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Gallagher ’90 Becomes Assistant Adjutant General for Army Strategic Initiatives Brig. Gen. K. Weedon Gallagher ’90 assumed the position of Virginia National Guard assistant adjutant general for Army Strategic Initiatives Nov. 1, 2018. Gallagher graduated and was commissioned from VMI in 1991, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. His military education includes the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced courses, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Senior Transportation Officer Qualification Course and the Theater Sustainment Course. He graduated from the Army War College in 2014, Joint and Combined Warfighting School in 2015 and the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government’s Leadership in Homeland Security program in 2017. He completed U.S. Northern Command training and certification as a dual status commander in 2018. Gallagher has held command and staff positions in the Maryland and Virginia Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve. He served as a platoon leader in the 330th Engineer Battalion (Heavy) and the 299th Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge company). Gallagher then transferred to the 121st Engineer Battalion (Mechanized), serving on the battalion staff as the assistant S3 for plans and the assistant S3 for operations before being selected to command Company B. On leaving company command, he deployed to Afghanistan as the chief of design, Bagram Airfield, with Facility Engineer Team 28, 416th Theater Engineer Command. Following this deployment, he served on division staff as the training officer for Joint Force Headquarters, then returned to the 121st Engineer Battalion as the battalion executive officer and the operations officer. He then served on the brigade staff as the assistant operations officer, 58th Troop Command. Gallagher returned to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Afghanistan Engineer District, as the Kandahar area officer in charge. Upon his return, he was selected for battalion command of the 1297th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, and deployed his battalion to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Following battalion command, he served in division staff assignments as the chief of the training management assistance team, G3; division engineer; and chief of protection/officer-in-charge
of the Domestic All-Hazards Response Team-East, 29th Infantry Division (Light). Gallagher then commanded the 329th Regional Support Group. Gallagher’s awards and commendations include: The Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with one Silver Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with one Silver Leaf Cluster and two Oak Leaf Clusters, Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (2), National Defense Service Medal (Bronze Service Stars), Armed Forces Reserve Medal (Silver HG, M and 3), Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal (International Support Afghanistan Freedom), Combat Action Badge, Army Parachustist Badge, Bronze Order of the DeFleury Medal, Samuel Sharpe Award, Ancient Order of Saint Christopher Medal and the Honorable Order of Saint Martin Medal. Gallagher works full time as the owner of a small business specializing in facility management and electrical systems installations. He and his wife of more than 23 years, Anne Gallagher (Shaheen), have three sons: Connor – a U.S. Army second lieutenant, Kirby and Tynan.
Brig. Gen. Weedon Gallagher ’90 at his promotion ceremony Dec. 1, 2018. Photo courtesy Virginia Guard Public Affairs.
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December 2018
Thornton ’98: “Something Truly Priceless” By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer, Alumni Agencies For Andre W. Thornton ’98, the first step along the path to becoming a VMI cadet was somewhat humdrum: He opened an envelope. An envelope that contained a recruiting letter from the coaching staff of VMI’s football team. Thornton, who played defensive back on the football team of Monacan High School in Chesterfield County, Virginia, did not know much about VMI. So, he asked a few people, especially people who had been mentors to him, about the Institute. What he heard, he liked. “Overwhelmingly, everyone came back with, ‘Wow, VMI!’” Certainly, the prospect of playing football at Division I school that many admired was attractive – and Thornton went on to be a four-year starter at defensive back – but, even in high school, he was already thinking about life after football and college. So, what tilted the balance in the Institute’s favor was its academics. “What sold me on VMI throughout the recruiting process,” he recalled, “was the engineering program.” As a cadet, Thornton majored in mechanical engineering. The program lived up to his initial expectations and gave him the professional knowledge to succeed as an engineer. It also provided him with a way forward in business. “Engineering is about solving problems, and the methods by which engineers solve problems can be used with great effect in the business world.” But Thornton drew much more from his cadet experience. As he puts it, “It wasn’t just the classroom lessons but also the life lessons.” To him, the notion that the Rat Line is meant to tear down cadets and then build them back up was one that he did not at first comprehend. “When you’re a rat, it just seems like a reason people give so
they can make it harder.” Over time, he began to see the value in VMI’s approach. “I went through the entire process, [and] I found myself stepping up and pushing through challenging times, time after time after time,” Thornton said. “You realize that you can accomplish more and more and, through that realization, you build more and more confidence in what you can accomplish.” Thornton says that VMI prepares its graduates to embark on their chosen paths in a different way from most other colleges. “You’re ready to catapult rather than just walk into the world.” His professional experience bears this out. A month after graduation, Thornton was working for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics as an operations engineer, leading a project to implement the use of 3D simulation technology in production operations. His work earned him an award from the company and recognition as one of the Most Promising Engineers at the National Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference. After 13 months as an executive assistant in the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics’ executive office, he became a project manager for F-35 Lightning production operations and earned another corporate award. From December 2004 to November 2007, he was a project manager concerned with the development of the F-22 Raptor and collected another award from Lockheed Martin. Along the way, he somehow found the time to earn a Master of Business Administration degree in 2006 from Georgia State University. For the next seven years, Thornton took on positions of increasing responsibility within the corporation – responsibility that included leading thousands of employees and capturing
business worth more than $1 billion. In June 2014, he took a new professional direction, moving into leadership development. At that time, he took over the technical leadership programs at Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Solutions and revamped how the corporation executed those programs and developed its leaders in the STEM fields. Two years later, he took the bold step of founding his own company, Whitman Consulting (the name is his middle name and a tribute to his paternal grandparents who were a great influence on him). Asked what need he set out to meet, Thornton replied, “Many people are not feeling fulfilled by their work, and, because of that, many organizations are having a difficult time engaging and retaining employees. My solution to both problems is what I call purpose-driven leadership. There is a powerful relationship between fulfilling the purpose people want and delivering the performance companies need. Take me, for instance. I’m in business but my purpose is to help people fulfill their full potential and that results in their companies performing better.” Thornton pointed to several studies that show that purpose-driven companies outperform more traditional ones. It follows therefore that these companies are looking to develop their own purpose-driven leaders. Asked what the essence of purpose-driven leadership is, Thornton replied, “Inspiration. When people are inspired, they grow and make surprising contributions to their organizations.” To teach purpose-driven leadership, Thornton devised an experiential learning framework that provides management skills and teaches leaders how to tap into the underlying values,
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beliefs and talents of themselves and others to motivate everyone to achieve at their highest level. He calls it, The 7 Steps to Significant Leadership Impact™ and describes it as “inspirational, science-based and something that can be scaled to reach all employees in an organization.” Thornton has a special focus on that generation known popularly as Millennials. These still relatively young people are, as Thornton sees it, the emerging generation of leaders who are, as he puts it, “looking for purpose” in their careers. “They demand to be inspired and to learn how to inspire others.” Thornton cites a study by the consulting firm PwC that found that Millennials who have a strong connection to their organization’s purpose are 5.3 times more likely to stay with it. “Successful organizations which embrace this will experience the full extent of value this generation offers. My goal is to help them do so.” Whomever he is training at the many companies on his client list – which includes Microsoft and SunTrust Bank – Thornton applies what he learned about leadership as a cadet. “VMI provided my foundation in leadership. Every day on Post presented opportunities to dig down to inspire myself and find ways to inspire others to get things done. The mindset, trust and accountability required at VMI are all part of the program I use to develop leaders.” Service is another important aspect of Thornton’s life. He currently serves as a founding board member of the Promaji Alumni Impact nonprofit, is chairman of the board for the nonprofit Excel to Excellence, Inc., and founder of the Unified Need for Courageous Leadership and Empowerment Mentoring Program. His prior activities have included founding the New Employee Opportunity Network and National Society for Black Engineers LM Aero Alumni Extension at Lockheed Martin. He has also devoted considerable
time to VMI. Besides being a member of the VMI Keydet Club Board of Governors and the second vice president of the VMI Alumni Association’s Maryland Chapter, he has often spoken at VMI-related events on and off post. He does this in part because of the value of his connections with the Institute and other alumni. “Throughout your career, throughout your life, you’ll see the experience as tremendously valuable. And, if you don’t keep up that connection, you are really doing yourself a disservice.” Grover C. Outland III ’81, the former chairman of the VMI Alumni Association’s Career Networking Committee, said of Thornton’s support of VMI and its cadets, “Andre continuously makes himself available to mentor both cadets and alumni and participates in many events. And I am glad he does because he is a great example to cadets and alumni alike. A former standout football player with a strong academic record as a mechanical engineering major, he had a success-
ful 18-year career at Lockheed Martin during which he took on one of the most serious challenges in any organization: Developing leaders. He now is taking those lessons to a broader audience and helping corporations and organizations improve their engagement with their Generation Z and Millennial employees. When he speaks, therefore, he does so with authority.” He also does so persuasively. Outland recalls one of the many VMI alumni events at which Thornton spoke, the October 2017 Cadet-Alumni Career Networking Forum at Marshall Hall. “He delivered a heartfelt talk that greatly moved the cadets and alumni volunteers present. You could have heard a pin drop.” Asked what he hopes cadets take away from meeting those who were in barracks before them, Thornton replied, “I want them to know that VMI is the development ground for extraordinary leaders and coming back to share with them how the VMI experience shaped me is the best way to do it.”
Andre Thornton ’98 addresses cadets attending the Career Networking Forum Oct. 14, 2017, in Marshall Hall. VMI photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.
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Heroism, Resilience and Sacrifice on Display By Maj. John Robertson IV, VMI Communications & Marketings A new exhibit in the VMI Museum tells the remarkable stories of VMI alumni who fought in Vietnam through the objects they brought out of the jungle, including an American flag improvised at the Hanoi Hilton, a handmade Viet Cong rifle and an X-ray of a 40mm grenade lodged in a man’s back. More than 3,800 VMI alumni served in Vietnam, and a handful of those alumni entrusted the VMI Museum with objects that tell their story. Perhaps the most meaningful artifact in the exhibit came from James Berger ’61, who was imprisoned in North Vietnam from 1966-74. With a red polo shirt, a white handkerchief and a scrap of a blue sweater, Berger created a symbolic American flag that could be assembled and disassembled to prevent its discovery. “This is one of the most incredible artifacts in our collection of 30,000 pieces,” said Col. Keith Gibson ’77, director of the VMI Museum System. “Every morning, when he assembled those objects, he would recite the Pledge of Allegiance and think of his wife and everything he left back home.” Berger’s flag rests among other objects he made during his long imprisonment – and among objects issued by his captors. “I was sorting through these with Jim Berger before he died two years ago, and I asked him, ‘Well, I see on here it says tù 4518. What does tù mean?’ He looked at me and said, ‘tù means prisoner.’ Well, that’s the whole story – tù means prisoner,” said Gibson. The Vietnamese term for prisoner of war is tù binh. While many objects in the exhibit reflect the stories of VMI alumni who graduated in the early 1960s, others were brought home by an older generation – soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who had already fought two wars by the time the Vietnam War began. Among those alumni was Air Force physician James Humphreys ’35, who came across a Vietnamese civilian with a 40mm grenade lodged in his back. While other surgeons were unwilling to operate because of the risk of the grenade exploding, Humphrey constructed a sandbag bunker around the patient and removed the grenade. Newsreel footage of the surgery plays on a screen and complements artifacts from the incident, including an X-ray of the civilian’s back and Humphrey’s Air Force fatigue jacket. Those screens also show the 1st Class portraits of VMI alumni featured throughout the exhibit. “Here’s the important thing: That’s Dr. Humphreys not as Maj. Gen. Humphreys, but as 1st Class Cadet Humphreys. You see that’s the connection with today’s Corps of Cadets,” said Gibson. Other objects, like the flight helmet worn by Mike Bissell ’61, reflect extraordinary acts of courage. Bissell flew his Huey into heavy fire three times to rescue a severely wounded American military adviser. Bissell was hit in the neck and his crew chief killed, but they lifted off from the third attempt,
crash landed at the nearest medevac pad and saved the adviser’s life. “He is awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which is second only to the Medal of Honor,” said Gibson. “This helmet was a participant in that moment of Mike Bissell’s life.” Another corner of the exhibit showcases weaponry used by both sides in the conflict. A profoundly rustic jungle-made Viet Cong rifle stands in stark contrast near an M16. “It says something about the resources available to them, but also their resourcefulness,” said Gibson. “They were a very determined people to have been fashioning things like that to go up against an M16.” Many other unique objects with their own stories round out the exhibit – an North Vietnamese Army boonie hat captured by then-1st Lt. Jim Joyner ’67, boots still covered in the dust of the combat zone brought back by Russell Proctor III ’65, a model of Philip Gioia ’67 wearing tiger stripe jungle fatigues, and a Virginia flag that George Barton IV ’66 carried with him through three campaigns – all fragments of alumni experiences in the war. The exhibit is the product of weeks of sustained work by Gibson and his staff, including cadet assistants Cadets Zachary Shaffer ’20 and Patrick Layman ’19. “These are all Vietnam artifacts that alumni picked up off the ground and brought back – sandals and Viet Cong gear,” said Layman. “It really allows you to go back in history and touch the past.” Photo: The pieces of cloth Jim Berger ’61 used to assemble an American flag are on display in the VMI museum, along with other items from his imprisonment in North Vietnam. VMI photo by Kelly Nye. Editor’s Note: This article was first published by VMI Communications & Marketing.
The pieces of cloth Jim Berger ’61 used to assemble an American flag are on display in the VMI museum, along with other items from his imprisonment in North Vietnam. VMI photo by Kelly Nye.
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Inman ’86 to Speak at December Graduation Col. Jamie Inman ’86, chief of staff, will be the speaker at the December graduation ceremony at Virginia Military Institute, to be held Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m. in Jackson Memorial Hall on the VMI post. This event is open to the public, and no tickets are required. The joint commissioning ceremony for December graduates will be held Tuesday, Dec. 18, at 5 p.m. in Jackson Memorial Hall. As chief of staff, Inman is responsible for coordinating the actions of the Institute’s primary staff officers and ensuring integration of all organizational and post operations, events and issues. He serves as chair of the Institute Planning Committee, composed of senior VMI executives who develop policy guidance and provide advice to the superintendent. A native of Trenton, Tennessee, Inman received a bachelor’s degree in English from VMI. He also holds two master’s degrees: One in liberal arts from Louisiana State University and another in national security strategy from the National Defense University. Inman’s military education includes the Command and General Staff College
and the National War College. His most recent assignment prior to retirement was as commander of the National Capitol Region Warrior Transition Brigade. In this capacity he was responsible for all wounded, ill, and injured soldiers in the region. Before that assignment, he served combat duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Desert Shield/Storm. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart. Those attending the December graduation ceremony should be aware that due to space constraints and security reasons, coolers, backpacks and baskets will not be allowed. Strollers must be able to be folded and placed out of the aisles. All carry-in items are subject to search at the door. The superintendent will host a light reception for all graduates and family and friends in Moody Hall immediately following the ceremony in Jackson Memorial Hall. The doors to Jackson Memorial Hall will open at 9:30 a.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, so attendees should arrive early to have a choice of seats. Family members and guests should be seated by 10:45 a.m. Printed programs will be available at the entrances to the seating area. Parking on post will be in parking lots and in designated parking spots along streets. Parking on the Parade Ground will be dependent upon weather. On the morning of Dec. 19, the area in front of barracks will be closed to traffic until the conclusion of the commencement ceremony. Vehicles will be allowed in that area afterward to allow cadets to move their belongings out of barracks. Christmas furlough for non-graduating cadets will begin at the completion of academic duty that same day, Wednesday, Dec. 19.
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GRIT: Growth, Resilience, Integrity and Tenacity By Ashlie Walter, VMI Communications & Marketing GRIT, as defined by VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics, is exemplified by the virtues of growth, resilience, integrity and tenacity. These attributes are embodied by the many speakers featured during the CLE’s annual Leadership Conference in Marshall Hall Oct. 29-30, 2018. The conference drew students and faculty from institutions across the state and the nation, including Texas A&M University, Hampton University and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Bill Bennett, the conference’s keynote speaker, opened the conference by reflecting on his time in the federal government under Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He compared their character with that of our current president. “The times call for different types of characters and different types of grit. Sometimes in America you need Mother Theresa, sometimes you need Dirty Harry,” Bennett said. Bennett served as the third U.S. Secretary of Education from 1985-88 under Reagan. In the following administration, Bennett accepted the position of director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, also known as the nation’s first “drug czar,” under former President George H. W. Bush, whom Bennett described as the “kindest, most considerate boss.” The resilience and growth aspects of GRIT were showcased in a panel with community leaders in Newtown, Connecticut, who witnessed the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting Dec. 14, 2012. The mass shooting killed 20 children and six adults and brought a town of approximately 28,000 people together. Pat Llodra was the first selectman, similar to a town mayor, of Newtown at the time of the shooting. She said she wanted to convey to the audience how a community can have grit. “How a community of 27,000, I think it’s 28,000 now, was able to, individually and collectively represent in their daily choices that ‘yes, we won’t be defined by this horrible tragedy. We won’t forget it, but tragedy won’t define us,’” she said. Nancy Crevier, a features reporter at the time of the shooting and now an editor at the Newtown weekly newspaper, The Newtown Bee, said the tragedy showed the ability of every individual to help. “One of the things is the ability of ordinary people to do extraordinary things when you don’t expect a challenge, which is what we did as a community newspaper,” Crevier said. All panelists noted a large religious population in the town which was served in part by Monsignor Robert Weiss, a pastor at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church. Weiss said he remembered putting tags on Christmas presents in the church’s attic when he got the call about the shooting. “I was brought into an intimate part of this tragedy, meeting with families and planning funerals,” he said.
Almost immediately after, a threat was made against St. Rose church and Weiss recalled the church being under constant SWAT team surveillance while holding funerals for the children. Llodra noted there are two events after a tragedy happens: The response and the recovery. Neighboring towns stepped up to offer support, even another school for the children to attend because they could not go back to Sandy Hook. Donations flooded in from across the world, including 650,000 stuffed animals for the survivors. Counseling was another part of the recovery process and Weiss encouraged not only the survivors to pursue help but also the volunteers and workers during that experience. “Don’t be too proud to get help, you are of no help if you don’t get help yourself,” he said. Helping yourself before others was another theme in one of the six breakout sessions that followed the panel. One of the panelists, Ryan Glynn ’96 played for VMI’s baseball team while a cadet at VMI and then went on to play for the minor and Major League Baseball as well as on the international field. Glynn said he struggled during his first few years at VMI with academics. “[Baseball] was my medicine at VMI, it kept me sane,” he said. He met internal challenges head-on while traveling back and forth from Calgary, Canada, to Indianapolis to play for two baseball teams. His constant lesson was to take care of himself first. “You need to build yourself up before anything else,” he said. Meanwhile, Elise Reed ’15 spoke on the challenges of being a Mixed Martial Arts fighter at her petite size and the grit that kept her going. “The grit is where there is no instant gratification,” she said. “The tougher challenges are mental.” At 25 years old, Reed is a combat veteran, owns an MMA school and has plans for getting into professional MMA fighting. Other VMI alumni speakers included Will Lyles ’02, a college baseball player, U.S. Army veteran and double amputee, as well as retired Lt. Gen. Carl Strock ’70, former commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a VMI Board of Visitors member. Several conference speakers chose to tell their stories of grit by sharing profiles of the people surrounding them who made their journeys or successes possible. Participants heard from Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha, who was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He was presented the Medal of Honor in 2013 for actions Oct. 3, 2009, during a firefight at Combat Outpost Keating in northeastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province. Romesha spoke of the members of Red Platoon with candor and honesty, portraying them as the imperfect human beings they were, rather than some comic book heroes. Said Romesha, “More than
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anything else, it was love for each other and not any desire to kill the enemy that allowed our band of 50 men to hold our positions against a force of 300.” The next morning, several cadets and a few faculty involved in the CLE’s Leadership Book program attended a breakfast with Romesha where they, having read his memoir “Red Platoon,” could ask more personalized questions about his experiences. “Facilitating these kinds of meaningful experiences, especially with high profile individuals like Clint Romesha, are what we strive to coordinate for our cadets,” said Col. Pat Looney, CLE deputy director. Likewise, James Hatch – closing speaker, former Navy Seal, author of “Touching the Dragon” and founder of Spike’s K-9 Fund – credited the courage of law enforcement officials who responded to his wife’s 911 call for help when she found him with a gun at his mouth in their backyard one evening. “At that point, I felt like I had become a liability, and I just didn’t know what else to do,” he explained. Arriving on the scene, officers skillfully distracted Hatch and got him talking about baseball to diffuse the situation. During rehab, he realized that his work with military dogs might be of use to their unit, and they graciously allowed him to share his skills and knowledge with them. These acts of kindness gave Hatch a means for giving back which eventually grew into a new purpose in life. As a result, he founded Spike’s K-9 Fund, which now operates in 43
states. Expressing gratitude for the collective intervention of family, friends, skilled law enforcement officials and mental health professionals, he told the audience, “Never underestimate your ability to affect the trajectory of someone’s life, especially when they are at their most vulnerable.” He added, “Great leaders are compassionate.” Hatch’s talk was followed by a book signing where many took the opportunity to pose for pictures with him and his service dog, Mina. In addition to the plenary speakers and breakout sessions, cadets and other guests participated in several interactive exercises to provide different learning experiences. These included a physical “GRIT check” held at VMI’s Corps Physical Training Facility, a post-wide GRIT search which allowed guests to learn more about VMI and its leaders and a series of self-assessment exercises led by cadet facilitators. “We wanted to up the ante on the kinds of engagement experiences our audience would have for this year’s conference,” explained Maj. Kim Connolly, CLE assistant director for conference planning and programs. She continued, “This conference had a lot of moving parts from the logistics of getting everyone down to the CPTF and across post for the GRIT search, to the research and cadet facilitator training that went into conducting the GRIT Café. We feel it was well worth it for the kinds of experiences and engagement opportunities it afforded our guests this year.”
Cadet Participates in Navy Project at Johns Hopkins By Ashlie Walter, VMI Communications & Marketing For Cadet Demetra Protogyrou ’19, the skills she minimizing, essentially how to maximize profit,” she learned in VMI’s applied mathematics department alsaid. lowed her to pursue a summer internship with Johns For example, if a company wants to start a new line Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. of cookies, it first has to look at the cost of supplies Her work, which started July and ended right before versus the perceived profit and if it is worth the investthe fall semester, involved analyzing missile targets and ment, Protogyrou said. how far apart missiles could be from each other. Many of the classes she’s taken at VMI, such as linear “I learned that school and industry are two different programming and operational research, helped prepare things. You learn to program the basics, and in industry, her for the work she did at Johns Hopkins. they use every shortcut possible. Especially when I was While working at the physics lab, Protogyrou conreading code, and I realized it was already in the pronected with two VMI alumni, Paige Nardazzo ’14 and gram. It was different in a sense,” she said. Graham Martin ’16, who showed her different career Protogyrou was introduced to the internship after Protogyrou ’19 paths into research. attending an alumni meet and greet last year on post Nardazzo attended graduate school before working at where she met Jack Keene ’81, who works with the physics lab the physics lab, while Martin went to work at the lab right after and was looking for interns. graduation. The internship helped her learn that research was a field she “They taught me a lot about life coming from VMI and the wanted to pursue as a career. preparation we have. They were different majors but awesome “It made me realize how much I like research. My biggest to be around that you don’t necessarily get every day here,” thing is operational research; just the idea of maximizing and Protogyrou said.
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Cadet Facilitators Share Perspectives on Leadership Conference By Mary Price, VMI Communications & Marketing
At the end of October, VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics hosted its 2018 leadership conference, “Grit and the American Character.” The annual event attracted approximately 200 people to post – and it wouldn’t have been a success without the 25 cadet facilitators, each of whom led the discussion for those seated at their table. Cadet facilitators were selected by their department heads as being the “best and brightest” to represent VMI, noted Col. Pat Looney, deputy director of the Center for Leadership and Ethics. An additional 120 cadets attended the conference as participants. “I’ve been on both sides of the table,” said Corris “Corey” Atkins ’18, explaining that he’s been both a participant and a facilitator at past conferences. Atkins, a civil engineering major, said that he enjoys the stimulation of meeting new people and helping strangers coalesce into a working unit. “There’ll be people at my table I won’t meet until the morning of [the conference] and then I’m with them for two days straight,” he said at a preparatory meeting in mid-October. “You’ve got to find their weaknesses and strengths and bring the whole group together.” Atkins said he was particularly looking forward to meeting cadets from other military schools, among them Texas A&M, The Citadel and the Coast Guard Academy. Other attendees included students from Virginia’s military high schools, such
Col. Pat Looney, deputy director of the Center for Leadership and Ethics, instructs cadet facilitators in the Corps Physical Training Facility before the Leadership Conference. VMI photo by Kelly Nye.
as Hargrave Military Academy and Massanutten Military Academy. “People come to VMI for a reason from the outside,” Atkins commented. “I like to get to know why people are coming to VMI to learn about us and the way we do things around here.” Preparing for the conference, Atkins was cognizant of the fact that a predominantly military background for most attendees will bring a unique set of challenges. “There’s a lot of Type A personalities, so it’s going to be a little tough,” said Atkins. “But it should be a good experience.” Like Atkins, Ola Ekundayo ’19 has been a leadership conference facilitator before. “We’re actually engaging in challenging conversations,” she noted. “It’s not just a discussion about whether we think this process or this rule is fine. It’s questions about society, thinking critically and getting to share our perspectives.” Ekundayo said she’d be inviting the attendees seated at her table to discuss several aspects of grit, which for the purposes of the leadership conference was an acronym standing for growth, resolve, integrity and tenacity. Among the aspects she planned to bring up were the definition of grit, how that definition is manifested in an individual’s daily life, how an individual can develop grit and whether the military is the only place that requires grit. “I’m the facilitator, so I get to learn more, probably, than anyone at the table,” she noted. In the past, Ekundayo relished getting to interact with people from all walks of life at the leadership conference – and that’s one of the reasons she keeps coming back. “I’ve talked to people from cadets to diplomats,” she noted. A computer science major, Ekundayo has also enjoyed the chance to meet others whose academic backgrounds are very different from hers. “That’s one thing I love about VMI,” she said. “There’s so many opportunities to get outside of your major, and they actually encourage you [to do so]. I think for my major, or anything technical or STEM, you have to know the broader impact of what you’re doing.” In addition to leading table discussions, the Leadership Conference’s cadet facilitators also led their groups through a series of training exercises in the Corps Physical Training Facility that included obstacle courses as well as climbing the cargo net and the rock wall, with the goal of helping attendees develop their own perspective on grit.
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Martin ’20, Thornton ’21 and Smith ’21 Named Second Team All-SoCon Football Eight VMI football cadet-athletes were honored on the Southern Conference postseason teams as announced by the league in late November 2018. Selected to the All-Southern Conference second team as selected by the media were Cadets Kris Thornton ’21 (Manassas, Virginia), wide receiver, and A.J. Smith ’21 (Virginia Beach, Virginia), defensive back. Cadet Rohan Martin ’20 (Stafford, Virginia), return specialist, was named second team All-Conference by the coaches. Five rats – Cadets Marshall Gill ’22, offensive lineman; Jakob Herres ’22, wide receiver; Brett Howell ’22, linebacker; Ethan
Caselberry ’22, defensive back; and Colin Loftis ’21, defensive back – were all named to the all-freshman teams as selected by the SoCon coaches. VMI had the most representatives of any SoCon school on the all-freshman squads. Thornton set a new VMI single season record with 87 catches and was second in the league with 7.9 catches per game and third in receiving yards with 90.7 per game. Smith co-led the team in tackles with Cadet Elliott Brewster ’20, linebacker, with 90 total tackles and also led in solo hits with 55. Martin averaged 15.9 yards per punt return in 2018. For more, visit www.soconsports.com.
From left, Martin ’20, Smith ’21 and Thornton ’21. Photos courtesy Randy Wolf Photography.
Every Cadet an Athlete By Mary Price, VMI Communications & Marketing
They run, swim, lift and play nearly every sport imaginable – yet their accomplishments won’t be touted on the sports pages of newspapers, and their competitions are often off post, which gives them even less visibility. But fans of VMI club sports are noting club athletes’ successes. Dozens of club sport teams are succeeding in competitions across the region, and those hosting events on post, including rugby and powerlifting, are drawing crowds. As of mid-October, many sports were getting into the swing of the season, with meets and tournaments scheduled for most weekends.
Traditionally a spring sport, club lacrosse plays in the fall as well, although games played before the official start of the season in mid-February don’t count toward team rankings. Earlier this fall, the club lacrosse team traveled to the University of Maryland, where they won one game and lost two. “We lost to the University of Maryland, which is a really big school,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Faust ’96, who is in his second year as the team’s coach. This past spring, Faust was honored as best first-year coach after leading his team to the National College Lacrosse League championships. This year, Faust is rebuilding his team after losing approximately
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December 2018
a dozen cadets to graduation in May. About five rats have been playing once a week with the team – the maximum they’re allowed to practice while still in the Rat Line – and Faust sees potential in the newcomers. “There’s a number of rats that look pretty good,” he noted, adding that the popularity of lacrosse among middle and high school students makes for seasoned players at the college level. “Some of these kids bring a lot of experience.” While many club athletes have experience competing in their sports, others are developing an aptitude for sports they hadn’t played in the past. “You can identify kids who come here and didn’t know they had that talent,” said Rubenstein. The running club, led by head coach Col. L.E. Hurlbut, has a membership of about 60 cadets and welcomes cadet runners of all experience levels. Cadet runners are likewise off to a strong start this academic year, competing in races ranging from 5Ks to ultramarathons. With so many athletes in the club, Hurlbut has help keeping them on track to meet their individual goals. Assistant running club coaches Sean Cook and Maj. John Robertson IV aid Hurlbut in making sure each cadet gets the individual
attention he or she needs. Club sports athletes have time set aside for practice three times a week, and Running Club cadets, in addition to participating in Tuesday and Thursday afternoon practices, hit the track every Wednesday morning before sunrise. “John just takes them down to the track and runs the snot out of them, and they love it,” said Hurlbut. All that practice is paying off, with VMI runners traveling throughout the state this fall and taking part in several races, including the Hokie Half Marathon in Blacksburg, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., and the Chessie Trail races held just downriver from post. Since cadet runners – like many club sports athletes – compete in events open to the general public, they also serve as ambassadors for the Institute, often interacting with and competing against VMI alumni. “It’s just awesome to be out there representing the Institute at all of these athletic events,” said Hurlbut. The triathlon club is also off to a good start this year, according to Sue Hilss, now in her fifth year as coach. The collegiate triathlon season runs primarily in September and October, she explained, with collegiate nationals taking place in the spring. But because triathlon is an endurance sport, consisting of running, biking and swimming, club members practice year-round. The club has 20 members this year, up from 14 last year. The highlight of the fall season for VMI’s triathletes was the championship competition for the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Triathlon Conference, held Oct. 20 at Smith Mountain Lake. Hilss explained that this event attracts some big schools, among them the U.S. Naval Academy, Virginia Tech, Liberty University and more – but as of mid-October, she had high hopes for her racers, among them Cadet Chris Lloyd ’20, who’s now ranked 11th in the conference. Hilss is also excited to see a number of rats interested in triathlon this year. “I think they all have prior triathlon experience, which is great for us, because normally 95 percent have no experience coming in,” she commented. Hilss is likewise pleased to have four women practicing with the triathlon club this year. “That’s the highest number we’ve ever had,” she said. The Institute placed in the top 50 for male triathletes at the national championships in the spring. This year, collegiate nationals will be held at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona – and despite the distance and cost, Hilss has high hopes that the Institute will be represented there. Cadet John Dickenson ’20 powers towards the finish line at the Hokie Half Marathon in Blacksburg. Photo courtesy of RunAbout Sports.
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VMI Wrestling Defeats Davidson and Sacred Heart
Cadet Dom Gallo ’20, right. Photo courtesy VMI Communications & Marketing.
The VMI wrestling team won both of its matches Saturday, Dec. 1, at Davidson College, opening the day with a 20-19 victory over Sacred Heart University and finishing with a 29-13 win over Davidson in a Southern Conference contest. Four Keydets, Hunter Starner ’18, Dominick Gallo ’20, Neal Richards ’19 and Chris Beck ’20, won both of their matches. Starner (133) won his match against SHU by pin to put VMI ahead 6-3 against Sacred Heart. Gallo scored a major decision (11-0) at 141, and a win by Cadet Darren Ostrander ’19 at 157 put the Keydets ahead 13-8. Richards had a 14-5 major decision at 174 and Beck had a hardfought sudden-victory overtime win over SHU’s Connor Fredricks at 197 to give VMI a 20-16 cushion. Cadet Tre Momon ’22 nearly
scored a win at 285, but lost just 3-2, to allow the Keydets hang on for the 20-19 team victory. The Keydets won the first three matches against Davidson in the Southern Conference opener for both teams. Cadet Clifton Conway ’21, Starner and Gallo each posted victories to get the action going, including a pin by Conway at 125. Jakob Kennedy ’22 won by forfeit at 165, Richards pinned his opponent at 174 and Beck had a technical fall win (19-3) to end the scoring for VMI. “We didn’t look our best in the first match, but our guys found a way to get a gritty win,” said Jim Gibson, wrestling head coach. “As a coach that’s something to be proud of. Everyone responded well and we finished off the day with a great team effort against Davidson.”