud of him, and I would really appreciate it if you could please include in the VMI notes. Thanks so much, and please let me know if you need any additional information. P.S. Attached is a picture of my father in his French-built CAP 232.” Thomas Rhodes ’00 (Whoops and my delete button is stuck...stuck...) but glad to hear a young man so pleased to honor his dad. George Sanborn: “Jan, I know that this looks like the 2016 U.S. golf team for the summer Rio Olympics, but actually it is the VMI ’67 group that goes to Pinehurst every summer. The players are, standing, from left to right, George Sanborn, Tom Gillette, Barry Hedquist, Ruben Terry, Carter Melton, Dave Fink, David Wilkinson, Dave Neel, Kip Jones, John Vaughn, Kermit Quick, Rick Irby and Mike Bagnulo. Kneeling, from left to right, Robert Klink, Ted Mervosh, Bruce Weiner, Tex Young, Jim Phlegar, Lane Kelly and Jamie Hannah. This is the largest group that we have ever had. None of the original four of us can remember what year we started this, but our guess is 21 years ago. George.” The weekend to honor the service of Bob and Carol was truly great. The camaraderie and stories that flew around starting Thursday evening as most BRs arrived even included some I had never heard before VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes – many unprintable here. However, I can may wish to pass on to BRs about future “My daughter called today, because in her add these with names left out so as to avoid stays at the Natural Bridge Hotel: The desk new used car she found a VMI ring belongany embarrassment: One BR showed up a crew only told me as we were leaving that ing to Henry Amato ’89, who I find is deweek early, Friday the 7th, and then called you should have your phone on airplane ceased. I am sure the email address for the Jimmy to ask where we all were during the mode at NB, otherwise it will drain you cell- military is shut down. Can you find a family address so we can forward it to them? parade. Another arrived at the airport only phone battery very quickly (it did). Mel.” Mel.” The story goes on to say that when Ken Chun sent a 45th Reunion photo of to find his tickets were for the 20th and not the 13th. The cost to reschedule at the last himself with Dave Veasey, Ski Waskiewicz checking further, it turns out that Hank is minute was prohibitive, but he sent his best and Ray Irvine with a note saying they had alive and well and has been wondering why his Alumni Review was not getcongratulations, which I passed ting to him. The ring and owner on to Bob and Carol. We may have been safely reunited. have pretty much all had similar John and Annette Horner: experiences if we are willing to “My update this time is about my admit our foibles. daughter, Major Rachel Landsee, There were some 45 BRs and and her husband, Adam, both nearly as many ladies in addiveterans, who have settled in Richtion to many guests including mond, at least for now. I am enGen. John Jumper ’66, the forclosing a recent photo taken with mer chief of the U.S. Air Force. Rachel, who served on active The first BR we saw in the parkduty for eight years in the Army ing lot at the Natural Bridge as a JAG officer and remains in Hotel was Chuck Keblusek. In the reserve. Her husband Adam a few minutes, Mike and Lisa Ingelido rolled in after driving Class of 1967: Tom B. Rhodes Jr. placed second in the National served 10 years as a Special in from Colorado in a new white Aerobatics Championship in Sherman, Texas, in his French-built Forces officer, and is now in his third year of medical school at Corvette. Then Ted and Carole CAP 232 in September. Virginia Commonwealth UniMervosh arrived, and we had versity. Rachel is executive direca mini reunion in the driveway. tor of the Mighty Pen Project, a Those flying in included Suzy writing organization that gives and Tom Rhodes from Texas and guidance and support to veterRichard Stanard from the west ans and veterans’ supporters who coast of Florida. Richard drove wish to write stories about their from Florida to Atlanta to catch time of service. Because many a flight to Roanoke, as there are of these stories have significant few ways to fly from Homosassa, historical or artistic value, the Florida, to Roanoke. Wiley and project has created a website, Bambi McIlwrath drove from www.themightypenproject.org, Florida. While it is not possible and a printed journal to preserve for me to remember and recogand broadly share this growing nize everyone there, I was especially pleased to see Gene Potter Class of 1967: John Horner and his daughter, Maj. Rachel Land- body of material. You can read and Don Jones at the parade and see, who is executive director for the Mighty Pen Project, a selected works, sign up for fudinner Friday – the first time we Richmond-based writing program begun in partnership with ture workshop sessions, submit the Virginia War Memorial to record veteran stories about their your own writing to be reviewed were together in many years. service in Vietnam. for future publication or find The Class of 1967 has some great Brother Rats and family members, not changed much from the photo of them in out more about the project. Many of the and if you were unable to share in this the Rat Line. The original was clear enough project’s classes and events are held at the weekend celebration, I truly hope your to use, except the Confederate battle flag is Virginia War Memorial, where the direcplans for our reunion for April 26-30, 2017, not acceptable for the AR publication. The tor is another VMI alumnus, Doctor Clay are in order. A special thanks to Mike Inge- new photo is too hazy to use, also, so I hope Mountcastle ’94.” A note from Dave Bristow said he anyou saw it when I put it out in an email. lido for coordinating the dinner. Mel Wright’s daughter, Kim Sebrell, had ticipates retiring next year: “I’ll be looking Mel Weight added a couple of thoughts: “A great time it was! Information that you a most unusual experience this summer. for coastal property in Virginia, probably 2017-Issue 1

Class Notes Middlesex, Mathews or Gloucester. Possibly fully retire next summer and move to Virginia.” Harley Duane is just one of many BRs anxious to get into the reunion spirit. This message came in mid-September long before many details came from the reunion committee: “Jan, my wife, Laurie, and I intend to attend the 50th. For your information, we are still working on what we intend to do regarding a contribution. We have already booked a room. I have had five surgeries in the last 18 months but will be raring to go this coming April. My son is a Class of ’08 VMI grad, having gone to VMI on a football scholarship. Thank you for all of your good work. Harley.” I began this set of notes suggesting that you make final preparations for your travels to our 50th Reunion April 26-30, 2017. Don’t forget to include your stories and barracks memories, as you will surely need them to fully enjoy this momentous event. Safe travel wishes to all.

1968

Tom Hickey

November 2016 Howard Chapman (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina): “Since April, I have had my left hip replaced, and thank the good Lord, things have gone remarkably well. Three-and-a-half months out, and I am almost back to normal, including some light jogging and golf. Wish I had done this sooner, but I was stubborn. I am serving as chairman on the Mount Pleasant Planning Commission for the next year. We are the ninth fastest growing city in the country, and our agendas show it. Also, I am now a major in the State Guard Engineering Command. We’re currently (Aug. 16) watching three storms out in the Atlantic. I hope we won’t be asked to respond any time soon. I still have my season tickets to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks and will be in Nashville for the season opener against Vanderbilt. It should be a good game on national television Sept. 1. Regards to all brother rats and condolences to all the new rats that started last week.” Wayne Burton (Kingsland, Georgia): “This has been a long summer. My wife, Carole, was

diagnosed with uterine cancer May 5. Had surgery May 9 followed by chemotherapy through September. She will have an evaluation in late September to see where she is. Carole and I were planning to go to The Citadel game and join Lou and Joyce Yeouze (Peachtree City, Georgia) at VMI in November, but Carole is still taking chemotherapy and may not be well enough to travel by then. Both George and Norma Buzzard (Waynesboro, Virginia) and Lou and Joyce have visited us in south Georgia. Lou hosted us at his home when we evacuated south Georgia for Hurricane Mathew. Now we’re looking forward to visits with family and friends. We ask for your prayers.” In late October, Wayne added, “On a happier note, after Carole was given a cancer-free diagnosis, our son, Craig, flew in from Los Angeles for her birthday with our 5-month-old grandson. She knew Craig was coming, but not Max. Fantastic surprise. We hope to be well enough to travel to California for Christmas.” Pete Farmer (Edmonds, Washington): “Being head of the Pacific Northwest Chapter VMIAA gives me the opportunity to see BRs as well as other alum. Larry and Lynn Stetson (Tacoma, Washington) and Larry Ryan (Coupeville, Washington) joined me at our New Market social. Larry is relocating from Naval Station Whidbey Island, Washington, to Crete in October. Lynn and Larry Stetson and Herb Brasington (Portland, Oregon) attended the family picnic and rat send-off in July. Our son, Kyle ’13, also attended both events. Kyle is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord as an infantry first lieutenant in a recon company. He’ll be attending the three-week Special Forces Assessment course in January. Bob and Lissa McDowell (Friday Harbor, Washington) hosted a 70th birthday party for me Aug. 30 at their home on San Juan Island, Washington. Skip, one of my roommates, and Kay Roberts (Lexington, Virginia) drove all the way from Lexington to join in the celebration. (They had a long layover in Idaho to visit their daughter Sarah’s family.) Finally, Patty just joined me in retirement. We are healthy and have no grandchildren, so we plan on renting an apartment in Rome for all of 2017; we’ve been before, but this will be quite an adventure.” Gil Piddington (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania): “Tracey and I have been through the wars during the past year, but we are almost

healthy again. Tracey ruptured her Achilles tendon playing tennis and then was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. The tendon is healed and almost back to normal. She has had four chemo treatments with two more to go, but the great news is that her last PET scan shows her to be cancer free. A year ago, I had surgery on two massively torn right shoulder rotator cuff tendons, and next week I will have surgery on partially torn tendons in my left shoulder. Hopefully, we will be finished with all this by next summer. Despite all this, Tracey had a surprise 70th birthday (I was completely surprised!) party for me in August, attended by about 75 friends. The biggest surprise came in the form of John and Cindy Crim (Dayton, Virginia), Dave and Jean Clark (Doswell, Virginia), Frank Pinizzotto (Ladson, South Carolina), and Clay and Donna Thompson (Salisbury, Maryland). Some of them will be back to stay with us and head up to the VMI versus Bucknell game in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.” Mike Malone (Bonsall, California): “Most of us probably couldn’t even conceive of living to 70 when we were cadets. But, here it is. Fortunately, my health is still good, and I’m still active as a part-time consulting engineer – although, sometimes it feels more like fulltime (or more)! I waited to reach 70 to start my Social Security payments, as well. From a cash flow perspective, it has worked out very well.” Chandler Williams (Midlothian, Virginia) (regarding his birthday): “Yes, many in our class joined or will join the septuagenarian club this year. Guess we’ll find out how young the 70s feel. We are the quintessential Baby Boomers ... born in ’46 and finished high school in ’64. We have driven the American economy since the year we were born, and we’re still driving it! “To commemorate my 70th birthday, our children decided to forgo the traditional threeday gathering of our family at Wintergreen Resort this summer and do a three-day day canoe/ camp flotilla together for all to celebrate. We had 24 adults and 13 children, which included my brother, Randolph ’66, as well as his family, my family, our extended family and friends. Other VMI alumni present were cousin Gray Chandler ’70 and nephew Dan Williams ’95. Canoeing and camping has been part of our children’s lives since they were kids, and they wanted everyone to have the experience with

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes also hope to make it to Lexington three generations as a family. It was more often for VMI events. a hoot, particularly with 13 kids “Our two daughters are doing ages 4 to 11. We used a campsite well. Aimee and her husband, Sean, of friends on the James River near live in Winter Park, Florida. Kara Bent Creek, which is just north of and her boyfriend, Pete, just moved Appomattox.” from downtown Manhattan to JerJim Burg (Prescott Valley, Arisey City. Interestingly, their comzona): “My family and I are well mutes to work in the city are actufollowing a few bumps in the road. ally quicker than when they lived in I haven’t heard from anyone other the city. I don’t know all the details, than an occasional forward from Bob Waldron (El Paso, Texas) and but it has to do with the PATH and Bob Schmalzriedt (Marietta, Geornorth-south versus east-west travel within Manhattan. gia), my roomie. Life goes on as a “One other thing – I hiked the helpful volunteer at the Veterans Affairs hospital. My wife started her Class of 1968: Pictured in Seattle, Washington, Aug. 30, 2016, Grand Canyon again this year and own business, Sharon’s Treasure for Pete Farmer’s birthday party were, from left, Skip and Kay am planning a rim to rim hike for Roberts, Pete and Patty Farmer, and Lissa and Bob McDowell. spring 2018. All brother rats are Chest and Boutique, in Prescott Valinvited for the 2018 hike. Let me ley, Arizona, and is doing very niceknow if you’d like to join me.” ly. After 25 years as a floral designer, Ned Harris (Ipswich, Massachushe wanted to turn her talents elsesetts): “We’re both fine here in Ipwhere and is very happy creating swich, Massachusetts. Cornelia has and designing items for resale.” become very interested in golf and Kitty Squires (Henrico, Virginia): “I have much to be grateful for; is taking lessons. Me, I do a lot of mostly good health, and I keep reading. Hopefully we’ll be headed busy with friends and relatives in down to Phoenix by late October the area. I guess you noticed that for the winter months, where I walk John VanLandingham’s (Eugene, daily in South Mountain Park, then Oregon) birthday is the same day as back here next May.” George’s. They always enjoyed that In case you missed my Facebook fact. Of course, they knew each othpost in October 2016, or you didn’t open the letters you’ve received er during their VMI days but didn’t from the Institute in recent months, become good friends until after their time at the Institute. Since George’s Class of 1968: Bogart Holland and Jim Henry’s son, J.P. Henry, our 50th Reunion will be held April 27-28, 2018. Please put it on your death, John and his lovely wife, with a limit of ducks in Saskatchewan. calendar. I hope everyone plans to Martha, have kept in touch with attend. More to follow. George’s sister, her husband and me, often vis“Two years ago, Donna and I bought a house iting with us when they come to Petersburg to in the historic district of Abingdon, Virginia. see John’s relatives. That means a lot to me.” It’s located at the Abingdon trail head of the Joe LeVine (Abingdon, Virginia): “I hate to 34-mile-long Virginia Creeper National Recadmit it, but I still haven’t figured out how to reational Trail www.vacreepertrail.com and Walter Judd retire. I was supposed to retire last Dec. 31, within walking distance of the Barter Theatre then June 30, then Sept. 30. As I write this, I’m (‘The State Theatre of Virginia’) www.barter. on my way to Europe on another business trip. com, the historic downtown and several very My new retirement target is Dec. 31, 2016. I nice restaurants. All we need to complete the Greetings, Brother Rats and other persons really think I’ll make it this time. I’ve already plan is for me to retire the end of this year. relinquished all responsibilities for the U.S. Three more trips to Europe should make this interested in one of VMI’s most illustrious portions of the business and am now workpossible. We have a separate guesthouse on the classes. Fall came to eastern Virginia this year ing on my last project, turnover of European property and bikes on which to ride the trail. with a bang, as Hurricane Matthew blew in a lot responsibilities. Donna insists that I retire the Donna and I would very much like brother rats of rain and cooler weather Sept. 8, 2016. Our end of this year and has threatened me with visit us so we can show you the historic town friends in the coastal regions of the deep South drastic action if I don’t. of Abingdon and catch up on old times. We got the worst of this year’s major weather event.

1969

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Class Notes

Class of 1969: Moe with the class’ year on his jersey at the football game Oct. 8. First, we must report that Ralph Wright, basketball player at VMI, died in mid-October. Ralph had been fighting cancer for several months and had entered hospice in the last few weeks. Ralph’s wife, Mary Alice, was with him when he died. As many of the BRs in Lexington and Roanoke area had been checking on and visiting him, they were the first to hear the news and to express what a fine man he was. “Ralph David Wright, 69, of Lexington died after a long illness Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at The Mayflower. He was born March 31, 1947, in Grantsburg, Indiana. Mr. Wright served his country in Vietnam in the United States Army. Ralph retired from law enforcement after 41 years of service. In addition to his parents, he left his wife of 46 years, Mary Alice Chittum Wright; two children; and five grandchildren. Memorial contributions in Mr. Wright’s memory may be made to the VMI Keydet Club, Gary McPherson Scholarship Fund, or to a charity of choice.” Gary was Ralph’s coach at VMI and has been honored recently. August was a busy month for social interaction among BRs from the class. On the 17th, several of us gathered at the Virginia War Memorial Foundation’s Leadership in America Speaker Series to hear Gen. John Jumper’s ’66 view of world events. His talk was really a conversation with assembled BRs, friends and fellow former military leaders and was entitled, “Our Nation: Retreating Isolation or Global Policy Leader.” Others from

the Class of ’66 attending were Rich Atlee ’66, Tom Slater ’66, Herb Chittum ’66 and Joe Dictor ’66. Class of ’69 BRs included Judge Val and Lorie Southall; Dr. Charlie and Cammy Bryan; John and Jane Ishon (once Cadet Jumper’s dyke); Spunky Butler; Bruce and Sherry Gregory; Pat Branch; Mike Santoro with his son-in-law; Bobby and Elizabeth Watts; and me with my brother-inlaw, G.T. Tucker (University of Richmond ’65). Other notable VMI grads included Brig. Gen. Jack Mountcastle ’65 and his son, Clay ’94, both historians and friends of the VWM. I counted six or eight general officers in the crowd and noted at least three were Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University grads. General Jumper ’66 surprised no one in saying the United States needed to act with integrity and enough force to make adversaries pay attention. After identifying the largest threats to America, he talked about setting credible “lines in the sand” and following up when others elected not to honor them. Charlie Bryan threw out the first pitch at a Triple-A baseball game in Richmond in late August as the representative for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Parkinson’s cure unit. Checks were presented to the unit, and a great time was had by all. Charlie and friends met the challenge years ago to raise enough money to get the unit started, and now there are many successes promoted by the unit and its doctors and researchers. Charlie is living proof of the advancement of technology in medical science. In mid-August, he reported his deep brain stimulation surgery worked very well,

and he was progressing in life with fewer movement issues. He will be taking fewer meds and expects to walk better than before the surgery. I think we can all say a prayer for present status and another for continued good health for Charlie. Frank Novakowski started out the school year at Davenport University by winning recognition as the Tyrus R. Wessel Award winner. Frank has been a faculty member for 15 years in the Donald W. Maine College of Business and has served as business department coordinator, associate dean and faculty member. Considered Davenport’s most prestigious honor, the Tyrus R. Wessell Award recognizes exemplary commitment to the University’s cultural values, as well as contributions positively impacting the DU community – especially the students. Recipients of this award reflect the values and service demonstrated by Tyrus R. Wessell, longtime faculty member and university administrator. Way to go, BR! You earned the award the hard way: Through service and great attitude. The Class of 1969’s “69th birthday party” in Richmond was a great success and a lot of fun. Eighty-nine BRs and guests attended the dress-up party at the Jefferson Hotel in late August. Tom Buckner got in early and played golf with Pat Branch and Dick Jeter Saturday morning. Mike Santoro and one of his veteran guides led a group of several BRs and friends on a tour of the Virginia War Memorial before he raced off for the allimportant granddaughter’s fourth birthday party. As several couples and individuals had traveled

Class of 1969: Members of the Classes of ’68, ’69 and ’70 who played in the Two Bellies Invitational golf tournament Oct. 7 at the Petersburg Country Club. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes with the Hudsons and was greeted by many good Bob Flowers won the regular edition of the from afar to Richmond for the party, the Jefferson’s beautiful bar and elegant sitting areas were friends of hers and Bill’s. Spunky suffered a mild Two Bellies Invitational Oct. 7 at the Petersburg busy from early afternoon on with conversations heart attack just before the event and was unable Country Club with a very respectable six under and “remember whens.” Those of us who stayed to attend. Clint and Catherine Spencer and Mike par score. Other competitors included Bob Heely, Gary Mackey, Lee Barnes, Bruce Gregory, Tom at the hotel got a discounted rate and enjoyed the and Leigh Harper had made all arrangements to Morris, Dick Jeter, Pat Branch, Ned Caldwell, truly beautiful rooms/suites – a live orchid in the attend but had to drop out at the last moment due to family situations. T.B. Thompson, Ken Fleming, Larry Seekford, entrance area, TV in the bathroom as part of a While many members of the class were in and Knox Hubard. Waite Rawls ’70 and Stuart large mirror, excellent coffee making machine and stocked bar refrigerator, and finest quality linens Richmond partying, Paul and Becky Mascot Cottrell ’70 joined Dick Wise ’68 and Howard and furniture. And then the party was terrific. and Dave and Darlene Couch went on a cruise. Donald ’68 for a team. Spunky Butler and Bob Bruce Gregory arranged a large screen monitor Everything was good until Becky rented a bike Waldo were on the gim and did not play. The next day, I met golf champion Mike Sanwith rotating pictures from the ’69 Bomb. John in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and was involved in a Ishon planned the buffet meal, and Bob Heely crash. She received a concussion and numerous toro in Richmond and drove over to Lexington insisted on a birthday cake for the party. Charlie lacerations, broken facial bones and a shattered for the football game and the annual VMI Keydet Bryan gave a short speech on his impressions of a scapula. Rough going for a cruise event. After Club Scholarship Banquet. We drove through the “VMI man,” mostly from an article he rain until we approached the football had written for the Richmond newsstadium and met blustery but mostly dry conditions. At the pregame Keypaper some time before. Give Bunny Paulette, John Ishon, Bob Heely and det Club lunch tent, former Air Force Bruce Gregory credit for contacting weatherman Ron Wall checked his as many of you as they could find to sources and predicted no more rain invite you to the affair. Class Treasurer for the game. He was right. Ron and Jim Chapman and I monitored the fiDave Prugh sat outside in the wind and occasional mist the whole game, nances closely. while their wives sat inside and stayed Attendees to the party included warm and dry. Tom Catlett, John SeConor and Elizabeth Ashby, Pat and Tricia Branch, Drew and Carol brell and Bunny Paulette sat in their Brantley, Charlie and Cammy Brynormal seats and loved the spirited play by the football team. Mike and an, Tom and Karen Buckner, Ned Caldwell, Roger Call, Tommy and Class of 1969: At the Jonathan Daniels ’61 annual pilgrimage I moved around a little and watched Aug. 13, 2016, were, from left, Dr. Tom Jones, Bill Lee ’59, Mike Nancy Catlett, Richie and Elleanore Santoro, Dr. Mike Hanna and Charlie Hart (Washington and Lee mostly from the upper stands. Tommy came up to chat with Donnie White, Daub, Fred Downey, Joe and Michie University ’67). former athletic director and Hampton Flanz, Ken and Judy Fleming, Bob and Lynda Flowers, Bruce and Sherry Gregory, three nights in the emergency room on a gurney native, for part of the second half. We all enjoyed bed, she was transferred to Halifax for facial sur- the 37-7 score against East Tennessee State UniDavid Hagan, Chalk and Ione Hardy, and Webb Hatch. Also attending that evening were Bob and gery, then back home to Texas to recover. Recent versity, especially the two long catch and run Lush Heely; Sam and Lynette Higginbotham; updates on Becky show she is making progress in plays and one quick dive that went for a roughly Ken Houston; Tommy and Becky Hudson; John her recovery. 60-yard sprint to the end zone. and Jane Ishon; Dick Jeter; Tom and Elizabeth Larry Smith reported on Facebook that he was Later that evening, the couples Wall, Sebrell, Jones; my wife, Beverly, and me; Bob Ladd with selling his house in Texas and heading for new and Paulette and singles Santoro and Judd enhis date, Jane Fox; Joe and Pat Lynch; and Joe ground. Keep posted for the Smuff’s new com- joyed meeting our scholarship cadets and their Oliver. More attendees included Gary and Peggy munity. parents at the banquet at the gussied up mess hall. Mackey, Tom and Gail Morris, Thornton NewTom Jones invited BRs to join him at the an- Keith Gabriel ’12, former basketball player, was lon, T.O. and Arlene Palmer, Bunny and Carolyn nual pilgrimage Aug. 13 for Jon Daniels ’61 in the guest speaker, and he did a fine job. I saw him earlier and got to relate I had run into his father on Paulette, V.J. and Margi Petrella, WIP and BarbaAlabama. Mike Santoro and Mike Hanna joined ra Priest, Dave and Susan Prugh, John and Cindy other VMI men in this year’s celebration of the an American Airlines flight this summer. We both loved the informal contact made and the chance Robins; Mike and Martha Santoro; John and life of Daniels. Mike told me they were among to talk about VMI. Julia Sheely; Val and Lorie Southall, Bob Sparks, 200 people taking part in the ceremony. After flyI called David Couch to talk about Texas BRs. Geoff and Frances Taylor, Tommy Thompson, ing to Montgomery, Mike S. met Mike H. (who Jamie and Jodie Totten, Ron and Betsy Wall, lives in Alabama) and Tom Jones (who lives in He and his wife, Darlene, visited Louie and TomBob and Elizabeth Watts, Courtenay and Ellen Georgia) for a visit to Hayneville and Selma, Ala- mie Caudell in the greater Rockport, Texas, area Welton, Art Wilson, Dennis and Anne Witt, and bama, and a visit afterward to get caught up. recently and had a great visit. David also related John and Peggy Zunka. Betsy Blandford came Glenn White, Jim Baker, Mike Santoro and an earlier gathering with Paul and Becky Mascot

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Class Notes with BR Bill Sears and wife at dinner. Appears all are doing well in East Texas and laughed about their VMI experiences. Both Paul and Bill practice law in the northeast section of Texas, while Louie is fully retired these days. We continue now the recounting of the “FACs of ’69,” an article in several sections. We began last issue the stories told by and about Paul Curs, Don Mercer, Tom Reynolds and Lee Swats with an emphasis on how they interacted with BR Jack Kennedy while flying in Southeast Asia in the early 1970s. We now offer part two. “Call signs, like unit designators, were unique to the missions flown and the territory over which the pilots flew.” Paul reported, “Our sister squadron based at Da Nang, used the Covey 200 series call signs, while we at Pleiku used the 500 series.” The 200 series Coveys flew over Laos in the sector just north of that (the 500 series, which covered southern-most Laos). North of them were the Nail FACs out of a base in northeastern Thailand called NKP (short for Nakhon Phanom). And northernmost, in Laos, were the Ravens, who wore civilian clothes instead of flight suits. They wore civilian clothes but were not Air America. [Air America was a different operation out of the north-central Thai air base at Udon Thani. Pilots (independent contractors and U.S. military pilots) flying for Air America did not wear flight suits and were reputed to be working for the CIA. Check with Col. Wes Padgett ’68 if you need more information.] Both Tom and Jack mostly flew missions in central Republic of Vietnam and used the call sign, “Jake,” as they supported U.S. ground units almost every day. Tom also reported that when the FACs worked with an U.S. Tactical Air Control Posts, they carried call signs associated with the ground command post: “Bully,” “Lopez,” “Hammer” and “Trail.” When Don arrived in country, his knowledge of the French language got him into a unit supporting operations in Cambodia, where French was used by commanders and their airborne support FACs initially. Later, almost all missions were conducted in English. In highly classified operations (now declassified after many years), Don flew as a “Night Rustic” FAC out of Bien Hoa air base. The base was located in RVN, but the operations they supported were in Cambodia, a short hop west of the base. Call signs used by the ’69 FACs show quickly their areas of interest and the types of missions they flew. Paul: Covey 582 and Mike 14. Lee:

Covey 280 and Covey 49. Don: Rustic 41. Tom: Jake 25. Jack: Jake 23. Units’ Missions: Paul: To interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail [which was considered the life line of logistics for the NKA fighting in the RVN. It meandered along the borders of RVN, Laos and Cambodia with little respect for borders or politics associated with the countries in whose land it traversed] through Laos and Cambodia and destroy NVA [the acronym for North Vietnamese Army] trucks, truck parks, AAA batteries and to “cut” the trail. [AAA or Triple A, was the Anti-Aircraft Artillery used to discourage aircraft from flying near its location. Different varieties used against US aircraft included 23 millimeter (mm or “Mike Mike”), 37 mm and 50 mm caliber weapons. Don also reported avoiding a .51 (14.5 mm) caliber weapon.] Lee: from Saigon and Da Nang air bases to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail and other more southern inter-country supply routes. Tom and Jack: To support ground operations all over the interior and coasts of RVN. Don: To work exclusively with Cambodian Army and Navy forces all over their country to control nighttime close air support missions and to be a small airborne hub of communications between ground and air forces. [See “The Rustics, A Top Secret Air War in Cambodia,” 1999, written by several persons associated with the Rustic FAC Association.] Combat Missions. Paul said his first six months involved night interdiction missions over the southern Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. After six months, he volunteered to be a “Prairie Fire” FAC in support of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group [The SOG which conducted highly classified recon team action in North Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam. The book, “SOG,” by retired U.S. Army Maj. John Plaster, 1995, describes the missions. A second book, “Secret Commandos,” tells more of Maj. Plaster’s personal war as a three-combat-tour Green Beret officer.] Green Beret recon teams out of Kontum (CCC), an airfield north of Pleiku, and often used the Mike call sign. In that role, he supported SOG reconnaissance teams in Laos during daytime missions, often calling in and controlling airstrikes in very close proximity to the troops on the ground. Lee flew support of ARVN in the IV Corps area (the southern area of RVN) and controlled close air support missions assisting the

friendly forces on the ground. He was in country in 1972 when the NVA invaded the south and saw his mission change from interdiction to support of troops in action. Tom and Jack were the airborne eyes and ears for many ground operations over a busy area of RVN. Tom even got into action over the infamous A Shau Valley of “We Were Soldiers Once...” reflections. [“We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young,” Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway, 1992. Vietnam era reflections by noted Army warfighter.] From his base in southern RVN, Don flew his Cessna O-2A in night missions in support of Cambodian Army ground operations and often carried a passenger or co-operator with French language skills. He said day missions from his base were flown by pilots in OV-10s while the night flying – due to aircraft limitations – was done by pilots in the O-2As. Sorties/combat hours and combat awards. Tom: 256 sorties and 643 combat hours. Don: 213 sorties. Lee: 207 sorties and 800 combat hours. Paul: 242 sorties and 596 combat hours. Combat awards. Tom: Distinguished Flying Cross and nine Air Medals, from his RVN bosses: Cross of Gallantry with Palm, with Gold Star (last two from commanders of ARVN units). Don: Two DFCs and one Air Medal. Lee: Three DFCs and 13 Air Medals. Paul: Silver Star, DFC, nine Air Medals. [Since Don was flying in a top secret operation frequently outside of RVN, his Air Medals were limited by Air Force policy at the time for security reasons. Paul was awarded the Silver Star after a review of one of his two DFCs. That DFC was upgraded to the Silver Star in 1997 after participants in the previously classified operation recommended him for the higher recognition for valorous actions.] The awards and numbers don’t lie: These young men risked their lives many times and in many ways in aircraft not designed or equipped with weapons. Keep up the good work, BRs, in giving to the various VMI activities and the Foundation. Although Bunny has stepped down from his Keydet Club duties and Bob Heely has passed on the mantle of leadership of the Alumni Association, we are – as a class – still serving the Institute in various ways. Support VMI today and your gifts will count in our 50th Reunion gift in spring 2019. Yours in the spirit, Walt

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

1970

Warren Grasty

As these notes cover events from mid-August through October 2016, they include several notable events; namely, the 50th anniversary of our matriculation at VMI Sept. 8, our high school classes’ 50th reunions and Hurricane Matthew. Each event was traumatic in its own special way. Bob Quinlan made the trek all the way from Stony Brook, New York, on Long Island to be on post Sept. 8 to reminisce/exorcise memories of Matriculation Day 50 years ago. From the pictures he sent in, Bob seemed to be handling it about as well as could reasonably be expected. The 50th anniversary of the class of 1966 at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton, Virginia, in late September brought together Brother Rats Dave Pitman, whose wife was in this class, the long-lost Ron Seyford, Steve Talley, left coaster Gary Tyler and Jerry VanLear. Unfortunately, John Hall was unable to attend. Chip Humphrey, the class agent for the Randolph-Macon Academy’s class of 1966, reported from their 50th reunion in Front Royal in October that he had the pleasure of reconnecting with fellow RMA classmate Steve Friski. Russ and Elaine Marshall spearheaded organizing their Louisa County High School 50th reunion, which was huge success. Some of you may recall that their high school was destroyed in the 2011 earthquake, so reunion weekend events included a tour of the new high school that was dedicated in 2015. They enjoyed seeing and spending time with many brother rats at the Mercer University and Furman University football games in October. After Thanksgiving, they will fly to Brazil for a trip up the Amazon River. Russ said they spent about six weeks getting their shot records up to date for the trip. Stix and Nancy Chandler had the good fortune of attending his 50th reunion in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, while Hurricane Matthew was pounding the Jacksonville, Florida, area. Although he sent in a picture of him and the 70 other attendees, I have mercifully excluded it from my submission. Luckily, the only damage they received was to a skylight over their atrium, which

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was blown out and landed on their neighbor’s deck. Not a problem, as they usually have more damage than that at their annual oyster roast. Regarding Matthew, it unfortunately caused cancellation of the annual golf/football/pigout weekend at Charlie and Margaret Walker’s beach house in Corolla, North Carolina. After having had the first floor flooded about a month earlier, Matthew caused a second wave of gratuitous flooding. Also reporting some damage from Matthew was Scott Kinsey in Beaufort, South Carolina, but not nearly as much as some other people in the area experienced. A.C. Arnn checked in to say that they were pretty much spared any damage from Matthew in Blythewood, South Carolina. He and Beth were looking forward to their home being full over Thanksgiving, with son Patrick and family flying in from Alaska and daughter Sarah and family driving down from Burlington, North Carolina. At long last, A.C. is apparently actually plotting his path to retirement by the end of 2017, and he and Beth are beginning to eyeball property in the Burlington, North Carolina, area. They have made quite a few Tennessee home football games and planned on being in Lexington for The Citadel game Founders Day weekend. Meanwhile, from Virginia Beach, Dick and Dee Hamlet’s new home and their Nag’s Head beach house were unscathed by Matthew, but Dee’s sister’s home on 53rd and Atlantic was flooded. Recently Dick partnered with Jack “Tip” Palmer ’72, brother of T.O. Palmer ’69, to work with him on a four- to six-month construction project for the Veterans Affairs in West Virginia. It turns out that they were fraternity brothers in Pi Kappa Alpha while in grad school at Old Dominion University. This fall, Dee returned to her teaching position at Old Dominion where they eagerly await the football team’s sixth victory that will qualify them for selection to a bowl game. Dick also said he recently received a call from Roland Vaughan about a potential sub-contracting job in the Carolinas. The week after Matthew, Liz and I stopped by Goldsboro, North Carolina, to spend a great night with Lisa and George Ritko on our way to New Bern, North Carolina, for a week. Although they had received 14 inches of rain and lost power for a few days, their yard was completely drained by the time we arrived. However, their basement was still in the process of drying out. Enough about Matthew already. One of the

Class of 1970: Bob Quinlan celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1970’s matriculation on post Sept. 8, 2016.

Class of 1970: Harry Bare with Jeannie and Mike Carruth at Mount Rushmore in August. 85

Class Notes highlights of last October was the annual Key- those reported in attendance were Tommy son-in-law and grandchildren, and they were all very impressed, so there may be a couple of fudet Club dinner honoring our athletes and the Cooke, Ralph Costen, Paul Dickinson, Peel Dilalumni and friends of VMI who support them lard, Ted Durvin, Ned Haley, Burt MacKenzie, ture cadets in the family. with scholarships. John Phillip ’17, who is the Russ Marshall, Dave Nuckols, Bill O’Connor, Speaking of future cadets, Cameron Seay wrote recipient of Gordon Williams’ scholarship, is Lew Reynolds, Carl Strock, Gary Weishaar, in that he and Mary are awaiting the birth of their currently ranked as the No. 1 Army ROTC cadet Chuck Wills and Tom Zarges. With any luck, fourth grandchild. The provisional appointment (out of 5,500 seniors)! He wears acaapplication is prepared and ready to submit. The pipeline is filling up! demic stars, is a cadet captain and runs On the business front, congratulaa 4:20 mile. When his name was read at the banquet, all of the 700-plus in tions to Ralph and Marsha Costen attendance gave him a standing ovaand to their son, Trip Costen ’97, for Costen Floors being voted the best tion. Gordon says he still get chills just flooring company in Richmond for thinking about it. the second straight year. For those of you not on the brother Congratulations are also in order rat email list, I want to pass along an to both Dick and Linda Knight, who email that Bill O’Connor received beshared the 2016 Distinguished Alumfore the Mercer football game in October from our class scholarship awardee, nus award at the Cumberland School Dane Forlines ’17: “Hey, Coach Wach of Law at Samford University. This has asked for each player to dedicate was the first time the school recogtheir preparation and performance nized more than one individual. Dick Saturday to either a cadet or VMI decided to pursue a career in law after [alumnus]. I would like to dedicate his very successful prosecutorial expeClass of 1970: At the class of 1966 R.E. Lee High School 50th my performance to you and the entire reunion in Staunton, Virginia, were, from left, Gary Tyler, Ron rience in the U.S. Army where he won Class of ’70! Please let others know. I Seyford, David Pitman, Jerry VanLear and Steve Talley. all 70 court-martial cases that he tried. couldn’t think of any better to play for For the past 25 years, he has been a than the people [who] support me the member of the American Arbitration most. Without all of you, I would not Association’s Large Complex Case be able to play this great game and atpanel and, in 1984, was a Ronald Reagan delegate to the Republican tend such a wonderful school. It is a National Convention. Well done, true blessing. I can’t thank you and the Linda and Dick! Class of ’70 enough. I look forward to In September, Waite Rawls sent seeing you Saturday! Get ready for a around a video of a talk on VMI in Keydet win!” Just two more instances the Civil War by Dr. Richard Mcof the value our financial support of the Institute provides. Murray ’61, author of “Two Great On Oct. 1, Howie and Barbara DeRebel Armies.” The talk was given to the Tredegar Society, which is Wolf drove to the Institute for the the Junior Board of the American above-mentioned Mercer game and Civil War Museum in Richmond. provided this report: “Although the Dr. Murray’s talk included very inKeydets lost in overtime (33-30), Big Class of 1970: Harry Bare and Mike Carruth at Veteran Geyser in Yellowstone Park. Red put in a noble performance. The teresting details on the founding of team wasn’t fired up in the first half, but VMI. If for some reason you have they turned up the heat after halftime. The struggle the turnout for The Citadel game in a few weeks not heard this talk, let me know, and I will send was really intense and came down to the second will be even better. you the link. overtime before Mercer pulled it out. Although Paul Dickinson said that he and Judy had a Also hailing in from the Richmond area, Bob the season hasn’t been the most successful since, wonderful time that weekend with their daugh- Hawthorne sent in several old pictures of his old the Mercer game was one that any alum would ter, Jane, and her husband and four children band from our high school days, the Cascades. have been proud of the team’s spirit and tenacity. from Cincinnati. They stayed at Natural Bridge, When he’s not chasing around his five grandIt was a heart-breaking defeat but a game we really tailgated on the Parade Ground, watched the children or flying politicos around for Martinair, enjoyed watching and rooting for our team.” parade, went to the football game and visited Bob either plays saxophone for or conducts the There was a very good brother rat turnout for the VMI Museum. Paul says the school was at Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Band at the Furman game in Lexington Oct. 29. Among its best. This was the first visit to VMI for their various venues around Richmond.

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes The long-laid plans of Reed and Carol Heddleston to move closer to their grandchildren in Austin, Texas, finally came to fruition in September with their relocation to Garland, Texas, in – you guessed it – a golf community. Reed said that as soon as he received his Texas driver’s license, he felt the urge to purchase a high-powered rifle. Next should come the cowboy boots and pickup truck, followed shortly by two-step dance lessons. Aside: I’ll pay good money to see those. In late August, Mike and Jeannie Carruth flew to Colorado Springs to meet up with Harry Bare for a three-week National Parks extravaganza. They visited over a dozen national parks, monuments and other points of interest while driving more than 4,300 miles in a rented Ford Explorer. This took them through Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and South Dakota. Mike planned the trip because he had never had the opportunity to visit these parks before, even though he had flown over many of them in his piloting years. A good time was had by all. One of the pictures Mike submitted was with Harry at Veterans’ Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, which, if you think about it, basically depicts two veteran geezers at Veterans’ Geyser. Hey, I call ’em like I see ’em. Earlier in August, Liz and I also made a trek out west to check out a few national parks, which included a Road Scholar, formerly Elderhostel (yes, we are that old), trip in and around Portland, Oregon. This included Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge and the Oregon coast. We stayed a few extra days to do the Willamette Valley wine thing. On the way out to Oregon, we stopped by to spend a few days with Kevin Handford ’90 and his beautiful family in McCall, Idaho. From there, we drove to Shady Cove on the Rogue River in southwest Oregon to spend the weekend with friends we met on last year’s Road Scholar trip to Bryce, Zion and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. They took us to Crater Lake National Park where we spent the afternoon and had dinner at the lodge. We enjoyed these two Road Scholar trips so much we are pondering doing their eight-day tour of Montreal and Quebec City sometime in 2017. Also vacationing out West were Chad and Caryn Lash. They spent a late September weekend in Portland, Oregon, then flew to Spokane, took a bus to Clarkston, Washington, and then boarded a boat for a trip to the Pacific coast. Too bad they didn’t take a train anywhere, which would have qualified them for the travelers’ quadrifecta.

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Anyway, they took in some amazing vistas like Hell’s Canyon, the Palouse Region, various locations along the Lewis & Clark Trail, the Columbia River Gorge and the obligatory wine tastings. Last May, on New Market Day, they joined a small but devoted assembly at the Confederate Memorial on Jackson Circle in Arlington Cemetery, which includes the grave of Moses Ezekiel ’866, where Chad said they “did the roll call and the whole bit.” There, they met a very impressive young woman, Kristen Voss ’15, who works on the editorial staff of The American Rifleman. Chad was cool enough to avoid politics and learned she majored in English and had been in the glee club and on the rifle team, just like Chad. Anyway, in mid-November, they planned to spend a week in Aruba where Chad will scuba dive and Caryn will chill out. In his spare time, he takes Celtic guitar classes from Robin Bullock, a highly regarded performer and composer, attends adult education classes and substitute teaches. During a relatively calm summer and fall for them, Kent and Judy Schlussel only took one big trip. It was to Italy, where they had a private tour guide to take them around, and to Sicily, where they spent 12 days. While there, they spent a day on a farm where they helped make bread and cheese, helped serve lunch, cleaned the table after lunch and then milked the cows. Maybe it’s just me, but I would prefer simply to pay the bill and move on. Just a thought. Also earning frequent flyer miles recently was Phil Jornlin, who flew in from his latest gig in Amman, Jordan, to spend some time in October with Buddy Bryan ’71 in the VMI Foundation office. He said it was like having his own personal version of class notes. He also said that Buddy even offered to take a strain at the radiator to make him feel at home. Not to be outdone on the traveling front, in August, Jerry Nickelsburg went to Mongolia and climbed its highest peak, Mount Khuitan. As you all probably know already, in Kazak, Mount Khuitan means cold mountain. Jerry said it was appropriately named. Even more exciting, in September, he attended the National Mycological Society Foray in Front Royal, where he went mushroom hunting in the Blue Ridge and Massanutten areas. Afterward, he took Gwyn to show her the Institute, where they saw his brick in front of barracks and she had her first exposure to the Rat Line. Jerry said she didn’t know what to make of it. Join the crowd,

Gwyn. Maybe the mushrooms will help. Possibly adding some insight into the Rat Line, Dave Payne posted on the VMI’70 Facebook page a letter he wrote home in October of our rat year. Reading carefully between the lines, one can discern a subtle message: “Get me out of here!” Very touching. Also from our rat year, Dave Trenholm emailed be quite a few pictures he had scanned that I have added to the 45th Reunion slideshow presentation. I know there are more pictures out there, so feel free to email them to me. Finally, on the medical front, Tom Morehouse said that his years of running finally caught up with him, and he had hip replacement surgery Oct. 3. Amazingly, he was up and walking within hours, and he said the pain has totally gone away. He is pondering volunteering as the new poster boy for Jiffy Hip, which reportedly gets at the problematic joint by separating the surrounding muscles and ligaments rather than cutting through them. The procedure has garnered a lot of press coverage lately and would appear to be the hippest surgery going. All right, I’ll stop with that. Be sure to check out the VMI’70 Facebook page for pictures and comments posted by our BRs. Also, if you are not on the Brother Rat email list, just send me an email at ClassAgent1970@aol.com so you can keep up with BR and Institute related news. In the spirit!

1971

Jim Kelly

These notes cover the period between Aug. 15, 2016, and Nov. 1, 2016. The new year of 2017 will have arrived and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season a memory when these notes arrive in February. Kathryn and I will have another year of Santa Claus behind us with our grandchildren Lauren and Ryan, who aren’t so little any more. I hope that your year is off to a great start and that you have plans to do some activities in the coming months that will be safe and enjoyable for you and your families. Today our goal is to be planning for Halloween and counting candy to be sure that we are ready for the numerous trick or treaters that come calling each year.

45th Reunion – Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2016

The Class of 1971

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Summer was pretty quiet out here on the frontier. The Pulaski Yankees continue to bring a lot of excitement to historic Calfee Park even though our record was not what our town had hoped for. The unofficial Southwest Virginia Chapter of the VMI Alumni Association under the leadership of Rick Littleton, our president for life, did manage to squeeze in a baseball game late in August in Salem to watch the Salem Red Sox. The ace for the opponents started the game, and we all looked forward to seeing this rising star with a blazing fast ball. As we all know, sometimes things just don’t go as planned. The pitcher walked the first four batters, hit the fifth batter and gave up a grand slam home run before leaving the mound and heading for the showers with the score already 5-0. The rest of the night, the game actually was pretty well played. A rain delay forced the game to go past the curfew for Salem and the remaining innings were finished the next day. On hand were Rick and Bev Littleton, John and Laura Metzger, Buz Booker, Tim and Leah Golden, Jim Kelly, Herb and Patsy Whitley, Ken and Marie Coleman and Bill Gentry. The last week in August, the bimonthly lunch of VMI supporters was held at Extra Billy’s in Richmond. These events are organized by John Heisler and are usually well-attended. Mal Kerley, Rich Clary, George Robbins, Lanny Gault, D. Walton, Fred Banister, Glenn Cox, Dave Kennedy, Craig Rhodes and Rick Pearman were all on board. Rick indicated that anyone who would like to be on the mailing list should contact Heisler. Usually the luncheon is held at Extra Billy’s (on Broad) the third Thursday every other month at noon. Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, was Matriculation Day for over 500 rats. The rats and their families all gather now in Cameron Hall and are greeted by General Peay ’62 and introduced to the Corps’ leadership. Rats form up on the floor of Cameron and then march up to barracks to begin their “training.” This event (and many others these days) was live-streamed to provide much greater coverage of the first day at VMI. The Keydet football team opened their season on the road against the Akron Zips. After closing to within two points at 26-24, the Big Red got stung in the fourth quarter and came away with a 47-24 loss. It was a different story at Morehead State the following week as VMI sloshed its way to a 17-13 win. This was only the second road win in the past six seasons. It was a long afternoon,

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as the game lasted more than four hours due to heavy rain and a delay of more than an hour. The Big Red was again on the road Sept. 24 to play Bucknell University (Pennsylvania). This one was a thriller that went three overtime periods with the Keydets coming out on top. That win marked the first time since 1981 that VMI won back-to-back games away from home. VMI’s quarterback, Al Cobb ’17, became VMI’s all-time leading passer and all-time leader in pass completions. October 1 (Day three of our 45th Reunion) was a beautiful day to be in Lexington after two days of cold rain. The Keydets played one of the most exciting games that many of us had ever seen, but victory escaped us in overtime 33-30 in favor of the Mercer Bears. For Parents Weekend, the East Tennessee State University Bucs rolled in to Lexington to face a fired up Big Red team. VMI dominated the game and came away with a 37-7 win, holding ETSU scoreless until the last six seconds of the game. October 15, our team traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, to face the then 24th ranked Samford Bulldogs and took a pounding to the tune of 55-21. Against University of Tennessee – Chattanooga, ranked eighth at the time, we played a much better all-around game but one which we lost 30-13. Homecoming was a disappointing 2410 loss to Furman. Remaining games were then away at Western Carolina University, home for The Citadel and the season closer at Wofford. During Parents Weekend, the Keydet Club sponsors an annual banquet to honor our cadetathletes. Al Cobb ’17 was named this year’s recipient of the Three-Legged Stool. This award is given to the 1st Class cadet who has excelled throughout his or her cadetship in the “three legs” of a VMI education: academics, military leadership development and athletics. Our basketball team is already hard at work and had their home opener Nov. 15 with Southern Virginia University. They were also in Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech Nov. 19. The Keydets will have three Saturday home contests in January and February, which provide many of us with an opportunity to gather in Lexington for lunch and a game. Quite often, that is the Citadel game which will be in Cameron Hall Feb. 11, 2017. I should be able to squeeze that in before the next class notes deadline of Feb. 15. Our 45th Reunion took place during the third week of September with a great turnout of brother rats; roughly 110 at some time or another and over 200 people at our major events.

Planning for the reunion actually began late last fall (2015) and then ramped up in January and February 2016. A group of about 20 (brother rats and their wives) held a luncheon meeting in Lexington in February and some very good ideas were shared about events and the “nuts and bolts” of those upcoming three days. Several of the things that were put in place for this reunion were a direct result of that meeting. Many of you shared information by email and helped review event schedules, shirt designs, etc. I appreciate all of those who took the time to share their vision of what a great reunion should encompass. From the outset, the three classes originally scheduled to hold reunions on the first fall reunion weekend encountered scheduling problems with hotels to serve as their headquarters. A limited number of early home football games at VMI and the W&L parents weekend Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 complicated things somewhat. The Class of ’91 chose to hold their 25th Reunion on the second VMI reunion weekend. That left ’71 and ’81 to be in or around Lexington. By virtue of being the senior class (and the absence of an honored class), we were able to secure a large number of rooms at the Natural Bridge Hotel, and most everyone who chose to be in the hotel could be accommodated. The Class of ’81 was scattered in several different locations, and Moody Hall became their headquarters. As the registration deadline approached, and we were pretty sure that all of ’71 was taken care of, we were able to turn over about 20 rooms to the Class of ’81, for which they were most grateful. I am confident that if the situation had been reversed that ’81 would have helped us as well – that’s what VMI people do. We had some problems to deal with in regard to the hotel ... but we were together and could operate pretty well from one position. The hotel management went over and above in many ways to make our stay there the best that it could be, and looking back on it, we all survived and had a pretty good time anyway. Kathryn and I went up to Lexington Wednesday in order to scout out the hotel and where our events would take place. The clothing vendor had already delivered our order, which had been stored for us by the hotel staff. Natural Bridge also provided us a large area with tables to put our materials on and decorated the hotel with colorful signs, along with red, white and yellow balloons. Kathryn took charge of the hotel end of things while I went up to the VMIAA office in Moody Hall. There, I met up with

Class Notes 2.

4. 3. 5. 1.

Class of 1971 1. With the Natural Bridge as the background, Ken and Carol Yorgey enjoyed Saturday night’s “Cocktails Under the Bridge.” Photo by JoAnn Ashman. 2.Thursday night crowd at the Metzger Lodge. Photo by JoAnn Ashman. 3. A bagpiper performed at the Friday night dinner in Marshall Hall. Photo by Kathryn Kelly. 4. The class formed up for the march to the barracks courtyard. Photo by Carol Yorgey. 5. The Friday night dinner in Marshall Hall featured a special “mystery” guest speaker. Pictured were motivational speaker Jerry Acuff, left, with Jim Kelly, class agent. 6. Marshall Hall during the Friday night dinner. Photo by JoAnn Ashman. 7. Early arrivals on Thursday at the Metzger Lodge. Photo by JoAnn Ashman. 8. Thursday night dessert at the Metzger Lodge. Photo by JoAnn Ashman.

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes memorable ’71 events and it will be hard to top this and did not play, and at least one other attempted Mike Strickler and Lisla Cowles from the Alumni to find the golf course but failed, perhaps disoriAssociation and spent the most of the afternoon one. My heartfelt thanks to them for the days of putting together the materials that went into mak- hard work and preparation. ented by the fog, and returned to home station Thursday night’s rain carried over in to Friday (someone called “Ox,” as I recall). The remaining up the registration packets. Later that evening, and there was plenty of it. For the average group ing golfers at least started and played for various we had dinner with Buddy and Carol Bryan to of people that much rain could have ruined every- amounts of time. The winning foursome, with an discuss the final game plan. Thursday was the day when things really started thing, but my friends, the BRs of ’71, refused to be impressive score of seven under par, consisted of to happen. Mike, Carol, Kathryn and I spent the average. The sporting clay shooting at Quail Ridge Rick Siebert, Steve Matthews, John Ashman and better part of the day putting together the registra- (organized by Metzger and Littleton) was first Ken Yorgey. Normally a cash prize would have tion packets and placing them in order around the on the Friday agenda. I met Mouse in the lobby been awarded, but no one was around to put up the cash when all was said and done. tables along with clothing. Stuffing The day time activities Friday, other those envelopes is not the “no brainer” than the shooting and golf, consisted that you might think ... matching BRs mainly of free time to go on field trips, and guests’ name tags, sorting tickets shopping or just kicking back. For the for “beef or salmon” and all the other shoppers, Ken Coleman had met with “stuff” for about 200 of your closest several area merchants and arranged friends took quite a while. I invite anyfor those associated with ’71 to receive one interested in becoming a stuffer for discounts. Around noon, word came the 50th to please let me know and you from VMI that a decision would be can be amused for a right good while. made by 2 p.m. concerning the afterMeanwhile, over at the Metzger lodge, much work was being done noon parade by the corps. Granted, on the set up for a record number of we were 12 miles down the road, but Class of 1971: Old Yell for the Class of ’71 on the Sentinel Box. nobody who had ever been to VMI people for a ’71 outing at John and Pictured were Jan Essenburg, Al Davis, Bob Lockridge and Jim Laura’s. Mouse Littleton added Kelly. Photo by JoAnn Ashman. thought there was any chance of a some muscle as tables and chairs were parade, and there was not. In the early trucked in from the buildings and afternoon, Lt. Col. Dallas Clark ’99 grounds department at W&L. Beginof the superintendent’s staff presented a “virtual tour” of VMI highlighting ning around 4 p.m. the crowd began to the recent construction and renovation roll in and the party was on. A catered projects on campus and the impact barbecue was set up, and several tables that the facilities would have on imwere nicely decorated by Laura and others. The beverages were ready and proving many aspects of training and cold. Several people drove out to Vesueducation for the Corps. Later in the afternoon, the movie, “Field of Lost vius and some rode the shuttle bus (but Shoes,” was shown in the Gillis Audionly as far as the bridge). The Rockbridge County School division providtorium in Marshall Hall. Also during the afternoon we learned that there ed the shuttle buses for the weekend, and their drivers were great to work Class of 1971: Brother Rats of ’71 awaited the official reunion would be no morning parade Saturday and that no vehicle parking would be with us and patient while herding cats. photo. Photo by Carol Yorgey. allowed on the parade ground. AlterJohn Paton was the “meet and greet” man and gave everyone who wanted a ride up the at 0630 hours while on a coffee run. When asked nate plans for the reunion parade would be rehill to the lodge on the now familiar golf cart. Din- about the shoot, Mouse said “the Army shoots in vealed sometime Saturday morning. Friday night, our “formal dinner” began with a ner was served promptly at 6 p.m. and when the the rain, and so will we,” end of discussion. The eating was mostly done, the Vi-Dells band began event was held, and the winner of the Class of ’71 cocktail hour in the Hall of Valor inside of Marplaying songs of days gone by. This band had Top Gun Award was Van Jollisaint. Van received shall Hall. At the request of many Brother Rats, the coveted trophy at the Friday night banquet in there was not a program planned for the evening played for the mini reunion at John’s in the fall of 2015 and were invited back by popular demand. Marshall Hall. The traditional reunion golf tour- other than enjoying a good meal and visiting with A few rain showers tried to horn in on the festivi- nament was organized by Mike Strickler with old friends. However, a special “mystery guest” ties but proved to be only a minor annoyance. Ap- about 20 golfers scheduled to tee off around 10 speaker was persuaded to make an abbreviated proximately 120 people were present and the 45th a.m. at the Lexington Golf and Country Club. By presentation. Jerry Acuff has become a highly Reunion of the Class of ’71 was off to a great start. tee time the rain was pretty steady (and would get successful author and motivational speaker and John and Laura have provided the venue for some worse). Some of our guys bagged up their clubs he shared with the class part of his story and

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Class Notes how VMI had taught him the lessons he needed to become the person he is today. In addition to having the crowd laughing out loud, the “Cuffer” delivered a powerful message which will long be remembered as a high point of the 45th Reunion. Saturday morning arrived with a much brighter forecast for the day. The bulk of the group from Natural Bridge rode over to VMI in time to form up for the traditional reunion picture on the steps of Preston Library. Following the picture, we learned of the alternate reunion parade plan. The band formed up in Washington Arch and marched up Letcher Avenue and turned toward the barracks. More or less in columns of five, we “marched” behind the band and into the courtyard of Old Barracks. The entire corps lined all four stoops making for an impressive “white out” in their class dyke. Old Yells were led from the top of the sentinel box for ’71 and ’81 followed by the band playing the “Spirit” and the “Doxology.” No matter how many times we have all been a part of that tradition, it is still one of those special moments at VMI. Shortly after the ceremonies in the courtyard, the class gathered in J.M. Hall for a memorial service in honor of our deceased brother rats. An arrangement of red, white and yellow flowers, one for each lost brother rat, was placed in the front of the chapel and was donated by the Class of ’71 to the cadet chapel for services Sunday. A silent crowd listened as class president Jan Essenburg read from the front of J.M. Hall through the honor roll followed by a member of the VMI Pipers who played, “Amazing Grace.” The ceremony closed with two unseen buglers playing an “echo” version of “Taps.” I wish that every one of us could have spent those few minutes together. Most of us gathered for lunch at the Club Crozet, which is somewhat different from the Old Corps, and then made our way down to Foster Stadium for the football game with Mercer University. There was beautiful weather, a great crowd and a terrific VMI effort. As I noted earlier in this writing, it was a heartbreaking loss in overtime. Our trusty “big yellow dogs” met us after the game and got us safely back to Natural Bridge where we went almost immediately to a very special “cocktails under the bridge” event. What a great venue for a cocktail hour and without any rain to deal with, our only enemy was the falling darkness. Thankfully, the NB staff provide three “short” buses for us to be shuttled to and from the bridge area, which was no easy trip on foot. We moved

directly to the Washington Room of the hotel where we had an informal reception type of meal and a second performance by the Vi-Dells. There were no signs of slowing down even on the last night of the reunion, and for a little “bonus,” the band played an extra hour for a revved up crowd. Sunday morning arrived all too soon, and we all began to scatter back to where ever we had come from for the weekend. The 45th was in the books. It was great to see so many of you for the weekend, and we truly missed those who could not be a part of this celebration. April 2021 we will do it again, my friends, and I sincerely hope that we will all be blessed enough to be present and accounted for. As of Oct. 31, I have not yet received the first quarter Fiscal Year Annual Giving totals from VMI. The class did a great job during FY16, and I anticipate that we will be at or near the top of the leader board this year. Those of you who were at the 45th have seen firsthand the continued growth of VMI and the emphasis on quality facilities and the very best academic and athletic opportunities for the men and women of the Corps. Private sector support will be increasingly more important as other sources of revenue have continued to be on the decrease. Thanks to all of you who have been faithful to the cause. Kathryn and I wish extend our greetings to everyone and hope that this will be a great year. I want to add one more thank you to the many brother rats and wives who had some part in helping with the planning and execution of the 45th Reunion. Hope to see you again soon. In the bonds, Jim

Class of 1972: Sandy Edens, left, and Stu Seaton ’73 at the summit of Pike’s Peak.

Class of 1972: Buzzy Chacey after finishing first in his age group at the 3.4-mile Savannah River Gator Fest swim.

1972

Larry Houseworth

Brother Rats, Ladies, Families, Friends and Passers-by, These brief notes (hold that call, Bill!) come to you from the kind-of near west end of the River City – where, I’m convinced, God’s plan works. Lovely (and exceedingly patient) Marie and I are happily ensconced in slide-into-retirement digs ... counting the days. As a reminder, our 45th Reunion is scheduled

Class of 1972: Bob Gore and Bill Huffman ’70 on a group bike ride with Richmond Area Bicycle Association. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes ’14, who lived close by. Being the gracious hosts, for Sept. 22-24, 2017 (the “early fall” reunion). will receive a direct mailing. Watch for it; it Tom, Myrna, George and Mary Jane invited Jack sounds like a great time! Our exemplary planning committee of George to stop by later in the day – which he did – with Thanks to some persistent emailing, Bob MacKosovic, Jerry Higgins, Harold Plott, Hank a six-pack. Tom says they had a ball sharing Old Humphreys, Phil Clayton, Vern Beitzel, Bob PatMeccan and Jim Flynn were able to get together rick and Tom Moncure (emeritus) is working dili- for a visit; the first time they’d been able to catch Corps stories. I don’t need to tell you, BRs, that there’s not another institution in the world where gently to provide us with their recognized splendid up face-to-face in over 45 years. Another “in the bonds” report: Tom Hathaway this bond extends across the decades. production. Be on the lookout for communication Sandy Edens sent the picture of him from them. and Stu Seaton ’73 at the summit of How ’bout them football Keydets – Pike’s Peak in late summer. halfway into the season and already a Literally at today’s deadline, Bob cadetship’s (ours) worth of wins! Chris Gore wrote. He said, “See the atJones said, “For whatever reason, this tached photo of me and Bill Huffis the year of the military. The Citadel man ’70 wearing our new VMI bike is undefeated. Navy is 5-1 and nationjerseys on a cold group bike ride with ally ranked. Both Army and Air Force the Richmond Area Bicycle Associaare four and three. Is the world coming tion. The jersey was designed by John to an end?” Let’s hope these glory days Biggs ’71. shine on the basketball season! “Sharon and I are both retired and On that infamous anniversary, Buzzy loving life. We spent the month of Chacey wrote, “I want to be the first February this year in Tucson, Arito wish you a happy Aug. 22 – the day we matriculated. I’ll never forget that Class of 1972: Class agent Larry Houseworth said of this photo, zona, cycling and sightseeing. Stayed haircut, people screaming at you and “Denny Sullivan thinning the herd in Lake Kenansville, Florida.” with Bob and Molly Benham our first week there. being so grateful for a few minutes un“On our return home, I was diagder a shade tree. I’m sending a picture nosed with Prostate cancer and, after where I was the first in my age group looking at my options, underwent last week in a 3.4 mile swim in Savansurgery. I am now cancer free and no nah River called the ‘Gator Fest.’ (It’s follow-on treatments of chemo or racalled that for a reason!) I also went on diation are indicated. Got back to cya 56-mile bike ride the same weekend. cling after about 45 days. Felt great but All of this is helping with my plantar then had a bad bike accident while ridfasciitis (where I hurt the tendons in the ing from Richmond to Williamsburg bottom of my feet from running a lot).” on the Virginia Capital Trail. Spent an From the looks of the picture, you bear afternoon and evening in the ER, sufpain well, BR. fered a concussion, a dislocated shoulAnd, in keeping with the gator der, sprained wrists and lots of road theme, Denny Sullivan sent photos of rash. Better now, back on my bike but him and his youngest son, Brody, who still recovering from my shoulder injuthinned off the herd at Lake Kenansry. Have not seen Chris Tompkins in ville, Florida. The lake’s now short one a while, but I stay in touch with him. 9-foot and one 7-foot resident. Another smooth segue: Walt Class of 1972: VMI alumni gathered at the Seminole Hard Rock He has moved to a better long-term Chalkley said, “On Sept. 13, 2016, a Casino in Tampa, Florida, Sept. 13, 2016. Class agent Larry care facility and appears to be as hapgroup of VMI alumni gathered at the Houseworth said of this photo, “It is rumored that they all lost py (given his situation). Well, that’s money in the casino but won at the buffet!” Pictured at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tam- gathering were Rick Hack, Blake Thomas ’73, Walt Chalkley, more information than I have shared with you all since graduation. Be sure pa, Florida. It is rumored that they all Alan Vicory ’74, Bob Bailey and Howard Seal ’67. to vote, but take a long shower after. lost money in the casino but won at the buffet!” The usual suspects are shown in the called and shared how he, Myrna, and George Ugh.” Thanks, Bob. We admire your strength and fortitude, BR. picture. and Mary Jane Williams were visiting in SandTime’s tight and news is light; that’s all for now, Walt also passed along news of the first VMI bridge. As they crossed the street coming back Alumni Spring Break scheduled for March 16- from the beach, a car slammed on its brakes and BRs. Keep the faith! In the bonds, Rah Virginia Mil! 18, 2017 at The Villages. The Alumni Associa- backed up. The driver pointing to one of their Larry tion is publicizing the event, and Florida alumni VMI caps. Turns out the driver was Jack Sullivan

2017-Issue 1

Class Notes

1973

Mike Kelly

Greetings to all of my brother rats! Fall has finally come, and it is beginning to cool off a little. These notes are due Nov. 1, so I’m writing them as we prepare for Halloween! Pat and I are in Atlanta for the weekend visiting my oldest son, Scott, and his family to carve some pumpkins, do some trick-or-treating (golf-cart style!) and we plan to go to the Atlanta Falcons versus Green Bay Packers game Sunday, then head home Tuesday. We just got back from a trip to Florida. We headed south the same day Hurricane Matthew was coming up the coast, so we detoured through Atlanta for the night and on to Orlando Saturday. We visited with my son, Derek, for a few days, chilled out by his pool, went to Universal Studios to see Harry Potter, and Derek and I went to the Gulf Coast for fishing one day. Then we went to Tampa to spend a few days with my mom so my sister and her husband could go off for a long weekend and to visit with Dad. We had a nice visit, but that is one heck of a drive! We had pretty busy fall plans: Keeping the youngest grandson for a few days in November, going to VMI for the Institute Society Dinner and The Citadel game, then to Appalachian State University for a weekend game in Boone, and then Thanksgiving! When you read these notes, it will be midwinter, and we will be longing for spring! I think everyone else has been busy, as well, as I haven’t heard from a lot of you this fall. The good news is that I heard from some who have been “quiet” for a while! Before I get to comments from our BRs, I have to share some sad news with you that some may not have heard. Stuart Seaton’s father, Col. Stuart Manly Seaton ’41, age 96, died in September. Seaton entered the Army after graduation and quickly found himself in the middle of World War II and saw action in Sicily, Anzio, Rome, southern France, Rhineland and central Europe. He was with the 101st Airborne Division in defense of Bastogne, Belgium. He also served two campaigns during the Korean conflict. He retired after 21 years of service – a great hero! Stuart also

recently lost his mother. Please keep Stuart and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Bill Stephens first sent me the note about Col. Seaton, and a few days later, Tom Napier sent me the link to the obituary. Thanks for keeping us informed, as it is really important that the class share information in a timely manner. I have not heard from Fred Hall for several years. The last time, he sent a picture of himself with his truck and snowplow which he used to keep his “mountain” open. Fred indicated he continues his adventures on Windy Gap Mountain near Roanoke and recently ran to the aid of a neighbor who had a big rattlesnake in his yard that needed removing so the neighbor could finish mowing. His wife, Donna, is still teaching elementary school but is getting close to her goal of 40 years and retirement. Fred indicated that with the cooler weather he anticipates putting the plow back on his old ’83 GMC and could be pushing snow once again when you read these notes. Danny Williamson sent a note to say he had moved up the road from Fred, leaving the Tidewater area of Virginia for Rockbridge County. He is downsizing to a small log cabin near Fairfield in the Shenandoah Valley and planned to post his new address and phone number on the VMI Ranks. After closing on the cabin, he and his wife headed to Kansas for a couple of weeks to visit their son before he shipped off to Korea. Randy Marshall is still in the Fayetteville area but no longer doing any work at Fort Bragg. Marshall Engineering has a construction engineering consulting contract with the local Veterans Affairs office; however, Randy has also taken on some jobs as an official chicken litter barn inspector! He didn’t sound really excited about reaching this pinnacle of his engineering career! Randy said they were doing well, and his family received minimal damage from Hurricane Matthew, though they were in an area that was hit pretty hard. Bob Poynor retired earlier this year and said he is really enjoying the endless stream of Saturdays. He starts his days with a pot of coffee and the paper. (Pat and I do the same thing!) Most days, he doesn’t have a list of things to do, although his cats still get him up early for their chow time, but he manages to get in at least a couple of motorcycle rides each week – one of which is normally an all-day event! He has even gone through his closet and cleaned out the suits, ties, and blazers and winnowed down his collection of clothes to coolweather and warm-weather outfits. (I go from a

T-shirt and cargo shorts to long cargo-pants and long-sleeve T-shirts!) Bob’s wife, Sandy, while still experiencing some neuropathy in her hands and feet, continues to improve from her cancer treatments a couple of years ago. She has taken up quilting at their church where they make small quilts for kids undergoing chemotherapy. Great hearing from you, Bob; especially the good news about Sandy. In the last set of notes, I mentioned that John Sterrett and his wife have two younger children: Tate, who is 7, and Genevieve, who just turned 9. The family has really been into the “kid” stuff during the summer – baseball, swimming and soccer – and managed to get in two trips back to the Institute in August and again in October. The kids got a family history tour, and John was very impressed with all the building on post and even got a sneak preview of the new athletic facilities. I also had a note from Wes and Ivonne Carr. Wes said he ran into a guy wearing a VMI cap at the local Lowes one day who turned out to be Bill Ginder ’71, brother rat of Jim Kelly ’71, one of my brothers, and he said they had a great little chat. Their daughter is a grad student at the University of North Texas and works in addiction and rehab counseling there and recently worked at a Stand Down event in Denton, Texas. They had 75 homeless vets come through seeking various kinds of support. The group that put on the

Class of 1973: Webb Tyler holding his third grandchild, Ethan Tyler Chambers, at his home in Duck, North Carolina. Ethan is the son of Lara Chambers ’03, Webb’s daughter. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes event was so impressed with her work that they gave her a pair of combat boots for helping out. She is really tough now! Roland Tiso communicates frequently with me through email. He is still in Iraq but was looking forward to coming home during the holidays for a couple of weeks. Judie planned to retire at the end of the year, and the “girls” were planning a retirement party for her. Roland anticipates finishing up his contract by May and seems to think he’ll take some time off when he gets home. You deserve it, BR! Their daughter, Allie, is still in the Pittsburgh ballet, while Catherine and her husband, Mike, left Chicago and moved to Arizona, where C.J. is in graduate school, and Mike is doing well in the insurance business. Pat and I had hoped to see Judie on our recent trip to Florida but things didn’t work out for us, but hopefully we can see them during Christmas. Take care, BR. Be glad to have you home safe and sound. I had a quick note from Doug Payne after he and his wife, Libbie, returned from Europe where they had been on a Danube river cruise and visited London. He said they really had a great time. Doug hoped to get up to The Citadel game but plans were not working out well. He also hopes to go on a safari to Africa next year. In my last note, I mentioned that Ed Hall was the commander of the American Legion Post in Ellicott City, Maryland, and they did a lot of work helping flood victims during the summer. Ed said his post held a fundraiser for victims and donated more than $2,000. They also gained national attention for the U.S. flag retirement program he started there. The National American Legion Headquarters did an article on the program. Ed works with the local alumni chapter and said they just completed a very successful college fair season. P.X. English said he and E.D. Woomer did a VMI table together at a college fair in Asheville, North Carolina. P.X. continues to work with the Upstate/Pisgah chapter (South Carolina/western North Carolina) and planned to host a pregame event for the Wofford game Nov. 19 and promised to send pictures of the event. I usually attend the senior alumni breakfast in Raleigh each month, and while there in October, Roger Rosenfield ’47 told me he had recently spoken to P.X. and that P.X.’s dad was his brother rat! Mike Burke also represented VMI in college fairs this fall, one for a local Catholic high school and one at the national-level fair held in St. Louis

2017-Issue 1

where he spoke to 25 prospects who may make good cadets! Mike said his wife, Mary, was in Denver attending as Missouri state delegate to the American Dental Association, where she is working on issues related to delivery of dental care nationwide. Their daughter, Emilie, is finishing up her last year at Missouri State majoring in geology with a minor in geospatial information systems. Mike said he is doing his part to try to keep up with the younger generation’s information and technological advances, and even taught a recent class on using selfies in a college composition course, even though he has yet to take a selfie himself! I also had a couple of short notes from Dale Kitchen and Tom Clark. Dale was away on vacation for a few days, and Tom was trying to update chapter rosters for the Denver area and lamenting the changes with the VMI Ranks. And I had a note from Lara Chambers ’03, Webb Tyler’s daughter, along with a picture of Webb with one of his three grandchildren visiting his home in Duck, North Carolina. I have not heard from Webb for a while. Thanks, Lara. The “lost BR” award for this issue goes to Bill Stoner. I can’t remember when I last heard from Bill, but he sent me a note saying, “OK, I will give it a shot!” Bill said he and his wife, Mary, live north of Fort Worth, Texas, near the kids and grandkids, and he is still working as a civil engineer and construction consultant. He is very active in Bike Texas, a group promoting safe routes to schools for bicycles, use of additional sidewalks and dedicated bike lanes, and he often is the guest lecturer at the local high school. Bill and Mary were in Lexington a few weeks ago to help out Jerry Higgins ’72 with his grape harvest and said he ran into several alumni from various classes. Bill was amazed and pleased with all the changes at VMI and in Lexington. He said his new hobby was fly fishing and that it really soothes the soul! Great hearing from you, Bill! That is about all I have for now. Pat and I planned to head up to VMI for Founders Day, the Institute Society Dinner and The Citadel ballgame. (I think The Citadel is like 8-0 right now! But hey, the Keydets have won three games this year!) Hopefully I’ll see some of you. And it won’t be long before the bleakness of winter changes and spring is here! Take care and be safe out there. In the bonds, Mike

1974

Snookie Parker

Greetings, Brother Rats, Family and Friends of the Class of 1974! As I begin to compose this set of notes, Hurricane Matthew is on my doorstep, and we are expecting high winds and 12-15 inches of rain for the next 10 hours. And by the way, I received an email from BR Pat Flynn who was on the road back from Bradenton, Florida, (he and Sue rode Hurricane Matthew out in sunny south Florida at his sister’s house) to see if his house on St. Augustine Beach is underwater. As it turned out, Pat’s house survived without damage, but the ocean waters did get within 35 feet of his house. We survived in Wilson, North Carolina. Flooding all around in our county, but lucky for us, all we had was a lot of yard debris. We did lose power for about 14 hours; no issues, just inconvenient. Well, enough of that! What follows are class notes for the period from Aug. 16, 2016, to Nov. 1, 2016. In August, I received a telephonic address update from BR Dr. Michael T. Ashley. Mike continues his chiropractic practice and claims all is well on the left coast in Washington state.

Class of 1974: Al Vicory, left, and Blade “Sunshine” Thomas at brother Blake Thomas’ retirement party at the Villages in Orlando, Florida. Picture by Kathy Vicory. 95

Class Notes As we talked, Mike recalled his rat roommates, Steve LaHowchic, Joe Verdi and David Sheppard, and his dyke, the infamous John Strock ’70! Mike did provide a proud poppa moment. Son Daniel is now an Air Force second lieutenant intelligence officer stationed at Joint Base McDill in Tampa, Florida, and has just received Officer of the Quarter recognition. He is a recent graduate from the University of Washington with degrees in Arabic and political science. Well, it looks like that young man will likely have a busy future. Congrats to Daniel, and thanks for the update, Mike. George and Anna Van Laethem provided some nice pics of their grandson with parents Alan and Ashley Hyman on the beach in South Carolina. I’m sure Alan and Ashley welcomed the opportunity for some grandparent relief. Nice pics, George! Blade “Sunshine” Thomas has surfaced. Alan and Kathy Vicory met Blade at his brother, Blake’s, August retirement party at The Villages in Orlando! Kathy reported that Blade and Alan had a lot of catching up to do after not seeing one another for 42 years. Thanks for the pic, Kathy! Bob Benninger’s Aug. 20 post on the VMI Class of 1974 Facebook page generated some interesting recollections of a matriculation day some 46 years ago. A nice stroll down memory lane; well, nice might be stretching it a bit! Tom Patykula got a new knee in May. I’m thinking he’s should be “fit to fight” by now! How are you doing, Tom? Bob Frank made it to the September monthly VMI senior alumni breakfast in Raleigh, which was a well-attended event. Bob was clearly the junior alum at this gathering. Received a very interesting email from Robert “Kid” Fulks. Everything is well with the Fulks clan. Kid was working on and sent a draft of what was likely to be his last of many petroleum engineering papers he has

Class of 1974: Room 146 mini reunion tailgate at the Mercer University versus VMI football game, compliments of T.J. and Kerri Wilson. Pictured were, from left, John Pate, T.J. Wilson, Cadet Vahan Gleason ’17, “Proud Poppa” Randy Gleason, Snookie Parker and Mike Morrissett.

Class of 1974: Brother rats at the Mercer University versus VMI tailgate were, from left, Craig “Snap” Carlock, John Pate, Snookie Parker, Donnie Ross, Tom Puskas, Mike Morrissett, T.J. Wilson and Russ Harlow. Present but not pictured were Rick Kastelberg and Mike Fisher.

Class of 1974: Pictured at the Room 146 mini reunion tailgate were, from left, Mike Morrissett, Kerri Wilson, T.J. Wilson, Suzanne Pate, John Pate, Marla Parker, Snookie Parker and Randy Gleason.

published – this one to be submitted to London for presentation in Abu Dhabi this year. Kid, a history major, has been involved in drilling engineering, geology and hydraulic fracturing for more than 36 years. According to Kid, “I sold out to the dark side (engineering) years ago.” I tried to work my way through the paper. The paper was highly technical, rich with supporting data and accompanying graphics. I think I got the message: Improvements in well initial production rates and estimated ultimate recoveries in 2015 and 2016 are due in part to the evolving unconventional well-completion designs ... and are continuing to evolve at a rapid pace. Kid’s message to the community: Get on board or be left behind. Kid has been on the cutting edge of this technology for quite some time. Really good stuff! Kid is contemplating retirement soon and believes he will start “easing back” in December 2017 and let the younger engineers take the lead. “Easing back” means backing off to four days a week in 2017 and then maybe three by the end of 2018 if it all works out. His challenging question: What to do in retirement? He and Vivian are contemplating what to do in retirement. Kid notes that he and Vivian have traveled extensively for work all these years and lived overseas, so travel is not high on their list, and one can only hunt and fish so much. It is hard to slow down when one has been running at pace for so long. Kid concludes that spending more time helping others will likely be a focus in retirement. Good call. Follow your heart/passion; it is always more fulfilling to give than receive! Received some interesting pics of Donnie Ross on Uno Farm, owners of which: Mike and Sarah Fisher. Mike says he is considering the sale of the farm and is looking for a good buyer. What to do with his 60-plus hogs ... BR Don “the Berkshire Hog Barron” Ferrell of Appomattox, Virginia, may come to the rescue.

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Speaking of Don Ferrell, he has made another field goal the last play of the game to tie it up and Life,’ and now his having written an incredibly one of his hog farm deliveries in North Carolina. won in overtime. VMI was one play away from researched, beautifully written biography of this enigmatic Laker superstar, Lazenby has entered He stopped in Wilson at the infamous Parker’s being 3-1! Awesome! Just before my class note deadline, I received an rarified air: One is wowed by what one learns, BBQ (no relation) and was met by myself and BR David Sheppard. Interestingly enough, Don email from BR Pat Flynn. It seems that Pat and and at the same time, you can’t wait to read what comes next.” Well done, Roland. prefers fried oysters to pork barbecue About the time that you are reading at Parker’s. Have to admit, the oysters these notes (February), many of our are pretty darn good when they are BRs will have gathered at the Institute in season. Don was on his way back to attend Roland’s VMI Sports Hall of to Virginia after about a three-hour Fame recognition dinner. Who would lunch. He left Dave and I some choice have thought that a 1st Class “GAS” Berkshire pork chops! Dave and I are private would have risen to such literlooking forward to Don’s next run south! ary acclaim? Just goes to show, you The highlight of this set of notes just never know! Hope to see y’all in was the room 146 mini reunion at the February! That is all for now. opening home football game against Class agent plea! Don’t be caught Mercer University. Marla and I landwithout your class coin. If you need one, send $10 (cost of coin and posted in Lexington that Friday afternoon and met John and Suzanne Pate, age). Please forward any news reClass of 1974: Friday Night before the Mercer University verRuss and Mary Stuart Harlow and garding births, deaths, illnesses, marsus VMI football game at Restaurant 1850 in Phil Clayton’s Snap Carlock for dinner at Restaurant riages and other significant events [’72] Maple Hall. Pictured were, from left, Suzanne Pate, 1850, the restaurant at Maple Hall. As concerning your family and/or ca“Snap” Carlock, John Pate, Snookie Parker, Russ Harlow, it was a VMI reunion and Washington reers. Brother rats are interested and Marla Parker and Mary Stuart Harlow. and Lee University parents’ weekend, do care. I know email addresses have rooms and restaurant reservations were a scarce Sue Flynn are in Hawaii with Roland and Karen a half-life of about six months. Keep us current. commodity. Kudos to Mary Stuart for securing last Lazenby at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club on Send your updated email address to me snookminute reservations at this jewel of a restaurant. A Waikiki Beach. Pat did not say, but I suspect it’s ieparker1974@earthlink.net, Charley Banning pleasant dining experience – great food and great the Flynn’s “use or lose” timeshare weeks being cbanning@cox.net or Kevin Nettrour (our webservice, complete with music and a singing chef. used. He explained the crew was headed to the master) nettrour@accessus.net. Check out the Kudos to T.J. and Kerri Wilson, who spearheaded north shore on road trip to swim with turtles, visit website. Send me a note. Yada, Yada, Yada and the game-day gathering and provided the pre- and Waimea canyon and the falls, and sightsee at the Yaba Daba Dooooo! temples. I did provide contact information for postgame tailgate. T.J.’s son, John Wilson ’13 (an Warm regards, engineer working in Charlottesville, Virginia), was local BRs Tom and Ida Patykula and Russ and Snookie on hand to supervise the Wilson tailgate. Randy Cheryl Takata should an opportunity to gather Gleason showed up with his son, 1st Class Cadet materialize. In a subsequent email, Pat explained Vahan Gleason ’17 (Randy’s wife, Martha, could that it was not all play – that there was some work not make it due to recent foot surgery). Guess going on ... not by Pat, however! The following, Robert Keller where Vahan rooms in barracks ... Room 146! according to Pat: “I watched Roland over the last It was not planned, it just happened. It’s karma! year or so pour incredible time and energy into his book on Kobe Bryant. During this week in This particular weekend, Mike and Clay MorHonolulu with Roland and Karen, Roland has rissett were celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary. Congrats to you both. Clay was unable been deep into the rollout of his book on Kobe. As I write this in November, our Keydets have to make it, but Mike was on hand for the mini He has done 20-30 interviews in the last couple of had a much more competitive season in footdays alone. He is a tireless worker, but that work ball than in the past. We now stand 3-5 overall reunion. Other brother rats who swung by the tailgate were Donnie and Barbara Ross, Mike and is paying off.” Here is what Peter Golenbock, one and 1-4 in the Southern Conference. We have Sarah Fisher, Ricky and Page Kastelberg, Snap New York Times best-selling authors (10 NY had two overtime finishes in which we split the Carlock, Russ Harlow, and Tom Puskas. I have Times Best-Sellers), said this week about Roland finish and some close games; again, going both on Amazon: “With the publication of ‘Showboat: ways, as well as some not so close games also to admit, it was a great gathering with good camagoing both ways. I have been glad to see that raderie. The only way it could have been better is The Life of Kobe Bryant,’ it is high time we recif VMI had won the game. The game was a barnognized author Roland Lazenby for what he has there are now more ways to watch our team burner with VMI scoring a go-ahead touchdown become: The finest sports biographer of our time. play due to the internet – especially for those with seconds left on the clock. Mercer kicked a First with the astonishing ‘Michael Jordan: The of us that live far away from the “I.”

1975

2017-Issue 1

Class Notes As I reported last time, Ron Norman was helping his son-in-law and daughter, Jackie and Ronda Manuel, move to Indiana, where Jackie has become an assistant basketball coach at Valparaiso University. Ron and Margie’s help included watching their granddaughters, Kameron (3) and Ryann (8), while Jackie and Ronda moved and got their new house ready. Ron sent me more information after the deadline for the last edition and let me know he and Margie then drove the girls from the East Coast to Indiana. All went well for the first 11 hours of the 12-hour trip, when it seems that an ice-throwing contest broke out between the girls. All arrived safely, and Ron told me they had a great time with the family. The Normans finished their summer with a family vacation in Myrtle Beach to include their son, Ronnie, and the Manuels. Ellett Smith seems to have been inspired by the Olympics this summer, as he sent me an article from The Washington Post that talked about a now defunct event of Olympics past. It seems that in the 1904 Olympics there was a diving event known as plunge for distance. The contestant dives off a platform and, without moving their arms or legs, sees how far they can go in the pool for 60 seconds. I think Ellett was having some flashback moments from rat swimming, as he thinks this is something we could be competitive in. Late in September, Ellett was on TDY in Portsmouth, and Fran was able to join him. They were able to catch up with Yulee and Karen Richardson, along with their son, John Joseph Richardson ’08, and his wife, Ashley. John chose a great Italian restaurant, and everybody had a super great time all the way around. Karen let me know that Yulee is in a routine of therapy exercises, and believe it or not, he is reliving his rat boxing experience, as that is one of the exercises. Doctor King would be proud.

Class of 1975: Allen Morgan, Budge Hunter ’10, Jelly Bear Taylor, Ron Bongiovanni, Steve Chapin, Bobby Hunter, Rob Hunter (Bobby Hunter’s son and Washington and Lee University graduate) and Billy Hunter got their limit of pheasant at a recent bird hunt in Frederick, South Dakota.

Class of 1975: Dean and Denise Armstrong visited the Mont Ormel area in Normandy, France, during their recent trip to France in September.

Class of 1975: Doug Conte and Dean Armstrong got together in Madison, Wisconsin, with two of Doug’s fellow flight surgeons that he served with.

Harley Myler sent me a note reflecting on the 45th anniversary of our matriculation in August 2016. Harley is a professor and the electrical engineering department chair at Lamar University, and for over 30 years, he has had the great pleasure to experience what he fondly refers to as the Phoenix rising from the ashes, or the start of the fall semester at the university after a lazy summer of research and travel. He has watched the freshmen showing up, wide-eyed and expectant, then the seniors, smug and knowing but who will do anything to graduate. Harley calls it an exciting, almost carnival atmosphere of great expectations and hope for the future. I don’t know if I would call what happened 45 years ago for us a carnival, but there were a lot of expectations, and we were all hoping for a future. Harley also let me know that he and Nancy just celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary. They met at a mixer at Madison (now James Madison University) in fall 1972. Congratulations to you both. Thanks to our Brother Rat Bill Turpin, we all got a tip that a copy of our Ring Figure yearbook was for sale on eBay. Well, it seems that Lenny Riedel was happy to see it there and promptly snatched it up. He said his dog chewed his up, and the cover and part of the pages were all messed up, so he was glad that Bill found the item. Bill was glad he could help someone. Tim Parker was also fascinated with the Ring Figure book, but from the standpoint of the price it was selling for, for a moment, he was wondering if he could find his copy. But reason prevailed, and his copy is safe. On a serious note, Tim wanted to thank his BRs and other VMI grads who helped him finish his doctoral dissertation, and Tim was awarded his Doctorate in Business Administration – Organizational Leadership. Congratulations, brother rat! Al Morgan sent me a note to let

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes me know that our class was well represented at the East Tennessee State University game Oct. 8 when the Keydets won 37-7. Our BRs in attendance were Art Nunn, Tom Baur, Tom Mason, Dan Darnell, Chip Louthan and Mark Hall. Thanks, Al, for the update. Dave Applin wrote to let me know that he and Anne are doing well in northern Virginia. Their two eldest kids are currently attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the College of William and Mary, and their youngest just entered his freshman year in high school. He noted he and Anne have a long way to go. Dave sends his best to all. Rick Hening had a busy summer, as his note to me was packed with activities. His list started out at their annual family reunion in Georgia in July, which he said is always a fun time. At the end of July, Rick left his employment with McLane, saying that the wear and tear on the body was getting to be too much and was taking its toll. During his time in the world of unemployment, Suzanne and he decided to become tourists in their home state of North Carolina and traveled to Bath, North Carolina, and Washington, North Carolina. After returning from their vacation, Rick started his new adventure with Domino’s Pizza as a delivery driver for the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, location. Since he started with them, he has survived – in rapid succession – two

hurricanes: Hermine and Matthew. Matthew caused all sorts of challenges, with flooding being the worst since Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Rick and his family have lived through and survived all of these in Rocky Mount. Fortunately, his family was not impacted by the storms other than minor inconveniencies, but it was a challenge for efficient pizza delivery. Rick was able to attend the eastern North Carolina VMI alumni rat send-off that was held in Williamston. He was able to meet up with John Siemens, who lives in Elizabeth City, and reminisce on the past and share stories from more recent times. Rick said it was unfortunate during this year’s minor league baseball season that he, Bob Lane and Harry Broaddus were unable to get together as they usually do to catch a Richmond Flying Squirrels game. Maybe next year, guys. In early October, Rick, Suzanne and Sam were able to attend the baby dedication of their youngest grandson, Ayden Grey. One of the biggest events Rick and family were able to attend was the birthday of his mother, Georgia Hening, in September. Rick’s mom was married to the late Clark Hening ’49C, and for her 87th birthday, the family traveled to the home place in Powhatan, Virginia, to celebrate the event. Rick said the family friend and noted musician, Steve Bassett of Richmond, Virginia, was in attendance to help celebrate the event and provide the musical entertainment.

Class of 1975: Tom Baur, Oliver Way, Steve Chapin and Kimo Wong surrendered the annual Silent Auction Golf Tournament trophy to the new winners, Stewart Fleming, Allen Morgan and Ben Vanderberry. The tournament took place during homecoming weekend. Present but not pictured was Tom Mason. 2017-Issue 1

Class of 1975: Ron Norman and Melissa Arellano ’08 met while attending the dance recital of Ron’s granddaughters at Elon College in May. Ron’s granddaughter and Melissa’s niece were best friends in Burlington, North Carolina, and on dance and softball teams together. Rick has Wednesdays off in his new job and has been splitting that time so far between taking his oldest grandson, Coltin, to the North Carolina Science Museum and going to Portsmouth, Virginia, with his son, Sam, and touring the Virginia Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. He and Sam had a great time and saw lots of good VMI sports history. Rick’s latest adventure was a family trip to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and the Chimney Rock State Park. It seems that on the day they attended, the elevator to the top was not working, but that did not deter Sam and Rick from taking the many stairs to the top. Rick said that going down was a lot easier than going up. I don’t know what it is about these father/son excursions (Greg Diamontopulos and Peter Diamontopulos ’13, November 2015 class notes and Owen and Elmo Shiflett, November 2016 class notes), but they seem to always end up with a lot of gasping for air and thankfulness to be at the end of the trip. Thanks, Rick, for the great update. I received a post card from Glen Garland showing the town of Naumburg, Germany, where he and Cindy vacationed in September. They spent their time hiking, biking and hitting the spa for five days in Bavaria and three days in Berlin. While they were traveling on a train, it was recommended to them to visit Naumburg, so they did. Glen said it was a great visit to this small town that fortunately escaped damage during World War II. Dino and Denise Armstrong had a very busy summer, and it seems they had a wonderful trip

Class Notes to France. Dino reported that they flew into Paris and rented a car to drive down to Normandy. They stayed in a bed-and-breakfast at a place called La Fiere Bridge that was operated by a lovely French couple. The La Fiere Bridge over the small river, Merderet, and the approaching causeway just west of Ste. Mere d’Eglise was a significant objective of the 82nd Airborne during the D-Day Normandy Invasion. Their task was to hold the causeway against German reinforcements. Dino and Denise toured this area for the day, where he found the gravesites of Preston and Robert Niland at the Allied Cemetery. The Niland brothers are what the movie, “Saving Private Ryan,” is loosely based on. They then traveled up to Somme, France, which is the site of one of the bloodiest battles of World War I that lasted fourand-a-half months in 1916. Dino found this area to be absolutely fascinating. They then traveled to Reims, France, which, of course, is the Champagne region of France. While there, they visited two wineries, Pommery and Tattinger, and a third independent, as well. Dino said Denise particularly liked that. On their return to Paris, they went through the Belleau Wood area near the Marne River that was the site of the German spring offensive in World War I. They visited the memorial chapel where the names of 1,060 missing men adorn the walls. Dino found on these walls the name of James Corey ’917, one of the solders buried there but not in a marked grave. They finished their trip back in Paris and returned to the U.S. They both had a great time and enjoyed themselves totally. Dino also met up with Doug Conte in Chicago, where they usually get together for the miniature soldier show, but unfortunately, the show date was changed this year, and there was no show. Undeterred, Dino and Doug were able to visit the U-505 German U-boat that was captured in June 1944 and take in a dinner at their usual place they both like a lot called the Russian Tea Time. They finished their trip by traveling to Madison, Wisconsin, to visit two fellow flight surgeons Doug served with. Before they parted, Doug and Dino made plans to visit Normandy next May. Obviously, they had a great time. R.B. Lane gave me an update on the progress of his son, Rob, as he began his college studies in August at the local community college. Rob is autistic and attending college is a big step for all involved. R.B. reported that Rob is hanging in there, really likes his studies and has an accommodating

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professor. R.B. said he is auditing the computer fundamentals class and attends with Rob to help him in taking notes as well as help him study. He said he is learning quite a few things in the class, and there is another older guy in the class who went to The Citadel (and also happens to go to their church). They both are having a good time comparing their observations about the millennials in the class. R.B. thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers and support for Rob’s first semester efforts. Allen Morgan texted me to let me know that he, Rob Taylor, Steve Chapin, Ron Bongiovanni, Billy Hunter, Bobby Hunter, Budge Hunter ’10 and Rob Hunter (Bobby’s son and a Washington and Lee University grad) all got together in Frederick, South Dakota, to do some pheasant hunting. Al said Mike Hunter was not able to attend, as he was in Canada doing some duck and goose hunting. From the picture he sent in, it looks like they had a great and successful hunt. Ollie Way sent me a great update via Sandy Morgan to let me know that, several years ago, six of our BRs successfully bid on a football weekend package that was offered at a Keydet Club silent auction. Since that time, the group has continued to get together each year on a home football weekend for fellowship and a generally rowdy time. The weekend commences with a golf tournament, and in an upset this year, the team of Stu Fleming, Tom Mason, Ben Vanderberry and Allen Morgan, based on the strength of two eagles, beat out the perennial favorites Kimo Wong, Steve Chapin, Oliver Way and Tom Baur. What a great tradition you guys have; keep up the good work. That’s it from here. The shoebox is empty, and I want to thank those who sent in items to share with the class. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and holiday season.

to apply at VMI. Jake said, “He’s a much better student than me. The kind of kid who would excel at the Institute.” Michael also visited the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to appreciate how much better matriculating at VMI could be. But, Jake said, “Not to be overbearing, I always remember what one of Marshal’s mechanical engineering professors said: ‘You can’t push on a rope!’ Jake is enjoying life in Jamestown, North Carolina, (outside of Greensboro) in a brand-new home. He still enjoys working at Ralph Lauren supporting an SAP environment for part of its core business. Jake said he still fills out a weekly aerobic points card and visits the gym several days a week “…to keep my shoulders wider than my @$%.” Norm Cole, Dave Bright and Doug Ashton: Your BRs want to hear from you; send me an update before May 15 for the next Alumni Review! Mark Sculley is also recruiting his son, Daniel,

1976

William Bhatta

Brother Rats, These notes were written Nov. 1, 2016. The Chicago Cubs just forced the World Series to Game No. 7. Jake Berberich is recruiting his son, Michael,

Class of 1976: Arnold Maury Gatewood Palmer last August after playing on the Golf Channel AM Tour, a nationwide tour where you compete against players your age and handicap. Based on his play since Jan. 1, 2016, Maury won player-of-the-year for the Senior Snead Flight (over 50, 19.9+ handicap). Out of 12 events, Maury won three times and came in second place four times. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes directions could have been a little to apply at VMI. At this rate, we might clearer. In an attempt to remedy the have to start a Class of 1976 legacy situation, please see the below inforcadet chapter in Lexington, Virginmation in order to complete your ia. Mark; his son, Julian ’09; and registration. his daughter, Virginia, attended a Your Log ID# or Constituent ID# family wedding in Utah in October. Mark said, “Utah was beautiful and is [your ID number]. Please note interesting, so much so that Bernait was listed in the original launch dette [his wife] and I will visit there email, dated Sept. 27, under the red in 2017 and consider retiring there ‘Register Today’ button. Please keep this number on file for future use. a year later.” Mark still enjoys work “Additionally, your previous login and thinks we are defeating ISIL. He hopes for their permanent defeat Class of 1976: Mark Sculley with his son, Julian ’09, last Octo- information for vmialumni.org will no longer work. You must reregister in the future, so we can concentrate ber in Utah at Mark’s nephew’s wedding. using your primary email address on other threats in the European theater of operations. on her household project bucket list. David ’06 (e.g., wkbhatta@gmail.com) as the username Stephen Allen, Randy Esser and Ray Harwas promoted to major last year at Command and create a new password noting the system rell: Your BRs want to hear from you; send me and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, requirements.” an update before May 15 for the next Alumni Kansas. Allison (youngest daughter) was a Review! freelance graphic artist in Boulder, Colorado, Marshall Coyle (aka Grande Papa Coyle – and transitioned to a corporate job in Kansas a new nick name bestowed upon him by his City, Missouri. She hated the experience and Steve Neas Pennsylvania State University students) was exreturned as a freelance graphic artist to Boulcited when Penn State beat Ohio State Univerder, Colorado. During my last update, Laura sity last October. Marshall said, “Happy Valley (middle daughter) was in the middle of labor. was really happy after the OSU victory. I was She delivered Avery Thomas Feb. 17 last year – Brother Rats, in total shock. Nothing like the atmosphere of our third grandchild. The third annual Super 77 mini reunion has a white-out game.” Marshall turned down an J.P. Kennedy, Zack LaLiberte and Hank early retirement offer at Penn State, because he Dean: Your BRs want to hear from you; send come and gone. There was rain and rumors of was having too much fun. Simultaneously, he me an update before May 15 for the next rain. The Parade Ground was under water and off limits; a cadet private’s prayers answered. transitioned from professor to bus driver. MarAlumni Review! There was a little panic Friday night in finding shall said, “I drove a 15-passenger van to the And now, the BR minute: Billy Karnes apPenn State versus Minnesota football game. plied for VMI provisional appointments for a suitable spot for the set up. Chief general-inMet a bunch of Penn State fans from Buffalo, two recent grandchildren: James Eric Peckman charge Bob Hartzell made a command decision New York, who thought I was Rob Ryan (Bufand Emma Mae Frances Karnes, both born late Friday afternoon to seek space in the old 1st falo Bill’s coach) and [subsequently had] their in May 2016. After working at Philip Morris Class parking lot. The recon team consisting of pictures taken with me.” Note: Marshall has a International, Maury Gatewood was offered Buster Pace and Steve Billingsley secured our group a primo spot nestled in next to Marshall surprise for you at the 45th Reunion in 2021. and accepted a job with Owens & Minor as a Mark Gedro, Bob Macks and Tad Dodge: process engineer technician; he started work Library. (Today’s 1st Class lot is located east Your BRs want to hear from you; send me an up- last September. The Richmond BRC club met of town in the Food Lion parking lot.) After date before May 15 for the next Alumni Review! last September: Lee Godsey, Al Kinker, Bill last year’s mini reunion, Glenn “Tastykake” The Bhatta clan is doing well. I am still workDanzeisen and Jim Mallon had an enjoyable Davidson offered to make his famous Philly ing at Altria Client Services. Since my last upbreakfast. Al retired from the National Guard cheesesteak sandwiches for this year’s event. date, I morphed from a SAP functional lead to Jan. 1, 2017, but the others are not so lucky and After a close vote from the mini reunion executhe enterprise SAP security team lead. Go figtive committee, it was agreed to give Glenn the plan to work another three to five years. ure; someone with no security background is Before I end these notes, I encourage you to green light. Glenn hauled in a huge flattop grill leading eight security analysts. It’s been a steep visit the new http://www.vmialumni.org/. The and served up a great meal. The only problem learning curve, but I’m getting into the swing Alumni Association website has been redesigned. encountered was in higher mathematics. Glenn of things. I still enjoy the work but look forHere are the contents of an email I received when planned to make 80 sandwiches but came up short on buns. We all pulled out our calculaward to retirement in three to five years. Wish I asked about accessing the new site: I could retire earlier, however, Michelle retired tors and took off our shoes and socks to cypher. “It has come to our attention that some indifrom the University of Richmond financial aid viduals have been having difficulty gaining acWe came to the conclusion that six dozen is in office last June; now she is spending my money cess to the new VMIAA site. In hindsight, our fact 72 not 80, accounting for the missing buns.

1977

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Class Notes teamed up with some sailors and Marines on his sister’s base to form an “exhibition” touring basketball team. They played in Spain and Portugal, but the toughest game was against the sailors and Marines from one of the Nimitz Class aircraft carriers that was in port. His last year in Europe was 1980. George heard Will Bynum married his beautiful wife, Trish, and they had come to Switzerland so Will could play for a team there. They did not have a chance to hook up, but he did get to see and travel with Kurt Weidenthal Class of 1977: Class agent Steve Neas said of this photo, “The while he was in Germany. best tailgate team in the universe: Buster Pace, Glenn DavidAfter all this European basketball, son, Steve Billingsley and Bob Hartzell.” George moved to Kentucky to teach high school. George is now retired. Another surprise visit was from Jim Hugar and his wife, Carol. Jim is now retired and living in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Jim came in with Mike and Debbie Davis. If I remember correctly, Jim and Carol were on their way to see children and grandchildren in Florida. Hank Bungay sent a nice email asking to be excused from the mini reunion. Hank mentioned he had recently had dinner with Bill Holsgrefe. Harpo had some business in Massachusetts and looked up Class of 1977: Glenn “Tastykake” Davidson served up his famous Hank on his ride back. Harpo had Philly cheese sandwiches. Allan Wagoner and Bill Anderson are indicated he planned to stop by the pictured in the background. tailgate on his Ride to the “I,” but to my knowledge, he never showed. A status slip was sent. Hank has committed to attend the 40th coming up this spring. Sensei Tim Thompson and his Dragon Force National Karate Demo Team won first place trophies in Demo Team, Breaking, Fighting, Kata, Weapons and Team Showmanship at the 2016 World Fall Classic Martial Arts Championships. They also won the first place trophy in Team Demo at the 2016 Battle of the 7 Cities Karate Championships. Tim and His Dragon Force Demo Team performed awesome karate shows at the 2016 Navy Exchange Children Festival, 2016 Callao Fire/Rescue Community Festival and the 2016 Isle of Wight County Fair. Tim is also teaching classes and getting Class of 1977: Third annual Super ’77 mini reunion. ready for his Bushido Camp, black belt testing,

There was great relief in the knowledge that someone had not taken off with eight buns – that they were in fact not bought. After the tailgate, the group attended the game, hard fought but lost in overtime, then dinner in Moody Hall. All agreed it was a good time. In each of these mini reunions we are blessed with a surprise brother rat. Last year, it was Mark Abernathy, Keith Kowaldo and Eric Letendre. This year, George Borojevich appeared with his brother, Wally. What a great pleasure it was to see him. George filled me in on his life after graduation. For some unknown reason, the NBA didn’t pick him, so he took his talent abroad and played for a Belgium team named after its hometown of Berringen in the Providence of Limburg near Antwerp. After one season and a trip back to the States to see Dave Slomski, George joined a different team in the same area of Belgium called Inter-Genk. After his third year and surprisingly no injuries or surgeries (I understand the European round ball is a little more hands on), he tried out for a very good team near Rota, Spain, where his sister was stationed in the U.S. Navy. That team already had the limit of two Americans, so George

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Class Notes awards banquet and Christmas karate show at his Ryoshin-Kan Karate School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Bill Nay and girlfriend Rose attended. Rose and Allan Wagoner’s wife, Lurline, are working on arranging a Japanese tea ceremony for interested wives during the 40th. Brother rats, we are staring down at our 40th Reunion. That is 40 ... four decades. I could recount that in base 5, but I never understood why we had to learn that. A reunion committee is formed, and plans are being made. Other than the standard dinner mixer that Friday, parade, rabble into barracks for the Old Yell, watch with amazement as Kimber again climbs up the sentinel box, memorial service and photo, Rich Howell and Steve Billingsley are organizing a bike ride for Friday afternoon. A golf game will be organized. A few of our beloved brother rats have passed on since the 35th. I hesitate to say our ranks may thin a bit more before the 45th. Please do your best to attend. If you need help getting back to “I,” let me know. We will find a way. See you this spring. Steve

1978

Tom Brown

Greetings to all and hope that your winter has been a mild one. The latest status slip has produced many responses. Many thanks for input to your class notes. Those checking in with an “all right” were: Bob Eagle in Fredericksburg, Virginia; Scot Singlary; Harry Seipp alive and well in Raleigh, North Carolina; Tim Fredrikson in Charlottesville, Virginia; George Relyea; Stan Walchock; Mike Wright in south Florida; Dac Colden in Indianapolis, Indiana; Bob Fricke in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Frank Fountain; Bruce Kay; Tom English; Vagel Keller; Leland Horn; Terry Dorn; Gary Brumback in Connecticut; Bill McCambell; Paul Campbell; John Tucker; and Pete Manoso. Checking in with some news: Tim Berkhimer: “All right, sir! My other news is that I am getting married to Debbie Lynn Hall, my Southern Seminary sweetheart 1st Class year, Oct. 29, 2016. She waited a long time!

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Pat Wilson: “Sitting in recovery after hip replacement. Family is great; we were blessed with a grandson in August, and he’s just perfect. Things are going well in Memphis. Laura and I became grandparents Aug. 10 with the arrival of our grandson, Parker Ralph Solt. Both parents and Parker are doing well. Grandparents are overjoyed. I hope to make it to Lexington in the spring.” Dave Wrenn: “Still supporting Army training at Edgewood Area/Aberdeen Proving Ground. Headed to practice with the Montgomery Blue Notes for my dose of jazz ... once a tweet, always a tweet.” Tom Tucker: “OK here. I took my dad, Thomas M. Tucker Sr. ’48B, to VMI a couple of weekends ago and had a nice walkabout in front of barracks. He chatted with a couple of upperclassmen about the Old Corps and seemed to enjoy himself. I found out that, because of the way they housed cadets coming back from World War II then, his class spent their entire cadetship on the 1st stoop ... no running steps ever for him.” Mike Oelrich: “Still living in the sunny Florida panhandle and working as contractor with a new company.” Bob Magnan: “Retired officially, if I hadn’t already reported it. Continuing to come back nicely from the various bionic joint surgeries I’ve had in recent times.” Jim Doyle: “Doing fine here in Melbourne, Florida. Focusing on getting myself back in top physical shape. So far, happy to say that thanks to eating extremely ‘clean’ and heavy lifting with lots of cardio/HIIT, I have made great progress. So far, in four months, I have shed 35 pounds of body fat, put on 5 pounds of lean-muscle/tissue and have greatly expanded cardio capacity. Hope to get the trophy 6-pack abs by end of year and avoid any setbacks/injuries. Never say die!” Andy Faulconer: “All’s well here. Completed the Virginia 10-miler Sept. 24. Saw Jay Hutt and Danny Thornton along the route. Otherwise, spending a lot of time with the grandkids.” Bill Greg: “All is well here. Enjoying retired life and being healthy! My wife and I took up golfing and she is still way better than me! We did a lot of traveling this year and hopefully do a lot more in the future! I got to visit with Gary Snyder a couple of times this year at Redskins games and had a blast!” Ron Dolan: “Still in Minnesota. I am spending more time in Washington, D.C., on the Hill –

initiatives with Federal Aviation Administration and NASA still moving forward. I am curious what the new administration positions will be. A new granddaughter keeping us busy. I will be wintering in Florida and Arizona this year. Not quite retired; still having fun and enjoying the new challenges of commercial space travel but making sure there is time to go fishing and hunting.” Tony Pileggi: “All is well at home. Had a great two-week vacation (and 28th wedding anniversary celebration) to New England (Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts).” Tom Shaw: “Checking in from our 12-acre spread just outside of San Antonio. Life is good here. I am working with the National Veterans Outreach Program. Pam and I are looking forward to the next reunion.” Joe Cafarella: “I am enjoying retirement! Trying to keep a routine. Played golf in an American Legion league on Thursdays. Watching our only grandson, Telly, Fridays in Columbus. Just became an American Red Cross volunteer. I am waiting for my first assignment. Also just rode my Goldwing down to Pensacola and back a couple of weeks ago. Otherwise, drinking a lot of craft beer and getting fat. Guess I need to get back in shape with our 40th coming up soon. Cheers to all!” Tom Tanner: “The room 161 gang plus one got together in Hilton Head for a few days. Everything else is going well; started our new home on Smith Mountain Lake and hope to be in it by Memorial Day.” Gary Snyder: “A partial update on room 142: Jim and Sue Reynolds have officially retired and moved to Hilton Head where the 161 plus one group was just a few weeks ago. No doubt the 142 crew will have to replicate in the near future. Bil Greg, who still lives in the Burke, Virginia, area, and I get together for a few Redskins games each year. I still have my season tickets and make the trek from the northern Kentucky area (Cincinnati) for four or five each season. He is doing great, by the way. I’m still living the dream here in northern Kentucky doing business development work and traveling. Melissa and I are Hawaii bound in November to celebrate our wedding anniversary and my birthday. Laf checks in via email, as do all the roomies. Looking forward to the reunion.” Paul Mitchell: “I’m going to Hilton Head, my favorite vacation destination, for a vacation with my two daughters and a friend. All is well

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Class Notes and the same with me. I’m still driving for Estes. Still listening to audiobooks. Still have 1-year-old Eva 100 percent on the two days a week I am home. She is such a treasure! She’s good-hearted, intelligent, inquisitive, cheerful, playful and assertive. She is a good walker now. She lifts spirits everywhere she goes. It is her forte.” Jim Mackin: “I moved to a new job, back in the Pentagon, supporting the undersecretary of the Air Force for Space. Heading down to Virginia Beach this to celebrate Tim Berkhimer’s wedding to Debbie Hall. They dated our 1st Class year.” Bob Vidrick: “I’ve certainly been remiss these many years in posting updates on what’s going on with me and family. I never really had much to write about. So, let me bring our BRs up to speed. I’ve been married to the same woman for more than 31 years (and to think she still puts up with me). We are on our third ‘child.’ I’ve been with the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond for the last 18 of my 27 years in the information technology field and provide Windows and Unix admin server support at the national level. There are over 20 VMI alumni at this location, with me representing the oldest class (go figure). The Institute is definitely heard from each day at the Fed! I see some of our BRs have already retired. My wife plans to retire in about two years, but I expect to be slogging it out for another 6-7 years. Someone has to pay the bills!” Don Hogge: “I am living in Maryland and working as a contractor supporting the Army Research Lab.” Terry McKnight: “I have been retired from the

Navy for seven years (would go back in a second), and I am still working in the defense world. I am waiting for all of my BRs to buy a copy of my book, ‘Pirate Alley: Commanding Task Force 151 Off Somalia,’ so I can retire for good and play golf everyday like Ronnie Milligan and Bill Hardy. I stay in contact with Harry ‘H-Bo’ Siegfried all the time, and he is a proud grandfather. He said his grandson will someday be the regimental commander. I also see Wads and Wendy Bugg on occasion, and they have a wonderful river home and are looking to invite the class down for a mini reunion in the future.” Jim Simons: “I am taking some time off to play catch-up on chores around the house, but heaven knows if I’ll accomplish all that I’ve set out to do. With deer season right around the corner, it’s time to refurbish the deer stands, plan the menu and lay in the groceries. I’ve been emailing back and forth with Tom Sliwoski about getting together for some fly fishing, but our schedules have always upset our plans in the past, so only time will tell if this, too, comes to pass. As for my continued support of the cadet fishing club, back in September, I took the club out on its annual canoe trip on the James River. All went well, and at the end of the day, I delivered the cadet contingent back to barracks exhausted but intact. The cadet fishing club is now a participant in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway program, so we’ll soon be undertaking two annual cleanups along a three-mile stretch of VA-646 on the western side of Rockbridge County. Although the primary objective of the project is to keep

Class of 1978: Class agent Steve Neas said of this photo, “Cool evening at the Crazy Crab with the VMI room 161+1 reunion.” 104

a scenic section of local roadside free from litter, the underlying objective is to shield Colliers Creek, a local stream that parallels the road, now being monitored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as a possible ‘impaired’ water. The Washington and Lee Flyfishers have adopted a connecting three-mile stretch of the same road, so between the two colleges, we will effectively shield the full-length of the six-mile length of Colliers Creek from its headwaters to its confluence with Buffalo Creek. The fact that I happen to live on this particular road may, at first glance, seem a bit self-serving, but it will make the project so much easier to manage and allow me to throw a post-event barbecue for the cadets with no need for a lot of unnecessary driving.” Steve Craig: “I retired from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in January 2015. I was accepted into a Ph.D. program in the History of Medicine at University of Glasgow. Spent most of the last year in Edinburgh, where my primary research material is but returned in June because our house here in Gaithersburg did not sell (surprise, surprise, in this economy). Carolyn and I were tired of being apart. I am continuing to work on my dissertation and hope to re-enroll in the coming year.” Dick Powell: “I’ve retired to Arizona. They tell me you don’t have to shovel sunshine. I won’t miss winters in Ohio. Working on my golf game and adjusting to being able to enjoy life while I still enjoy good health. Interesting factoid: We live in the shadow of Pichaco Peak, which was the western-most battle of the Civil War – a reminder of our legacy. All secure in Arizona.” Alec Earle: “I just arrived back on our California farm after an eight-month sojourn in our motor home. It feels good to be in one place for a while. Our almond trees are growing rapidly and doing great.” Chops Parker: “I am still hanging in Taichung, Taiwan, building a massive data center for Google. Life is simple here; great food, good people and interesting culture. I am heading home for Thanksgiving holiday. My granddaughter, Vivienne, turned 1. All else is well.” Jimmy Leech: “I actually have a little news this time. I finally spoke with Chris Brock, whom I last saw in 1988, if I remember right. Along with Billy Young, he was my roommate from the first day of cadre until graduation. Chris is retired from the Virginia Department of Transportation and works as a consultant with an engineering firm

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes in Blacksburg, mostly from home. He and Pam built a home out in the country between Harrisonburg and New Market. I was relieved to know I am not the only one to have VMI dreams mostly involving my being there as an adult cadet, having already done it once but for some perverse reason wanting to do it again. Realizing that one has not attended class all semester, has no white gloves for parade, etc. are common themes. Neither Chris nor I know where Billy Young is. Last we heard, he was flying for American Airlines. Bruce Morris, our 1st Class year roommate, is also MIA – at least from our radar screens.” Jay Hutt: “I spent a weekend with the Cures at dad’s Potomac River place recently; good times. Only one down tree from [Hurricane] Matthew and on a state road, so I didn’t have to use my chain saw; Let the taxpayers pay for that one!” Wes Shull: “I am working in D.C. running IT support for the inspector general of the U.S. Commerce and spending weekends renovating an old home down on the water in Gloucester, Virginia. Grandson Chris is 1-and-a-half, son John is getting his Ph.D. at Old Dominion University, daughter Clare is a bank manager at Navy Federal and son Sam is managing a small PC fix-it store in Manassas. My wife, Patti, is still running 70-plus miles a week. She came in second at the Marine Corps Marathon a while back; puts me to shame. She would give Gerhardt a run for his money.” Chris Stone: “Things are fine. I was actually on post for General Green’s (deputy superintendent for finance, administration and support) retirement parade. My firm completed the architectural and engineering design for a lot of the new construction and renovations on post over the past couple of years, like the new Third Barracks, and I worked closely with General Green. Cindy and I were seated with the VIPs for the parade, and General Green’s class (Class of ’67) invited us to his class dinner that night at Moody Hall. It was a really nice event, with General Peay ’62 and all the VMI Board of Visitors. “Like most of my BRs, I just turned 60. Cindy took me to Montreal for my 60th. I have been president of Clark Nexsen since 2000 and was just named chief executive officer by our board. Cindy and I moved to the oceanfront at Virginia Beach last year, where I traded in the yard for a patch of sand. We plan on being here until I retire (hopefully at 65) and then plan to move to Shenandoah Valley.” Pete Manoso: “Status is ‘all right.’ I retired

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from Navy Civil Service last December after 37 years and started getting my retired U.S. Army (three years active, 18 years in the reserve) pension checks last month. Life is good! I can hardly wait for our 40th in a little over 18 months. See you there!” The Lynchburg crew of Jimmy Cure, Bert Loflin, Make Lowe, Jay Hutt and yours truly had a beer call in September. Everyone had a great time and is doing well. I also caught up with my roomie, Terry Dorn, and his lovely wife, Beth, in Fredericksburg. Terry is still at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. We had a great time, and Terry had some “blast from the past” pictures to share with Pat and me. Thanks to everyone for the input for your notes. As we are approaching a little more than 12 months until our 40th, please consider being a part of the planning. I am looking for people to plan the Friday and Saturday evening events, as well as coordinating the mementos/souvenirs. If you are interested in helping, please contact me. And as always, time to send in more news for the next set of notes. In the spirit.

1979

August. [Congrats!] Other than family, our constant thoughts are about travel. We made trips to California and Maine this year. Next year will be another cruise...” Asa Page checked in and advised that during a recent scuba diving trip to Key Largo, Florida, with his wife, Karen, due to bad sea conditions, they decided to travel down to nearby Key West. While there, they linked up with Randy Pekarik.

Class of 1979: Travis Callaway and his son, Cadet Coleman Callaway ’19.

Michael Ogden

News from Eric Schwarz: “Becky and I are pleased to announce the recent birth of our first grandchild. Both sets of grandparents were together in the hospital waiting room for half of the night. Jordan Alexander Prible was born Sunday morning, Oct. 23, to daughter Heather and son-in-law Josh Prible ’07. The baby is healthy, and everything is going well for the family. No pictures are enclosed, because they properly belong in the dad’s class notes. Of course, Jordan may have his own class notes someday, as the chances of him going to VMI are high. In addition to me and his dad, there are two more VMI grads in the family: his dad’s brothers, Billy Prible ’01 and Jon Prible ’05. On another front, our son, Michael, is doing well in the Coast Guard. He is on his second assignment in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, area. Apparently he has decided he likes living in New England. Becky and I are both healthy and happy. We celebrated our 35th anniversary in

Class of 1979: Michael “Odie” Ogden, executive director, Maritime Headquarters, Carrier Strike Group FOUR and Chuck Baker ’85, waterfront operations manager for Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, met up unexpectedly at the Lyons Ship Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, where CSG-4’s TSV-3 Hunter is in dry dock. 105

Class Notes Randy’s been a resident of Key West for over 20 years, and he gave Asa and Karen a personal two-day tour of all the best spots that Key West has to offer, including Sloppy Joe’s bar and the Hog’s Breath Saloon, where some serious Old Corps stories ensued. Although it has been more than 40 years since Asa and Randy saw each other, it was like old times back in barracks cutting up and reliving some of their more humorous memories as rats. Randy extended a similar offer to any BR who happens to be in the area who’d like to either go scuba diving or visit some of Key West’s more lively sites. Additionally, Asa reported that during homecoming weekend Oct. 28, he ran into BRs Adm. Chuck Smith, the new VMI deputy superintendent for finance, administration and support, as well as Gen. Jeff Smith, VMI dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent for academics. He reported it was great seeing both, and it is very clear that VMI is in good hands. Asa also reported that he ran into Ed Johnson, who is doing well and looked great during homecoming weekend. They had a good time catching up and almost missed the parade while laughing and catching up. Brian Tollie wrote: “Not very important, but I have just returned from a four-month deployment in Djibouti. End of story.” Well, he did write something! John Kailey reported the end of football season and thinks his officiating days are done. John penned, “I actually enjoyed a couple of weekends with my family, and I look forward to two final day hikes on the Appalachian Trail this fall. Should put me within 3 miles of the North Carolina border.” Richard Toft relayed that he just spent a month in Louisiana doing disaster inspections for Vanguard/Federal Emergency Management Agency, followed by the Carolinas thanks to Hurricane Matthew. He’s not too

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Class of 1979: Ed Johnson, Asa Page and Andy Ludlam ’80 enjoyed a beautiful homecoming weekend at VMI at the start of parade.

Class of 1979: Dave Taylor, Meade Spotts, Dave Jeter, Tom Trumps, Mike Ogden and Tom Baltazar gathered for the first home football game.

Class of 1979: Alumni visited Antietam battlefield in June 2016. Pictured were, from left, Lt. Col. Hsiao-Wen (Hank) Yu ’98, Dr. Paul Jussel ’99 and Jason Trubenbach ’99. Doctor Jussel led the U.S. Army War College Distance Education class of 2017 around the battlefield, highlighting leadership lessons applicable to modern leaders in the profession of arms. Lieutenant Col. Yu still serves in the Taiwanese military. Trubenbach serves in Europe as a Department of the Army civilian. Doctor Jussel teaches at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

excited to return home to Florida, as he has roof repairs to do on one of his rentals; no rest for the wicked. He is happy about cooler weather and the chance to “ride the motorcycle.” Missives from Albro: “Getting to be fall here in southern Maryland. Now begins the annual battle of the leaves. My two attempts at helping Meade Spotts bush hog fields were thwarted by equipment failures. He’s getting it fixed for the next attempt at a later date. Sput Leadbetter is seasonally closing the Whitestone cottage at the end of the third week in October and relocating to winter quarters in Jackson Ward. Noel Harris continues to work on Defense Commissary Agency commissaries around the world. This is important for us military retired folks who like to frequent for the discounts. Noel also sidelights with improving his real estate holdings. I volunteered to help when he needs it; he said, ‘be careful what you ask for.’ To me it’s great – yet another place to drive a tractor. My brother, Tom Albro ’81, sent a selfie with Mac Curtis at some suit and tie type function this past weekend. Said Hank Chase was there, too. I was helping Doug Mauck fix duck blinds on the Pumunkey. We told Tom to send Mac our worst regards. It was a long dayand-a-half. It wore us both out getting in and out of boats, plopping through the mud, driving nails and screws at odd angles and such. Fresh air, great food, slept great that night. Blinds are now in much better shape for the coming season. Barbara and I took a trip to the Canadian Rockies during the first week in September. If you haven’t been there, Banff and Jasper National Parks are outstanding. Hiking, glaciers, gondolas – a lot to do. Could not see all we wanted in a week. Flew into Calgary and rented a car – probably put about 2,000 miles on it. Stayed at hotels all around the parks. We liked it so much, we’re looking at going again

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes for two weeks in the spring/summer.” As always, thanks, Bro, for the notes! Mike Thomas pens: “In the small world category, I was visiting my son in Oxford, Mississippi, for the Ole Miss versus Georgia football game. On Friday, we were in a local pizza restaurant when my son spied a VMI baseball cap a couple of tables over and alerted me. I went over to the table to introduce myself, and to my surprise, it was Hugh Fain ’80 and his roommates having a mini reunion. I tried to find them the next day in ‘The Grove’ before the football game but had no luck. I was with my son and his teammates on the Ole Miss lacrosse team, and the tailgating exceeded anything I ever experienced at VMI – definitely lived up to the ESPN’s billing as the Best Tailgate Party in College Football.” Pete Alvarez was getting ready to move into his retirement home in Denver (not Colorado), North Carolina. His daughter just began her senior year at Elon University, so they’ll be sending her off into the world next May. Pete said, “Where has the time gone; every once in a while, I recall our experiences from 40 years ago, so now I am reliving 3rd Class year. Didn’t like it the first time either, but beats rat year!” John and Teresa Colonna had a great time attending Dan and Patrice Foster’s daughter’s wedding in Richmond. John added, “Three grandchildren born since last notes. One girl in August and then a boy and girl set of twins in October. All healthy, and all live nearby. Teresa had a two level cervical spine fusion in August and is recovering well. With the fusion, she can no longer touch her chin to her chest, so her rat strain leaves a lot to be desired. It’s also hard to put pillow cases on the pillows.” Jeff Goldhardt relayed that after flying to Colorado to drive his dad back home (he had sold his house and wanted to live by Jeff and family), they were coming up on Covington and spied a mileage sign that read, “Lexington, Virginia, 79 miles.” How cool was that!? And what, no picture!? Doug Doerr scribed, “Corinne and I are grandparents to David Douglas Keatts, the son of our daughter Kimberly and her husband, Jesse Keatts. He was born July 14. I am hoping that he will be in a future VMI class to continue a family tradition. Does a tradition start with two? “I have been on furlough (between contracts) since July 7 and thought it was a perfect opportunity to call Pete Underwood and meet for

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lunch. We met in Richmond and had a great time together. We both realized that this was easy to do, and we should have done it years ago. With Pete being retired and my furlough, it was a perfect opportunity! I am now back at work, working for KBRwyle on a contract supporting the Marine Corps Unmanned Aerial Systems program. My supervisor is a gentleman by the name of Doug Ashton ’76, and my teammate is Tom Heffern ’91. How lucky can I be? To top it off, our government servant supervisor is a former roommate, fellow 53-D pilot, squadron mate, and classmate from The Basic School and Officer Candidate School. Life doesn’t get much better than this.” Renee and I traveled to Richmond to see Chuck “Jos” Biviano’s “Morning of Creation” show at Bella Arte Gallery in Midlothian, Virginia. His artwork and talent is amazing! We followed that up with dinner at Buckhead’s. You know you are having a grand time when it takes you over an hour to decide on your order and you lay siege to the corner table for nearly four hours chatting it up and having an absolute blast! Please note the completion of the Marine Corps Marathon by BRs Majidian, Starbuck and Alipanah. Awesome accomplishment! As mentioned last go ‘round; keep moving, brother rats. Stay well. –M

1980

John Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats, These notes cover the period Aug. 16, 2016, through Oct. 31, 2016. The period began as the last period ended, with email messages from John Caplice. One message connected John with Pat Griffin, Gary Levenson and Rob Quarles, as John has a nephew who is a 4th Class cadet, Rob has a son who is a 4th Class cadet and Pat has a son in the Class of 2017. Gary is, of course, VMI’s deputy commandant. All were in Lexington for matriculation. A second message connected John with Fred Winkler. A third message connected John with Rich Zott. Rich Zott connected with John and also provided an update. Rich lives in the St. Louis area, where he works in law enforcement. He apologized for not attending our 35th Reunion, explaining that a death in the family required him to cancel. Rich has one son who works for the Federal Reserve and a second son attending Georgia Tech. Fred Winkler also connected with John and

Class of 1980: Jay Melvin, Al Ramer, Dan Sweenay, John Caplice, Josh Priest, Dusty Boyd, Tolar Nolley, Ken Baybutt, Dennis Hackemeyer, John Blankenship, Bud Zirkle, Steve Ikenberry and Charles Norris at a gathering on the Rappahannock River in August 2016. Present but not pictured was Hugh Fain. 107

Class Notes provided an update. Fred lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and works for the Drug Enforcement Administration. He has not been in contact with our BRs, but I connected him with Matthew and Tanya Keys. August 18 marked the 40th anniversary of our matriculation. A blast email was sent to our BRs as a reminder. Pat Griffin called to say happy anniversary and to provide an update. In July, he attended an Alumni Association event in New Jersey where the featured guest was the superintendent. Pat hosted John and Anne Alerding at his beach house in Rhode Island in July, and Dan and Cindy Sweeney in August. Pat’s chapter of the Alumni Association held a send-off for 14 rats. And his elder son, Michael, is scheduled to graduate from VMI in May, while his younger son, John, has applied to VMI, Class of 2021. Rob Quarles sent a text message saying he saw Tim Hodges and Gary Levenson at matriculation. Tim chairs VMI’s physics department. September began with calls and email messages with Jack Keane. Each September, Jack spends time in Connecticut, and he invites our BRs in the area to join him. Patti and I could not accept due to a prior commitment. Visitors included Rick Fowler, Pat Griffin, Bruno Loefstedt and Phil Munisteri. Frank Leech sent an email from his home in Kuala Lumpur noting that he still works for Taisei, and January marked his 35th anniversary with them. In May, Frank and Elma took a “quick trip” from Kuala Lumpur to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, to attend the graduation of their elder daughter, Frankie. She graduated with a degree in biology and is working on a Master of Science degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Their younger daughter, Marie, graduated from high school in May and is attending McGill University in Montreal. Frank plans to attend our 40th Reunion.

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Class of 1980: Amy and Tom Bersson and Elliott and Amy Wolffe at dinner in Brooklyn in October 2016.

Class of 1980: Elliott Wolffe and Tom Bersson in Brooklyn in October 2016.

Class of 1980: Rick Fowler, Phil Munisteri, Jack Keane, Pat Griffin and Bruno Loefstedt on the beach in Connecticut in September 2016.

I spoke with Tom Gelles on his (Beddian) birthday (defined below). Tom lives outside Pittsburgh and is a Steelers season ticket holder. We did not bet on the game between the Steelers and the Jets (I am a Giants fan). His son, Nick, is working for Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. His daughter, Lindsey, is completing her doctorate in physical therapy. Don Bradshaw sent an email after receiving his birthday card. Don works at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. Due to changes in command, Don was unable to travel to VMI for an annual gathering of our BRs (see below). October began with email messages from Walt Wood. Walt’s first message announced that he would be sending out story No. 15, the 15th edition of Walt’s musings (my word) on life in Peru. A week later, story No. 15 arrived, chronicling Walt’s trek through Peru’s Cordillera Huayhuash. If anyone not on Walt’s mailing list would like a copy, contact me, and I will forward it to you. I played golf with Elliott Wolffe at Baltusrol on a beautiful fall day. Elliott had to depart immediately after the round to visit his daughter, Mary Parker, at St. Louis University. Elliott planned to travel to VMI in November for the football game against The Citadel. Typically, Mike Luning and Rob Quarles, with help, organize a visit to VMI with a group of our BRs coincident with a home football game. This year, the group gathered over Columbus Day weekend which was also Parents Weekend and the weekend that hurricane Matthew struck the East Coast. I received reports from Rob and from Pat Griffin about the weekend. In summary, rain fell all day Friday and most of the day Saturday. Sunday was beautiful. All parades were canceled and the football team won. Early arrivals met for dinner that Thursday including Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, Dave Hageman, Mike Luning, Jay McConnell,

VMI Alumni Review

35th Reunion – Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2016

The Class of 1981

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Class Notes Ali Mahan, Rob Quarles, Dixon Tucker and Preston Vock. Golf Friday at Lexington Golf & Country Club was played in the rain. Attendees at dinner Friday, also at LGCC, included Tom Bersson, Pat Griffin, Dave Hageman, Larry Hupertz, Gary Levenson, Mike Luning, Rob Quarles, Dan Sweeney and Dixon Tucker. The tailgate scheduled for the front lawn of Gary Levenson’s quarters on the parade ground was moved into Gary’s house due to the rain. John Alerding and Tim Hodges stopped by. Matthew and Tanya Keys were scheduled to host a get-together at their home outside Fredericksburg, Virginia, and to invite Fred Winkler. The September edition of the Institute Report contained a full-page article describing the research being conducted by Anne Alerding and her biology students. Anne is John’s wife and a professor in the VMI department of biology. Lastly, Elliott Wolffe sent an email with a photo. Elliott and Amy had dinner with Tom and Amy Bersson in Brooklyn. Tom and Amy were visiting their daughter, and Elliott and Amy were visiting Amy’s daughter. Please recall that these notes are based on information that you provide to me. I do not monitor nor do I include information posted to social media. A Beddian birthday occurs when the age a person is turning is the same number as the last two digits of their year of birth. For those of us born in 1958, our Beddian birthday occurs during 2016. Not sure how that applies to births in the year 2000. Thank you for your continuing support. I hope you enjoyed the holiday season.

1981

Jerry Manfield

Brother Rats, First and foremost, I want to thank Trip Lloyd for his service as class agent the past five years. It can be a tough and time consuming job, Trip, and I know the class appreciated your support and efforts! I would also like to thank Trip, the entire Reunion Committee and a couple others who played key support

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roles in putting on a truly great event for our 35th Reunion! It was a very successful team effort, and by all accounts I received, it was believed to be one of our best reunions to date! True credit goes to BRs Trip Lloyd, Jeff Adler, John Ferry, Scott Marsh, Gary Morgan, Dave Openshaw, Grover Outland, Joe Provenzano, Dave Taylor and Greg Wolven! Outstanding job, BRs! Now, on to the class inputs. A little rusty on developing these and given that I had limited time to produce, I promise future notes will improve! John Dixon connected and reported that all is well with him and Patti on Gwynn’s Island. John is teaching middle and high school science at Veritas Preparatory School in Williamsburg, and Patti is enjoying her position with Zenith Bank in Gloucester. John and Patti had just returned from Hanover, Pennsylvania, where they were visiting with daughter Nicole, son-in-law Corey, and newest grandchild Connor David Schuchart, Class of 2038! Connor was christened at The Church of Joseph The Worker in Bonneauville, Pennsylvania, close to Gettysburg. John now has two grandchildren “in the pipeline” with provisional appointments and is hoping for more! Mike Denton also had a new addition to The Denton Platoon with the arrival of his third grandchild, Michael Lockwood Shumate, Class of 2040 (if I have this right, Mike Denton’s grandson could become the Ring Figure dyke to John Dixon’s grandson!). When Mike is not busy at work keeping his investment clients happy and wealthy, he is working with the Knights of Malta soup kitchen he founded in downtown Richmond. Several alumni have joined the kitchen’s volunteer ranks including, Jeff and Cindy Gill. He does get frequent down time, though, at his new river cottage on Rappahannock and hopes for visits by lots of BRs. Adrian “Bogie” Bogart contacted Trip and shared that he could not make the reunion, as he was clearing his assignment in Germany at Special Operations Command – Africa. He is heading to teach at the Naval War College in Newport. At the time of writing, Bogie had spent three days near Fulda going over his old battle position from the Cold War. He ended up at Kloster Kreuzberg, where he attests they

serve the best beer in Germany. He raised a “mug” and toasted us all! Dan Gallagher and wife Laura had a great time reconnecting with BRs at the 35th. He enjoyed catching up with many BRs, especially Paul Boulden, Dave Loduca, Bob Cody, Matt Merriman and many more. Dan further shared that Skyhorse Publishing of New York recently signed him to write “Financial Planning Secrets,” a consumer-oriented nonfiction. Dan is transitioning to retirement from financial advisory and brokering. He has also reworked his old novel, “The Pleistocene Redemption.” Grover Outland will be absent from Sloppy’s wedding, as he has a planned Cedar Island Thanksgiving hunt planned with family. This will be a special “Outland outing,” as Grover and Melissa’s youngest, Em, now a freshman at University of Maryland, College Park, made the Endo promise to take her on the trip. Other great news from Grove is that he continues in his very active role with the Alumni Association and their networking events. I stopped in to see Grover at the October Alumni Career Development and Networking Forum in Springfield, Virginia. Grove shared that the Class of ’81, the best class in barracks, had the highest number of attendees from any class present. There were six BRs in attendance: Ken Herbert (Sales & Bus Development Panel Chair), Greg White (Sales & Bus Development panelist), Tom Albro, Grover Outland, John Ferry (who drove down from Philly) and me. Due to family commitment, I was only able to stay long enough to drop off a couple hats and consume free coffee, bacon and eggs; however, I was able to see Grover kick off the meeting with his usual flare. Corky Mitchell made the rounds through Virginia and points south in late October. Val and I were blessed to host him at the house for a night. We originally met Corky at the Quattro Goomba winery in Aldie, Virginia, where Ken Herbert joined us to surprise Corky. While there, we took part in great beer, wine and pizza. (Pretty much in that order!) Ken’s lovely wife, Jeanie, later joined us at the house in Centerville, as did Grover for a quick “drive by” on his way back to Maryland after homecoming weekend in Lexington. Before making it to Centreville, Corky was also able

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes 1.

5. 7.

8. Class of 1981 1. K.C. O’Neil, Greg Wolven, Jeff Adler, Gene Loving, Duane Andrews and Bill Bird gathered at Moody Hall. 2. Class agent Jerry Manfield said of this photo, “Louis Rolan and his ever-beautiful bride, Darby, with Chris Timmons at the Saturday reunion barbecue.” 3. Steve Tennant and Rob “Cos” Costello before the reunion class photo. Class agent Jerry Manfield said of this photo, “Both are the true spirit of VMI!” 4. Dave “Opie” Openshaw and Mark Brumenschenkel at the class dinner. Class agent Jerry Manfield said of this photo, “Now, Dave, you cannot say you haven’t made the Alumni Review!” 5. Class reception at Moody Hall with Clarkson Meredith, Vince Wood, Clay Wommack and Jim Waring.

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6. Chaplain Charles Caudill spoke at the Class of 1981 memorial service. Chaplain Caudill and his wife attended the reunion thanks to Bill Bird, Dan Pere, Jeff Adler and Trip Lloyd. 7. Class agent Jerry Manfield said of this photo, “Patty Price and Donna Jaks ensuring Jake Jaks, Bart Price and Chip Johnson behaved during the class reception at Moody Hall.” 8. Chuck Hoffert and Michelle McFadden, John Cawthorne, John Driscoll, and Dave Loduca and Linda Fournier at the class reception. 9. Trip Lloyd led an Old Yell for the Class of ’81 with Grover Outland. Class agent Jerry Manfield said of this photo, “Not seen in the picture is Jerry Manley holding the class guidon, nervously trying not to get knocked off the sentinel box by Grover.”

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Class Notes to visit with Louis Roland, Dan Knesal will have been recognized and honored in the Taps section of Dorsey, Bruce Gitchell and their the previous Review, one currently families along the way. being printed; BR Marcus Paine Mike “Psycho” McLeod gave a should be recognized and honored shoutout to the class. He shared a in this copy. Both BRs were admired link to a Naval Historical Foundaand loved by the class, and it was tion article for the ribbon cutting on a great shock for us all to learn of the new Maritime display case. If their passing. Both BRs were dearly you access the article, you will see a loved by their families. It has been big display case in the background. remarkable, though not unexpected, All of the aircraft models in the to see how our class rallied to supcase were constructed and personport their loved ones left behind. It alized by our very own retired U.S. also serves as a reminder of how Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael “Psycho” McLeod. Like all of the other modprecious life is and how important els on display inside the Cold War we are to one another as BRs. It Gallery that Psycho worked on, he does not matter what highways or made sure each detail for the mod- Class of 1981: Mini reunion of 1981 brother rats in honor of broken roads we have traveled; it els was as accurate as possible. He Corky. Pictured were, from left, Grover Outland, Corky Mitch- does not matter what challenges we have faced or successes we have went so far as to visit P-8 squad- ell, Jerry Manley and Ken “Piggy” Herbert. achieved, we remain VMI brother rons in Jacksonville, Florida, in order to get all of the antennas properly set on is a state ranked tennis player, while Jackson rats. I am very proud to be in the Class of 1981 the Poseidon model. He even met with some is setting swimming records – both play year- with each and every one of you. There is no of the plane sponsors just to make sure every round travel baseball. C.P.’s oldest son, Tyler, greater honor or bond. Cheers, and in the bonds of VMI, iota of detail was noted. (I have personally is still in Atlanta working for a large logistics Jerry seen the models our BR produces, and they are company. C.P. shares that even though Charabsolutely remarkable! I look forward to your lotte has been in the news of late, it remains a next Navy Yard visit, Mike!) See the article great city and he looks forward to connecting at: http://www.navyhistory.org/2016/09/pawith any BRs that may be visiting the area or Will Council com-visits-cold-war-gallery-for-mpa-aircraft- passing through. dedication/. Couple of other “quick hitters:” John Aulbach also wrote about his great time By the time this edition of the Review makes with wife, Lisa, at the reunion. Accompanying it to print, Mark “Sloppy” Gonsalves will have them was their 6-month-old grandson, who married to the lovely Maria Karalis in New joined us in Old Barracks for the class Old York City. The Karalis-Gonsalves wedding is Hello BRs, Yell. John retired from the Virginia Departscheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving, Hope everyone enjoyed the fall season. Recently ment of Health in September after 32 years of and we hope to have stories and photos for the I tried out the alumni email broadcast system and honorable service and joined Aqua Virginia next edition. as president. Aqua Virginia is a private utility Mark “Gunny” Olson also chimed in. He got many nice replies. Some really challenged me company that owns and operates water and has moved to Lansing, Kansas, and is loving to edit down and keep our notes to the prescribed limit of five pages. So I’ll stop wasting space here wastewater facilities and is actively pursuing life and working at Cabelas in Kansas City. and get with it. acquisition of publicly owned utilities. John’s Brother Rat John Keene was a surprise and Lynne and Larry Williams caught up with his son, Josh ’13, works for Branch Construction very welcomed addition to the reunion. I hope and was a project engineer on the PIT and John continues to join us (as all brother rats rat dyke, David Cox ’85, in Boston. Cox is a BosCocke Hall renovation projects. ton police officer who showed them around town should!) in future gatherings and events. C.P. Davis was another that shared his praise In closing, as I write this in early November while running three red lights and illegally parking for the reunion and the ability to see so many and knowing it won’t be seen until after the everywhere. Lynne and Larry have been seeing BRs. C.P.’s daughter, Courtney Paige, is graduNew Year, please allow me to sign off with both Jeanne and Keith Jarvis quite a bit lately. After 30 ating from North Carolina State University sincere recognition to our most recent class years of marriage to Larry, Lynne still has questhis coming spring and is already reviewing job losses, BRs Doug Knesal and Marcus Paine, tions with answers that Jeanne is more than happy offers at present. His youngest boys, Thomas and with a couple of thoughts as we move to provide. Good little sister, BR. and Jackson, continue to excel at Charlotte through the new calendar year. In my discusRusty and Andrea Wood just celebrated their Latin in both academics and sports. Thomas sions with the Alumni Association, BR Doug 30th anniversary! Rusty had just returned from

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VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Warehouse in Atlanta!) His dad, Jafour days of hurricane cleanup with his Air Support Operations Squadron in cob Wamsley ’51, is doing great at the Georgia Air National Guard Unit Park Springs with all of his friends. from Savannah, Georgia. Lots of huge Kelley and their 4-year-old deliver trees were down in old town Savannah regular treats to him and go to Sunand on Jekyl Island. His unit took nine day brunch. up-armored Humvees and chain saws Frank and Dorothy Rosenthal have and opened up multitudes of roads been empty nesters for a couple of and neighborhoods. Good hard work, years now. All four kids are educatbut he was glad to be home. ed, married and gainfully employed. Ron Mecredy had been meaning to (Whew!) They are blessed with four write us, as he has dropped off Facegrandchildren (so far?) and really enbook. His primary social media is on joy them. They will be keeping the Twitter @mecredy, where he posts provisional appointment team at VMI Class of 1982: Pictured at Richard Collier’s son’s 2016 U.S. Air primarily about food, coffee and his Force Academy graduation were, from left, Win, Shelton, Ella, busy for the next 10 years or so. DorDobermans. He is currently in the Linda and Richard. othy has cut back to part time at her London area for a few weeks due to job and helps with day care for them the work with a client. Ron has been a few days a week. In the meantime, with the Defense Intelligence Agency Frank is willing to do anything for any on a couple contacts since 2010. He BRs either in or passing through the left Booz Allen Hamilton in 2012 Baltimore area. In May 2015, Frank for Computer Sciences Corporation. started working for Hydrasearch in Computer Sciences Corporation is Stevensville, Maryland. About 60 pernow CSRA for his area of work. He cent of their business is the manufactravels annually to New Zealand, ture and supply of fluid conveyance Australia and Canada and various systems for the U.S. Navy, as well as sites across the U.S., like United States some international navies. To our Transportation Command, United Navy BRs, think UnRep and refueling States Army Intelligence and Security at sea. Frank guesses he was destined Command, United States Northern for this line of business in order to live Command, United States Central Class of 1982: Garth ’03 and Sharon Best with son Grant, along up to the typo in the 1982 Bomb that Command, etc., for work. He did get with Ben ’03 and Jessica Booth and their boys, Franklin, Mar- showed him as U.S. Navy instead of to hear Darren McDew speak on lead- shall and Lawrence “Bear,” at the VMI versus the University Army 90-day wonder. In case anyone of Tennessee at Chattanooga pregame hosted by Will Council. questions the value of the VMI alumni ership to the agency – a real treat over network, consider this: He landed an interview the summer. for this job after Grover Outland ’81 introduced The following BRs acknowledged the email rehim to Michael Bryant ’88, who introduced him ceipt and are OK: Charlie Sanger, Paul Webb, Jeff to the Goodalls (a three-generation VMI family) Modisett, Bob Louthan, George/Larry Thompwho are the owners of Dixon Valve and Coupling son and Gray Scott. Company – Hydrasearch’s parent. Doc Godshall has been doing consulting work My old roommate, Steve Fudge, and his wife, with Bill Jennings in Lynchburg. Doc said he Teresa, watched their son, Travis ’16, graduate needs to reply to Eddy Daniels on his LinkedIn infrom VMI in May along with Jack Wainwright’s vite. Doc said he got “pulled over” by Bob Briggs a and Mike Eden’s sons. Amazingly, all three of few weeks ago due to his license plate. (Could have them were in Company B. Travis is currently been worse, as Bob works for the FBI.) Doc hadn’t working for Wake Med, a large hospital system in seen him in decades, so he didn’t exactly recognize Raleigh, as an EMS driver/transporter. He comhim at first. Hopefully they will catch up again and tell us more. missioned into the Army National Guard and is Jay and Kelley Wamsley said there is nothing exserving with the West Virginia Guard with an MP Class of 1982: Shelton Collier, U.S. Air company. He’ll report to Fort Leonard Wood in citing in Atlanta, just working as usual, although Force Academy ’16, son of Richard ColMissouri next January for his basic officers’ trainthey just moved into the house he grew up in. (I lier, was commissioned by his grandfaing. Daughter Catherine is a freshman at North beg to differ, as I have seen the wild costumes ther, retired Maj. Gen. Dick Collier ’57. Carolina State University, so she’s not too far from this family wears to the Netherworld Haunted

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Class Notes home. She’s majoring in agriculture and wants to be a large animal vet. She’s worked on a farm for the past two years where she took care of the horses, stacked hay, drove tractors, backed up trailers and even learned how to skin and gut wild pigs that the farm owner had shot! She even brought one home and skinned it in the backyard! Steve is still doing environmental modeling for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the same environmental consulting firm that he has been with for 23 years now. And he also works as an adjunct professor at the local community college teaching a pre-calculus class. The first semester he taught there, there was a girl in the class wearing a VMI sweatshirt. When he asked her about it, she said her brother was a 1st Class cadet at VMI. Turned out he was part of the Rat Disciplinary Committee when Travis was a rat. Small world! Steve also reported that Chris Eichman moved to Raleigh last year. He’s working as the head of computing at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. His oldest son graduated from NC State a couple of years ago, and his youngest son is a senior at Appalachian State University. In closing, Steve mentioned communicating with Chip Gibson (another old roommate) and that his youngest son, Owen, is a freshman at the Air Force Academy. That last sentence initiated a controlled explosion, as Chip had only – barely – acknowledged getting the broadcast email. When I challenged Chip for more family details, I got a three incomplete sentence reply copied to Fred Mock. To which Fred did the same. Sometimes I really hate you guys! Eventually, Chip did come through as I piqued his interest with the news that John Hargeaves is married to the U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent, and Richard Collier’s son just graduated from there. By the way, Chip did not say he was really going to paint a big VMI in the front yard of the superintendent’s house. He and Becky are still living near Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Their older son, Gray, graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 2012, got hitched and has worked since as a chemical engineer in the oil industry near Tulsa. Their youngest, Owen, is in his first (doolie/rat) year at the Air Force Academy. He and Becky “... strive to prevent the quality construction of our little house from collapsing upon itself and enjoy the company of our loving dogs, pirating chickens

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and untamed horses.” I still don’t know what pirating chickens is all about. Mentioning Richard Collier’s name reminded me that he had promised some photos from his family get-together for the graduation and commissioning of his son, Shelton, from the Air Force Academy this past spring. Grandfather and retired Maj. Gen. Dick Collier ’57 performed the commissioning. Thanks, Richard, for the great photos! Robert Zins and his wife, Abigail, are living in Cape Town with their daughter, Rebekah, and are enjoying their late entry into parenthood. Rob continues to oversee the operation of Creation Ministries International (a Christian nonprofit organization) in South Africa. When reading through his newsletter, I got to see several happy pictures of the new family. Robert said he is being called Father Abraham for starting so late! Better late than never. Dick Moore says all is good with the Moore family. Being retired allows Dick to play more golf with Mike Struab at Kinloch Golf Club in Richmond. He also recently retired from the federal government, so they are planning to play a lot more together next season. Joey Keyes planned to retire in December and planning on moving to Lexington in June. Terry Belden almost dumped my email out as spam. He and Robin are in central Illinois working for Caterpillar in an engineering/information technology role. He has been at Cat for eight years and married to Robin for almost 10. No kids, but their hobby is Great Danes or, more accurately, providing the comforts and luxury for three spoiled 500 total pounds of dog. That is only somewhat kidding; they rescued one a couple of years ago and became hooked on the breed. Terry left the regular Army and went over to the dark side for a while before getting out of active duty and pinging around in the reserve for a while. He does some veteran mentor stuff with Cat, the American Corporate Partners nonprofit and the local criminal courts but is now starting to plan for retirement, which has got to be away from snow. Kathie and Dick Justice moved from the Florida panhandle to Smith Mountain Lake in summer 2015. Dick has done the honorable thing of listing all BRs he has seen since we last heard from him. While in the panhandle, he would occasionally see Ken Yates (government engineer making the nation safe with the latest in high-tech weaponry), Andy Balding (Booz Allen Hamilton dude advancing technologies in Air Force research lab)

and Larry Avery ’80 (Sumaria Systems director making Mr. Sumaria loads of money). He and Kathie see Guy and Leslie Marangoni on and off during visits to the lake or when they pass near Stafford, Virginia, where they live. Guy retired from the FBI but returned to support them as a slimy contractor like many of us. Leslie has her hands full taking care of Guy and her other two children, Louis (10) and John (5). Louis is well on his way to mastering the use of firearms, and John is the king of Battle Tops. They see Mel and Martha Nowlin a couple of times a year, as they live up the road in Big Island. Mel has a full-time contractor job in Lynchburg, and Martha is still teaching. Both work so they can subsidize their farming on M&M Acres. Visualize Green Acres except for the house. Mel built (himself) a modern day castle on a hill overlooking his kingdom. It is a very peaceful and enviable setup they worked hard to create. Dick said he works with Bill Burnette at the same company. Bill works out of the Hampton, Virginia, office but resides west of Richmond, where he burns stacks of cash owning horses. Dick burns stacks of cash owning boats. We all have an obligation to make the economy go ’round. George Seiferth has grown roots in Germany. Cory Attra is in the northeast leading engineering activities for his company. Kevin Smith is in Wilmington, North Carolina, putting bad guys behind bars as a detective last I heard. Nine contacts – I nominate Dick for the next class agent! Speaking of Kevin Smith, I think his email actually had water on it. Just a note from water-logged Wilmington, North Carolina! Most of Wilmington made it through Hurricane Mathew all right (some big oak and pines falling), but surrounding counties are really being hit by rivers flooding. His squad (Kevin is the D Squad sergeant, Wilmington Police, NW Patrol, nightshift “Night Hawks”) was working during the hurricane, so when you see police cars riding around after the storm has passed, they were doing that! Kevin keeps in touch with his roomies on Facebook – in particular, engineer Cory Attra’s posts! Also seeing a lot more VMI stickers in the Wilmington area. Kevin is also enjoying his assistant scout master duties in BSA Troop 215, as his sons just moved up to second class! Charlie Sanger was not able to come down from Nashville for my University of Tennessee

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Chattanooga versus VMI tailgate, but he said he was going to be in Lexington on Founders Day for a mini reunion with Murray Hudson, Chuck Fanshaw, Tim Boylan and John Friend; in other words, a Company F rat platoon squad reunion. He said he will send us a picture. You are now on record for sending it, Charlie. Doctor Steve Morgan is still in Roanoke working for Carillion Clinic, a regional health system as the chief medical information officer. He is still practicing family medicine, albeit on a limited basis, as most of his time is more administrative at this point. His wife, Ellen, who is a nurse, has retired and is doing a lot of volunteer work. Their daughter, who is 31, has blessed them with a grandson, who is now a very active 3-and-a-halfyear-old. Steve says he generally gets back to the “I” for at least one football game. His hospital in Lexington sponsors one game a year, which is in November. Louis Rossie responded with an update as he moved his office and was moving to a new one in Charlotte, North Carolina. His company, WLR & Associates, Inc., just passed 19 years, now has 14 employees and handles more than 500 corporate retirement plans. Louis’ parents are still in Roanoke, and he regrets he does not get to see them often. His dad is Class of ’56. Louis is still playing a little music, but not as much as over the last 30 years. His kids are now all adults: Margaret, 29; Nick, 26; and Will, 20, but none showed the least bit of interest in VMI for schooling. He says he will try his best to come to the next reunion, as the only one he has made it to was the 5th – had hair then! Scott Crumpler was the last but not the least in getting in some news. He was at the VMI homecoming game and reported the following list of attendees: Louthan, Heltzel, Cosby, Jennings, Kohler, Shifflette, Hickey, Crumpler and Jarvis. The usual suspects. Beautiful weather. Tough game. Great camaraderie! Scott said the McConnells were there but did not cross paths. Sadly, no photographic evidence exists to support his claims – at least not for these notes. Even Sister Rat Lynn Heltzel is on record (Facebook) promising photos and updates. I’ll keep my hopes up... Speaking of tailgate parties, VMI came to Chattanooga to play UTC again. I was asked if I would host another event for the VMIAA like two years ago at which over 100 people showed up. I did so with the assistance of some fellow UTC and The Citadel grads, but our turnout was not nearly as

2017-Issue 1

grand. Just over 20 alumni and family came this time. I think we missed some timely announcement windows, and the game date was during fall breaks here. Anyway, we had a great time with Bo and Patti Savage ’63, Wayne Kohlwes ’63, Paul Wagner ’66, Ray Melton ’66, G.P. Michael ’66, Cliff Martin ’66, Bob Schmalzriedt ’68, Ted and Susan Telle ’74, Marc and Mary Moquin ’86, Garth and Sharon Best ’03, and Ben and Jessica Booth ’03. Beautiful weather and VMI gave a good showing for itself. Score was a lot better than two years ago. Lots of football player families were there but missed the invite to the tailgate. I will keep trying for next time. That’s all I have in the inbox. If you received the email broadcast from me via the VMIAA, please check the links in it to update your contact info. We are starting the process of organizing for our 35th Reunion next year, and you don’t want to miss it! Contact your old roommates and get them onboard, as well. Oh, and when you do hear from them after so many years, please drop me a line so we can all share in the news. Sincerely, Will Council

Class of 1983: Jim Henry with his 28inch spot tail bass off Pritchett Island, South Carolina, Oct. 29, 2016.

1983

Hugh Daughtry Class of 1983: Scott Horan posed with a recently deceased 5x5 elk bull in Colorado in October 2016. Brother Rats, These notes cover the period of August through October 2016. We have been enjoying a warm fall in the Old North State and a disappointing Panther season thus far. While the mail bag is light, I did get a couple of new updates from BRs. Whitney Owens dropped me an update that just missed my deadline for the last edition. He’s still in Tampa and retired from defense contracting 18 months ago. He has completed his Project Management Professional Certification and is traveling between Tampa, southwest Virginia and Maryland. He was able to spend valuable time with his father before he passed and is into the grandfather duties with his daughter in Maryland. He’s chasing around four grandchildren! The traveling has taken him through Lexington, where he’s been able to catch up with Scott Belliveau and do his part to

Class of 1983: Paul Bouis ’67 and Mark Benvenuto at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in August 2016. 115

Class Notes their mother’s beauty and brains. Alex keep Red Turner in business. seems to be doing well by only staying My old roommate, John Geis, also out of trouble. got in an update that just missed the Please fill us in with more informalast deadline. John is in WinstonSalem and was in Lexington in May tion for the next issue, Alex. Otherwith 28 Boy Scouts. They toured wise, I may be forced to make it up. post and Lexington, but it sounds I know all of us are proud of our like he missed a great recruiting opbrother rats’ accomplishments, but sometimes the stage is just so big, it portunity, as they ate all their meals is awe inspiring. Any time an email in Crozet. Did you teach them how has Massachusetts Institute of to throw for seconds? That’s right, Technology in its address ... well, it’s buffet style now. His group ran into Scott Belliveau’s son, who is a Class of 1983: From left, Scott Horan, Bill Cornett, Tony Thomp- forget about it. Chris Caplice has cadet. As with Scott, he was the person and Mike Laughon tailgated before the Furman University had a very busy professional year. He was awarded the Distinguished fect host, as were many cadets they football game Oct. 29, 2016. Service Award from the Council of ran into who would proactively apSupply Chain Management Professionals this proach the scouts and tell them they had been Bill Cornett, John Gordon and Mike Laughon. Eagle Scouts and encourage the scouts to stick Scott and Pam are getting ready to become past September. The award is given as his inwith it. John made sure his scouts saw all the grandparents, as Jessica was due Nov. 14. dustry’s most prestigious honor. It is bestowed on individuals who have made significant sites, from the cannon balls above our old room Couldn’t imagine more fun grandparents than in Old Barracks to Stonewall’s grave uptown. those two. achievements in the logistics and supply chain It’s good to see the connection between VMI Sorry for the light mail bag. Robin and I are management. According to Rick Blasgen, and scouting remains strong. In our room, heading to Lexington for El Cid, so I promise a president and chief executive officer of CSMP, John, Ivan Marcotte and I were/are Eagle better report next time. Certified. Dr. Caplice is internationally known for his “ Scouts. I am sure there were many others in That is all. innovative work in identifying and developing our class. technologies that have improved efficiency and Will Creekmur dropped a quick note from effectiveness in transportation, logistics and the left coast. He’s getting lonely, as no one has supply chain processes, he has had a dramatic dropped in on him, and wants to make sure Andy Protogyrou impact in shaping the supply chain discipline all remember his open invite still stands. His as we know it.” Also, in January 2016, Chris daughter, Makena, is the second tallest girl in received the Silver Family endowed chair for her class, and Will is lobbying for a female volMIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics of which he is the executive director. Chris was leyball team at VMI. named a Silver Family Research Fellow. I received a great note from Alex Weinstein Got one from the small world category courLastly, I had a chance to spend a glorious Saturtesy of Mark Benvenuto. He was recently in about his travels with John Munno. The two Philadelphia at the American Chemical Soci- went down to Atlanta and visited Kevin Sample day VMI football game with Tom Graham, Bill ety’s national meeting, and one of the fellow and his wife, Teresa. Kevin and Teresa have a Janis, Tom Anthony, Hank Selman, Jeff Perkins members of the Governing Council is Paul great marriage and two boys, Conner and Benand The Cav. If I forgot anyone, forgive me, please. Bouis ’67. Paul recently wrote a book titled, ton. Conner is receiving his master’s degree in It was one of those games where we became deliricomputer science, and Benton is still an underous, jumping up and down like little girls at a One “Reagent Chemicals,” and was delivering a report to the group. Mark noted that it had a graduate studying economics. Alex said both are Direction concert on a last second touchdown, most impressive red and yellow cover. very helpful to their parents and are all-around only to lose in overtime. Being together made the Finally, my phone came alive recently with smart, good boys. The visit allowed everyone to world good. I love my brother rats. updates from Jim Henry and Scott Horan. Jim share memories and tell some tall tales. Well, had been nice enough to drop me some Panmaybe not everyone. Sorry, Kevin and Johnny, thers tickets (And we saw a win! Thanks, BR!) you were both in Company C, weren’t you? Munno is a 737 captain for American Airlines. Matt Daniel as he was heading to the coast to fish. He wanted to show off the pretty spottail bass he had His wife, Jamie, works for the board of direcjust caught off South Carolina. Scott naturally tors of Altria Corporation in Richmond. John answered back with his 5x5 bull elk he got in and Jamie have two great children. Joseph ’12, Colorado. The testosterone was flowing. Scott a VMI graduate, is a rising star at Altria and a had been in Lexington for the Furman Univer- CrossFit stud. Their daughter, Alex, is a talented Welcome back, gents and loved ones! It’s Halsity game and caught up with Tony Thompson, artist studying fashion design. Both children have loween 2016, and the weather has been beautiful

1984

1985

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VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes in the commonwealth and the mid-Atlantic in general. We have a few entries to add, though it seems like maybe the class is in a post August-party hangover. Big Mike “Woo” Wooten has been in the news. He has been running for re-election to the Johnston County, North Carolina, Board of Education (I learned that this means the school board ... a rose by any other name). By now, we’ll be aware of the fate of this effort. He was also on ESPN officiating the Virginia Tech versus Pitt football game in late October. Hey, Woo, you know that was a hold! C’mon, man. My bride, Cathy, and I have been visiting LexBurg pretty frequently over the past few months. As such, I have seen lots of ratos hermanos on post, around town, at football games, at the local disco and in the PigglyWiggly. Just kidding, no PW in Lexingtomb, but there is a Kroger. I regularly run into J.J. “the Toaster” Wranek, Bill “No, I am not Anthony” Wieners, George “Corfu” Halages, Meade “The” King, Joe “Beef ” Irby, Jake “no nickname” Spivey, Russ “Engineer” Orrison, Father Kevin “Cubby” Fimian and John “J.D.” Dixon. It is always a treat to catch any of these fellows unaware and watch them as they try to not make eye contact and hustle out of whatever venue they may be afraid I will corner them in. Snicker. Little known fact: Rockbridge County residents may be seeing more of Pat “Mags” McGuire (and his pretty better half, Lisa) around Lexington. I hear they up and sold their house and are threatening to make a move! You know there is no way they are coming down this far without their BFFs (along with their tradecraft): the Dave and Jennifer Tingley Wood Company. Oh, yeah, Dave’s Delta nickname was Dave “Tingleberry” Tingley. Thought I’d add that in there for good measure. I heard from Greg “Breeze” Williams, who made a big move overseas. Here is what the Breeze had to say. (Please take note that he provided no pictures!) “After four years serving as director, Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Lee, Virginia, I have accepted an offer to be the director, DPW for USAG Kaiserslautern, Germany (“K-Town”). On Oct. 3, 2016, my wife, Leonie, and 7-year-old daughter, Gina, will be flying with me to K-Town. As director of Public Works for Kaiserslautern Military Community, I will direct a professional engineering

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staff involved in planning, directing and coordinating engineering activities associated with real property facility management, environmental protection and other support activities. The scope of work of programs includes management of an annual budget in excess of $100 million, which involves directing a program of professional engineering work on a large and complex multimission military installation. The professional engineering work associated with real property administration significantly impacts the provision of essential support operations to the installation and tenant organizations. USAG Kaiserslautern is the U.S. Army’s installation support organization in Kaiserslautern, Germany, the city hosting the largest presence of American armed forces outside of the U.S. Located in the state of Rhineland-Pfalz, Kaiserslautern is 80 miles southwest of Frankfurt, Germany, and 295 miles northeast of Paris, France. Kaiserslautern boasts a bustling community with 100,000 residents from more than 126 nations, with an additional 50,000 American Armed Forces personnel, civilians and family members. USAG Kaiserslautern provides command and control, base operations support, force protection, and reception, staging, onward movement and integration in support of contingency operations. It conducts area operations and support for the Joint Power Projection Platform and enhances readiness and quality of life for the total Force within the KMC to meet ongoing and future requirements. “USAG Kaiserslautern is a fully operational garrison with more than 800 soldiers and civilians assigned. The KMC consists of several Army installations located at Kleber, Panzer, Daenner, Landstuhl, Miesau, Pirmasens, Rhine Ordnance and Pulaski Barracks. The major command is the 21st Theater Sustainment Command whose mission is to provide logistical and supply support to all elements within the European Theater of Operations.” Here’s to Greg and John “Quincy” Adams getting together in Germany, maybe taking a happy snap and sending it back to us suckers back here Stateside. (Hint!) Mark “Borny” Bornhorst cannot contain himself with the success of the Cleveland Indians and the Cavs. Yeah, you still have the Browns, though; right, Bornhorst? “John Eckenrode left BAH for PWC. He left during BRC and arrived before OCMNI after sleeping through an SMI, FWIW. OBTW when

he told me this story I ROFLd. FYI, I made most of this up except that he really did move to Pricewaterhouse. Is Coopers still involved, Eck? LMK.” Rich “Flea” Williams moved to Connecticut to work for Pratt and Whitney. All reports are that he likes it there, and he is closer to home. He is also still in love with Steve “Hooker” Hagan. I might have added those into the previous notes. Pardon me if I have. I owe Col. Jerry Brooks a better write up in these notes for his retirement. He sent me some nice meaty notes for the last issue but it was a few days late. I hear that if you break a deadline with class notes you get a firm “no soup for you!” scolding and maybe even get put in the notes penalty box. Needless to say, I could stand neither, so Col. Brooks’ write up would have to wait. Alas, wait no more. Brother Rat Brooks sends that he ended up in the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Bragg in January 2016 (sounds like fun). After some health issues forced him into retirement, he was released to the retired ranks and the VA. Subsequent to his retirement, he drove out of Fort Bragg back home to Michigan and took bride Kristin and his four rugrats on a monthlong vacation that covered over 4,300 miles. (Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky, plus some other states.) After their “tour of states,” it was time for his medical rebuilding to begin. Jerry started physical rehab with Veterans Affairs in March 2016 and shared that the VA has been fantastic for him and his progress and care. He had multiple medical appointments (12!) in June alone, plus one surgery. He had a second surgery in July. He was completely healed up by the end of August. Even with all that medical activity, it was a very good summer for their family. In July, Jerry received the Legion of Merit as he retired from the Army (Agent: way to go, colonel!) on Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He was presented this award by Mr. Gerald O’Keefe, the administrative assistant to the Secretary of the Army. After the ceremony, Jerry bumped into Norb “It’s No” Jocz outside the men’s room at the O’Club at a U.S. Army Historians Council meeting. Jerry sends that Norb is doing well and is living in the Washington, D.C., area. Finally, during a trip in May, Jerry and Kristin stopped in and saw Marvin and Vivian Smith who are living in Pennsylvania now. Both are doing well. Thanks for the notes, Col. Brooks.

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Class Notes Lastly, my wife and I attended the VMI scholarship dinner in October and sat with the recipient of the Class of 1985 Athletic Scholarship. Our recipient was Dalton Henderson ’17, a wrestler at 125 pounds from Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dalton is an extremely sharp young man with big plans for his life. His parents, Daniel and Wanda, could not have been more proud and gracious and asked me to relay their appreciation to the Class of ’85. Well done, men. That was a feel-good evening! That’s it, men. Until next time, please continue to check yours, your families’ and your loved ones’ sixes, and be safe. Matt Daniel

1986

Clint Hubbard

Well, it has only been about two months since the last submission, so the news is a bit short this time. The winter issue deadline is closer to the fall so as to compensate for getting ready for press between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. What this means is that there is a small window for new news in between these two issues. The big event of the quarter was a pseudoreunion of the Band 83+3. They had a rendezvous at Dave Miller’s house in Waynesboro in early September. I got a partial report from Dave Grimm, who noted all the usual players: Paul Boos, Marty Mason, Dave Miller, Mike Chapman (I think) and Jim Taggart, with guest appearances by Tony Hirtz and one, each, Frye, Ralph. That’s right; Ralph Frye has come out of hibernation and out of Beaver, Pennsylvania. It would have been worth the trip just to see him. I believe Jamie Inman and Jeff Boobar may have made an appearance from Lexington. Brother Rat “Papa” Grimm was in charge of the vittles and had his usual fare of pulled pork and chicken wings. If seeing BR Frye wasn’t enough, then the promise of Papa G’s barbecue would certainly make one want to attend. Papa G. said BR Miller had a few other guest musicians join in the jam session, and it was a killer time. Maybe we can

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make this an annual event; get Wayne Fuller to fire up the infamous Fullerita machine, and it’s game on. The other big news is also from Waynesboro in that Fishburne Military Academy in Waynesboro has selected a retired Navy O-6 as their new superintendent. The Fishburne search committee made a wise choice in selecting ’86’s very own, Mark Black as their new superintendent. Well done, BR Black, and best wishes for a successful tenure. You know things are slow when the two big events come out of Waynesboro! Not much else to tell. The Keydets came out of the gates strong on the gridiron and were just a play or two away from a 3-1 or 4-1 start. But, as Scott Wagner always says: “If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.” The Keydets have stumbled and are 3-5, having dropped a close one on the road and a home game where they should have been more competitive. Still, there is good improvement and a couple of games left where they may redeem their season. Coach Scott Wachenheim has been a great hire for VMI, and hopefully they are turning the corner for good. That’s it boys; hope the Dark Ages are not too dark for you this year and that 2017 comes in with a bang for you and yours. Send in some news, and don’t forget to reach out to a BR or two to keep in touch.

1987

Gerry Tertychny

Brother Rats, Jerry Ledlow checked in from Tyler, Texas. Jerry recently became the chair of the Department of Healthcare Policy, Economics and Management at the School of Community and Rural Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Scott Armstrong is working with Coke in Atlanta. Both of Scott’s sons have graduated from VMI, with one serving as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army in Kuwait, and the other is currently in graduate school in Berlin, Germany. With his daughter at the University of Georgia in Athens, Scott and his wife are enjoying the empty-nester life. Scott has been working within the Coke System now for

Class of 1987: Sean Miller, Vernie Reichling and Julie Reichling in Colorado.

Class of 1987: Troy Clark celebrating with his daughter’s softball team. 27 years and is decisively engaged in the politics involving Coke, obesity and health, as well as with soda taxes being discussed by city governments all over the U.S. Personally, I love the stuff and have done my part to keep Scott employed. Vernie Reichling sent me a note from Florida. He and his wife, Julie, were recently able to make it out to Fort Collins, Colorado, where they met up with Sean and Carrie Miller. Unlike Sean and Carrie, who are busy with two youngsters, Vernie and Julie are empty-nesters and are free to roam around the country. Troy Clark let me know that his daughter’s Parry McCluer softball team won this year’s Virginia 1A Softball State Championship game. His daughter’s team put up eight runs that won them back-to-back state championships. Last, my apologies for a mistake in the last issue – it’s Craig Covert who recently retired from

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and law enforcement. While he does some Department of Defense background investigations in the Mobile, Alabama, area, he is primarily a stay at home dad. He, not Tom Struckmeyer, is the “old guy” attending “mom’s day out” programs with 20-something moms where he gets told things like, “You remind me of my dad,” and asked, “Are you his grandfather?” Sorry, Tom, for any trouble I might have caused you. I trust everyone had an enjoyable holiday season and was be able to spend time with family and friends. Best wishes for a safe and happy 2017, and I hope to see everyone in April! In the spirit, Gerry

1988

Class of 1988: Curran Bowen pictured at his barbecue birthday celebration with son Kirby, 12, and daughter Mary Martin, 6. Photo by Curran’s wife, Caroline.

Sam Tate

Brother Rats, This edition starts with sad news from Ted Wagner. His wife, Kim, died in early October. Several of our BRs were on hand to support Ted and Kim’s daughter, Savannah, with meals and visits, as well as the viewing and memorial service held in Richmond, to include Walt Coleman, Sam Tate, Mac Carr, T.C. Chau, Guy Gormley, Frank deVenoge, Bob Clark, Kirk Dewyea and Dan Wilson. Ted and Savannah have passed on their appreciation for all the support. Additionally, we continue to pray and support Tom Taylor, who just suffered a major heart attack, and Mack Carr, who underwent another heart procedure this fall. As of this writing, both are doing well. Updates from our brother rats: Chuck Chung reported that he married his best friend, Hannah Gi, in October in Richmond, Virginia. Brian Hatheway provided an update from his State Department posting in Tajikistan that he has arrived and expects to be there through summer 2018, though we hope he can make the spring 2018 30th Reunion. Brian Swiencinski attended a Keydet game in September and reached out to connect to Al Cuellar in Oklahoma and Rusty Sloane in Texas. John MacMicahael is now in the Washington, D.C., area as the city of D.C.’s new chief

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Class of 1988: Frank Del Barto and Coach Doug Bartlett following a VMI alumni breakfast in Chicago.

information security officer. Turn to the Alumni News section of this edition for the full news release. Jim Florio retired after a long and successful career in the Secret Service in October. Jim has reached out to several BRs for assistance during his transition to civilian life. I am sure he would appreciate any assistance, since many of us have made successful transitions ourselves. Kirk Dewyea, John Keppeler and John Doyle represented VMI ’88 at the ceremony. D.J. DeRenzo wrote to let us know “that I visited the Colorado Springs and was able to rendezvous with BR Tim Alger at the Air Force versus Navy football game. We had a great visit, and Tim peppered me with all sorts of questions about my life. Tim is the wrestling coach at Air Force Prep.” Like many of us, Curran Bowen celebrated his 50th birthday this past year. Curran and his family celebrated at Sprayberry’s Barbecue near his home in Newnan, Georgia, along with his son, Kirby (12); daughter, Mary Martin (6); and his wife, Caroline. “Barbecue, Brunswick stew, onion rings and lemon icebox pie for dessert. We all pigged out!” Rich and Kristen Stone hosted Greg and Stephanie Rollins and Sam and Amy Tate for the second annual Oak Island mini Band Company reunion this past September. What could be better than great friends, the beach, shooting sports, golf and great food? Looking forward to the next one. We cannot extend enough appreciation to Bob and Andrea Clark for hosting this year’s VMI ’88 mini reunion at their wonderful house in Richmond, Virginia. On hand to celebrate were the

Class of 1988: Pictured at Jim Florio’s U.S. Secret Service retirement ceremony were Kirk Dewyea, John Keppler, Lou Florio ’86, Jim Florio and John Doyle. 119

Class Notes holiday season. I’m actually putting following BRs, spouses and friends: these notes together as I sit here waitDave Hope, Dan Young, Tom Towers, John Keppeler, Charles Nelson, ing for Hurricane Matthew to finish Mike Wood, Joe Swider, Andy McAlits wrath and hopefully spare myself, lister, Chris Long, Frank deVenoge, John Aydellete and others in the Coastal Empire and Low Country. Mack Carr, Chris Demmons, Ted So, with this gift of time, allow me Wagner, Sam Tate, Sean Cantrell, to bring you up to speed on all the Hugh Brien, Bob Clark, Lew Sigmon, news and notes from the best class to Dave Pitts, Drew McKone, Mark traverse the stoops of barracks. Reilly and Scott Davilla. We have alRamil Ibanez checked in to let ready started throwing around ideas me know he was at the VMI home for an event later in 2017, so stay tuned opener where he ran into Raynor to email and Facebook. Garey, Carlos Fernandez, Matt I also had the pleasure over the past few months to touch bases with the fol- Class of 1988: In attendance at the VMI ’88 Richmond mini re- Schwarzmann, Fred Minnegerode lowing BRs on the phone or via email union were, from left, Dave Hope, Dan Young, Tom Towers, and James Manning. Seems BRs or in person. John Wright emailed John Keppler, Charles Nelson, Mike Wood, Joe Swider, Andy Ibanez and Manning were providing his condolences to the Wagner and McAllister, Chris Long, Frank deVenoge, Mack Carr, Chris Dem- a tour for some 60 Civil Air Patrol mons, Ted Wagner, Sam Tate, Sean Cantrell, Hugh Brien, Bob McAllister families recently. Vic Sredl Clark, Lew Sigmon, Dave Pitts, Drew McKone, Mark Reilly and cadets. Despite the heartbreaking overtime loss, it looked like they had recently connected with Bill Reagan. Scott Davilla. a great time. In addition to attending Hugh McMenamin and his wife, Pathe game, Carlos also found time to serve the Inmela, are still enjoying northern Virginia. Hugh is me at the following: stitute as a guest lecturer on cyber security. Matt, now in the Pentagon, so we will get him connected VMI 88 Facebook page (join 276 BRs and fammeanwhile, has taken a new job with Verizon there with Sam Tate and Dan Shrimpton. Hugh ily and growing) was able to join the usual suspects at the NOVA but is still in Lexington. I’d like to publicly thank 571-659-0904 (home) ’88 monthly luncheon hosted by John Keppeler BR Schwarzmann and his family for their years 703-772-0854 (cell) and plans to be a regular attendee. If any others of dedicated service to VMI over in Moody Hall samtate88va@gmail.com are in the area or visiting, please send John a note. as the information technology director (an often Brother rats, it was a pleasure compiling these thankless job). Congrats and best of luck with notes. I hope they inspire you to keep in touch the new job, Matt! Steve Chiles with each other. Keep sending me your notes and Ramil posted the following on Facebook: recollections so that we can keep the spirit of ’88 “Mark Eyre’s daughter, Gigi, would like to alive. Even if you don’t think it is noteworthy, David A. Martin learn more about her dad. Lalie has asked if you based on my experience, your BRs enjoy reading have any stories that you can share with her. She about their classmates. As always, you can reach will compile them and share it with Gigi.” As you’ll recall, Mark was killed when his naval aircraft went down in the Persian Gulf a number of years ago. If anyone has anything to share, please check it out on Facebook. Spoke on the phone with Rob Greenway from his office at United States Central Command Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from where he is an intel analyst. Rob retired from the Class of 1989. the Army several years ago after a successful career in the Special Forces and landed a civilian intelligence position. He and the family are Daren Payne loving life in Tampa, and he travels a great deal for the job. At last, I heard from long-lost BR Chip McWilliams. Chip reports he left active duty and Class of 1988: Ted Wagner, Hugh Brien, went into legal practice but was recalled to acAndy McAllister and Joe Swider entive duty in 2004. After a tour in Iraq, he went Greetings, Brother Rats! joyed the VMI ’88 mini reunion comback to practice law and currently lives, has a I hope everyone enjoyed a great fall supportradery. ing your Keydets football and had a wonderful farm and works labor law near Atlanta.

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1990

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Class Notes From North Texas, Pete Tunnard was kind enough to pass along the following. “I continue to join a nice group of VMI alums in North Texas in now my 20th year with ExxonMobil. My neighbor is Bill Arnold, who continues to inspire teachers and students every day. Had the privilege of spending time with Bill Miller ’89 a few weeks ago. ’89 (especially Bill, Andy Tunnard ’89, Steve Warren ’89, Matt Tedrick ’89) still struggle to accept that our class is actually the sesquicentennial class! Mike Mullori was generous enough to reach out and invite me to a planned tailgate at The Citadel game hosted by Chris Dixon and promising to have J.P. Lanzillota, Kevin Cavanaugh and Matt “Pepe” Hemenez in attendance. Speaking of Lanzillota, he also showed up in a photo at a Washington Nationals game with BRs Fernandez and Hunter Trumbo in tow – no wonder the Nats are doing so well with support from such an accomplished and dapper group. Got a great email from Terrence Kerner, who brought me up-to-date on his company and some of our Richmond area BRs: “Here at my company, we are slowly growing our VMI contingent; we’ve got BR Barry Johnson, Hal Hamner ’84, and we most recently added Andy Anderson ’84. My company recently got some press in the Richmond Times-Dispatch: http:// www.richmond.com/business/local/article_ e09af5ac-ae73-568d-8418-0e5cc1cd1d9a.html. “BR Charles Plageman and I recently had our 30th high school reunion (Benedictine College Prep in Richmond), so we had a chance to catch up. BRs Keats Wade, Paul Kricorian and Mike Teu, who were also high school classmates, were unfortunately no-shows. My son, Murphy Kerner ’16, graduated last May in mechanical engineering and is gainfully employed in construction management in Richmond.” Thanks for the update, Terrence, and if you spot “Teu Bear” anywhere, contact his handler, Rich Treanor, immediately. Saw a great post and photo from John King of a trip he and Paul Holland and their wives took to Italy in September. According to John’s wife, Emmy, it was a 12-day food and wine excursion, but I can’t believe those two went without beer and only had wine for 12 whole days on a vacation? I also have it on good authority Andy England was back in Virginia in September. Apparently, he was up there for the great fishing on the bay,

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judging by the photos of the mackerel, trout and crabs in the picture. On the subject of bay fishing, I need to recognize Coley Rice, who checked off a bucket list fish with his first Cobia this summer. Hope you guys didn’t catch them all and saved some out there for the rest of us. Barry Johnson regularly checks in with me via email. Between his day job working with Terrence Kerner at Atlantic Constructors, managing a son in the Corps and a part time job keeping tabs on Mike Doczi and Hal Jones, Barry has his hands full. I traded emails with John Brethour in September. It seems John is about to retire from the Army Reserve and will devote his full energy to the company he started and continue living in Easton, Pennsylvania. Congrats, and thanks for your service as a citizen-solider, John! Also on the reserve side of the house, Col. Mark Hennigan checked in with me. Mark is the VMI Alumni Chapter rep for Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania and also a full-time reservist and commander of the 77th Training Brigade in West Virginia. Congrats on the command, sir! Dave Kaulfers chimed in from the “left coast” where he’s been in contact with Barry Maxon, who is living in Novato, California, just north of San Francisco, and Jon Rauer, who is in the Sacramento area. He and Barry were both able to make the Bay Area alumni event in August and are requesting to hear from any other BRs in the area. No word on whether Maxon still plays as much basketball or has the step back jumper he used to have in Cocke Hall. Dave West made contact with me via Facebook in October. He was preparing to take his son to VMI for the Furman University game weekend to do a lacrosse visit. I’m hopeful we were able to link Dave up with some BRs with kids in the Corps at the game to help close the deal for the second generation of West at VMI. Speaking of Wests, Sal Bora reported that he recently hired a young lady from Rhodes College who just happens to be the daughter of fellow West Coast BR Tom West, who I believe is still a real life Beverly Hills cop in California. Checked in with Lexington resident Chris Larlee a couple of times recently. He’s spent several years and gallons of sweat putting together a terrific dream home just outside of Lexington that now, finally, appears complete. You can check out his story on Facebook; it’s really something. Congratulations, Chris; you

should have been an engineer with that kind of talent! Andy Kvasnicka recently sent me an email asking to be added to the class distribution list I’m working on. This reminded me to add a line in the class notes asking all who are not already receiving my regular emails of news, notes and updates on the goings on around VMI to please come up on the net and let me know so I can add you. Counting Kvas, we’re now up to 86 on the list. Col. Glenn Dickenson checked in from the “VMI ’90 (Forward)” outpost in Stuttgart, Germany. Glenn commands the Stuttgart Garrison, which also houses BRs Mark Cheadle and Brig. Gen. Tommy Pugh, although judging by his out of office replies, I’m not sure how much time Cheadle actually spends there. Glenn was looking to make a visit back to the “I” in December 2016 to see his daughter get her ring at Ring Figure, along with BR Minnegerode’s son. Now for the long-lost BRs portion of this note. I’m focusing close to home this time seeking BRs in or from Georgia who haven’t checked in, didn’t make it to the reunion or otherwise got lost over the years. Among those would be Monte Craft, Mark Cumbee, Chris Phillips and Pat Poon. If you’re out there, do check in, as we’d love to know what you are up to these days. Plus, I need to plan for next year’s Mercer University game – hoping Jay Whittington and Todd Northrop will represent ’90 with me again. Also, just across the border in Alabama, we’d love to hear from Hunter Lyons, whose last siting (reported by Tom Slater circa 2008) was in Fairhope, Alabama. As you read these notes, basketball and wrestling seasons should be in full swing, so make sure you get back to Lexington or get out to support our teams when they come to your area. Taking in a Keydet game on the road is a great experience and a good time to meet up with local BRs. If you haven’t taken the opportunity, I’d encourage you to do so. Also note that in March 2017, VMI is hosting the national collegiate boxing championships in the new, state-of-the-art boxing and wrestling arena. No, Jeff Barnes, Errol Martin and Rich Treanor will not be participating, but I do know that Bill Bowers, Wang and Donnie Roberts look in good enough shape to lace up the gloves at any moment. Daren Payne

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25th Reunion – Oct. 28-29, 2016

The Class of 1991

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Class Notes where we are at the time of our 25th. We arrived in Lexington in August 1987 as an assembly of young boys who were making the turn Chuck Story into manhood. Through the forge of the Rat Line, the pressure cooker of the academic Rat Line 3rd Class year, to the rigors of preparing for graduation, finding jobs and, in some cases, spouses, we gathered into a tight knit community of brothers who shared the inAs I’m sitting down to reflect on delible mark of the journey of the the notes for this quarter, we’ve only Class of 1991. been home for a couple of days We were thrust into the world from an amazing 25th Reunion. during a tumultuous time for our The entire weekend was a wondercountry. The military was facing ful experience for Vicky and me. many questions after a successful Seeing old friends, retelling the old Gulf War, and our economy was in stories and re-energizing the bonds shambles. Into this uncertainty rode forged at our time at the “Mother I” the 200. was a much needed event. It can’t be Here we are 25 years later, and said often enough: Congratulations I look around at this assembly of and thank you to Tom and Shannon Class of 1991: In the courtyard for the Old Yells during the remen. We’re doctors, lawyers, CPAs Heffern and Dave and Michelle union. and scientists. Engineers of every McSorley for their tireless work bestripe – nuclear, waste managefore, during and after the reunion to ment, civil, city planners, mechanimake sure all of us had a weekend cal, electrical, computer, and sevto remember. Also, a special thank eral I am sure I am missing. We’ve you to the rest of the reunion planmade our mark on the military. ning committee for all of their hard Our class has been a presence in work and coordination for the varievery branch, in the Special Forces ous events and logistics. And special and in the highest echelons of our thanks to our bar manager, Mike military and civilian military supJeffries, for the beautiful bar built just for our reunion. Thanks also to port. We’re Navy SEALs, Delta, Dave Conforti for finding a place to Green Beret, Marine Recon, Blue call it home where it can be enjoyed Angels. We’re Marine, Navy and Class of 1991: From left, Frank Louthan, Chuck Story, Jon Milfor a long, long time. ner, Todd Kuchler and Chris Cruz together at the 25th Reunion. Army aviators. We command Navy Normally at this point in the ships and Marine regiments, Special Forces battalions and military training teams. We’re Air Force pilots and commercial pilots. We’re snipers, scouts and artillerymen. Signal Corps and logistics. We’ve guarded the president and flown him around. We protect foreign dignitaries and State Department personnel at home and abroad. We’re park police, state police, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, FBI hostage rescue and law enforcement of every level in this country. We’re educators, salesmen, bankers and executives for major corporations. We’ve been on the frontier of the Class of 1991: Brother rats, family and friends at halftime of the Lee-Jackson Lacrosse tech industry boom and been leaders in Silicon Classic. John Birsner, VMI head lacrosse coach, presented Kristy Helmick with the Valley. We’re business owners and innovators lacrosse jersey of her late husband, BR Kevin Helmick. Pictured were Jon Milner, Chuck Story, Lee Bewley, Dave Ahrens, Eric Hyde and Coach Bartlett standing with in the construction, manufacturing and retail Kristy and Coach Birsner, as well as a former player for Kevin at the Highland School industries. We’re on Wall Street and we’re who went on to play for Washington and Lee University. managing the futures of brother rats and fellow

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notes, I pass along the sightings, visits and other connections I’ve had with our BRs since the previous edition. But most of us were at the reunion, and many were there in spirit (and at least one by Skype in the wee hours of the morning ... Buck Sessoms), so you’re all probably as well versed as I am about the latest comings and goings. Instead, I think it’s appropriate to reflect on

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Class Notes have shared a small part of the journey with the finest group of men to wear the ring. I look forward to where to journey takes us over the next 25 years and beyond. God bless VMI and God bless the men of the Class of 1991. I’m humbled to call you brother rats.

1992

William Woodward Andy Tate

Class of 1991: Mike Jannusch, left, and Michael Robichaud bumped into each other in Cleveland for Game 7 of the World Series. alumni. In other words, no matter what corner of our government, economy or military you wander into, there is a very solid chance you’ll have someone from the Class of 1991 greeting you as you arrive. In the place where we’re hopefully making our biggest impact, we’re husbands and fathers. We’re sons and siblings. We’re deacons, elders and ministry leaders. We’re pastors, we’re missionaries, we’re church planters. We’re counselors, coaches and mentors for the young men and women in our communities. We’re making a generational impact on the world that will be felt for decades to come. We’ve had our share of tragedy along the way. We have not been immune to the pain the world can offer. We lost a BR in the Pentagon during Sept. 11, 2001, and we’ve buried our children, our roommates, our siblings, our parents and our spouses. We’ve been divorced, we’ve been fired, we’ve been arrested and we’ve gone bankrupt. We’ve lost life savings and we’ve lost homes. When we first heard those words, “The Institute will be heard from today...” those many years ago, I don’t think many of us gave much thought to what that would ultimately look like. I know I was too naïve to understand the full weight of that meaning back then. I look back now and gaze in pride and admiration at what the motley assembly of sweaty, smelly rats has turned into. I’m honored to

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BRs, Here are the latest updates from our classmates. For the second time in a row, this edition is a little lighter than normal. Please keep sending me your updates and pictures, as I am sure our BRs would like to know what is going on with all of us. Received an email and picture from Phil Moore. He reports that his son, Benton, received

Class of 1992: Chuck Weatherman, Woody Woodward, Andy Tate, Anhtuan Nguyen and Charlie Martin tailgated behind the new science building due to the rain Oct. 8, 2016.

Class of 1992: Christine, Mary Elizabeth, Benton and Phil Moore at Benton’s Eagle Scout ceremony. the Eagle Scout Award. Benton is the fourth generation in the Moore family to receive this award. Congrats to Benton and the entire Moore family. Also received an email from Paul Gettle. He recently linked up with Rich Falcone in late October and reported that Rich was doing and looking great, although his hair was starting to turn gray. Paul said his own hair is mostly gray. I know the feeling, as I see mine starting to turn white. Even more reason to get frequent haircuts to cut that white/gray hair out, which I know only delays the inevitable for all of us in our mid-to-late 40s! As mentioned in the last update, Col. Doug Vincent is still at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he is in command of the Airborne Ranger Training Brigade and loving the job. Doug said that he hopes all is well with our BRs. Got a great update from David Massie in which he said that he was looking forward to seeing all of our BRs at the 25th Reunion Sept. 8-10, 2017. Dave mentioned that Mark “Buddy” Loving coordinated another ’92 fall golf outing outside Richmond in September. Several BRs from ’92 attended, including Buddy, John Lester, Rob Mizzele, Billy Waters, Trent Warner, David Downs, Scott Council,

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Whiting Chisman, Taylor Holt and our kickoff meeting in September David. Other alumni attended inincluded: Anhtuan Nguyen, Matt cluding George Inge ’91 and Chad Ott, Laird Knights, Andy Tate, Smith ’93. A fun time was had by Kent Gring, Bill Sharp, Will Harall, and they plan to keep this going ris, Anthony Brinkley and me. Adannually, hopefully increasing numditional members of the committee bers in future years. include Harold Stills, Chris Bergen, David also reported that his son, John Williamson, Andy Krug, Jeff Zeigler, Marc Orgain, Taylor Holt, Jimmie (named after David’s dad, Whiting Chisman, K.C. Bratton, VMI Class of 1955), is a high school Jay King, Dan Lyle, Jon Manley, senior this year in Lynchburg, VirKeith Peloquin, Mike Starling and ginia. Jimmie was to sign his NaErik Marechal. While at our Septional Letter of Intent Nov. 9 accepting a scholarship to play golf at the Class of 1992: Anhtuan Nguyen, Woody Woodward, Matt Ott, tember meeting, we identified those University of Virginia next year. Da- Laird Knights, Andy Tate, Kent Gring, Bill Sharp, Will Harris deceased BRs who did not yet have vid hoped that Jimmie would con- and Anthony Brinkley at the 25th Reunion Finance Committee a brick in front of barracks, so we tinue the family legacy and play golf meeting. made sure that all of them (Marty at VMI, but since there is no longer Chadwick, Chia-Jung Fan, William Kiser, Stephen Morris and Edward a golf program here, that was not an Snyder) will get one in their honor option. David said it has been very at the next iteration this spring. exciting to follow Jimmie’s success That is all for now. Please let me and looks forward to seeing him know of any major life events such compete at the collegiate level. The as marriages, births, deaths and UVa men’s golf team is currently advanced degrees so I can inform ranked No. 3 in the country. the Alumni Review. If you have a Back in July, my family and I were change of address, let the Alumni lucky to link up with my roommate Association and me know so we Chuck Weatherman and his family can make sure you get all VMI corat his home in Staunton. We were joined by our former Company respondence. This is especially imG BR Rob Ritchie and his family, portant now as we close in on our Class of 1992: Andy Tate, Harold Stills, Andy Krug, Rob Ritchie who have recently moved from New and Woody Woodward tailgated at the Furman University 25th Reunion. Orleans to Kentucky. Rob was in game Oct. 29, 2016. In the bonds, Staunton to visit his mother. It was Woody great to catch up with the Ritchie and Weatherand I have been working with VMI, and our man families. reunion is taking shape. Friday night will be Andy Tate and I have been attending every hosted by the Institute at the Center for Leadfootball game this fall and setting up a Class of ership and Ethics, as we are the honored class. Jim Sharp ’92 tailgate for whoever shows up. I am sure we We must still make plans for Saturday for lunch have missed some BRs, but we have seen the and the evening, but we are looking at having a following and, in some cases, actually rememmemorial service for our deceased BRs, as well bered to take pictures to document the events: as the class picture, parade and football game. I hope these notes find everyone in good spirits. Harold Stills, Andy Krug, Rob Ritchie, Chuck We are also looking at a golf outing Friday Weatherman, Anhtuan Nguyen, Charlie Marmorning. We do not yet know which hotel we This is a shortened edition this quarter. I hope to tin, Joe McClung, John Fuller and Dave Sol- will get but have requested the Hampton Inn have more next period, as we will have had our dow (whose son is a 4th Class cadet this year). or the Holiday Inn. Updates will follow as we get-together for The Citadel game in Lexington. Our first note is from Lt. Col. Rick Barnes. He We know Dean Case also has a son who is have them. a 4th Class cadet this year, but we have not We have also formed a Finance Committee to included a picture from his retirement ceremony caught up with him yet at any of the tailgates. raise money for our gift to VMI at the reunion. that took place in August at the National MuFinally, in case you have not seen my email, Members of this committee will be calling all seum of the Marine Corps. From the picture, Facebook post or mailing, I wanted to provide BRs early in 2017 to begin soliciting financial you can tell 1993 was well-represented. Rick’s an update on our 25th Reunion scheduled for commitments for our 25th Reunion. Memnext venture will be working for Home Depot in Sept. 8-10, 2017, as mentioned earlier. Andy bers of the committee that were able to make the Washington, D.C., area.

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Class of 1994: Matt Macneilly, Cadet Grant Goldsmith ’20 and Sean Goldsmith. Some of the notes today will be old info for some but some was new to me, so I wanted to pass along just in case. I recently learned that Class of 1993: From left: Tom Carlsen, Tom Ripley, Craig Price, Steve “Reaper” Grim, Mike Grippo became engaged to Cori Dison; Mark Wetherill, Rick Barnes, Mike Gorman, Lou Petrillo and Rich Borden. congrats to both of you. I would also like to report that Mike Richardson recently I also received a picture from Sean became engaged to Valerie Galiano; Farley. He caught up with Pat Foley, great news indeed. I want to also say Jon Casarotti and Paul Ackerman at congrats to Louis Louis; by the time a conference in New Orleans. I think these notes are published, he will Sean, Pat and Jon had more fun on have married Amanda Grace. Bourbon Street, as Paul was acting It was recently brought to my atas a chaperone for some VMI cadets. tention that we currently have a few Just my opinion, but asking someBRs whose sons and daughters are one to chaperone cadets on Bourbon current cadets. I’m hoping I get this Street some seems like setting somecorrect, so here goes. John Vazquez one up to fail. Sean also caught up has a daughter who is a 3rd Class with Ayen Torchik in Mexico City, cadet, Gregg Shultz has a son who where Ayen is currently working and is a 4th Class cadet, Sean Goldliving with his family. smith has a son who is a 4th Class I heard from another of our world cadet and Sean Harrington has a traveling classmates. John Moore sent greetings from Alaska. John is still Class of 1993: From left: Sean Farley, Pat Foley, Jon Casarotti son who is a 3rd Class cadet. Hopefully I didn’t miss anyone; please with Exxon/Mobil but in a new role. and Paul Ackerman. reach out to me if I did. It’s going to take some time for John This September, I was able to get John Campto get used to the different climate after stints in As always, thank you to our BRs that are servbell, Andy Mulcunry, Rob Campbell ’88 and Iraq and Papua New Guinea. If anyone is up in ing our country in uniform. Jay Kearney ’00 to join me and some others in the area, John asks to give him a ring. Jim the dove field for a day of fun and gun. After encouragement from several BRs, I In September, Ryan Croley was promoted to tracked down the infamous Troy Spencer. He is O-6 at VMI by Pete Van Hooser ’71 and then married and living in southern California (Los Ryan immediately promoted Dave Nash ’98 to Angeles area) working at an asset management Clay Campbell O-5. Sean Goldsmith, Matt Macneilly, Chris firm. Troy still has the same sense of humor. Doyle, Chris Ratchford and John Campbell Tracking down Troy was a reminder to all to were a few that were in attendance. please keep your contact information updated Always, with VMI. The Alumni Association recently upClass of ’94, dated the VMIAA website to make it easier to Dear Brother Rats, Pig use, and it is a great tool to track down classmates. Hope this new edition finds you all well.

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Class Notes

Class of 1994: Sean Goldsmith, Matt Macneilly, Ryan Croley, Chris Doyle, Chris Ratchford and John Campbell.

Class of 1994: Ryan Croley promoted Dave Nash ’98.

1995

Thomas A. Brashears

Brother Rats, As always, I hope these notes find you well. I have a few things to update you on this time, including some visits with BRs and a few from our dyke’s class from 1992. At the writing of these notes, VMI is preparing to host five classes for a homecoming/reunion weekend. It was a jam-packed weekend, that’s for sure. Good times were had by all. Mark Wysong dropped by the Institute recently when Charleston, South Carolina, was evacuated because of an impending hurricane. Mark had

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not been back since graduation and was amazed at all the updates to the facilities – especially our world-class wrestling arena in the new Cormack Hall. Mark is doing very well in South Carolina and looks to get back up here a little more often. Joe Doyle stops by from time to time as he hustles up and down the valley working construction sales. He and his lovely bride are down in Roanoke with their two children. Jamie Joyner has served as my spotter for the VMI football games the past two years and does a fantastic job. He is now working up in Charlottesville for the University of Virginia’s facilities management team. His wife, Laura, is one of the more respected teachers in Rockbridge County. Brad Coleman continues to enrich cadets’ lives in the halls of Scott Shipp, teaching a variety of history courses, and I believe he is even working on a couple of books. The great comments and support for Mama J’s up in Richmond continue to pour in. Kudos to John Mayo and Lester Johnson and their families! I believe Hayden Fisher has a restaurant/bar or two up in Richmond area, as well. Jeff Hubbard and Terrin Tucker are doing great work supporting the Institute down in North Carolina trying to recruit the best and brightest. Marlin Ikenberry is heading into his second season at the helm of the James Madison University baseball program, riding on the heels of the recent success by JMU softball. Marlin expects great things from his program this year. It is hard to believe that we have brother rats

retiring from the military at this point; has it really been that long since we graduated? I would hate to miss somebody, so I won’t list folks by name, but I would say that we’ve had 10-plus BRs retire in the last 18 months or so. Congrats to all of you! We also have several rising stars in the military with a few more folks coming out on the colonel list such as Kendall Clarke and Garth Winterle. I am not as tied in to the Air Force, Marines or Navy, so if there are others, let me know. Finally, as you may have read earlier in this issue, I have a new position. I started as the director of alumni outreach Nov. 7, 2016, and I could not be more excited. Jill and I are thrilled to be a part of the team at the VMI Alumni Agencies. My office is in the bottom floor of Moody Hall; please stop by whenever you are in town! God bless you all. ’95, ’95, ’95, and go Keydets!

1996

Tom Danielsen

Hello, Brother Rats! Hope all of you are doing well and enjoyed the fall! Here in Massachusetts, fall came late, but the foliage was impressive this year. It’s time now to start preparing for another winter in the northeast. Ken McCoy recently reached out; he definitely was not worried about winter since he’s currently living in Saudi Arabia. Ken wrote: “Life is going well here in Saudi Arabia; after a little over a year here, the family is settled in and all are doing well. I’ve made it over to Doha a couple of times to visit Charles Schnurman and his family. Last time was in June for a mini ’96 reunion with Corrie Brice and Barrett Morris. It was a great time catching up with them over dinner at Charles’ place. Hope everyone is doing well. I missed out on the reunion earlier this year – caught some pics online, and it looked like everyone had a great time. I’m looking forward to making the next one. See you then! If you hear of other BRs (or any VMI alum for that matter) heading this way, tell them to look me up!” I also caught up with Spike Solvey recently.

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Class Notes lunch. Doug and I are both still with Spike is currently stationed in NaMedtronic, and we both recently ples, Italy, supporting NATO. He started new roles within the comsaid he’s enjoying this tour over his years in the “desert” and could see pany. Doug and his family are doing himself sticking around if he doesn’t well, despite currently not having a get selected for colonel in the spring. kitchen due to renovations in their Spike is still very active with his art new home. and has two first-ever VMI HistoriRusty McGuire recently relinquished command of 2nd Squadcal Lineage Prints he’s releasing in ron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th conjunction with the VMI Museum. Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The first one covers 1839 to World War I, and the second print covers Rusty received the Meritorious World War II to present. Details Service Medal in recognition of have been communicated via Facehis outstanding service as the saber squadron commander. Congratulabook and email; please contact me Class of 1996: Pictured at the ’96 mini reunion in Doha, Qatar, if you did not receive any informa- were, from left, Charles Schnurman, Corrie Brice, Barrett Mor- tions, Rusty! tion. All proceeds go toward the ris and Ken McCoy. Mike Ohleger completed his 10th VMI Museum. Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 30. Carolina, back to northern Virginia to take new He ran it with his son, Graham, who comI recently heard from Chris Noe, who reported: “Things continue to go well here in position as chief engineer for Virginia Railway pleted his third Marine Corps Marathon and Express. Excited to be out of Citadel country is provisional Class of ’22. Mike and Graham Korea. In June, I relinquished command of Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia. and back in the commonwealth. Heading to ran with Wear Blue: Run to Remember in reIt was a great two years, and I’ll certainly miss the Silver Shako game Nov. 12 with Chris Mcmembrance of Jamie Edge. Truly an incredible Callum; pics in the next update.” command. I am now the assistant chief of staff accomplishment. heard from John Buchanan, who retired I G-4 for the 2nd Infantry Division. Busy job but Finally, Nick Latsios reached out. Nick rewarding, as I get to see how we are standing from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant colonel wanted everyone to know he’s finally settling up against tyranny daily. Melissa and the kids Oct. 28, 2016. John got creative with his retiredown after Christina Holloway said yes! They remain down in Daegu, as we now have two in ment and created a GoFundMe page to raise were engaged on the coast of North Carolina high school, including a senior. Unfortunately, over $2,000 toward Veteran Suicide Prevention in August and will be moving to Haddonfield, he’s not looking at our beloved Institute to in lieu of drinks. Congratulations, John, and New Jersey. Wedding planning is fully underthank you for your service and charity! complete his higher education.” way. Congratulations, Nick, and welcome to I was recently in Boulder, Colorado, where I the family, Christina! Dallas Richards also reached out and said, “Recently relocated from Charleston, South was able to catch up with Doug Bartlett over That’s all I have for this edition. Please continue to send updates on you and your families. All the best, Tom Danielsen

Class of 1996: Lieutenant Col. Rusty McGuire received the Meritorious Service Medal following his change of command in October 2016. 128

Class of 1996: Mike Ohleger and his son, Graham, after finishing their 10th and third Marine Corps Marathon, respectively. Graham is a prospective member of the Class of ’22.

Class of 1996: Nick Latsios and his fiancée, Christina Holloway, following their engagement. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes catching up with all of us at the 20th! Jared Wood checked in this summer, as well. Probably the first of our BRs to join the clergy, Tim O. Moore he just started his 17th year of ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. He began his David M. Hudock fourth appointment a year ago in Jefferson City and Dandridge, Tennessee, serving two churches. It has been fun for his family living right outside of both Knoxville and Pigeon Forge. There was a mini reunion of sorts recently when Francis Buser and Chad Bigelow, who had not seen each other since graduation, were stationed together at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Evidently, Chad is ready to punch Gentlemen of the Old Corps! Welcome to out of active duty in May and “become the another edition of class notes from one-half world’s largest Uber driver” (i.e., fly 747’s for of your agent staff; thanks much to Tim for the some civilian carrier). Francis is looking to stay most recent contribution. He sends his regards on in the guard another eight to 10 years and and says he continues to be busy with life and is make O-6 on an S-Team. His guard unit is in doing well in the great metropolis of Lexington. Charlotte, and he lives and works in the Wake As I write this on Halloween, I feel as though Forest/Raleigh area as an engineer with legal I need to find a duty jacket and turn it inside knowledge. His bride, Chrissie, and he have out for a disco party. I know Slemp still lives – five kids; the oldest is getting ready to gradusomewhere in barracks – but is “disco heaven 207” still a thing? Let’s hope not. Meanwhile, ate from high school. His youngest is four, and life at the Pentagon continues to roll on for me, apparently they have made a deal with her that though I am fortunate enough to have been reshe will stay four forever! Whenever anyone is in North Carolina, they are welcome to stop cently joined in the building by one U.S. Air by for a visit; Francis says he will be happy to Force Col. Chris Hobbs, and one U.S. Air drink some Scotch and burn some stuff with Force Col. Paul Reedy. I run into Hobbs pretty you in his backyard! consistently at feeding time in the Pentagon’s After noticing a photo on Facebook of a couple infamous “weigh and pay” eatery but have yet of naval aviators participating in some ribaldry to run into Paul. Paul probably has an imporand cheer at naval aviation’s 2016 tant job, unlike Hobbs, who merely “Tailhook” convention in Reno, Neworks in the Air Force’s inspector vada, I flat-out stalked said pictured general’s office. Hopefully the three aviators via the World Wide Web and of us can get together and make a learned the story behind the photo trek out to Leesburg, Virginia, and from Jeff Henderson. Jeff ran into drink some beers in Dan WeathDerek Fix unexpectedly at ’Hook, beerford’s garage! Though I’m still a cause evidently they are both terrible couple of years from retiring from at communicating and couldn’t actuthe Marine Corps, I thought I’d get a ally plan to meet there. Jeff is the nahead start on the retirement process val flight officer training officer on the by sitting through a retirement semiChief of Naval Air Training staff and nar last week. Also in the class was is currently splitting time between CorJim Zepko ’96, up from his current pus Christi and Pensacola until he reassignment at United States Southtires next summer. He says ’Hook was ern Command in Miami. Why is a couple good days of “professional a retirement seminar a week long? Well, we’re Marines, so spoon feed- Class of 1997: Andrew Staich, Donnie Hasseltine, Dano Owens development,” to include a few adult ing information to us takes a while, and Charlie Kershaw ’68 displaying some VMI spirit at Donnie’s beverages and some old VMI and but we also are entering the real change of command ceremony in summer 2016 at Camp Pend- Navy stories. Jeff met up with Derek in leton, California, where Donnie turned over command of the Norfolk after ’Hook, where they were world now where we have to apply 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. able to catch up with Kenny Pierce. and interview for jobs. We need a

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week just to learn how to spell “resume!” Anyway, let’s get down to the business at hand: Justin Chezem took time out of his surfing schedule in southern California to provide us an update. He’s still in the Army; a lieutenant colonel now for a couple of years and happily married with two beautiful kids. After his last deployment, he became the professor of military science at the University of Southern California in an attempt to keep the family happy; it is definitely not a hardship tour. It’s much busier than he ever imagined but pretty fulfilling to help the cadets develop their leadership. The “bill” to pay for working at USC is to spend his summers on the tactics committee in support of the cadet summer training. This summer, he got to work with Brad Nadig ’93. He said he spent much of his summer looking forward to getting back home to his family and much better weather; living in California has made him soft to the absolutely brutal heat and humidity of Fort Knox, Kentucky. Next summer, he will hopefully transfer back to Virginia to get back to the motherland and plant some roots. Three years on the southern shores of Los Angeles has been a great experience with beautiful views and Pacific Ocean breezes, but it simply isn’t home. Cheezy also mentioned he ran into John Bushman in Afghanistan; Andy McQuade in Fort Lewis, Washington; and Mike Brown over Christmas. He is looking forward to

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Class Notes Jeff sees Chris Coats all the time in Pensacola, as they both fly with the same training squadron there. Jeff is looking forward to retiring next year but not the real world! Derek Fix followed up Jeff’s message with his own update. He is still stationed in the Norfolk area, currently at Naval Air Station Oceana where he is the commanding officer of Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Virginia Capes – basically the radar and air traffic control facility that schedules and controls all of the fleet operating areas off the entire east coast. His command also owns the Navy Dare Bombing Range. He said command has him flying a desk more than anything else, though occasionally he still gets to fly in an actual airplane. He was able to jump on the airlift at the last minute and make it out to ’Hook, where he ran into Jeff for the aforementioned “professional development.” Out there, they ran into Bill Fallon ’98, who is excutive officer of a Super Hornet squadron at Naval Air Station Lemoore. Derek also saw Dan Hall, Kenny Pierce, Noah Slemp and Mike Russell back in December; they were able to come hang out after his change-of-command and are all doing well. Dan Hall was also in Norfolk for business a few months back from northern Virginia, and they got to hang out and enjoy a few beverages. Derek said he will probably be headed back to sea duty next summer but should be able to attend the reunion and is really looking forward to it. This quarter’s most distant entry comes from Taylor Edwards. He and his wife, Melissa, along with Nicholas (13) and Lauren (13), have been stationed in Paris, France, for more than two years. He works for NATO coordinating international defense research and development projects. They’ve taken the opportunity to travel quite a bit over the last two years and have seen all but six European nations (several are on their list of things to do). They took a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, where he was detained in a back room at the border for 30 minutes after they scanned his passport. They knew he was in the military, but they said it was a “random security check.” Taylor said it was quite exciting; I have no doubt! Taylor said he’s likely headed back to D.C. next summer. Until then, he is happy to share a beer with anyone who finds themselves in Paris! Will Tong dropped me a line with an exciting new development: He was recently promoted to examination manager and now oversees inspection teams examining regulated entities such as

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brokers, advisers, etc. He said it’s not too exciting, but it’s a promotion nonetheless. He also ran the Army 10-miler where he missed Mike Belenky by a few minutes. When he looked at the results after the race, he saw that Robert Youngren ran the race, as well. Will thinks that Rob finished way ahead of him, however. Where ya at, Rob? No ridiculous long-distance running stories from Addison Hagan this quarter, but he says he did take a crew of Boy Scouts (including his oldest, Addison) to Philmont Scout Ranch this summer for some hiking in the New Mexico Rocky Mountains. Over the course of 11 days in the backcountry wilderness, they covered about 80 miles. No one died; good times. He and Janice now have ninth-, seventh -and fifth-graders. They are all growing up way too fast, and their lives revolve around the kids’ activities but they wouldn’t have it any other way. He runs into plenty of guys where he lives in Richmond and is looking forward to seeing the whole class in April! In keeping with the Richmond theme, Mark Baltz wrote from the River City and informs me that he and Shannon celebrated their 17th anniversary in June and that their three kids are growing up way too fast. He also recently made the decision to go back to school and is currently working on his Master of Business Administration degree at the College of William & Mary. This will probably come as no surprise, but he relates it has been quite a transition; school isn’t exactly the same as it was 20 years ago. Mark briefly met up with Mike Belenky at the Redskins playoff game back in January, and he trades emails with Mike’s roommate, Nick Elliott, and Cooper Reid every now and again. Mark lives within a two-mile radius of Cooper and Nick, but they rarely see each other, which he acknowledges is terrible. Life has gotten pretty busy, though he did really enjoy Nick’s pictures from Japan ... it’s the only time he can remember that Nick actually looked tall! Like the rest of us, Mark is looking forward to the reunion and will be training his liver for the event between now and then. Dano Owens dropped me a line via Facebook recently. He is still managing some of the West (left) Coast for Wells Fargo’s Home Mortgage relocation division. To date, he says he has managed to avoid all of the scandals (fortunately). He and Kathy celebrated their 12th anniversary in September, but before that, he said he had a great time visiting Andrew Staich in California. All was well during that visit until they got out for a surf session

where Dano banged his ribs on the board. That was apparently the end of happy fun time! Also on this trip, Dano and Staich dropped in to witness Donnie Hasseltine turn over command of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. In addition to infiltrating the commanding officer’s office and raiding the battalion’s bar for some breakfast beers, Dano and Staich toured Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and got to see elements of the battalion assault and “secure” a building (for our Air Force classmates, this does not mean they solicited and let a contract to construct a new building)! Also present at the change-of-command was Charlie Kershaw ’68. Dano is looking forward to street food and visiting with all of us at the 20th! I was happy to see Oliver “O.J.” Johnson blew up my inbox recently with a fantastic update from San Antonio, Texas. He and his wife, Elizabeth (“E.J.”), are doing great with – count ’em – three girls: Joy, Sara and Ella. Each of these ladies are VMI provisional appointees to the Classes of ’26, ’28 and ’32, respectively. O.J. is still flying the T-1 Jayhawk with the Air Force Reserve and is also flying for Delta Air Lines out of Atlanta. He plans on moving closer to home in summer 2017 – likely to the Atlanta area. Holler at him if you’re ever in San Antonio or “The ATL” anytime! While in San Antonio, O.J. was stationed with Steve “Squirrel” Strain as fellow squadron commanders at Joint Base San Antonio. Squirrel was the comptroller commander and managed a multibillion dollar budget for all military assets in San Antonio area, also known as Military City, USA. O.J. served as The 99th Flying Training Squadron commander (the original Tuskegee Airmen Redtails squadron) at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. Earlier this year, O.J .and Squirrel were privileged to remember and honor Maj. Charles Ransom ’01 in a tribute to NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan nine. April 27 marked the fifth anniversary of the tragic green-on-blue murder of nine American service members in Kabul, Afghanistan. The lives and service of Charles and his fellow service members were honored in April with a ceremony and memorial toast. Two bagpipers played “Amazing Grace,” (which brought back a lot of memories from VMI and Donnie Hasseltine’s and our class’s stand-up of VMI’s Pipes & Drums). O.J. asks that “we never forget the service and sacrifice of all of our brothers and sisters in arms who have served our nation abroad and at home.” Well said, brother! Squirrel was in D.C. recently for business.

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes Unfortunately, we couldn’t link up for a beer or nine, but I did learn that he knows his next assignment will be at your Air Force Academy as its comptroller! Great news, Steve, and look forward to hearing about life in the centennial state at the 20th Reunion! Thanks for all of your input this round, gents! Keep the updates coming, and I look forward to seeing you all in April, if not before!

1998

John A. Strock Hamel Reinmiller

I hope everyone had a great fall and is preparing for an even better 2017. Betsy and I continue to enjoy life in the Washington, D.C., area. I am in full swing in the D.C. and Virginia real estate business as a buyer’s agent on a great, local team. I remain involved with our local VMI alumni group helping to plan events and support the Institute in my region. It’s always rewarding and great to stay connected. I’ll start with another accidental omission from the last round. (My bad, Sean!) Sean Williams married the former Kathryn Shepherd Goldberg in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, May 14, 2016. Ashley Camper ’11, one of his E-5s, and Corey Stavinoah ’02 were in attendance. I got a note from Brendan Toolan, who was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Army Sept. 9. Brendan and his family will be at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point through the upcoming summer. Great to hear from the ToolMan! In other promotion news, Kwabena Gyimah was also promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Marine

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Corps. Ernesto Sampson was recently in Hawaii, where the two Band Company BRs were able to get together and catch up. Ryan Hughes checked in from Savannah, Georgia, with his wife, Betsy, and their twin 11-year-old boys. He started his own consulting and development company this past March called Core. One of the reasons he named it that is because of the play on the word, “Corps.” You can take the boy out of VMI, but... Ryan and his family enjoy fishing, hunting and water sports and are loving the salt life. Chad Novacek was one of thousands furloughed from the BNSF Railway in the past year. Luckily, his furlough only lasted six months; some have been gone for well over a year now. Chad took advantage of the free time by hiking in Big Bend National Park in Texas, visiting friends stationed in Hawaii and transforming his life through a four-month-long series of experiential workshops in Los Angeles over the summer. After being recalled from the railroad, Chad

Class of 1998: Kwabena Gyimah posed in front of his 1st Class portrait sporting his shiny new U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel insignia.

checked off sea fishing and the Grand Canyon from his bucket list before starting back to work – this time in Edgemont, South Dakota, fetching coal trains from Gillette, Wyoming. Chad is now back in Lincoln, Nebraska, with the railroad and is in a committed relationship with the love of his life, Ruth Ragatz. Brook Barbour, Mary Katherine, Hadley Jane and Alden have relocated to Westchester County (Briarcliff Manor), New York. Kids are settled in and they are enjoying all that the Hudson River Valley and New York City have to offer. Class of 1998: The Barbours in fall 2016 near their new home in Christian Craft, Christopher Braun, New York. Matt Guise and Justin Wolfe, along with some of their rats, descended upon Lexington for a weekend of rowdiness and reliving of old times. Room 331 continued a long, strong run of brotherhood and friendship. Thanks again to all who sent me updates for this issue. Always great to hear from everyone. Correction to previous class notes: Apologies to Jut and Gretchen Molloy for my errors in the last edition. I had a typo in their last name and I Class of 1998: Room 331 reunited in Lexington in early No- inadvertently referred to their newest vember. Pictured were, from left, Christian Craft, Christopher daughter, Murphy as a boy... three Braun, Matt Guise and Justin Wolfe. times. Sorry guys! She’s beautiful!

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Class Notes

Class of 1998: Sean and Kathryn Williams celebrated their wedding in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Class of 1998: Brendan Toolan pinned on as a new lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. Class agent John Strock said of this photo, “Brendan and his family are doing well up at West Point.”

1999

William Steinbach

Brother Rats, I got the following note from John Bolt in the U.K.: “These days, I am living in Portsmouth, England, since moving from California. My wife, Sacha, is a reserve Royal Navy officer, which brought us back here in late 2013. We now have three children; Eric was born in August 2014 in

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Chichester; in the same hospital, in fact, where his mother was born! His two elder sisters, Elisabeth, 6, and Charlotte, 4, were born in California. I keep busy these days working in marketing and public relations at Portsmouth Cathedral and am submitting my proposal for Ph.D. research in history for the University of Portsmouth. I also have been working some freelance history-related research projects, the latest around the Battle of Jutland centenary later this month. I am also still in the Marine Corps Reserve; I am lucky to have an opportunity to drill once a month and do my ATs here in the U.K. Later this summer, we will visit our family in Boston. During that time, we will visit with my dyke, Dic Donohue ’02. He and his wife, Kim, have a new baby son, Connor Douglas. He was born, as it turns out, on the third anniversary of Dic coming out of his coma. Hope to make a reunion someday soon, but traveling with young children from across the seas these days is a big challenge. I, of course, keep up, as most do these days, via Facebook, etc. I was very happy to speak the other day with McDermott on the phone which we hadn’t done since 2003!” Good to hear from John. Just traveling in the U.S. with young children is hard enough. Cannot imagine how much trouble it would be going across the pond. Jason Berg sent me this: “Hey, Bill! Hope all is well. Appreciate you staying on top of the class notes – definitely awesome to see how folks have been getting along. Just wanted to let you know that I was promoted to lieutenant colonel and departed the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployment in June. After that, Sophie, James, Joseph and I have moved out to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. On June 30, I took command of Marine Wing Support Squadron 171. We are absolutely loving Japan, and I am in awe every day of the accomplishments of my over 550 Marines and sailors. We are truly blessed. Thanks again for staying on top of everyone and for the great updates.” Jason complimented me too soon. The updates from Jason and John above should have gone into the last issue of the Alumni Review, but I stepped on it and missed the deadline. Apologies to all. I guess better late than never. Leroy Trent checked in from Kentucky. He was recently promoted to lieutenant colonel and is the regimental S-6 for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). His

family was able to take a trip to Disney earlier in the year with Jochen and Leslie Dunville. In addition to the fun of Disney, they all ran the Disney Marathon and had a blast. Powell Harrison sent me this: “Audrey is six months pregnant with our first. We’ll know if it’s a boy or a girl when the baby comes out in late January/early February. We’ve settled in Hossegor since the wedding last year, but we continue to work in our language school in Biarritz. This past summer was the sixth summer of our English and Surf camp. As far as a missions update, I’ve become sort of an assistant pastor (on a volunteer basis without an official title because of the nightmare that would create

Class of 1999: Matt Hart at the starting line in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Class of 1999: Jason Hennigan with his son, Brayden, and Travis Powroznik on Jason’s back deck. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes in the wonderful world of French bureaucracy) in Surf Church Hossegor. I’m studying theology and church leadership in an online school for French pastors-in-training. In two years, I could end up being ordained in Surf Church’s parent denomination. Life is full of surprises. Can’t believe I’ve been here six years already!” Congratulations, Powell. You have been blessed. Travis Powroznik recently visited Jason Hennigan in Abingdon, Virginia, and they had great weekend. They went to the University of Tennessee versus Virginia Tech game at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Pretty sure they were not our only BRs at that game. Matt Hart said he got a small promotion at work. He is still looking for a youth pastor position or a small church to pastor. In the beginning of October, he attempted to ride across the state by bicycle. He went from Banner Elk to Clinton, North Carolina, before heading home. He did not make it all the way to Atlantic Beach because Hurricane Matthew beat him there, and the company he was riding with shut it down. He was able to ride 362 miles in five days with 16,359 feet of elevation gain. He also rode his first century (100 miles at one time). That is a lot of bicycling. Jake Abell, Bill Gage and Ryan Bogesse went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to watch the Steelers play the Kansas City Chiefs. After taunting me about not being there, Jake and Billy almost convinced me they had left the game early to go to a bar. After flaming them via text message, Goose reassured me that they had not left and were indeed still at Heinz Field. I would not have put it past degenerates like Bill and Jake to leave a football game early to go to a bar, though. You guys got me this time. In the bonds, Bill

2000

Jim Boatright

Brother Rats, As I write this update, it is mid-October, and the leaves are changing, football season is here and the holidays are right around the corner. I hope you have been receiving birthday cards, and if you

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are not, it means the Alumni Association does not have a current address. Send me any updates, and I will get you updated. If you have not checked in lately, please send an email to classnotes2000vmi@gmail.com so everyone can know how you are doing. We only had a few updates for this edition, and here they are. Chris Boswell let me know he has moved from the medical industry to the financial/insurance industry. We all know Bozz can sell anything, so best of luck with your new position. Bozz said he sees Matt Vordermark a good bit, and they are expecting a baby. Congrats! He also said that Danny Boyers is expecting his fifth! That might be a class record, and way to go, Danny! He also caught up with Tony Saraceni, Greg Fedor and Chad Welch at (Big) Matt Williams wedding. Worth Burns is still with BioMet and living in Greenville, South Carolina, enjoying family life. Tony Esteve checked in to say hello. He is living in Arlington and is neighbors with Shawn Segreti. I was in Washington, D.C., recently to run the Marine Corps Marathon and was able to visit with Tony. We caught up on life since VMI and exchanged stories of who we stay in contact with. Shawn could not join because he was deer hunting in North Carolina with Kenny Sykes and Kenny Denton. They had hoped Brett Martin and Jason Maslow would be able to join the trip. Devon Jones wrote that he and wife Francesca just celebrated 10 years of marriage and are chasing around their 2-year-old daughter. Devon stays in touch with Bozz and Scott McInnis, and both are doing well. Bubba Masey recently arrived back in northern Virginia from a 3-year stint in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division where he did battalion S3 and executive officer time and took advantage of the surfing and golfing. He was selected and will pin-on lieutenant colonel by the end of the year. Congrats! His wife, Ann Marie, and two children, Ella (8) and Henry (5), moved to Alexandria, just south of Olde Towne. Bubba’s new assignment is in intel as the branch chief of AF/PAK Task Force with Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization. Bubba said he cannot believe they put an engineer in charge of intelligence. Clint Mundinger is just down the hall, and he has been a big help with the adjustment. Bubba had supper with Scott and Alli McInnis recently and stays in touch with Chad Welch and Worth Burns, Wilson Mustian ’01, but he has lost contact with (Big) Matt Williams and Chris Boswell. He sees Matt

Gallienne, Tom Huffman ’03, Mason Ayers ’99 and Paul Keeton at Willow Oaks Country Club in Richmond. This has been a brief set of notes. They are only as long as the updates that you send, so please keep them coming so we can all stay in touch with each other. Finally, to all of our brother rats that have served or are currently serving our great country, be safe and thank you!

2001

Brandon Farris

Brother Rats, It was great seeing everyone at our 15th Reunion Oct. 28-30. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it out. We certainly missed everyone who couldn’t make it for whatever reason. The turnover on these notes were very quick. We only had a couple of days after the reunion to turn them in, so while I didn’t get many stories I can share, we do have plenty of photos. Billy Prible and his wife welcomed their son, Liam Alexander Prible, June 20, 2016. John Parson and Randy Hagar are deployed to the United States Central Command area of operations with the Virginia Army National Guard. Wilson Mustian finished his Master of Laws in Taxation degree from the University of Alabama in August and recently accepted a position with the Virginia Department of Taxation. Jeff Kuehne and his wife recently moved to Portland, Oregon, where they welcomed their son, Bowen, into the world shortly after they got settled. They are enjoying life in the Pacific Northwest dodging the raindrops. I hope everyone has a great holiday season! In the bonds, Brandon

2002

Salmaan Khawaja

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2002.

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15th Reunion – Oct. 28-29, 2016

The Class of 2001

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VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes 1.

3. 6.

5. 7.

1. Charlie Bunting, Brandon Farris and Natasha Miller atop the sentinel box. 2. From left, Drew Carbone, Jon Mazur, Drew Dickinson, Jason Whitaker, Chris Simpson, Fred Hair, Parker Reeves, Jamie Dillon and Stephen Wiegel.

10.

3. The Class of 2001 prepared for Old Yells. 4. The Class of 2001 after Old Yells. 5. Charlie Bunting making the climb atop the sentinel box. 6. The Class of 2001 Old Yell. 7. Class agent Brandon Farris said of this photo, “465 Blood and Guts Golf: Luke Pernotto, Steve Skakandy and Jon Mazur.” 8. Kristi Carbone explaining the “UR Boned” van to Joey and Tommy Carbone. 9. From left, Steve Kolenich, Brandon Farris and Drew Carbone. 10. From left, Billy Prible, Kevin Fromm, Justin Walskey, Luke Pernotto, Steve Skakandy and Oscar Alfaro.

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Class Notes

2003

William Talley V

Brother Rats, I trust everyone had a safe and happy holiday season and a good New Years! As is the routine, I’m typing up these notes three months before you’ll get to see them. So here we go... It’s been a busy fall for our class! While there were only four home football games this season, our class was well represented. John and Stephanie Bocek were regulars tailgating, as John has two cousins who matriculated in August. They even persevered through Hurricane Matthew in October along with Chaz Wagner to tailgate. Willie Hale, Adam Britt and Brent Barth caught up with each other at the opener Oct. 1. I spoke with Willie Hale, and he said all is well with his family. He and Ashley have a son and two daughters. Willie’s staying busy with his family’s pharmacy, family and other activities. I know that Lara and Stuart Chambers were at the game Oct. 8, along with their two boys. Phil and Angee Kerns were also up at the Institute the weekend of Oct. 8 with their daughters, Chiara and Sienna. While The Citadel game is still a week away from the time of this writing, it looks like we’ll have a large showing to close

out the season, as well. It’s great to see more and more BRs getting up to the “I” for football games these days. We’ve also had at least three weddings since our last set of notes. Josh Gonzales married Lori Wiebold Oct. 15 in Miramar Beach, Florida. In attendance were Ben Booth, Jim Hitch and Phil Hendrix. I communicated with Josh and learned that he and Lori welcomed a son, Myles Wyatt Gonzales, into the world Sept. 9. It’s been a busy fall for Josh and Lori, but life is good! Patrick Schaerrer got married Oct. 30 in San Francisco, California. I know that John and Stephanie Bocek were in San Francisco for the wedding. From the pictures I’ve seen on Facebook, it looked like a great event, and there was a great photo of Pat on a horse. I encourage you to go find it on his FB page. Finally, Art Matthews got married Oct. 23 to his wife, B.J. (Sorry, Art, I couldn’t find her maiden name.) It was a small ceremony with family, based on what I could gather via FB. Congratulations to all three couples! Our ’03 family continues to grow not only through marriage but also births. I’ve already mentioned the new addition to the Gonzales family, but I understand that Band Company is doing their part to grow the family, as well. Jared Swanson reported that John Noonan and his wife, Rachel, are expecting their first child, due in March. Mihaela Guberavich and her husband, Paul, are expecting their fifth child! Also, Jared and his wife, Julie, are expecting their second child

Class of 2003: Josh and Lori Gonzales welcomed a son, Myles Wayne Gonzales, into the world Sept. 9, 2016. Class agent Bill Talley said of this photo, “Per Josh, Myles is 8 pounds of pure natural muscle! He is kept in line by his big sister, Kenzie, who turned two in June.” Class of 2003: The Biesterveld, Matthews, Traina and Talley families gathered in Wintergreen, Virginia, Oct. 8-9, 2016. Pictured were, from left, front row, Savannah Talley, Amie-Anne Talley ’05, Audrey Matthews, Chelsey Biesterveld, Lincoln Biesterveld and Jennifer Traina. Second row: Chappell Talley, Billy Talley VI, Wyatt Matthews, Alden Biesterveld and David Traina. Back row: Bill Talley V, Brandon Matthews, Andy Biesterveld and Blake Traina. 136

in April 2017. So, the second quarter of 2017 is going to be a good one already! Brother Rat Swanson also reported that Greg Sphunder is flying UAVs now out of Fort Drum and growing a massive apple orchard.

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes a Saturday parade and a football game. From Joe: “Although Hurricane Matthew ended up putting down lots of rain which canceled the parade (the cadets seemed happy about that), the weather got better for the football game. It was great to see the Keydets defeat ETSU by an impressive margin; our team was in fantastic shape and played very well! Brian Hudak was also at the game, and we got the chance to say hello and catch up. I had the opportunity to speak with a cadet wearing a ’19 patch on his shoulder. While he was saying something about how Class of 2003: Steve Nakazawa and Brandon Waltrip caught up easy the Rat Line is this year comwith each other in Williamsburg, Virginia, in mid-October 2016. pared to when he was a rat, I was Class agent Bill Talley said of this photo, “Steve made the trip down from northern Virginia to Brandon’s neck of the woods, doing some mental gymnastics and realized that 2019 are the rats of our where he has a law practice and lives with his wife and son.” rats’ rats’ rats’, and suddenly, I felt old. Then, when he learned that I’m a grad, he said, ‘Oh, wow! That’s totally Old Corps!’ ‘Yes, Old Corps,’ I thought and readied to depart and put on my spectacles but realized I’d forgotten my cane and top hat in the buggy. I hope all of our BRs are doing well and thriving!” Josh Montero works on Quantico, as well, and he and Joe have gotten to see each other several times despite how much he is on the road traveling for work. David Yaman will finish his second master’s degree, a Master of Business Administration degree from American University’s Kogod School of Business, in December. Class of 2003: Josh Gonzales married Lori Wiebold Oct. 15, 2016, He and his wife, Jessica, are exScott E. Campbell in Miramar Beach, Florida. Ben Booth, Jim Hitch and Phil Henpecting their second child in March drix were in attendance to celebrate with Josh and Lori. 2017. C. Justin Roberts The Bob Downey has settled in northern Virby spina bifida, she’s been growing stronger every day! Kellan is excited about being a big ginia for the moment and continues to mourn brother! the loss of Harambe. If you’re interested in Ross Garnett and his family are looking forkilling a pint or a pitcher in memoriam, let me ward to a move to Okinawa next summer. In know, and I’ll help you find Bob. Tony Peters and his wife, U.S. Air Force Maj. the meantime, he’s been hanging out at Marine Manuela Peters, have moved to Budapest, HunCorps Command and Staff College along with Erica Ardolino Comparin and her husband, Joe Montagna, Brandon Turner ’03 and Tim gary. Manuela is working as the assistant air atFred, welcomed Harper to the world Sept. 19. Riemann ’05. taché and piloting the C-12. All three of their Harper weighed in at 7.3 pounds and was 21.5 Joe Montagna and his wife, Jessica, went children attend local Hungarian school, and inches long. Despite the challenges presented to VMI at the beginning of October to watch Tony spends his days learning to cook paprikas Steve Nakazawa ran and finished the Army 10-Miler. Steve also got together with Jared and Colin McElroy in Portland, Maine, for Labor Day. David Burdette met up with A.J. Schmaus in Minnesota for the Ryder Cup and cheered Team USA to victory over Team Europe. Brandon Matthews, Blake Traina, Andy Biesterveld and I gathered all of our families together for a room reunion the first weekend in October. It was the first time since the first round of kids (David Traina, Chappell Talley and Lincoln Traina) that everyone was able to gather together. In addition to the boys were Savannah and Billy Talley and Alden Biesterveld (the newest member of the group), along with our wives, Amie-Anne Talley, Jennifer Traina, Audrey Matthews and Chelsey Biesterveld. Brandon and Audrey are also expecting their second child, due the first half of 2017. Andy and his family will be moving to Jacksonville, Florida, in late 2017. Andy’s with CSX Railroad, and their home office is in Jacksonville. That’s all I’ve got for now, folks. Please send me updates via email or FB. I know there is a whole lot more going on than what I’ve included in this set of notes and want to make sure we get it in the next set. Until then, Rah Virginia Mil! ’03, ’03, ’03!

2004

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Class Notes chicken and gulyas (goulash), commuting to and from schools, and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He recently provided direct support to the diplomatic mission by attending the Budapest Attaché Wives Club’s annual trip ... they baked cookies and toured a library. He is the only male attachéspouse in Budapest. It’s been a busy year. Matt Sharpe and his wife, Alexis, bought their first place in March – still within biking distance to NASA. In July, Matt started a full-time MBA program at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. NASA has an arrangement with NPS (as do other Department of Defense agencies) that allows him to attend as a civilian. Matt, said, “It’s slightly surreal to be back in a military environment. I’m getting used to not being in the standard Silicon Valley uniform of Tshirt and jeans, and they’re getting used to being in business casual. It’s a great opportunity and a welcomed change of pace. I’m still working some in the office each week in a new role I assumed before starting school as assistant chief, Human Systems Integration Division. Completion date for the MBA will be December 2018.” Major Jason Quash finished battalion S3 and battalion executive officer time in Korea, and he is currently deployed to Iraq with 1st Infantry Division as the deputy G2, chief of intel operations/ targeting. His wife, Jill, and their three boys, Joel, Gabriel and Nathan, are doing great and looking forward to his return sometime next year.

Class of 2004: The Peters family in front of a large Catholic temple in the city of Vác. I finished my assignment with the 224th AV BN as their S-1 in August. I’ve been managing the budget for the Construction and Facilities Management Office with the Virginia Guard since then. Yes, an English major with direct ties to construction and a budget! I’m equally disturbed by the concept. Go Army! I’m waiting on Liberty University to finish the paperwork for my master’s degree. We survived Halloween! Take care! Be safe, and keep in touch! Scott Campbell

by the time you read them. Which I realize has always been the case ... it’s just something I’m still getting used to as the full-time class agent/ notes scribe. But I digress. I hope this note finds you well, now fully recovered from what I’m sure was a busy and eventful holiday season. Cody Grey is working for the Department of the Navy in Bremerton, Washington. “We had a new addition to our family. My son, John, was born July 9, 2016, happy and healthy. We’re staying the Tacoma, Washington, area for the foreseeable future; any BRs who head out this way are more than welcome to hit me up!” Ian Foley checked in from Wake Forest, North Carolina. (The Raleigh suburb and not the University, as I have since discovered. TH) “We had the entire VMI rugby team over to our house for a postgame social Oct. 15. They gave North Carolina State a run for their money but came up just short at the final whistle. I had a chance to catch up with Eric Lockard and his wife and daughter. Tyler Russel ’07 was able to make it, as well.” Jamaal “Jay” Stafford is celebrating the oneyear anniversary of starting his own law firm, which is located in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Jay’s law firm focuses on business law and litigation, particularly business litigation, construction

2005

Tom Hardinge Timothy Johnson

Class of 2004: Harper Mae Comprain was born Sept. 19, 2016, to Fred and Erica Ardolino Comprain. 138

Brother Rats, Even though it is now November as I write these notes, we will be well into the New Year

Class of 2005: Cody Grey’s daughter, Ava, was all smiles with little brother John in Tacoma, Washington. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

Class of 2005: Derek Rankin and Tom Petikowski caught up in Gruene, Texas, last summer. litigation and employment litigation. Jay also is celebrating the recent birth of his daughter, Jayden, in September. On the continuing education front, Anthony Boone received a Master of Science in Aeronautics degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2016. Gabriela Arraiz recently started working toward her master’s in cyber security with a concentration in cyber intel at the University of South Florida. Gabriela was also promoted to major this summer and was accepted in resident intermediate-level education, which starts later in summer 2017. “Next up is another deployment to Afghanistan, but for only six months this time. However, this means the software startup I co-founded called Bizu, which allows people to buy and send each other drinks (and food) from their phones, will have to be put on hold until I return.” Resident socialite Derek Rankin spent much of the fall gallivanting from one awesome event to the next, while hanging out with as many BRs as possible in the process. September was an especially busy month, as Derek, along with Chris White, got together in Baltimore for the Ravens home opener Sept. 11. Later in the month, he and wife Lesley saw Guns N’ Roses live in Dallas, which he reports was an “epic concert, and a huge bucket list item checked off the list!” He also mentioned that Tom Petikowski came out to Gruene, Texas, for a visit (Tom was in town

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Class of 2005: Derek Rankin with Lesley in Dallas for a Guns N’ Roses concert.

playing soccer for the Air Force), and Jason Reinitz came to San Antonio to help celebrate Derek’s 33rd birthday last October with whiskey and cigars. “I also ran into Colonel Kelly Holbert ’93 at the Airlift Tanker Association Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. We flew C-130s at Yokota together. Great leader and friend!” Lastly, I wanted to pass on a note that all necessary funds were donated this past year, and the class brick for our late Brother Rat John Streetman was officially installed in front of barracks. Coincidentally, it’s not all that far from his 1st Class room window, through which he leaped on many a weekend as the last few notes of Taps rang out from Sally Port (but you didn’t hear that from me). Just make sure to remember John and keep his family in your thoughts and prayers next time you pass by. Until next time, stay safe and be well. Rah Virginia Mil, Tom Hardinge

2006

Shawn Driver

Brother Rats, I hope everyone had a great time at the reunion.

To those who didn’t make it out, you missed an awesome weekend. None of it would have been possible without the help of Curt and Alex Ivins, Jonathan Everiss, Burgess Lindsey, Jason Frasier, Todd Baldwin, Andrew Upshaw and Will Collier; my sincere thanks to you guys. Not that she would read this, but a huge thanks to Lisla Cowles at the Alumni Association, too. Since this update encompasses the reunion weekend, I’ll publish the “stats” those who attended the class dinner that Saturday heard me rattle off. First of all, we had 211 guests, 110 of whom were alumni (I think we increased registration by like 40 percent in the last week). Thanks to the class’ efforts and headed up by Andrew Upshaw and Will Collier, we raised $261,915.92, surpassing our goal of $206,000. By the way, $140,000 of that was raised in the four months preceding the reunion. The surveys I sent out last year paint a remarkable picture of who we’ve become and the impacts our small class has made over the last decade. Of the handful of surveys I got back, I was able to compile some impressive stats. For starters, we have BRs serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard; many who couldn’t make the reunion because they were deployed. From the small survey population, I counted over 17 years of combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Within the branches of the military, we have

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10th Reunion – Oct. 28-29, 2016

The Class of 2006

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VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

Class of 2006: Candid shots from the 10th Reunion Oct. 28-29, 2016. Photos courtesy Cadet Marlene Haag ’18.

infantrymen, logisticians, helicopter pilots, C-130 pilots and a robust representation in the Special Operations community. Our class is also comprised of agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, federal Air Marshalls, Virginia State Police (Trooper of the Year and a Life-Saving Award recipient), and firefighters. Aside from careers in service, we have entrepreneurs (Red Leg Brewery), project managers, wealth managers, realtors, Ph.Ds, a Teacher of the Year, English teachers and a vice principal. The list goes on and on, and that was only a poll of one-twelfth of the class. The bottom line is that we’ve come a long way, and I know we’ve only scratched the surface. Again, it was great seeing everyone and I hope to see more of you next time. Happy New Year, Shawn

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2007

Sally Bushore

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2007.

2008

Robert Hill

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves after the end of the holiday season. If you haven’t

been back to VMI since our reunion or even graduation, I would encourage you to visit post in person or online to see the ever-changing landscape and, especially, the new Indoor Training Facility. Let’s move to our updates. We’ll start in Okinawa, Japan. Ben Switzer, along with wife Shirley and their three boys spent a weekend recently in Taipei, Taiwan, where they spent time with Hsieh Yingchie and Eric Chen. Eric and Hsieh took the Switzers to a famous restaurant, Din Tai Fung. Eric also took the Switzers to the Taipei Zoo and visited the kangaroos. Dan Simpson and wife Gina expanded their family Aug. 5, 2016. Carter Mark Simpson was born Aug. 5. Since Carter’s arrived, he’s already made a trip to VMI. Both mom and baby are doing well. Congrats, Dan and Gina. Another BR expanded his family, as well. Sean Ruppert and wife Maggie, as well as their daughter, Maisie, welcomed a boy, Forrest, to the family Aug. 15, 2016. Sean and his family are still located in Charlotte, North Carolina. In July, Sean had a chance to catch up with Nick Cutting, Ben Curle and Nick Marinaro ’09, as the crew headed to New River Valley, West Virginia, for some whitewater rafting; however, apparently Nick was a bit afraid of getting wet. A few months later and after the birth of Forrest, Jim Andrew and Pete Mycio were in town to visit Josh Gemedschiew, and Sean was able to join the group for a few beers. Dennis Harbin checked in from Chesapeake,

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Class Notes

Class of 2008: Hsieh Yingchie, Ben Switzer and Eric Chen together for dinner during the Switzer family’s visit to Taiwan.

Class of 2008: Eric Chen with Ben Switzer and Ben’s oldest son, James, at the Taipei Zoo. Thankfully, the Steelers won, or it would have been a long drive back to Harrisburg. Before the game, we had a chance to see Matt’s wife, ArleneRaquel, as well as the precious Ava Victoria. The Saturday before, Lauren and I visited Baltimore to see VMI rugby take on University of Maryland Baltimore County. While the game started evenly matched, VMI took it to them, as the heat was no match for a poorly conditioned UMBC team. We also had the opportunity later in the month to attend the VMI alumni tailgate at Bucknell University. We had more than 50 people in attendance at the tailgate

Class of 2008: Pictured at the second annual VMI alumni breakfast at the 2016 Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference in September 2016 were, from left, front row, Paul Ackerman ’93, Bill M’Coy ’80, Vania Murcia ’17, Phill Yi and Matt Harrison. Back row: Sean Farley ’93, Nate Salatin ’11, Pat Foley ’93, Nate Whitmer ’17, Jon Casarotti ’93, Brian Forrest ’96, Chris Keever ’92, Ali Gagnon ’14, Bryce Carter ’09, Kyle Harrell ’17 and Mark Miller ’07. Virginia. Recently, Dennis and wife Jessica had their third child, Cora, baptized at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. Also in attendance were Cora’s godparents, Greg Willson and wife Lauren, as well as Patrick Clark and wife Nicole. Dennis and his family will be moving to Rota, Spain, in February 2017, where Dennis will serve as the area’s Navy JAG prosecutor. Phill Yi, who is expecting his second child with wife Esther, sent a note in from the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference. This year’s conference was held in New Orleans at the end of September. Phil and another 12 alumni joined three

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cadets for the second annual VMI breakfast Sept. 27. The cadets in attendance – Nathan Whitmer ’17, Kyle Harrell ’17 and Vania Murica ’17 – placed second in the National WEF Student Design Competition. Alumni in attendance included Sean Farley ’93, Nate Salatin ’09, Pat Foley ’93, Jon Casarotti ’93, Brian Forrest ’96, Chris Keever ’92, Ali Gagnon ’14, Bryce Carter ’09, Mark Miller ’07, Paul Ackerman ’93, Bill McCoy ’80 and Matt Harrison. On the opening weekend of the NFL season, my brother and I had the chance to visit Matt Mitchell in Alexandria, Virginia, before heading to the Steelers versus the Redskins game.

Class of 2008: Sean Ruppert holding his son, Forrest, born Aug. 15, 2016, in Charlotte, North Carolina. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

Class of 2008: Pictured at a mini reunion for the baptism of Cora, daughter of Jessica and Dennis Harbin, were, from left, Nicole and Patrick Clark, Greg Willson and wife Lauren, along with the Harbin family. and more than 500 VMI fans at the game. It was a great experience to watch VMI win in triple overtime. Hopefully they can finish the year on a winning note. Until next time...

2009

Class of 2009: Jonathan Kim at his wedding and enjoying his new duty station.

Brother Rats, I hope this edition of the Review finds you and your families well. I trust that everyone had a wonderful last couple of months since the last Review came out. Albert Young reached out and said he just finished up his tour in Afghanistan as an aircraft commander on an AC-130U (this was his fourth in the past four years). Albert said he is ready to come home. He is also about to finish his master’s degree in organizational leadership. Albert’s wife, Leah, is enjoying being the buyer and media manager for a Pilate’s chain. Albert also lives on the same street as Durham

Snuffin and sees him all the time. Frank Ellis got a chance to catch up with Leon Barrow. Leon visited Frank in Memphis late in the year and had a great time catching up; from what Frank told me, everyone is doing well, and it was a great trip. Jonathan Kim reached out to me to let me know he got married. Jonathan married Laura Alfredson Sept. 30, 2016, and they both are now living in Guam. Jonathan is working in the Public Works Department at Navy Base Guam. He has also given an open invitation to all BRs if any of us are ever out across the Pacific Ocean his way, all are more than welcome to stay with them. Jonathan and Laura will be there for the next three years. Jonathan and Laura, congrats on the marriage, and be careful what you ask for on that open invitation.

Bradley Simpson

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Class of 2009: From left, Ashton Graves, Frank Ellis, Kat Libby and Leon Barrow all at the Stax Museum when Leon visited Frank in Memphis.

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Class Notes

Class of 2009: Albert Young next to a 25 mm GAU-12/U on the ramp in Bagram after his last flight. Isaac and Corielle Putnam and their two children just PCSed from Maui Island after a three-year stint in paradise to Eglin Air Force Base. Isaac is serving in the armament advanced programs, and Corie is in the private sector counseling, specializing in couples, families and marriage. Well, that about wraps up the notes for this edition. Hope everyone is doing well as the year comes to a close. As always, stay classy ’09.

2010

Cody Hennelly Garland Gray III

Unfortunately, I start these notes with sad news: Matthew Winkler died in September. Matt matriculated from Kentucky, and after leaving VMI, he served as an intelligence analyst in the Marine Corps. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and left active duty in 2014. Rest in peace, Matt, and thank you for your service. On a happier note, Justin Minter married the former Amanda V. Redmond June 11. The Minters had a small family ceremony in Stafford, Virginia, with John Maurice in attendance. Justin’s

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Class of 2010: Captains Cody Hennelly and Alex Beckstrand ran into one another in the Middle East.

wife is a Henrico County police officer, where she works with the newly minted Officer Jake Maier, who graduated from the police academy in August. Congratulations on the new career! John Maurice and Laura Barrera recently welcomed a beautiful daughter, Emilia Wilde Maurice, into the world. Emilia was born July 16, 2016, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces. Lowell and Sarah Patterson also just had a baby. Lowell H. Patterson V was born Oct. 18, also weighing in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces. Evan Aguirre recently hosted a pumpkin carving party in Richmond. In attendance were some of his Army buddies, myself, Justin Ferrell, Thomas Chapman and Optimus Prime. Tyler and Chelsea Romaine are still wandering the world at this writing, but they’re back in their native hemisphere. They were most recently spotted in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile – the driest desert in the world. They’ll make their return to the States soon. Matt Satterwhite is still working for Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut. He recently took a trip to Acadia National Park in Maine with some work buddies, where he camped and then climbed Cadillac Mountain (with a “headache”) to see the earliest sunrise on the East Coast. Matt says things are going well in Connecticut, and he’s met a nice lady. Finally, Hunter Cantrell has been assigned to teach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Great to see that they’ll finally be getting some quality instruction up there. That’s all for this issue. Don’t hesitate to

Class of 2010: Captain Cody Hennelly and 1st Lt. Mike Casper crossed paths in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Mike was on his way home and Cody was on his way into theater. reach out when you have an update you’d like to share or if you’re in the Richmond area. Garland

2011

Allen McCown

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2011.

VMI Alumni Review

5th Reunion – Oct. 28-29, 2016

The Class of 2011

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Class Notes

2012

Bruce Howard

Brother Rats, I hope this edition of the Review finds you and your families well. Stewart Wilkinson and his wife, Amanda, welcomed into the world a baby girl, Alma Nichole Wilkinson, Sept. 23. Congratulations, Stew; and I wish you and your family well. Juan Thrasher and his wife, Lizzie, also gave birth to a baby girl in the fall. Mia James Thrasher was born Sept. 7. Congratulations to you both. Michael Gwinn is living in Charlottesville with his girlfriend, Kathy Faris, and is attending the University of Virginia School of Law. Best of luck, Mike. A few other BRs also had some major life changes, and thanks to social media, I can add updates even without them knowing. Richard Griffith and his wife, Kylie, were married this past October. Best wishes to you both, Grif. Bryant Clopper and his wife, Molly, were also married this past October. Congrats to you both. I want to thank all of you for the updates.

Class of 2012: The Thrasher family with their new baby girl, Mia. 146

Please continue to send any news my way to be included in the next edition of the Review. Also, thank you to those who have sent me their changed addresses so that I can put them into the alumni system. I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing from you soon. In the bonds, Bruce

2013

Charles P. Jones

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 2013.

2014

Samuel Guidry Taylor Floyd

Brother Rats, I hope that these notes find all of you well. By the time you read this, our rats will be halfway through their 1st Class year, and some will have graduated in December, officially making us old. Really, I’m just saying that as a reminder for everyone to start making plans for our unofficial reunion party at their graduation in May. It is really amazing how fast time has flown by since we graduated from the Institute. I know everyone always warned us, but I guess I just never really believed it. I have a number of announcements from within the class, because we were unable to send the notes in time for the fall Review, so these notes will cover the last six months or so. First, I have asked Nick Mari if he would write a few words for us about his trip to Mount Everest this past spring. “VMI taught me many things. Some of which I retained, while others, not so much. However, one thing I have remembered each day since graduation was, ‘Do not do ordinary.’ That is why I went to Mount Everest Base camp at 17,600 feet, then

climbed Kala Patthar (18,600 feet) located directly west of Mount Everest. I needed a vacation from work, so I Googled ‘amazing vacation spot,’ and for some reason, I settled on a solo trip to Everest. I went alone but quickly met up with a professional expedition which agreed to take me along. Fourteen climbers from all around the world started the trek to Everest Basecamp, and only seven reached it. It was 15 days of pure misery; quite comparable to cadre week in the ratline. I have been hooked ever since. Next year, I return to climb Mera Peak in preparation for an Everest summit in 2019. Assuming all goes well, I will be summiting Everest with an Australian expedition in 2019.” Nick, thank you so much for your contribution to the class notes, and I wish you the best of luck on your upcoming climb. Another big announcement from our class comes from Caroline Clubb, formerly Caroline Pryor. The VMI couple has had their first daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Clubb, born May 18! She weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was very healthy. I have been informed that little Charlotte has already been instructed on proper pull up and pushup form. I also heard through the grapevine that she spoke her first word as young as two months! I believe it was, “Oorah!” But like I said, this is still unconfirmed. A few other guys reached out to me with some updates for the class: Johnny Partin has been very active in civics in

Class of 2014: Charlotte Elizabeth Clubb. VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes the tri-cities community in Virginia. He was recently named the chairman for Keep Hopewell Beautiful and the Fund Development Committee chairman for the regional environmental nonprofit organization, Friends of the Lower Appomattox River. Keep up the good work, Johnny! I am still looking forward to your presidential bid in 2050! All jokes aside ... after seeing our choices for the recent election, the U.S. government could actually use a little bit of VMI honor and ethics. Jonathan Reardon recently finished his Master of Science in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering degree at Virginia Tech and has begun his coursework to get his Doctor of Philosophy degree. Jonathan is working at Lockheed Martin in Baltimore, Maryland. Matthew Reardon also graduated recently, earning his Master of Science in Civil and Structural Engineering degree from the University of Virginia. Matthew is working at HDR Engineering in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia. Cabell Willis graduated this past May from Georgetown University with a degree in government. Juan Adams is a cage fighter now with a championship fight in December and the ability to declare pro in either February or March. Jonathan Rumbaugh passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. Joe Kohm will be graduating from Regent School of Law in December. Joseph Predabon started his master’s degree in history at Marquette University. Jacques Cerow is getting married in November to Erica Schmidt. Thomas Pierpoint: “I graduated.” Rah! Alex Falcetti was unfortunately medically discharged as first lieutenant from the Army after a broken back last year but has secured a spot in the Fairfax County Police Academy in February. Anthony Gagliardi deployed to Iraq and started classes for his Master of Business Administration degree. Josh Harrison started teaching middle school Spanish. As usual, I am sure that there are so many more announcements, graduations and achievements that I have failed to capture in these notes. I love

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catching up with all of you, so even if it’s not for the class notes, give me a call or shoot me an email and let me know how you are doing. Also, if you haven’t already joined the 2014 Facebook group, please do! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and isn’t too depressed about the Dark Ages. These notes will come after the VMI versus The Citadel game, but I hope to see many of you there! Thank you all for your contributions. Very respectfully, Samuel Guidry, Nicole Harding and Taylor Floyd

2015

Johnny McDonald

Class of 2014: Nick Mari’s trip to the Mount Everest base camp.

Brother Rats, I hope these notes find everyone well. In recent class news, we had a one-year reunion and had a great turn out from our class. For those that didn’t make it, you really missed a good event. We had a good breakfast and lunch in Moody Hall, watched a mediocre parade (the Corps has gone to hell since we left), had some Old Yells in barracks, enjoyed a tailgate at Moody Hall with a great band playing for our class and attended the football game versus Furman University. There may have been some unofficial recreation at area establishments, but

Class of 2015: Craig Peacock ’84, Matt Kenkel ’18, Col. James Kenkel ’84, John Bowles ’16, Don Craighead ’84, Frank Hargove, Henry Meredith, Drew Craighead, Hunter Linton, Chandler Craighead, Andrew Rozyskie ’16, Brian Boyle, Andrew Behan, Troy Goult and Pearson Verhoven all enjoyed celebrating the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Drew Craighead at The Water’s Edge Country Club in Penhook, Virginia. 147

Class Notes

Class of 2015: Class Agent Johnny McDonald said of this photo, “Nicole Blixt, Erica Putney, Sarah Putney and Kirsten Hancock, who all played women’s soccer, enjoyed catching up with the rest of the class at the one-year reunion. Nicole recently got her master’s in physiology from Georgetown University, Erica works with the VMI Alumni Association as the program outreach coordinator, Sarah works for the Department of Justice and Kirsten recently started working at the Court of Appeals.” I cannot confirm nor deny that. I know a lot of people were unable to attend due to work commitments, but I hope that in future years we are able to include more of the class. We had 67 people registered and a few last-minute attendees. This was the second year the VMI Alumni Association put on a one-year reunion, and we (obviously) blew 2014 out of the water with our participation. Everyone in attendance had a great time catching up with one another and enjoyed the perks of being an alumnus. Will Connerley led the Old Yells and crawled up the side of the sentinel box like a little monkey. He really showed up the other classes in attendance. Women’s soccer also made a big showing at the reunion and taught the rest of us how to enjoy fine wines when we ran out of beer. We are all so much more cultured now. Thank you to everyone who came out! I had fun seeing members of the class at the reunion, and I look forward to the next time we get the opportunity to get together. A special thanks to the VMI Alumni Association for hosting the event, Doug Warner ’03 for all he did guiding me through the reunion (and finding us more beer!), and Erica Putney for all her help setting up and coordinating activities. As far as military accomplishments, Nick Dwyer graduated Ranger School in September, and Nina Srikongyos graduated pre-Ranger in June. Congrats to both of them! I know there are a lot more people doing grand things in the military.

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Class of 2015: Isaac Copes, Clay White, Nick Dreybus, Nick Maul, Johnny McDonald, Anthony Harvey, Blake McCauley, Frank Hargrove, Hayden Whetstone, Sarah Putney, Erica Putney, Henry Meredith, Kirsten Hancock, Matthew O’Brien, Sam Hunter, Will Jordan, Nicole Blixt, Quinn Ellis, Michael Kaim, Chris Gray and Connor McMahon enjoyed a cool beverage at Moody Hall in celebration of their one-year reunion.

Shoot me a quick Facebook message anytime something exciting happens so we can update the class. It’s not bragging if I do it for you... Also, we had some brother rats get married recently. Drew Craighead married Chandler Nicole Verhoven. There were a handful of our classmates in attendance and spoke highly of the event. Jon Winters married Jill Angela Kiefer. Spencer Buettner married Jessica Woodall. If anyone else was recently married or had children (I’m keeping my eye on you, Mike Prifti), please send me the information so we can congratulate you. I would encourage everyone to take pictures of any events you may attend with our BRs and send them my way. Our class already does much better at keeping up and socializing than most young classes; let’s do our part to let the VMI family know how much fun we are having out there. Please feel free to reach out to me any time you want to catch up or need help communicating with our class. I know not everyone has a Facebook or follows the class page, but I really want to do what I can to make sure I am reaching everyone in the class. If emails or phone calls would be better (I’m open to other suggestions), please let me know. Additionally, updated contact information (address, email, phone numbers, etc.) are important and should be sent to me so I can update our class records. As always, keep doing big things, 2015! Whole damn team, Johnny

2016

Jacob Norris Patrick Hine

Just a few notes this time around. First off, we want to formally welcome Savannah Rae Thompson, born May 6, 2016, and congratulate Evan and Kassandra for their beautiful baby girl. Also wanted to give a shot out to BR Rob Dewolf, who hiked Mount Kilimanjaro with his father in September and took an awesome picture at the top. The first few members of our class have started Ranger School, and I’m sure they would love to hear from anyone who is willing to send letters. Good luck, and keep pushing to all those in training and heading to their first duty stations. For those on the civilian side, we hope you are getting settled in to your work life and finding life much more enjoyable than our time at the “I.” Take care.

VMI Alumni Review

Class Notes

Baby Keydets

Marriages

KUEHNE – a son, Bowen Edward, to Stephanie and Jeff Kuehne ’01, Aug. 20, 2016.

WEAVER – Althea Dixon to Gregory Weaver ’79, Oct. 15, 2016.

Degrees

COMPARIN – a daughter, Harper, to Erica Ardolino Comparin ’04 and Fred Comparin, Sept. 19, 2016.

Michael D. Arendt ’96 Biology Sciences University of South Carolina May 2016

Class of 2016: Rob de Wolff atop Mount Kilimanjaro.

Ph.D.

Class of 2016: Savannah Rae Thompson, born May 6, 2016.

VMI’s 25 Most Senior Alumni According to the records of the VMI Alumni Association, the people listed below constitute the 25 senior alumni of the Institute. Please contact the Alumni Review staff if any errors are noted. William E. Cantrell ’926

Oct. 17, 1905

B. Anthony Fisher ’40

Sept. 14, 1918

Ernest C. Johnson ’929

May 19, 1908

William W. Middleton Jr. ’39

Sept. 20, 1918

Thomas M. Zeledon ’930

Dec. 21, 1908

Richard H. McCormick ’934

Dec. 4, 1912

Robert L. Spear ’41

Oct. 21, 1918

James C. Sherman ’35

March 31, 1914

Richard H. Peake Jr. ’41

Oct. 31, 1918

Henry B. Johnson ’38

Aug. 9, 1915

Yandell Boatner Jr. ’40

Jan. 28, 1919

Floyd S. Smith ’41

Sept. 7, 1916

Robert C. Maling ’41

Aug. 16, 1919

Raymond W. Parks ’37

Oct. 6, 1916

Lloyd W. Winkler Jr. ’43

Sept. 7, 1919

James M. Witt ’39

Dec. 23, 1916

B.H. Hardaway III ’40

Sept. 28, 1919

Ira N. Saxe ’39

Feb. 9, 1918

Sol W. Rawls Jr. ’40

Oct. 25, 1919

James L. Lennox ’40

March 23, 1918

Robert P. Smith ’40

Nov. 1, 1919

David R. Gaitskill ’40

April 9, 1918

Gordon L. Early ’41

Nov. 3, 1919

Donald E. Hillman ’40

Aug. 24, 1918

Frederick D. Kilmer '43

Nov. 19, 1919

2017-Issue 1

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VMI Alumni Association

•

Keydet Club

•

VMI Foundation

Dear VMI Family,

In the wake of the Institute’s 175th anniversary and the continuing, extraordinarily successful fundraising campaign efforts, the three VMI Alumni Agencies (the VMI Alumni Association, the VMI Keydet Club and the VMI Foundation) are focusing on the future with great enthusiasm.

As each agency continues to pursue their individual missions, the leadership of the agencies recognizes the advantages that will occur by better coordinating these missions to more effectively support the Institute. At a time when the Institute must rely more and more heavily on private support, the effective and efficient execution of the missions of the combined VMI Alumni Agencies is critical.

After much study and consultation among the boards of each agency, a restructuring of the professional leadership of the VMI Alumni Agencies is underway, with the hope of locating a senior institutional advancement executive who will lead the combined VMI Alumni Agencies beginning in 2017. This executive would report to a new board comprised of the senior officers of all three agencies.

Together, the Alumni Association, the Keydet Club and the Foundation will move forward with the process of putting this into action. We are committed to ensuring the Institute’s brilliant future, and we will keep the VMI family informed of our progress through communications such as this, or other publications.

Thank you for your gifts of time, talent and treasure! The Institute is so fortunate to have the support of its extraordinary alumni, alumnae, family and friends.

In the spirit,

Bob Louthan ’82 President VMI Alumni Association

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Buzz Birzenieks ’64 President VMI Keydet Club

Hugh Fain ’80 President VMI Foundation

VMI Alumni Review

Provisional Appointments APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

Virginia G. Rawles (cont.)

2022 Austin K. Murray

Richard R. Riker III

APPOINTEE’S NAME

Larry G. Murray ’91

Father

Charles R. Schindler Jr. ’91

Uncle

Sarah J. McGinnis ’16

Cousin

Lewis E. Riker ’92

Uncle

ALUMNUS-CLASS Robert H. Gregory ’932

RELATIONSHIP Greatgrandfather

Robert H. Gregory II ’04

Uncle

Daniel P. Harrison ’05

Father

2037 Austin F. Harrison

2025 2038 Nicholas W. Ramsey

Alexander W. Ramsey ’67

Grandfather

Philip R. Ramsey ’70

Great-uncle

Declan C. Boilard

Robert L. Senn ’13

Uncle

Alexander W. Ramsey ’67

Grandfather

Gianna Gionti

Joseph J. Gionti ’91

Father

Philip R. Ramsey ’70

Great-uncle

James G. Goodwillie VI

James G. Goodwillie V ’12

Father

James G. Goodwillie IV ’83

Grandfather

James G. Goodwillie III ’60

Great-

James W. Hardey ’12

Father

Troy V. Heskett ’86

Grandfather

Maurice S. McNamara ’73

Grandfather

Maurice P. McNamara ’928

Great-

William F. McNamara ’925

Great-uncle

2027 Margaret G. Ramsey 2029 Monroe S. Rutherford

William H. Willis III ’71

grandfather

Grandfather Aiden S. Hardey

2030 Elizabeth J.M. Willis

William H. Willis III ’71

Grandfather

Finn M. Hartwell

grandfather

2031 Patrick Barber

Frederick L. Barber ’94

Father

Elsie J. Hickman

Odis E. Hickman III ’02

Father

Matthew W. Brickhouse

Maury B. Brickhouse ’02

Father

Connor D. Jackson

Nathaniel Beaman III ’46

Great-

Davis R. Rutherford

William H. Willis III ’71

Grandfather Nathaniel Beaman IV ’74

Grandfather

Henley T. Rosen

Victor A. Rosen II ’07

Father

Marcus P. Sanchez

Juan C. Sanchez ’03

Father

Conor D. Schuchart

John H. Dixon ’81

Grandfather

Luca M.G. Smither

Michael T. Smither ’63

Grandfather

Niko T. Stafilatos

James C. Sutherland ’53

Great-

2033 Norah M. O’Boyle

Timothy M. O’Boyle ’94

Father

2034

grandfather

grandfather Charlie Barber

Frederick L. Barber ’94

Father

John H. Sutherland ’926

Cousin

Hudson T. Rosen

Victor A. Rosen II ’07

Father

William A. Sutherland ’39

Great-uncle

Henry C. Sutherland ’42

Great-uncle

Gabriel S. Sutherland ’18

Uncle

Robert A. Wilkinson Jr. ’65

Grandfather

Spencer W. Wilkinson ’66

Great-uncle

2036 Lucy M. Wilkinson Virginia G. Rawles

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Robert B. Gregory ’69

Grandfather

Robert A. Boyd ’863

Great-

Garry N. Spencer ’78

Cousin

great-great-

Jackson Willis

Jacob F. Willis ’07

Father

grandfather

Grace A. Van Deventer

Joseph H. Van Deventer ’62

Grandfather

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Taps Frank V. Langfitt Jr. ’38

Todd Seaton, Clarence Archer Seaton and John Edgar Seaton; sister, Margaret Virginia Seaton; and daughter-in-law, Sally Haight Seaton.

Williams matriculated from Richmond and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil Frank Valentine Langfitt Jr. ’38 of Portland, engineering from VMI. Oregon, died Sept. 14, 2016. He was 100. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ballou WilLangfitt matriculated from Clarksburg, liams; children, John Dickinson West Virginia, and attended VMI for less Williams Jr. (Maureen Sisti), DaRobert L. Reveley ’43 than one year. He earned his Bachelor of vid Laird Williams (Lynn), Teresa Robert Leslie “Bob” Reveley ’43 of Arts degree from West Virginia University. Williams Darden (Ben Tompkins) Estes Park, Colorado, died Sept. 17, He is survived by his children, Shirley and Mildred Williams Marsico 2015. He was 93. Barnes, Sharon Beaupre (John), Frank V. (Leonard); step-children, Edward Reveley matriculated from RichLangfitt III (Mary Janet Steen), Sheila LoR. Stettinius (Sarah), Joseph mond, Virginia, and earned his rance, Susan Langfitt (Katie Bland), Sandy Stettinius Jr. (Reg), Mary Stuart Bachelor of Science degree in civil Reese (Jim) and Chuck Langfitt (Teresa); 10 Stettinius Benevento (Frank) and engineering from VMI. grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and R. Roland Reynolds (Diana); (Editor’s Note: We have no further one great-great-grandchild. Williams ’45 grandchildren, Megan Marsico He was preceded in death by his first wife, information on Mr. Reveley.) Kmiotek (Douglas), Janie WilAmy, and second wife, Vi. liams (Adam Crist), Tad Darden, John James D. Hammond Jr. ’44 Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. James Williams Marsico, Mimi Darden Gottwald Robert B. Brewer ’41 Dulany Hammond Jr. ’44 of Woodstock, (Clarke), George Marsico, John Dickinson Robert Burton Brewer ’41 of Fort Mitchell, Williams III and Rob Marsico; and stepGeorgia, died Aug. 8, 2016. He was 92. Kentucky, died Aug. 2, 2016. He was 97. grandchildren, Teddy, Lucy, Isabel and Alex Hammond matriculated from Alexandria, Brewer matriculated from Lebanon, KenStettinius, Anthony and Chess Benevento, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. tucky, and attended VMI for less than one and India and Samuel Reynolds. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Mcyear. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Millan Hammond; sons, James “Jim” D. He is survived by his daughters, Barbara Mary Dunbaugh Williams, and brothers, Hammond II (Joy) and John N. “Jack” Brewer Powers and Betty Brewer (Philip); Alexander Hutcheson Williams and Thomas Hammond (Susan); daughter, Kathryn Lloyd grandchildren, Kim Powers Hoyt (Rich), Evan Williams. Hammond; step-son, John Michael Bo Powers (Mary Yoly), Mark Woodward Mason (Wendy); step-daughters, (Faith), Molly Parks (Mitch) and Amy Smith Susan Mason and Karan Mason Zachariah C. Dameron (Aaron); and great-grandchildren, Lucas (Kim); 11 grandchildren; nine greatJr. ’46 Hoyt, Mallory Hoyt, Shannon Woodward, grandchildren; and sister, Harriett Zachariah Courtney “Zach” Amelia Woodward, George Woodward and Hammond. Dameron Jr. ’46 of Richmond, John Mark Woodward. Virginia, died Sept. 15, 2016. He He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth was 91. Lindsay J. Kirkham Jr. ’44 Stocker Brewer; sister, Cecil Fish; and brothDameron matriculated from Lindsay Jack Kirkham Jr. ’44, M.D., ers, Jack Brewer, Mac Brewer, Bill Brewer, Baynesville, Virginia, and earned of Bellevue, Washington, died Aug. Sam Brewer and Tom Brewer. his Bachelor of Science degree in 19, 2016. He was 92. from VMI. Kirkham matriculated from Stuart M. Seaton ’41 Dameron ’46 chemistry He is survived by his children, Independence, Missouri, and Retired U.S. Army Col. Stuart Katherine Braxton Dameron Mcattended VMI for one year. Manly Seaton ’41 of Richmond, Cormick (Geoffrey Howard Jones), ZachaHe earned his Master of Public Virginia, died Sept. 26, 2016. He riah Courtney Dameron III (Rebecca Doull Health degree from the Univerwas 96. Dameron) and Tayloe Murphy Dameron sity of Hawaii and his Doctor of Seaton matriculated from Staunton, Medicine degree from Washington (Susan Donahey Dameron); grandchildren, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Emily O’Neill Dameron, Tayloe Murphy University. Science degree in chemistry from Braxton Dameron, Corbin MacQuarrie He is survived by his wife, Mary VMI. At the time of his death, he Dameron and Elizabeth Braxton Dameron; Ann; children, Clifford, William, was serving as class agent for the and brother-in-law, William Tayloe Murphy Richard, Maura Taggart, Jeffrey, Class of 1941. Jr. (Helen Turner Murphy). Christine “Tina” and Douglas; sonSeaton ’41 He is survived by his children, He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann in-law, Timothy Taggart; daughterCarol Seaton Norfleet (Stephen), Lemoine Murphy Dameron. in-law, Eileen Garry Kirkham; five Rugene Seaton Paulette, Stuart Manly grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Seaton Jr. and Stephanie Seaton Estabrooks (Bates); 10 grandchildren; and nine greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Whipple Seaton; brothers, Emmett

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John D. Williams ’45 John Dickinson Williams ’45 of Richmond, Virginia, died Oct. 11, 2016. He was 92.

James P. Brice ’47

The Hon. James Pearce “Jim” Brice ’47 of Roanoke, Virginia, died Sept. 15, 2016. He was 90.

VMI Alumni Review

Taps Brice matriculated from Roanoke and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia and his Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee University. He is survived by his sons, James, Stephen (Victoria) and Michael; and grandchildren, Taryn, Trey and Mellissa.

Brittain W. Marshall ’49C Brittain Willard Marshall ’49C of Stone Mountain, Georgia, died Oct. 26, 2016. He was 90. Marshall matriculated from Greensboro, North Carolina, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology an additional Master of Science degree from Rollins College. He is survived by his wife, Anita; children, Jeb, Lynn and Carol; sons- and daughters-inlaw, Beverly, Dave and Vic; grandchildren, Tyffany (Mark), Justin, Tyler (Sara), Emma, Coleman (Caroline), Jordan and Maddie; and great-granddaughter, Kiersten.

Joseph F. Fil ’49C Joseph Frederick Fil ’49C of Portola Valley, California, died Sept. 9, 2016. He was 88. Fil matriculated from Long Island City, New York, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Stanford University. He is survived by his wife, Sue; sons, Joseph, Paul, Jonathan and Thomas; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

William B. Taylor ’49C William Bruce Taylor ’49C of Severna Park, Maryland, died Oct. 8, 2016. He was 90. Taylor matriculated from Big Island, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his second wife, Anna May Cahill; children, Chip Taylor (Anita), Mary Paige Taylor, Susan Cahill Taylor (Richard) and John J. Cahill II (Cathy); grandchildren, Rachel Hinton, Josh Anderson, Matthew Taylor, Meghan Taylor, Jenny Partington (Josh), Richie Taylor, John J. Cahill IV and Ryon Cahill; and great-grandchildren, Wyatt James and Lily Partington.

2017-Issue 1

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Janet Taylor, and sister, Marion Jeanne Block.

grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Hyer Leddy.

John W. Carrington ’50B

George M. Maxwell ’51

John Watkins Carrington ’50B of Lynchburg, Virginia, died July 30, 2016. He was 87. Carrington matriculated from Chatham, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned an additional Bachelor of Science degree from Lynchburg College. He is survived by his daughter, Nancy “CeeCee” Carrington Petruncio (Mike); sister, Jean Little; and sister-in-law, Faye Marshall Carrington. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Lee Maddox Carrington.

Reverend George Motier Maxwell ’51 of Savannah, Georgia, died Aug. 28, 2016. He was 85. Maxwell matriculated from Augusta, Georgia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Arts degree and his Doctor of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; children, George Jr., John (Nella) and Anne (Bill Hussey); eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

John T. Graber ’50B

Alton L. Peck ’51

John Turner Graber ’50B of Woodford, Virginia, died Dec. 30, 2015. He was 87. Graber matriculated from Burkeville, Virginia, and attended VMI for less than one year. He earned his Associate of Science degree from Rappahannock Community College. He is survived by his wife, Diane S. Graber; daughters, Melissa G. Dixon (Ralph), Valerie L. Graber (Paul Skidmore) and Margaret McKeever (Timothy); grandchildren, Jonathan Payne, Mary Elizabeth Duran, Kathleen Woods, Kevin McKeever and Matthew McKeever; and greatgrandson, Timothy J. McKeever.

Alton Lain Peck ’51 of Meriden, Connecticut, died Sept. 29, 2016. He was 87. Peck matriculated from Meriden and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his sons, Michael Peck (Deborah), Jeffrey Peck (Cheryl) and Christopher Peck (Lori); grandchildren, Christopher, Jeffrey Jr., Karianne, Samantha and Chelsea; and great-grandchild, Mitchell. He was preceded in death by his sister, Helen Peck.

George F. Smith ’50B

Leslie Hartwell “Bud” Spellings III ’51 of Marshall, Texas, died Aug. 17, 2016. He was 86. Spellings matriculated from Marshall and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Master of Science degree from Texas Tech University. He is survived by his sons, Les Spellings (Lydia), David Spellings (Mary), Joel Spellings (Angela) and Andrew Spellings (Diane); grandchildren, Maria, Tim, Titus, Zachary, Brent, Matthew, Brandon and Christopher; and great-grandchild, Landon Colt Spellings. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nanette Spellings, and brother, J.M. Spellings.

George Faison Smith ’50B of Ridgeland, Mississippi, died Oct. 19, 2016. He was 89. Smith matriculated from Greenwood, Mississippi, and attended VMI for one year. He is survived by his wife, Grace Moore Smith; sons, George Brannon Smith and Jonathan Baird Smith; and brother, Richard C. Smith. He was preceded in death by his brother, Catchings B. Smith.

John T. Leddy Jr. ’51 John Thomas Leddy Jr. ’51 of Clarksville, Tennessee, died Oct. 8, 2016. He was 87. Leddy matriculated from McComb, Mississippi, and attended VMI for one year. He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern College. He is survived by his daughters, Angela Leddy and Paula Leddy Boudreau; sons, John T. Leddy III and Alan Andrew; six

Leslie H. Spellings III ’51

Thomas V. Wornham ’51 Thomas Van Allen Wornham ’51 of La Jolla, California, died Aug. 23, 2016. He was 86. Wornham matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science

153

Taps degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Rosalie “Pinkie” Barringer Wornham; children, Dr. Wendy L. Wornham (Shaw), Cynthia J. Wornham (Annie) and Thomas V. Wornham (Lisa); and grandchildren, Thomas R. Wornham, John C. Wornham, Amara Warren, Celestine Warren, Chloe Warren and Caleb Warren.

Yancey L. Clark ’52 Yancey Ligon Clark ’52 of Danville, Kentucky, died Aug. 27, 2016. He was 86. Clark matriculated from St. Albans, West Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Carol S. Clark; daughters, Carol Albert and Lynn C. Guilfoyle; six grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister, Sallye C. Ferguson.

David V. Harvey ’52 David Vaughan Harvey ’52 of Bumpass, Virginia, died Aug. 25, 2015. He was 84. Harvey matriculated from Bumpass and attended VMI for two-and-a-half years. (Editor’s Note: We have no further information on Mr. Harvey.)

George A. Robison ’52 George Alfred Robison ’52 of Sparks, Nevada, died Aug. 6, 2016. He was 85. Robison matriculated from Piedmont, California, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his sons, Jim Robison and Bill Robison.

Martin C. Fisher ’55

Bernard W. Freund Jr. ’55 Bernard William “Bill” Freund Jr. ’55, M.D., of Laguna Woods, California, died April 14, 2016. He was 82. Freund matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Virginia. (Editor’s Note: We have no further information on Mr. Freund.)

Donald W. Hoatson ’55 Donald Wallace “Don” Hoatson ’55 of Upperco, Maryland, died Sept. 30, 2016. He was 83. Hoatson matriculated from Baltimore, Maryland, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Betty Ann; sons, David Hoatson and Richard Hoatson; and two grandsons.

Samuel W. Marshall III ’55 Samuel Wilson “Sam” Marshall

Marshall ’55 III ’55, Ph.D., of White Stone, Vir-

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Martin C. Fisher ’55, P.E., of Yorktown, Virginia, died Aug. 17, 2016. He was 83. Fisher matriculated from Yorktown and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Science degree from Arizona State University. He is survived by his companion, Anne Holup; children, Katherine Bethany (Charles), Karen Melendez (Deacon Jose); Kerry Fallon (Robert), Stephen Fisher (Zita), Robert Fisher (Penny), Daniel Fisher, and Sean Fisher (Kathy); grandchildren, Kristina Stoner

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(Nick), Deacon Miguel Melendez, Kyle Melendez (fiancée Taylor Armstrong), Steven Fallon (Lauren), Colleen Hardie (Matthew), Forest Fallon, Anna Fisher, Helen Fisher, Owen Fisher, Brandon Fisher (Alex), Jesse Fisher, Amber Bonner, Ashley Bonner and Jackson Fisher; great-grandchildren, Savannah, Benjamin and Emma; sister, Mary Anne (Eric Foell); and brother-in-law, O.J. Horn. He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Lee Fisher; sister, Sharon Horn; and brother, Gerald Fisher.

ginia, died Aug. 7, 2016. He was 81. Marshall matriculated from Dallas, Texas, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Tulane University. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Bruns Marshall; daughters, Dr. Anne L. Marshall (Bruce Mobarry) and Frances M. Marshall (David Prawdzik); son, James Marshall; grandchildren, Timothy Marshall (Kandice), Amy Marshall Crawford (Nate), Nathan Butler Marshall and Kevin McClellan Marshall ’16; and brother, the Hon. John McClellan Marshall ’65. He was preceded in death by his father,

Samuel W. Marshall Jr. ’925, who died Dec. 14, 1988, and grandfather, Samuel W. Marshall ’891, who died Oct. 29, 1950.

Douglas W. McCarty ’56 Retired U.S. Army Col. Douglas Whiteside “Doug” McCarty ’56 of Jacksonville, Florida, died Oct. 9, 2016. He was 82. McCarty matriculated from East Meadow Long Island, New York, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He is survived by his daughters, Stephanie White (Keith), Michele Turecek (Thomas) and Suzanne Bascher (Howard); son, Matthew McCarty; grandchildren, Megann Frazier (Troy), Caitlin Turecek and Ethan Elrod; and great-grandson, Dax Frazier.

Francis W. Sheild ’57 Francis Warren Sheild ’57, D.D.S., of Hampton, Virginia, died Aug. 31, 2016. He was 81. Sheild matriculated from Hampton and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Medical College of Virginia. He is survived by his children, George Cabell, Susan Rose Sheild, Katherine Sheild Burke and Thomas Ignatius Burke; grandchildren, Melinda Katherine Sheild, Elizabeth Houseton Sheild, George Cabell Sheild Jr., Thomas Warren Burke and Ann Dixon Burke; and sister, Ann Sheild Bishop.

Nicholas E. Persin ’58 Nicholas Edward “Nick” Persin ’58 of Tazewell, Virginia, died Aug. 24, 2016. He was 82. Persin matriculated from Oakmont, Pennsylvania, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Brenda McDonel Persin; step-son, John Quintier; brothers, Ron Persin, Leonard Persin (Lori) and Dennis Persin (Diane); and sister, JoAnn Dusing. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Peggy Smith; brother, Edward; and sisters, Helen King and Mary Ann Goforth.

Sterling M. Lewis Jr. ’60 Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Sterling Monroe Lewis Jr. ’60 of Laurel, Maryland, died Oct.

VMI Alumni Review

Taps 14, 2016. He was 78. Lewis matriculated from Monaca, Pennsylvania, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Lewis; children, Margaret Lewis Hufschmid, Sterling M. Lewis III, Peggy Russell (fiancé Bruce Honeycutt), Sandra Ann Lewis and Melody Elanie Richardson (Aaron); grandchildren, Courtney and Jake Russell, Michelle and Michael Hufschmid, Michelle Lewis, Daniel Lewis, Sterling Lewis IV and Jermey Lewis; and sister, Beverly Louise Jenkins (Doak).

James L. Miller ’61 James Lyle Miller ’61 of Crestwood, Kentucky, died Oct. 10, 2016. He was 77. Miller matriculated from Princeton, West Virginia, and attended VMI for less than one year. He is survived by his daughters, Debra Hendricks (Steve) and Diane Miller; grandchildren, Katelyn Tippett (Sean), Alyssa Hendricks, Adam Hendricks, Megan Stewart, Grace Stewart and Jackson Stewart; and sister, Betty Foster. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra Kellerman Miller; brothers, B.J. Miller, Randy Miller and Harold Miller; and sister, Violet Miller.

Malcolm B. Smith ’61 Malcolm Barry Estes “Barry” Smith ’61 of Florence, Massachusetts, died Aug. 15, 2016. He was 76. Smith matriculated from Grosse Ile, Michigan, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Cornell University. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Sweetser; sons, Malcolm Smith (Osa Karen Manell) and Eric Smith (Alison Antelman); sister, Doris Dedner; and brother, Alexander Smith.

brother, Dr. Thornton Hurt Elmore (Alice).

William T. DeLeo ’63 William Thomas “Buff ” DeLeo ’63, Ed.D., of Greenville, North Carolina, died Aug. 23, 2016. He was 74. DeLeo matriculated from Stamford, Connecticut, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his doctorate degree in technical education from North Carolina State University. He is survived by his wife, Colette Robichaux DeLeo; daughters, Erin Hogston (Chad), Marissa Whitehurts (Chris) and Elise Coburn (Mark); son, William T. DeLeo II; grandchildren, Breanna, Anna, Vincent, Audrey, Levi, Wyatt, River, Colton and Avery; and brother, Jim DeLeo.

William W. Scott ’63 William Willard “Scotty” Scott ’63 of Glen Allen, Virginia, died Oct. 15, 2016. He was 75. Scott matriculated from Lexington, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Dottie; daughters, Stacy Rhodes (Jim) and Ginger Collison (Troy); son, William J. “Billy” Scott ’97; grandchildren, Parker, Reagan, Devon, Caleb, Elise, Sydney, Sophia, Will and Priscilla; sister, Elaine Reid (Bob) and caregiver, Ginger Haberstroh.

Roderick G. Barbee ’66

Fellows (Tammy); grandchildren, Kathryn Emerson Franks, Charlie Fellows, Teddy Fellows, Owen Fellows, Tyler Fellows, Jacob Fellows, Logan Fellows and Brody Fellows. He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol Fellows Harvey; sisters, Kathryn (Bebe) Harvey Higgins and Jackie Harvey Floyd; and brother-in-law, Fred Higgins.

Robert E. Wick Jr. ’66 Robert Edward “Bob” Wick Jr. ’66 of Bristol, Tennessee, died Aug. 13, 2016. He was 71. Wick matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the College of William & Mary. He is survived by his wife, Jean Buchanan Wick; children, Melinda Susan Wick Aufmuth (Chris), Robert Edward Wick III (Stephanie) and William Ray Wick (Wanda); step-children, William David Blackwell (Lindsey) and Tracy Blackwell; grandchildren, Ashlan Frye, Chantel Widener, Caroline Wick, Tristan Wick, Gabriela Wick, Jackson Wick, Margaret Aufmuth, Tyler Wick, Christopher Aufmuth, Emma Blackwell, Porter Blackwell and Walker Blackwell; and siblings, Dr. Peter Lawrence Wick (Diane) and Janice Wick Cline (Ron).

Gerald A. Hoyt ’67 Gerald Allen Hoyt ’67 of Culpeper, Virginia, died May 5, 2014. He was 68. Hoyt matriculated from Culpeper and attended VMI for one year. He is survived by his wife, Betty McAllister Hoyt; children, Lisa H. Dodson (Rev. Steven Dodson), Stephen Yoder (Hilary) and Mark A. Hoyt; grandchildren, Rev. Bethany Carlson (Jared) and Rev. Steve Dodson III (Nicole); and brothers, Ronald P. Hoyt (Shirley) and David P. Hoyt (Kim). He was preceded in death by his daughter, Lisa Beth Hoyt.

Spencer H. Elmore ’62

Roderick Glover “Rod” Barbee ’66 of Newport News, Virginia, died Aug. 11, 2016. He was 72. Barbee matriculated from Newport News and attended VMI for one year. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jean Barbee; sons, Roderick M. Barbee (Melissa) and Daniel V. Barbee; step-daughter, Leslie Spare (Matt King); grandchildren, Jessica Barbee, Kelsey Barbee, Noah Barbee and Addison King; and sister, Dannie Schuff (Rodney).

Spencer Hardy Elmore ’62 of Richmond, Virginia, died Sept. 12, 2016. He was 76. Elmore matriculated from McKenney, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Science degree from the University of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Hutcherson Elmore; son, John Spencer Elmore (Catherine); daughter, Susan Harrison Elmore Pfautz (Michael); grandchildren, Benjamin Charles Pfautz and Adam Spencer Pfautz; and

Thomas R. Harvey ’66

Ralph D. Wright ’69

Thomas Royster Harvey ’66 of Charlottesville, Virginia, died Sept. 26, 2016. He was 72. Harvey matriculated from Gainesville, Florida, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Science degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He is survived by his daughter, Laura Franks (Jim); son, Wynee Harvey (Stacia); step-sons, Cory Fellows (Katie) and Eric

Ralph David Wright ’69 of Lexington, Virginia, died Oct. 20, 2016. He was 69. Wright matriculated from Michigan City, Indiana, and attended VMI for two years. He earned his Associate of Science degree from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. He is survived by his wife, Mary Alice Chittum Wright; children, Michael W. Wright and Margaret M. Wright; five grandchildren; and brothers, Bruce E. Wright, Douglas R. Wright,

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Taps Jerel W. Wright and Martin L. Wright.

Miles S. Johnson Jr. ’72 Miles Stuart Johnson Jr. ’72 of Blackstone, Virginia, died Feb. 3, 2016. He was 65. Johnson matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. (Editor’s Note: We have no further information on Mr. Johnson.)

Michael E. King ’72 Michael Eugene King ’72 of Portsmouth, Virginia, died Sept. 1, 2016. He was 66. King matriculated from Portsmouth and attended VMI for less than two years. He is survived by his wife, Nell “Tag” Fearing King; sons, Michael Eugene King Jr. (Eli Mattern) and Kristian Newkirk King (Claire); and sister, Sandy Canada (Jesse).

John C. Bandy ’79 John Caldwell Bandy ’79 of Arlington, Texas, died Sept. 5, 2016. He was 59. Bandy matriculated from Greensboro, North Carolina, and attended VMI for less than one year. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Bandy;

daughters, Christin and Jordan Bandy; brother, Bill Bndy; sisters, Isabel Strong and Emma Mizell; father- and mother-in-law, Ted and Ruth Gutch; and brothers- and sisters-in-law, Art and Lisa Gutch, Doug and Sherry Gutch, and Brad and Marianne Gutch.

Marcus B. Paine ’81 Marcus Bruce “Marc” Paine ’81 of Anchorage, Alaska, died Aug. 27, 2016. He was 61. Paine matriculated from Anchorage and graduated with distinction from VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Washington. He is survived by his partner, Andy Knorr; children, Lucas, Rachel and Thomas; parents, Luther and Marylin Paine; sister, Susie (Cory Loyd); brothers, Brent (Jenni) and Lindsay (Laura); sister-in-law, Laurence Paine; and former wife, Gail. He was preceded in death by his brother, John Arndt Paine.

James W. Kiker ’88 James Walter Kiker ’88 of Centreville, Virginia, died Oct. 15, 2016. He was 50.

Kiker matriculated from Fincastle, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Gloria; daughters, Isabella, Francesca and Gabriela; sister, Martha Wheeler; brother-in-law and wife, Oscar and Jeannie Reyes; father and stepmother, Bobby and Pat Kiker; and father and mother-in-law, Oscar and Gloria Reyes.

Michael H. Bunch ’91 Michael Hunter Bunch ’91 of Springfield, Virginia, died Sept. 1, 2016. He was 47. Bunch matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and graduated with distinction from VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies. (Editor’s Note: We have no further information on Mr. Bunch.)

Isiah E. Coker ’13 Isiah Edward Coker ’13 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died 2016. Coker earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from VMI. (Editor’s Note: We have no further information on Mr. Coker.)

VMI Family John B. Swink Jr. John Brooke Swink Jr. of Lexington, Virginia, died Sept. 9, 2016. He was 98. Swink retired from VMI after 42 years of service, 26 of which he worked with the Army ROTC Department. He served for 22 years as the varsity golf coach and initiated the VMI-Washington and Lee Collegiate Golf Tournament that is now known as the Buck Leslie College Golf Tournament. He is survived by his wife, Frances Mays Swink; daughters, Jeannie Connors (Michael) and Terry Eubank (Joey); grandsons, Sean Connors, Chris Eubank and Greg Eubank; granddaughter, Mandi Angerstein; great-granddaughter, Aubrey Anne Angerstein; and niece, Lila Rogers.

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VMI Alumni Review

After Taps 1950s Retired U.S. Army Col. William Jack Buchanan ’50B by retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. William C. Noell Jr. ’53 William Jack “Buck” Buchanan, first captain of the Corps of Cadets, commandant of cadets, dean of admissions, decorated veteran, Class of ’50B, Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Buck matriculated from Wheeling, West Virginia, after serving in World War II as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. On Sept. 12, 1949, I matriculated into the Institute and at that time, I did not know anyone in the Corps. What is interesting is that when I signed in at J.M. Hall, as number 243 of the Class of 1953, I was given a small 3”x3” piece of white paper (still have), which had hand-written on it: “Mr. Buchanan, Room 141.” I was then told to go see him, as I was to be his dyke. First off, I had no idea what being a dyke meant, and it was several days before I found out that “Mr. Buchanan” was the first captain. I think I was kind of intimidated, he being a World War II veteran (’43-’46), and he appeared to be very serious as well as stern. I know that it took many times/practices to learn how to wrap his sash to be proper for the first captain. Buck was a great dyke, and it turned out to be very enjoyable dyking in Bucks’ room. He had great roommates – Peyton Robertson, Chief Webb and John Sheffield. When the Class of ’50A graduated at mid-term, Bucks’ room moved over to room 123, right next to the guard room. This happened to be the room in which I roomed my 1st Class year, thanks to roommate Pete Cox ’53, B Company captain. It was a great experience to dyke Buck, and I was very pleased that I had the honor of dyking the first captain. An interesting remembrance as to the first semester when they were rooming in the northwest corner of barracks: During the winter months, they had bottles of cider hanging out of the windows on ropes, well below the windows, in a fermenting process. Us rats were not supposed to know and of course could not partake. At the end of Buck’s 1st Class year, he asked me if I wanted rank. Not sure why, but I said no. Thus, I guess if I had told him yes, I would have been a corporal in lieu of a 3rd Class private.

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When I arrived as a 3rd Class cadet, going to the basement storeroom to obtain all my stored stuff, I found a fairly large, strange cardboard box with my name on it. Buck had left me his 1st Class cape without telling me or even leaving a note, and he was off serving in the military at that time. Back in the 80s, after I first returned to Lexington, we had about a 2-foot snow, and I built an 8-foot snowman, with a shako and Buck’s 1st Class cape and took a picture and sent it to him. I still have that cape in my possession. When I was living in Portsmouth and coming back to the Institute for football games, during days when Buck was the commandant, one weekend, my three sons and I stayed with Buck and Mary in the quarters of the commandant. My youngest son, John Lee ’84, was wandering around post that evening and wound up at the swimming pool. He was tartly questioned by a tac officer as to what he was doing down there and after John Lee responded he was staying with Col. Buchanan, he was given the “run of the place,” as the saying goes. John Lee being quite impressed, came back and asked me just who was Col. Buchanan, as he was in middle school and did not understand what the position of commandant was – he certainly learned for sure in later years (’84). When it came time for John Lee to go to college, he had applied to VMI – said he really did not want to go to VMI, but he wanted to be from VMI. In those days, high school kids had that long hair and John Lee’s grades, being on the Churchland baseball team, were not the best. However, when we met with Buck, who was then dean of admissions, he had a private conversation with John Lee. Afterwards, Buck advised me he was giving John Lee a conditional appointment on the premise he brought his grades up to a specified level. So, John Lee was able to matriculate into the Class of ’84, and he then graduated with a 9.8 in his chemistry major ... after that, whenever I saw Buck on post, he usually asked about John Lee. He was very proud of him and said that was one of the gray areas he called right. John Lee went on to Virginia Tech, and received his master’s in chemical engineering. After retirement from VMI, Buck and Mary always came to home basketball games and most VMI functions, so I would get to visit with them out in the concourse while they smoked. They always sat at the basketball court end, in line with the team bench, about 10 rows up. Since Buck was no longer in uniform and

would not be questioned about decisions and happenings at VMI and could be in civvies, he attended many gatherings that he did not when he was working for the Institute. In April 2000, in honor of his 50th year after graduation, I wrote Buck a “thanks of appreciation,” including a personal dissertation as to how he had affected my life through the years, since that date of matriculation into the Institute. For one of my class reunions, Buck accepted my invitation to dine and speak to us. After graduation, Buck commanded the 2nd Brigade, 1st Calvary division in Vietnam and the 194th Armored Brigade at Fort Knox. Buck was awarded the Silver Star, Legion of Merit (4), Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star (3) for valor. Buck’s medals are posted in the VMI Hall of Valor in the ’50B section. He became commandant of cadets at the Institute in 1972 until his retirement from the U.S. Army in 1977, after which the task was taken over by our Brother Rat Col. John “Stup” Prillaman ’53. Buck then took on the task of the dean of admissions for the Institute from 1977 to 1987, retiring from his services to Institute but continuing to live in Lexington. He and Mary lived on the edge of the Lexington Country Club golf course, and he periodically brought in a bag of golf balls to the alumni offices for those interested, which he had collected from his front yard overlooking the course. Colonel William Jack Buchanan ’50B died at home in Lexington Friday, July 26, 2002. His funeral services were held in Stonewall Jackson Cemetery Monday the 29th, which was a very hot July day with 95+ degrees and with high humidity, which Judy and I attended. Buck had an Honor Guard of VMI cadets in coatees, white ducks and white gloves, and three volleys were fired from their rifles from a nearby hillside. As Taps was sounded by Col. John Brodie, I had to sadly tell my dyke, longtime friend, Institute icon and Lexington resident to be much missed, goodbye. Judy and I attended the very nice reception held afterwards at Moody Hall. At the time of his death (age 77), Buck and Mary had been married for 52 years – a great lady, now in Williamsburg. I first met Mary in the VMI mess hall at the Corps’ Christmas dinner in 1949 at Buck’s table with some of his brother rats. When I am on post these days and walk by the window of our Room 123, I still think of Buck and how he influenced my life over the years and what a privilege it was to have known this great VMI man.

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1960s William F. Cressall ’60 by J. Bolling Williamson ’60 Bill was one of those rare cadets who never allowed the burden of chevrons on his sleeve to interfere with a good time, yet was never inconvenienced by disciplinary consequences. Always game to crank up his car and get off post, he spent many Saturday afternoons at Sweet Briar College and the “Crow’s Nest.” Following graduation, he completed Airborne and Ranger training, followed by Army Flight School and was then posted to the first helicopter gunnery school. He was assigned to the newly-formed Utility Tactical Transport Company which took the first armed UH-1 “Huey” to Vietnam in 1962 to provide fire support for the advisors who were transporting Vietnamese soldiers into combat. Bill and

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the other pilots literally developed gunship tactics on the fly, welding weapons onto the helicopters in various positions to determine the best configuration. Bill, along with Herb Vaughan ’60, saw action at the battle of Ap Bac in January 1963 – a major battle early in the war where a large number of helicopters carrying South Vietnamese soldiers came under heavy fire, and the UH-1s were called in for fire support. His activities weren’t restricted to flying. After a Marine helicopter they were supporting went down on one mission, Bill volunteered to lead some troops through the bush to rescue the crew, but found there were no survivors. Not surprisingly to those who knew him, Bill flew with a certain flair and developed a reputation for his skills. From time to time, he would be assigned to check out a newlyrepaired helicopter, and those “check rides” would draw a crowd on the flight line who gathered to watch while he wrung out the machine to confirm that it was airworthy.

On his return to the United States, he was involved in the forming up of the 1st Air Cavalry and at least one other tour to Vietnam followed. Not being a strong believer in written correspondence, it’s difficult to reconstruct his Army career; most of it was spent in aviation, and he remained very involved in the development of gunships and tactics. He spent one tour as a senior aviation advisor to Iran in the early 1970s, noting that he “couldn’t wait to get out of the place,” and was reputed to have been in the vicinity of the failed hostage rescue mission. Following retirement in 1981, he worked for McDonnell-Douglas in various capacities and then for Boeing, most of the time in the Middle East. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, he was on the last plane out of Baghdad. He is credited with two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, two Meritorious Service Medals, 25 Air Medals and two Army Commendation Medals.

VMI Alumni Review

VMI Alumni Association Directory The VMI Alumni Association, Inc. President

First Vice President

Second Vice President

Immediate Past President

Historian

Robert P. Louthan ’82 rlouthan1@gmail.com

Asa H. Page III ’79 vmi79@verizon.net

Executive Vice President Adam C. Volant ’88 avolant@vmiaa.org

Directors at Large

The VMI Foundation, Inc. President

Hugh M. Fain III ’80

Samuel N. Stocks ’90 sstocks@kbsgc.com

Edgar J.T. Perrow Jr. ’96 tperrow@woodardcurran.com

J. Bolling Williamson ’60 bollingwmson@gmail.com

The VMI Keydet Club, Inc. President

U. “Buzz” Birzenieks ’64

Chief Executive Officer

Gregory M. Cavallaro ’84

Terms Expire June 30, 2017

Terms Expire June 30, 2018

Terms Expire June 30, 2019

Jessica J. Schmaus ’04 jessica.schmaus@gmail.com Samuel N. Stocks ’90 sstocks@kbsgc.com

Joel W. Andrus ’04 jandrus@kemperconsult.com A. Damon Williams ’90 damonwilliams@msn.com

Chapter Alaska Arizona Greater Los Angeles Hawaii Inland Empire Nevada Northern California Pacific Northwest Pikes Peak Rocky Mountain San Diego

Director: Matthew R. Hemenez ’90 Chapter President

Trent L. Boggs ’83 Kevin Black ’99 Terrence S. DeGray ’04 Russell Shun Takata ’74 Andre S. Gibson ’78 Kenneth S. Krynski ’89 Brian K. Andrew ’03 James R. Farmer ’68 Todd M. Baldwin ’06 William V. Trumpore ’89 Micah T. Wei ’99

President’s Email tboggs@gci.com kblack@executivecommand.com tdegray@gmail.com russell.takata@yahoo.com andrejg@aol.com krynskiks@pendleton.usmc.mil brian.k.andrew@gmail.com seattlefarmer@comcast.net todd.baldwin1@gmail.com vailkeydet@gmail.com mwei100@yahoo.com

Director: James F. Dittrich ’76

Region II – Midwest Arkansas Bluegrass Centex

James F. Dittrich ’76 Gregory McDearmon ’99 Stephen J. Barcik III ’85

jfdinarkansas@aol.com ggmcd34@earthlink.net steve.barcik@htds2.com

Chicago

Daniel C. Young ’88 Molly M. Hastings ’13 Brian D. Skusa ’00 David C. Hagemann ’80 Jeffrey D. Vordermark ’79 S. Curtis Johnston ’82 Hamel B. Reinmiller ’98

dan.young@wfadvisors.com hastingsmm@mail.vmi.edu BSkusa@kforce.com dhag80@aol.com vordermark@juno.com Chewy.Johnston@hdrinc.com HBRvmi98@vmialumni.org

Daniel J. Fitzgerald ’89 Stephen P. Weiss ’86 J. Micah North ’00 David P. Loduca ’81 Murray F. Hudson ’82

Daniel.Fitzgerald@hdrinc.com Steve.Weiss@LibertyIU.com j.micah.north@gmail.com loduca@pbworld.com murfh@urbaneng.com

Cleveland Detroit Kansas City, Missouri North Texas – Dallas Oklahoma Rio Grande San Antonio Southeast Texas – Houston Southwest Ohio St. Louis Third Coast (Corpus Christi)

Region III – Northeast New England New York City – Long Island North Jersey

Central Keystone Maryland Southeastern PA – Delaware Valley Western PA – Pittsburgh

Region V – Southeast

Director: Patrick J. Griffin ’80

John W. Wainwright III ’82 Christopher J. Brandriff ’06 Richard C. Wolffe ’78

Region IV – Mid Atlantic

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Brian S. Crockett

Hilbert S. Wilkinson ’94 bretwilkinson@gmail.com E. Sean Lanier ’94 av8sean06@hotmail.com

Region I – Far West

Augusta Appalachian Atlanta Coastal GA – South Carolina East TN – Knoxville Middle TN – Nashville Midsouth

Chief Executive Officer

jwainwright38@comcast.net christopher.brandriff@jpmorgan.com RWolffe@tspcapitalmgt.com

Director: Peter R. Charrington ’66

Robert P. Hill ’08 David R. Gleason ’80 Frederick J. Killmeyer IV ’95 Thomas N. Gelles ’80

rphill48@gmail.com gleason@umbc.edu rickkillmeyer@gmail.com tng317@verizon.net

Director: C. Patrick Haddock ’00 Terence L. Bowers ’68 Thomas N. Daniel Jr. ’60 David R. Nagel ’01 Mark P. Parton ’08 Christopher R. Jones ’96 William E. Kirby III ’96 Philip J. Altizer Jr. ’80

terrybowers@vmialumni.org tomdaniel60@charter.net nageldr78@hotmail.com partonmp@gmail.com crj2112@gmail.com ktkirby@comcast.net paltizer@bellsouth.net

Email: mrhemenez@cox.net Chapter Representative Trent L. Boggs ’83 Joseph S. Howard III ’97 Matthew R. Hemenez ’90 Russell Shun Takata ’74 John D. Christie ’59 Todd E. Arris ’87 James R. Farmer ’68 Robert L. Fricke ’78 William V. Trumpore ’89

Email: jfdinarkansas@aol.com Hugh R. Hill ’85 Christopher J. Whittaker ’90 J. Andrew Hardin ’04 Donald A. Noschese Jr. ’92 Stephen M. Chiles ’89 Mark A. Benvenuto ’83 Todd J. Jacobs ’90 S. Harrison Williams '15 Garry C. Varney ’76 Thomas R. Shaw ’78 Steven P. Weiss ’86 J. Micah North ’00 Robert C. Polk ’61 M. Douglass Payne ’73

Email: anchors80@comcast.net A. Bruno Loefstedt III ’80 John R. Gibney Jr. ’80 Kevin P. Sincavage ’87

Email: pcharrin@comcast.net H. Larry Mays Jr. ’73 Thomas M. Wirth ’98 John T. Pace IV ’77 J. Mark Hennigan ’90

Email: vmitranspo@hotmail.com Raymond R. Lawson ’81 Campbell C. Hyatt III ’65 Charles C. Schoen IV ’86 Kevin L. Snell ’82 Charles S. Sanger ’82

VMI Alumni Review

VMI Alumni Association Directory Region VI – Carolinas Camp Lejeune/Crystal Coast Cape Fear Central North Carolina – Raleigh Charlotte Club of the Triad Coastal Carolina/South Carolina Palmetto, South Carolina Upsate SC/Pisgah NC Wilmington, North Carolina

Director: Charles L. Ramsburg ’66 Ian G. Dunlap ’05 Michael A. Ceroli ’85 Laurence B. Wilson Jr. ’62 Michael S. Anderson ’88 T. Matthew Creech ’96 George T. Mosby ’97 Carl B. Hammond ’00 Paul X. English III ’73 John P. Gangemi ’61

Region VII – Deep South Birmingham Central Florida Greater New Orleans Mississippi Mobile Northeast Florida – Jacksonville Northwest Florida Southern Florida Southwest Florida – Fort Meyer Tennessee Valley The Villages – Florida Treasure Coast West Coast Florida – Tampa

Norfolk Peninsula Virginia Beach Western Tidewater

Charles M. Rogers IV ’83 Jason M. Goldstein ’02 James D. Friskhorn ’81 Scott A. Houser ’98 Bradford T. Herrell ’01 Herbert U. Fluhler ’77 Blake W. Thomas ’73 Donald D. Carson ’64 Robert M. Bailey ’72

max.rogers@mobileinfirmary.org jmgoldstein@mactec.com vmi81@comcast.net housersa@yahoo.com vmigrad1@hotmail.com huf2000@aol.com blaket606@aol.com dcarson678@bellsouth.net bobngracebailey@tampabay.rr.com

John H. Friend III ’82 Grafton D. Addison III ’82 Wayland H. Patterson ’80

troy.barbour@hcahealthcare.com weastham@carrhyde.com jim@realcentralva.com wdtvmi65@comcast.net jarvistk@vmi.edu jasongruse@hotmail.com

Director: Michael S. Ogden ’79 Director: Sean P. Hingley ’07

Michael S. Ogden ’79 David G. Tyler IV ’86 Joshua P. Priest ’80 Edward M. Plucinski ’86 Gary J. Haste ’77 John L. Rowe Jr. ’66

vmi79classagent@aol.com dtyler4@cox.net joshua.p.priest@navy.mil ed.plucinski@hanson.com ghaste@associatedcontracting.com jrowe66@cox.net

Director: Douglas B. Warner ’03 Director: John D. Kearney Jr. ’00 John D. Kearney Jr. ’00 A. James MacDonald ’83

kearneyjd00@gmail.com macvmi83@yahoo.com

Director: Anthony U. Moore ’78 Director: William R. Charlet ’01

Samuel B. LaNeave ’01 Samuel L. Mattocks ’74

Region XIII – Rappahannock Fredericksburg – Quantico Rappahannock Southside Williamsburg

shduerson@gmail.com bradburrus@yahoo.com reeldadx2@gmail.com

Director: T. Keith Jarvis ’82

T. Troy Barbour ’89 G. Wayne Eastham ’76 James E. Duncan ’98 W. Douglas Thomas ’65 T. Keith Jarvis ’82 Jason K. Gruse ’97

Region XII – Central VA Richmond Tri Cities

Director: Dennis A. Hackemeyer ’80

Samuel H. Duerson III ’86 Gerald B. Burrus ’96 Andrew M. Reel ’03

Region XI – Metro D.C. George C. Marshall Potomac River

Email: waltchalkley@aol.com William H. Cather Jr. ’65 John C. Nagle IV ’87

Region X – Hampton Roads Eastern Shore

Henry Brown ’60

billcather@bellsouth.net jay.nagle@parsons.com michaelmwallace@mac.com

Region IX – Shenandoah Valley Allegheny Highlands Blue Ridge Charlottesville North Shenandoah Valley Rockbridge County Stonewall Jackson

Director: Walter L. Chalkley ’72

Ian G. Dunlap ’05 Charles L. Toomey ’74 Ronald R. Wall ’69 James A. Sharp ’93 Charles H. Alligood ’61 Eric L. Duncan ’99 F. Grey Farthing III ’79

William H. Cather Jr. ’65 John C. Nagle IV ’87 Michael M. Wallace ’93

Region VIII – Southwest VA Lynchburg New River Valley Roanoke

dunlapian@hotmail.com mceroli@thekratosgroup.net lbebwilson@aol.com vmi2army@gmail.com tmatthewcreech@gmail.com GMosby@liquidnet.com hammondcb@yahoo.com pxenglish@verizon.net jgangemi@ec.rr.com

Email: clramsburg@gmail.com

slaneave@gmail.com samuelmattocks762@gmail.com

Director: Richard A. Duke ’90

Brett R. Martin ’00 Raymond J. Pietruszka ’77 Alan H. Vicory Jr. ’74 Robert M. Bailey ’72

Email: dennis@nanoseptic.com Joseph W. Hutt III ’78 Gerald B. Burrus ’96 Alan G. Soltis ’79

Email: jarvistk@vmi.edu Harrison L. Fridley Jr. ’61 R. Edward Duncan ’60 James E. Duncan ’98 Kevin J. Callanan ’78 Lewis V. Graybill ’62 Roger A. Jarrell II ’91

Email: vmi79classagent@aol.com Email: sean.p.hingley@wfadvisors.com Thomas F. Wilson ’80 James A. Parsons ’80 David J. Trenholm ’70 H. Ali Mahan ’80 Oliver D. Creekmore ’66

Email: douglas.warner1@vmialumni.org Email: kearneyjd00@gmail.com Stephen B.Traina ’03 Henry J. Foresman Jr. ’76

Email: amor_78@comcast.net Email: wcharlet@gmail.com Marc L. Antonelli ’06 Augustus Robbins III ’47

Email: rduke517@gmail.com

Carl J. DeBernard Jr. ’94 Stephen E. Wilson ’68

carl.debernard@dhs.gov sewilson68@verizon.net

R.C. Thompson III ’74 William F. Brent ’67

John E. Karafa ’84

john.karafa@leebcorservices.com

Jim E. Henry ’68

chingpu@saturn.yzu.edu.tw

Ching-Pu Chen ’85 Vaipot Srinual ’72

Region XIV – Pacific Rim Taiwan Thailand

2017-Issue 1

Ching-Pu Chen ’85 Vaipot Srinual ’72

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Alumni News Robert G. Tanner ’69 was announced Aug. 16, 2016, as one of 20 partners from Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial law firm selected by his peers for The Best Lawyers in America® 2017. This selection was based on a survey in which over 54,000 attorneys cast 6.2 million votes for lawyers in their respective practices. Tanner was recognized for his work in commercial litigation and medical malpractice law – defendants. Tanner matriculated from Malibu, California, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University.

as its vice president and chief operating officer. SERC Reliability Corporation is a nonprofit that promotes and improves the reliability, adequacy and critical infrastructure of the bulk power supply systems in 16 central and southeastern states. The corporation also is authorized from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation of the Federal Power Act and enforces reliability standards approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The corporation also serves roughly 53 million customers. Taylor matriculated from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and graduated with distinction from VMI, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He earned his Master of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

in Hawaii. MacMichael also served previously as the vice president at Charter Communications, where he was in charge of the data center migration project and was information security and compliance director at Hawaiian Airlines. MacMichael matriculated from Alexandria, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from VMI. He earned his Master of Science degree in information management from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Patrick R. Baker ’98 recently joined the faculty at The University of Tennessee at Martin as an assistant professor of law. He teaches within the College of Business and Global Affairs. Before joining UTM, Patrick The law firm of Clarke, Dolph, Rapaport, served as an associate professor of law Hull & Brunick announced Aug. 15, 2016, that and director of the Natural Resources partner Cyrus A. Dolph IV ’70 was selected Law Center at the Appalachian School David A. Powell ’83 was presented for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® of Law in Grundy, Virginia. Before in September with the Atlanta Civil 2017 for Trusts and Estates. joining academia, he practiced law Dolph represents companies and individuals War Round Table’s Richard Barksat the law firm of Penn, Stuart & Esin the planning and administration of estates, dale Harwell Book Award for 2016 kridge in Abingdon, Virginia. foundations and trusts. Dolph is also AV® Pre- for his book, “The Chickamauga Baker matriculated from Carlisle, Campaign – Glory or the eminent™ Peer Review Rated and has Kentucky, and earned his Bachelor Grave,” second in his definibeen recognized as both a Virginia SuBaker ’98 of Arts degree in history from VMI. tive Chickamauga trilogy. per Lawyer and one of Virginia’s Legal He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the The book was selected for being the Elite by Virginia Business Magazine. best book on a Civil War topic pub- Appalachian School of Law. The Best Lawyers in America is lished in the preceding year. Powell one of the legal profession’s mostMichael P. Goldman ’00 was named in Octois the first two-time recipient in the respected peer-review guides. Ataward’s history, with his previous ber 2016 by Style Weekly, a Richmond, Virginia, torneys are confidentially reviewed book, “Failure in the Saddle,” win- based news publication, as one of the Top 40 within their communities and the Under 40. This list highlights men and women ning the award in 2011. same practice areas for their abilities, under the age of 40 in the area who promote Powell matriculated from Hoffprofessionalism and integrity. Clarke, Dolph ’70 man Estates, Illinois, and earned his change, service to others in the local area and Dolph, Rapaport, Hull & Brunick is located in Virginia Beach, and offers practical, Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. who focus on bringing the community together. Goldman is a lawyer with Hunton & Wilprofessional guidance based upon integrity and liams and practices with the firm’s corporate John L. MacMichael ’88 was recently apan uncompromising commitment to clients pointed as chief information security officer for finance and mergers and acquisitions group. throughout Virginia. Dolph matriculated from North, Virginia, and the Office of the Chief Technology Officer in He was also recognized by both Style Weekly earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Washington, D.C. This role focuses on creating and the law firm for his dedication to pro bono matters. from VMI. He earned his Juris Doctor degree a strategy to ensure the protection of information Goldman matriculated from Midlothian, from the T.C. Williams School of Law and his management assets and supports coordination Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of with private sector counterparts. Master of Laws degree from Marshall-Wythe MacMichael earned this position after previ- VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in ecoLaw School. ously serving for almost 30 years in the cyber se- nomics. He earned both his Master of Business Gary J. Taylor ’75 was appointed president curity field. He is a former U.S. Navy captain and Administration degree and Master of Science and chief executive officer of SERC Reliability was responsible for strategic communications in Financial Services degree from Boston ColCorporation July 14, 2016, after having joined and the cyber security of thousands of officers lege. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the corporation in February 2015 and serving in the Pacific region, as well as 1,000 at his base the University of Richmond School of Law.

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Alumni News

... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Announcements ... Book Announcemen Announcements ... Book Announcements ... Book The Good Thief by Preston W. Holtry ’63. Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC, 2016. ISBN: 9781937327989. Available via amazon. com and moonshinecovepublishing.com. In Volume 4 of the Westphal mysteries, the murdered body of Thomas Whelan is discovered at the Franciscan Mission of San Sebastián del Valle located north of Santa Fe. A recent arrival in New Mexico, nothing is known about the victim’s past or if his name is even Whelan. Morgan uncovers clues to Whelan’s past, linking him to Saratoga, New York, and goes there with Arianna Beltrane to find out more about the victim, the motive for his murder and who may have killed him. On the surface, Arianna’s reason for going to Saratoga with Morgan seems innocent enough, but her presence is nearly fatal for them both. Morgan is introduced to the world of high stakes gambling and a shadowy but influential man who plays by his own rules where murder is just another tool for him to win at any cost. With his life hanging in the balance in the wilds of 1917 New Mexico, Morgan finally learns who killed Whelan and why. While the murder is solved, the solution to the strained relationship between Morgan and Arianna is not, both undecided how they can resolve their diverging interests and the prospects of a future together. About the author: Preston Holtry graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and has a graduate degree from Boston University. Throughout a 27-year career in the Army, he served twice in Vietnam in addition to other infantry and intelligence related assignments in the U.S., Germany and England. After retiring from the Army with the rank of colonel, he worked in the defense industry. He is now a full-time writer living with his wife, Judith, in Oro Valley, Arizona.

2017-Issue 1

The Solution: Repairing our Broken Political System by Michael M. Stockdell ’63. Xlibris, June 24, 2016. ISBN: 9781524508173 (hardcover), 9781524508159 (softcover) and 9781524508142 (e-book). The country is split between those who believe in big government and those against. The author falls into the anti-big government camp but realizes there are many forces pushing in the opposite direction. The first part of the book discredits the big government view through pointing to the failures of Social Security, the Affordable Care Act and European-style social democracy. It closes with an enumeration of the reasons why the big government idea most often fails. The second part enumerates as many reasons the author could think of as to why people are so enamored of the big government idea and refutes each one. It is divided into three sections: High-minded beliefs, which are generally idealistic but have negative implications; ideological beliefs, which are usually out-of-date protosocialistic ideas; and self-serving beliefs, which benefit mainly its advocates. Next, the author proposes a number of constitutional amendments and a way to pass them without Congress’ involvement. Although none of them explicitly limit the power and scope of government, they, by reducing the power of special interests and money, have that effect. Critical goals in these amendments are to balance the authority of the three branches of government, enforce transparency, and allow the will of the people to be expressed directly. Finally, the author proposes a large number of policies – for the most part broad-brush – aimed at simplifying current government programs, correcting the failures

of some, yet retaining the safety net and some notion of social justice, especially where it comes to the racial divide. About the author: Stockdell was born in Richmond, Virginia, and attended VMI for two years. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He also has a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing from Georgia State University and a master’s in social work from the University of South Carolina. Stockdell worked for 30 years in the computer industry, first as a systems analyst and data processing manager for a large pharmaceutical company. He was also a management consulting manager for a Big Eight (at the time) Accounting firm’s consulting organization. He invented Digital Equipment Corporation’s consulting practice and developed the framework for its projects business. Stockdell has written three novels, many short stories and poems, a memoir and a book of philosophy. Margin of Victory: Five Battles that Changed the Face of Modern War by Douglas Macgregor ’75. Naval Institute Press, 2016. ISBN: 9781612519968. Available from Naval Institute Press. Margin of Victory tells the riveting stories of five major battles in five wars of the 20th century, each one a turning point in the history of warfare: The Battle of Mons in 1914, the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, the Destruction of Army Group Center in 1944, the Israeli Counterattack across the Suez in 1973 and, finally, the battle of 73 Easting in 1991. The recurring theme is that battles and wars are decided in the decades before they begin, not by the sudden appearance of a new, “Silver Bullet” technology or the presence of a few strong personalities in the senior ranks during a single battle. Each battle reinforces the lesson that to win a war of decision, military policy must always be congruent with national culture, geography and scientific-industrial capacity; that strategy and geopolitics inevitably trump ideology. Building effective military power

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Alumni News takes time, resources and imagination. Unity of command; unity of effort and the integration of capabilities across service lines only happen when they are ruthlessly imposed from the top down. “Margin of Victory” focuses on what Carl von Clausewitz called ‘absolute war’ or wars of decision. Wars of decision are interstate conflicts that affect nations’ vital strategic interests, if not the very survival of nation-states. Macgregor argues that a future war of decision is brewing; the old military alliances and the interests that supported them are changing. To win future wars of decision, the U.S. must alter its approach to military organization, technology and human capital or risk playing catch-up when war comes; a situation that leads to an enormous loss of human life and, frequently, to defeat. Tactical military success against weak, non-state opponents does not equate to

operational and strategic effectiveness against capable, nation-state enemies. In the conclusions, Macgregor draws on the lessons of the 20th century to make the case for a major reset of U.S. national military strategy – one that diverges sharply from the ideologically driven interventionism of the past 25 years – to one within clearly defined constitutional parameters. The strategic reset includes an overhaul of U.S. military command structures, the reduction of unneeded Four Star overhead, the establishment of a national defense staff, Joint Force Commands inside the regional unified commands and “armed forces-in-being” designed to execute “all arms/all effects” warfare. A key feature of these reforms is a new, 21st century standing professional Army tightly integrated with the growing “ISR-Strike Complex” (intelligence,

surveillance and reconnaissance) in America’s aerospace and maritime forces. About the author: Retired U.S. Army Col. Douglas Macgregor is a decorated combat veteran and author of five books. He was commissioned in the Army in 1976 after attending VMI for one year and attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for four years. He earned his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of Virginia. In 1991, Macgregor was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device for valor for his the leadership under fire in the Battle of 73 Easting that destroyed a full-strength Republican Guard Brigade. As director of the Joint Operations Center at SHAPE in 1999, Macgregor supervised the planning and conduct of operations during the Kosovo Air Campaign.

ook A nnou n c e m en ts ... Book Announcements . . . Bo o k An n o u n cem ent s ... B ook Announcements ... Book Announcements ... uncements ... Book Announcements ... Book

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The Institute Cadet EMTs Earn First Responder Certification VMI emergency medical technicians are on the sidelines of every game, every parade and every physical challenge. They are ready in the event of an emergency, and now they are better prepared to serve the needs of the VMI community than ever before. They recently became certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a licensed nontransport first responder Emergency Medical Services agency. This qualifies them for dispatch on a 911 call. “It grants us some legitimacy in the eyes of the state, and it also opens up better training opportunities for cadets. It helps us organize and record our activities so we can improve ourselves more,” said John Wainwright ’16, then-EMT cadet in charge. The first step in getting this certification came with the creation of a part-time staff position to guide the cadet-run organization. Donnie McBrayer was hired as the assistant adviser to the EMTs after volunteering with them for the last three years. “We had the mock inspection where Donnie and [Lexington Fire Department] Chief Ty Dickerson came to inspect us to see if we were ready to go,” explained Wainwright. “So we had them go through our vehicle and go through our paperwork like it was the real thing. ... I think all of us cadets were just totally overwhelmed at the depth of knowledge that you need to run an organization.” It was that experience that led

Wainwright to request a leadership position that would give McBrayer more avenues to guide the squad. “He is the perfect person for it because he’s been volunteering, he understands how VMI works, he understands how EMS works, and he’s an absolute saint to have around,” explained Wainwright. The next steps involved a lot of paperwork. The

cadets had to fill out applications, get signatures and make sure each cadet had his or her EMT and CPR certification. Several of the cadets also have an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course certification. And all of their equipment had to be up-to-date. “One of the issues we started to run into was some of the stuff we originally purchased was starting to expire,” said Garrett Manarin ’17, a cadet EMT. The group needed new backboards,

splints and suction units. A lot of equipment was donated by other volunteer agencies in the community. Now that they have their certification, the VMI EMTs will become part of the 911 dispatch system in Lexington and Rockbridge County. “It will enable us to respond to 911 emergencies on post involving medical circumstances, and we would provide first aid until Lexington Fire and Rescue could respond with an ambulance,” explained Manarin. The immediate response is critical. If visitors come to VMI and witness a medical emergency, they instinctively call 911 instead of the guard room. In the past, this meant the victim could be waiting several minutes for first responders from the city of Lexington instead of receiving assistance immediately from the VMI EMTs. Now, whether called from the guard room or from 911, the VMI EMTs will be the first responders to all calls for assistance on post. “For someone who goes into cardiac arrest, for every minute that is delayed, their chance of survival decreases between 3 and 10 percent,” said McBrayer. “You need to be assessed really quickly to get the proper help.” And, with their radios and a paging system on their cell phones, the VMI EMTs will be ready. “We’ll have two EMTs on call every day, seven days a week, during the school year,” said McBrayer.

Honoring Sun Li-jen ’927 Colonel Keith Gibson ’77, executive director of the VMI Museum System, spoke during the dedication of “Sun Li‑jen: Ever Victorious General of World War II.” Honoring the alumnus of the VMI Class of 1927 during the 71st anniversary of the Chinese victory against the Japanese during World War II, the exhibit was on display in Marshall Hall in September 2016. Once the exhibit closed, the artifacts, including a replica of a mural depicting Sun Li‑jen’s accomplishments and a traditional Chinese thread-bound book, “Ever Victorious General of World War II: Sun Li-jen,” were donated to the VMI Museum. Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

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The Institute

Cormack, Cocke Halls Rededicated

Renovated Buildings House PE Department, Cadet Fitness, Club Sports and NCAA Wrestling In Founders Day ceremonies Nov. 11, 2016, two buildings vital to the support of fitness and athletics at Virginia Military Institute, Cormack Hall and Cocke Hall, were rededicated after major renovations. In attendance was a crowd of approximately 50 people, many of them members of the VMI Board of Visitors, their spouses and other friends of the Institute. The renovation of both Cormack and Cocke halls was accomplished as part of the Corps Physical Training Facility project, a $122 million endeavor that also includes the new Indoor Training Facility at the corner of Main and Diamond Streets, now nearing completion. Cormack Hall, a $15 million project, is now home to the Department of Physical Education, as well as the exercise science minor and the NCAA wrestling team. Work began on its renovation in the summer of 2014 and was completed approximately one year later. General J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent, offered remarks before cutting a ceremonial ribbon at each building. “[Cormack Hall] demonstrates VMI’s commitment to confidence building, wellness, athletic competition, toughness, and the historic ideal of a sound mind in a sound body,” said Peay before cutting the ribbon at that building. “This renovated and upgraded building retains its historic appearance and improves the main entrance access into the city of Lexington,” he noted. Speaking on the history of Cormack Hall, one of the most often repurposed buildings at VMI, was Col. Keith Gibson ’77, executive director of the VMI Museum System. Gibson began by explaining that Cormack Hall was built in 1941 as an indoor riding arena at a cost of just over $115,000. During the World War II years, Gibson noted, a man who would go on to much greater things wielded a shovel in what is now Cormack Hall to clean up horse manure. That man was Melvin Kaminsky, then enrolled in the U.S. Army’s Specialized Training Program housed at VMI. Once his wartime service was over, Melvin Kaminsky changed his name to Mel Brooks and found great success as a comedian. After the war, in 1948, the Army mechanized its cavalry, and the horses left VMI for good. The building then became a track and basketball arena referred to by cadets as “the Pit.” Gibson

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General J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent, cuts the ribbon during the dedication of Cormack Hall. VMI photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin. noted, “A thousand gray-clad cadets screaming, ‘Welcome to the Pit!’ did its part to assist the basketball team in winning several Southern Conference championships and securing a place in the NCAA finals of 1976 and 1977.” Once the basketball team moved to Cameron Hall in 1981, what was then called the VMI field house continued as a venue for track events. In 1984, the building was named the Cormack Field House in honor of longtime track coach Walter Cormack, whose teams had won 13 Southern Conference championships and 30 state championships during the 1950s and 1960s. Because of many repurposings over the years, Gibson called Cormack Hall “our best example of adaptive reuse in historic architecture.” Those gathered for the ceremony toured Cormack Hall, whose interior geography reflects its divided purpose, with the southern half dedicated to the PE department. In addition to classrooms and offices for the PE staff, this half of the building features a very large room with gym mats and weight machines. Nearby is a state-of-the-art lab for VMI’s exercise science minor, which is now in its third year. “I’ve been in a lot of facilities, and this is about as nice as you’ll find anywhere in the country,” said Col. Jimmy Coale, head of the physical

education department, as he led a group touring the building. The other half of Cormack Hall is home to a spacious facility for NCAA wrestling and other mat sports and PE classes, such as jiu-jitsu and karate, complete with seating for 750 spectators. At Cocke Hall, named for VMI’s fourth superintendent, William H. Cocke, VMI Class of 1894, Peay again offered brief remarks before cutting the ribbon. He noted that it’s especially appropriate that Cocke Hall, for many years VMI’s main gymnasium, faces the parapet wall bearing a quote from VMI’s founder, Col. J.T.L. Preston. In writing for a local newspaper in 1837, arguing for the necessity of a school to replace what was then a state arsenal, “Preston began by describing VMI as ‘A healthful and pleasant abode of a crowd of honorable youth,’” said Peay. “Cocke Hall has contributed for decades to support of a healthful and pleasant abode and now its role is assured for many, many years to come,” he added. Work on the $23 million renovation of Cocke Hall, originally built in 1926, began in the summer of 2015 and was completed in the summer of 2016. Unlike Cormack Hall, whose interior has undergone a drastic change, Cocke Hall’s

VMI Alumni Review

The Institute interior retains much of its original flavor, complete with basketball courts and the elevated track familiar to generations of cadets. Cadet “hops” will continue to be held in Cocke Hall as they have for decades. What’s new are group fitness rooms on the lower levels for cadets, faculty and staff, plus a spacious new weight room and strength training facilities. Faculty and staff now have their own locker rooms, separate from those for cadets. And, for the first time, the building has air conditioning. Outside Cocke Hall, near Scott Shipp Hall, a new, triple-arched memorial invites visitors to reflect while visiting Memorial Garden. An inscription reads, “In remembrance of all of those who have served the Institute.” The “Spirit of Youth,” the white marble statue that graces the opposite end of Memorial Garden, was refurbished this summer to complement the renovations to Cocke Hall. “This space is the spiritual heart of the Institute,” said Gibson at the Cocke Hall rededication, “from the 1851 Barracks and Washington’s statue towering over us, to Preston’s inscription, Jackson Memorial Hall, and Scott Shipp Hall flanking us, and the great building rededicated.”

Peay addresses those gathered to witness the rededication of Cocke Hall. VMI photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

Editor's Note: All articles in the Institute Section of this Review were originally published by Communications and Marketing.

2017-Issue 1

Recently Acquired Painting Has Historic Ties to VMI

During summer 2016, a painting with special ties to VMI took its place on a wall in Preston Library. The 63- by 79-inch oil on canvas, “Attack on the Huguenots,” was painted by William D. Washington, who was a member of the VMI faculty during the last year of his life. The painting depicts the March 1, 1562, massacre of approximately 100 Huguenots, who were French Protestants, attending a secret church service in a barn near Wassy, France. The event was the first of eight armed conflicts between French Catholics and Huguenots between 1562-98. Colonel Keith Gibson ’77, executive director of the VMI Museum System, said the piece was painted in 1855 in Dusseldorf, Germany, where a religious schism existed between Protestants and Catholics at Dusseldorf Academy. From 1852-55, Washington was in Dusseldorf to study under painter Emanuel Leutze, who is best known for his iconic work, “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” A native of Loudoun County, Virginia, Washington began his painting career in the early 1850s while working for what was then the U.S. Patent Office. He followed Leutze to Germany for a short time before returning to Washington, D.C., where he remained until the Civil War. It was during the war years that Washington painted his most famous work, “The Burial of Latane.” That painting, which Gibson said became emblematic of the Lost Cause movement in the South, is now displayed at the American Museum of the Civil War in Richmond. In July 1869, Washington accepted a position as professor of fine art at VMI, and he continued to paint as a member of the VMI faculty. Many of those paintings are portraits of VMI alumni who were killed in the Civil War – a project that was cut short by Washington’s untimely death in 1870. Washington, who was the first member of the VMI faculty to die while on staff, is buried in Stonewall Jackson Cemetery. Not surprisingly, the path “Attack on the Huguenots” took from Dusseldorf to VMI was a long and circuitous one. Gibson explained that the painting was exhibited at salons throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, but then mysteriously disappeared. It resurfaced when Gibson received a phone call in 2014 from Dr. Roy Steiman of Massachusetts. The caller told Gibson that his elderly father owned a Washington painting that he would like to donate to VMI. Steiman’s father had purchased the painting at auction in the 1960s, and the doctor had found VMI online while searching for institutions that already owned paintings by Washington. Gibson, meanwhile, was more than happy to receive Steiman’s call, as VMI already has approximately 25 original oil paintings by Washington, all of which hang in Preston Library. “We have one of the largest William D. Washington painting collections in the country,” Gibson noted. The new painting is believed to be the largest extant canvas by Washington. “Attack on the Huguenots” now hangs in a sunny alcove on the 600 level of Preston Library – but even the brightest light can’t compensate for the darkness of the painting. A cleaning and restoration job is needed to bring the work back to its original condition, but the price tag of around $7,500 for that work has prevented conservation from taking place so far. “The colors are all very muted now,” Gibson commented. “Once we get it cleaned, it’ll really be impressive.” 167

Keydet Athletics New Inductees to the VMI Sports Hall of Fame which tied him with VMI Hall of Seven former athletes and one Famer Floyd Allen ’82 for second alumnus who distinguished himon the school list. Ranks second self in sports journalism will be all-time in 100-yard rushing games officially inducted into the Virginia with 18. Military Institute Sports Hall of Mich Pettyjohn ’55 (Rifle) – A Fame Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2017, team leader on the rifle program at a dinner to be held at Marshall in the mid-1950s and helped the Hall in the Center for Leadership program gain recognition as a and Ethics. The dinner highlights varsity sport in 1954 from the Atha weekend of Hall of Fame festiviMizzer ’06 letic Council and improved funding Scott ’80 ties that include recognition of the Cooper ’05 soon followed. He was a first team inductees during a halftime of the All-American in 1955 and the only VMI versus The Citadel basketball VMI cadet to win the National game earlier that afternoon at CamRifle Association Golden Bullet eron Hall. For more information on All-American Award. the Hall of Fame dinner and weekEugene Scott ’80 (Track & Field) end activities, go to www.vmi.edu. – Competed in the jumps and was The 2016 VMI Sports Hall of part of the first wave of Southern Fame inductees are listed below Conference and state championship with expanded biographical capteams under Coach Wade Williams, sules to follow. the grand slam of 1979 Mildred Cooper ’05 (Track & Erwin ’02 Sweppenheiser Pettyjohn ’55 including when the Keydets captured both Field) – First VMI women’s indi’06 Southern Conference and state vidual conference champion in any indoor and outdoor titles. He won the three sport history and dominated the women’s SoCon individual titles and co-captained the shot put throughout her career with five 1979-80 track teams. individual crowns in the event. She was Kelly Sweppenheiser ’06 (Baseball) – named to the Big South 25th anniversary Graduated from the Institute as one of the Indoor Track and Field team. She finished most-decorated baseball players in the proher VMI career with five school records and gram’s history and became the first player to is the first female athlete inducted in the VMI be named as a Louisville Slugger Freshman Sports Hall of Fame. All-American while also becoming the only Matt Erwin ’02 (Wrestling) – Was a fourplayer in school history to rank in the top time NCAA qualifier and won the 174 pound five in career hits, runs, RBI and home runs. weight class in the Southern Conference in Gibson ’02 Lazenby ’74 He was also selected as a First Team All-Big 2002. He also qualified for the NCAA as an South player as both a 2nd and 1st Class cadet. at-large selection in 1999, 2000 and 2003.He touchdown passes with 38 and most touchRoland Lazenby ’74 (Special Citation) finished his career tied with All-American Leslie Apedoe for third-most wins in school downs responsible for in a season (24) and – Sports author who has written over 100 had 13 games of 200 or more yards passing. books and publications including works on history (109). Sean Mizzer ’06 (Football) – One of the Jerry West, Michael Jordan and Kobe BryJoey Gibson ’02 (Football) – Quarterback between the 1999 and 2002 seasons. He top rushers in school history playing between ant. He penned “Best Regrets, VMI’s John finished his career as the then school’s all- 2002-06. He finished his cadet career second McKenna And The Lost Age Of College on the school all-time rushing list with 3,733 Football,” an account of the VMI football time leading passer with 5,607 yards despite yards behind only all-time leader Thomas years during the tenure of legendary head playing his first season in a triple-option ofHaskins ’97. He had 27 rushing touchdowns, football coach John McKenna. fense. He set school record for most career

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Keydet Athletics

First NCAA Event at New Facility Headlines VMI Track and Field Schedule The first NCAA athletic event at the Corps Indoor Training Facility highlights the VMI track and field schedule. The Keydets held the first in-season competition at the new facility Jan. 28, 2017, with a rare dual meet, as VMI took on The Citadel. It was the Keydets’ first home meet since Feb. 16, 2013, and the team’s first dual – either indoors or outdoors – since facing Virginia Tech during the 1998 outdoor season. That event was not VMI’s season opener, however, as the Keydets went to Liberty University Jan. 20-21 for the Liberty Invite. While VMI has been a frequent participant in February meets at Liberty, foremost being the Liberty Quad, this marks the first time since 2012-13 that the Keydets participate in a January meet at the home of their former Big South rival. The

Liberty Invite was also scheduled to be the first home meet for Liberty’s new indoor facility. VMI then goes to Marshall University Feb. 10-11 and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Feb. 17-18 before the Southern Conference Championships, which will be held Feb. 25-26 in Johnson City, Tennessee, at the home of East Tennessee State University. The Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America/Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships March 3-5 round out the indoor schedule, while the NCAA Championships are set for March 10-11 in College Station, Texas. The outdoor season gets underway March 2425 in Columbia, South Carolina, as the Keydets go to the University of South Carolina for a meet. From there, it is on to a pair of familiar

meets: High Point’s VertKlasse Meet March 31-April 1 in High Point, North Carolina, and the one-day George Mason Invite in Fairfax, Virginia April 8. The Bucknell Invite in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, follows April 14-15 before VMI heads to a meet at Duke University the following weekend. The Keydets wrap up April at the Penn Relays April 27-29, the first time VMI will compete there since 2009-10. The regular season wraps up at the Liberty Last Chance event May 3, before the Keydet women compete in the SoCon Championships May 11-12 in Birmingham, Alabama. The VMI men will take part in the IC4A Championships that weekend – May 12-14 – and the NCAA East Preliminary Round is set for May 25-27 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Baseball Releases 2017 Schedule A 10-game March homestand, a home and home with the College of William & Mary and a four-team, season-opening round-robin tournament at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are among the highlights of the 2017 VMI baseball schedule. The Keydets open 2017 with an appearance in a four-team, round-robin event at UNCW Feb. 17-19. VMI will face Appalachian State University twice in the event, as well as George Mason University and the host Seahawks. It marks VMI’s second trip to open a season at UNCW in the past four years – the last time VMI played at UNCW, the Keydets beat a Kentucky team that had current Houston Astros’ first baseman, A.J. Reed, hitting cleanup and current Texas Ranger farmhand, Kyle Cody, pitching. VMI then goes to the University of Virginia Feb. 21 before coming home to open a 10game homestand with a three-game series against the Bison of Bucknell University Feb. 24-26. William & Mary, NCAA Regional qualifier, comes to town March 1 and is followed in by George Washington University March 3-5. Quinnipiac University

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then rounds out the homestand March 10-12. VMI then goes to Old Dominion University for two games March 14- 15 and to Elon, North Carolina, to take on the Elon University Phoenix that weekend, March 17-19. It will be just the second meeting all-time between the schools after Elon won the only previous meeting with a score of 5-4 March 11, 2003. The Keydets then come home for a single game against the University of Richmond March 21 before heading to Williamsburg to take on William & Mary the following day. A three-game series against The Citadel March 24-26 opens SoCon play, and two midweek games follow, as the Keydets take on James Madison University and Longwood University March 28-29 on the road. After playing just one game at home from March 13-30, the Keydets return home on the final day of March to open a three-game series against Samford University at Gray-Minor Stadium. Longwood comes in that Tuesday, April 4, for a midweek affair, and the homeand-home three-game set with ODU wraps up April 5 in Lexington.

VMI then plays Wofford College in a threegame set on the road April 7-9 and does not have a midweek game scheduled, following three straight weeks with two such contests. The Keydets then play Mercer University April 13-15, in a series moved up a day to ThursdaySaturday. The Keydets play Virginia Commonwealth University at The Diamond in Richmond April 18 and then go to Cullowhee, North Carolina, to face Western Carolina University April 21-23. A three-game nonconference series with Radford University follows April 28-30 – the first two games will be played in Radford, and the Highlanders come to Gray-Minor Stadium to wrap up the series April 30. A single game with VCU May 2 and a threegame slate with UNCG May 5-7 follow, and the Keydets go to Furman University May 12-14. A single home game with JMU May 16 and a three-game set with ETSU May 18-20 wrap up the season at home before the SoCon Tournament, which is set to begin May 23 in Greenville, South Carolina.

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VMI Foundation, Inc. Message from the VMI Foundation President by Hugh M. Fain III ’80

t the beginning of the year, all of us at the VMI Foundation bade farewell to Brian Scott Crockett, who served as the Foundation’s chief executive officer since June 2009. Crockett indeed made the VMI Foundation a stronger organization; one that very successfully performed its important work of raising, managing and stewarding the private funds which are increasingly important to the Institute’s longterm success. He came to love the Institute and its faculty, staff and cadets – a love that he was never reluctant to share with just about anyone he met. Crockett was and undoubtedly will be among the most energetic and enthusiastic ambassadors to ever serve VMI. One of Crockett’s foremost goals as Foundation CEO was to further develop the culture of philanthropy at VMI. To that end, the VMI Foundation, the VMI Alumni Association and the VMI Keydet Club have begun a process of restructuring in order to improve their service to the Institute and the VMI family. A letter signed by the presidents of the VMI Alumni Agencies that briefly describes the reasoning behind this decision and steps we have taken to execute it is published on page 150 of this magazine. It also was sent via e-mail to the VMI family last November. Please take some time to read or reread this message. As the chairman of An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant Future: The Campaign for VMI, Donald M. Wilkinson ’61 reported elsewhere in this magazine, as of the end of 2016, that the campaign had raised a total of $305 million. He also announced that the campaign will end June 30, 2017. The trustees and staff of the Foundation have played a major Fain III ’80 role in the planning and execution of the campaign, and we will continue to work diligently through the end of this campaign. I thank everyone who has been so generous to VMI over the past several years and made the campaign such a success. For its own part, as of Dec. 31, 2016 – halfway through the current fiscal year – the VMI Foundation has raised $14.7 million in gifts and commitments from alumni and friends. All of this money will go toward ensuring that VMI has the resources it needs to perform the mission given to it by our founders – Crozet, Preston and Smith – in its own time-tested ways. I will be writing to you again in the next issue of the VMI Alumni Review. In the meantime, I thank everyone who has supported the VMI Foundation in its important work on behalf of our beloved Institute.

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Scholarships: A Legacy of Support M

embers of the VMI family have always looked for ways to help the Institute and cadets. In fact, the day after their commencement in 1842, VMI’s first graduates formed what is today’s VMI Alumni Association. About a decade later, alumni began raising money for scholarships for cadets. Since then, giving in support of scholarships – whether by establishing new endowments, donating to existing endowments or, in the case of the VMI Keydet Club, making annual gifts that fund grant-in-aid support for cadet-athletes – has been a popular way (if not the most popular way) for alumni and friends to support VMI. “Throughout my 40 years at the VMI Foundation,” said Warren J. “Buddy” Bryan ’71, VMI Foundation vice president for major gifts, “the popularity of providing for scholarships has never waned.” Asked for the possible reasons for this, Bryan responded, “Many alumni are grateful for their experience at VMI. They’ll tell me – well, they’ll tell just about anyone – that they owe their success in life to VMI. They want to be sure

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that young people can have the same type of formative experience. Also, because the basics of VMI life don’t change much, alumni have a strong bond with cadets and vice versa.” According to Bryan, there is another reason that many alumni focus their philanthropy on scholarships. “Often, a privatelyfunded scholarship was what allowed them to come to VMI or stay at VMI. And out of gratitude, they decide to play the same role in the life of a cadet.” Bryan illustrated that point with the example of the late Robert B. Rust Jr. ’934, whose $14.5 million bequest – the largest such gift ever received by VMI – was earmarked entirely for scholarships. “Mr. Rust was close to leaving VMI because his family lacked the necessary wherewithal, but he was able to stay because of a scholarship established in memory of a cadet who died in the 1880s,” Bryan recalled. “He never forgot that, and he was grateful for it. And Mr. Rust’s example – in which gratitude begat exceptional generosity – is hardly unique.” For Brig. Gen. Jeffrey G. Smith Jr. ’79, deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty, ensuring that financial considerations never prevent a deserving young man or woman from attending VMI is a means to help the Institute accomplish its mission. “The Institute is meant to produce leaders in the professions that are important to the security of the nation and its long-term prosperity. If a prospective cadet, who has the intellectual ability and the aptitude of character to succeed at VMI and, therefore, gain entrance into these professions, is forced by financial concerns to go to another school, that’s a missed opportunity for him or her and a missed opportunity for the nation.” Scholarships awarded on the basis of academic merit also draw support from the VMI family. These scholarships attract candidates with a potential for high academic achievement to VMI and allows the Institute to reward cadets who achieve academic success. According to Smith, the cadets who are awarded meritbased scholarships also “promote the positive development of our academic program.” “Faculty members routinely tell me that these cadets invigorate a classroom and elevate the tenor of discussions within them. They demand more of their professors, which sharpens our faculty’s edge,” he explained. But it’s not just the faculty who benefit from the cadets. “By not being content with restricting their education to the classroom and always looking to broaden their intellectual horizons, they set an example which provokes the broader development of their fellow cadets.” As VMI is one of the smallest colleges playing NCAA sports at the Division I level, the chances are quite good that any cadet you meet participates in one of VMI’s 18 intercollegiate sports, from football, rifle, basketball to swimming. The chances are quite good that the cadet-athlete you meet receives support from an endowed athletic scholarship or from the funds that alumni and friends entrust to the VMI Keydet Club through the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund or team-specific funds that support cadet-athletes associated with one sport. VMI’s director

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VMI Foundation, Inc. of intercollegiate athletics, Dr. Dave Diles, considers such support to be money well spent. “When anyone supports our cadetathletes in this way, he or she is making a wise investment in an extraordinary group of young people who take on the demands common to all cadets and those related to competing at the highest level of college sports. You cannot come away from meeting these young people without being impressed by their ability to balance these demands and excel not only in their chosen sport but also in the classroom and barracks.” Athletic scholarships, according to Diles, are foundational for current intercollegiate programming and the future of VMI’s athletics. “There is a great atmosphere around VMI athletics right now. I believe people recognize that we have coaches and staff committed to serving the broad mission of the Institute and not only focusing on their particular sport or area of responsibility,” said Diles. “Exceptional coaches, who are great teachers and leaders, have instilled a winning spirit in their teams, and most importantly, there is an expectation of success. Without the donors who make annual gifts to the Keydet Club and those who endow scholarships, our coaches would not have the resources required to attract and reward the type of young people who will meet our expectations of excellence in the entirety of the VMI experience.” Whatever their purpose, all scholarships at VMI share one attribute, which is perhaps the most important of all: They provide young people with the opportunity to receive a truly remarkable education that is meant to transform them into honorable, purposeful and capable citizen-soldiers. And it is this that made increasing the money available to VMI for scholarships one of the priorities of An Uncommon Purpose. For more information on scholarships and the campaign, please visit http:// www.vmi.edu/campaign/priorities/ and click “provide opportunity.”

Photos previous page: Whether they are given in support of cadet-athletes or based on financial need or academic merit, scholarships help cadets toward one goal: Achieving a VMI diploma. Photos courtesy VMI.

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Mark J. Hannan ’94

Hannan ’94 Officially, athletic scholarships at VMI and elsewhere are not called “scholarships.” Rather, they are described as “grants-in-aid.” When Mark Hannan ’94 attended VMI on a soccer scholarship (or, if you’re a stickler for detail, grant-in-aid), he did not pay much attention to official definitions, because he saw that support in a different light. “I thought it was important that I treat it as a loan,” he recalled. Recently, Hannan began to repay that loan by becoming a leadership donor to the Keydet Club. During the past few years, he has given to the Team Specific Fund that supports men’s soccer, the recently established Tony Conway ’01 Soccer Scholarship and the Keydet Club Scholarship Fund. Hannan highly values his VMI experience. In fact, he believes it was instrumental to his ability to establish and develop his own commercial construction company, Hannan Construction, in the Atlanta area. As he put it, “VMI provided me the foundation to make the best of my service as an enlisted soldier while I was a cadet and after graduation as an Army officer. My military training and experience, along with my Master of Business Administration, degree provided me with the tools and knowledge

to run a successful business.” Often when it comes to philanthropy at VMI, it takes a personal touch and time to transform a loyal and appreciative alumnus into a donor. Such was Hannan’s case. “About three years ago, Russell Rutter ’94, one of my roommates with whom I played soccer, called to let me know that Coach Doug Bartlett [former VMI lacrosse coach and now vice president of the Keydet Club] had called him about giving to the Keydet Club.” That call came at the right time because, according to Hannan, “I was at a point in my life where I could truly appreciate the lessons I learned as a cadet and the effects they had on my success.” Not long after his discussion with his brother rat and teammate, Bartlett called Hannan. “I simply told him I was committed to giving back to VMI for the scholarship that I received.” To Hannan, supporting cadet-athletes as people once supported him “has been one of the most rewarding things I have done. The scholarship I received made it possible for me to attend VMI.” When asked what he hopes the effects of his philanthropy will be over time, he said, “I hope it will benefit a young person the way it has me, and I hope that they, too, will give back when they are able.”

VMI Alumni Review

VMI Foundation, Inc.

10th and 25th Reunion Classes’ Campaigns Enjoy Success In October 2016, for the first time ever, the brother rats of the classes celebrating their 25th and 10th Reunions did so on the same weekend and presented the initial proceeds of their Reunion Campaigns at the same time. “The tight scheduling of events in Lexington, as well as the fact that there were only four home football games for VMI this year,” explained John J. Wranek III ’85, the VMI Foundation’s vice president for annual and reunion giving, “meant that the 25th Reunion class – the Class of 1991 – shared its reunion weekend with the younger classes, including the Class of 2006, which was celebrating its 10th Reunion.” The change in schedule certainly didn’t seem to disrupt the fundraising efforts of either class. The Class of 1991’s 25th Reunion Campaign attracted gifts and commitments from 144 of 319 brother rats, giving it a participation rate of 45 percent. In terms of financial support, these alumni donated a grand total of $1,174,811, a large portion of which was in the form of immediate gifts. For its part, the Class of 2006 gave an impressive $261,916, beating the goal of $206,000 it had set for its 10th Reunion Campaign. With 104 brother rats making a gift or commitment, the class also set an equally impressive 32 percent participation rate. The vast majority of these proceeds came in the form of immediate support of the Institute. “As is always the case with these efforts, both reunion campaigns enjoyed these results thanks to the combination of alumni loyalty and strong leadership,” said Wranek. “I am pleased, too, that both classes’ giving focused on making immediate gifts to VMI.” Wranek also noted that these results are preliminary. “While the presentation of these initial proceeds is an important moment in the lives of these Reunion Campaigns, they will continue their work until , 2016.” “Reunion campaigns always help focus classes on the importance of private support to VMI and so often spark some impressive giving. Over the past several years, these efforts have taken place during An Uncommon Purpose: A Glorious Past, A Brilliant Future: The Campaign for VMI, which has inspired the impressive successes of many reunion campaigns,” said Wranek. “The Class of 1991 and the Class of 2006 turned in great efforts, and the VMI family owes them thanks for the generosity they displayed.”

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Class of 1991: During the reunion parade, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent, far right, displayed the Class of 1991’s gift to the crowd at the reunion parade. Frederick J. Lehman ’91, Reunion Campaign chairman; Daniel S. Joseph ’91, class president; Marshall W. Bridges ’91, class vice president; and Robert F. Cole ’91, class historian, made the presentation. Robert P. Louthan ’82, president of the VMI Alumni Association, far left, accepted on behalf of the VMI Alumni Agencies.

Class of 2006: William Collier ’06, chairman of the Reunion Campaign Committee; Shawn L. Driver ’06, class agent; and Steve N. Parsons, a Reunion Campaign Committee member presented the Class of 2006’s gift to Peay. Louthan, far left, accepted the gift on behalf of the VMI Alumni Agencies.

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The Keydet Club Keydet Club Hosts 2016 Scholarship Awards Banquet The VMI Keydet Club hosted a crowd of more than 725 VMI cadet-athletes, parents, endowed scholarship donors, annual full scholarship donors, fund representatives, coaches and VMI administrators in Crozet Hall for the Annual Scholarship Awards Banquet Oct.8, 2016. Cadet Andrew Lewis ’17, a biology major and offensive lineman for the Keydet football team, gave a cadet welcome and dinner blessing to begin the night. In addition to recognizing all the cadet-athletes and fund representatives who were present, the highlights of the evening included acknowledging Cadet Luke Phillips ’17, a member of the track and field team who was named the No. 1 ranked ROTC cadet out of over 5,200 ROTC cadets across the country, and the awarding of the 2016 VMI Keydet Club Three-Legged Stool Award winner to this year’s recipient, Cadet Al Cobb ’17, a biology major and the record-setting quarterback on the VMI football team. This was the 10th year the annual event has been held in Crozet Hall in conjunction with Parents Weekend. It gives VMI and the Keydet Club an opportunity to bring back many of the generous donors and scholarship

fund representatives to meet with the cadet-athletes who are the beneficiaries of their support and generosity, and more meaningfully, it gives the cadets (and their parents) a chance to take a glimpse of what their futures hold as alumni of the Virginia Military Institute. Guest speakers over the years have included Coach Bobby Ross ’59, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, Gil Minor ’63, Coach Donny White ’65, Bill Paulette ’69, Jerry Acuff ’71, Darryl Horne ’82, Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins ’85, Peter Tunard ’90, Lewis Preston ’92, Thomas Haskins ’97, Richard Daughtridge ’98 and Willie Lyles ’02. The 2017 guest speaker will be Keith Gabriel ’12, former VMI basketball player. Because of the increasing importance of scholarship endowment, the Keydet Club has grown the number of endowed scholarships from 49 in 2000 to 171 in 2016. Today, the endowment for athletics at VMI is approximately $62 million. For more information on the 2017 banquet or on how to join in the effort to support VMI’s cadet-athletes, please contact the Keydet Club at 800-444-1839 or visit the Keydet Club’s website at http://www.vmi. edu/keydet-club/.

Cadet Ryan Clark ’20; Al Fiorini ’64, fund representative; and Cadet J.C. Garvin ’16.

Mother Carmen Morrison with daughter Cadet Kaitlyn Morrison ’18.

Rich Atlee ’66, left, and Gen. John Jumper ’66, scholarship donors.

From left, Cadet Rohan Martin ’20, Dr. Bland Massie ’77 and Cadet Sawaar Canady ’20.

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3. 5. 1. From left, Scott Wachenheim, head football coach; Cadet Al Cobb ’17; and Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI superintendent. 2. Parents Seth and Victoria Agyepong-Wiafe with daughter Cadet Yaa Agyepong-Wiafe ’18. 3. The Scholarship Banquet crowd. 4. Brother rats Richard Hewitt ’83, left, and Lynn Seldon ’83. 5. From left, Cathy Daniel; Cadet John Daniel ’20; Wade Williams, former VMI track coach; and Matt Daniel ’85.

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The Keydet Club

Birzenieks ’64 and Keydet Club Host Second Annual Welcome Back Roundball Barbecue The Keydet Club has collaborated for the second straight year with hosts Jane and Buzz Birzenieks ’64 in welcoming back the VMI basketball team to the start of an exciting new school year at VMI. The event took place again this year at the Birzenieks’ home off Blue Grass Trail in Rockbridge County. About 85 local VMI basketball enthusiasts, members of the 2016-17 VMI basketball team and coaching staff attended the barbecue catered by Foothill Momma’s BBQ Juke Joint. “We love seeing these fine young men and coaches being able to relax and enjoy getting to know many of the die-hard basketball fans who support all they are doing. It was evident that Coach Dan Earle and his staff are doing a great job and that the players have settled in following last year’s transition. The guys seemed to really have had fun and their fans thoroughly enjoyed them,” noted Birzenieks, president of the Keydet Club Board of Governors. Earle remarked, “Thanks so much to Buzz and Jane Birzenieks for our welcome back basketball barbecue. It is always nice to see so many friendly faces and have both a fun and relaxing evening. We appreciate all of their hospitality and support!”

Keydet Club Leadership Levels to Increase in FY ’18 The Keydet Club Board of Governors recently voted to increase the membership gift requirement levels effective in FY ’18 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018). Membership levels have not changed in many years, since the average of the in-state and out-of-state scholarship cost increased from around $20,000 per year in 2005 to over $38,600 today. The Campaign for VMI continues through FY ’17, and all those who love VMI athletics are asked to consider making a 5-year pledge. In appreciation of the generous Keydet Club Leadership members who have made a pledge for the campaign, and for those who make a pledge before the end of FY ’17, they will be “grandfathered” for the duration of their pledge at the current gift levels. Pledges allow the Keydet Club and VMI to more accurately forecast future funding projections and ensure we are able to cover the 4-year scholarship commitments made by our coaches to the VMI cadet-athletes. Greg Cavallaro ’84, Keydet Club chief executive officer; Donnie Ross ’74, Keydet Club vice president; Doug Bartlett, Keydet Club vice president; Andrew Deal ’12, Keydet Club assistant vice president; and Avis Slagle, Keydet Club office manager, will assist you with any questions you may have by calling (800) 444-1839.

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FY ’17 Gift Levels (and for those with open or new 5-year pledges before July 1, 2017)

New Gift Levels Starting July 1, 2017 (FY ’18)

$36,000 Out-of-State Full Scholarship $45,000 $18,000 In-State Full Scholarship $25,000 $12,000 Scholarship $15,000 $7,000 Sportsmen $8,000 $5,000 Spirit $6,000 $3,000 Flying Squadron $4,000 $1,875 Lettermen $2,500 $1,000 Big Red $1,500

Editor’s Note: Unless stated otherwise, the articles and photos in the Keydet Club section of the Alumni Review are provided by the Keydet Club.

VMI Alumni Review