CLASS NOTES enter as Rats and even more rewarding when you see them graduate four (or sometimes five) years later. Thanks again for the note. Well, that’s about it from my end. If you haven’t had the opportunity to contribute to VMI this year, please give it some consideration … it’s a great investment. Each time I go down to Lexington and walk around the Institute, I’m always amazed at the quality of the new and renovated academic buildings, the state-of-theart military training facilities, the top-notch sporting venues and, most importantly, the wonderful cadets who are benefiting from the VMI experience. Just like it did for us 29 years ago, VMI is still nurturing cadets into model citizens and soldiers. VMI can’t do it on state support alone. That’s where alumni donations play an important role. Again, please consider a FY13 donation to your VMI … yes, it is and always will be your VMI. Let’s ensure the class of ’84 is heard from today. Until next time, goodnight Kevin Brooks, Mark Sossi and Taylor Smallwood, wherever you guys are.
’85
Matt Daniel
Hello, gentlemen and any ladies who may be your better halves. It’s time to start thinking about what you are doing this summer. The Annual Charlie Company Golf Safari (ACCGS) is coming up: ACCGS, Increment 2013. I know that, in these pages, I write or report a considerable amount about the ACCGS. For just the next few lines, I will explain why I spend so much ink writing about it. We have a structure for staying in touch that we inherited, being graduates of VMI. The structure is adequate: we meet every five years for a formal reunion, every 10 for a biggie. We have a class agent who writes notes quarterly to keep us all informed. (Often, he just makes stuff up and runs on and on, stream-of-consciousness-like.) This structure to keep us in synch, in touch, in step and aligned, at close interval, left right left, ready two, has the stick run yet ... this structure may be good enough for some classes. But we are not that “some class.” Every class likes to think it is different; not many really are. We are. And we are because of activities like the ACCGS. The ACCGS is representative of the best and most rebellious in us. It is not only coloring outside of the lines, but it is coloring where there ARE no lines. It is taking that coloring book, turning it upside down, and opening it backwards and coloring whatever the heck we want to color. Or not at all. Really, it is more like
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us sticking the dang coloring sticks in our ears and noses and running around giving each other pink bellies. Well … that’s weird, but you get my meaning, I hope. It is about making up our own rules, because … we will march to the beat of our OWN Bill the Bugler. With that, I ask you to clear your calendar and make time for at least one day of this most pure of brotherhood events that we have at our fingertips: the ACCGS. We ain’t getting any younger, men. One by one, we get picked off. Let us bind together, and celebrate us now and those not with us, our blessed brothers who have fallen before us. OK, enough of that. All that talk of coloring sticks has made me hungry, and now I am nibbling on a nice Periwinkle, Ochre and Burnt Umber. BTW: Sir Jake Spivey and I promise you a tshirt and maybe some other swag to be available for the ACCGS Increment 2013. The date is the WEEKEND OF 2-4 AUGUST. Please send me ideas for artwork. Here are some other notes: Pete Sniffin is now Col. Pete Sniffin. Several BRs went to his January promotion in the 5-sided wind tunnel. No one is more deserving of this. Pete Sniffin is made of the most solid stuff available. I am so sorry I missed it. A bunch of our guys did make it: Kirk and Green Thumb, among others. Random Name Drops (RND) work, gents, so here I go: Todd Thornes, Steve Marsh, John Douglas, Tate “Cowboy Hat and Sh** Kickers” Young and Big Wave Dave Barthol. And a big hello to my friends Mike Collins, Mike Milligan and Davis Estes. Shawn Oliver sends that he saw Chip Downey, Quintin Elliott and John Douglas at the NAS Oceana O’Club in February. Or was it Pat Donahue? Or wild Bill Engelson? Or maybe Mike Herndon? OK, none of that’s true. Really, he told me about his “out in town” exploits with Greg “WM” Enterline, Jay Lucas and Tommy “Distant Relative of Archie, Peyton and Eli” Manning. OK, none of that’s true, but Jim Chartier made me write it, or was it JJ Lee or maybe even Karl Marks? OK (3) – Shawn sends that he has opened a brewery in Albuquerque and has asked for my Uranus and Suns Brewing Co. recipes. He calls his brewery, “Fighter Foam Beer Company.” His signature creations are “Cat Shot Pale Ale,” “Broken Probe Lager” and “Bolter Blonde.” He plans on calling on Jackson and Marsenison to help him design and produce his newest concept, “Bingo on the Ball.” Call Shawn Oliver! On to other news: Kerry Kirk, Jeff Lane (Solon!), Tommy
GreenHead, Joe “Beef” Irby, John Eckenrode and I met in NOVA for a beer in January. I had a photo, but it showed too many “regulars” in this publication. Gotta get some new photo blood! Jeff Young, send me a photo! How about you, Jack Rose? Rockhead? Robles? Sawyer? Greg Williams? Steen? Stinebower? RND: Bryon Cole, Bob Chapman, Pete Delano and Glenn Degrote. Marc Boswell is working in the D.C. metro area, and we are overdue in getting together. Phil Pauquette has some interesting and enlightening posts on Facebook. I encourage connecting with him, Rob McIntire, Kerry Kirk and Jeff Hill on the “Book.” I have learned volumes. Dave Tingley also posts his most recent wood/art work. Love that stuff. He is a regular Ansel Adams. Well, in wood, anyway. Bob Lindgren is 50. So is Joe Pauley. Steve Hagan blew up his knee. On the mend. Get better, my very good amigo. JJ Wranek is making the pilgrimage to Williamsburg twice a month. He’s enrolled in W&M’s executive MBA. Brig. Gen. Cedric Wins should be back from AFG any time now. Hugh Hill has been watching too much of the TV show “Moonshiners” and is thinking about joining that bunch and starting his own distillery. At least he’ll have a full set of teeth! For now. Be careful what you send me, ’cause I will quote that shitake directly; I’ll prove it. Sorry, Danks Burton (but THANK YOU for the entry!): “Matt, I can’t believe I was a victim of your RND. I suppose that means I need to check in with you more often. So, what do you want to know about me? Living in Raleigh, NC, since 1986. Started a masonry construction business in 1992 – surviving. Three kids – boy, girl, boy. Oldest (Jake) is a ‘Rat,’ class of 2013+3. My daughter (Julia) will be attending Univ. of Alabama in fall ’13. Youngest (Drew) will still be at home with us for a few more years; he’s 13. My brothers, Jeb ’79 and Doug ’80, also have ‘Rats’ this year. Pretty cool to have three Burtons in the same class. There’s also a cousin in the second class. (Agent: “WOW!”) We attended all five home games this fall, plus the Navy game in Annapolis. I stay in touch with Ashley Cooper – we are next door neighbors. My vacation home is next door to his primary residence at Smith Mountain Lake. (Agent: Does he mow his lawn and not hang his underwear on the clothesline?) Ashley is doing well. He’s farming many acres in Franklin County, VA. Of his five children – one is married, two have completed college, one in college and one will go to college in fall ’13. That will leave the youngest, and only male, at home. If you ever get to visit Smith Mountain Lake, come up Gills Creek until you see a slalom ski course in a large cove. We’re at the end of
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