Call to Quarters - 2017

Call to Quarters Fork Union Military Academy

Alumni Magazine

Spring/Summer 2017

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Development S taff Mr. Tim Redden Vice President for Development reddent@fuma.org

SAVE the date November Veteran’s Day Service

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Alumni Speaker Day Senior & Postgraduate Dinner

April

29 Mrs. Kate Goad Associate Director of Development Communications goadk@fuma.org

What’s Inside...

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March Mr. Dan Tucker Director of Alumni Relations

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Military School Appreciation Parade

May

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Alumni Weekend Ms. Shannon Higginbotham Director of Parent Affairs & Special Events shannonh@fuma.org

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From the President Getting to Know Your Alumni Board President A New Slogan Who Else But You: 119th Commencement Taking Review On the Shoulders of Giants

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Blue Devils on the Road

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Looking Back on Alumni Weekend

Mrs. Jamie Krogh Associate Director of Development Services kroghj@fuma.org Contributing Writers

Photography

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Dan Thompson Kayla Jones Jamie Krogh Al Williamson Kelly Shuman Kevin Yeager

*Please note that this is a working schedule, and that all events are subject to cancellation or change, and that additional events may be added. Please visit www. forkunion.com for updated event information.

Fork Union Military Academy Post Office Box 278 4744 James Madison Highway Fork Union, Virginia 23055 phone: (434) 842-4200 www.forkunion.com

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From the President

RADM J. Scott Burhoe takes a moment to answer questions on the state of the Academy and how alumni can get involved

One of my favorite expressions lately has been “Why aren’t young men (and their parents) beating the doors down to attend Fork Union Military Academy?”

The more I learn about the Academy’s history, and witness first-hand the impact Fork Union has on its cadets, the more I ask that question. Some say we need to market better…some say we need to reduce our tuition…some say we need to raise our tuition…some think we need to be stricter…and some say we need to be kinder and gentler.

From my vantage point, to fill the school to capacity and begin conversations about building another new barracks, we need to simply keep being the school we say we are, follow our core values, and remain this unique blend of crucible and sanctuary. We need to stay [Fork Union] strong and let the best marketing strategy (which is word-of-mouth) take hold. We need to stay the course.

In this culture, where a recent Wall Street Journal article suggested that young men are being drawn into immersive virtual worlds instead of working, parents will soon realize that they must give college-prep, military, boarding schools a chance. Fork Union helps young men realize, appreciate, and reach their full potential. We make the good better, and help those who may struggle without structure and guidance stay on the right path.

omnipresent use of smartphones and video games, and I tell people that “social media” at Fork Union refers to the park benches that line Fraley Circle. At every class break, and after each meal, these benches are still filled by cadets having real eye-to-eye conversations, with no electronic distraction.

At Fork Union, our cadets have a wide array of talents.

They may lie in providing organizational leadership within the structure of our Cadet Corps. For others, their leadership talents may be applied in the classroom or on the fields of athletic competition. While many organizations are content to have a few leaders and a lot of followers, at Fork Union Military Academy we all recognize the strength that comes from having a team of leaders.

At Fork Union, we acknowledge that God has created each one of us, uniquely, for a specific purpose that serves Him. The Academy is increasingly seen as the school of choice for young men who know what they want, who know where they want to go in their life, and who need a school that can help them continue their success story, not merely begin it.

In this time of disruption and chaos, stability and order still exist at Fork Union…side-by-side with creativity, leadership, and enthusiasm. Young men still learn timeless values, and live a disciplined lifestyle.

These are young men who are either already pursuing their purpose, or who at least recognize that their life has a purpose which they must seek to identify. This Godgiven purpose does not just give us a goal for our lives, it motivates all our actions—it drives us. More and more, our students seek to excel in academics, athletics, and character not because of the negative consequences, but because they are highly motivated to achieve.

At Fork Union, strong relationships and bonds of brotherhood are still forged. We still do not allow the

None of us, neither staff nor student, are here due merely to circumstance or coincidence. We have each been

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brought to this Academy as an instrument of God’s will. It is in following this calling that the school and its students make remarkable achievements.

I took some time recently to answer questions from alumni, that further my thoughts here on the state of the Academy, and how you can help Fork Union further its mission, while growing God’s kingdom...

This is a tumultuous time for military boarding schools.

How strong is Fork Union, and what needs to happen over the course of the next several years for it to thrive?

Where are we compared to other schools like us?

Military boarding schools have been struggling since the late 60’s. As I look through the history of Fork Union, COL Whitescarver was masterful in his approach to modernizing the school, while ensuring FUMA was positioned for the future, yet still retained the timeless values we’ve always held dear. Lt Gen Jackson built on this legacy by renewing the physical plant to reflect the excellence of the faculty and cadets. He also built one of the strongest Trustee Boards of any school…which continues to pay off in ways most will never see or fully appreciate. From my vantage point we are the strongest of the remaining military schools, but if we are not, we are certainly in a “stern chase” for first. I currently serve as the President of the Association of Military Colleges and

Schools (AMCSUS), so have had the opportunity to learn from the success (and the mistakes) of some great school heads. There are many excellent schools, and all are experiencing similar challenges.

Why is the “Called to Lead” Campaign so important to the school?

When I visited Mr. Guy Beatty, who funded the library, the infirmary, and the library expansion, along with other projects and scholarship support, we talked for a while about the Coast Guard Academy and Fork Union, and he looked me in the eye (like only Guy could do) and said: “Admiral Burhoe, you and I both know how to spell excellence don’t we? To which I said: “Yes, sir. I think I know how to spell it. How do you spell it?” He said he spelled excellence: M-o-n-e-y.” While most alumni, and those of us who love education, get frustrated when money is talked about too much, those of us who have learned to love the school see the immediate impact financial resources can have on the mission here. The Campaign looks first to raise money for scholarships, raising enough for the school to provide over $3M in scholarship support each year (through our endowment).

The school spends over $2M from its operating budget to offset financial aid costs each year. When the school is able to raise $200M for the purposes outlined in our campaign materials, the school will be infinitely more 3 3

financially stable and achieve the margin of excellence we need.

What are some of the main priorities of the Called to Lead Campaign, and how can every alumni get involved to help make an impact?

“In this time of disruption and chaos, stability and order still exist at Fork Union… side-by-side with creativity, leadership, and enthusiasm. Young men still learn timeless values, and live a disciplined lifestyle.”

As I mentioned in the last answer, the priorities are scholarships and infrastructure improvements for our athletic teams, academics, and overall administration.

Many of our buildings are reaching the end of their mid-life renovations, and in particular, Hatcher Hall needs a major renewal. We believe alumni can assist by connecting us with foundations, non-profits, and Christian philanthropists who are drawn to our mission and called to support our love for educating, developing, and inspiring young men.

What dollar amount needs to be collected in order to break ground on the new buildings shown in the master plan?

helping us benchmark other schools that are exemplars in the areas of marketing and advertising. We are broadening our approaches to advertising, and while some of what we are doing is expensive, it is the only way we will determine what really works. I believe that the best strategy to reach enrollment goals is to be who we say we are, and stay true to our values and mission. Some schools have increased their enrollment by lessening their admission standards. We accept about 60% of those who inquire and apply. Schools who tell me that “selectivity is overrated” may benefit in the short-term but they will suffer in the long-term.

What is the biggest challenge the Academy faces when trying to increase enrollment?

The Campus Master Plan is available on our website, and as a matter of policy, we will not build any new buildings until we have all the money raised for the building. I’ve encouraged the Board to increase the cost of every building by 25%, and that additional funding be placed in the endowment to pay for follow-up maintenance.

The Pedestrian-only project identified in the plan is the next project we would like to undertake. This project is estimated at approximately $3M.

I believe Fork Union’s tuition should be the highest in Virginia, because we are the best school of our kind in Virginia. That being said, the biggest challenge to increased/full enrollment is the cost of tuition. We could easily be filled to capacity if we had the financial resources to offset legitimate need…in particular by single parent families.

What strategies is the Academy pursuing in order to reach enrollment goals? What level of enrollment is needed in order to financially sustain the Academy each year?

Alumni can learn as much as they can about today’s Fork Union Military Academy. This can be done by viewing our website, reading our strategy documents, reading all the blogs, and visiting as often as time allows. From the moment I arrived, I’ve been advocating the importance of our alumni and their support for the school. If alumni have concerns about the school, they should be voiced through the Alumni Board, and with those of us who work here now. It is important that any public talk, meaning anything that can be heard by someone not associated with the school (which includes social media) should be framed positively. I was watching a movie recently, and heard this line of dialogue: “I am not going to tell the story the way it happened; I am going to tell it the way I remember…” The future of Fork Union rests on the perception prospective parents and students have about the school. Every day, this school is different

The strategies we’ve pursued are detailed in the strategic plan. This year’s budget is based on 360 FTE. An FTE is a “full time equivalent.” While this represents a minimum we need to meet the annual budget, our enrollment targets are based on the capacity of our barracks. I believe we could easily educate, develop, and inspire 450 young men each year. I am confident that when we reach that goal, and have a waiting list, the school will pursue expanding our student housing capability.

I asked the Board of Trustees to create an “Enrollment Management Task Force.” This select group of trustees is taking an in-depth look at all our processes, and is 4

Scholarships aside, how can alumni help?

than the day before, in the same way a river is different every day. People want to be associated with winners… and winners have positive self-talk…so I would ask that alumni speak positively about Fork Union, and our enrollment will grow.

see the Military Ball be an “all hands” event (like it used to be).

What does it cost to put a student through Fork Union?

At the last Alumni Reunion Weekend, I was greeted warmly by so many, that I felt like a real part of the family.

While it was wonderful, and I am most appreciative of the tremendous support I’ve gotten from alumni over the last 6 years, I would encourage the alumni to embrace and welcome all new employees to the Academy early and often. The work here is not work at all, as it feels more like a vocation (a calling) than a job, but…boarding schools require a nearly endless amount of energy and concern, so kind words and encouragement by those who’ve graduated from the school are always reassuring, comforting, and buoying to those who work here at all levels. Cadets should also be encouraged by alumni who visit. I learned early in my Coast Guard career that people want their leaders to be cheerful and optimistic…no one wants to be around a pessimistic grouch.

We get this question a lot, particularly from those in business who want to know the variable cost of each cadet. How much each student costs depends on their sport, how many nights they sleep here, and how much they eat. Our annual operating budget is about $13M, so if we end the year with 360 FTE, each student will cost about $36K. Here are some examples of major expenses: $1M to provide employee health insurance (not including the employee contribution); $25/day to feed each cadet; $2M is provided in financial aid. I often say that it costs us more than $4K per year additional than we charge in tuition to educate, develop, and inspire each cadet.

From historical documents I’ve read, this has been pretty consistent adjusting for the current value of money.

Is there anything else you would like to say to those alumni who might still be reading this article?

What are your plans to re-establish some Fork Union traditions?

I asked the Alumni Board to create a “Traditions Task Force” to look at our current traditions and let me know how they stack up against what were considered traditions during their time as cadets. At Coast Guard boot camp, we decided to eliminate running in hard soled shoes/boots because the shin splints and other lower extremity injuries were causing attrition. The last recruits to run in them wrote in their critiques that we were ruining the Coast Guard if this “tradition” stopped.

The Coast Guard is as good, maybe even better today… and it has little to do with whether they ran or didn’t run in hard soled shoes. I was drawn to Fork Union because of the traditions and history of military schools in Virginia… anticipating that there would be many firmly rooted traditions here. I was pleased that the alumni created the tradition of the Senior/PG dinner. This is a very special night that reminds me of military “dining ins.” In the last 6 years, we’ve established a formal ring ceremony in February that is worth attending, and at the last parade we pass the Guidon from class to class in a way that can bring a tear to your eye. Each term we have an event that rewards those cadets with zero demerits, and there is a special steak dinner (served by the Commandant’s staff ) for those cadets in the top conduct levels. I would like to

Strategic Plan: https://issuu.com/ forkunionmilitaryacademy/ docs/2013fumastrategicplan

Master Plan: https://issuu.com/ forkunionmilitaryacademy/docs/ fuma_masterplan-finaledition

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Getting to Know Your Alumni Board President

George Anas

Le gacy Families

In 2018, Fork Union’s Alumni Association will celebrate its 50th year. The Alumni Association is an important part of Fork Union, helping connect alumni to the current administration and plans for the Academy, while also bringing alumni together for events like Alumni Weekend. The Association president changes every two years, and we are excited to introduce the new Alumni Board President, Mr. George K. Anas, class of 1983.

Fork Union Military Academy has been alma mater to generations of family members.

Parents, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren - there’s just something special about the Fork Union Brotherhood that resonates across the generations!

Mr. Anas has served on the Alumni Board for four years, elected in March of 2013. He has successfully served three Virginia governors as a project manager with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and led the development of many partnerships between the public and private sector, bringing jobs and revenue to the state of Virginia and beyond. As he begins his role as President of the Alumni Association, we asked him to answer a few questions about himself and his plans for the Association.

What years did you attend Fork Union and when did you graduate?

What are you looking forward to as Alumni Board President?

1981-1983

This is an exciting time at FUMA and I am honored to represent you as Board President. I am looking forward to working with the Development Office to understand how we can do a better job of engaging with you. I want us to re-imagine and re-define how the Alumni Association communicates, engages, and encourages action within the ranks of our alumni. I am also anxious to meet as many alumni as I can as it is always interesting to hear about their experiences at FUMA.

When you look back on your time at FUMA, what do you think about?

Life in Snead Hall, waxing floors, CQ, Band Company, Major LaZizza’s constant frustration with our inability to follow his direction, Colonial Pulliam’s towering presence, “Mullets”, Nutty Buddies, Sunday parades, inspections, folding my underwear in a particular fashion (which I still do), and not walking on grass (which I still don’t).

What is your favorite memory from FUMA? I have many great memories from FUMA but I’d have to say that graduation sticks out as my favorite. My parents were proud – and I was relieved!

If at all, how did FUMA change you or develop you?

I learned about respect for myself and for others, the importance of discipline, and the value of prayer.

FUMA gave me the confidence to go out into the world and to succeed, and I remain grateful, to this very moment, for having had the opportunity to attend.

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Ways you feel that alumni can be more active and involved at Fork Union Military Academy?

There are many ways for alumni to be active and involved but I believe the Alumni Association has to lead here. You have to want to be engaged, right? We have to give you a reason to visit campus on Alumni Weekend or to write a check. The good news is that I know that many of you want to be involved, which is why I want our Board to re-image and re-define how we engage with you. Stay tuned folks.

Where do you see The Alumni Association and Fork Union in 20 years?

I see a stronger and more engaged Association with a mature endowment program that is the envy of private schools everywhere.

The Percy family is a case in point, and is our Legacy Family for this issue of Call to Quarters.

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Percys

“I always looked forward to Saturday’s when we could go across the street to the service station and listen to music.

The song “Kansas City” was popular at the time. The little things matter at FUMA and for me and my friends it was going across the street to listen to music.”

Stewart Percy Class of 1959

“My most memorable times at FUMA were spent with football teammates.

I often recall the trips to games and traveling back home on leave. As with most teams at FUMA we became very close and have in the past couple years had a chance for some of us to reunite.”

Chad W. Percy PG Class of ‘83

Want a chance to be a featured legacy family? Gather the FUMA graduates in your family, take a high resolution photo (1MB or larger), and email it to us with a description of who’s in the picture, along with each person’s favorite FUMA memory.

Photos can be submitted to development@fuma.org.

“My favorite memory from being a cadet at the Academy was the sense of pride that I felt from successfully getting through COL Brown’s AP English class during my senior year. Before I arrived at FUMA, I was a student with very low self-esteem, but the Academy’s one subject plan curriculum changed all of that for me.”

“I was also lucky enough to have the opportunity to work at FUMA for 6 years following college. I worked in athletics, admissions and alumni relations during my tenure as an Academy employee, and learned so many vital life lessons, just as I had as a cadet, that serve me successfully today. It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am for both of my FUMA experiences.”

Spencer Percy Class of ‘06 7

A New Slogan

for Fork Union Military Academy

In its meeting this past spring, the Board of Trustees of Fork Union Military Academy approved a new slogan for Fork Union Military Academy, replacing the slogan that had been in use since 2004. This may seem like a small thing, a minor event of little consequence. But the choice of a slogan can have a powerful effect for an organization, expressing its brand identity to the marketplace in a short memorable phrase.

2004: Success stories begin here.

In the early 2000s, Fork Union Military Academy’s school president, Lt Gen John Jackson, was fond of saying, “This is the Lord’s school, and we’re in the life changing business here.” The Academy drew its student body primarily from those young men who may have had potential, but who were not living up to their potential in their current school and circumstances. Distracted by outside forces such as girls, cars, and peer pressure, these young men needed a structured and disciplined environment in which they could turn their lives around—and Fork Union Military Academy filled that need very well. Created in 2004, the slogan “Success stories begin here” captured that concept in a simple phrase. Young men who wanted to wipe the slate clean and start on a fresh path to success would find a ready home at Fork Union Military Academy, and the Academy embraced that identity as a spot where a second chance was available for young men who needed it.

By the middle of the second decade of the 21st century, under the leadership of the past superintendent of the US Coast Guard Academy, RADM J. Scott Burhoe, the Academy was beginning to serve a more challenging mission. The Academy fully embraced the challenge of placing each of its students in the best colleges and universities across the country; the goal each year became 100% college acceptance for the senior class.

The Academy was still enrolling young men in search of academic structure and discipline, as it has done for generations, but, increasingly, the school was attracting a different type of student—young men who were already working hard and succeeding, and who wanted the leg up on the competition that Fork Union Military Academy could provide. Outstanding students were enrolling in the Academy looking for a pathway to the national service academies and the most challenging universities in the nation. These were young men who knew what they wanted, who already had set a challenging goal, and who were looking for a school environment that would assist and further challenge them to reach that goal. These were young men who were already a few chapters into their life’s success story, and who saw Fork Union Military Academy as a school where they could continue their ongoing quest for excellence.

It was no longer accurate to imply that our students’ success stories had their start at Fork Union. For more and more students, Fork Union was a continuation along the road to success they had already been traveling. It was seen as time to expand our identity and refresh our slogan.

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2017: Driven by Purpose. Called to Lead.

In a meeting in early spring of 2017, the Board of Trustees approved a new slogan for Fork Union Military Academy that would reflect the school’s evolving student base and mission: “Driven by Purpose. Called to Lead.”

As all good slogans do, this statement encapsulates both the school’s mission and the students who attend the Academy in a few short but powerful words.

Purpose At its core, this slogan revolves around a sense of purpose. We acknowledge that God has created each one of us, uniquely, for a specific purpose that serves the ends of His kingdom. Fork Union Military Academy has long held to the same purpose, the same basic mission as a school—to be a launching pad for students seeking to go to college. In recent years, it is the student body itself that has evolved. Instead of attracting numbers of young men who are floundering without specific goals for their life, the Academy is increasingly seen as the school of choice for young men who know what they want, who know where they want to go in their life, and who need a school that can help them continue their success story, not merely begin it.

These are young men who are either already pursuing their purpose, or who at least recognize that their life has a purpose which they must seek to identify.

Driven For both our school and our students, our unique God-given purpose does not just give us a goal for our lives, it motivates all our actions—it drives us. This driving force of purpose animates us with an internal sense of responsibility that shapes our behavior far more effectively than external forces. Our students seek to excel in academics and athletics and conduct not because of the negative consequences of demerits or low scores, but because they are highly-motivated to achieve by the purpose they feel in their lives.

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Lead Fork Union Military Academy is not the school of choice for aimless young men content to follow the weakest whims of their peers. This is a school filled with leaders—young men with confidence in their individual abilities and a sense of self-discipline and personal responsibility. Our students take ownership of their actions and achievements, the hallmark of a good leader. For some students, their talents may lie in providing organizational leadership within the structure of our Cadet Corps. For others, their leadership talents may be applied in the classroom or on the fields of athletic competition. While many organizations are content to have a few leaders and a lot of followers, at Fork Union Military Academy we all recognize the strength that comes from having a team of leaders.

Called The word “called” might be the most powerful word in Fork Union Military Academy’s new slogan. None of us, neither staff nor student, are here due merely to circumstance or coincidence. We have each been brought to this Academy as an instrument of God’s will. It is in following this calling that the school and its students are able to make remarkable achievements.

Some of us are more conscious of this call and its effect on our choice to be here, seeing our service at the Academy as a part of our Christian mission. But whether we each recognize it or not, God’s hand has been on this Academy and working on our campus since its founding, and our students are the better for it.

An Apt Definition for Today As a simple statement of Fork Union Military Academy’s guiding principles, and, more importantly, as a description of those students who seek to attend this Academy in 2017 and beyond, it would be difficult to find a more apt definition than this one:

“Driven by Purpose.

Called to Lead.”

A good slogan can be a powerful thing.

Just a few words, a short phrase, a sentence or two—but a memorable slogan can increase sales, win elections, even change history. From “Remember the Alamo” to “Make America Great Again,” slogans have been the rallying calls for campaigns, the battle cries of armies—and the marketing catchphrases that create customers.

The Slogan of the Century In 1477, 540 years ago this year, Archduke Maximillian of Austria presented Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring as she accepted his marriage proposal. This is the very first diamond engagement ring recorded in history.

The practice of giving a gemstone ring to a betrothed became something of a trend among the aristocracy and nobility following this. By the Victorian period of the late 19th century, it was popular to give ornately-designed engagement rings with a wide variety of gemstones, enamels, and precious metals. By the 1930s, diamonds were falling in both popularity and sales, viewed as the kind of extravagance that was only for the very wealthy.

De Beers, the leading diamond company in the world, hired the N. W. Ayer & Son advertising agency to improve the marketing of its diamonds.

In 1947, a young copywriter, Mary Frances Geraty, proposed a new slogan for De Beers to use: “A Diamond is Forever.”

In those four words, in that simple but somewhat grammaticallychallenged phrase, Geraty completely encapsulated the idea that a diamond represents security and eternal romance. With that simple slogan, 50 years ago this year, De Beers invented the diamond solitaire engagement ring as the accepted symbol of betrothal.

The Power of a Slogan

Changing Times, Changing Missions, Changing Slogans

Today, “the diamond engagement ring is de rigueur virtually worldwide, and the diamond by far the precious gemstone of choice,” said Advertising Age magazine, proclaiming that simple phrase “the slogan of the century.”

Although some slogans, like a diamond, seem to last forever, most organizations change their slogan as changes in society or in the organization’s mission bring about a change in the way the brand presents itself.

A Mini Mission Statement

Coca Cola changed its slogan pretty drastically in 1906 in a move that reflected the culture of that day.

Since 1893, Coca Cola had been sold using the slogan, “For headache and exhaustion, drink Coca-Cola.” In 1906, however, Coca Cola changed its slogan to “The Great National Temperance Beverage.” With society in the United States turning away from alcoholic beverages (and prohibition soon to follow in the 1920s), Coca Cola was positioning itself as a positive alternative, and would use this slogan for the next decade. Pepsi Cola, meanwhile, was still focusing on the alleged health benefits of their drink with the slogan “Exhilarating, Invigorating, Aids Digestion.”

A slogan can wield tremendous power.

It can serve as a kind of mini mission statement for an organization. A good slogan encapsulates the essence of the organization, the benefits of its product or service, its unique value proposition.

What sets an organization apart from its competitors? A good slogan seeks to answer that question.

Want a car insurance company that emphasizes customer service?

“You’re in good hands with…”

“Like a good neighbor…”

Want a car insurance company that emphasizes its low prices?

“Fifteen minutes will save you 15% or more…”

“For a great low price you can get online…”

While Maxwell House has been “Good to the last drop” for 100 years now, effective slogans usually need updating as culture shifts and organizations evolve, to authentically reflect the organization’s mission and identity.

Each of these slogans tells you quickly what each company wants to be known for, how they want to position themselves in the marketplace.

You could probably name each car insurance company fairly easily, just from a few words of their memorable and descriptive slogan. (The companies referred to above were Allstate, State Farm, GEICO, and General. How did you do?)

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ALUMNI PROFILE I ended up at Fork Union as my third high school in 1999 and graduated in 2001. This was not what I was thinking would happen with my high school career, but it was a necessity.

To me, Fork Union was the best and worst place to be. No teenage boy wants to go away to school with a bunch of other guys, and only go home on a weekend every now and then. That’s just the truth.

I am sure that every now and then, a cadet comes onto campus excited to start their military career, but from experience I can say that most do not.

However, there is no greater experience that I had growing up. Fork Union helped to shape me into the man I am today. It helped to teach me how to be a good and honest person, how to wake up early and work hard – to earn what you get and never have it handed to you. Fork Union took an unfocused kid that liked getting into trouble, and turned him into a Battalion Staff Captain ready to make his place in the world.

After graduating, I attended Hofstra University on Long Island, NY where I studied Political Science and Psychology for five years. While there, I joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, which helped to further shape me. I was Vice President of my chapter, and eventually elected President of the Interfraternity Council. I traveled a lot to help other chapters and attended conferences with brothers from around the country to vote on new and old fraternal laws. I learned at FUMA that having a ranked system is something that I very much enjoy, and like being at the top of (LOL).

TJ

Cantwell Class of 2001

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After college, I worked as a mortgage broker and wore a suit and tie every day. However, once the economy crashed I started to realize that I did not want to do that for the rest of my life. I was at a crossroads. One day while I was getting some tattoo work done by my good friend, Gage, he asked me what I was going to do with my life since I had left

the mortgage world. I laughed and told him I should just open a shop and he could come and work with me (I already gave him most of my money for tattoos anyway). After mulling it over for a bit, he told me that if I were to open a shop he would come and work with me – and that was all I needed to hear.

I spent the next four months getting financing, finding a space, and doing all that is required to open a business. On April 1, 2010, I opened Studio 28 Tattoos.

Starting my business was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but also the most rewarding.

There were times that I wasn’t sure if it was going to work, and I wondered if I would be able to support a living. I even spent a year-and-a-half sleeping at the business so I could invest in the shop rather than pay rent! That was a very humbling experience to go through, but it proved to me that it would work because I was willing to sacrifice everything to make my business successful. In that year-and-a-half that I spent on the couch, I was able to triple the gross revenue of the business and have doubled that since then. There is no great success without great sacrifice.

In the last year, my beautiful wife and I have expanded the space to cover two floors in prime Chelsea, NYC. Studio 28 Tattoos and Body Piercing has been open for seven years now, and voted one of the best tattoo and body piercing studios in the city multiple times. And FYI, I still check my staff when they are done cleaning the bathroom to make sure the faucet is polished! The simple lessons that I learned at FUMA are still carried with me to this day, and have helped to grow the success of my business.

All through college and to this day I always speak with friends, colleagues, and even clients about my experiences at FUMA. It wasn’t always the most fun when there, but I never look back to those days without a smile on my face.

The Fork Union Experience is... “...what you make of it. I know so many people who graduated with me that never pushed forward, and I know others who have propelled themselves into great places. It’s all what you do with the lessons you learn and how hard you are willing to work to reach your dreams.”

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ALUMNI PROFILE

The Fork Union Experience is... “... a mountain that very few have climbed. You can choose to climb to the top and stand among an elite few, or you can bypass the opportunity because you are afraid of what you’ll endure on your way to the top.”

Fork Union came into play for me in 2006 at the beginning of my high school career. My uncle was a graduate of the class of 1996, so I already knew a little about the school. My grandfather (who raised me) gave me the option to attend Fork Union Military Academy my freshman year, just to get the experience. My plan was to complete one year, and then enroll in high school back home. However, after that first year, I kept thinking about what could come of me continuing the “FUMA journey.” So, I told my grandfather that I wanted to go back and he made the arrangements.

At the completion of my second year with zero demerits, I figured that I should finish and graduate from FUMA. So, I set a goal for myself to become Battalion Commander. Many people doubted that I could achieve my goal, but I was never worried because it was all a part of my plan. Every move I made was a step in that direction, and come senior year, I was named Battalion Commander under the direction of the Commandant.

Eddie

Jones Class of 2010

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When you set the highest goals for yourself and you fall short, you have still lived up to your full potential (in most cases). If you set goals for yourself that you know you will achieve, then you have not lived up to your full potential; it’s as if you’re scared to test your capabilities. I have always been a person who tests the limits and does what people say I can’t do. FUMA taught me the value of hard work and dedication.

I learned to follow the rules and made the best of my time while a FUMA cadet. I was confident that I would be able to make it through college because of the success that I had at FUMA. After graduating from FUMA in 2010, I went on to attend The Citadel Military College of South Carolina.

While at The Citadel I competed as a varsity track athlete and currently hold the school outdoor long jump record. Between my freshman and sophomore

year, I enlisted in the Army National Guard. Once I graduated from Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, I went back to The Citadel for my remaining three years and graduated with the class of 2014 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.

Since graduating from The Citadel, I have gone on to fulfill management roles in Fortune 500 companies like Cintas and Amazon. Currently, I am still serving in the South Carolina National Guard as a 1st Lieutenant Transportation Officer in the 122nd Engineer Battalion while working on building a valet business from the ground up and being 100% selfemployed. My goal is to grow my company into a 7-figure business. I want to establish my own empire (so to speak) and pass it along to my future kids. I also plan to finish my masters so that I can educate youth about the importance of entrepreneurship.

In today’s world, I believe one of the best things a person can do is learn to control the outcome of his/ her professional career. As I grow my own business, I know the self-discipline learned from the military structure was an important lesson; I learned to do what was expected of me even when no one was standing over me. FUMA also taught me the importance of integrity, which prepared me for the world. I believe integrity to be an integral part of developing self-discipline.

When I look back on my time spent at FUMA, I think about what I would have done differently. Although I was an honor graduate, I would have immersed myself even more into my academics. Moving from the one subject plan to the collegiate course load can be a challenge for many, and you have to be able to receive and retain a vast amount of information in order to be successful at the collegiate level. That being said, I know in my heart that FUMA is one of the main reasons that I have been able to achieve the success that I have.

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Who Else But You?

The 119th Commencement at Fork Union Military Academy

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raduation is a day that all Fork Union Military Academy cadets look forward to with wide eyes and nervous smiles. It’s the day that they can take a breath, reflect on their journey, celebrate with the guys who were there with them every step of the way, and say “We made it.”

Valedictorian Dalton Fowler spoke of what it takes to make it through Fork Union, and the pride you develop in yourself in the process, saying, “By the time you leave, you don’t need a hand to hold, because your nose is on the grindstone before anyone can even speak. There’s a palpable grit that comes with being a FUMA cadet, a feeling that we seniors know well. You might go to college, you might enlist, or you may go on vacation for a while. It doesn’t matter, because you still have that grit; that will to succeed; the urge to overcome; a hunger for glory.

As a graduate of Fork Union Military Academy, who are you not to be great?”

This year’s commencement speaker, Delegate Chris Head, representative of the 17th District in the Virginia House of Delegates and father to Michael Head, a member of the graduating class of 2017, had a similar message to cadet Fowler’s. He reminded the graduates of the unique experience and knowledge that they had gained during their time at the Academy, saying, “Your high school experience has been anything but typical, but it has prepared and equipped you for life in a way nothing else could.” He told them not to view graduation as an ending, “Because today is not about endings. This is a commencement service. To commence is to begin. Everything you have done up to this point is really like completing basic training.”

Throughout his speech, Delegate Head urged the graduates to be the leaders that this world needs, using the values and lessons that the Academy instilled in them. He told them “You are different. And because of the preparation you have received here, you should not just be different, you should make a difference.”

As the class of 2017 prepared to walk across the stage, Delegate Head left them with a final challenge, “Remember that question COL Fender asked: Where else but here? Now, as you leave this place and head into this world, I think the question has changed. Now the question is: who else, but you? Who else but you will lead? Who else but you will set an example? Who else but you will be able to do what needs to be done? No one.”

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welcome Class of 2017 to the FUMA Alumni Brotherhood!

Edmund Owen Acevedo Midlothian, Virginia William James Baker New York, NY Oshari Asauan Baldwin Carrboro, NC Ozz Ben-David Sherman Oaks, CA Timothy Edward Bolton Mechanicsville, VA Henry Samuel Branscome III Williamsburg, VA De’Andre Jontez Brockington Durham, NC Minh Cong Bui Pottstown, PA Desmond Ricardo Byrdsong Fairfax, VA Quinn Martin Calahan Manassas, VA David Peirce Cammack Rehoboth Beach, DE Ivy Mckinsey Cash III Woodbridge, VA Benjamin Richard Chiovaro Palmyra, VA Juan Carlos Davis Charlottesville, VA Giovani Eric Desgrottes Rogers, AR Mathew John Dively Alexandria, VA Dalton Daniel Fowler Carrollton, TX Brennon Eley Garrison Orange, VA Travis Richard Gibson Montross, VA Micah Benjamin Giszack Fork Union, VA Jacob Howard Grabeel Gordonsville, VA Stephen Paul Hamilton Midlothian, VA Geon Woo Han Chun Ahn, South Korea Mohamed Amro Hassanin Cairo, Egypt

Andrew Donavan Hawley McLean, VA Michael Patrick Head Roanoke, VA Nicholas Adrian Heath Midlothian, VA Jonathan McDaniel Hegler Hodges, SC Michael Jared Hershey Toano, VA Andrew Adam Hill New Albany, OH Dameon DeMarco Hite Glen Allen, VA Yu Huan Shanghai, China Denzel Hunter-Shaw Lithia Springs, GA Corey Owen Jameson Seaford, VA Walker Dean Johnson Midlothian, VA Jezziah Lonell Johnson Roselle, NJ Christopher Pemberton Kaulfers San Francisco, CA Samer Ehab Khalil Cairo, Egypt Ikdoo Kim Seoul, South Korea Walker Albin Lander Rockdale, IL Dong Hun Lee Seoul, South Korea Jeremiah Jose Lucero Chesapeake, VA Graham Evan Luongo Middle Village, NY Jacob Judah Marks Palmyra, VA Ryan Christopher McEnroe Cincinnati, OH Andrew Charles Morris Louisa, VA Jonathan Javier Muniz Jersey City, NJ Zachary Cole Pace Scottsville, VA

Aaron Heath Pace Scottsville, VA Logan Robert Parks Arlington, VA David Benjamin Pitts III Marietta, GA Detwon Deejay Lamont Shelton Chesterfield, VA Zachary Taylor Sheppard Chesapeake, VA Haotian Sun Taiyuan, China William Henry Thompson Palmyra, VA Gavin Jarrett Tomchick Falls Church, VA Benjamin James Vanderpool Keswick, VA Jonathan Lee Walker Coinjock, NC Maccall Joseph Warner Leesburg, VA Timothy Patrick Warren Williamsburg, VA Cameron Hunter Wheelhouse South Chesterfield, VA Grayson Willis Williams Scottsville, VA Jacob Walter Wood Signal Mountain, TN Chongkai Wu Shanghai, China Zhichao Xue Tianjin, China Ziheng Yang Bellevue, WA Mazen Sayed Youssef Cairo, Egypt Yuchen Zhang Shanghai, China Wenan Zhao Guangzhou, China Xingjian Zhao Hangzhou, China Benjamin Henry Zwilling Charlottesville, VA

“Never forget the lessons and values we learned here, especially that ‘it’s never wrong to do right, and never right to do wrong.’ As we walk across the stage and go our separate ways, know that you will always have your FUMA brothers to count on.” -Walker Lander, Salutatorian

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Taking Review

Distinguished Alumnus Celebrates 75th Reunion

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om Williams attended Fork Union during a tumultuous time. World War II had been going on for three years and America had just joined the conflict after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Tom’s father, a Reserve Army Officer, knew he would most likely be deployed again soon, and felt that Fork Union Military Academy would a good place for Tom, not only to improve his grades, but to give Tom guidance in his absence.

Tom quickly embraced Academy life and his grades improved dramatically. He even earned the rank of cadet Corporal. Upon his graduation in 1942, over 75 years ago, Tom was of the age to join the war effort.

However, because he had already been accepted, Tom enrolled and began his studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

After his first semester, Tom could no longer ignore the call to serve, and he enlisted.

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Because Tom had already experienced similar military training at Fork Union, basic training was more like a refresher, and he easily earned the rank of Corporal and was assigned as a cadreman to help teach new enlistees. Soon after earning Corporal, he applied to Officer Candidate School and, upon acceptance, attended The Army’s Infantry School and OCS at Ft. Benning, Georgia.

On January 19, 1945, he was commissioned a 2nd LT, but was considered too young as an infantry officer to be put into combat situations, so he went to Camp Gordon to continue teaching on cadre. On his 21st birthday, he was sent orders to report to the Pacific front. While in route, the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After a year of occupying Japan alongside the 97th Infantry Division, Tom returned to the U.S. in June of 1946. He maintained a reservist commission in the Army and returned to the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in February of 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Warden School.

After a brief stint in insurance, the Korean War began and Tom once again felt called to return to active service. He was assigned to the Army’s Combat Intelligence School at Ft. Riley in Kansas, were he was a student and then a teacher at (what was then) the Army General School.

In January 1952, Tom was assigned to the Far East Command in Tokyo, Japan. His wife and their first daughter moved with him, and shortly after they welcomed their second daughter into the world. During his time in Tokyo, he was made an Order of Battle Officer, where he studied and developed reports on opposing military

forces analyzing their strategies, their organization, disposition, armament, their ability to communicate, transportation tactics, etc.

After the Korean War, Tom and his family returned to the U.S. where he continued to serve as an Order of Battle Officer at the Pentagon. After the Vietnam War began, he received orders to report to Saigon to serve in General Westmorland’s battle command.

As the Assistant Branch Chief, he oversaw 174 men.

He was commissioned a special recognition by Gen. Westmoreland for his invaluable service to the men fighting in the field.

Tom retired from the Army in September of 1968.

Following his long and proud military history, he went to work for the United States Treasury in banking and finance, and retired in 1986 as a Special Agent in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

In May 2016, the Academy was honored to recognize Tom Williams as a Distinguished Alumnus. He attended the Alumni Weekend Dinner, and spoke eloquently of how special Fork Union was to him. He considers his time at Fork Union as one of the greatest things in his life, along with his wife, his daughters, his time in the Army, and becoming an Eagle Scout. He credited Fork Union with helping to shape him into a young man who was prepared to take on the world and any challenges that faced him.

This past May, the Academy was once again honored to have Tom Williams on campus to take review of the Alumni Weekend Parade. This event was special not only because we were able to recognize Tom and his service to our country, but because it marked Tom’s 75th Class Reunion. The oldest alumni present at the parade, Tom stood tall and proud before the nearly 330 cadets, as they marched past in honor of him and all the Fork Union Military Academy alumni.

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W

hen one speaks of the historic nature of a place such as Fork Union Military Academy, it is easy to point to the physical campus and to take note of the various buildings and features that tell of long years well remembered: The parade grounds where platoons of cadets have marched since the turn of the 20th century, at one time under the watchful eye of the school’s founder himself, Dr. William E. Hatcher. The ambitious and iconic Hatcher Hall, built in the second decade of the school’s life, rising up as a promise that the young school would live on and prosper in the uncertain years following its charismatic founder’s passing. The familiar ellipse of Fraley Circle on which have stood long gray lines of cadets dating back to the days of Dr. John J. Wicker in the 1930s. There are tales to be told in the ancient oaks and grassy acres, in red bricks and gray mortar, all standing as monuments of this school’s storied past.

on the

Shoulders of Giants

One might point to the tight tapestry of tradition to tell the Academy’s history: The crests and crossed rifles of uniform insignia, the manual of arms and parade scripts, the “sticks” and the “ED pads,” the pungent aroma of shoe polish, and the long quiet hours of CQ study periods. These all tell a part of the Academy’s story, those seminal experiences shared from one generation to the next.

The true heart of Fork Union Military Academy’s story is to be found in the lives and legacy of these people.

If there were to be a Mount Rushmore of Fork Union Military Academy, there is no doubt that two of the school’s most impactful leaders whose profiles would be carved into the stone would be COL “Red” Pulliam and COL Duane Fender.

Robert L. “Red” Pulliam served Fork Union Military Academy for more than forty years, first as a teacher and coach, then, as the years stretched on, as Commandant, Director of Development, Chief Operations Officer, Interim President, and member of the Board of Trustees.

A native of Martinsville, Pulliam served in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U. S. Army after graduating from Martinsville High School. Following his military service, Pulliam enrolled at Randoph-Macon College where he earned All-State First Team honors in football as a three-year starter, and was named an honorable mention to the Little All-America team.

Graduating college in 1953, Pulliam took his football skills to Fairfax High School where he served as the football coach for three years, leading his team to the district championship in 1954.

Pulliam arrived at Fork Union Military Academy in 1956 as an English teacher and head coach of the Varsity Football team. He amassed a remarkable record as a head coach, winning over seventy percent of his games, to build a record of 170 wins, 69 losses, and 7 ties over his twenty-six years as head coach. His skills If there were to be a Mount as a leader did not emerge only on the gridiron, however.

Rushmore of Fork Union Pulliam served as Commandant Military Academy, there is of Cadets for almost twenty years, known by cadets for no doubt that two of the his toughness, fairness, and genuine concern for the best school’s most impactful interests of each young man leaders whose profiles would in his care. He later became the Academy’s first Director be carved into the stone of Development, and then

The truest nature of the Academy, however—the very core of this school’s character—is not to be found in concrete places or Kiwi polish.

We stand today on the shoulders of giants, the great men and women of vision and purpose who founded and nurtured this Academy, and who have dedicated their time, toil, tears, and talents toward its continuous advancement.

Each generation, from 1898 to the present, has seen special people step forward to guide and grow the Academy.

would be COL “Red” Pulliam and COL Duane Fender.

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A devoted husband, father, mentor, and friend, Fender demonstrated in his life the simple but deep truth contained in his favorite saying: “It’s never wrong to do right. It’s never right to do wrong.” of Admissions, Manager of the Sabre Shop, Activities Director, Transportation Officer, and Assistant Athletic Director. He returned in 2010 to the Commandant’s Department as TAC Officer and was soon promoted to Deputy Commandant, and ultimately to Commandant.

served as the school’s Chief Operations Officer. In 1990, he was selected to serve as Interim President of the Academy, a role he was asked to repeat again a few years later. In 1995, he retired from active employment but continued to serve for many years as a member of the Academy’s Board of Trustees.

Throughout the years of his retirement, he volunteered his time to the Fork Union community where he had lived and raised his two daughters with his wife Patsy. He was a master of the Fork Union Masonic Lodge, president of the Fluvanna Ruritan Club, worked to establish the Fluvanna Heritage Trail, and served as a deacon and trustee for the Fork Union Baptist Church.

Pulliam’s leadership style is best summed up by one of his favorite quotes, attributed to Albert Schweitzer: “Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it’s the only thing.” The Academy’s highest individual award was named in his honor, the COL R. L. “Red” Pulliam Leadership Award, and Pulliam was named its first recipient in 1996.

One of the young cadets mentored by COL Pulliam was a wide receiver from Summerville, South Carolina named Arthur Duane Fender, Jr. Fender came to Fork Union Military Academy as a postgraduate football player following his graduation from Summerville High School in 1978 and played for Coach Pulliam. His blind date for the 1979 Military Ball was none other than Lynn Pulliam, one of COL Pulliam’s two daughters. The date must have gone well, as Duane Fender married Lynn in 1983, following his graduation from The Citadel, and returned to Fork Union to join the staff of the Commandant’s Department as a TAC Officer.

Becoming the son-in-law of COL Pulliam himself is, by itself, no small measure of Duane Fender’s character, quality, and ability, but Fender would continue to distinguish himself throughout the next thirty-three years of service to the Academy.

Fender lived his leadership through the example he set, just as he learned from Pulliam. A devoted husband, father, mentor, and friend, Fender demonstrated in his life the simple but deep truth contained in his favorite saying: “It’s never wrong to do right. It’s never right to do wrong.”

Although, due to his passing in December 2016 at the age of 56, Fender’s biography would be shorter than one might wish, his influence and impact on the Academy were no less profound. His leadership by example, his commitment as a colleague, his empathy as a friend, and his encouragement as a mentor, made a deep impact on all who knew

him. His own contribution towards building God’s Kingdom in this world was accomplished in just fiftysix years. Duane Fender completed his work on earth in record time.

Each of these remarkable men have passed on to receive their reward and to rest from their labors.

We rejoice in the legacy they have left us, by their leadership, and—most of all—by their example. They each guided Fork Union Military Academy along its journey in these past several decades, and they each left the Academy stronger than they found it.

We remember and honor their service to the school, and we do our best to follow the example they set in leading the Academy towards its ever-brighter future.

We pray that through our collective efforts, the school will be made stronger each day by the work we all do, standing on the shoulders of giants such as these.

Like his father-in-law before him, Fender served in a variety of roles across the Academy’s campus including assistant football coach, Assistant Director

Pulliam’s leadership style is best summed up by one of his favorite quotes, attributed to Albert Schweitzer: “Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it’s the only thing.”

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“They were two of the finest men to ever work at Fork Union Military Academy” -Coach Bill Blair ‘49 Col. R L. Pulliam had a major positive impact on my life. He taught many cadets, as well as myself, that we could be “winners” in life through hard work, consistency, and attention to detail.

-Kevin Reynolds ‘90

I learned everything from respect to dedication to loyalty to sportsmanship....40 plus years later I carry his influence everywhere I go.

-Henry Olivieri ‘74

Of all the men involved in my life long development, Red Pulliam was right at the top. He disciplined me and praised me, but behind that stern facade, I know he loved me as he loved the Academy and its mission to produce the leaders of tomorrow.

-Steven Shelton ‘69

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Colonel Pulliam’s devotion and commitment to serving the corps of cadets taught me what growing up as a responsible individual is all about – his example was an inspiration to all.

-Jaime A. Rodriguez ‘72

Colonel Pulliam was the Commandant during my 3 years, Fall 1967 thru graduation May 1970. I remember fearing him if I was sent to his office, but he was such a smart, fair man. He knew he represented more than being Commandant, but being a father figure to all of us while away at Fork Union.

-Tom Cribbs ‘70

When I was a sophomore I tried to get kicked out by accumulating over 140 demerits. When I got to 142 Col Pulliam called me into his office notified me that he didn’t care how many I tried to rack up because I was going to stay there graduate and play college football.

And I did.

-Ed Dike ‘75

My Senior year, we had a large snow storm and the staff of FUMA, including Red Pulliam, allowed us to have a large snowball fight out by the track behind Retan. The snowball fight got a little out of hand, and the students started launching snowballs at the staff.

Just as Colonel Pulliam was putting an end to it - he was, after all, a serious man around the students - another student ran up and offered him a “high five.” Without batting an eye, Colonel Pulliam slapped him high five, before turning and leaving the area allowing the snowball fight to continue.

-Jason Rewald ‘94

As a young boy from a broken home Col Pulliam poured into my life structure, strength and integrity. He was the father figure I was missing in my life.

He was stern on the outside but fair and caring on the inside.

A man I could look up to and attempt to live by his example as a Christian man. I am forever grateful to FUMA and my mentor and surrogate dad, COL R. L. Pulliam.

-Daniel L. Stango ‘72

I was a cadet at FUMA for 3 years, and the last word that any cadet wanted to hear was, “You need to report to Red’s office now!” Being the Provost Officer on the Battalion staff, I saw firsthand how Red would put fear into cadet’s hearts in an instant. But the same man that instilled so much fear into cadets is the very same man that all returning alumni have the utmost respect for. Alumni couldn’t wait to go see him, shake his hand and thank him for helping to shape them into the men that they have become today.

Red was full of tough love – but no alumni will ever deny that Red didn’t love every cadet that came to FUMA. He was the “father figure” in many cadet’s life.

-Terry M. Dailey ’74

I showed up to leadership training early, so I walked into Col. Fender’s office and he laughed at me and said “look at that bald head!” He had a huge smile on his face and asked me about my summer. The whole time I thought to myself, “I barely know this man…why is he so happy to see me?”

Almost every time I encountered him he tried to make fun of me and it made my day. He was a man with a great sense of humor and character.

-Giovani Desgrottes ‘17

Col Fender was the backbone of the student experience! He would rent movies for our movie nights, make sure Retan Rifles had enough popcorn to sell during the movies, made sure we did a nice job organizing and setting up for military ball. He also was the hand that gave out allowances....needless to say his family was always there with the corps and we will always be there for them!

-David Hagen ‘99

CPT Fender was one of the best men I have ever had the privilege of knowing. One thing that can be said about him was “character.” I will miss seeing him during visits. He was an amazing mentor.

-Scott Pleasants ‘91

I remember at every home basketball game COL Fender would be there cheering us on.

What made this special to me, is he would do the same thing my dad would do when I would get frustrated.

He would tell me to breathe and calm down. I would look at him in the stands the same way I would look for my dad in the stands. Sometimes my dad would sit near or stand and talk to COL Fender and they would both tell me to relax and calm down and say “It’s just basketball.”

That’s my favorite memory of COL Fender.

-Maccall Warner ‘17

As I approach middle age, I reflect on the thousands of people that have come into my life and shaped me into the well-rounded man I am today. The positive AND the negative influences that provided direction on how to live and how not to. COL Duane Fender was a giant in my eyes and one of the few men I credit for choosing the right path… the path of love, life and laughter.

-Matthew Rogers ‘98

One of the greatest privileges I enjoyed during my senior year at Fork Union was sitting next to COL. Fender on the stage of the chapel during my time serving as the religion officer. COL Fender sat in a seat that loudly creaked at the slightest movement.

One day in September, as COL Fender sat down, the chair let out a particularly loud whine. I leaned over with a grin and whispered “Sir, your joints sound a little achy.” COL Fender was quick to respond saying “No talking in the chapel, Head…” before flashing a small grin that I knew meant trouble. The next week, I approached my stage seat and dropped into it as usual. The moment that I hit the chair it let out a massive squeal, I looked to my left and saw Duane Fender smiling at me before he said “Michael, your joints sound a little achy, are you feeling alright?” I never switched those chairs back and I will always cherish that memory with my commandant.

-Michael Head ‘17

What I remember most about Duane is his energy and passion.

He was truly a force of nature. He wanted things done right, and was not afraid to tell cadet or adult when he felt they could have done better, but it was combined with a personal touch that made you feel encouraged and part of something important.

Duane was also not afraid to enjoy life, and comfortable encouraging others to take the same approach. Many conversations between Duane, Charles Rogers and myself ended with a statement from him along the lines of “Well, we have to do this, so we might as well have some fun with it.”

-Tripp Billingsley ‘77

My favorite memory of COL Fender was when he would walk out of the commandants department with battalion staff in the mornings, especially on the cold and rainy mornings, and he would say “Where else?”

And we’d say “Nowhere, sir.”

-Ben Chiovaro ‘17 A second father figure to many, Duane was someone you wanted to make proud.

Someone you didn’t want to disappoint.

You always wanted to be your best self for him. He didn’t demand it, and he didn’t ask for it. It was simply his presence and his personality that made you want to make him proud of you.

-Kate Goad

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T

he last few months have been busy for the Alumni Association and Development Department, traveling both near and far from our stoic Academy in Fork Union.

Throughout July and August 2017, Director of Alumni Relations, Daniel Tucker ‘08, traveled throughout the East Coast and to the Lonestar State, meeting with graduates to help establish regional networking chapters, increase participation, discuss plans for the upcoming school year, and future plans for the Academy itself.

This year, the Academy continued summer events with the goal of connecting with alumni, families, and friends, and they were a resounding success. On June 24th, the Academy and Chair of the Trustee Board, Mrs. Paige Pruett, hosted our first gettogether at the Richmond Squirrels baseball game in Richmond, Virginia.

There were many smiling faces who

enjoyed a day of baseball and COL Bill Hitchcock’s humor.

The Academy continued its summer of fun on the 8th of July in Durham, North Carolina. The Durham Bulls Athletic Park was a fantastic environment, and the beautiful new park provided a great setting for all Blue Devils to enjoy their evening.

North Carolina got its fair share of attention over the summer, as Charlotte was the final location for the Academy-hosted minor league events. Held on July, 28th, the great game, food, and fireworks was enjoyed by all.

Over the summer the Development Department hosted a raffle for suite tickets to a Washington Nationals Game. CPT Tucker and Ms. Shannon Higginbotham, Director of Parent Relations, hosted the raffle winners on August 26th, as cadets started

their first day of class. 30 alumni and parents filled the box, enjoying an exciting game and all they could eat and drink. COL (R) Stuart Harrison ’79, LTC (R) Brad Pitzer ’91, and Mr. Hunter Fairchild ‘06 were just three of many alums in attendance!

The Academy was excited to hold these summer outings, and plans are already under way to hold more events next year. We hope that these events continue to grow and that you look for an Alumni event near you soon.

Throughout the fall, CPT Tucker, the Alumni Board of Directors, and Jose Mera ’71, current Trustee, will be working on establishing regionally based chapters to create communication networks for our graduates. Richmond will be the first area of focus for regional associations this year, with the ultimate goal of connecting all of our alumni.

WEB CONNECTIONS Online Resources for Alumni, Parents, and Friends FACEBOOKBecome a member of our community and share in the Fork Union experience!

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photos.forkunion.com

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PUBLICATIONSCheck out our many publications online!

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NEWSStay up to date with campus activities by subscribing to our newsletters and blog

emailed directly to you each week!

School News - forkunion.com/frontandcenter Athletics - forkunion.com/bluedevilreport RADM Burhoe’s Blog - forkunion.com/presidentsblog

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Looking Back...

ALUMNI2017 WEEKEND Alumni Weekend 2017 brought back over 300 alumni and friends to revisit, reflect, and reconnect.

On Friday, the Academy hosted a BBQ on campus where alumni enjoyed food and good company. The Academy was honored to recognize Phillip Dabney, who retired last year after serving in the Academy Dinning Hall for over 65 years. Phillip was known for his whistled tunes and warm rolls, which he served to cadets with a smile.

During the Day on Saturday, the Academy hosted its annual Golf Tournament, an Alumni Basketball game, and a Vineyard & Brewery Tour. While the Golf Tournament was cold, all who attended, had fun. The Alumni Basketball game was hosted

by Coach Fletcher Arritt, Coach Matt Donohue and the PG Basketball Team, who played well against the alumni. Those who attended the Vineyard tour enjoyed a day of leisure visiting King Family Vineyard and Blue Mountain Brewery. Later that evening, the Alumni Dinner was hosted at Glenmore Country Club. During the dinner, the Academy honored the Class of 1967, who celebrated their milestone 50th reunion, and Mr. Doug Johnston, class of 1967, was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus. Doug came to Fork Union in 1962, and after graduating attended Eastern Kentucky University on a football scholarship. Doug helped to launch Vanity Fair magazine in 1981, and served as the magazine’s publisher for six years before starting his own company, Midway Communications.

Per usual, Sunday was a day of comradery and excitement as Alumni from different classes came to reconnect with each other and Fork Union. The parade featured a special presentation by renowned skydiver, Mr. Bob Futrell ‘67. Bob jumped into the parade with a 1,200 square foot garrison-sized American flag banner, and then joined the Class of 1967 as they marched in review. The Academy also recognized LTC Tom Williams, Class of 1942, a 2016 Distinguished Alumnus. LTC Williams took review of the parade while also celebrating his 75th reunion.

Alumni weekend is always an exciting time for the faculty, staff, cadets, and alumni at Fork Union Military Academy, and we hope that you’ll be able to join us next year for this special event.

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Taps Class of 1942

Mr. Harvey Taylor February 19, 2017

Class of 1943

Mr. Robert C. King, Sr. September 3, 2017

Class of 1944

Mr. Wade Ridgway September 11, 2017

Class of 1945

Mr. H. Wesley McAden August 22, 2016 Mr. Thomas D. Wilkerson May 2, 2017 Mr. William James Paton January 2, 2016 Col. Joseph T. Griffin, Jr. April 29, 2016

Class of 1946

Mr. Edgar V. Loweree, Jr. January 31, 2017 Mr. Charles Richardson October 21, 2016

Class of 1947

Mr. Clifford F. Phillips November 25, 2016

Class of 1948

Dr. Konstantine Cost June 6, 2016

Class of 1949

Mr. David W. Huddleston August 2, 2016

Class of 1950

Mr. Herman A. Clark March 11, 2017 Mr. Thomas E. Reese May 17, 2017 30

Class of 1951

Class of 1960

Class of 1952

Mr. Charles Gregory Dick July 18, 2016

Mr. Louis Floyd June 14, 2016

Mr. John J Hilton February 2, 2017

Mr. David Moffett February 18, 2017

Mr. David Vincent Wheeler April 27, 2016

Mr. John Bostonian December 12, 2016 Mr. Joseph Francis Hopkins, Jr. October 30, 2016

Class of 1953

Mr. Larry C. Hunley March 5, 2016

Class of 1954

Mr. George Spencer Currin June 6. 2017 Mr. U. “Sonny” Randle May 23, 2017

Mr. James Whitley August 21, 2017

Class of 1962

Mr. Edward Daniel Nedwick March 18, 2016

Class of 1963

Mr. Charles G. Robinette December 10, 2016

Class of 1965

Mr. Robert C. Sheldon, Jr. August 10, 2016

Class of 1955

Class of 1969

Mr. John Ward Lansch April 8, 2016

Class of 1972

Mr. John R. Williams, Jr. October 21, 2016

Class of 1956

Mr. Hampton H. Newbill, Jr. May 15, 2017 Mr. William Austin Carver September 27, 2016 Mr. Woodrow Wilson Davis March 15, 2016 Mr. Gallais E. Matheny May 22, 2017

Class of 1957 Mr. Alan T. Blunt March 31, 2016

Class of 1958

Mr. Mark E. Bowers, Jr. May 30, 2016 Mr. Ed J. Redsecker November 15, 2016 Mr. George Reid Fuller May 23, 2016

Mr. Thomas Edward Hoff, Jr. June 10, 2016 Mr. Herbert Randall Waters November 5, 2016

Class of 1977

save the date!

Alumni 2018 Weekend May 4-6, 2018

Mr. Lowell E. Eakin April 18, 2017

Class of 1978

Mr. Kevin Farrell Perdue March 16, 2016

Class of 1979

Mr. A. Duane Fender, Jr. December 6, 2016

Class of 1982

Mr. Constantine H Wilson May 17, 2017

Class of 2002

Mr. Anthony Robert Hill December 30, 2016 *This list represents alumni who passed between January 1, 2016 - September 30, 2017. Please let us know of any omissions by emailing development@fuma.org.

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the

Called to Lead Campaign at a glance $100 Million Endowment $13,600

Average Financial Award

3:5

“If our cadets are to be what they might, if our country is to be what it can, then eliciting the very best from our cadets must be our first duty as educators. And we must be very clear about one thing; if we don’t do it, not one else will.”

COL Kenneth T. Whitescarcer 7th President, Fork Union Military Academy

An Endowment of $100 million will allow us to provide virtually every qualified young man the opportunity to attend Fork Union, regardless of their ability to pay.

$79 Million Facilities receive financial assistance

Each year the Academy budgets

20% $2. 4 Million to financial aid awards

$21 FacultyMillion and Staff Support The success of our cadets would not be possible without the support of our devoted and highly talented teachers. Our campaign offers planned endeavors that will provide additional support and recognition to faculty.

$10 Endowed Million

Professorships

The Academy has already begun work on renovating the Wicker Science labs, and plans to begin work on a new Leadership Center soon. The Campaign seeks to invest in facilities, including the building of new classrooms, hightech teaching labs, and renovations to important existing spaces to help us better meet the needs of our cadets, today and into the next century.

$3 Million Pedestrian Only Campus

$13 Million

Body, Mind, Spirit Center Admissions Building

$10Hatcher Million Hall Renovations

$23 Million

$11 Million Faculty Housing

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Athletic Fields Thomas Gym Estes Athletic Center

Fork Union Military Academy is seeking candidates for the 11th President in its 119-year history.

RADM J. Scott Burhoe, USCG (Ret.), the Academy’s current President, has announced plans for his retirement, effective July 1, 2018.

The Academy is seeking a proven leader with a strong background in teaching/learning, as well as a proven commitment to educational excellence. Candidates must have an appreciation for the value of athletics/physical fitness in the total development of young men, and a passion for the role military structure plays to instill school pride and discipline. Candidates should show evidence of a sincere commitment to the development of respect, integrity, faith, character, and discipline in young men.

Candidate Qualifications:

•Strong Christian faith •High standards of personal character; exemplifying ethical and moral responsibility •Extraordinary leadership abilities, including the talent to build relationships and partnerships across various constituencies, including but not limited to alumni, parents, donors, and friends of the Academy •Exceptional communication skills, including writing, speaking, and listening •Strong financial background, including an understanding of budgeting, cash flow, net tuition revenue, and endowment management •Ability to work closely with faculty and staff in a familyoriented campus environment •Capability to attract and retain talented and committed faculty, staff, administrators, as well as all support element personnel •Personal commitment to the Academy’s public and constituent relationships •Familiarity with overall demographic trends and private school enrollment trends and practices •Ability to understand and contextualize marketing and branding decisions across the organization, internally and externally •Desire and ability to lead the Academy in the realization of stated developmental/fundraising goals as articulated in the Called to Lead Campaign •Ability to oversee and/or manage all phase (e.g., planning, construction, etc.) of building projects (such as conceived in the Called to Lead Campaign) •Appreciation for the value tradition plays, while recognizing the necessity for the transformation required in meeting the needs of education in the 21st Century •Willingness to reside in Careby Hall, the President’s campus residence

To Apply:

By December 1, 2017, interested candidates should submit their cover letter, resume, a one page statement describing how their gifts and capabilities blend with Fork Union Military Academy’s Educational Philosophy, and the names and addresses of three references.

Submissions should be directed to: PresidentSearch@fuma.org or Chairman, President Search Committee Fork Union Military Academy PO Box 278 Fork Union, VA 23055

Application deadline is December 1, 2017.

Fork Union Military Academy is fully-accredited by VAIS (and VCPE), and is a member of NAIS and AMCSUS. Fork Union Military Academy is non-discriminatory in regards to race, creed, color, or national origin.

Ten school presidents have served Fork Union Military Academy since its founding in 1898.

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4744 James Madison Highway Post Office Box 278 Fork Union, VA 23055

Encourage a young man to attend Fork Union Military Academy to receive the best college preparatory, Christian military education in the U.S. Contact COL Tripp Billingsley Director of Admissions 434.842.4205 billingsleyt@fuma.org 34

Presort Standard US Postage PAID Waynesboro, VA Permit 129