2023-Issue 4 Alumni Review

ALUMNI

REVIEW 2023 - Issue 4

Giving FISCAL YEAR 23 GIVING INCREASE OVER 5-YR AVG.

CASH RAISED

$22.7M 9.5%

NEW PLEDGES

$11.2M 44.4%

PLANNED GIVING

$8.5M 16.1%

Donor Im pac t FISCAL YEAR 23

$26.8 MILLION TOTAL ALLOCATED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE CORPS OF CADETS AND VMI MISSION

VMI FOUNDATION

KEYDET CLUB

VMIAA BOARD ENDOWMENTS

$19.4M

$6.2M

$1.2M

72.4%

23.2%

4.4%

PRIVATE GIVING SUPPORT INCLUDES FINANCIAL AID, NEED/MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS AND NCAA SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT

$12.9M 48.1%

OF TOTAL PRIVATE SUPPORT

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FACULTY COMPENSATION

$3.9M 14.5%

OF TOTAL PRIVATE SUPPORT

SUPPORT FOR THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Your impact is clear—the VMI experience endures and thrives because of your continued dedication.

Thank you for your support of the VMI mission and the Corps of Cadets.

$8.7M 32.3%

No. 4

For more than 18 years, VMI has been ranked in the top four public liberal arts colleges in the nation by US News and World Report, behind only the nation’s federal military academies.

99%

OF TOTAL PRIVATE SUPPORT

99% of graduates are employed or attending graduate school within five months of graduation (2022).

This data point has exceeded 98% for the last 18 years.

No. 1

Ranked No. 1 Best Value Liberal Arts Colleges in Virginia (in-state) by Payscale’s 2021–22 College Salary Report. Ranked No. 77 out of 1539 schools nationally.

Contents

Virginia Military Institute Alumni Review 2023-Issue 4

In This Issue . . .

This issue includes class notes and news items covering the time period of May 16, 2023, to Aug. 15, 2023.

10 In Memory 10 12

Samuel B. Witt III ’58 Col. James N. Joyner Jr. ’67

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Features

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14 100 Years of the Alumni Review 16 Corps Life 18 Academics 20 Athletics 22 Military Training 24 Buildings 26 Visitors 28 Unique Stories 30 In Review 32

Ransom ’01: “The Giver”

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2023-Issue 4

News and Updates 2 4 34 42 46 55 60 172 174 179 182

Message from the Alumni Agencies CEO Our Alumni Serving On Post Athletics Events Progress Class Notes Provisional Appointments Taps After Taps Staff News

Volume 100, No. 3

PUBLISHER VMI Alumni Agencies Chief Executive Officer: David Prasnicki Chief Communications Officer: Amy Goetz Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Moore Assistant Editor: Mattie Montgomery Communications Officer: Scott Belliveau ’83 Graphic Designer: Joe Czekner Development Writer: Mary Price Editorial Specialist: Molly Rolon ALUMNI REVIEW ONLINE vmialumni.org/alumnireview PUBLISHING OFFICE The VMI Alumni Agencies Alumni Review Office VMI Moody Hall, P.O. Box 932 Lexington, VA 24450 review@vmiaa.org | 540/464-7221 PRINTER Progress Printing Co., Inc. Lynchburg, Virginia The VMI Alumni Review (USPS 954-740) is published four times yearly in fall, winter, spring, and summer

by The VMI Alumni Agencies, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. It is sent to alumni and friends of the Institute without subscription.

ATTENTION POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to: VMI Alumni Review P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450 Periodicals postage paid at Lynchburg, VA. VMI ALUMNI AGENCIES TELEPHONE NUMBERS The VMI Alumni Association: The VMI Foundation: The VMI Keydet Club:

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

WEBSITE ADDRESSES Alumni Agencies: vmialumni.org VMI: vmi.edu Editor’s Note: Unless otherwise stated, photos courtesy VMI Alumni Agencies.

Outside Front Cover: Members of Company D march onto the Parade Ground in 1935. The 1907 Library building is in the background.—Photos courtesy VMI Archives.

Outside Back Cover: The rear of barracks, showing newly completed north wing, in 1923–24.

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FROM THE CEO

David L. Prasnicki, VMI Alumni Agencies CEO I am honored to provide the opening note in the issue in which we celebrate 100 years of the award-winning Alumni Review. Our editorial staff certainly enjoyed reviewing the very oldest issues and those through the decades that followed. As a staff member of 38 years, I have witnessed the evolution of size, design, and content under the leadership of Beverly Read ’41, Kathryn Wise, Hope Hennessey, and now Jordan Moore. I hope you enjoy walking through its history in the following pages. Although much has changed, much has stayed the same.

There is much to celebrate on post. A robust Rat Mass of 491 young men and women arrived in late August to take on the challenges of the VMI experience, connected by bonds of solidarity that are only forged at VMI. The month of November brings many exciting events to post, including the opportunity to recognize our donors and volunteer leaders. First is the well-deserved presentation of the VMI Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award to Conrad M. Hall ’65 in recognition of his decades of selfless and devoted service to VMI, the VMI Alumni Agencies, and his accomplishments in business and industry. This year, the VMI Foundation presents this high honor as part of the annual Founders Day convocation Nov. 10, 2023.

We also celebrate the 49th anniversary of the Institute Society, which provides for the needs of the Institute’s mission and the Corps of Cadets. Under the leadership of Meade King ’85, VMI Foundation chief operating officer, next year’s 50th celebration of the Institute Society is already being planned, and it is sure to be a night to remember. We hope you will continue your membership or join this amazing group of loyal supporters to secure your seat at the 50th.

That is only one of the many ways the VMI Alumni Agencies

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recognizes the thousands of men and women whose philanthropy ensures the Corps of Cadets will receive an education second to none in terms of preparing them for lives of high achievement, active citizenship, and principled leadership.

Fiscal Year 2023 fundraising results saw an increase above the five-year averages in all types of giving—cash, 9.5%; planned gifts, 16.1%; and pledges, 44.4%.

The Keydet Club, under the leadership of Andrew Deal ’12, chief operating officer, recently hosted the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet, celebrating the life-changing contributions of scholarship support donors for the NCAA athletic program. It provides opportunities for scholarship cadets to share their appreciation and get to know their donors. It is truly a special time.

As I write this, we have just completed our first reunions of the year, celebrating the Classes of 2013, 2018, and 2008. Although the weather did not cooperate fully, the Class of 2013 broke the record for fundraising for a 10th Reunion campaign by presenting a check of more than $575,000 during the game at Foster Stadium.

Our annual Honor Roll of Donors publication—digitally released in October—has a singular focus: To recognize all donors in the past fiscal year and lifetime donors whose consistent contributions have offered meaningful impact to the Institute and thousands of cadets. We are inspired by your philanthropy.

In the current academic budget, private financial support from the VMI Alumni Agencies represents more than 25% of VMI’s operating budget in FY 2024. We are proud the VMI Alumni Agencies is one of the largest financial bodies of support, second only to tuition and fees. I’d like to put that in context to demonstrate the immense impact this money has

VMI Alumni Review

on the Institute and our cadets.

Support from the VMI Alumni Agencies helps VMI meet the critical needs of the Institute, making VMI distinctly different from other institutions of higher learning. Our fundraising efforts are answered by the generosity of thousands of alumni, families, and friends, all focused on the benefits of an education program like no other, carrying on the founding values of honor, integrity, character, and civility.

We have been there for the Corps during exceptional seasons of need to shore up the shortfalls of our national economy. When the Institute called on the Agencies during the 2008–09 financial crisis asking for additional aid, the Agencies responded. This allowed the progress VMI was making under Vision 2039 to continue uninterrupted.

Last year, the Institute established the Call to Duty scholarship program. Under this program, VMI offers funding to cover room and board to prospective cadets who have been awarded an ROTC scholarship.

This has already increased the number of ROTC scholarship recipients—high-quality young people that everyone would want to attend VMI—in all departments. For example, there were 11 Naval ROTC scholarship cadets in last year’s rat class; in this year’s, there are 29. Of that group, 21 are from out of state. According to Col. Nichole Scott, professor of aerospace science, the scholarship was instrumental to one cadet’s decision to attend VMI instead of The Citadel. “We wouldn’t have even been in the running had it not been for the Call to Duty scholarship.” This first Call to Duty class is being funded by an exceptional gift of support from the VMI Foundation at a cost of approximately $4 million throughout their cadetship. It will take an influx of new private support and the dedicated support of the Institute to keep this program moving forward.

The vast number of the VMI Alumni Association’s engagement activities, under the direction of Ed Johnson ’79, chief operating officer, builds a robust network of friendship and support for all alumni. The dedicated work of chapters, class agents, and all alumni volunteers is resulting in new initiatives

and support programs across the country and globally. This team and the volunteer leaders involved developed and launched a comprehensive survey to all alumni in September. This was accomplished in partnership with one of the most experienced vendors in the nation, and the work is ongoing to analyze responses and trends among our alumni.

We are committed to supporting VMI’s strong academic program. We regularly partner with Brig. Gen. Robert “Bob” Moreschi, deputy superintendent for academics and dean of the faculty, to maintain academic excellence as a consistent goal of VMI. The foundation of any great academic enterprise is a dedicated, talented, and knowledgeable faculty who develop their students’ intellects, inspiring them to high achievement in the classroom and elsewhere, instilling in them a lifelong love of learning, and serving as mentors. To recruit, reward, and retain such faculty in a time of intense competition with other schools, VMI must offer compensation on par with other colleges and universities.

To meet this need, the Institute has long depended largely on private financial support—and the donors who provide it.

Currently, 35 professorships and chairs—all supported by endowments established by alumni and friends—support our faculty.

Millions of dollars of support have been dedicated to this important part of our pursuit of excellence. The professors who hold these chairs serve in a variety of departments and are widely known for being excellent teachers, leading researchers, and superb professional citizens.

They improve the education our cadets receive, and they boost the Institute’s academic reputation. Other faculty also benefit from each new chair or professorship.

I know you will join me in my appreciation for the small but talented staff of the VMI Alumni Agencies. They are a great team that accomplishes more than their number dictates.

We at the VMI Alumni Agencies are grateful for the support, guidance, and philanthropy you provide for this very worthy cause: To educate young leaders of character, determination, and honor who will selflessly serve their communities and their country.

“We at the VMI Alumni Agencies are grateful for the support, guidance, and philanthropy you provide for this very worthy cause: To educate young leaders of character, determination, and honor who will selflessly serve their communities and their country.”

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Our A lumni S erving Recognizing Those Who Serve Others in Their Communities, Country, and the World Are you or someone you know serving the community, country, or the world? Send in a photo and a description of what you’re doing, where, and for whom.

See instructions below.

The VMI Alumni Agencies would like to pay tribute to our citizen-soliders, who are, as Col. J.T.L. Preston said and as printed on the parapet, “an honor to our country and our state, objects of honest pride to their instructors ... and ready in every time of deepest peril ... .”

Those alumni whose photos and articles appear in this section of the Review could be members of the armed forces serving anywhere in the world, or they could be members of police and fire departments, legislators, doctors offering their services to those less fortunate, or alumni volunteering at food pantries.

If you or someone you know is serving others, please submit a high resolution photo (3 or 4 megapixels, minimum) taken at the location you are serving or with the people whom you serve.

Along with the photo, please submit a caption that explains what your service is, where you perform it, and for whom. Send these to the VMI Alumni Review staff at review@vmiaa.org or by mail to VMI Alumni Review, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450, Attention: Alumni Review.

We will review your submission and consider it for publication.

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VMI Alumni Review

Alumni at USMC Special Operations Headquarters, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Robert C. Graham ’81, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Stephen P. Grzeszczak ’86, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Anthony M. Marro ’91, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Michael S. Castellano ’95, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Ian G. Dunlap ’05, and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Jordan M. Iida ’12 at Marine Special Operations Headquarters in Stone Bay, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, May 15, 2023.

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Furness ’87 Retires From Marine Corps 1) U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 retired from the USMC at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 21, 2023. He served 36 years in the Marine Corps.

2) Furness (left) stands next to his wife, Lynda, as he receives the Distinguished Service Medal from retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John Amos, 35th commandant of the Marine Corps, at his retirement ceremony.

3) Furness with his family at his retirement ceremony.—Photos by Alex Marie Photography.

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Ott ’92 Assumes Command of Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Matthew N. Ott III ’92 assumes command of Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support from U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Ken Epps at his change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 9, 2023. The NAVSUP WSS is an organization of more than 2,500 personnel across three sites that provides program and supply support for naval aircraft, ships, and submarines worldwide.—U.S. Navy Photo by Fox Murray.

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Womack ’92 Takes Command of U.S. Army Japan U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Womack ’92 takes command of U.S. Army Japan at Camp Zama, Japan, June 20, 2023.

Womack is now in charge of approximately 3,000 U.S. soldiers at 17 posts in Japan.

Whitlock ’02, Andricos ’92 Aboard USS Midway Museum U.S. Navy Reserve Cmdr. Jerry Whitlock ’02 (left) and Greg Andricos ’92 aboard the USS Midway Museum ship during a Navy employer recognition event in San Diego, California, in June 2023.

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Lee ’00 Chief of Police for the New Jersey State Human Services Police 1) Brian Lee ’00 is sworn in as chief of police for the New Jersey State Human Services Police May 19, 2023, exactly 23 years to the date Lee graduated from VMI. The NJSHSP was established in 1891 for the state’s psychiatric hospitals, and today, they serve the residents and staff of the state’s psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers, as well as youth and families in vulnerable situations.

2) Pictured are (from left) Timothy Gallagher, NJSHSP director of police; Lee; Lee’s wife, son, and two daughters; and Sarah Adelman, New Jersey Department of Human Services commissioner.

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James ’04 Promoted to Colonel, Serves in Ukraine 1) U.S. Air Force Col. Roderick James ’04 served as the Department of Defense Airboss during the Paris Airshow ’23, June 19–25, 2023. James also spent the summer in Ukraine assisting the Ukraine Armed Forces General Staff.

2) James (left) with his wife, Michelle, after his promotion to colonel July 1, 2023.

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VMI Alumni Review

1st Infantry Division Alumni Gather After Service in Poland

Piersall ’07 Receives Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel Alumni serving in the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, gather after their return from Poland at the Liquid Art Winery in Manhattan, Kansas, May 26, 2023. Pictured are (from left) U.S. Army 1st Lt. Taylor Morton ’21, Capt. Matthew Johnson ’17, 2nd Lt. Alexandria Woodward ’22, 1st Lt. Nicholas Hausler ’21, Col. Brandon “Bull” Smith ’96, 1st Lt. Paul Boucher ’21, Lt. Col. Jason Quash ’04, Capt. Brandon “Buck” Fleming ’16, Capt. Taylor Rafaly ’15, and Maj. N. Alex Lamb ’08.

Virginia National Guard Engineers Celebrate U.S. Army, U.S. Army Engineer Regimental Birthdays

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Clayton Piersall ’07 with his wife, Lindsey, and their three children after his promotion to lieutenant colonel in June 2023. Piersall is currently stationed at MCAS Miramar and serves as the Marine Air Group 16 executive officer.

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Virginia National Guard engineers gather to celebrate the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Engineer Regimental birthday June 15, 2023, at the Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center at Fort Barfoot, Blackstone, Virginia.

Pictured are (from left) Virginia National Guard Maj. Matthew Swanson ’92, 1st Lt. Jonathan Baker ’20, Maj. Joshua Favaro ’10, Brig. Gen. K. Weedon Gallagher ’90, Maj. Andrew J. Czaplicki ’08, Maj. Jessee Kopczynski ’07, and Lt. Col. Robert “Beau” Mason ’00.

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Alumni Serve in 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Chapman ’12 Receives Promotion U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joel Chapman ’12 at his promotion ceremony April 13, 2023, at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Serving with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit are (from left) U.S. Marine Corps Maj. John Dommert ’13, Capt. Will Thomas ’17, Capt. Blake Woodring ’17, Sgt. Paul Caliendo ’18, 1st Lt. Mac Chapman ’19, and 1st Lt. John Neenan ’20 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 25, 2023.

Naval Alumni Fly Super Hornets

Champion ’14 Serves in Peace Corps Serving with the Peace Corps in Samoa, Lucas Champion ’14 is a member of an 11-person volunteer cohort helping improve the English literacy of Samoan students from ages 3-8 years old.

Champion’s team will spend 27 months in Samoa, and currently, they are learning the Gagana Samoa language, teaching methods and expectations, and integrating with the local community.

U.S. Navy Lt. Cole Green ’19 (left) and Lt. j.g. Jack Freischlag ’20 dropped MK-82s in the high Sonora Desert in their FA-18/F Super Hornet out of Naval Air Facility El Centro, California, in May 2023.

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VMI Alumni Review

Lee ’21 Promoted

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jordon Bennett ’19 and 2nd Lt. Liam Kelly ’21 after pinning the rank of first lieutenant on 1st Lt. Joohyuk Lee ’21 in 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines Regiment at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, May 31, 2023.

Alumni Graduate U.S. Army Ranger School Austin Stansberry ’20, Zach Wright ’22, Sean Schwartz ’22, and Charles Jones ’22 graduate U.S. Army Ranger School July 14, 2023.

Alumni Serve in U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division

Alumni serving in U.S. Army 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, in May 2023 are (from left) 2nd Lt. Nic Shier ’22, Capt. Tyler Fallen ’18, 2nd Lt. Ian Baker ’21, Lt. Col. Aaron Childers ’05, Capt. Richard Bischoff ’17, 1st Lt. Christopher Douglas ’17, and Sgt. Joseph Hughes ’20. The regiment has a history of VMI alumni, including Gen. George C. George Marshall, Class of 1901, who served in the 30th in 1902.

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In Memory: Samuel B. Witt III ’58

By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer

Samuel B. Witt III ’58, who served on the VMI Board of Visitors for 11 years and was BOV president from 2001–05, died July 6, 2023. He was 87.

Witt’s father was Samuel B. Witt Jr., Class of 1918, and five cousins and two uncles were also alumni. An English major, Witt was on the staff of the Bomb and The Cadet, serving as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief and managing editor during his 1st Class year. He was a member of the Glee Club, the VMI Commanders, and the Timmins Music Society.

Witt was a cadet corporal, a cadet first sergeant, and a cadet captain who commanded Company D. A Distinguished Graduate and Distinguished Air Force Graduate, he was named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.

After graduation, Witt served in the U.S. Air Force for three years. He was stationed in Germany with the 585th Communications and Guidance Squadron.

Witt entered the University of Virginia School of Law in 1961. There, he continued his record of academic excellence and won the William Minor Lile Moot Court competition.

His performance earned him a place in the prestigious honor society for law school graduates, the Order of the Coif, and the Raven Society, a student honor society at UVA. He then joined the Richmond firm of Christian, Barton, Epps, Brent, and Chappell.

In 1966, he decided, as he said, “to seek my fortune as an international lawyer.” From 1966–70, he was the assistant general counsel for C/I/Girdler International, S.A., an affiliate of Bechtel Engineering. Witt joined General Mills Europe in 1970 as European counsel and director of finance. He graduated from the Harvard Business School’s Senior International Managers Program in 1976.

Witt joined R.J. Reynolds Industries in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1977. There, he held several positions, including the vice president, general counsel, and secretary of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company from 1981–86.

RJR Nabisco’s board selected him as the corporation’s vice president, special counsel in 1986. Three years later, he became a partner in North Carolina’s largest law firm, Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice.

In 1988, he co-founded Stateside Associates, a Washington-based government relations

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firm. He did not, however, work full-time at Stateside until 1993. As its senior vice president and general counsel, Witt concentrated on state legislative and regulatory issues, especially those related to civil justice reform.

Witt was a member of the American Law Institute, the Defense Research Institute, the Association of Defense Counsel, and the Product Liability Advisory Council. He was a trustee of the University of Virginia Law School Foundation for 12 years. He served on many corporate boards and was a member of the governing boards of Winston-Salem State University and the Western Carolina University School of Business.

Unshakably committed to the Institute, Witt devoted much of his time and talent to its service. He was a trustee of the VMI Foundation from 1988–94 and, immediately afterward, was selected to join the BOV. During the next 11 years, he was a member of several committees, such as the Academic Affairs Committee and the Cadet Affairs Committee.

He led several committees, including the Committee on Appeals, which reviews disciplinary and Honor Court matters, and the External Development Committee. Witt became the board’s vice president in 1996, and in 2001, he became the BOV president, a post he held for four years.

Mike Strickler ’71 became the special assistant to the superintendent and the BOV secretary the same year Witt became the board’s president. “He was magnificent,” said Strickler. “He knew how to get things done. He was demanding and paid incredible attention to detail.” Strickler recalls the first set of minutes—about 20-25 pages long—he submitted to Witt. “He was an English major, and when he returned the minutes, they were marked up in a way that would have made his English professors proud. I can assure you I got better at those minutes, and the amount of red ink on them steadily declined. That was what he did: He made everyone better.

“Sam was demanding, but he never made demands. He persuaded people instead, smoothly leading people in what he thought was the best direction,” Strickler continued.

“Everyone appreciated him for that. He treated people very kindly and was something of a father figure.”

Strickler pointed out the important role Witt

played in “the huge transitional period” between the administrations of Lt. Gen. Josiah Bunting III ’63 and Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62. “He was the driving force in getting General Peay to accept the job as superintendent, and he worked so well with General Peay in those first couple of years. He was great for the board and great for the Institute.”

Peay credits Witt with being a major influence in his decision to become superintendent.

“He was very persistent in strongly encouraging me and my family to come back to VMI. It turned out to be one of my very best decisions, and I will always be indebted to him for that.”

S. Waite Rawls III ’70 served on the BOV with Witt for nine years. A veteran of many boards, corporate and otherwise, Rawls described Witt as “the best board leader I have ever seen.” According to Rawls, Witt’s strengths were simple. “He insisted the board act like a board and committees act like committees. That’s basic stuff, but many board leaders don’t pay attention to it.” Rawls was a committee chairman and recalls Witt expected “succinct and timely reports. Also, about a week after a board meeting, he’d call and ask me for an agenda for the next meeting and what I needed from the Institute staff to support it.”

“Sam was never afraid to tackle tough issues, and he always was thinking ahead and constantly coming up with ideas to improve VMI. When Brig. Gen. Robert L. Green ’67 served as acting superintendent in 2003, Sam once called him and, as he often did, began by saying, ‘I’ve got a great idea.’ Bob, who was still dealing with Sam’s previous ideas, replied, ‘Sam, would you mind if we have a moratorium on new great ideas?’”

Peay said of Witt, “Sam represented the true spirit of VMI. He was always supportive of all things VMI for many, many years.” Besides being a trustee of the VMI Foundation, he was on the Jackson-Hope Fund’s Board of Overseers from 2002–16 and the governing committee of the fundraising campaign, Reveille: A Call to Excel. His leadership helped ensure the success of the Class of 1958’s 50th Reunion Fund: 90% participation and a record-setting $16.1 million raised.

In 1998, Witt joined the board of the College Orientation Workshop. Founded in 1987 by Gene Williams ’74, the organization prepares

VMI Alumni Review

male minority high school students to achieve success in high school and beyond through an intense four-week educational enrichment program during the summers at VMI. “When Sam committed to doing something,” recalled Williams, “it was as good as done, and he demonstrated that commitment in both word and deed. He helped guide COW to significant growth in terms of program offerings, geographic scope, and financial stability.”

When Witt joined COW’s board, it had about $66,000 in equity. Witt soon arranged a meeting between his brother rat, Thomas A Saunders III ’58, and Williams. “Sam introduced me to Mr. Saunders, and I gave my ‘elevator presentation.’ As a result, COW received a significant pledge from Mr. Saunders.

That pledge ... and many other commitments have helped COW’s equity to grow by almost 30-fold.” Furthermore, according to Williams, “Sam held COW’s leadership to high standards—and mentored me personally—in the challenging world of charity management.

I am so glad he chose to share his gifts and his time with COW. I count that as a true blessing.”

The fruitful association between Witt and Neville Anderson ’84 began in 1989 when, after an introduction by Harry Warner ’57, Witt joined Anderson’s Nevander Asset Management, Inc., board. During the decade Witt was on the board—and afterward—Anderson “counted on [Witt] as a mentor.”

“Sam’s advice was always gentle and thoughtful,” Anderson said. “He never said, ‘You’re crazy,’ when I presented an idea. Instead, he’d say, ‘How can I help?’” That help, according to Anderson, included access to people Witt knew. “His Rolodex was my Rolodex.

“I was aware of his professional reputation and experience. So, when he spoke, like everyone else, I listened.” However, Anderson saw a side of Witt that few might have. “He was a warm, very caring man who would stop by for drinks when I lived in southern California.”

During their decades-long relationship, Anderson and Witt had many conversations on many topics. “Sam was incredibly perceptive and forward-thinking. He spotted trends in business, media, and society remarkably well, and, while highly principled, he was pragmatic, always seeking to find common ground to advance the common good.” It was his personal relationship with Witt that Anderson treasures. “He treated me almost like a son, and I loved him for that. He was a great man.”

Witt is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sally; two sons, Clay and Sam, and their wives; three grandchildren; and two brothers.

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Samuel B. Witt III ’58 takes part in the parade marking the inauguration of Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 as the Institute’s 14th superintendent in 2003. Witt served as president of the VMI Board of Visitors from 2001–05 and played a leading role in recruiting Peay to VMI.—Photo courtesy VMI Communications & Marketing.

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In Memory: Col. James N. Joyner Jr. ’67

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Retired U.S. Army Col. James Nurney “Jim” Joyner Jr. ’67, who served as commandant of the Corps of Cadets during the transition to coeducation in the late 1990s, died July 4, 2023. He was 79.

A career Army officer, Joyner served in several positions at VMI, including two tours in VMI’s Army ROTC unit—one as a captain from 1975–78 and as colonel and department head from 1989–93. After his retirement from the Army, Joyner served as director of cadet affairs at VMI before becoming commandant in 1997. He was later director of auxiliary services, a position he held until his retirement in 2011.

He was awarded the VMI Meritorious Service Medal in 2011 and received an award for distinguished service during the 2011 Institute Awards ceremony.

Those who knew Joyner well recalled his ability to thrive when presented with challenge and change. Mike Strickler ’71, who served as the Institute’s public relations director from 1992–2001, recalled Joyner being named commandant in August 1997, just weeks away from the matriculation of VMI’s first coeducational class. “He got thrown right into the fire,” said Strickler of Joyner—the “fire” being a national media spotlight that involved approximately 250 members of the press representing 60 media outlets.

As public relations director, all eyes were on Strickler—and as commandant, Joyner was placed in the same spotlight. “[F]or about two years, Jim and I were pretty much joined at the hip,” Strickler recalled. Thankfully, the two worked seamlessly together, and Strickler recalled Joyner as a consummate professional.

From the time he was named commandant to Matriculation Day, Joyner and others turned their attention to making sure no detail was missed in the final preparations for the first women to arrive. “His leadership skills were tested, and he did a magnificent job,” said Strickler. “He was very principled. He was a man of character.”

After the first coeducational class broke out in the spring semester of 1998, Joyner was featured in a news story sharing with readers that the bar was not lowered and women proved themselves equal.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Eric Hutchings ’77,

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Col. James N. “Jim” Joyner Jr. ’67 became commandant of the Corps of Cadets in summer 1997, just weeks before the first women matriculated.—Photo courtesy VMI Communications & Marketing. who succeeded Joyner as commandant, also recalled Joyner’s wise counsel and steadfast leadership. Stepping into the commandant’s role, Hutchings noted, was challenging because there was no protocol for the transfer of leadership. Thankfully, though, Joyner was only a phone call away when Hutchings needed the back story on a situation.

“I could call him at any time, and I greatly appreciated his willingness to speak and his candor,” said Hutchings, who retired from VMI in 2020. “He was very helpful to me.”

Hutchings recalled that he and Joyner first met when Hutchings was a cadet—and in a situation that didn’t lend itself to comfort. “He was a [tactical] officer, and anybody who’s a

tactical officer you view as someone who can give you demerits, so you do your best not to engage with them,” Hutchings explained.

“But once, when I was sergeant of the guard, he was officer in charge for the night, and we had to do a stick check. It takes a long time to do the stick check. It took about two hours, and I asked him about his military experiences in Vietnam and everything, and it was captivating. I remember some of the things he told me to this day. This was a subject he knew well and warmed to. I’m not sure if the stick check ever got done!”

The relationship that began that evening continued for decades and extended to the times when neither was in uniform. “Both he

VMI Alumni Review

and his wife were so gracious to me and my wife, and they had us over for several meals,” Hutchings recalled.

“Colonel Joyner, in his various roles at VMI, stayed directly connected to the Corps of Cadets,” said Brig. Gen. Dallas Clark ’99, deputy superintendent for finance and support. “In his final role in auxiliary services, the results of his leadership provided exceptional results in improvements to cadet uniforms and the services provided in the mess hall, bookstore, armory, military store, quartermaster, and mailroom. ... He was instrumental in supporting and implementing major strategic initiatives to the post-wide safety with the VMI police, which for a time was also under his purview.”

Joyner matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, after having attended Greenbrier Military School in West Virginia during his high school years. At VMI, he immersed himself in cadet life, becoming a member of the Floor, Hop, and Saber Committees. Joyner also held rank in the Corps, serving as a corporal his 2nd and 3rd Class years and commanding Company

B his 1st Class year. He was also the Social Committee chairman of the Corps Activities Committee during his 1st Class year.

Concern for others, his brother rats noted, was central to his character. In the 1967 Bomb, his brother rats wrote, “Unlike some in the post, Nurney is a ‘brother rat’ first. For this, he gained the respect and admiration of his brother rats and friends. He cares, although some rats may not think so, about his men.”

Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a commission into the U.S. Army (infantry), Joyner married his high school sweetheart, Barbara, and was shortly thereafter deployed to Vietnam.

Over the next 26 years, a multitude of Army assignments and relocations followed, including but not limited to overseas assignments in Berlin, Germany, and Korea, and stateside ones at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (now Fort Liberty); Fort Benning, Georgia (now Fort Moore); Fort Drum, New York; Fort Lewis, Washington; and the Pentagon, among others.

He was a graduate of the U.S. Army Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses,

Airborne School, Ranger School, U.S. Naval College Command and Staff School, and the U.S. Army War College. In addition, he earned a Master of Arts degree from Georgia State University.

His awards and decorations included the Legion of Merit Award, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Military Meritorious Service Medal x3, Army Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal x2, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal x2, Vietnam Service Medal x3, Vietnam Campaign Medal x3, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, U.S. Army Staff Identification Badge, U.S. Army Ranger Tab, U.S. Army Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Infantry Badge.

He is survived by his children, Virginia Joyner West (Ken) and James N. “Jamie” Joyner III ’95 (Laura); grandchildren, Hanna West, Alex West, and Caroline Joyner; sister, Alice Langford; and brothers, Richard Joyner and George Joyner.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, and grandson, Thomas Joyner.

Joyner (left) receives the VMI Meritorious Service Medal from Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, then-superintendent, in 2011.—Photo courtesy VMI Communications & Marketing.

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The first issue of what was then called the VMI Alumni News was published Nov. 15, 1923. The length was a modest eight pages.

The VMI Alumni News became the VMI Alumni Review in 1938.

Celebrating the end of the academic year, Finals Issue 1938 was the last issue titled VMI Alumni News.

Class notes have been an Alumni Review staple from the first issue onward.

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VMI Alumni Review

of the Alumni Review Join us as we turn back the pages and review a century of dedication and coverage

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The Fall 1938 issue debuted the name VMI Alumni Review and featured John Dillard, Class of 1896, then-Board of Directors president.

The magazine’s first full-color front cover was published in 1958.

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Readers of today’s Alumni Review, accustomed to a glossy, full-color magazine of close to 200 pages appearing in mailboxes like clockwork each quarter, might be quite surprised to learn of the publication’s humble beginnings Nov. 15, 1923. In this centennial issue, we revisit the rich history of the Institute and the VMI family as told in the pages of the Review.

The first issue of what was then called the VMI Alumni News contained a mere six pages of class notes, covering the Classes of 1890–1923, and the entire issue comprised only eight pages.

By 1938, the Alumni News had become the Alumni Review. Over the years—and in response to alumni input—the magazine has been finetuned and reworked to best capture the lives, service, gatherings, and news of alumni, in addition to the cadet experience as it is presently lived out at the Institute. In the mid-20th century, the Review included not only Alumni News and Class Notes but also some of the regular sections familiar to readers today: Baby Keydets (then simply called Births), Marriages, and Taps. For many decades, the Review was supported by advertising from both local businesses and blue-chip corporations; full-color ads from companies such as General Electric and the Bell System ran regularly throughout much of the 20th century, along with rate sheets listing ad sizes and pricing. Most recently, the magazine’s current format, with standardized sections such as Our Alumni Serving, Events, and Progress, was established in 2018.

As times change and the lives of alumni and cadets evolve over the years, so does the Review. Over the next several pages, travel with us as we revisit the last 100 years of VMI alumni and cadet life.

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The Rat Line has experienced many changes over the years. This headline from 1934 informs the VMI community about the abolition of the rat system.

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Never at a loss for entertainment, even in the depths of winter, cadets use chairs to slide down the hill outside Crozet Hall in 1956.

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Cadets have always been willing and ready to lend a hand in times of need. Those shown here are assisting with clean-up from a major flood in the Rockbridge area in 1985.

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New cadet uniforms were introduced in 1952.

Third Battalion was established in 1984 and later disbanded in the 1990s. The battalion was brought back under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, in 2021.

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The front page of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Virginia, which ruled that VMI’s male-only admissions policy was unconstitutional.

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The root of Corps life has remained largely unchanged since the founding of VMI in 1839—the bond cadets build as brother rats beginning on Matriculation Day is unlike any other. And because of this special bond, VMI cadets and alumni have played an integral part in national and global historic moments over the past 100 years.

The continuity of the VMI cadet experience recorded within the issues of the Alumni Review is uncanny. This enduring experience runs as a throughline over the past century, attesting to the power of VMI’s traditions and transformative character expectations

Chih-Yuan Ho ’01 and Melissa Adamski (Graham) ’01 became the Institute’s first two female graduates in 1999.

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as cadets have navigated a perpetually challenging and changing world.

Noted on these pages are celebrated triumphs for the Corps as momentous as welcoming the first Black cadets in 1968 and the first female cadets in 1997, to those as practical as the addition of belt loops to their uniforms. Through the years, cadets have also always had an innate proclivity for finding ways to have fun—even within the rigorous and rigid perimeters of the Institute—including chair sledding on mess hall hill.

The 2018 coverage of the 50th anniversary of racial integration at VMI, honoring the first African American cadets.

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2011

2020

This 2011 article explored what a day in the life of a cadet looked like. Many things have stayed the same over the years.

The COVID-19 pandemic kept cadets away from post for the longest time since the Civil War.

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The largest class in VMI history, 522 rats who would go on to become the Class of 2024, matriculated in August 2020.

2020 2023 A day long to be remembered by members of the Rat Mass, Breakout now typically occurs in early February and culminates in the first Old Yell for the new class.

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This look at the civil engineering department, which has existed since VMI’s inception, was published in the January 1924 issue. At the time, VMI had four academic departments: Civil engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, and liberal arts.

Col. Donald K. Jamison ’57, longtime civil engineering department head, wrote this article discussing the past, present, and future of the department in the Summer 1972 issue.

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1924 1961 This article from the Winter 1961 issue discusses the changing nature of a college library, which by that time had transitioned from a repository for books to an active learning center.

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1974 This article from the Winter 1974 issue explores the history of the chemistry department.

The Winter 1974 issue carried the news that VMI Research Labs had received a two-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.

1974 1984 By the mid-1980s, personal computer use was becoming mainstream on college campuses, and VMI was no exception. This article from the Fall 1984 issue discusses plans to roll out computer use in all academic disciplines.

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A challenging academic curriculum meant to prepare cadets for the promise and possibility of their futures as citizen-soldiers has always been central to VMI’s mission. The past century, of course, has seen numerous changes as to how this mission is fulfilled: Saturday classes have been eliminated, and slide rules, once a vital tool for those studying mathematics and the engineering disciplines, have given way to laptops and smartphones.

Equipment in the Institute’s science labs now rivals that at many major research universities, and information-seeking in all areas of study is robustly supported at Preston Library, which is now an in-demand information hub

with a rich array of both print and digital materials and highly trained staff available to guide cadet research. Endowed chairs in nearly every academic department support a dedicated faculty, and undergraduate research is flourishing, with ample opportunities for cadets to share their findings with both the Institute community and their peers at other institutions.

With such a breadth and depth of resources, cadets enter the Institute as budding scholars in their fields and leave as confident, well-prepared young men and women able to compete for and win admission to the nation’s most selective fellowships and graduate programs.

The Jamison-Payne Distinguished Professorial Chair for Electrical Engineering was established in 1988.

Will Flathers III ’08 was named VMI’s first Goldwater Scholar in 2007.

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2007

John Dickenson ’20, a chemistry major, devoted many hours during his cadetship to research aimed at developing sustainable fuels.

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2007

2009

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In February 1996, the VMI Board of Visitors voted to eliminate Saturday classes, a longstanding Institute tradition.

New Horizons, the VMI journal of undergraduate research, made its debut in April 2007.

Gregory Lippiatt ’09 was named a Rhodes Scholar in 2009, becoming VMI’s 11th Rhodes Scholar since 1921.

Frankie Celentano ’20, an electrical and computer engineering major, received the inaugural First Dominion Citizen-Soldier Scholarship in 2020.

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This 1931 cover showcases the VMI versus University of Virginia homecoming football game.

Under the leadership of John McKenna, head coach, the football team had an undefeated season in 1957.

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Ron Carter ’78 balances on the hoop in celebration as the basketball team wins the Southern Conference championship in 1977.

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1967

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This incredible 1942 cover shows football alumni from 1891 dressed in their old uniforms.

The 1967 football season was marked by victories over multiple opponents, including Boston College, UVA, Virginia Tech (then known as VPI), Davidson, and The Citadel.

The football team went 7-4 in 1978, winning the Virginia Big Five championship and becoming co-Southern Conference champions.

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Since the late 1860s, athletics has been an integral part of the VMI experience. Though the uniforms may have changed over the last century, the spirit behind the red jerseys has remained. Training and competition at all levels of sports reinforce the leadership lessons cadets learn in barracks and promote the classical idea of “a sound mind in a sound body.” From football championships to a world-ranked track team, it is difficult to highlight any one VMI sport when so many deserve attention. Over the past 100 years,

The baseball team won the Southern Conference championship in 1988 and marked the first 20-win season in Institute history in the process.

cadet-athletes have celebrated numerous victories, exceptional players, and more; they also have experienced the satisfaction of knowing that, at the end of the day, they have given their all for their team and the Institute.

Through all these achievements, VMI athletics has served to unite the entire VMI family—alumni, parents, cadets, and friends—closer together as they cheer on their Keydets who showcase the Institute and its Corps to the country.

Reggie Williams ’08, VMI’s all-time leading scorer, takes a free throw shot in Cameron Hall during a game against Winthrop.

The men’s rugby team achieved its highest level of play in 50 years in December 2017, playing for the national championship.

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2018

1988

2007

2011

Gray-Minor Stadium opened in 2007—and the addition of lights made it possible for the Keydet baseball team to play their first night game at home.

Members of the Institute track team’s 4x800 relay team were ranked No. 1 worldwide by the International Association of Athletics Federation in spring 2011.

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2021 Scott Wachenheim, then-head coach, celebrates with his players after a victory over The Citadel sealed the Southern Conference championship in April 2021.

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Members of an artillery unit conduct mounted drills on the Parade Ground in the 1920s.

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This February 1935 cover shows the Corps of Cadets formed for inspection in front of barracks.

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This image of cadets with horsedrawn caissons appeared on the Alumni Review cover in 1936.

1936 1936 1924 Members of a cavalry unit conduct mounted drills on the Parade Ground in the 1920s.

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This photo of a 1930s parade ran in the Winter 1989 issue in observance of the 150th anniversary of the Institute’s founding.

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As declared in VMI’s very name, military training has been an integral part of the Institute since its founding in 1839. Over the last century, the unique challenges and modifications to military training on post accompanying each conflict and peacetimes have been documented in the pages of the Review. As warfare and the world changed, so did VMI, with the eventual dissolving of the cavalry regiments, for example. During World War II, VMI updated its combat training, and meanwhile, many cadets shipped off to serve in the middle of their four-year degrees. When they returned to post, the Institute had to find new ways to assimilate these young men who had fought for their country and now returned as veterans, some

even married, to finish their education. The Corps—despite having its class years broken up by war into classes of A, B, and C—found new solutions to remain as one. Between 2003–12, the Alumni Review featured alumni serving in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to honor the many alumni serving during those conflicts. In late 2012, this section changed to what we now know as Our Alumni Serving, honoring alumni whose service models the citizen-soldier concept within the military and civilian world. Also, in the 21st century, VMI commissioned its first cadets into the U.S. Space Force and, in 2023, saw the first cadets commissioned into the U.S. Coast Guard.

A number of alumni played central roles in planning the Allied victory in World War II. These photos ran in the Winter 1942 issue.

A new physical training regimen for cadets was introduced in 1952 under the direction of Col. Frank Pancake, Class of 1938, commandant.

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1952

1946 This photo from the Spring 1946 issue shows members of the Class of 1944 resuming their studies at the Institute following World War II.

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1974 Keydet jumpers land at Fort Moore, Georgia (then Fort Benning), while attending the U.S. Army’s Parachute School in 1974.

During Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Alumni Review carried a list of names of alumni deployed to the Middle East.

2011 2018 In 2018, VMI’s Army ROTC Award won the MacArthur Award, which is given annually to eight top-performing ROTC units nationwide. At the time, the VMI unit had received the award for three out of the past four years.

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This stunning aerial photograph appeared on the first cover in 1923.

Much has changed on post since this photo was taken.

1923

This 1932 cover featured the VMI Museum, which was then housed in Nichols Engineering Building.

A beautiful post comparison can be seen in this 1964 issue. Both photos were taken from where Foster Stadium stands now.

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1950 1927

A 1950 cover shows New and Old Barracks. New Barracks had been completed just before this photo was taken.

Cocke Hall, originally known as Ninety-Four Hall, was built in 1927 as the Institute’s new gymnasium.

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Post has vastly grown and changed over the past 100 years. The scope of post today, extending not only along North Main Street but also north to Lackey Park and east to McKethan Park, would astound a cadet or alumnus from the 1920s and before. The soaring rafters of the Corps Physical Training Facility and the jaw-dropping breadth and depth of the swimming pool in the recently completed Aquatic Center would almost certainly leave the Alumni Review audience of the 1920s agape in awe.

Over time, that physical environment on post has changed to adapt to a growing Corps of Cadets, the need for more modern facilities, and the changing nature of all elements of a VMI education. Vision 2039, implemented

beginning in 2003 by Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, superintendent emeritus, included infrastructure changes to better support its goals and objectives, including the creation of Third Barracks, new athletics facilities, and more.

Although buildings across post have continually expanded and modernized since 1839, the Institute’s style has been consistent. Many buildings have even been featured on the cover of the VMI Alumni Review. One of the many things that make VMI extraordinary is its distinctive architecture—the Gothic Revival style—which sets it apart from its immediate neighbor, Washington and Lee University, and many other colleges in the country.

Cameron Hall was dedicated in winter 1982.

Kilbourne Hall, then newly completed as VMI’s military science building, was featured on a 1967 cover.

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1967 1967

1974

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These 1967 spreads display an array of architecturally oriented photographs from all across post.

Moody Hall was completed in 1974, as showcased by this concept drawing in the spring issue.

The newest building on post, the Aquatic Center, was dedicated in January 2023.

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This clipping shows text of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s commencement speech to the Class of 1928.

1928

A crowd estimated at 15,000 assembles on post in May 1964 to welcome President Lyndon F. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, to the dedication of the Marshall Library. Also present that day were a number of dignitaries; among them was former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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1951

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U.S. Army Gen. George C. Marshall, Class of 1901, visits post May 15, 1951. Marshall Arch was named in his honor that day.

Cadets form an honor guard for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Charlottesville, Virginia, July 10, 1976. Accompanying the queen is Virginia Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr.

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Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor accompanies her soon-to-be husband, John Warner, on a visit to post in November 1976. Warner, former secretary of the Navy, would go on to a 30-year career in the U.S. Senate.

1983 Former President Gerald R. Ford visits post to kick off the H.B. Johnson Jr., Class of 1926, Distinguished Lecture Series Oct. 5, 1983.

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Over the years, the Institute has rolled out the figurative red carpet for an array of dignitaries—among them a number of U.S. presidents, the first being Millard Fillmore in 1851 and the most recent being George W. Bush in 2002—and well-known alumni.

Along the way, vice presidents; senators; and representatives, including John Lewis, civil rights activist and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, have visited the Corps. VMI has also hosted an impressive number of foreign leaders, including Britain’s Margaret

Thatcher and Germany’s Helmut Schmidt.

U.S. Army Gen. George C. Marshall, Class of 1901, perhaps VMI’s most well-known alumnus, was also a frequent visitor throughout the middle decades of the 20th century, and his longstanding contributions were recognized with the naming of Marshall Arch in 1951. John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, spoke at commencement exercises for the Class of 1965, and Elizabeth Taylor, actress, accompanied her soon-to-be husband, John Warner, on a visit to post in 1976.

Dabney Coleman ’53, whose acting career included roles in movies such as “Tootsie” and “9 to 5,” visits post Nov. 11, 1987.

Former President Jimmy Carter visits post to accept the inaugural Jonathan M. Daniels ’61 Humanitarian Award March 29, 2001.

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1992 Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stands alongside retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John W. Knapp ’54, then-superintendent, during her visit to post Jan. 24, 1992.

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U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a longtime civil rights activist, speaks in Cameron Hall before accepting the Jonathan M. Daniels ’61 Humanitarian Award March 11, 2015.

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2002 President George W. Bush addresses the Corps of Cadets in Cameron Hall April 17, 2002.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James “Jim” Mattis, who served as secretary of defense from 2017–19, speaks in Cameron Hall Sept. 25, 2018.

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An invitation to return for homecoming from the Fall 1936 issue, with plans for a football game against UVA, a parade by the Corps of Cadets, and a dance in Cocke Hall.

Mrs. George Patton, widow of U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton III, Class of 1907, donated her late husband’s helmet liner to the VMI Museum in 1946.

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1938 This article in the Fall 1938 issue discussed the purposes and objectives of the VMI Alumni Association.

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1946 Cadets and their dates line the floor of Cocke Hall during Ring Figure in 1946.

A quartet of future Keydets? Pictured in the Winter 1960 issue are (from left) Tony Garrard; Bert Martin, nephew of Robert T. Penick ’933; Frank Godbold Jr., son of Dr. Frank T. Godbold ’45; and Lester Dillard, grandson of R.B. Lawson ’910.

1960 1974 When does a mascot meet his (almost) real-life counterpart? When Moe the wallaby is around, of course.

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The first academic departments established on post, the premier of “Brother Rat,” the evolution of Moe, the Institute Brass’ St. Patrick’s Day performance in Ireland, and the appearance of cadets on MTV make up just a few of VMI’s memorable moments captured in the Alumni Review over the last 100 years. The Review

recorded the objectives of the Alumni Association in the Fall 1938 issue, as well as the Association’s first virtual reunion nearly 100 years later during the COVID-19 pandemic. In these photographs and excerpts, we revisit the peculiar, the exceptional, and the miscellaneous moments of VMI from years past.

This cover from the Summer 1980 issue shows Cadet Charles J. Hinton ’80 skydiving at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The Summer 1998 issue carried the news that David Burns ’98 and Nathan Blackburn ’98 had been cast to appear in the MTV Series, “The Real World.”

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Members of the Class of 1960 hold a virtual reunion during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

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The Fall 1986 cover shows a B-17 bomber of World War II vintage, commonly known as a “Flying Fortress,” making a pass over VMI after cadets toured the aircraft in Roanoke.

Members of the Institute Brass traveled to Ireland for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in March 2010.

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100 Years of the Alumni

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Over 100 years of coverage, the Alumni Review has continued to be at the pulse of VMI, archiving the minute and seismic histories at the Institute and in the lives of its alumni.

In the last century, VMI has witnessed many firsts. Through the likes of war, technological advances, civil rights victories, a pandemic, and much more, history’s darkest and brightest moments within our world and the nation left their own mark on the Institute—some for a short time and some forever.

The Corps welcomed the first Black cadets in 1968 and the first female cadets in 1997.

VMI cadets and alumni experienced the pain of loss and fear of an uncertain world through World War II, the Cold War era, and, most recently, the Global War on Terror and the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the dawning of the Digital Age, VMI saw the revolution of the first computer and the first computer lab installed on post. Cadets saw the end of Saturday classes and the introduction of Third Barracks, among many other infrastructure developments and enhancements on post. Most recently, VMI found a way to remain as one through a global pandemic that dramatically shifted the human and cadet experience, and cadets and alumni alike persevered and stayed connected.

What might be most exceptional, however, is that for as many changes as VMI has experienced over the last 100 years, the traditions of cadet life and the model of the VMI alum—the citizen-soldier—are largely unchanged. Despite the shifts in civilization as we know it, life on post a century later remains a familiar landscape in a world that is ever and often dramatically changing.

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VMI Alumni Review

Review in Review

“The healthful and pleasant abode of a crowd of honorable youths, pressing up the hill of science with noble emulation, a gratifying spectacle, an honor to our country and our state, objects of honest pride to their instructors and fair specimens of citizen soldiers, attached to their native state proud of her fame and ready in every time of deepest peril to vindicate her honor or defend her rights.”

—Col. J. T. L. Preston

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Ransom ’01:

By Jim Dittrich ’76

“The Giver”

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Although his life was too brief at 31 years, Charles A. Ransom ’01 made a mark that is remembered at VMI; around his home in Chesterfield County and Midlothian, Virginia; and at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

He was, by all accounts, height restricted at nearly 5’4” but nonetheless was very fit and was athletic all of his life. Ransom was a “giver” who was always ready to help others. He reveled in his service to his country, for which he paid the ultimate price while serving in Afghanistan.

Ransom came from a military family. His father, retired Sgt. Maj. Willie Ransom, and older brother, retired Chief Petty Officer Stephen Ransom, were “lifers,” career military in the Army and Navy, respectively. Willie served in Vietnam, leaving a lasting impression on him as a war where Americans weren’t meant to be.

Ransom was born in Richmond, Virginia, and he grew up in Chesterfield County. His mom, Marysue, worked for Owens & Minor Inc., the company of Gil Minor ’63, for 30 years. Ransom attended Midlothian Middle and High Schools. Willie never felt the need to spank his sons; he just talked to them. And unlike most teens, Ransom never got in trouble.

He preferred to stay at home while many of his schoolmates partied.

From an early age, Ransom was a Christian and was always ready when it was time for church. Willie recalls being outside at his home with a parental drink and smoking a cigarette. Ransom was very young, maybe in the first or second grade, and he urged his father to quit smoking and drinking. Willie did so on the spot. It was evident at a young age that Ransom’s character influenced his elders.

Ransom was a very good athlete and played baseball beginning with Pee-Wee ball through high school. In high school, as a left and center fielder, he earned all-district honors twice and was a halfback on his high school football team while being an exceptional student. His senior class voted Ransom as “Most Likely to Succeed.” Ransom always gave back and, as a high school student, volunteered his time helping patients at the local Johnston-Willis Hospital.

So why did Ransom choose Virginia Military Institute? Ransom and his parents visited Clemson, the University of Delaware, and VMI. Col. Jim Joyner ’67 helped sell Ransom on VMI, and VMI’s small class size was a key selling point. Few teenagers thought that was a key point in college selection, but Ransom was driven to succeed. He did his homework on his college decision. Minor, former VMI Foundation president and VMI Board of Visitors member, wrote a letter on Ransom’s behalf,

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as he saw great potential in him. Ransom later proved Minor’s intuitions were spot on by focusing on academics over athletics at VMI and studying computer science.

Frank McCabe ’01, a roommate of Ransom’s, recalls him running around the stoops being forced to shout out, “Give me back my son.”

This was a pivotal line from the Mel Gibson movie, “Ransom,” wherein Mel Gibson demands his son’s return after being kidnapped. Since Ransom’s last name was Ransom and that was the movie’s title, enterprising 1st Class cadets came up with this task. Ransom took it with his usual good spirits and mentioned it in his 1st Class yearbook post. There was little mercy at VMI but a lot of humor. Through experiences like these, his brother rats remember his big smile and his great sense of humor.

These traits likely contributed to his election as vice president for the Class of 2001.

Another testament to this element of his character, Ernesto Sampson ’98 was Ransom’s dyke (a mentor in VMI jargon) and remembers him as “the nicest guy you ever met. He was cool and laid back.”

“He never got upset and had an amazing outlook,” recalls McCabe.

After his rat year, Ransom earned a three-year ROTC scholarship in the Air Force. McCabe remembers Ransom planned to be a lifer in the Air Force and “go for high rank.” Another brother rat, Will Charlet ’01, recalls Ransom as “a gentleman, tenacious, and a leader.”

Willie gives VMI an A+. The discipline was important, as you have “to learn in college,” says Willie. Many of Ransom’s contemporaries partied in college, but he knew his life’s direction would be in the military, and academics was his ticket in.

A common thread from his classmates is that Ransom’s strong character and quiet reliability earned him the vice president position for his class.

The class voted after Breakout in April 1998, and for the next three years, Ransom was immersed in class affairs. He served on the General and Executive Committees, enforcing the class system. As vice president, he was tasked with building class consensus while also imposing discipline, at times up to and including dismissal. Ransom often toned down the rhetoric when folks came on strong and suggested, “Maybe we should,” as he was a consensus builder who always did his best to make sure people were treated fairly and equally. This was especially important, as the Class of 2001 was the first fully coeducational class in VMI’s history.

Ransom held rank at VMI first as a corporal, where he worked with

VMI Alumni Review

the Rat Challenge, pushing new cadets both physically and mentally.

Ransom excelled at VMI, and these traits led to his promotion to platoon sergeant. The very little free time he had was spent as a library assistant.

Ransom graduated just a few months before 9/11. Charles Bunting ’01, class president, recalls that 249 graduated out of the 465 who matriculated. What they wouldn’t know is that this class would be engaged in over 500 combat deployments in support of the War on Terror, and Ransom would be a major contributor, being deployed four times, including both to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Upon graduation, Ransom was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. He served with the 83rd Network Operations Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The mission of the 83rd NOS is to “command, control, operate, sustain, and defend assigned Air Force networks to assure global cyber supremacy, enforce Air Force network standards, and to develop Airmen as cyber warriors.” Ransom served his country as a cyber warrior and truly lived up to all the standards of the mission.

Ransom didn’t talk about his work, as much of it was classified. We know he was the 83rd’s plans and operations flight commander. He found time to find a fiancée, Naquita, who was his life’s love, and he wanted a family while hoping to add a Marine to the family so all services were represented. During all of this, Ransom maintained his fitness as a runner and enjoyed spending time with his dad golfing.

Before his final deployment to Afghanistan, Ransom was assigned to the Operations Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. This was followed up with a deployment to the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was an adviser there to Afghan communications professionals. Ransom was sent TDY to the Kabul Airport, and on the morning of April 27, 2011, he reported to the airport’s Air Command and Control Center in the Headquarters, Afghanistan National Air Force. He was to receive training on a new communications encryption system.

Ransom would take back this training and implement it back at his home base in Kandahar. He was in a new place and had just arrived the day before, and the people being trained were new to Ransom.

The meeting began at 1000 hours with 22 people in the room, including 14 Afghans and eight Americans.

A trusted Afghan in this headquarters named Col. Ahmed Gul entered the room at approximately 1010 hours. “Within 7 seconds,” he fired a burst of shots from a 9mm pistol that killed the eight Americans, including Ransom.

Another American heard the shots from an adjoining room and fired on the attacker until his gun jammed. He was also hit and died of his wounds, making nine killed in this attack. None of the Afghans were killed, as they were not the target. The Taliban claimed responsibility.

This was the deadliest green-on-blue attack of the Afghan War. A greenon-blue attack is the NATO term that refers to an insider attack where an Afghan attacks a NATO member.

The original investigation found that the attacker had anger and financial issues, which led to the attack. It was further reported that he killed himself.

As families of the slain demanded accountability, additional investigations occurred. There remain unanswered questions, but the likely story is that the shooter was part of an Afghan Air Force network that moved people and drugs around Afghanistan using U.S.-supplied aircraft and fuel. Just days before the attack, U.S. Air Force officers stopped this process, which angered the attacker and his sponsors. These Air Force officers were in the meeting and were among the dead. The attacker was killed by Afghan

guards who would not claim responsibility out of fear of retribution. The halting of Afghan shipments led to the attack, which was likely ordered by senior Afghan Air Force officials. Ransom was likely not aware of any of this background.

Willie viewed film of the aftermath of the attack and spent much time in the Pentagon listening to the results of the investigation that followed. He found out that many Afghans failed to report for work on the day of the shooting, so they likely had advance notice. All the Americans killed were armed with long guns and pistols, so the possibility of multiple shooters is feasible. Willie also feels that Americans should have learned from the Vietnam experience that they were not wanted in Afghanistan, and maybe they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

Green-on-blue attacks would continue in Afghanistan, with the peak year occurring in 2012 when 44 attacks occurred—up from 16 in 2011 when Ransom was killed. The number of coalition casualties due to green-onblue attacks was 345 through 2017.

Willie and Marysue received a knock at their door from the chaplain and commander of Ransom’s unit at Langley Air Force Base. This is the worst visit any family can receive. Ransom’s friend, Kenny Carmichael ’01, notified the class and gave the eulogy at his funeral. The church was filled, and approximately 150 people stood outside. The Class of 2001 issued a statement remembering Ransom, which included part of a speech Ransom gave after the class finished their Breakout from the Rat Line in 1998, “Charles promised he would be a fighter for all of us. He was.” Ransom was buried in the same Baptist churchyard he passed by en route to church for so many years. Following his death, he was promoted to major, as he had been on the promotion list. His awards include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Combat Actions Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and NATO Medal.

Ransom’s memory is kept alive by a number of memorials erected since his death. His class at VMI honored Ransom with a plaque in the VMI Memorial Garden. Chesterfield County, Virginia, named a street, Major Charles A. Ransom Way, in his memory.

Ransom was a member of American Legion Post 186 in Midlothian, which is now the Major Charles A. Ransom Post 186. Langley Air Force Base also remembers Ransom and others killed that day with a memorial run. Finally, his high school in Midlothian has a memorial to Ransom.

Ransom lived only 31 years, but he left so many strong memories with his friends and classmates. Bunting remembers his “wonderful sense of humor.” Carmichael remembered him as “one of a kind and custom built” in his funeral eulogy. Aaron Mitchell ’01 remembers Ransom as a cadet who “couldn’t be broken” and was so “very fit.”

Retired Chief Master Sgt. Mark Long worked with Ransom daily in Afghanistan. He remembered Ransom as an “honorable and positive person. … Nothing seemed to rattle Charles Ransom. … He had an inner peace that few have. … Charles, I miss you. … You were an inspiration, and I think of you all the time, my friend.”

Willie would like Ransom remembered as a Christian and for his dedication to duty during his military service. VMI honors this hero who was everybody’s friend.

Editor’s Note: Jim Dittrich ’76 is the VMI Alumni Association historian. He lives in Williams Junction, Arkansas, near Perryville. Thanks to Willie Ransom and the Class of 2001 for their memories. Photos courtesy Willie Ransom.

“[H]e was a consensus builder who always did his best to make sure people were treated fairly and equally.”

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On Post

Out of more than 730 colleges, Virginia Military Institute was rated a 4.5-star college in Money magazine’s Best Colleges in America list for 2023.—VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.

VMI Receives 4.5 Stars in Money Magazine Best Colleges List

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing Virginia Military Institute was rated a 4.5-star college in Money magazine’s Best Colleges in America list for 2023. Using a new system this year, Money assigns colleges a rating on a five-star scale, with five stars being the best.

More than 730 colleges were scored based on 26 factors in three main categories: Quality, which looks at the six-year graduation rate; affordability, which looks at both short- and long-term affordability, the net price of a degree, and the amount students typically borrow through federal programs; and outcomes, which is based on earnings and employment data 10 years after enrolling in the school.

VMI also appears on this year’s Best Public Colleges and Best Colleges in the South sublists.

Money reports that in early career earnings, VMI graduates have median salaries of $77,000.

Previously, Money magazine had a numbered ranking, and VMI came in at No. 5 overall out of the more than 620 colleges ranked on Money magazine’s 2022 Best Colleges in America list.

The full Best Colleges list, along with the methodology and additional sublists, can be found at money.com/bestcolleges.

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Scan the QR Code below with your smartphone or tablet camera to view the list online.

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VMI Alumnus Receives Fulbright Award

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing VMI is pleased to announce that Michael Piemonte ’16, who majored in international studies and commissioned into the U.S. Army as an intelligence officer, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award in international relations to Italy for the 2023–24 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Piemonte received the Fulbright-Luiss Award for MA Program in Business, Government, Law, and Political Economics, supporting his pursuit of a master’s degree in international relations at Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli (Free International University of Social Studies), known as Luiss Guido Carli, in Rome. The award covers tuition, housing, and international travel for two academic years and provides an annual meal stipend.

Piemonte joins the ranks of many esteemed Fulbright scholars and alumni in order to increase mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through the exchange of ideas and culture. “I am grateful to the VMI faculty, staff, and cadets of the Department of International Studies and Political Science whose inspiration set me on this journey. Throughout the course of my four years at VMI, I developed a deep passion for the study and practice of international affairs and a love of learning that has made all the difference in my life. I am also grateful to Brigadier General Charles F. Brower IV; Colonel J. Patrick Rhamey; Todd Goen, director of the Office of Global Education and senior international officer; and Martin F. Kindl of the Defense Intelligence Agency, who provided overwhelming support throughout the application process. Finally, my sincerest thanks to my family for their persistent support in all my personal and professional endeavors, especially my mother, Mary Ann. I hope to promote a more peaceful future and enjoy some Italian wine along the way,” said Piemonte.

After serving four years active duty, Piemonte went into the Army Reserve.

As a civilian, he has worked for the past two years as an intelligence analyst and international engagement officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. Their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of accomplished Fulbright alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and 41 who have served as a head of state or government. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research; exchange ideas; and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered at VMI through the Office of Global Education. According to Todd Lee Goen, director of OGE and senior international officer, Piemonte is the seventh VMI cadet/alum to receive a Fulbright U.S. student grant. “This award provides the opportunity for him to further his education, deepen his cultural competence, build a global professional network, and strengthen U.S. relations abroad.”

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Michael Piemonte ’16 received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award in international relations to Italy for the 2023–24 academic year. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service.—Photo courtesy Piemonte.

Information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State may be found by scanning the QR Code below with your smartphone or tablet camera or by emailing the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office at ECA-Press@state.gov.

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Pickford ’24 and Tavenner ’25: SURI Highlights The Summer Undergraduate Research Institute is a program where the cadet, as the principal investigator, conducts research directly with a faculty mentor. Cadets engage in in-depth research with their faculty mentor for either a five-week or a 10-week experience, earning a scholarship and a room and board stipend.

SURI sponsors guest speakers, library instruction, and skill development sessions such as writing a project proposal, adding research to a resume, and how to write a research abstract.

SURI is one program made possible by the VMI Center for Undergraduate Research. The mission of VCUR is to promote and facilitate faculty-mentored undergraduate research and

foster the development of a culture of undergraduate research at VMI. VCUR operates on the premise that some of the most enduring, meaningful academic experiences of college students come through opportunities to be mentored one-on-one by faculty outside the classroom while also believing in the merit of research and other inquiry-based experiences within a more traditional classroom setting. In addition to SURI, other VCUR programs include an annual Undergraduate Research Symposium held on post, cadet travel grants to present at professional meetings or to conduct research in the field, and funding for cadet academic year research.

Exploring the Effects of Nicotine on Antidepressants in Betta Fish

By Olivia Polumbo, VMI Communications & Marketing Cadet Ellie Pickford ’24 stood before a small glass tank, peering intently at the colorful Betta fish swimming within. Her summer research project was well underway, and she was determined to unlock the mysteries behind the interactions between nicotine and antidepressants.

Pickford chose this field of research to fuel her passion for psychiatry and neuroscience.

She believed that understanding the effects of nicotine and antidepressants on the brain could have a profound impact on the treatment of mood disorders.

With a clear vision of her future as both an

M.D. and a Ph.D. holder, Pickford knew that the Summer Undergraduate Research Institute at VMI was a valuable opportunity. It allowed her to work closely with her professors, building relationships that would guide her future endeavors.

“I am forming much stronger relationships with my professors than I could possibly during the regular school year,” said Pickford.

“I am able to perform fully funded research that directly relates to—and hopefully helps me reach—my future educational and career goals.”

For her Summer Undergraduate Research Institute project, Cadet Ellie Pickford ’24 studied interactions between nicotine and commonly prescribed antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, or Prozac, and the effects on individuals who use both substances.—VMI Photos by Kelly Nye.

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Her project aims to shed light on the interactions between nicotine and commonly prescribed antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, or Prozac, and the effects on individuals who use both substances.

Using Betta fish as a model organism, Pickford is investigating the impact of nicotine on aggression levels and brain chemistry, ultimately hoping to contribute to a better understanding of psychopharmacology.

The statistics Pickford cites are staggering—80% of adult smokers started during adolescence, and adolescents who smoke daily have a 70% occurrence of psychiatric disorders, with higher rates of comorbidity in adulthood.

Armed with this knowledge, Pickford recognizes the urgency of understanding the effects of nicotine in conjunction with antidepressant use. Her research aims to contribute to the development of more effective treatment strategies and interventions for individuals struggling with mental health disorders.

The SURI program, offered by the VMI Center for Undergraduate Research, provided her with a fully funded research experience that directly related to her educational and career goals.

The “s” in SURI stands for summer, but Pickford’s research began long before her program. “I began dedicating time to this project before the academic year ended because the first group of 20 fish arrived in the lab,” she said. “Since then, I have been in the lab

VMI Alumni Review

On Post every single day—checking on the fish and feeding them.”

Immersed in the labs of Majs. Molly J. Kent, Ph.D., and Mary Beth Manjerovic, Ph.D., both assistant professors in the Department of Biology, Pickford not only worked on her project but assisted with other ongoing research.

This exposure deepened her understanding of biology and expanded her knowledge of scientific inquiry.

As the days turned into weeks, Pickford’s dedication to her research grew stronger. The structured life of barracks was replaced by the independent existence of an adult.

“I am learning how to live as an independent adult—managing finances, my own time, groceries, and everything else that comes with living in the ‘real world.’”

For Pickford, collaborating with like-minded individuals fueled her passion for research and scientific discovery. She knew that these relationships and the research experience she gained would be invaluable for her resume and future higher education applications.

“I hope to expand my relationships with the various mentors in the biology department ... with professors, as well as fellow cadets,” said Pickford.

As the end of Summer Session I approached, Pickford’s focus intensified. She aimed to perfect her research and meticulously analyze the results well after the SURI program concluded.

The data she’s gathered will form the foundation for her honors thesis and senior capstone, fulfilling the requirements of the Institute Honors Program and her biology degree.

Through her dedication, Pickford was not only gaining insights into the effects of nicotine and antidepressants but also solidifying her path toward becoming a compassionate psychiatrist and a knowledgeable neuroscientist.

She dreams of applying her research findings to help her future patients—by providing them with the best possible care.

As the Betta fish continued to swim in their tanks, unaware of the significant role they played in advancing medical knowledge, Pickford remained steadfast in her pursuit of understanding the complexities of the human brain.

The SURI program opened many doors for Pickford—allowing her to explore her passions, grow as a researcher, and make a lasting impact on the world of psychopharmacology.

VMI Cadet Researches Precision in Rockets, Hopes to Start Rocketry Club

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing Rockets have existed since the first century. In ancient China, they were first used to create explosions during religious festivals, then later used for warfare. In modern times, they are used for fireworks, space exploration, human spaceflight, and to launch satellites into orbit.

Cadet Brian Tavenner ’25, an electrical and computer engineering major, designed and built a fiberglass rocket to reach the exact height of 1,023 feet using a F-engine motor in his five-week Summer Undergraduate Research Institute project titled, “Target Altitude Project.”

Tavenner chose the research project in order to enhance his engineering skills, including electrical and mechanical design, documentation, construction, and debugging. In addition, he wants to lay the foundation for a VMI rocketry club to compete with other colleges. According to Tavenner, many major colleges and universities including The Citadel, MIT, and Georgia Tech sponsor student-led rocketry clubs as chapters of the National Rocketry Association. “I propose to create a high-power rocketry club for VMI and lead a team to enter a rocket combination competition in the annual national intercollegiate Battle of the Rockets, Target Altitude Event,” he said. At the competition, which is to be held in April 2024, rockets must reach a height of at least 1,023 feet. The team with the closest altitude to 1,023 feet wins.

Tavenner pointed out that all the measurements

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Brian Tavenner ’25 works on the electrical components of the rocket. in the design of the rocket must be perfectly accurate to achieve the specific height. “Even if it’s off just a little bit, it just won’t work. It must be perfect. The hard part is determining how much higher the rocket will glide up on its own once I stop the engine and the nose cone has popped off. That will require a lot of test flights,” he said.

Tavenner graduated from Midlothian High School just outside of Richmond, Virginia. He is a NCAA long-distance track and cross country runner, plays the viola in the strings club, and

studies Japanese independently through online courses. Tavenner is part of a large STEM family legacy at VMI. He is the son of Andrea and James Tavenner ’91, who majored in math and played baseball for VMI. His two uncles, Cloyd Tavenner ’88, an electrical engineering major, and Dave Tavenner ’03, a history major, as well as his two brothers, Jamie Tavenner ’16 and Thomas Tavenner ’19, who both majored in civil engineering, are all alumni. His cousin, Molly, is a member of the Rat Mass of 2024+3.

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MATRICULATION 2023 On Matriculation Day, 491 incoming cadets entered the Rat Mass of 2024+3 Aug. 19, 2023, beginning the Rat Line for the new academic year and marking the 184th year of the Institute.

The day included a fair in Cocke Hall where the new cadets and their families were able to meet with various VMI agencies, local bankers, churches, and other community organizations. They got fitted for their uniforms, completed paperwork, met department faculty, and signed the Matriculation Book. In the afternoon, the chaplain’s prayer, an optional non-denominational prayer session for matriculants and their families, was held in Memorial Hall, followed by the superintendent’s welcome in Cameron Hall.

Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, addressed the incoming matriculants and their families, and the matriculants then took the new cadet oath during a ceremony. With hugs, cheers, and a few tears, they bid goodbye to their families, formed up with their companies for the first time, and marched to barracks where they met their cadre.

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This year’s Rat Mass comes from 39 states and five foreign countries, with 57% from Virginia and 43% from out of state. Seventy-one are female, and 176 are recruited NCAA athletes. Forty-nine percent have selected a major in the STEM disciplines, and 51% chose a major in the liberal arts.

During Matriculation Week, cadre led the new arrivals in military drills and physical training, culminating with the Rat Crucible Aug. 27. Members of the Old Corps returned Aug. 27, and classes began Aug. 29.

Scan the QR Code below with your smartphone or tablet camera to view all of the VMI Alumni Agencies images from this event.

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On Post

RAT CRUCIBLE 2023 Matriculation Week culminated with Rat Crucible, which included training on North Post, running on the Woods Creek Trail, and swimming to Jordan’s Point Aug. 27, 2023. The event concluded with a march up Letcher Avenue and the rats’ first Old Yell.

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Athletics

Udinski ’21 Signs with Montreal Alouettes

Reece Udinski ’21, former VMI quarterback, is the second Keydet to play for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, with the first being Thomas Haskins ’97, who competed for the franchise from 1997–2002.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

Reece Udinski ’21, former VMI quarterback, has signed a contract to play for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in the upcoming season.

One of the most decorated quarterbacks to come out of VMI, Udinski finished his VMI career with 7,877 yards, which ranks sixth all-time in the Southern Conference. After becoming the first VMI quarterback to eclipse 3,000 passing yards in a season as a sophomore, Udinski threw for 3,276 yards as a junior, beginning the season with 368 passing attempts without an interception, an FCS record. As a senior, Udinski led the Keydets to their first 4-0 start in 2021 before suffering a season-ending injury.

Udinski closed his VMI career with 47 passing touchdowns.

He played for Maryland in 2021 before finishing his career at Richmond.

Udinski is the second Keydet to play for the Alouettes, as running back Thomas Haskins ’97 competed for the franchise from 1997–2002.

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VMI Alumni Review

Athletics

VMI’s Regan Selected as U.S. Head Coach for Pan American Maccabiah Games Nick Regan, VMI men’s soccer head coach, has been appointed head coach of the United States ahead of the XV Pan American Maccabiah Games in Argentina this winter.

“It is an incredible honor to be given the opportunity to lead the U.S. National Team into a major international sporting event,” Regan said. “This appointment is a testament to the progress we have made here at VMI over the past year. People near and far are taking notice of what we are building here. It is an incredibly exciting time to be a part of VMI men’s soccer.”

The Maccabiah Games—open to Jewish athletes around the world as well as Israeli citizens—is the third-largest sporting event in the world by number of competitors, with 10,000 athletes competing (after the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup). The Maccabiah Games has been under the auspices and supervision of the International Olympic Committee since 1961 and are held every four years.

Regan, who helped VMI set multiple program career highs in 2022, enters his second year at the helm for the men’s soccer team.

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Nick Regan, VMI men’s soccer head coach, has been appointed head coach of the United States ahead of the XV Pan American Maccabiah Games, the third-largest sporting event in the world by number of competitors.—Photo courtesy VMI Athletics.

Regan speaking at a recent VMI soccer reunion.

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Athletics

Keydet Hoops to Face Air Force, Navy League Play Begins After New Year The Southern Conference announced its 2023–24 men’s basketball league schedule Aug. 22, 2023, which has the Keydets opening the conference slate at Wofford College Jan. 3, 2024.

The SoCon’s 10 men’s basketball teams will all play double-round-robin, 18-game intraleague schedules, totaling 90 league contests over nine weeks, Jan. 3–March 2.

All 10 teams open league play Jan. 3. After another full lineup of games Jan. 6, the schedule settles into a Wednesday–Saturday format outside a pair of Thursday games Jan. 11 and Feb. 8. Samford versus UNCG and VMI against Chattanooga will be the home-and-home matchups on those two Thursdays. Additional games might later be moved due to national television assignments.

After a pair of road games at University of Tennessee – Chattanooga and Samford University, the Keydets will play three straight home conference games against Furman University, The Citadel, and East Tennessee State University Jan. 17–24.

The Keydets close January with a game at Western Carolina Jan. 27, followed by a home matchup with University of North Carolina – Greensboro Jan. 31 in Lexington.

The 2024 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship will take place at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina, March 7–10.

Full broadcast schedules will be announced later, but all 10 schools’ home games will air on ESPN+ if not selected for national or regional broadcast. Five SoCon regular-season games and three tournament games aired on ESPN networks last season, while another five regular-season contests aired on CBS Sports Network. The league broadcast schedule will also continue to feature its Ingles SoCon Game of the Week on select Nexstar affiliates throughout the Southeast.

The 103rd season of Southern Conference basketball opens with nonconference play Monday, Nov. 6.

For the composite league schedule, visit SoConSports.com.

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VMI Alumni Review

Athletics

2023-24 VMI MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Nov. 6 (Monday) Nov. 9 (Thursday) Nov. 13 (Monday) Nov. 17 (Friday) Nov. 18 (Saturday) Nov. 22 (Wednesday) Nov. 25 (Saturday) Nov. 29 (Wednesday) Dec. 2 (Saturday) Dec. 9 (Saturday) Dec. 12 (Tuesday) Dec. 17 (Sunday) Dec. 22 (Friday)

* Denotes conference game 2023-Issue 4

Away Home Away Neutral Neutral Away Home Away Home Home Away Away Home

Richmond Christendom South Carolina South Dakota TBA Air Force Clarks Summit Navy Presbyterian American Radford Longwood PS New Kensington

Wofford* Jan. 3 (Wednesday) Away Home Mercer* Jan. 6 (Saturday) Away Chattanooga* Jan. 11 (Thursday) Away Samford* Jan. 13 (Saturday) Furman* Jan. 17 (Wednesday) Home Home The Citadel* Jan. 20 (Saturday) ETSU* Jan. 24 (Wednesday) Home Away Western Carolina* Jan. 27 (Saturday) UNCG* Jan. 31 (Wednesday) Home Away Mercer* Feb. 3 (Saturday) Home Chattanooga* Feb. 8 (Thursday) Home Samford* Feb. 10 (Saturday) Furman* Feb. 14 (Wednesday) Away Away The Citadel* Feb. 17 (Saturday) ETSU* Feb. 21 (Wednesday) Away Home Western Carolina* Feb. 24 (Saturday) UNCG* Feb. 28 (Wednesday) Away Home Wofford* March 2 (Saturday) March 7-11 (Thursday) SoCon Tournament

Richmond, VA Lexington, VA Columbia, SC Glendale, AZ Glendale, AZ Colorado Springs, CO Lexington, VA Annapolis, MD Lexington, VA Lexington, VA Radford, VA Farmville, VA Lexington, VA Spartanburg, SC Lexington, VA Chattanooga, TN Birmingham, AL Lexington, VA Lexington, VA Lexington, VA Cullowhee, NC Lexington, VA Macon, GA Lexington, VA Lexington, VA Greenville, SC Charleston, SC Johnson City, TN Lexington, VA Greensboro, NC Lexington, VA Asheville, NC 45

Events

Keydet Club Leadership Outing 2023

By Mattie Montgomery, Assistant Editor On June 9, the Keydet Club held the 2023 Jeff Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing in recognition of the contributions of VMI athletics’ outstanding supporters.

The day began with golf and tennis at the Lexington Golf & Country Club, followed by sporting clays at the Quail Ridge Sporting Club. While a handful of 104 daytime participants played tennis and participated in the shooting, the most interest was in the golf tournament, with 23 teams competing to be this year’s leadership outing golf champions.

In the evening, more than 160 attendees and their guests arrived at Marshall Hall for dinner and remarks from Jim Miller, athletic director; Danny Rocco, head football coach; and Bland Massie ’77, Keydet Club Board of Governors president.

Each year, this event connects and honors those with a shared passion for VMI athletics and shows the very real impact they have on the program. “This event brings together a group that carries a common love and passion for VMI athletics,” said Andrew Deal ’12, Keydet Club chief operating officer. “The Jeff Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing provides us with the opportunity to promote the exciting things taking place amongst our cadet-athletes and coaches, reinforcing the impact and difference their support makes. Our team takes great pride in recognizing and thanking our generous supporters.”

Scan the QR Code below with your smartphone or tablet camera to view all of the images from this event.

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VMI Alumni Review

Events

Keydet Club supporters gathered in Lexington for the 2023 Jeff Morgan ’80 Leadership Outing June 9. The day began with tennis, golf, and sporting clays and concluded with a dinner in Marshall Hall.

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Events

Arkansas Chapter Hosts Picnic and Rat Send-Off The Arkansas Chapter hosts a picnic and rat send-off for Jorgen Quezadaaros, incoming cadet, at the home of Jim and Tish Dittrich ’76 May 13, 2023. In attendance are Quezadaaros, along with his parents and three sisters, as well as Dave Walsh ’90, Scott and Denise Falls ’81, Jim and Tish Dittrich ’76, Lee and Debbie McNeely ’73, Herb Guyton ’66, and Ted and Veronica Goodloe ’65.

Centex Chapter Gathering Jim Barnes ’72, Larry La Monte ’75, Greg Bartlett ’83, Vince Carag ’86, Mike Lakos ’86, Sean Casto ’98, Kevin Fromm ’01, Jeremy Methven ’13, Zane Mitra ’16, and Noah Kelley ’23 attend the Centex Chapter gathering at Hard Count Kitchen & Cocktails in Georgetown, Texas, May 27, 2023.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh May Senior Breakfast Attending the Central North Carolina – Raleigh senior breakfast May 16, 2023, are (from left) Chip Davis ’77, Pete Shelley ’74, Bill Gibson ’65, Larry Wilson ’62, Paul Johnston ’61, John Ehrenberger ’84, Parky Parkman ’66, (standing) John Kuchnia ’57, Kent Wheeless ’74, Barton Pasco ’77, Roger Rosenfield ’47, Rick Hening ’75, and Dixie Walker ’70.

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Events

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Birthday Celebration The Central North Carolina – Raleigh senior breakfast celebrates the 97th birthday of Roger Rosenfield ’47.

Attending the breakfast are (from left) Pete Shelley ’74, Larry Wilson ’62, Betsy Wilson, Parky Parkman ’66, Bill Murchison ’70, Barton Pasco ’77, Alan Tashima ’71, (seated) Paul Johnston ’61, Rosenfield, and Bill Gibson ’65.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh July Senior Breakfast The Central North Carolina – Raleigh senior breakfast welcomes Dick McFarlin ’51 and his daughter, Becky Bray, to their monthly breakfast July 18, 2023. Pictured are Paul Johnston ’61, Parky Parkman ’66, Bill Gibson ’65, Rick Hening ’75, Sam Hening, Bray, McFarlin, Larry Wilson ’62, and Bill Murchison ’70. Present but not pictured is Alan Tashima ’71.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh, Cape Fear – Fayetteville Chapters Hold Joint Rat Send-Off The Central North Carolina – Raleigh and Cape Fear – Fayetteville Chapters hold a joint rat sendoff for three incoming cadets at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.

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Events

Charlotte Chapter Holds VMI, The Citadel Golf and Social The Charlotte Chapter gathers for its annual VMI and The Citadel Golf and Social at TPC Piper Glen in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 29, 2023.

Charlotte Old Corps Thanks Caldwell ’63 On behalf of the Charlotte Old Corps group, Mike Anderson ’88 (left) presents Leland Caldwell ’63 (right) with a token of thanks at the Charlotte Chapter Old Corps luncheon April 11, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Cleveland Chapter Rat Send-Off Dinner The Cleveland Chapter holds a rat send-off dinner at Wild Eagle Steakhouse in Broadview Heights, Ohio, July 19, 2023. Attending are (from left) Sam Mattocks’ 74; Larry Hupertz ’80; Ray Duffett ’79; Gabrielle Hedges, incoming cadet; Garrett Hedges ’94; Paul Tallat-Kelpsa ’90; and Gregory Stultz ’75.

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VMI Alumni Review

Events

Hampton Roads Region Holds Networking Breakfast The Hampton Roads Region XIII hosts its quarterly networking breakfast in Virginia Beach July 20, 2023. Attending are (from left) Shannon Ferguson ’97, Mike Wrenn ’97, Thomas Dumville ’13, Frank Jester ’79, Christopher McCallum ’96, Trey Barham ’08, Jeremy Ingram ’95, and Al Cuellar ’88 (not pictured).

East Tennessee - Knoxville Chapter Rat Send-Off Attending the East Tennessee – Knoxville rat send-off at Blackhorse Pub and Brewery in Alcoa, Tennessee, July 27, 2023, are Bill Miller ’89; Judy Noell; Brad Pruitt ’07; Ridge Clark ’23, Bill Noell ’53; John Sterrett ’73; Connor Haines, incoming cadet; Pete Kniesler ’13; Cadet Charlie McLaughlin ’26; Nickolaus Cox ’16; Eric East ’00; and Chris Jones ’96.

Mountaineer Chapter Rat Send-Off Attending the Mountaineer Chapter rat send-off at Berry Hills Country Club in Charleston, West Virginia, June 21, 2023, are Phil Harris ’03; J.C. Hanks ’70; Jay Huff, incoming cadet; Nathan Lhotsky, incoming cadet; Samantha Conde ’13; Tanner Kelly, incoming cadet; Chris Rule ’91; and Jason Gruse ’97.

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Events

, Pikes Peak Chapter Enjoys New Market Day Dinner Pikes Peak Chapter members Nancy Fricke, J.J. Cicala ’19, Tom Clark ’73, G.T. Lahmers ’72, Nate Breier ’19, Max Floyd ’77, Karen Floyd, Kali Farmer, Jordan Farmer ’19, and Bob Fricke ’78 at a New Market Day dinner at Phantom Canyon Brewery in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 13, 2023.

Mobile Chapter Celebrates New Market Day Mobile Chapter members celebrating New Market Day with a meal at Dreamland BBQ in Mobile, Alabama, May 15, 2023, are (from left, front) Karen Thompson, E. Fletcher Thompson ’81, Fletcher S. Thompson ’10, Samuel Druen ’15, Kristin Druen, Rick Beirne ’64, Norman Pitman ’81; (back) Hayden Whetstone ’15, Hayden Alford ’16, Milt Salter ’73, Michael Tomaso ’21, Carter Johnson ’22, Emery Baya ’71, Mrs. Baya, and John Friend ’82. Not pictured is Irvin Grodsky ’68.

Rocky Mountain Chapter Celebrates VMI Memorial Day Celebrating VMI Memorial Day 2023 at Bonefish Grill in Westminster, Colorado, May 13, 2023, are Rocky Mountain Chapter members (from left) Cindy Levine, Jessica Ehrgott, Henry Ehrgott ’98, Debra Smith, Parke Smith ’79, Barry Walker ’65, Ruth Whitt, Dave Whitt ’66, and Mo Levine ’57.

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VMI Alumni Review

Events

Rocky Mountain, Pikes Peak Joint Rat Send-Off The Rocky Mountain and Pikes Peak Chapters hold a joint rat send-off at Philip S. Miller Park in Castle Rock, Colorado, July 29, 2023. Pictured are (from left) Caleb Brown, Jayden Brown, David Rahl ’06, Dale Hybl ’94, Marcus Vigil, Karen Floyd, Isabel Vigil, G.T. Lahmers ’72, Tom Clark ’73, Bonnie Clark; (top row) Katrina Brown ’06, Dean Kratzenberg ’87, Roy Daniels ’14, Parke Smith ’79, Maxwell Floyd ’77, Henry Ehrgott ’98, and Todd Baldwin ’06. Present but not pictured are Debra Smith, Warren Weiss ’87, Dave Whitt ’66, Ruth Whitt, Poh-Chan Lahmers, Kyle Lahmers, Dawn Kratzenberg, Melissa Daniels, Liam Daniels, and Wyatt Daniels.

Nashville Chapter Honors Chapin ’75 Members of the Nashville Chapter gather at Mere Bulles restaurant in Brentwood, Tennessee, to honor Steve Chapin ’75, who is moving from Brentwood to Lexington, Virginia. Pictured are (from left) Doug Schnabel ’68, Dave Pitts ’88, John Manley ’64, Chapin, and Alan Beaty ’74.

Valley Chapter Holds New Market Dinner The Valley Chapter celebrates New Market Day with an annual New Market dinner at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War in New Market, Virginia, May 6, 2023.

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Events

Valley Chapter Rat Send-Off The Valley Chapter holds a rat send-off for three matriculating cadets at The Cracked Pillar Pub in Bridgewater, Virginia, July 19, 2023. Pictured are (from left) Jeff Adams, father; John Paul Adams, incoming cadet; Karen Adams, mother; Jordan Marchini, incoming cadet; Angela Durand, mother; Colin DeWinter, incoming cadet; and Dawn Wilcox, mother.

VMI Night at Nationals Park Will Collier ’06, Alumni Association Region XIV Metro D.C. regional director, and his son, William, hold the finish line for the mascot race at the VMI Night at Nationals Park May 19, 2023.

Wilmington, North Carolina Chapter Enjoys Breakfast Wilmington, North Carolina Chapter members (from left) Harley Myler ’75, Jim Phlegar ’67, Fred Ayers ’61, John Gangemi ’61, Tom Tolbert ’66, and Mickey Finn ’65 enjoy breakfast at Boathouse Restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina, June 7, 2023.

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VMI Alumni Review

Progress Fiscal Year 2023 Results Highlight Dedication of VMI Family

By Mary Price, Development Writer Thanks to the dedication and sustained generosity of members of the VMI family, the VMI Alumni Agencies concluded Fiscal Year 2023 on a high note.

The $42.5 million raised in support of the Institute and the Corps of Cadets was higher than the five-year average, a notable achievement. This figure includes cash gifts, pledges, and planned giving. Of that $42.5 million, $22.7 million came in the form of cash gifts supporting the mission of the Institute.

“Success in fundraising isn’t just measured by the funds raised; it’s about a shared passion and vision that inspires actions leading to a greater impact,” said Andrew Deal ’12, Alumni Agencies director of development and VMI Keydet Club chief operating officer. “I am thankful to our team and loyal partners who have joined us on this journey. VMI is a better place because of it.”

More than 4,600 individuals made VMI one of their philanthropic priorities, and of those, just under 600 were first-time donors.

Ten percent of alumni donors came from the Classes of 2010–2023, underscoring the fact that young alumni recognize the value of a VMI education and are willing to support current cadets just as they were once supported.

The importance of unrestricted funds cannot be overstated. “Those who provided unrestricted dollars helped VMI find leverage where leverage was needed,” said Meade King ’85, Alumni Agencies director of advancement and VMI Foundation chief operating officer.

Support for faculty salaries is a key example.

Several years ago, King noted, the Institute stood 12th in salary rankings among Virginia public colleges and universities; today, VMI ranks seventh and is rapidly approaching sixth.

The Keydet Club, which provides scholarship support to cadet-athletes and operational support to the Institute’s 18 NCAA athletic teams, raised approximately $8.6 million in FY 2023, the third-highest cash total in

Keydet Club history. The generosity of Keydet Club donors provided more than $6.2 million in scholarship aid, setting dozens of cadet-athletes on a path to success both on and off the field.

Highlights of the Keydet Club’s FY 2023 included the opening of the John E. Kemper ’68 Film Room, a renovation of the Luck Family Weight Room, improvements to Gray-Minor Stadium, and establishment of a basketball enhancement fund. Compete to Win, the Keydet Club’s annual crowdfunding campaign, raised over $250,000 toward operational enhancement resources to improve the cadet-athlete experience.

“We are thankful for the members of the VMI family whose generosity directly impacts the Corps of Cadets,” said David L. Prasnicki, VMI Alumni Agencies chief executive officer.

“Their support is instrumental in ensuring that the Institute continues to fulfill its time-honored mission of producing the leaders our nation needs.”

The Corps during a spring 2023 parade.—VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.

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Progress

Edge Scholarship Honors the “Spirit of the Corps”

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Members of the Class of 1996 gather on post with Cadet Benjamin Schreher ’25, first recipient of the Capt.

Jamie Edge 1996 Spirit Scholarship, Nov. 19, 2022.

Tailgates before football games are a cherished tradition at many colleges and universities—and VMI is no exception. In fall 2022, though, members of the Class of 1996 held a tailgate party that was much more than a social occasion: It was a gathering specially organized to honor a fallen brother rat, his family, and the power of generosity to deepen the bonds among the VMI family.

The November 2022 gathering was held in memory of U.S. Marine Corps Capt. James C. “Jamie” Edge ’96, who was killed April 14, 2005, while conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq, and also in honor of Cadet Benjamin Schreher ’25, the inaugural recipient of the Capt. Jamie Edge 1996 VMI Spirit Scholarship.

The idea of establishing a scholarship in Edge’s memory began with 25th Reunion planning for the Class of 1996, much of which took place over Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were also dealing with extraordinary headwinds at VMI at the time,” said Tom Danielsen ’96. “We wanted to drown out the noise

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and find something really simple that everyone in the class could get behind.”

The life and legacy of Edge, who matriculated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies from VMI, proved to be the ideal catalyst for their efforts. “[Edge] was the spirit of the Corps for a long time,” said Nick Latsios ’96. “He touched a lot of people.”

No doubt because of this, the Edge scholarship was funded within six months, with high participation from the class. “We were able to bring in people who hadn’t donated ever,” said Latsios.

“Jamie was larger than life at VMI and a natural leader in our class,” Danielsen noted. “He was a goofball, coming up with crazy schemes to rally the Corps.”

One such stunt was climbing the inside of the smokestack behind barracks—a feat that Edge accomplished in the middle of the night during his rat year. Once he reached the top, he planted a Class of 1993+3 banner—which remained

there until Ring Figure weekend two years later, at which time he made the climb again, this time replacing the banner with one that read Class of 1996. Incredibly, that banner, or its remnants, remained in place until 2019.

Today, remnants of the long-remembered smokestack banner are in the possession of the Class of 1996, thanks to the help of Brig. Gen. Dallas Clark ’99, deputy superintendent for finance and support, and plans are underway to donate them to the VMI Museum.

Because of Edge’s larger-than-life personality, his brother rats sought to craft a scholarship that reflected his unique contributions to their class and to the Institute. Rather than a purely academic or need-based award, the scholarship is to be awarded to a rising 3rd Class cadet “exemplifying a similar spirit and embodiment of VMI, as exhibited by Captain Edge,” according to the memorandum of understanding establishing the scholarship.

Joining Danielsen, other 1996 brother rats, and Schreher on post were members of the Edge family, including Jamie’s mother, Janice

VMI Alumni Review

Progress Edge; daughters, Helena and Rachel, who were visiting VMI for the first time; and brothers, Tommy and Will.

“Being the first to receive this scholarship is an honor, and it was wonderful to meet the Edge family,” said Schreher. “I especially enjoyed talking with Jamie’s mother and brother.

Talking with everyone that knew Jamie helped me to see how special he was in all their lives and why they had started this scholarship in his memory.”

Opening the door to bringing Edge’s family to VMI was John Adams ’96, who ran for attorney general of Virginia in 2017. One night in the fall of that year, Adams made a campaign stop in Tidewater Virginia. As is usual at such events, there was a line of people waiting to speak with Adams after he’d addressed the group. He was working his way through the line when a woman stunned him with three words: “I’m Jamie’s mom.”

With those words, a routine campaign stop turned into a joyous moment of instant connection.

“We both started crying,” said Adams. “My campaign staff is sitting there thinking, ‘What in the heck is happening?’”

After that night, Adams kept in touch with Janice Edge, who now lives in Chesapeake, Virginia, and class members worked with her to find a weekend when all could return to post.

With the help of Clark and Jon Dano ’96, the Edges were able to tour post, watch the VMI versus The Citadel football game from the superintendent’s box, and take an after-hours tour of the VMI Museum, where they viewed Edge’s shadow box. The tailgate party, which was attended not only by dozens of brother rats but also by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, was held in Clark’s backyard.

The night before, members of the class and the Edges had dinner with Schreher, an electrical and computer engineering major from Cascade, Montana.

The weekend “put it all together,” Danielsen noted. “Jamie’s legacy is living on.”

In April, Danielsen and Latsios traveled to Lexington to join Schreher in attending the VMI Foundation Scholarship Banquet. “He’s appreciative,” said Latsios. “He’s an amazing cadet.”

Donations to the Capt. Jamie Edge 1996 VMI Spirit Scholarship are welcome. Checks should be made out to the VMI Foundation, with “Edge Scholarship” on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to the VMI Alumni Agencies, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.

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TOP

Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, speaks with Janice Edge, mother of James C. “Jamie” Edge ’96, and Jamie’s daughters, Helena and Rachel, Nov. 19, 2022.

BOTTOM

Rachel (left) and Helena Edge examine memorabilia from their father’s cadetship during a visit to post in November 2022.

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Progress

“Continue Its Mission” Wilson ’68 Highlights Importance of Planned Giving

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Retired U.S. Army Col. Stephen E. “Steve” Wilson ’68 said his cadetship at VMI built the “basic foundation” for his career, and he is passionate about giving future cadets the same opportunities he had and more.

Over the years, retired U.S. Army Col. Stephen E. “Steve” Wilson ’68 has been involved with VMI in a variety of capacities. He’s a former faculty member, having served as a professor of military science in VMI’s Army ROTC unit from 1993–95 and even took a turn as acting commandant, in addition to being a former president of the Rappahannock Chapter. But perhaps the designation he’s proudest of is being a member of the Washington Arch Society—a group of individuals who have included VMI in their estate plans.

Wilson and his wife, Linda, have created a living trust, which means that after they have both died and their estates have been settled, their remaining assets will go to VMI. “It’s just the idea that VMI and what it offers to its alumni—its cadets,

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and its alumni, and to this state and nation—it’s important that it be resourced so it can continue its mission,” said Wilson, now retired and living in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Wilson’s path to the Institute began when he was attending a Catholic high school in Rome, Italy, while his father was stationed overseas.

“It was almost like a military school in terms of rigorous academics, discipline, and a great honor system,” recalled Wilson.

Wilson’s family returned to the United States in time for him to finish high school in Prince George, Virginia. By the time graduation rolled around, the Vietnam War was escalating, and Wilson knew that a military college would be a wise choice.

Having never visited VMI, Wilson entered the Institute as an electrical

VMI Alumni Review

Progress engineering major. The Rat Line tried him, as it does all cadets, but for Fairfax County, but his interest in supporting VMI never waned. After Wilson, academics were even more of a trial, and by the time he finished retirement, he and Linda relocated to Mathews, Virginia, and it was there he became involved with the Rappahannock Chapter. Since 2016, his rat year, he was on academic probation.

“I transferred to history, and it made all the difference in the world,” he’s served as the VMI Alumni Association’s liaison to the VMI Board he stated. By graduation, Wilson’s GPA had risen to the point where of Visitors cadet and military affairs committee.

“So, the beauty of that is with that assignment, I can leverage my he graduated ranked midway among history majors.

Like many of his brother rats, Wilson commissioned into the Army at experience not only in the Army but my experience at VMI, both as the graduation and was sent to Vietnam. There, he found that the mental commandant and as [professor of military science],” he commented.

Being on this committee has helped Wilson see that today’s cadets attitude he’d adopted at VMI would serve him just as well in Southeast have opportunities that cadets of his generation did not.

Asia: “Since I’m here, I’m going to make it through.”

As a former cadet who experienced academic challenges himself, WilWilson’s Army career eventually took him all the way to a big asson is keenly aware that private signment at the Pentagon. support is essential to providing “I served as the armor branch academic support services such chief and personnel command, as the Miller Academic Cenand I was responsible for the ter, the Writing Center, and the assignments and professional deMathematics Education Resource velopment of all armor officers Center. [from] second lieutenant through “The contributions help these lieutenant colonel,” he commentvital organizations help a cadet,” ed. “That could be interesting.” he noted. “All I can say is that I Another assignment was servwish we had something like that ing in special operations and when I was a cadet.” running the daytime crisis action Wilson has also seen that while team for the Army, a task that there have been changes at VMI Wilson described as “really high over the decades, what he calls pressure.” the “bedrock”—a commitment But as any VMI alumnus would, to honor as the most fundamenWilson kept his cool when the tal value—remains unchanged. chips were down. “Irrespective “Educating youngsters in a frameof the pressure, I was able to keep work of honor is all-important,” a calm demeanor, encourage my he said. officers to go for the task at hand, “[VMI is] also setting a frameand [say], ‘We’ll take care of work of being able to deal with you,’” he stated. all the difficulties and challenges “VMI provided a basic foundaFrom their belief in VMI and its mission, Wilson and his wife, Linda, of life. Because if you can adtion because you were tested and created a living trust, meaning that after they have both died and dress the challenges of VMI and tried early,” he explained. “And their estates have been settled, their remaining assets will go to VMI. survive, everything else, in some if you got through that, anything respects, is almost no biggie.” else is kind of like an example. I Like many alumni, Wilson found the occasion of his 50th Reunion had a rocky beginning academically. Every school that I’ve attended since VMI ... I’ve been either on the commandant’s list or the honor an especially meaningful time of appreciation and reflection. As an expression of gratitude, he decided to establish a scholarship, and list.”

During his years back on post, Wilson experienced the fulfillment when he wrote the check, he got a big surprise.

“I’m handing over the check; serendipitous as it was, the check numof giving back to a place that had given him so much. “I reported in [to VMI Army ROTC] and just ended up loving it,” he said. “I could ber was 1968,” he noted.

Soon thereafter, the Wilsons decided to establish a trust. “I know ... relate to the cadets. ... Since then, I’ve had some of my former cadets come up and say they really appreciated my mentoring them. It was how important it is that the Foundation can continue to support all the programs necessary not just for staff and faculty, but for cadets,” he all because I’d already been through the crucible.”

Near the end of Wilson’s first year on post, he was asked to serve as stated. “And for basic operations ... just for funding chairs, academic acting commandant when retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mike Bissell chairs, all that’s important.”

With no children, Wilson takes a broad perspective toward younger ’61, then commandant, had to take a medical leave.

“That gave me an appreciation for what the commandant did when generations: “In some regard, I look at some of the former cadets as I was there,” Wilson noted. As acting commandant, Wilson was also my children.”

And when he thinks about the day he and Linda signed the papera member of the Institute’s Academic Board, which further broadened work making the gift official, a sense of peace and certainty prevails: his perspective.

Wilson left VMI in summer 1995 due to his wife’s employment in “I’m glad we were able to do this.”

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Class Notes

1944 Jonathan Safrit ’10

The Class of 1944 would like to wish the VMI community a happy Thanksgiving and merry Christmas.

As we’re reading these notes, VMI’s most senior

Queen Elizabeth bound for England and the 452nd Bomb Group, a part of the famed 8th Air Force.

Bob and his crew would go on to fly in numerous combat missions before the end of the war in Europe.

As always, I remain available to the friends and family of 1944 and always enjoy hearing from you all. On behalf of the Class of 1944, I wish you all the best going into the new year.

1945 Jonathan Safrit ’10

The Class of 1945 would like to wish you all the very best going into the holiday season.

Since the last notes period, Robert Moore celebrated his 100th birthday June 15. The occasion was marked by a large party given in Rockbridge County, not far from Bob’s home and VMI, by friends and family, some of whom traveled from as far as Germany and Canada. While Bob is not the type to want to be the center of attention, I think it’s great that so many people were able to gather to celebrate his special day. I was able to visit with Bob and his family the weekend prior to his birthday and thoroughly enjoyed rocking on the porch of the old homeplace, which has been in Bob’s family for nearly 160 years. From turkey hunting to fishing, farming, and history in general, I feel like we both could have rocked on

Class of 1945: Robert G. Moore stands outside his home in Rockbridge County. Built shortly after the Civil War, it has been in his family ever since.

forever discussing our commonalities. I look forward to my next visit and to seeing Bob on the way to his 101st.

I must also thank the VMI Alumni Agencies staff for assisting me in procuring and delivering a letter from the superintendent, a certificate of recognition from the Alumni Agencies, and a VMI challenge coin. Bob was very appreciative Class of 1944: Emblem of the 452nd that VMI remembered him.

Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, of which A special thank you to Bob’s daughter, Maxine, Bob Smothers was a member. as well. She has been instrumental in keeping her father in touch with the VMI community. Also, alumnus, Bob Smothers, is preparing as a resident of Germany, Maxine to celebrate his 101st birthday in Dehas been instrumental in aiding cember. I can hardly believe it has alme in my exploration of my Gerready been a year since Bob’s 100th, man family roots. We discussed but he continues to be in good health my German origins when I visited and spirits. her father and have discussed it in Earlier this year, I had the occasion more depth since then. Clearly, the to ask Bob about his recollections of traits of generosity and hospitality the period around the Normandy inthat Bob exhibited did not fall far vasion and the months afterward. Bob from the tree. was stateside at the time of the initial Unfortunately, this notes periinvasion and had just started navigaod saw the passing of Mrs. Chartion school for the Boeing B-17 Flying lotte Walker, wife of Gen. SamuFortress. Of the invasion, Bob said he el Walker, 11th superintendent of was excited to hear it had commenced VMI, June 23. Mrs. Walker was and looked forward to getting inan Army child and an Army wife.

Class of 1945: Robert G. Moore (left) accepts a letter written by Maj. volved. After completing navigaGen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, from Brandon Bissell ’98, During one of her father’s tours of tion school and training in DyersAlumni Association director of alumni outreach, on the occasion of duty in Japan, she met the man she Moore’s 100th birthday June 15, 2023. burg, Tennessee, with his crew for would be married to for 67 years. several months, Bob set sail on the As the wife of the commandant at

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes West Point and the superintendent at VMI, she will be well remembered by the cadets, of whom she was a favorite.

That is all for now. The Class of 1945 wishes the very best for the VMI community in the new year.

As always, I’m here for any family or friends of 1945. Wishing you all the best in the coming months.

1946

David M. Hudock ’97

share—most not fit for printing! Happy birthday, Dr. Lacy, and may there be many more!

1947 Paul Munson ’87

It is my sad duty to inform the class that James Willson has passed away. Mr. Willson passed away peacefully while asleep at home early Sunday morning, July 9, 2023, with his wife, Carol, at

Class of 1947: Bill Gibson ’65 (left) and Roger Rosenfield at Rosenfield’s 97th birthday celebration.

Earlier this summer, Dr. Lacy, Class of 1946 president, celebrated his 99th birthday in his hometown of South Boston, Virginia. Also present to help celebrate was Dexter Gilliam ’76, fellow South Boston native and Class of 1976 president. Dr. Lacy is a third-generation dentist and, though he has long since retired from practice, is still very active in South Boston’s greater social circles, still drives his Lexus to and from social events, and stays plugged into the information super highway with his smartphone and tablet. Dr. Lacy is still going strong and has a ways to go, so if you’re ever in South Boston, let the good doctor know; he has many delightful stories to

Class of 1947: Roger Rosenfield’s 97th birthday cake.

his side. He was surrounded by family and friends in his final days. Mr. Willson was a member of the VMI Class of 1947 and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1949.

Jim served his country in the Korean War and did so with distinction. He was honorably discharged in 1954 and finished his service in the reserve as captain in 1956. Mr. Willson was in San Francisco for much of his adult life until retirement, when he and Carol relocated. Mr. Willson will be buried at West Point with full military honors.

An obituary is located in the Taps section of this issue. Mr. Willson had a life well-lived. Our thoughts are with his family during this time of loss.

1948B

Lionel T. Wolford

Class of 1946: Dabney T.P. “Dexter” Gilliam Jr. ’76 (left), Class of 1976 class president, celebrates with M.B. “Mac” Lacy Jr., class president, on Lacy’s 99th birthday July 27, 2023.

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Class of 1947: Roger Rosenfield holds the citation from VMI marking his 97th birthday.

Brother Rats, Rod Kallgren is 96 years old and still lives in his assisted living facility in Dearborn, Michigan.

Rod is well and sounded great. Rod talked about his VMI experience, his World War II military experience, and his Korean War experience. After our rat year, Rod chose to pursue the chemistry course. I, Doug Markey, Dick Eichhorn, Jed White, and a few others also chose that route to a degree. After his third semester, Rod left for World War II Army service and was assigned to

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Class Notes chemical warfare. He was soon on his way to the Far East. He passed through the Panama Canal and arrived in Manila. He was assigned to a small unit that was dismantling captured Japanese chemical warfare equipment. Sulphuric acid was produced in the process and turned over to the Navy. It was used to recharge submarine batteries. Rod was promoted to sergeant before he was discharged. Before returning to VMI, he visited New York and met a beautiful girl. They were married immediately after Rod graduated from VMI. Again, he was called up by the Army, this time as a second lieutenant. He was quickly sent to Korea, traveling much like I did a year earlier. Report to Travis Air Force Base in California. Fly across the Pacific with stops at Hawaii and Wake Island. Arrive at Haneda Airfield near Tokyo. Onto Camp Drake and, then, by elegant train to Sasabo. Dinky ferry to Pusan and a rickety train to Suwon, in my case, some 60 miles further north to Uijongbu in Rod’s case.

Rod was assigned to the 1st Observation Battalion and, within a few months, was promoted to battery commander. Although not at the same time, we both spent much of our Korean War service in the same place, i.e., a few miles north of Uijongbu.

Rod was promoted to captain before completing his Korean service. Hang in there, Rod. Angus Crook and Nancy are now living in an apartment quite near the clubhouse of the Belle Mead Country Club in Nashville, Tennessee. Angus is 95 and in good health. He sounded great but complained that he does not walk as well as he did before breaking his hip. He reported that he and Nancy have adjusted well to their new quarters. Angus completed one year at VMI before his World War II service in the Navy. He did not return to VMI but went on to med school after a stop at Sewanee. He asked how returning World War II veterans were treated at VMI. I told him that Company G was created for all returning veterans who had been officers. Married returning veterans could wear civies and live off post.

Returning veterans who were not officers were treated like other cadets, except they were granted 1st Class privileges. Hang in there, Angus.

George Ramsey is 95 and lives in his house in Lynchburg, Virginia, with his golden retriever. He sounded great but expressed some minor complaints about arthritis. George sent me a clipping from the Lynchburg newspaper about the VMI diversity officer leaving. A lot of George’s very large family lives nearby. When I talked to him, George reported that his eldest son, Peter Ramsey ’72, and family visited recently.

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They brought enough food for everyone to have a great meal. I reported on the recent VMI BOV appointments by Gov. Youngkin. George had no comment. I believe that George loved VMI and stayed connected more than any ’48B. The changes made over the last few years devastated him. Now, I detect a little bit of renewed interest.

Al Loth of Richmond, Virginia, is doing well.

I am 95 years old and live at home. My eldest daughter, Marie, lives in an attached apartment and helps a lot. My son, Tom, lives nearby and also helps a lot. Although slowed by arthritis, I move about with a walker and cane and still drive my car. Marie arranged through the Veterans Administration for a caregiver to come in for 4 hours three times a week. That also helps a lot. I still maintain my interest in bridge by playing online against robots. It worries me that some think that bridge is only for little old ladies. So, I point out that Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was an avid bridge player. He learned to play bridge at West Point. When ’48B was struggling through our early years at VMI, Ike was supreme commander of Allied troops in Europe. He had a large staff. You had to be a bridge player to be on Ike’s staff. Ike played bridge with three of his staff every evening before retiring. A frequent partner was his chief of staff, Gen. Alfred Gruenther (the best bridge player in the Army).

Back to VMI, in 1945 and 1946, I played bridge with several other cadets I thought we were pretty good. Somewhere, I read that Harvard and Yale had bridge teams and competed with each other.

I thought that VMI should put together a bridge team and compete with the Ivy League schools.

I consulted Col. Herbert Dillard ’934 on the matter. He said, “I doubt if any of you are good enough for that type of competition.” I persisted that we were good enough. He said, “You get a partner, and I will get a partner, and we will find out.” Col. Dillard chose as his partner Mrs. Knox (the best bridge player in Lexington) and the wife of Col. Robert Knox ’924, highly regarded math professor. He gave me a time to meet at Mrs. Knox’s quarters (on post). I asked Brother Rat Clarence Danforth to be my partner. We showed up, and the beautiful Mrs. Knox greeted us graciously. We had a close game but came out second best. That ended my idea of VMI competing with Ivy League schools. As we left, Mrs. Knox took me by the hand and said, “You are a very good bridge player.”

Brother rats, hang in there. Hope we get together in three months.

1949A Paul Munson ’87

I have reached out to the addresses the Alumni Agencies has for members of the class and would like to hear from class members and/or family members. I’m very interested in sharing what is going on with you all and can be reached by the contact info listed in the class notes. Thanks for your help!

1949B

Ding Patton

These notes cover the period from May 15– Aug. 15, 2023.

It is official! Our 75th Reunion will be held April 15–16, 2024. There are many details to be worked out with the Alumni Agencies, but please put it on your calendar and plan to be there. I have already heard from several people that they are coming.

I really appreciated hearing from Charlie Hurt, who called and reported that he is still working.

Twenty years ago, he started developing a 1,100acre tract of land on Pantops Mountain in Charlottesville and thought that he would be finished by now, but it has taken a bit longer than expected. He is in good health other than balance problems and has to use a cane. His wife, Alicia, is in good health and spends some time at their condominium in Argentina, visiting family and friends, but Charlie no longer travels there. Charlie has three vacant factory buildings, one of which is in Staunton, and I had hoped that he would get west of the mountains to visit it but not yet. He says there is not much demand for factory buildings right now. He also mentioned that he and Max Feinman were classmates at medical school at UVA and asked if I had any news about Max. I didn’t at the time, but Max called a couple of weeks later.

Max reported he renewed his driver’s license for five years. (I also recently had, and my next

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes renewal will be when I am 100 years old. I tell my friends that although I have a license, if they see me coming, I recommend they pull to the side of the road until I pass.) Max said he roomed with Bobby Thomason and Jack Evans during their last semester at the Institute and that when Bobby got his signing bonus for playing quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, he took Jack and Max to dinner. He commented the bonuses were not as large as they are today. Bobby played three years for the Rams and then went to the Philadelphia Eagles for six years before ending his career with one year with the Green Bay Packers. Max also said that, recently, his doctor told him he has pulmonary fibrosis, an end-stage disease. Max asked him how long he had and was told three to five years.

Max said he told the doctor that at his age, if it was guaranteed, where could he sign up right now?

I had a long telephone call from Jim “Crew Chief” Morgan. He said just to put in the Alumni Review that he had called with no news, but we had a great conversation discussing the current political situation in the U.S.A. and reminiscing about the good old days. I recalled that during my first job as city engineer for Falls Church, Virginia, a woman asked me to survey her lot and locate and mark the corners. Jim was working for the Arlington County Survey Division and knew a lot more about surveying than I did, so I asked him to help. We struggled all day and never located the corners. Jim did teach me some surveying techniques that I used later, however.

Greg Nelson called to check in and agreed to help with the reunion next year. He has planned all of our recent five-year class reunions and knows how to work with the Institute. He and Kitty are well but aren’t as active as they used to be. I think we can all relate to that.

Jim Enochs has bounced back from his recent health issues. I called to see if he had been released from the hospital, and he was at his house in the Outer Banks in North Carolina and had been fishing all day. He caught enough to have all he wanted to eat for two days.

Tommy Bowers called with nothing to report but was tired of my complaining I never heard from anyone. He is using a walker for mobility issues since he grew tired of falling, but life is good, and Pam is taking great care of him. They enjoy being at home and don’t travel much. He said he doubted they would be attending the 75th Reunion. I hope we can persuade him otherwise before April.

Andrew Timpner ’07, Dan Smaw’s grandson, has located our class flag and is bringing it to me

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so we will have it for the reunion. He said that many of our reunion class pictures have been lost in his numerous moves in the Navy. Andrew wants us to have a picture taken at the reunion with the flag and sent to him.

Barbara Bradley responded to my email about our matriculation that hot July 11, 1945. She asked Harvey what he remembered about matriculation. He remembered being on the bus from Lynchburg with Sheldon Stephens and Palmer Bedsole. He also remembered that when he opened his suitcase when he got to his room, his mother had packed his childhood stuffed animal, Humpty Dumpty.

Well, that is all of the news for now, but go and put the dates for our 75th Reunion on your calendar now before you forget it!

God bless America, VMI, and ’49B. Yours in the Bonds of VMI, Ding

1950A

Garrett Smith ’20

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes from the Class of 1950A.

1950B

Robert F. Lynd

It’s been a really, really hot summer. So many 100-plus temps that many of us have “enjoyed” for long periods of time. And if you didn’t have heat, you might have had flooding from torrential rains—or tornadoes. The meteorologists tell us it’s the confluence of an event called a heat dome and the phenomenon known as El Niño. Whatever. All I know is that it’s been hot! The only thing I’m being told is cooling is the inflation rate. Really?

Prices still seem higher than they were a while ago.

Have heard from a few folks. I’m glad our sister rats seem to be motivated to send a note. Nancy Mitchell, A.J.’s widow, writes, “I don’t have

Class of 1950B: Hoge Sutherland in July 2023. much for you. I had three of our grandchildren at Legacy Day in April. They had a great time, as always, and my kids had fun catching up with friends of son Matthew ’02, who were there with their families. We all love to visit VMI. Just an aside: We still have not buried Alex’s ashes over in Lexington, so he is still resting on the mantle, keeping an eye on things here at home. I’ll let you know when we pin down a date for burial.”

The deaths of two sister rats were reported during this period. Mary Virginia Harwood, widow of Tommy, passed April 17, 2023. Elizabeth “Betty” Saunders, widow of Sam, died May 25, 2023. These were two lovely ladies who were alongside their husbands in their devotion to VMI. Ann Witt was able to attend the funeral service for Mary Elizabeth Harwood. She says, “Last Saturday, July 8, two of my children and I went to the funeral for Mary Virginia Harwood. It was a lovely service and a joyful remembrance of a great lady. My daughter, Anne, was one of the speakers. The church service was followed by a service at the cemetery and then by a very nice luncheon—à la Harwood hospitality. I had intended to send you a bulletin, but there wasn’t one.” It’s a nice thing when someone can get to these services and give us a firsthand report. So, our thanks to Ann. Tommy Kirk is one of our most active brother rats I’m aware of. He writes, “Only news from here ... went to Anaheim, California, June 22– 26, where the ex-POWs celebrated the 50th year

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Class Notes reunion of release from Hanoi POW camps. Of always engendered a feeling of warmth. Compare patch without the “Airborne” arc, so we referred to ourselves as being in the 101st “Chairborne” the original 591 released, some 200 ex-POWs, it to the one in our Bomb, and you’ll see there’s not much difference. Hoge sounded well, and he was Division. We were a basic training division takplus wives, families, and friends, enjoyed one of concerned about an alarm that went off in his apart- ing in new draftees, training them for eight weeks, the last reunion celebrations. ment building and kept beeping incessantly, driv- and then sending them off to advanced training or “I was the oldest attendee and only saw four old friends of many years, though all were guys I had ing everyone up the wall. During our conversation, straight to Korea. We ended our conversation with promises to keep in touch through son Tyler. met at earlier reunions. Several months before, I asked him if he remembered when a large group Speaking of Camp Breckinridge, I came across Ann and I attended the last F-105 get-together in of us went to our first duty station after graduation. He did—dear old Camp Breckinridge, Ken- a photo of Eddie Burwell and me taken in winTucson; it was notable in that the F-105 was the ter 1950 at that camp in western Kentucky about principal Air Force ‘workhorse’ from late 1965– tucky. We must have had 10 or 12 of us infantry 69, and all of the some 800 who flew the airplane types there in the summer, fall, and winter 1950. I where the world falls off. Note the snow on the during that period are all now 80-plus years old. hasten to add there was a goodly sprinkling of VT ground—reminds me of that miserable winter.

Hokies there, also. Hoge and I reminisced about When I submitted this photo, I was asked about the Facts: Some 833 were built, 460 were lost during how cold that winter was—one of the coldest for “hard hats” we had on. Hard to realize that there the war, 184 pilots were killed, about 100 bailed out but were rescued, and 94 were POWs. Very that region. We wore the 101st Airborne “Eagle” is a generation that may not be familiar with the two-piece helmet we wore back then. moving and emotional final dinner The complete helmet had a steel Saturday night. The absolute epitoshell and a liner. Often, in non-comme of a band of brothers—all flying bat environments, only the liner was the same airplane, same missions, worn. The white-painted helmet linsame bomb loads, facing the same ers we’re wearing in the photo were SAMs and same heavily defended ones that indicated we were control airspace. We genuinely enjoyed the officers on the firing range. remembrance of attendees and lost Ed and I shared a BOQ room tocomrades. gether. Actually, it was two rooms “Nothing else new. We will go to with a common bathroom which Vail for two weeks in July, then Milhad only a toilet and a small sink. waukee for two weeks, one week in As I remember, we had a large comOregon, then back to Anthem for the mon washroom down the hall with cool fall and new golf season.” It’s impressive how much travel TomClass of 1950B: Members of the regimental staff in Crozet Hall in lots of wash basins reminiscent of 1949. the main sinks at VMI. That’s where my and Ann do—pretty good for a most of us shaved in the mornings.

94-year-old. Much better than some Camp Breckinridge had shut down after the war, of us who are a bit younger. and these were old World War II buildings that we Jack Lyons sent me an email that contains a had to reclaim from the weeds and cattle that had question, which I’ll pass on to you all. “Am hapovertaken the post. Ed and I double-dated in the py to report that all hands are well and happy here lively towns of Owensboro, Kentucky, and Evanson Sun Lion Hill in Norwich (Vermont). We just ville, Indiana. We had some great times that I rehad lots of rain in a hurry—no flooding. And the ally don’t want to—don’t dare to—put into print garden has grown like crazy in the past 48 hours. here. I’ll just leave it to your imagination. Ed left We have a big Catawba tree in the yard that peakfor Korea before I did, and we lost contact until ed its blossoming just before the big rain. I think it some of our reunions. is a southern variety—not the northern—in spite I came across another amongst my souvenirs. It’s of being up here in the northern part of the South. the regimental non-commissioned staff table lookWould welcome any response anyone chooses to ing very relaxed in Crozet Hall. The date on the make on the two varieties. By the way, a Catawba photo is June 1949. Shown around the table, left tree is also known as a Catalpa tree.” I know nothto right, are Fred Schaumburg; Dick Coupland; ing about trees except to say that Google tells me a Bob Lynd; Oliver, our waiter; Bob Trinkle; TomCatawba is a southern tree. I think Jack is curious my Harwood; Eddie Oast; and “Mr.” Long ’52. as to why/how one got to Vermont! He also reports I was the color sergeant and carried the U.S. colthat he is enjoying Tommy Kirk’s biography. ors. Fred, the other color sergeant, carried the VMI Out of the blue, I received a phone call from colors. I can see from the chevrons that Dick was Hoge Sutherland—actually, his son, Tyler, made Class of 1950B: Bob Lynd and Ed Burregimental sergeant major and Bob was regimenthe call. It was good to hear Hoge’s voice and to well at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, in 1950. tal supply sergeant. Tommy and Eddie were the know he’s still with us. Tyler took a photo and same (battalion sergeant major). Our 1950 Bomb sent it along. Can’t mistake that happy smile that

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes wife, Jean, seldom missed a reunion. He and his the actual numbers may be larger, but they haven’t is a marvelous reference book. By the way, I note roommate, Rav Marshall, stayed in close contact. in the Bomb that Fred was referred to as Bill (his been in touch with the Alumni Agencies.

Bounce Carstens’s daughter, Mary Louise HopJust before the deadline for this article, I received middle name was William). But I always knew an email from Linda Arildsen, the daughter of son, sent me pictures of this year’s annual mini rehim as Fred. union visit with Jim Enochs and Pete Philp MeBy the time you read this, everyone has agreed Marilyn Warren, Ralph’s widow. Marilyn is now in assisted living. At one point, she fell and broke morial Day weekend. She says the stories when that Frank Fugate won the beard contest. I must confess that that is because he was the only entry. three ribs, so the family moved her to another fa- the classmates get together are priceless. If there is However, this incident began a lengthy exchange cility. She also fell there but, thankfully, no breaks a picture of this reunion, I must thank Mary Price for her computer skills. of emails with Frank. After his three-year stint in this time. She’s using a wheelchair because of pain Jay Perry, Irvin “Smoe” Perry’s son, called me the Army being assigned to NSA, he accepted an in her leg, and she’s having difficulty rememberoffer to work for the Arabian American Oil com- ing things other than family. Linda and her hus- out of the blue last month. His son, Max Wallace pany, now Saudi Aramco. He stayed with that band, a USNA graduate, took Marilyn to our re- Perry, has been offered a scholarship to VMI to company for 34 years, retiring in 1998 as senior union in 2015 and had a great time. Some of you play baseball. We got together in Richmond for a vice president of engineering and construction and may remember that reunion—it was our 65th and great dinner and an evening of looking at old picour last get-together. COVID-19 cheated us out of tures and memories. Smoe Perry, Marty Penner, member of the board of directors. We also disKirby Bernich, and Jigger Baxley roomed togethcussed Osama bin Laden, Shiites versus Sunnis, our 70th in 2020.

We can take heart that there is a new crop of er all four years at VMI. They got together every and other subjects. A real education for me.

Frank had an uncle, Frank Rowlett, who was in- BOV members recently appointed by Gov. Youn- few years, and I filled in Jay on the memories.

Evelyn Trumbo, the widow of Bob Trumbo, strumental in breaking the Japanese code in World gkin. They make up about half the board. We all War II and creating and building several clones of have high hopes. Let’s keep the red, white, and said she and Bob owned an IGA grocery store in Marshall, Virginia, my hometown. They were the Japanese code machine. He also designed a yellow floating on high! wonderful friends of ours. ¡Hasta la próxima vez! code machine used by the U.S. during World War I received word in mid-August that Gibson II that was never broken by the Axis. After the war, “Gib” Gay of Bradenton, Florida, died June 24, it was found out that the Germans had given up 2023, at the age of 96. trying to break the code, saying it was unbreakThank you for your support. Please send someable.

Ursula Baxley thing for the November notes.

Received a phone call from Randy Trappey.

He’s still living at home but is using a wheelchair and spends much of his day in a recliner. He does have 24/7 care personnel who see to it that he’s comfortable and eats his meals. The one who Mary Lanford Price These few notes come from news sent to me comes in from 7 a.m.–noon is Rachel, and she from February to early August 2023. helps Randy with emails, phone calls, and such.

I am so sorry to report the death of Paul RobinHis son, Fred, who lives in Baton Rouge and has a son. Paul called before every deadline to give me house in Florida, gets by every so often. The main reason I was having a difficult time contacting content for the Alumni Review. He and his late Dear Class of 1952 Family, Randy is because he has set up a block on As I sit here typing these notes, the calhis cell phone that blocks all calls unless endar reads August, but by the time you the call is from a registered caller (phone read them, it will be November, and we number). We finally got that problem rewill be approaching Thanksgiving. For solved. cadets, it’s the season of Founders Day, Randy’s mind is sharp as ever, and I papers being due, and the welcome relove to hear his South Louisiana accent. spite of the approaching weeklong furI asked if he was still subscribing to that lough. For the rest of us, it means the wonderful Cajun saying, “Lâche pas la poholidays are imminent, which seems to tate,”—“Don’t give up!” (Don’t drop the happen sooner and sooner each year. I potato). He said he was trying, but the pohope these notes find each of you well tato is getting almost too hot to handle. and enjoying the fall.

Latest stats from the Alumni AgenI have a small number of inputs to cies: Brother rats=28, sister rats=59. The share, so in no particular order, I will gals outnumber us better than two to one. mention who I’ve heard from during this Alumni Agencies records are based on those with at least a mailing address, even Class of 1951: Carl Carstens, Jim Enochs, and Pete Philp in quarter. In late June, I sent a birthday card to Mr. Joseph Webber, and in response, though other information (email, phone, Dallas, Texas, in spring 2023. he sent the following note: “Mary, thanks birthday, etc.) may be missing. So, perhaps

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Class Notes for sending along the card. You may not know that Jack [Lanford] and I lived on the same Hillcrest Avenue in Roanoke during high school and graduated together. ... I do appreciate your willingness to take up the task of being the class agent for Jim Mecredy.” What a small world! Thank you, Mr. Webber, for sharing an update.

I also heard from Dr. Wilson Gaillard after I sent him a birthday card. His daughter, Sheri Gaillard Gordon, emailed a note from him that read, “I only went to VMI for two years, but they were some of my most glorious years. It seems like yesterday, and I enjoyed it so much. VMI is so far from Mobile [Alabama] that I never was able to return after I left. I’m crippled up in a bed now, and I cannot march anymore, but the picture on the birthday card looks just like we did years ago. Hello to my brother rats and keep the VMI spirit alive. Thank you for the birthday wishes!!” Dr. Gaillard, thank you for sending this lovely note! It truly brought tears to my eyes.

One day in early June, I was delighted to hear from Jim Delisio ’76, son of the late Louis Delisio. There is a bit of family history here: Jim and my sister met in a summer school course back in the ’70s, and when my father, Jack Lanford, heard that there was a Delisio sweating the summer away in barracks, he came to post immediately to invite Jim to dinner.

“I seem to remember a great swimming pool and some very strong Bloody Marys,” Jim wrote. “After that, your parents would have me over for what

I thought was a ‘getaway,’ but I realized later that your dad was making sure I was OK. Even after I graduated, your dad would ask my parents about me at the reunions.”

Toward the end of July, I got a nice note from Lucy Marshall Davis, daughter of the late Peyton Marshall. I had sent a birthday card to her mother, and in response to that, Lucy sent the following: “Just wanted you to know that mom has slowed down but is otherwise content as a resident at St. Joseph’s Nursing Home in Catonsville, Maryland, for nine years. Many of the same wonderful staff who cared for my father in his last years until he died in 1996 are taking care of mom. She isn’t

Class of 1952: Jack Lanford (left) and Jake Berberich ’76 in Springfield, Virginia, in 1977.

Class of 1952: Ernestine Bridgforth with her family in Des Moines, Iowa, in December 2022.

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quite able to play the piano or talk anymore, but she smiles a lot. A VMI 1952 plaque hangs on her wall. You all are never far from her thoughts.”

During this quarter, I’ve been happy to make the acquaintance of Clark Britton, a resident of Wichita, Kansas, who spent just over a year at VMI. He reached out after reading that I’d been in contact with John “Zeke” Finney, as he and Mr. Finney roomed together at VMI. Mr. Britton is a very talented artist specializing in paper cuts, and he also enjoys cooking. He and I have become friends on Facebook, and from that, I can see that he’s made spoonbread lately, which is a favorite holiday dish in my family.

Lastly, I was very happy to receive an update from Mrs. Ernestine Bridgforth, widow of Austin Bridgforth and a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Here is what she wrote: “I am adjusting to widowhood as much as can be expected and trying to stay busy. I play bridge, enjoy girly clubs I belong to, and my friends and neighbors who are wonderful to me. I feel blessed. Plan to work again with Attic Trash and Treasures. It is a spinoff of Rotary Inner Wheel. We collect and store donations of goods from estates, etc. Once a year, we organize a huge sale and, after expenses, donate huge amounts of money to various worthy charities. So far, we have made donations of over $2 million. My grandchildren are spread out in several locations. Lindsey, the oldest, is in Des Moines, Iowa, where her husband is the head soccer coach at Drake University. She is a pharmaceutical representative in oncology for Pfizer. Her husband was head coach at the University of Chicago, but [they] feel that raising two little boys in Des Moines is more suitable. They love Des Moines. I visited them for Christmas, and when they met me at the airport and told me it was -8 degrees and a blizzard scheduled the next day, I went into hurricane mode and said, ‘take me to the grocery store immediately, so I can make gumbo.’ I never left their house; I was so cold. Austin is still in Washington, D.C. He has served as press secretary for two congressmen, one of which was running for president. Owen is making quite a name for himself as a chef in New York. He is chef cuisine at a restaurant that Condé Nast named as one of the world’s top new restaurants. Owen has a darling girlfriend named Alexandra, and I hope to hear wedding bells soon.”

Jim Wiley wrote to say he’d had a call from Zeke Finney. “We enjoyed sharing ‘health issues’ and great memories of times past,” Jim noted.

Lastly, I enjoyed hearing from retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. John Roche of San Diego,

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes Virginian Hotel and dined at the rooftop restaurant.

During the late ’40s before World War II, when spending summers on the family farm, I came in town (by train) to my grandfather’s house for some weekends, and he would take me to dinner at the Virginian. At that age, I really liked hot dogs, which were not on the menu, so he would send the waitstaff out of the hotel to obtain one—did not know in those days that he was a major stockholder in the hotel. It is no longer a private hotel but is now owned by Hilton and is beautiful. Those days when in Lynchburg, my uncle would take me on a ride out Rivermont Avenue on the streetcar; Warren Koontz says I should have yelled at him, as he was probably playing in the front yard. We did go to Richmond since the reunion to visit BRs who did not make it to the reunion. We had lunch with Warren and Win Koontz at their home and, another time, lunch with Bill and Agnes Atwill at their home. We certainly enjoyed our visits, and it was good to see that both Warren and Bill are getClass of 1953: Frank Spencer with his granddaughter, Blaire Morgan, daughting around fairly well with their medical ailments William C. Noell Jr. ter of Sandy and Allen Morgan ’75, and but just were not up to coming to the reunion. This her hand painted VMI brick. year, we are hoping our grandson, 3rd Class Cadet Miller Jay ’26, will obtain some playing time as see if he could make it to the 70th, especially since a quarterback on the VMI football team. We are no longer going to University of Tennessee foothe has not been back since he received his “own ball games after over 20 years behind the team on ring.” Since there is no news from you all who Brother Rats and Our Widows: the 50. So now, instead, we plan to attend many It is with great regret that I must let you know are out there somewhere and who must be doing that we have lost four BRs since our 70th Reunion interesting things, I will just have to fill the page VMI games over the next few years. Our grandwith our own goings-on. We celebrated our 32nd daughter, Addie Jay, who graduated from Christoin April. We lost Tom Dalton in Waynesboro and Stu McCloskey in Melbourne, Florida. Walt in July in Lynchburg by going to a concert by the pher Newport University in May as a communications major and religious studies minor, has just Platters and the Drifters—our kind of music from Sanders passed away in Georgia, and Paul Fortin in Topeka. Judy and I have stayed with Walt the past. We stayed at the remodeled/reopened accepted a newly created position at our Lexington Methodist church as director of and Emily in the past for UT versus next-generation ministeries.

GA football games, and they have Class trivia: As you all know from stayed with us for past reunions. Walt past class notes, Judy and I have adroomed with Bud Skinner and Dick opted cadets (rats) over the years Mallo for their 1st Class year. Paul and have enjoyed these associawas Warren Koontz’s roommate for tions a great deal. We have dined the last two years, along with Joe with the cadets, mostly on Sundays Louden and Bill Hinman. Paul had after church; kept vehicles in our originally planned to come to our drive; tailgated with them at football 70th but had to cancel about a month games; had their families visit/stay before. Warren talked with Jane Forwith us, as well as girlfriends for the tin after his passing, and I sent her weekend, and sometimes the cadets a note of regrets. Jim Eads roomed themselves. This May, our 1st Class with Dabney Coleman their first cadet from Tennessee graduated two years before Dabney transferred 70 years after your class agent (and to Texas at the end of the 3rd Class Class of 1953: Attending the East Tennessee – Knoxville Chapter rat you). This was very special for both year. Jim had a very good visit with send-off at the Blackhorse Pub & Brewery in Maryville, Tennessee, Dabney at the last reunion that DabJuly 27, 2023, are (from left) Cadet Charlie McLaughlin ’26; Ansley of us, which he well acknowledged. ney attended—not sure which one— Clark; Ridge Clark ’23; Connor Haines, member of the Rat Mass of Ridge Clark ’23 also climbed the sentinel box with me at our 70th, car55th or 60th. I contacted Dabney by 2024+3; Bill Noell; and Judy Noell. rying our class flag up and down for mail several times before the 70th to California. In response to the birthday card I sent him, he wrote, “Many thanks for the birthday greeting. Thank you again for stepping up as our class agent. Currently recovering from my second shoulder replacement. First was about 15 years ago and was the result of a much earlier bad parachute landing. This one is a bit of a puzzle, but probably resulted from years of swimming. And, of course, my frustration is being beached for another month of healing.

Weather here is brutal, but not like yours back east. Shocking revelation is my youngest daughter’s 60th birthday next month. Tempus does fugit. Be well, John.”

Those are the updates I received for this quarter.

Please send in your news so I can share it with the class. My best to all of you for the holidays! ’52, ’52, ’52!

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Class Notes

Class of 1953: Bill and Judy Noell at the 70th Reunion dinner in Marshall Hall April 24, 2023.

Class of 1953: Bill Noell (left) with Weston Gloger ’19, one of Noell’s adopted cadets.

“rat,” Connor Hines 2024+3, coming into the Institute this month, whom we met at the Knoxville rat send-off in July. You will remember that our BR Art Moncrief’s great-nephew, Weston Gloger ’19, came with him to a reunion and wound up at the Institute and as one of our adopted cadets.

Then, there was Henry Atwill ’18, my roommate’s grandson, whom we hear from often. Then there is Jack Wilkins ’16, who, after graduate school in Richmond, is back for his third year at the Institute as a mechanical engineering professor. And, of course, there have been others, the first one being about 1986, who retired from the Navy a few years ago—all of whom have been a pleasure to know and have enhanced our living in Lexington and our association with the Institute, along with being your class agent for 35-plus years.

1954 Class of 1953: At the wedding of Ridge Clark ’23 in Athens, Tennessee, July 14, 2023, are (from left) Bill Noell, Judy Noell, Ansley Clark, and Clark. Clark was one of Noell’s adopted cadets. me—as it has become very heavy over the additions of reunions—which was originally made by roommate Pete Cox. We met Ridge years ago just before matriculation at the Knoxville rat send-off and just attended his and Ansley Tuck’s wedding in July—a great event.

We now have his dyke, Charlie McLaughlin ’26, a 3rd Class cadet—also from Tennessee and Ridge’s high school. We have a new Tennessee

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J.M. Perry Archer

We all probably have ideas, conceptions, and pictures of heaven, either as we may think it actually is or at least as we wish or hope it to be. It is a pretty safe bet that even people who do not believe it exists in all likelihood think or have thought about it as paradise. Right? Right. Today, as I write this, I think about BR Roy Alexander. This is not because I hope to see him there right now, although I do hope that I will someday, should I be so lucky or blessed to get to go there, as I do believe that it

exists. No, it is because Roy, on more than one occasion over the years, told me what his concept of heaven is, or should I say was, at the times when we discussed it. It was not, as one would think: Pearly gates, family reunions, perpetual peace, and the rest of the usual things. It was RRPBDWS. You all remember that. Yep, “Rest recreation privileges bed down white socks.” Roy even said he was going to order his car license plate to say RRPBDWS. Dr. Mallory’s longed-for status back, way back, in days of yore. Well, he never did it. I know because he lived here in Houston, and I usually saw him and his car about once a month if we take the average. So, I picture Roy in his paradise, lying in the rack, enjoying the afterlife. I doubt if VMI has had that or parts of that medical status for many years. By the way, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I always wondered about why “white socks.” Could be because the black socks we wore were not all that great in the 1950s, at least not as I remember. Everything now about the uniform appears to be so much better. Especially finally, the addition of belt loops and other things.

The belt loops would have been heaven, at least to me. Wonder if they have pockets now.

Letter from Doug Marks ’69: Doug read our Alumni Review report and saw references to Johnny Mapp. Doug got married right after his graduation, and he and his new wife, Diane, moved to Virginia Beach. They rented an apartment. Doug was employed at the time as an engineer with the Virginia Highway Department. He was still in training but was scheduled to go on active duty with the military. An emergency occurred; Doug and Diane had not been there a week before his bride got appendicitis. Doug’s father, Paul Camp Marks ’46, had spoken about Johnny being a physician and had high praise for Johnny and his skill.

So, Doug contacted him, and Johnny performed Doug’s wife’s appendectomy. Our involvement was simply getting Johnny’s contact information so Doug could contact him. “Doc” Carroll trained many cadets who went on to become really fine medical doctors. Johnny Mapp is one.

Among the “trifling” I remember from our rat year include: 1. Being made to stand and yell in the mess hall: “I love it here, I love it here, I’ve found myself a home!”

2. Being made to put on both an overcoat and a raincoat in an old cadet’s room, then to stand and strain on top of the heated room radiator.

3. Holding a chair in the mess hall while running in place, chair legs out like ack-ack guns, and acting like we were firing while making sounds.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes 4. Having to use a bosun’s pipe at the mess hall table of Frank Wootton ’53 to pipe him aboard.

There were other such things, but I cannot think of them right now.

Remember “bloody Sunday,” when we were “taken in” by old cadets?

And then there was rat gravy. Sometimes, it was all that stood between us and several hours of hunger. For instance, let’s take Waldorf salad or Rissolee potatoes. Not too appetizing. I don’t remember much else, but mostly, I never thought the food was good. Quarter guard supper was great, though.

We have written before about the sculpture class that several of our class attended in April– May 1954: George Hardy, John Ledeaux, Dave Burks, and I. Each one of us produced a sculpture, a bust in each case, as I recall. I have sent photos of my pieces in a previous Alumni Review along with other photos, including Tom Wallace’s sculpture. Tom did his after graduation. We were blessed to have as our professor William Marks Simpson, who, at the time, taught art history and was a member of the English department faculty.

Mr. Simpson was a noted sculptor and a winner of the prestigious Prix de Rome. He designed the Norfolk Bicentennial Half Dollar and was a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome. He was hired by the United States Bureau of the Mint to design some of its commemorative coins, among which was not only the Norfolk commemorative coin but the Battle of Antietam half dollar, among others. He also designed the Allied War Memorial at Guadalcanal. During our 1st Class year, he completed the Parade Ground monument commemorating the Guard Tree, which stands today where the Guard Tree stood.

Reminder: The Class of 1954 reunion is scheduled April 15–16, 2024. I am hopeful about attending and also hopeful that many of you will be there.

BR Bill Ralph—a great Christian and a mountain of a man. Some facts I knew not and probably few others in our class knew: When Bill came to VMI in 1950, it was on a football scholarship.

It was only one of 25 others he was offered for the sport at other schools. He had grants offered in basketball at schools, as well. He played three years of varsity football, basketball, and baseball.

In 1953–54, we beat the University of Virginia and VPI in football and were state champions.

Who will ever forget Johnny Mapp in that game?

In basketball, Bill was team captain in 1953 and 1954. In his last year, Bill was the all-time leader in scoring and rebounds. He was the first basketball player in school history to pull down 900 rebounds

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and to score more than 1,000 points in his career.

In one basketball game, he grabbed 31 rebounds.

As a baseball pitcher (he usually played first base), he was undefeated.

1955

Barney Lawless

Response has been rather sparse this time. I can only guess that many of us are now on the gim and reflect the attitude expressed by Bill Cridlin, shown later in this column. Anyway, we who are still here should be preparing for the 70th Reunion scheduled for 2025.

I have to thank Bob Bowden for his phone contacts with many of the class, me included. Bob and I have been trying to solve the problems of the world since we roomed together in fall 1952, and we’re still trying. Bob has had favorable contacts with Mich Pettyjohn and Ronnie Bryan, who both seem to be doing well.

My first response received was from Frank Brooke, who stated not much new from the Brooke household. “We are enjoying our summer stay at Lake Gaston as we are near Raleigh, North Carolina, where most of our grands and greatgrands are now living, and we see them occasionally. Health-wise, we are hanging in there with my arthritis and Judy’s COPD. Not sure about reunion attendance, but time will tell. ... Hope you and yours (that includes all of you) are well.”

Had a long telephone conversation with John Lathram, who is now retired in Alabama. We spent a while comparing our ailments and memories.

Bill Cridlin reports, “I am now in my hunker-down mode. Charlotte and I are doing well in our home, and we have family nearby who regularly check on us. Hope our remaining brother rats are aging well. If I fail in the future to respond to your request for input, it will be because nothing has changed. Current health reports are not my style. The last health report will be sent in by a family member.”

Travis Russell sends us a short note from the Pacific Northwest where he tells us that the Pacific Northwest Chapter president retired from his post, and so far as he knows, no one has taken his place.

This is too bad because they normally had a rat send-off picnic every summer, which was also a

chance for VMI alumni to have some connection.

(Editor’s Note: Ben Bird ’95 is now the Pacific Northwest Chapter president.) He says he goes to the gym two or three times a week, depending on doctor appointments. He still does some cycling, but not as much as he once did. No more European cycling trips. He and his wife cycled in 18 European countries and 23 of the U.S. states and Canada.

They have very fond memories, one of which was cycling on the Normandy beaches Sept. 11, 2001.

The French were wonderful and extended their support and sorrow wherever they went. Their last cycle tour was from Orlando to Key West, Florida. His health is generally good; some parts are or have worn out. He fell off a ladder and fractured his calcaneus (heel bone), and the healing didn’t go right, so of course, he has right leg pain all the time. Can’t blame the ladder because it was his own fault. He has been going to memorials of some of his Marine Corps friends, which makes him sad every time, so he might stop going. He notes that life is like a football game. We are in the last quarter, so he sends his best to all and tells us to have an awesome quarter. He tells us to remember it’s not what you gather but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

Helen and I are still living in our house while noting that several of the retirement homes we have visited sort of remind me of moving back into the VMI barracks. Think of that for a while!

Taps has sounded for Bill Greig and Arthur Wadleigh. Obituaries will be found in later editions.

Remember to get into training for our 70th Reunion in 2025.

1956

Randolph S. Knipp

’56 Brother Rats and Families and Friends of ’56 Brother Rats, “Rocky” Stone sent me a very nice note thanking me for my attempt to keep up with brother rats and families. In order to do that, of course, I rely heavily on correspondence from you all, so keep those cards and letters coming! Rocky is active in church work and, in particular, in the Gideon Bible effort. I applaud him for keeping active, although Rocky tells me he leaves his second floors of hotels

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Class Notes address, phone numbers, and email and motels to younger people. address, all of which are intended Russ Wiltshire sent a picture of to verify you are receiving the VMI him with his wife, Margarete. Russ Alumni Review and all communihad a hemorrhagic stroke a couple of cations from the Alumni Agencies years back and has been recovering or George and Howard. And, natsince. He still has some issues; many urally, if you have any complaints, of us do! He stays active with Toys suggestions, or recommendations, for Tots, and he looks quite good in let us know, and we will pass them the picture. He, too, is active in the along so that one of them can get church and visits with John Wright back to you. (Class agent’s note: ’88, VMI first captain of his class.

Class of 1956: Pete and Susan Jennette having dinner with Chuck and Tongue in cheek, “No one who has Jack Prizzi forwarded an article Jean Jundt at Patriots Colony in Williamsburg, Virginia. had the privilege of attending the from the Wall Street Journal, “The Institute has ever been known to GOP takeover of an ‘Equity’ Office,” have a complaint.”) dated Monday, May 15, 2023. This article discuss- successful nursery business in Mobjack.

Team caller No. 1: Tony DiCesare indicated All the best to our surviving brother rats and their es the political situation in Virginia and its effect, in particular, on the Institute. I found it quite inter- spouses and families and hopes for a pleasant new he felt his calls were mostly good, although he noted there is a general acknowledgment of our year. esting and recommend others to take a look at it. age. Martin Andersen has helped BRs and widows on several occasions in the past and continues to do so without any expectation of return.

Martin indicated he continues to experience peGeorge Sydnor Jr. ripheral neuropathy from exposure to Agent Orange while serving as a green beret/special serHoward Lawrence vices officer in Vietnam. That being said, Martin was clear-headed, crisp, and optimistic—a credit to VMI and to himself.

Tony was unable to reach B.D. Ayres and Bill Batten but left them messages with greetings from their brother rats and wished them well.

Al Baumgartner said he was physically active and still plays the euphonium (a small version of the tuba). Chemistry was his life career, resulting The Virginia Military Institute: An Uncommon in 18 work-related moves, finally winding up in the peach state of Georgia. He closed by saying Purpose! his time is well-spent as a caretaker for his wife, And so, we begin the 26th edition of the ’57 class Class of 1956: Russ and Margarete Wiltnotes for George. As these notes are due in a short Carolyn. shire.

Bill Benson said he still gets around with the help 13 hours, it is high time for him to get started on this draft. It’s shake-a-leg time, and if Bill the bu- of his wife, Lila, and their son and is very grateful for all the care they have given him following an Several people mentioned that a graduate, Reed gler was still with us, he would inhale deeply and Garrett ’15, played in the Mets game recently. He draw out the assembly note just long enough for automobile accident two years ago, which left him with some memory challenges. had an off day, but he must be a reasonably decent George to slip safely under the wire.

Bob Blocker is still going strong on his 1,300Ben Elmore, el comandante, once more gathplayer who came up from Syracuse, a AAA team. acre ranch in Markham, Texas, and uses a Jeep to ered in his intrepid group of team callers. AnswerSince this was given as a recent “news flash,” I felt ing the call of duty, saluting smartly with an Old herd his cattle with the help of his cowboys. His it important to include.

Yell for the Class of ’57, were Tony DiCesare, Bill career following VMI was that of a commercial I received an interesting note from Pete Jennette with a picture of him and his wife, along Gay, Dick Collier, Mo Levine, Martin Anders- banker in Brazil, and since his family were ranchen, John “Pags” Paganelli, Nick Kallelis, Curly ers there, he took up ranching as a new career in with Chuck Jundt, and his wife, Jean. They are Texas for his “retirement.” Bob sounded “full of residing at the Patriots Colony just outside of Mason, Ron McManus, and Don Coombs. They life” and indicated he planned to go to Italy in the checked their mobile phones for a full charge and Williamsburg. Nice to be able to retire to such a wonderful place. Aside from the happy news sallied forth with our program to call all standing fall to spend time there with his daughter.

Bob “Mad Dog” Bolling was full of his homeabout Pete’s retirement situation, he did provide brother rats to check in on them with, “How’s it spun humor despite a pair of bad knees that came the information of John Machen’s death June 19 going ... your brother rats care about you and in Mobjack, Virginia. John actually graduated in hope that all is well.” Our team calling program from athletic overuse, especially tennis. Bob said 1957 with a degree in chemistry and built a very is designed to make sure we have your correct one of his favorite pastimes was visiting Atlantic

1957

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes City and pulling the arms of its myriad of “one- Diuguid ’54, their father being John Hampton the Washington University School of Medicine Diuguid ’926. Lew, a Baltimore-born journal- in St. Louis some 15 years ago but continues to armed bandits.” hold the position as professor emeritus. I fondBill Boice said he was in good health, doing ist, has spent almost his entire life in the “news well, and greatly enjoying his family, especially business,” starting at VMI with The Cadet, fol- ly remember Bill’s advice to our class some years the great-grandkids. He left VMI following our lowed later with the Baltimore News-Post and ago, and I paraphrase, “To remain active physically and mentally as long as possible for continuing rat year and attended Randolph-Macon College in then as The Washington Post bureau chief in Ashland and then the T.C. Williams Law School Buenos Aires and assistant editor on the pa- good health and longevity.”

Last but not least came Ben Elmore, and alin Richmond, following which he had a successful per’s foreign desk. Lew stated that with a name like “do good,” you end up being a “nut” about though I don’t believe we actually conducted a career as a family and civil law judge. your last name. After graduation from VMI, telephonic interview, I send my thanks, Ben, to Team Caller No. 3: Dick Collier’s first call was with Mark Doty, a fellow chemistry major while Lew served a relatively short tour of duty with you for the semiannual shipments of Jack Danat the “I.” Due to the fact many of our Class of the U.S. Air Force as a navigator prior to em- iels, candy bars, and additionally this year’s miniature “Florida ants.” But seriously, to you and your ’57 faced a one-year delay to report on active duty, barking on his newspaper career. Next on my Mark and I were hired out of VMI by National list was Bill Gay, and coincidentally, Bill and bride, Damaris, thanks for heading up the effort to Aniline (later Allied Chemical), as were a num- I were on each other’s brother rat’s call list to keep our class informed of the status of our meminterview one another, so we were able “to kill bers as we age, an important task appreciated by ber of chemistry majors by Jim Daly ’930, who was also a chemistry major when he was cadet. two birds with one stone” with the call. Bill re- all of us. (Class agent’s note: Amen; well said, Jim, at that time, was the National Aniline plant ports that both he and Frances are doing great. Dick, and that goes for all of us in the Class of ’57.

He retired from his practice as a heart surgeon at We thank you, Ben.) manager in Buffalo, New York. Those of us hired Team Caller No. 4: Monroe Levine, somewhat were distributed between plants in Buffalo, New tongue in cheek, said: “Hope all is well in FincasYork; Moundsville, West Virginia; and Hopewell, tle as all is well in Colorado. I have to admit it is Virginia. Mark and I drew the “short straw” and much more difficult, but not impossible, for me were assigned to the decrepit Buffalo plant. Fast to speak to our classmates due to my hearing and forward, and Mark is still working and has been brain loss.” teaching chemistry and physics at Robert E. Lee Lionel Hancock and his wife, Carol, are doing Academy in Bishopville, South Carolina, for the OK, although Lionel is experiencing some “malast 34 years. Mark mentioned he will be 88 years turing” issues, as were apparent in our conversayoung in December (won’t we all?). His last visit tion. to VMI was four or five years ago, along with his George talked with Milt Hargrave following the son. Mark still has connections in Virginia, as one loss of his wife and high school sweetheart, Nancy, of his four children, a daughter, lives in Roanoke, who passed away the week of July 24 following a and he has a granddaughter who lives and teaches long, courageous battle with cancer. Emotional but in Richmond. All in all, Mark says, “Life is good, stoic, Milt is hanging in there. and he just keeps on plodding along.”

Kirk Hubbard not only sounded youthful but Carter Fox, having lost his Ring Figure date and is youthful, as evidenced by his biking and outwife, Elinor, two years ago, reports that although doors activities. Kirk continues to study Spanish living alone, he finds comfort in their three children Class of 1957: Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James “Jim” Rust. and is planning a second trip to Guatemala with and two grandchildren. Carter reported he now has his daughter, Page Smith, this fall to improve his a new knee, is in good shape, and is living in an conversational Spanish. active lifestyle retirement home in CharlesNick Kallelis claims to have slowed ton, albeit surrounded by many, many The down some (haven’t we all), not traveling Citadel graduates. And so, he anticipates as much as in prior years and spending more lots of harassment from them prior to the time doing yard work. Keeping up with his football game this fall. Carter spent several and wife Carmen’s extended families of 11 years with Kaiser Aluminum and, later, with grandchildren is enough to keep one busy. a number of furniture manufacturing comTommy Hunter has had a varied career panies, moving some 22 times across the pattern following his two-year stint at the country and even to Asia before finally set“I,” leaving after our 3rd Class year to martling down in the Charleston area. Lew Diry the love of his life, then to attend and uguid is ensconced in Roland Park Place, graduate from the University of Richmond.

Baltimore’s first and only continuing care retirement community. Lew says he has Class of 1957: Members of a U.S. Marine Corps Honor Next, he was an Army pilot for 25 years, retired several times, but this time, it’s for Guard hold a flag over Bill Huffcut’s casket at Arlington many in the National Guard, during which time he flew both rotary and fixed-wing airNational Cemetery July 27, 2023. real. He was a second-generation cadet craft. His career outside the military was at VMI, as was his brother, John Powell

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Class Notes flying commercial with Western Airlines, which was subsequently merged into Delta Airlines, from which he retired several years later. Tommy went on to say he had three children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, one of which is a star high school hockey and lacrosse player. (Scholarships in the future?) Tommy says he is feeling good and sounds full of life. He lives in Milam, Texas, in the winter and in northeast Wisconsin in the summer in the town of Somerset, about 20 miles from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Of interest, he has been traveling in a variety of RVs since the early ’80s, his latest being a 45-footer that he and his cat call home.

Team Caller No. 5: Martin Andersen reported John Kilday left VMI following our 3rd Class year to attend and graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He had a 20year career with the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a major. John said he had not seen his roommates Bill Haas and John Maticic, both now deceased, since he left VMI, nor has he attended any of our class reunions. However, he would very much like to have a copy of the 1957 Bomb if there might be an extra copy he could obtain.

Martin had a nice talk with Frank “Friar” Kline, who indicated that all was well with him at this time.

John Kuchnia said he recently had carotid surgery but was doing well and continued to represent the Class of ’57 at the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter senior breakfast events held periodically. (Class agent’s note: See specifically page 29 of the 2023-Issue 2 Alumni Review).

I had a great conversation with Mo Levine out in Colorado. He and his family are doing well, and he said he was a team caller also who enjoys the program and was happy to participate.

Unfortunately, Martin was unable to reach either Carl LeBourdais or Tiger Locke but left voicemails for each when possible, indicating their brother rats were thinking of them and hoped they were doing well.

Team Caller No. 7: Nick “The Greek” Kallelis reported that Jay Musser, always upbeat and enjoyable to converse with, said he is doing well and still playing 18 holes of golf when the mood hits him. Jay had just returned from a family reunion in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area of 30 members of the Musser family clan. Nick noted that his wife, Carmen, was a Musser, the family having originally been from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, area, so there is a possibility she and Jay may have a distant family connection.

George Niedermayer and wife Helen are still

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living in Philadelphia. I mentioned that I have two grandsons in the medical field and a third grandson who is a practicing electrical engineer living in Philadelphia, as well. Neidy played with The Commanders during our cadetship, and strangely enough, just before I called him, I saw a white VMI van with “The Commanders” emblazoned on its side panels pass by. He recalled the time when The Commanders were once scheduled to play at Sweet Briar, the van broke down, and they had an arduous time getting to the college. When asked about any remembrances of the old days, Neidy mentioned he still recalls waking up to the roll of the drum, which was an unsettling experience. One of his better memories was the satisfaction he got working in the mess hall.

John “Pags” Paganelli and wife Diane are doing well. We both were from Massachusetts and shared our experiences hitchhiking home from the “I.” We encountered a major snowstorm more than once, but surprisingly, we always made it back to barracks in excellent time. Pag mentioned that he was associated with Tim Maier and his wife, Sue, in the old days. He was not aware that Sue was back in the Rochester area. I forwarded him Sue’s address in hopes he could contact her; she also may be reached at (239) 415-0452.

Randy Pendleton had been traveling for a couple of weeks and was unable to answer my calls.

I sent him an email, and thankfully, he then responded when he returned home. We had a brief conversation, and he reported that he and wife Betsy are doing well. Paul Phillips is also doing well and still playing golf, even claiming to be enjoying it. P.D. was originally from the queen city of Charlotte, North Carolina. He still has family in Gastonia, where I live, which is now a

Class of 1957: Ed Powell (left) at the summer meeting of the North American Truffle Growers Association in 2019.

sister city of Charlotte. I finally reached Jim Piggott, who had just returned from an 11-day trip to Alaska. I had called him several times, but as luck would have it, he was always “in a group meeting” and unable to take my call. When we finally connected, we discussed how we both had enjoyed visiting Alaska, especially the train ride from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Jim mentioned he was offered a job in Alaska after he finished his residency “way back when.” However, after a phone interview that revealed the arduous winter weather conditions in the far north, he decided not to follow through with the offer. Jim said he has never regretted the decision.

George and Howard represented the Class of ’57 at the memorial service for Jim Rust held at Cave Spring United Methodist Church in Roanoke July 15. It was a beautiful service with full military honors and a color guard. Their presence was much appreciated by his wife, Bobbie, and the family members.

George and Howard, with Howard’s son, Andrew Lawrence ’91, M.D. (general surgeon), then attended the funeral for Bill Huffcut at Arlington National Cemetery July 27. The interment was preceded by a Marine Corps company, band, and color guard, all in full dress uniform, that led the procession through the cemetery to the grave site in section 57. (Class agent’s note: No coincidence the interment was in section 57; The Huffer was in charge until the very end). The riderless horse, with a symbolic boot reversed in the stirrup, seemed to be standing at attention along with his handler. As the Marine Corps anthem was being played, there was an honorary flyover of three Marine Corps V-22 Osprey assault support aircraft. Then, standing at attention in addition to the Marine Corps detachments, was a platoon of the Golden Eagles, an honorary group of retired pilots from the Navy and Marine Corps. The entire service was deeply moving, with Amazing Grace being played following the volleys of rifle rounds and the sounding of taps with culminating comments exemplifying courage, honor, duty to country and family, and service to others—the hallmarks of Bill’s character. At the reception, George and Howard were able to spend quality time with his wife, Betty, and their three daughters. Other BRs that had hoped/wanted to be in attendance were Dick Collier; Paul Muldowney; and Jim Piggott, Bill’s roommate, during their four years together at the “I.” It was unfortunate that circumstances beyond their control prevented their participation. Due to space limitations, team caller reports No. 2 Gay, No. 6 Paganelli, No. 8

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes Mason, No. 9 McManus, and No. 10 Coombs will appear in the next issue of Alumni Review, The widows’/widowers’ corner: Nick Kallelis reported that he had been in touch with Joyce Schladitz and Martha MacKay, who had been fighting COVID-19 or the perennial flu bug. He was happy to report that they were on the road to recovery, although it had been a stressful time for them. Betsy Davis passed away in June at the nursing assisted living unit in Richmond, where she had resided for the past couple of years.

Ron McManus advised he had lost his wife of 65 years, Patty, due to complications of dementia/Alzheimer’s. Patty passed away June 12 at the Blue Ridge Christian Homes, Raphine, a few miles north of Lexington.

Since the last edition of these class notes, we have lost Bob Christopher, Jim Rust, and Van Sessoms. Our ranks of those BRs that graduated have now been reduced to 60. And, before signing off on this edition of our ’57 class notes, we continue our honored tradition of remembering those brother rats who have “crossed over the river to rest under the shade of the trees.” Our 13th list of those gone but not forgotten Class of ’57: John Michelsen, Sept. 24, 2010; Rod McCormack, Oct. 19, 2010; Pete Lincoln, Nov. 16, 2010; Ernie Blanks, March 19, 2011; and Charlie Caldwell, April 12, 2011. Rest in peace, brother rats, who have passed until, at last, we are all reunited. Close ranks, brother rats still standing, as we continue our march forward on life’s path into the vast unknown and whatever the future may bring.

As it says in part in our Doxology, “The spirit blends with those we cheer, our brother rats we hold so dear. So now, Keydets, with one voice cry, God bless our class and VMI.” Your Venerable Class Agents, George and Howard

1958

Lee McCown

Greetings to all in this hot, hot summer. Laura and I always know to expect it, but given all the terrible news of climate change impact, we were surprised to have such a long and unusually cool spring. It was one of the best in our memory—great gardening and walking weather for much longer than usual. Our plants

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seemed to get established faster than they do when spring is hot. I guess when that happens, they have to use up energy baking and gasping for water.

I begin these notes with a tribute to our late BR Sam Witt III, my former dog company commander and one of the finest men I’ve ever known. As his obituary said, “He loved and believed in his family and friends in ways that most people only dream of.” Since the services honoring him were the largest gathering of BRs since our reunion, I’m giving considerable space to them.

Laura and I had the sad but exhilarating experience of attending two services honoring Sam. On Tuesday, July 18, there was a brief graveside service for family (and close friends—Susie and John Peters and Linda and Brooke Doggett were also there) at beautiful Hollywood Cemetery, a highlight of which was VMI Cadet Jeffrey Stober ’24 on bagpipes. Jeff got up early that morning to drive to Richmond from Rocky Mount, Virginia, with a stop in Lexington to pick up his uniform, which was having his new lieutenant stripes sewn on it. This had not happened yet, but he was undaunted. He left immediately after the service to visit family in Iowa. His versions of Shenandoah and Amazing Grace were stirring, and his dignity in that uniform on such a hot day was impressive.

Jeff will commission as a Marine after graduation.

On Friday, July 21, there was a very well-attended hourlong service at Westminster Canterbury, where Sam and Sally have lived for the past several years. Sally and her sons, Clay and Sam IV, and their wives, Kelly and Talia, worked tirelessly to create a beautiful service of readings, music, and outstanding tributes to Sam by Clay and BR Bill Harshaw. You’ve received Bill’s remarks in print form and a video where you can hear him and Clay speak about Sam. If you need me to send them again, just let me know. Both were powerful, moving, and deserving of being read and/or watched in full.

Sam’s oldest son, Clay, devoted a portion of his remarks to his father’s generosity, which was truly enormous. I learned of that firsthand because several decades ago, I asked him to join me in helping a cadet graduate on time by going to both sessions of summer school. Sam insisted on covering the entire expense, for which the cadet and I (and his mother) were all very grateful. From what we’ve heard through the years from various sources, this was typical of Sam. Attending this second service along with Laura and me—’58 BRs were seated together—were

Class of 1958: Dave Pitkethly with his first great-grandchild, Moxie.

Class of 1958: Cadet Jeff Stober ’24 plays the bagpipes at the service for Sam Witt.

Hal Bowen and Rosemary Connelly; Linda and Brooke Doggett; Carolyn and Bill Harshaw, who came with Shelby and Staff Balderson’s daughter, Ridgely Ingersoll; Charlie Hayes; Becky and Onza Hyatt; Hope and Paul Royer; Stuart Whitehurst; and Jane and Stirling Williamson. Others with VMI connections attending were B.D. Ayers ’57; Laura’s daughter, Alane Cameron Ford—chaplain at several of our reunions; my son, Derek McCown ’89; and Skip Roberts ’68. Representing the Institute was Terrie

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Class Notes nostalgia, which reminded me that when we ca- Neurological Surgery. Most teaching these days Conrad, VMI Foundation vice president of gift det waiters formed on the south side of barracks for me is by Zoom conferencing. My cervical planning and estate administration. before BRC, an owl sometimes sat on George spine fracture of last year has healed well, and Rest in peace, Sam, and our deepest sympathy Washington’s shoulder. Must have been Theoph- I am playing a lot of golf.” Lots of good news to your family.

Bill Harshaw copied me on a recent email he ilus. Quite a sight in the moonlight on a cold, dark there, Dave. May it continue. We will expect you and Mara at the 70th Reunion, of course! morning. sent to Col. Keith Gibson ’77, VMI Museum Becky, wife of Onza Hyatt, sums up his staMara and Dave Pitkethly are experiencing one System executive director. Headed “Pardon my musings,” the email contains Bill’s memories of of the joys of maturity, shown in the adjacent tus with, “Onz is still taking on air!” So happy to photo. Moxie, their first great-grandchild, lives hear that, Becky! Onza looked healthy and fit and two men who were surely among the most unforin North Fork, Idaho, and Dave sent a photo that youthful at the reunion, as did you. gettable professors in VMI history: English proAlso checking in is Roy Palmer with this refessor Herbert Nash Dillard ’934, a.k.a. “Dodo,” shows her love for her great-grandfather. port: “Don’t believe I’ve seen a BR since the reIn other Dave news, he reports, “I started runand Robert P. “Doc” Carroll, who founded the biunion. Just returned from a family reunion in Raology department and taught there for 40 years. ning again after a three-year layoff, and it is very (Thanks to Charlie Hayes and the donors he re- slow going. Mara and I continue to have a great leigh-Durham. While in the area, I made a side life in Bellevue, Washington, where the weather trip to Wytheville, Virginia, where I was born cruited, there’s now a fine bust honoring Doc in is still very livable. I remain professor emeritus and grew up. I spent a night with Dick Phillippi Maury-Brooke Hall, but to my knowledge, nothwith the University of Washington Department of ’59, who gave me a great tour of a town much ing permanent recognizes the legendary Dodo.) changed from years past.

Bill describes rat English when Dodo ordered “There was no eighth grade in my day, which him to go to the music room and listen to Bach’s is the reason I was one of the youngest members Mass in B Minor, which he considered one of of our ’58 class. Our numbers are getting very the landmarks of western civilization, and Lotti’s small, and I’m already thinking of a mini reunion.

Crucifixus, which he considered the most moving I suggested electric motor scooters for transpormoment in music. Dodo led unforgettable trips tation for our 65th. For our 70th, I’m changing to Italy, too, which Bill enjoyed with roommates my suggestion to motorized wheelchairs.” MeanStaff Balderson and Sam Witt, who remained while, Roy, you need to get up with Dave for lifelong friends. (Staff’s obituary says he spoke some golf. with Sam an hour before he died and that Bill was Jim Cowan shared good and not-so-good at his bedside at the time of his death.) news. Of a photo he sent, he says, “This is what “Nothing like this was part of my prior educaa rock crusher looks like”—seems proof that he’s tion,” Bill wrote to Col. Gibson. “Moving on to doing well. Unfortunately, he says, “Margaret’s just the opposite of Dodo, there was Doc Carroll.

Class of 1958: Lee McCown, class agent, health is not so good. Her eyesight has deterioratWhat a wonder were his classes, usually beginsays of this photo, “Jim Cowan calls himself a ‘South Dakota rock crusher.’” ed; thus, driving is now not an option.” We’re so ning with, ‘Rat, just remember, people are no sorry to learn of this, Jim. $#%@ good,’ which was further enhanced by his In Rapid City, South Dakota, where spitting chewing tobacco juice into brass the Cowans live, it’s time for the annubowls in every classroom. Additionally, a al Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which takes log might be present, awaiting the arrival place nearby in the Black Hills. Jim says of his pet owl named ‘Theophilus,’” for a there’s a relatively small turnout this Biblical character whose name in Greek year—370,000. The rally was started in means friend of God or loved by God. 1938 by a group of riders of the Indian “We fed him with scraps from the mess Motorcycle brand. Attendance has hishall. Theophilus was raised by Doc after torically been around 500,000 people, having been found out of his nest. Doc reaching a high of more than 700,000 in thought he was ‘the awfullest owl’ he had 2015. The event takes place over 10 days ever seen. and generates around $800 million in an“What a rat year was mine,” Bill says, nual revenue. “followed by wondrous things for the re“The noise is as bad as the traffic,” maining three, leading to my conclusion Jim says. Laura and I enjoyed looking that VMI opened the world to me and at beautiful photographs of some of the hopefully also for you.” Col. Gibson reevents on the website at sturgismotorcysponded by saying, “I wish more alumni Class of 1958: Pictured at a barbecue restaurant in Rich- clerally.com. They have a pretty appealwould reflect and send me such emails— mond, Virginia, are (from left) Lee McCown and Laura thanks, Bill. I don’t know how I have not Cameron, Stirling and Jane Williamson, Agnes Kump, Susie ing slogan, too: “The Ride. The Roar. The Rally.” heard about Theophilus!” and John Peters, Paul Royer, and Bill Kump.

Art Carnevale says, “Not much news I add my thanks, Bill, for this welcome

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Class notes from here in the south. We are moving again, to an independent living facility in Mount Dora, Florida. The good old days. Other than that, Joan and I are fine, still playing golf and enjoying what’s left of our retirement.”

Good destination, Art. We’ve been to Mount Dora several times and found it very charming.

The father of one of Laura’s friends managed the Lakeside Inn there many years ago. She says he would organize gatherings of wealthy people with really fine cars to arrive with their cars by train to stay at the inn and show them off. Passenger train service began in 1915 and ended in 1950. Mount Dora’s last five-mile tourist train stopped running in 2019.

My hometown of Roanoke, once an epicenter of train manufacturing with the Norfolk and Western Railway being our biggest employer, later went for decades with no passenger service.

Thank goodness Amtrak now serves Roanoke.

There’s no elegant train station anymore—though the old one is now preserved as the Virginia Museum of Transportation—but there is a handsome trackside shelter. Currently, the city’s biggest employer is the Carilion hospital system, which, in partnership with Virginia Tech, has established a medical school there. Many medical students are housed in two renovated downtown hotels.

Recently, I’ve had the great pleasure of catching up with Rich Neuburger, who responded to my distressed message begging for news. (Many, many thanks to others who did the same.) Rich has led a very interesting life since last seen or heard from, which for me was 65 years ago.

After VMI, Rich’s roommate, Jim West, who died in 1976, once had a job interview lined up with Burlington but decided not to go. Rich went instead and got the job. He stayed a year, then moved to another hosiery company, where he stayed 17 years before starting his own business, Guardian Products USA, in Healdsburg, California, which he’s still running. Customers for Guardian’s fabric care products include Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, but his biggest customer is the U.S. military.

Rich’s wife, Karen, is also a business person.

Among other products, she designed and produced pajamas that she sold to Lord & Taylor, which sent a pair to Oprah Winfrey for consideration as one of her early “Oprah’s Favorite Things” features. Oprah loved them and invited Karen on her show to talk about them. Everyone sitting in the 300 plus-person audience wore a pair during the show! Rich says he stayed in the green room looking after Oprah’s two dogs.

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Rich and I got on the subject of the making of Mardi Gras at VMI during our time there. During filming, Rich had something to talk about with Tommy Sands, who knew Rich’s uncle who worked at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where Sands performed. (In 1960, he recorded an album at the hotel called Sands at the Sands.)

After VMI, Rich once ran into Pat Boone on the beach of the Kahala Hilton in Hawaii. “We talked for a bit regarding VMI, and I noticed he was wearing a very large watch with Jesus on its face.

I remarked, ‘That’s a fine-looking watch you are wearing.’ Boone’s response was, ‘It keeps the right time.’ Laura’s research reveals that Boone was about the age of a 1st Class cadet while filming at VMI—he was born in 1934—and he already had three children.

Rich’s other Mardi Gras sightings through the years include Dick Sargeant at a restaurant in Denver, Gary Crosby at a coffee shop in the Burbank Airport and, yes, Tommy Sands again, at the Sands prior to his 1960 wedding to Nancy Sinatra. The wedding took place in Rich’s uncle’s apartment at the hotel. Per Rich, “Tommy and Nancy divorced in 1965, and his career declined substantially, as nobody in the entertainment field would, because of Frank Sinatra, touch him.”

I’ve barely touched the surface of Rich’s fascinating life stories but am saving some for a later Alumni Review. Thanks so much, Rich, for those emails and phone calls.

At our last Richmond area ’58 lunch, we were pleased to have new faces: Agnes and Bill Kump. They’re now living in Henrico, which is next door to Richmond, and looking hale and hearty. Bill has dementia but is a happy, sociable, and obviously well cared for man. Salutes to Agnes! Others in attendance at Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue were Susie and John Peters, Paul Royer, Jane and Stirling Williamson plus Laura and me.

In closing, let’s send thanks to Jordan Saunders, wife of BR Tom Saunders, who died last September. Her generous gift allowed us to complete payment on our reunion catering bill. We’re grateful, Jordan, and also for the delicious champagne you provided for our reunion dinner.

And thanks to others who responded to the reunion catering bill request, as well. The overage of $700 was deposited in our class fund, which now has a balance of $3,000.58—I don’t know who made that 58 cents happen. This fund is only used for reunion expenses and memorial gifts to VMI upon the death of a BR or widow. When

thinking of a gift to VMI (arrival of your required minimum distribution notice is a good time), think also of the class fund, as we are drawing it down at a far too rapid rate!

Again, many thanks to all of you who contributed news for this issue of the Alumni Review.

Keep up the good work as another Review will need to be assembled in three months!

Cheers, Lee

1959

Shep Shepard

First of all, let me thank all of you for the warm and heartfelt telephone calls, messages, cards, letters, donations, and flowers I received from you for the loss of my soulmate, Ann. I have never felt this kind of pain before, and I appreciate your support. To all our brother and sister rats who have lost their spouses over the years I have been your class agent, I apologize for not being more sympathetic and recognizing the pain you were going through. I only hope I have the same courage you have shown over the years and come out of this a better person.

Janice Rae wrote to say that a couple of months ago, Ralph Lawson was playing pickleball, and his partner, a retired nurse, thought he was acting strange. They called 911, and he was taken to the hospital emergency room. Ralph had suffered a stroke and had a blood clot in his coracoid artery. Medication successfully dissolved the clot, and subsequently, they put in a stent. Ralph was released to a state-of-the-art rehab facility a few days later, where he has made significant progress. He is now home and resting comfortably.

Please keep all the Lawsons in your prayers.

Lee Southard’s wife, Nancy’s, mother, Alice, passed away at the age of 97 in July. Alice was a mainstay and matriarch for many years at the Florida group VMI mini reunions. No matter where we gathered, Alice was there, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. She was always a pleasure to be around and kept us spellbound with the stories she would tell. She was one of the original Rosie the riveters who fell in love with her boss, pursued and married him, and went on to live a happy life. We will miss Alice but will remember her as a wonderful person and a beautiful lady

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Class Notes who lived an exciting life with the love of her life.

Unfortunately, Lee got COVID-19 for the third time on their way to Alice’s funeral in Delaware and had to be quarantined in his car for five days.

The weather was perfect, so Nancy took him for a tour of her old and sometimes wicked haunts. Lee said that he has talked to Bob Haines, and he was just too sick to attend Ann’s funeral. Dave Goode was, as well, having just been released from the hospital because of low blood pressure. The doctors think an adjustment of his blood pressure med might do the trick.

I received a very nice call from Bob Hobson, who gave me some advice on handling the grieving process, and it was much appreciated.

Bob is not in the best of health and is unable to walk without the aid of a walker. He still has the shakes, but his 45 great-grandchildren keep him so busy he barely notices them. Bob is planning on attending the 65th Reunion but won’t make a decision until we get a little closer to the date. He will definitely require assistance from his children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren to make the trip all the way to Lexington, Virginia.

Jimmy Johnson recently took another look at the last Alumni Review and the part concerning the death of Jim McFalls, and it made a lasting imprint on him. Jim was not only a brother rat, but he was also Jimmy’s teammate on the JV football team, as well as one of Doc Carroll’s boys in the biology department. Jim was

an honors student, and Jimmy was always impressed with his academic performance and football skills. Jimmy confesses that he was frequently Jim’s tackling dummy in weekly scrimmages between the rat team and the varsity team and has painful memories of him blocking ahead of Dale

Class of 1959: Bob Haines preparing to fly with his son, John, for the first time.

Vaughn ’56. Jim weighed well over 200 and was solid as a rock; Dale was 6 feet, 4 inches and 250 pounds, while Jimmy, on a good day, weighed in at 160. He had this painful experience each week and was lucky to have survived. God bless him and the family.

Earlier this year, at the American Nuclear Society meeting, John Van Kesteren received a certificate acknowledging his 50 years of membership in the organization. He was presented with the certificate by Dr. Steven Arndt, ANS president. Occasionally, John still flies with the Civil Air Patrol and has qualified for his FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate. He is currently working on his Certified Flight Instructor rating. John admits that it is a whole new ball game today from when he quit flying in the U.S. Air Force 43 years ago. He has to be checked out every year to satisfy the FAA medical requirements because of his leukemia diagnosis.

The enormous amount of paperwork required for him to fly with his condition makes it almost not worth it, but it is necessary in order to impede the dreaded effects of shrinking brain cells and withering neurons. Pat is starting to have balance issues resulting from hydrocephalus resulting from the brain surgery she had when they were living in Myrtle Beach. It has finally caught up with her.

Rogers McCall is trying to wind down his law practice and plans to retire soon, much to the relief of the local bench and bar. Roger has been an advocate for the elderly for many years, and there are

Class of 1959: Family members gather at the memorial service for Ann D. Shepard.

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Class notes few in the area who are as passionate as Roger. Susan continues to sequester herself in her art studio, where she prepares for exhibits at the many different galleries in the Bristol, Virginia, area.

All is well with Rusty Loth in Memphis, Tennessee. Laura chauffeured them back to old Virginny in June to visit primarily kin folk. They did stop in Roanoke long enough to be treated to a delicious lunch with Carolyn and Eddie Barnes at their favorite local deli. It was a wonderful visit, and all is well in the Barnes camp. Mary and Noland Pipes have been busy traveling. Rusty and Noland have not had lunch together in quite some time and are well overdue for a BR lunch.

Hopefully, J.R. Dunkley ’62 will join them as well as their token “Mink” buddy.

Not long ago, Nancy became dehydrated, and Larry Wood had to take her to urgent care. The following day, there was little or no improvement, so he took her to the hospital emergency room. They ran extensive tests and determined that her gallbladder had to be removed, which was done the following day, and it was found to be infected with gangrene. She remained in the hospital for a week and was only released on the condition that Larry learned to perform infusions every 12 hours for the next two weeks. The antibodies did the trick, and the midline was removed three weeks later. Larry says it’s amazing how we take for granted the healthy bodies our loving heavenly Father has given us. He is so thankful for all the many prayers family and friends have sent their way. Please don’t stop and keep them coming; she is not out of the woods yet.

Billy and Sue Kornegay were pleasantly surprised when they received a call from Sonny and Skippy Bishop saying they were stopping in Lexington, Virginia, on their way back to Tennessee from a funeral in Virginia Beach. They got together at Billy and Sue’s home for some refreshments before going out to dinner. Although the visit was much too short, they covered a lot of “good old times” from both VMI and Clemson. Billy and Sonny roomed together at VMI for four years and then got their doctorate degrees at Clemson University—Sonny in electrical engineering and Billy in environmental systems engineering. It is truly great to reunite with old friends.

It was great to see Bill and Connie Nebraska at Ann’s funeral. She would have really enjoyed it as much as I did. Bill and Connie report that there are several significant happenings in the world of their grandchildren. Mark, their oldest at 29, will be getting married next March in Manchester, Vermont. Sam, their youngest grandson, at 22,

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will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn College. He is the last of the four grandchildren to complete college. Ryan and Emily, Paul’s children, both live in New York City and love it. Ryan has a sports-related position with Madison Square Garden, and Emily has a fashion assistant position with a high-tech firm. All is well. Bill is in the process of planning their ninth annual fishing trip with his sons and grandsons, which is scheduled for October. Bill had to opt out last year due to unexpected gallbladder surgery.

Jim Reed sent a note to let us know that Jack, John and Anne Reed’s son, will be attending James Madison University in the fall. Anne continues to administer justice in Staunton, Virginia, where she is a judge.

I spoke with Harlee Pate not long ago, and he said that he just had lunch with Danny Coogan, Lee Wilkinson, and Ned Addison. They had a great lunch but were only able to resolve the problem of how much tip to give. Problems such as nuclear proliferation, the war in Ukraine, relationships with China and Russia, and climate change will have to wait until next time.

Received a nice card from Jim Edmunds, who reminisced that on New Year’s Day 1962, he signed in at the BOQ at the Presidio of San Francisco. The following day, he joined a diving detachment that he was with in San Diego that had been called up to active duty by President Kennedy. He was part of the 250,000 reservists called up in summer 1961 because Khrushchev had demanded that the Allies leave Berlin. The detachment was assigned to the 561st Port Construction Company at Fort Baker, a sub-post of the Presidio located at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Fast forward 61 years to last July. He and Miki celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary at Cavallo Point, a resort that occupies a group of renovated former officer’s quarters at Fort Baker. Lots of memories for Jim, although the buildings that the 561st occupied are no longer there.

They were serenaded to sleep by a fog horn on the Golden Gate Bridge. Jim and Miki are looking forward to a couple of granddaughters’ weddings this fall, one in Portland and one in Phoenix. “We are both in good health and are enjoying lots of camping in our small Airstream trailer, towed behind our Toyota Highlander. Sometimes, we take our two Weimaraners—lots of fun sharing a bed in the back with two large dogs!”

Bobby Ross sent me a nice note about Ann. Bobby and Donnie Dreelin, Ann’s brother, were lifelong friends, having grown up in the same neighborhood in Richmond, and both attended

Saint Benedict’s. Bobby’s wife, Alice, also knew Ann from the Saint Benedict/Saint Gertrude days.

They all spent their summers together at the playground where Ann’s mother, Mrs. Dreelin, would play the piano for children’s events. Bobby and Alice said that anyone who ever came into contact with Ann knows what a wonderful person she was and how much we will all miss her.

Bobby and Alice are living in a retirement community in Richmond, Virginia. John and Teddi Martin live in the same community, and they see them frequently. Ralph and Janice Rae Lawson live in another retirement community nearby, and they meet for breakfast now and then. Bobby says it is fun to be with these guys and have the time to talk about the good old days. Alice and Bobby not only have 18 grandchildren, but they were blessed with their first great-grandchild a year ago. For the first time since their eldest son left for college in 1979, the whole family is living in the same time zone. Having three children in the military had a lot to do with that. Their daughter, Mary, whose husband just retired from the Navy, fell in love with Lexington, Virginia, and they are now living there. Their daughter, Alicia, works at VMI in the registrar’s office. They go up to Lexington every now and then to visit and hope to get up for a football game or two. Tex and Emily Carr have taken a break from traveling while they take time to tune up their bodies. Tex just had a second knee replacement but developed an allergy to the pain meds, so progression is slow. In-house therapy falls on Emily’s shoulders, but she is growing weary and considering a quick exit to escape the situation, as strangling is considered in bad taste in Florida.

Received a nice note from Molly Watson Pope, and she was devastated by the passing of Ann. She knew Ann only from the Alumni Review posts over the years but was always delighted by our love match, and she really enjoyed learning even more about her in the obit. Molly and Agnes Inge Carter live within blocks of each other in Richmond. Their children are friends, which makes her happy, and Wallace and Gardner both teach at Steward in Richmond. She misses Rusty Loth since he moved to Memphis but knows he is delighted to be living close to his daughter, Laura, and his new community.

As you may recall from the last issue of the Alumni Review class notes, I wrote that Kurt Gloeckner was on the mend, and to pass the time, he will be writing “Kurt tales.” These will be his side of VMI stories of the past, stories about those encounters with classmates. Here is

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Class Notes but had returned to their home from but one example: “It was a cold, dark the hospital and was recuperating. night in barracks. The sentinel in I was in the hospital having emerthe courtyard was walking his post. gency surgery to drain fluid from Lights were out. Bedtime. My roomaround my heart and lungs when mate, Bill Nebraska, was in his cot, Ann went into the hospital. Ann had I thought, ready for sleep. Wrong! just celebrated her 85th birthday and Ready for mischief. He said, ‘Let’s our 63rd wedding anniversary. Shay pull a trick on some brother rats sevsays her children, grandchildren, eral rooms away.’ He had picked and friends have been a godsend football teammates. I thought this during this difficult time of transiwas a good idea. ‘What do you have tion. Shay thanks the VMI Class of in mind?’ I asked. Bill said we were 1959 for the beautiful red, white, going to fill a towel to its full extent and yellow flowers that Rusty Loth with water. We put on our bathrobes sent from the class; they were beauand sneaked down the stoop when tiful. the sentinel had his back turned.

The VMI Alumni Association is The room we were headed for was looking forward to welcoming us resided by four huge friends, Jim Class of 1959: Pictured are (from left) Waldo Ferony, Baldy Fall, Ned back to the Institute for our 65th ReMcFalls, Bobby Dale, Nick RufAddison, and Bobby Ross. union, April 15–16, 2024. Registrafin, and Jim Sam Gillespie. Now, tion information will be sent to you just outside their door, I began to in early 2024; however, I encourage wonder, ‘What next?’ Bill grabbed you to save the dates now. The headmy arm, pulling me through the quarters for our reunion will be the door and into the room. It is pitch Best Western Plus Hunt Ridge (540black. Bill yells, ‘Does anyone have 464-1500). Please call the hotel dimedications? Kurt is sick as a dog.’ rectly, make your reservations, and This is my time to moan feverishly, identify yourself as a “VMI Class at the same time wringing the water of 1959” attendee. Make your hotel out of the towel. It splatters all over reservation no later than March 14, the place as four voices, almost in 2024, to ensure you get the discount sync, yell out, ‘Get him out of here.’ rate. I am told that classes celebratWhereupon Bill and I disappear ing their 65th Reunion generally do back to our room. Safe, mission not exceed 35 attendees. The Class accomplished while the sentinel is of 1959 has always led the way, so I yelling at our brother rats, ‘Hold encourage you to take your pills, do down the noise.’” your exercises, go to the gym, and Around the end of June, Bob get yourself in shape to come to the Haines rented a big house for reunion. I will look forward to seeabout a week in Bradenton, FlorClass of 1959: Ann and Shep Shepard celebrate Ann’s 85th birthday. ing you there, and hopefully, we will ida, for all of son John’s family, set an attendance mark that will alwhich consisted of 11 people. They all had a fabulous time and even accomplished in California. Bob’s second bucket list event ways be a goal for other classes. some bucket list events. Granddaughter U.S. Air was flying with his son, John, in the twin-engine Force Capt. Tiffany Haines ’15 is a C-130 J Air- Beechcraft Duchess. There was a lot of singing, craft commander/instructor, and Bob flew with ping pong, pocket pool, eating, fire pit jawing her for the first time. Bob, who is no amateur pi- until the wee hours of the morning, swimming, James A. Smith III lot himself, rates Tiff as tops, a mighty fine pilot. and just hanging out. A very grand and memoraTiffany is now attending the very difficult and ble time was had by all!

I received an email from Shay Booth, who prestigious USAF Weapons Officer School, the top gun school for C-130 pilots at Little Rock wrote about Jerry’s death, and it was coinciAir Force Base, Arkansas. Her brother, Cody, dental how we both shared similar experiences.

Greetings from Lexington. It’s May 24, and Shay said that losing Jerry after a brief illness flew with them and is now hooked on flying. He will begin civilian pilot training in between his was heartbreaking. They celebrated 60 years of a as I start these notes, post is quiet since graduNavy duties as an E-6, responsible for all mainte- happy marriage June 22, and he passed June 27. ation. All ceremonial parades have taken place. nance work on his squadron’s F-18 Super Hornets Shay had emergency back surgery 10 days earlier The Memorial Parade has now replaced the New

1960

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Class notes Market Parade. The parade celebrates all deceased VMI alumni, including those from New Market and others who died in the Civil War, along with all alumni from every conflict who “died on the field of honor.” It’s a beautiful ceremony.

I got a wonderful phone call and later an email from Mike Moss, who now lives with his wife, Mimi, in the Saint Paul, Minnesota, area. Mike has had a full career. He went into the Army after VMI, then on to Vanderbilt to get his Doctor of Philosophy degree. Not surprising, as Mike was our Second Jackson-Hope recipient. He then worked in Minnesota. Aside from his professional accomplishments, he was an active athlete, running 19 marathons and climbing mountains. He was an excellent trackman while at VMI. Like all of us, however, age is beginning to take its toll.

On May 27, John Moore’s mass was celebrated.

We sent more flowers from our class for the ceremony. I received a note of gratitude from John’s daughter and family expressing John’s love for his brother rats and appreciation for our remembrance. Our flower fund is doing its job.

On Monday, May 29, Memorial Day was celebrated. We all are grateful for the memory of those brother rats we’ve lost, as well as those from our

Class of 1960: Jimbo and Ruth Smith in Santiago, Spain.

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nation who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Ruth and I returned from a Portugal river cruise June 8–22. While away, the following brother rats celebrated birthdays: Tom Beaver, June 12; Gary Cramer, June 18; Phil Shiner and Bill King, June 22. Since I was out of the country, no phone calls, only email wishes.

On June 28, John Olsen had another birthday.

He got email wishes.

On July 3, I caught up with Gerry Hermann to give him birthday wishes. We had a nice conversation, but his parrot was constantly in the background. Gerry was well.

On July 6, Carlton “Doc” Mallory got phone birthday wishes.

On July 31, Toot Barr celebrated his next birthday. He called me, rather than my usual call. I appreciate his keeping me on my toes. Cecile has had some health issues, but Toot is on top of it.

On Aug. 1, Ed Smith had his next birthday. Ed is working away in his woodworking shop, turning out beautiful items. His health is good.

On Aug. 5, Bill Ennis celebrated his next birthday. I called Bill a week early by mistake but did get to speak to him after a long time. I wished him well and many more birthdays.

Frank Fox had his latest birthday Aug. 6. I’ve never been able to get in touch with Frank.

On Aug. 7, Mike Pitt had another birthday. I couldn’t get in touch.

On Aug. 11, Henry Shirley had his next birthday. I could only send email wishes.

Also Walt Witschard had his next birthday Aug. 12. He got a phone call and email wishes.

Sadly, on Aug. 7, Brother Rat Bill Keens passed away. His obituary is as follows: “William Charles ‘Bill’ Keens passed away peacefully Aug. 7, 2023, at the age of 86, near his home of 50-plus years in Arlington, Virginia. Bill was born in Albany, Feb. 15, 1937, to father William George Keens Jr. and mother Helen Marie Brooks Keens. The oldest of seven children, Bill attended Albany Academy for Boys, where he excelled as an athlete on both football and swim teams. After graduating from the academy, he attended Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, and graduated as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He then attended Washington and Lee University, also in Lexington, Virginia, and was awarded a law degree. Bill met his soon-to-be wife, Nettie Mildred Harlow, while in Lexington, and they were married in Albany in March 1965. Afterward, they moved to Northern Virginia, where Bill finished his military obligation at the Pentagon and retired as a captain in the U.S. Army. Bill then held various

positions, including estate planning, research for data processing entities, and completed his work life at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. “Raised in the Presbyterian faith, Bill remained active as a member of the Columbia Baptist Church, Falls Church, Virginia, through his adult life.

“Bill was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Nettie; sons, Lewis D. and William R.; brothers, Charles R., James A., and John D.; and a sister, Jane E. Connelly. Bill is survived by two sons, Charles Houston and Helen Strohschein, and Edward Vernon (wife, Victoria); one daughter, Deborah Darlene Pickett; two daughters-in-law, Peggy (Benacki) Keens and Linda (Kling) Keens; brothers, Robert B. and Joel T. (wife Anne); and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

He, along with Nettie, gave loving support to 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. In keeping with his wishes, a memorial for him and Nettie is being planned. The location and dates for the memorial, as well as the private family service being held at Rockbridge Memorial Gardens, 116 Peaceful Lane, Lexington, VA 24450, are to be determined. Please refer to the Murphy Funeral Homes website for updated information. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his memory payable to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692.”

I hate to end this edition of our class notes with an obituary, but I’m afraid I don’t have any more news. This will be the shortest notes I’ve written. I hope this finds you all well and with the best possible health. Matriculation at the Institute begins Aug. 19. Henry Brown has a grandson entering.

I’ll keep you all posted as news comes in.

Remember the Institute with your donations.

Also, remember the Tumlinson and Bayliss scholarships.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your class agent. If you ever are in Lexington, please come by.

In the Spirit, Jimbo

1961

Sal Vitale Jr.

Summer is almost over, and Sue and I have started packing for relocation to the Annapolis area. We picked a location that is approximately

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Class Notes the final phase of packing and plan 10 minutes from each of our chilto be in our new house for Thanksdren. It will be interesting to see giving. During the past couple of how many visits we get a week for months, Sue and I have also been coffee or maybe a taste of spaghetoccupied with visits to the doctors ti sauce. Going through boxes of and several minor surgeries. Sue’s letters and cards from you and takfeet have plagued her for a long ing time to read them has certainly time, so the doctor broke toe bones slowed the packing process, but it and removed excess bone to flatten really has been rewarding. For exher foot. Thankfully, much of the ample, I found the letter listing the pain has been relieved. Sue did not class complaints presented to Gen. let her foot in a boot stop her from Shell ’931, superintendent. Comattending a scrapbooking event with paring complaints then with what our two daughters or playing canasis and has gone on at VMI over the ta with her friends. As for me, I am years, I concluded some things hain pretty good health except for my ven’t changed, only the names. I balance and neuropathy of the feet also found the last letter Bill Powand fingers. I have a difficult time ell wrote before that horrific plane Class of 1961: Lou Shuba prepares a pig at the pig roast hosted by using a cell phone keypad. I must crash during his training mission. him and his wife, Pris, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 17, 2023. admit tolerating these minor ailAnother letter popped up, and I ments is better than the alternative. smiled. The letter was from Judd Larry Respess, along with our spouses, celebrateditors of The Cadet newspaper a bunch of “Old McLester, who said, “Thought you would never hear from me again.” I’m very happy that Judd Corps” information in hopes that the informa- ed Larry’s birthday and had a wonderful time.

Larry and I have been spending a lot of time totion would provide some inspiration for the edand the class reunited. I sent him his letter. I read itor to write stories comparing the VMIs of the gether, and taking him to dinner for his birthday some of the speeches written by Lee Badgett, ’60s and now. Many of you have told me to make was the least I could do to acknowledge his efWyatt Durrette, and Bill Braithwaite on a variety of subjects. We have some gifted brother rats. sure that the documents containing social securi- fort. Joanne Respess is having difficulty with her knee. She has surgery coming, and she should be ty numbers, etc., are not put out for general trash I did find my Army Fort Knox ROTC yearbook, pickup, so I contracted a shredding company who back on her feet soon. At May’s end, we attended and it brought back lots of memories of that sumJimmy Ring’s funeral at the Old Donation Episcame to our house and shredded over 250 pounds mer. I chuckled at the picture of Mike Payne and Paul Goldman cleaning barracks windows. There of important papers. The same amount of paper copal Church. Jimmy and his wife, Frankie, were was also a picture of my roommate, Lou Grazu- went out to the normal recycling vendor. By the very active at this historic church. Attending the funeral were the Vitales, Bill and Joyce Gibtime you read these notes, I hope we will be in lis, who was a distinguished cadet. I mailed to the bings, Ben Lynch, Robert Williamson, Ray and Sally Hanlein, Sue Patrick, David Gibbings ’88, Randy Williamson ’88, and Maj. Gen. Jim Ring ’88. In June, our youngest daughter, Lynn, remarried. (Her husband died two years ago.) I walked her down the aisle without my cane and prayed that I did not stumble, and I didn’t. Brother Rats Harbach and Hirsch cheered me on. Sue, boot and all, managed a few slow dances (Sue held me up). Yes, I danced with the bride. Midmonth, we attended the final Lou Shuba pig roast. Two pigs, corn on the cob, many salads, desserts, and of course, beer and wine (soda, too) were happily consumed by those there. Attending from our class were Ed Fox, Ashby and Sandra Taylor, Ray and Sally Hanlein, Hugh Gouldthorpe, Spike and Mary Callander, Bill and Sandra Fout, Mitch and Jennifer Kot, Wyatt Durrette, Class of 1961: Attending the wedding of Lynn Vitale and Marc Perry in Pasadena, MaryLarry and Jerri Wetsel, John Tharrington, Kenland, June 4, 2023, are (sitting, from left) Carl Hirsch, Becky Hirsch, Dave Harbach, Sandie ner and Nancy Rice, George Henning and BarColeman, (standing) Sal Vitale, Sue Vitale, Scott Keerans (grandson of Charles L. Keerans bara Beattie (George’s friend), and Sal and Sue Jr. ’920), and Amy Keerans.

Vitale. Representing their father, Jim McFalls

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes ’59, were his sons, Scott and Andrew. Thank you, Lou and Priscilla Shuba, for all the wonderful times we had over the years. What I learned from those attending the pig roast: Ed Fox closed his B&B, Spike Callander has slowed down and not playing much golf, Mitch and Jennifer Kot will return to Vietnam for another educational session in 2024, the Fouts will return to Arizona for the winter, Kenner Rice is not ready to retire, George Henning has found a friend to accompany him at activities, Wyatt Durrette is healthy and busy, and Ashby Taylor left early so I did not have a chance to catch up with him. John Tharrington is in excellent health and, in my view, must live until he reaches 110 years old. (Smile.) John conClass of 1961: Attending a pig roast hosted by Lou and Pris Shuba in Gettysburg, Penntinues to work tirelessly in search of lost and/or sylvania, June 17, 2023, are (front row, from left) Sally Hanlein, Mary Callander, Jennifer deceased brother rats, and a list of those recentKot, Lou Shuba, Pris Shuba, Jerri Wetsel, Barbara Beattie (friend of George Henning), ly found are listed at the end of these notes. Bill Sandra Fout, Nancy Rice, Sue Vitale, (second row) Ed Fox, Ray Hanlein, Scott McFalls, Hugh Gouldthorpe, Andrew McFalls, Bill Fout, Mitch Kot, Wyatt Durrette, Spike CallandHaeberlein and David Harbach were not there er, Larry Wetsel, George Henning, John Tharrington, Kenner Rice, and Sal Vitale. Not and were missing. Bill said the drive is long, and pictured are Scott and Amy Keerans, Amy Kerns Ashby, and Sandra Taylor.

Sylvia will not fly. David had a prior commitment.

No answer the day I called Lee Badgett’s Sue and I had a pleasant evening dinner with current cadets; alumni; and Brandon Bissell ’98 Jeff and Alison Kaster ’90. When Barbara was from the VMI Alumni Association, who attended daughter, Nancy, to wish Lee happy birthday. attending Southern Seminary, Aunt Charlotte both send-off functions. Sometimes, you never They may be moving Lee to a memory unit at a location not yet identified.

Harbach arranged for Jeff to meet my daughter, know where a VMI man shows up.

For years, I called “L.T.” Troy Jones on his A neighbor asked if I knew Dorsey Pender. Of and Barbara was Jeff’s Ring Figure date. Jeff is birthday, July 4. This time, he did not talk to retired from the Army and lives in Chesapeake, course, I said. She continued that he was a wonVirginia. June came to an end; we closed the derful Uber driver and conversationalist. That’s me. June Jones said he is not doing well, and his memory is fading.

Dorsey! I made a long overdue call to my rat sale of our Virginia Beach house June 30. It was Heard from Jim Needham, and he said convery emotional, and we will miss the magnifi- roommate, Joe Lisiecki. Joe and Mary Ann are doing OK. The Lisieckis still attend daily mass, struction activity has slowed down in Connecticent view and the many friends we made over the years. July started a new adventure and was very still live in SW Chicago, and have 11 grandchil- cut. Where is the promised funding for infrastructure? I need to call folks more often. How about busy communicating with our Maryland contrac- dren and, I think, two great-grandchildren. On the tor. My children have been checking on the reno- day I called Joe, his son, Joe Jr., and family were you? August, Sue and I will be in Maryland to celebrate Sue’s and daughter Cathy’s birthday and visiting from California. Joe Jr. is a retired Mavations and sending pictures every few days. For months, Sue had to wear a variety of boots, and rine officer (O-6) and currently works as a federal meet with the contractor for the first time.

Bill Maurer is a prolific writer. In the April 2023 finally, Sue was a happy camper. Her foot still administrative law judge. edition of Vespers, he wrote an article hurt, and the doctor found a deep entitled “This Was a Turning Point in corn that was causing the pain and the American Revolutionary War.” removed it. Sue is now back wearThe main characters are John Andre, ing a boot. July ended. Mark Mucka British spy, and Maj. Gen. Beneelbauer, our grandson; Sue; and I dict Arnold, an American traitor. One attended the rat send-off for Tideevening, Bill made a presentation water area. My count was 22 proon the above subject, and following spective rats. Attending the send-off the presentation, a young man came from our class were the Vitales and over to talk. He commented, “Hey, I Ben Lynch. Those alumni present like your ring. Where did you go to that I recognized were Bill Knowles school?” Bill answered, “VMI ’61!” ’60, John Rowe ’66, and Bill Smith He then asked, “Were you in the ’72 (could have been Phil Smith ’72, his twin?). I was told that at Class of 1961: Having dinner at Chops restaurant in Virginia Beach, Army?” Bill replied, “Yes, ’62–64.”

Virginia, June 28, 2023, are (from left) Sal Vitale, Sue Vitale, Alison The young man slowly asked, “Were the Hampton send-off event, there Kaster, and Jeff Kaster ’90. you blue or gray?” Made Bill’s evewere approximately 30 people: Four ning. Sometime in August, I emailed incoming rats with parents; three

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Class Notes you another article Bill wrote, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Bill Hala said summer has not reached his home in New York. Morning temperatures are 34 degrees with lots of haze from the wildfire smoke in Canada.

Hill Browning said Pete and Carole Roberts spent a few weeks in St. Martin. Pete sent a photo to Hill from the Kay’s Jewelry Shop. Coincidentally, this is the same jewelry shop the Vitale family uses.

Heather Browning had back surgery, and everything went well. Hill is hoping Heather will be ready for their annual trip to Saratoga. Nothing beats Saratoga racing.

Mike Pitt ’60 appreciated being included in the festivities over the years and would love to be able to continue, but Mike is not well, and their closest ’61 friends are no longer around. With great sadness, they are retiring from the get-togethers.

Bob Coltrane had a right knee replacement and is still suffering from agonizing pain. Pain pills do not help very much. Bob said he had known it was going to be this painful, he would have canceled the operation and wrapped his knee in duct tape.

Kathy Copenhaver was finally interred at Arlington Cemetery. Dude Copenhaver requested a private service, so we did not attend. However, John Tharrington and Ray Hanlein had dinner with Dude, his sons, and Kathy’s brother the night before and then the next day attended the funeral.

John Gangemi is moving to a retirement village just north of his current home and hopes to be in his new place in September. John said moving means sorting through 56 years of precious memories that are difficult to let go. (Amen.) John attended the Wilmington VMI Old Corps breakfast and enjoyed chatting with Fred Ayers. Only a handful of alums attended.

Paul and Rae Goldman recently moved from Aurora, Colorado, to Fallon, Nevada, the home to the U.S. Navy’s Navy Fighter Weapons School (popularly known as top gun). I hope Paul likes jet noise.

David Harbach attended the retiring ceremony for Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 at Camp Lejeune. The event was totally befitting of the fine man Gen. Furness is. Many VMI people attended and, as you would expect, lots of his ’87 BRs. Part of the ceremony included the playing of The VMI Spirit by the USMC Band. Dave said it gave him goose pimples. Dave enjoys his new home and plays lots of golf with Sandie and his friends.

Larry and Jeri Wetsel returned just in time from a European river trip to attend a granddaughter’s

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graduation in Richmond and, a few days later, another granddaughter’s graduation in Montana. The Energizer bunny has nothing on these two. How they manage all the travel amazes me. Larry always finds time to call and check up on Sue and me, and it is much appreciated.

Stu and Sylvia Woodcock recently have had many challenges and lots of blessings. In June, Sylvia was taken by ambulance to Sentara Hospital with a strangulated hernia. Sylvia had the other hernia repaired in July, and while she was healing from that surgery, Stuart went to the ER with chest tightness and burping. They admitted Stu, performed a catheterization, and ballooned two areas, but no stents this time. Stu’s mind is pretty good except for short-term memory. With all this going on, the Woodcocks managed to celebrate their 62nd anniversary, and for the occasion, their granddaughter made them a beautiful cake.

Bill and Joyce Gibbings also celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Sue had a special cake made for them, and we all enjoyed toasting the couple with lots of prosecco. Bill’s mind is pretty good except for short-term memory. When it is Friday, it’s beer and cookies time. Recently, Larry Williams attended, and he looks and feels good.

Larry Respess manages to fight traffic in Hampton Roads about twice a month to enjoy the bourbon and cookies. Sue Patrick also came by. Sue is looking to downsize as soon as she sells their house.

Sue is in good health.

Talked to Howard Dyer, and I was saddened to learn that Dianne continues to have difficulty walking, and Howard was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s. They will soon be moving into a life care facility.

I really enjoy reading Bob Reitz’s long handwriting (cursive) on yellow-lined paper. My grandkids could not read this foreign language.

(Gen. Peay ’62 still uses cursive when writing personal notes.) Bob has been busy attending ranger functions, working as the customer service officer at the community thrift store, and traveled to Ohio for his great-granddaughter’s wedding.

Suellen Reitz is still busier than ever, trying to cram 36 hours of work into a 24-hour day.

Lou and Jane Kiger rented a seven-bedroom home on Oak Island in North Carolina and invited all the family to come. They all came—14 adults, four great-grandchildren—and they had a great time. One evening, Lou and Jane got together with Kent and Bert Modine in Southport for dinner.

Lou said they both seemed to be doing well, and the Kigers enjoyed seeing them again.

Tom Bradshaw had a pacemaker installed after

flat lining in the hospital and is now doing fine. As usual, Faye is keeping Tom out of trouble.

I was saddened to learn that the Southern Inn has closed. I am sure we all have fond memories of that historic place.

It is always nice to hear from our BRs widows. Earline Thompson is in South Africa, where they are into the winter season. Earline has remained healthy, except for a terrible flu worse than COVID-19. She visited her daughter in the UAE for two months, which happens to be their winter season, but it felt like the spring season. Earline keeps up with the USA by reading The New York Times on her cell phone. Dot Templeton says all is good and well.

Had a brief note from Battle Haslam, and since he offered no bad news, I assume all is well with him.

The George C. Marshall Foundation plans to bestow the Andrew J. Goodpaster Award on Gen. Peay ’62 Dec. 1 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. I was asked to see if we could purchase a 1961 table for the event. It is a bit pricey at $10,000 a table, but I managed to get positive results from Raine Gilbert (2), Ben Lynch (1), Holmes Smith (2), Jack “J.D.” Miller (1), Bill Braithwaite (2), Dave Harbach (2), Larry Wetsel (2), John Tharrington (2), George Henning (2), and Sal Vitale (4). As you can see, I have two tickets available to fill two tables. What a tribute to the general from 1961. Let me know if you have an interest in attending, as there is still time.

Finding those BRs who matriculated with us and are now lost has been a quest of Dick Lindquist, Ray Hanlein, and John Tharrington. Recently, John Tharrington found several BRs who were short timers with our class, and they are Richard Heath Wells Jr., matriculation No. 366, Company A; Raymond Michael Krett, matriculation No. 51, Company D; William Woodford Bradham, No. 37; and Thomas Albert Barno, No. 24, Company A. If anyone has info about these brother rats, let me know.

It is very difficult for me to recognize the fact that, every day, we are getting closer to meeting our creator. This past quarter, the following have left us: James Kirk Ring passed away May 22, 2023, after being hospitalized for COVID-19. He died peacefully with his wife, Frankie, by his side, and the family gathered around him. About 10 days before his death, I called Jim, and he said he had lost lots of weight and was being kept alive through a feeding tube, but all was OK. He was very proud that his son, Brig. Gen. James W. Ring ’88, was

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes promoted to major general in the Virginia National Guard June 3. What a shame he will not be able to see the change of command firsthand.

Jim left VMI after his 2nd Class year and joined his family business as the treasurer of Roanoke City Mills and owning Crafty Fox Horse Farm in Boones Mill, Virginia. Jim and his wife, Frankie, then embarked on a dedicated journey as inner-city missionaries. Together, they focused on reintegrating and educating marginalized youth, advocating for pre-adjudicated teens, and laying foundations for lifelong success. Jim’s impact on his community and the lives he touched will be remembered with deep gratitude and admiration. His legacy of faith, service, and compassion will continue to inspire others to make a positive difference in the world. Jim cherished the close bond of the VMI community, embracing the values instilled by the Institute.

Fielding Lewis Wilson Jr. passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at his home on Marlborough Point. Fielding attended both Randolph-Macon Academy and VMI for one year. He was assigned to Company E. Fielding had a 30-year career with the government at Fort Belvoir, and his job took him to many places around the country and the world. A passionate outdoorsman, Fielding knew the woods and marshes with the precision of an eagle’s eye and found solace in all of nature’s bounty. In addition to his deep appreciation for wildlife, Fielding was a successful farmer. With his beef cattle, Fielding was a regular at the Fredericksburg Stockyards. Should you have additional information about Fielding at VMI, it would be appreciated.

I am very pleased to report to you that the Class of 1961 Memorial Scholarship that was initiated by Rhett Clarkson many years ago has a current market value of $111,147.20 and a spendable income of $4,452. The 2023 recipient of the scholarship is Cadet Andrew Christensen ’23, majoring in civil and environmental engineering from Henrico, Virginia.

I hear the Alumni Association is working on revising the articles of incorporation and bylaws to allow proxy voting for directors. Should these simple revisions not be completed by the time you read this, please rattle the Association’s cage.

I wish more of you would let me know how you are doing or if there is anything we can do for you. We lost several wives this year, and a call to a widow and or widower would be time well spent. Our 65th Reunion is closer than you think. I would like to hear what you would like

2023-Issue 4

to do. We all move slower now, so we need to start planning sooner. God bless you, our troops, and say a special prayer for those in need.

1962

Edmund R. Strickler John Mott Robertson

Unfortunately, we have had six brother rats pass away since the last notes.

I received the following from Jim Wood’s daughter, Tori Meskell, in May. “I just wanted to let you and the remaining VMI Class of 1962 know that Jim Wood passed over yesterday, May 18. It was a peaceful transition. There will be no service per his request. There will be no obituary. Jim wanted to go as quietly as possible. He loved VMI. It was one of the things that his illness did not take from him.” Jim held various accounting positions, from bookkeeper to chief financial officer for many businesses. Jim did a lot of woodworking before his illness. He made custom walking sticks, canes, and staves. And he was particularly proud to make one for VMI. He was predeceased by his wife, Anne, in June 2014.

He is survived by his two children, Mark and Victoria. RIP, Jim. I was informed that Warren Reed died Wednesday, June 7. Warren was born in Newport News, Virginia, and was a graduate of Warwick High School. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed the outdoors. After 45 years of service, he retired as senior vice president investment officer with Wells Fargo in Newport News. He is survived by his wife, Annette; his son, Warren Reed Jr. (Chris) of Grover, North Carolina; stepsons, Mark Canady (Shannon) of Kite, Georgia, and Joe Canady (Heather) of Swainsboro, Georgia; step-daughter, Renee Wilkes (Tim) of Gainesville, Georgia; and brother, Michael Reed (Barbara) of Newport News, Virginia, as well as 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Neil O’Connor’s wife, Dee, informed me that Neil passed away June 25 after many months of illness. Neil came to us from Winnetka, Illinois.

After graduating from the Institute, he served

four years in the Air Force. Following that, he spent various times with the Trane Air Conditioning Company in St. Louis and Tampa Bay. In 1980, he left Trane and established a manufacturer’s rep company handling products for the heating and air conditioning market in Florida. In 1995, he entered the environmental field and worked for Coastal Environmental Services for five years. With the advent of the internet, he joined a local cable affiliate and worked in the cable business until 2005, when he retired. Neil served as our class agent from 1972–77 and was able to attend our last reunion in April 2022. He will be missed.

Bill Cook passed away peacefully at his home July 2 in Henderson, Nevada.

He was born in Shelby, Ohio, but spent most of

Class of 1962: A walking stick made by Jim Wood.

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Class Notes

Class of 1962: The 12th Infantry Regiment Monument at the National Infantry Museum on Memorial Day. Photo courtesy of Ed Northrop. his childhood in Norfolk, Virginia, and he graduated from the Institute in 1962. He spent four years in the Air Force flying C-130s into Vietnam. He then decided to leave the military and join the private sector, taking a job with Sears Roebuck and Company. That career would eventually take Bill to the Sears Tower in Chicago. He

Class of 1962: Rosser and Rev. Kate Bobbitt at Constitution Square in Bucharest, Romania, in spring 2023.

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settled his family in Naperville, Illinois, where he lived from 1979–2000. In 1988, he left Sears to form a manufacturing rep business with his best friend, Dennis. He retired in 2000 and moved to Henderson, Nevada, where he loved to fish, golf, have a cold beer, and play video poker. He is survived by his wife, Miriam; brother, John; sister, Karen; his children from his first marriage, John (Brooke) and Suzanne (Dave Downey); step-children, Maria, Yvonne, and Wilfredo; grandchildren, Joshua, Braxton, and Rylan; and step-grandchildren, Olivia, Kevin, Anthony, Michael, Sarah, and Daniel. I last saw Bill when Margie and I were in Henderson in 2003. We had lunch with Bill and Gene Lazaroff. It was a great visit; I just wish we had been able to get together more often.

The Institute informed me that Fred Shirley passed away July 7 in The Woodlands, Texas. Fred came to us from Silver Spring, Maryland, where he played football, which earned him a scholarship to VMI. After we graduated, Fred was commissioned in the Army as a second lieutenant and served two tours in Vietnam. During his service in Southeast Asia, he was awarded three Silver Stars for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations in the Republic of Vietnam. Prior to leaving for Vietnam, the Army sent Fred to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where he met Judy. After countless letters and only a few dates, he returned home from Vietnam for the last time April 17, 1968, and July 27, 1968, Fred and Judy were married in Carmel, California. Fred retired in 1983 after 21 years of service to his country. He and Judy decided it was time to enter civilian life and moved back to Arizona, where he undertook a second career as a financial adviser. Fred will be remembered for his love of life and his dedication and commitment to his family, faith, and country. He will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends. A service to celebrate Fred’s life was held Thursday, July 27, 2023, on what would have been Fred and Judy’s 55th wedding anniversary.

I learned that Mark Graybill Jr. of Duck, North Carolina, passed away July 11. He was a talented athlete and earned a football scholarship to the Institute, where he was a member of the 1962 Southern Conference Championship team. Mark graduated with a bachelor of science in chemistry in 1962. Upon graduation, he married Barbara Cannon of Salem, Virginia, and was commissioned in the United States Air Force. Mark served his country in Vietnam, Chad, Honduras, and Panama.

He completed 56 missions in the Gulf of Tonkin during Operation Rolling Thunder, logging over

400 combat hours. He traveled to every corner of the globe, including the east and west sides of Africa and spent lots of time in the “sand pile” with multinational forces. Mark was a command navigator who accumulated 9,920 flying hours in 18 years. His numerous decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 OLC, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 4 OLC, Combat Readiness Medal with 1 OLC, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with eight devices, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. He retired from the Air Force in 1990 as a lieutenant colonel. In retirement, he trained golden retrievers, winning many competitions. Mark is survived by his three children, Terri Lynn Duke (Robert L. Duke IV), Mark Todd Graybill (Kami Martin), and Kelly Lee Graybill, and his grandson, Logan Todd Graybill. He is also survived by his former wife, Barbara C. Graybill, and many lifelong friends who served alongside them.

I received notice from Bill Hoerter that Bill Tatterson had passed away June 13. My memory not being what it used to be, I had trouble remembering Bill Tatterson. Bill Hoerter then reminded me that Bill Tatterson had started with the Class of 1960, dropped out a year, and then returned and graduated with us. After looking him up in our 1962 Bomb, I remembered him, and I’m sorry to hear of his passing. He ran a very successful business, Tatterson Greenhouses, in Mathews, Virginia, at one time, the largest private employer in Mathews.

I am also sorry to report the passing of Joe VanDeventer’s wife, Julie, Jan. 12. He said she fought a long battle with memory problems and breast cancer before passing away in January. Joe is thinking of downsizing and moving closer to Tim, Steph, and his grandkids.

The Institute informed me that Ware Smith’s wife, Belle, passed away Aug. 7. She and Ware have two daughters, a son, and six grandchildren.

Belle was active in many organizations and clubs, and I know that she will be missed. A funeral service was held Aug. 11 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Roanoke, Virginia.

Rosser Bobbitt writes that he and Kate did a Viking cruise in March from Bucharest to Budapest. The trip included Dracula’s castle and stops in Bulgaria, Serbia, and Croatia. All of the guides commented that corruption was a big problem in their country. In Serbia, the guide said all was great with Croatia. The Croatian guide later made sure

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes they saw the damage caused by the Serbian army invasion in 1991.

Bill Mizell says it’s hard to believe that he is still vertical. Other than a few medical issues, which by now most of us have, he is doing fine. He has had some conversations via phone with Hughes Burton and his old roommates Jerry Burnett and Monty Williams over the past month, just keeping in touch. He sees John Mills ’63 and Hill Ellett ’67 frequently on the golf course. All seem to be doing well. Bill’s time is now spent trying to get back to the golf range for some practice and playing after a few month’s sabbatical over the winter.

Ed Northrop writes that he and Joan drove to the Walk of Honor at the National Infantry Museum May 24 and placed a wreath and 14 flags at the 12th Infantry Regiment monument. He reminds people this is a monument and not a memorial. It was dedicated to all who have served in the 12th Infantry Regiment. Ed also talked of his respect for all of the active-duty brothers. He has been fortunate to meet many. The 12th Infantry Regiment is in good hands, with men and women highly motivated and ready to serve our nation. Ed and Joan also attended the Memorial Day remembrance events at the National Infantry Museum.

In June, I sent birthday greetings to Monty Williams. That day, I received a text from him with a picture that I will not publish. He looked like he had been through 10 rounds with Mike Tyson! I

asked if Carol had finally gotten fed up and beat on him like a drum, but he said no; he had just had a fall in early May and now looks much better than the picture. He asked that I include this in these notes just to warn everybody that we need to be careful at our age. Glad he is doing well. Trying to outdo himself, Monty sent me a text Aug. 12 saying, “Well, I’ve done it again.” This time, he had an encounter with his driveway; the driveway won! I am not sending that picture in, either! A second warning for us to be careful out there. We’re not getting any younger!

Ware Smith has informed us that our Brother Rat Binnie Peay will be awarded the prestigious Andrew J. Goodpaster Award of the George C. Marshall Foundation Dec. 1, 2023, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. There will be 6 p.m. cocktails and a 7 p.m. dinner and program. If you desire to take advantage of this opportunity to have fun and honor Binnie, contact Leigh McFadden at 540-463-7103, ext. 138, for a reservation. Overnight reservations can be made at the Marriott-Arlington, and transportation to Army Navy Country Club will be provided.

George Collins sent me a picture on the day before I had to submit these notes. It was of a certificate he received for taking a polar bear swim in the Barents Sea Aug. 13, when the water temperature was 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit! I imagine his voice went up several octaves after that! The picture couldn’t be used because the editors of the Alumni Review said the writing on it would not be clear.

That about ties it up for another quarter. Stay healthy, and keep sending news and pictures of your trips and vacations.

In the Spirit, Edmund

1963

William C. Cowardin

Class of 1962: Jim Wood at Christmas 2022.

2023-Issue 4

Well, it is time for my first class notes. Once again, I violated the cardinal rule of military behavior: “Don’t ever volunteer.”

It all started when word got out that the Curleyrat, after 20 years at the helm, wanted to remove from his shoulders the mantle of class agent. Nobody wanted the job. I was lying in bed thinking of

charitable things I could do in my retirement, and I thought nothing would be more fun than staying in touch with you guys. I volunteered. There was no vote.

My first immersion was after our 60th Reunion.

Lots of material and pictures. And lots of help from the Curleyrat.

This is my first solo, but I have had some help, so here goes: Hope all BRs had time to look at the photos of our 60th Reunion April 23–25.

Jim Hoge and Pete Brunel contributed greatly. They’re attached to the class web page (VMI63.net, password br63#) and pretty much obviate the necessity of graphic news for this edition.

Preparation of these notes has been severely hampered by the ignorance of yours truly of Microsoft 365. All historical class data gathered by my predecessor is held on Microsoft. Upon getting the job, I purchased a new PC so that Curley’s data would transfer. Having used Apple for 20 years, how could it be so tough? Little did I know ... After a trip by Curley to Williamsburg and later Newport News, him carrying the machine to Richmond and shipping it fully loaded with data, I still can’t use it. Microsoft doesn’t answer the phone with effective guidance, so you are reading from an Apple product. Hope to be better next time.

After yours truly’s shaky charge up to the top of the sentinel box for the Old Yell for ’63, I was handed the following note: “Class of 1963. On behalf of the VMI Corps of Cadets and the Class of 2023, we would like to welcome you back to the Institute! Thank you for everything you do! God Bless! Rah Virgina Mil! Gratefully Yours, Cam Cavanaugh [’23], 1st Class President 610-6984482.” Just another example of the quality of the young people who chose to attend our school.

Got an email from Ron Colan: “Just a note from the hotel lobby. I’m here at the Institute attendant to the graduation of my granddaughter, Janine Colantonio ’23 (Company G commander). And I will commission her tomorrow an infantry second lieutenant. I don’t know how to deal with all this, but I sure am proud of her. All the best, Ron Colan (otherwise known as Albert).” What an experience! All the best to a proud grandfather and his second lieutenant.

Pat Kelly reported he traveled to Tucson, Arizona, to visit Pres Holtry. He reports Pres was on the gim. Best wishes for Pres to be better. Pat reports he decided to return by a way other than El Paso. Pat reported that he heard that Walt Kleine and his Karen were under the weather.

Walt’s address is Corpus Christi and email is

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Class Notes summering in Virginia Beach. vmi63wjk@gmail.com.

Beau Walker is celebrating two years Frank Allison reports that Sally unsince he was bitten by a copperhead, got derwent an operation on her back and the antivenom immediately, and spent is slowly recovering. Our best to Sally two days in the hospital. The antivenand Frank. om was reportedly $50,000, verified by Willy Pendleton texted pictures of Bill Bell, who was knowledgeable of a his grandson, whom many of us met recent experience in Richmond. at the reunion—one of his grandson Quinby James Amory dropped by marching down Letcher Avenue in his the table. She was meeting her bridge stocking feet and another video of cagroup, which she said hadn’t played dets picking up shoes on the Parade bridge in 20 years. She looked well Ground. It must have been muddy. and cheerful.

Since they were attached to a text, I Fred Lanier reported that he and can’t reproduce them.

Johnny Mills attended a memorial Bob Powell replied to my plea for service for Bob Spence, who passed more material with a recount of his reabout two years ago. Bob’s sister cent trip on a sailing ship. “Tina and I lives in Toano, where the service was recently returned from a sailing trip to Class of 1963: Pictured are (front row, from left) Bill Bell, Lee held. Bob died in Venice, Florida, the North Sea. We were on the 450-foot Spessard, Beau Walker, Fred Lanier, (second row) Ed Patnesky, where he had lived for some years.

Sea Cloud Spirit, which is the newest Jim Key, Bob Walton, and Bill Cowardin.

Beau told of two ends of his hearof the three Sea Cloud sailing vessels. ing aids being stuck in one ear, and I We were the only U.S. types aboard and Lee reported a successful treatment for arthritis had to counter that my recent visit to the hearthankfully had our British friend with us. The rest ing aid specialist complaining that my new earin his hands. He can now hold a golf club (poor of the passengers were German. It seems you have molds kept falling out revealed that I had them at least one bad North Sea sailing day, and we did. soul), among other things. in the wrong ear. Welcome to advanced years.

Ed has deep engagement in the YMCA in All in all, it was a great trip, and we visited ports It shall always be the solemn duty to inform in England, Scotland, Norway, Denmark, and Franklin, currently serving on the board and raisthe class of the passing of our brother rats. Most Germany. Incredibly, it was sweater weather the ing money, of course. Bill Bell said that was bewhole way. Quite a change from the heat here. If cause there wasn’t much going on in Franklin. of you already know that Gil Minor left us May you go abroad, make sure to have the Global En- Ed’s wife passed away a number of years ago. 4, and Tony Hancock before that. We lost Mike He indicated that his involvement with the “Y” Stockdell June 2. Mike did not graduate with try Pass. This is a godsend returning to the U.S.” us, but kept his connection with VMI throughThis from Beau Walker: “I have just returned was gratifying. out. He lived in Columbia, South Carolina. He Bill Bell got a new dog. He said he’d never do from the latest swamp rats luncheon at the Hampton Yacht Club. Eight to 10 ’63 BRs (eight this it again, but he did. Lots of activity (on the part of is survived by his wife, Susan. His obituary is at legacy.com/us/obituaries/thestate/name/mithe dog, that is). Don’t know why he’d complain; time), sometimes more, meet there for an hour or chael-stockdell-obituary?id=52243817. he said it’s his third one. so every two to three months. Organized years Larry James lost his wife, Pamela Fielding Johnny Mills was excused because he had to ago by Randy Williams and Charlie ‘Tank’ take his sick dog to the vet in Richmond. He was James, June 27, 2023. They were married 60 Amory, the tradition continues under the watchyears. Obitaury is at frenchfunerals.com/listful guidance of Bob Walton. Our corner table ings. Scroll down and enter her name. overlooking the water is always ready and waitThis edition could not be complete withing. Tank Amory, a longtime member of the out recognition of our brother rat who, for 20 HYC before his passing several years ago, would years, ably and faithfully reported events connot have it any other way. Before his passing, he cerning our class for publication in the quartermade certain with the HYC that the ’63 swamp ly Alumni Review. Upon graduation, little did rats luncheon would always be welcome at his we know the deeds and adventures that would club. And so it has been. We even get the occacatalog our lives. As our experiences turned sional BR who shows up from Richmond. And from marriage to family to civic engagement to then there’s Lee Spessard, who drives 180 miles retirement, one of us continued to sometimes from his home in Reston, Virginia, to join the cheerfully, sometimes sadly, but always faithgroup. Bravo, Lee! Thank you, Tank, and thank fully describe the comings and goings of our you, Randy and Bob. You guys are the greatest!” story with the Institute. Always conversational, Recent tidbits from the Class of ’63 swamp Class of 1963: Bob and Tina Powell on a always informative of what we were doing, the rat lunch Aug. 9: Present were Fred Lanier, Bill North Sea cruise aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit.

Curleyrat continued to journal our milestones Bell, Buddy Cato, Bob Walton, Beau Walker, of life, even to the sad reports of the passing of Lee Spessard, Ed Patnesky, and yours truly.

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Class notes that she picked up from the vets returning from Vietnam when she worked as a nurse at Bethesda Naval Hospital. She was a lieutenant commander in the Navy, 80 years old, and shall be terribly missed.”

Ron Rogers sent a photo of Dickie Butt’s son, Richard Jr., and Richard’s daughter, Peyton, taken Father’s Day at Peyton’s wedding. Unfortunately, the photo was far too few pixels to be used.

Millie McVey reported, “Bill and I have some very special news: Our oldest grandson, Coleman Terrell, and his wife, Rogchelle, had a beautiful baby girl (‘handpicked by her grandma in heaven’) June 21, 2023. Henrietta Kellie was born 10 weeks early and weighed in at 2 pounds, 5 ounces! Her parents spend four hours in the morning and in the evening to cuddle, bathe, and feed her.

H. Kellie will probably be in the hospital until the end of August, which was Rogchelle’s due John R. Cavedo date. As I write this, little H. Kellie weighed in yesterday at 5 pounds! It’s all good news! We are so happy and very grateful for our beautiful great-granddaughter, Henrietta Kellie, named after our daughter in heaven.

“Bill’s back is better, and he is getting around When you receive these notes, there will be alpretty darn well since his surgery in August 2022. most exactly five months until our 60th Reunion.

I had a transcatheter aortic valve replacement last The good news is that several brother rats have Jan. 13 and am doing well after 36 rehab visits. stepped forward to assist in the planning and The 40-mile round trip got old, but the rehab was running of the event. At this point (August), the great! bad news is we have no activities except for eve“Our daughter, Kellie, who passed April 16, ning meals and the Tuesday parade. No trips, no 2022, wanted her ashes to be with her grandparsightseeing, no physical activities, no lunches, no ents, Mildred and Bo Caperton (my parents), in sports. But it’s not too late. If there is something the beautiful Bo Caperton Memorial (scatter) you’d like to do and are willing to help organize Garden located on the Village Chapel grounds on it, let me know.

Class of 1964: Penny Sebrell horseback Bald Head Island, North Carolina.

Since the previous class notes, we’ve lost two riding in Colorado in June 2023.

“In June 2023, our family members met for a more brother rats, George Rapport and Jack week on BHI to celebrate the life of KelMathay. Both will be missed terribly. lie McVey Terrell! It was quite a memoThis should serve as a reminder to reach rable week.” out to all BRs and their spouses while Warren Budd: “I wanted to let you you have a chance. The same applies to know that in May, I graduated from Asall your family, friends and acquaintancbury Theological Seminary with a mases. Our generation is fading fast. ter’s in theological studies. It took me Butch Nunnally, “Joan and I caught five years and definitely took a lot of efup with a couple of high school friends, fort, and it was not cheap, but it was a Linda and Kenny Reams ’63. They all terrific experience. attended Manchester High School. Ken“We now have nine grandchildren and ny was a Marine who served in Vietnam two great-grandchildren. I hope we will in 1964. They met for breakfast in Oviehave another one or two. We have purdo, Florida. Kenny and I were also close chased a house on the Georgia coast near neighbors and attended the same elementary and middle schools.”

Class of 1964: Tom Sebrell herding cattle in Colorado in June Shellman’s Bluff. If you are ever up that way, I would love to see you and hear Nelson Trinkle, “Yes, I am the senior 2023. what you think is going to happen in most classmate at 83 and almost 84. We our brothers. So let it be known our appreciation for the years of his service, noting the comings and goings of each other, giving us all insights with each publication.

Our thanks to the Curlyrat, Michael J. Curley, for his 20 years unwaveringly (or waveringly) discharging his voluntarily assumed duty as our class agent. We are humbled in gratitude for his service. Thank you, Mike.

Your class agent is in need of Bombs for the years 1960–63. Should any of you know of them and how they can be obtained, please contact the undersigned.

Keep that stuff coming, guys. Love to all of you.

Bill Cowardin

need to go to VMI for the 60th, as many of us may not make the 65th. To take the review as a senior class means a lot to us as a class, and to have the Old Yell and Doxology sung in Old Barracks will be a moment for Karen and me to never forget, as well as many other BRs. There is no place like VMI on this earth.

“Praying for you and Cheryl, and let’s hope Mother Nature will be kind to us this year. Take good care, and God bless. I’ll try to stay in better coms with you and the class.”

Richard Beatty: “Mickey, my princess, died peacefully March 20, the first day of spring. Her heart gave out from what we believe was a virus

1964

2023-Issue 4

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Class Notes next issue for the outcome.”

Ukraine. I plan on retiring next May.” Tom Sebrell: “Penny and I just returned from a Frank Parker: “Rob Ritchie ’66 discovered trip to a ranch in Colorado at the end of July. Had his friend, Reverend Scarborough, is the brotha great time. I spent most of my time riding and er of our brother rat, Ed Scarborough. I vaguemoving cattle to different pastures, which is what ly remember the name, but he left before gradI enjoy the most. Penny rode some, went fly fishuation. Ed was KIA in Vietnam. Rob is looking ing several times, and hiked and sketched some. for any of our BRs who may have memories of Overall, it was a great time. Trip back was a or information about Ed. With the COVID-19 nightmare. Missed connections, overnight stays, restrictions gone, Marcy and I have been trying canceled flights, and too much stress. Air travel to get out of the house again. We just finished a today is a mess. Other news: I have a grandson Caribbean cruise with our daughter and family. starting college at Montana State University this We stopped at Costa Maya and Cozumel. While month, where my youngest son went. Will be inMarcy and I did the Mayan ruins, the kids did the teresting to see if a kid from Richmond can deal beaches. We had a great time, and the Royal Cawith the Montana winters. We continue to have ribbean’s Voyager of the Sea was amazing. If you ’64 lunches in Nashville monthly with Parker, can tolerate the crowds, cruising can’t be beat for Class of 1964: Joan and Butch Nunnally Duncan, Manley, and Jablonka. Only other the money.” with Linda and Kenny Reams ’63 in Flortravel plans until next winter is a trip to the FlorBill Garber: “A short update from the Garida in July. ida Panhandle for a beach week in the fall with bers. We’ve had a houseful of company here at Nashville grandkids.” the beach this summer—mostly famAndy Colyer: “My imagination is a ily. At the end of August, we head to finite thing with class notes, but I hapMichigan to visit our youngest daughpened on a bit of a scoop this week. ter, Jennifer, and her two youngsters.

Bob O’Hara and I stay in touch, “In September, we’ll catch the VMI as we were high school buddies as versus North Carolina State footwell as BRs. Bob recently encounball game in Raleigh. My hopes are tered Bolling Batte’s sister in church. high, but realistically, it may be a (Batte was from Richmond, and for long afternoon, particularly since full disclosure, Batte was my roommy tickets are smack in the middle mate during our rat year. The room of the home team’s side of the field. was made up of Batte, Fugate, Bax“Then, finally, in early October, I conter, Farley, and me. Batte’s sister told vinced Bob Warren and Dick AtkinBob that Batte was very much alive son to make the trek to Myrtle Beach and was a widower living in Nova for a couple of days of golf. They both Class of 1964: Susan and Dick Atkinson celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary with a dinner at the Boathouse Restaurant in Scotia. There is more to this, and I am live on golf courses in Florida and play Richmond, Virginia, in August 2023. going to send you Bob’s email to me all the time, so it’s possible the three this morning. I had emailed Bob after rounds might be close. Stay tuned ’til I got your email yesterday in order to make sure he was on board with mentioning this Batte update in the class notes. It is my opinion that the class had some reason to believe that Batte was deceased and had been for some time. This information will be a surprise.”

Bob O’Hara: “Batte was legendary in his own way. Let them know he was married to General Andrew Jackson Goodpaster’s daughter, who was truly a legendary general. Cavedo probably knew him as he was an aide to General Bernie Rogers, Army chief of staff.”

Class agent comment: Yes, I met Gen. Goodpaster several times. A real gentleman. Interesting story. Goodpaster retired as a four-star. Due to West Point’s honor scandal in the late ’70s, Gen. Class of 1964: Frank and Marcy Parker and their family on a Caribbean/Mexico cruise in July 2023.

Rogers asked Goodpaster to return to active duty to lead West Point. The job required Goodpaster

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes to come back as a three-star. He did. A man of selfless character.

Dick Atkinson: “A cruise to Australia and New Zealand involved visits to Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland as major stops, but Tasmania was our favorite. We loved the animals—kangaroos, emus, Tasmanian devils, koalas, wombats, kiwis, and many more. Before and after, we stopped in Sacramento to break up the trip and visit our daughter, Carrie, and grandchildren. April brought a granddaughter’s wedding in Redding, California, and in June, a grandson’s wedding in Sacramento. We welcomed three new great-grandchildren—twin great-granddaughters last August and another granddaughter in December, all born in Sacramento, which necessitated trips there. After the twin births, we drove cross country through Yosemite; the Tetons; Yellowstone; Kalispell, Montana; Mount Rushmore; and home.

“In February, we visited Bill and Marion Garber at their rental near Tampa, along with Bob and Cathy Warren, Tom and Penny Sebrell, and Dan and Sandy DeForrest. A good deal of adult beverages were consumed, and a lot of boring (for the ladies) VMI reminiscing occurred. Then, the Garbers and the Warrens came to Vero Beach for a few days and a couple of rounds of golf. Several water balls were baptized.

“Dick and Bob Warren drove to Andy Tucker’s funeral in March, and a large VMI contingent was there. Very sorry to lose Andy, a remarkable guy.

In May, the Atkinsons, Cavedos, and Warrens gathered at a gourmet restaurant in Moore Haven, Florida, near Lake Okeechobee for an eminently forgettable meal but good fellowship. For the summer, we are in Powhatan, Virginia, visiting our daughter, Barbi, punctuated by trips to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, for several weeks at the family home. In Florida nine months of the year; we try to walk nine holes of golf three times weekly, but it is getting a little harder in the heat. Those carts sure are a tempting alternative. We return to Vero Beach probably about Sept. 20 or so. We should plan to get together—in VB, at your place, or at the paradise in Moore Haven. (Maybe we should check for other restaurants?)”

Ed Seager: “As I may have mentioned before, we finally purchased a house in North Carolina last September. We are close to our daughter and her family, which we enjoy, as they have four active grandchildren. We are still in the process of moving things in and unpacking. We also still have some items in storage in New Jersey that we hope to retrieve in the near future.

“Janice and I are well, aside from the normal

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complaints of old age. I finally gave in and underwent knee replacement surgery in March. It had been a problem for a couple of years with no prospect of getting any better. The surgery went well, as did my rehab. I am pleased with the result and am now walking regularly to strengthen it.

“COVID-19 caused us to miss going to Barbados in 2021, but last year, we managed to go in July and take our entire family. Janice and I went again this past February and enjoyed seeing the old friends who go every year at the same time.

“Janice and I plan to attend the class reunion next year. I have had several phone calls with Joe Chompaisal, who is still working for the Thai government. I have tried to persuade him to come to the reunion also, but it seems unlikely as he notes that it’s a long way to come for just a few days. Janice and I are looking forward to it.”

Jim Crawford called me the very day these class notes were due. He had lost Andy Colyer’s phone number and wanted to talk about the dwindling number of physics majors. Jim has a pacemaker and seven stents. But, since he retired in 2004, he plays golf regularly. So often, he has shot his age several times (81 or better).

In closing, my usual reminder is that for there to be class notes and photos, they must come from each of you. If you think I cover the same people over and over or that the photos are not widely representative of the entire class, the solution is you.

with a young man and some children. She asked again about my class, and he said, ‘2004 for both.’ We didn’t exchange any names, so I hope they read this in the notes. I applaud her and all Keydets for showing the colors. Keydets rock, and they’re everywhere!”

J. Mac Marshall is staying busy for sure. Read on (I could use some of that AI). “Actually, the first part of the summer holiday really was a holiday ... no travel and only preparing for the blistering heat.

That all changed in July. No sooner had the fireworks died out than we had a visitor from Germany, Dr. Peter Stainer, a lawyer with the Frankfurt office of King & Spalding. He brought with him the start of really hot weather, but it was fun to see him anyway. Jamie drove us both to the airport, as he had to go earn a living, and I went to Montréal to the eighth Interstellar Symposium. This was sponsored by McGill University, and I had been invited to present a paper on artificial intelligence and its potential to change much of what we do on a daily basis. McGill has a beautiful campus—a real garden spot in the middle of a bustling city. I returned home just in time to attend the funeral for our brother rat, David Bywaters. Norman Radford, Jamie, and I provided the ‘VMI contingent’ at the service. I will be taking care of David’s ashes, but that’s another story. Jamie and I then headed for three days in Galveston (tough duty at the beach, I know) for a legal education conference.

1965

C. Lou Siegel

I’ve been sending notes on deaths through our email system, managed by Chuck Hough.

The information is much more current that way.

These Review notes are three months late, so to speak. I appreciate getting emails from all and the occasional phone call. My wife’s new mantra is, “Don’t fall.” A good constant thought.

Wayne Chiles: “On Aug. 8, my brother and I attended a baseball game at Orioles Park at Camden Yards. As we moved through the crowd to get to Boog’s BBQ, I saw a young lady wearing a VMI shirt coming toward us. Naturally, I yelled, ‘VMI,’ to get her attention and added, ’65,’ for good measure. She waved as she passed. A few minutes later, in the serving line, I saw her again

Class of 1965: Johnny Mac Marshall at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, in July 2023.

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Class Notes As it happens, August has already shaped up to be almost as busy as July, with a visitor from France during the first week and an excursion to D.C. later in the month. All of this is in addition to juggling cases as a visiting judge and trying to get ready to go to Poland in the spring (planning ahead is what separates us from horses). Jamie and I send our best wishes to all of the BRs and families and hope that you are staying somewhat cooler than we are. ’65! ’65! ’65!”

Irwin McCumber: “Hi, Lou—hope all is well in the Rockfish Valley. Just wanted to let you know I finally achieved the goal of all old age golfers of shooting my age. In fact, I beat it by two with a 77 in spite of three putting the 18th green. I was running out of time before making the big 8-0 and told Linda that morning as I was leaving home that I was going to ‘get it done today.’ Donny White did it after retirement when he was playing quite regularly. I think he shot a 74, which was pretty impressive, even for a great athlete like Donny. Last Thursday, I played at Lexington Golf & Country Club with Jeff Gausepohl and Joe Kruse, and his son, Stewart. We were having a great time until the rain washed us out after 11 holes, but then we retired to Jeff’s for some hot chicken soup and more of Joe’s stories! It was a wonderful day in spite of the rain, and I will treasure it. Take care.”

Curtis White: “To keep busy, I’ve been volunteering at the Paleo Labs. Here’s a lower jaw of a mammoth we dug up near Borrego Springs, California.” (He sent a picture. Curtis is the one with the rope in his hand.) “He was in the ground for about 36,000 years. My dear wife, Mickey, passed May 9. We fought an 11-year battle with Alzheimer’s. She was at the point of not being able to swallow anymore. And then we both got COVID-19, and she wasn’t able to recover from that. I was able to spend 18 hours a day with her for the last three months. Our wonderful memory care unit allowed me to spend the night with her, which we both enjoyed very much. Best wishes to all.”

Bruce Herczogh: “This past April, my wife, Jan, and I took our first ‘big boat’ cruise. We had been on the sailing ship, Royal Clipper, two times and had been to the Caribbean and Italy on it, but this was our first big one. Leaving Miami, it took two days to get to Bermuda and then a six-day cruise to finally reach Cork, Ireland. So, our ‘big boat’ was a 14-day transatlantic to Ireland, England, and France. In England, we visited Stonehenge, and in France, we were able to spend a few hours in Paris. After leaving the

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Class of 1965: Easley and Alice Moore in Oaxaca, Mexico, with their grandchildren, Lucas (8) and Margarita (5), at Margarita’s preschool graduation. ship in England, we flew to Ireland and took a Viator six-day All Ireland Rail Tour from Dublin, which was absolutely fantastic. I did not want to drive on the wrong side of the road and get lost, not knowing where we were. Comes with age, I guess. Actually, the only time we were on a train was from Dublin to Cork again, and then

Class of 1965: Curtis White at the Anza Borrego State Park Paleontology Lab in California in January 2021.

the next four days were by bus. We did travel by train from Dublin to Belfast. It is difficult to describe the small roads we traveled on or seeing how tour buses traverse the countryside. We visited all the major attractions, and Jan kissed the Blarney Stone. The Blarney Castle was too steep for me to climb. The tour guides were outstanding. They took care of us each step of the way. We stayed in four-star hotels, and I would highly recommend this group if you want a tour of Ireland.

I must also brag that last September, Jan climbed to the Mount Everest base camp in Nepal. It was a 40-mile hike over eight days and at an altitude of about 19,000 feet. After a month, I was more than ready to get back home.”

Rusty Evans: “It is a rare event when a brother rat helps save the life of a fellow classmate. I served in Vietnam at a Special Forces A Camp known as Dak Seang, which was constructed

by Army combat engineers in 1966. It was just five miles from the Laotian border, and its operational area was astride a major Communist infiltration route. Our fortified Special Forces camp was occupied by 450 Montagnard tribesmen who served as irregular soldiers. Their families anchored them to the camp, and the abundance of eligible women was an attraction for soldier recruits.

“These people were very primitive and were members of the Sedang tribe, the last tribe to be subdued by the French colonial army. The people had been semi-nomadic; they hunted with crossbows, they wore loin cloths, many women were topless, they grew rice by slashing and burning bamboo for fertilizer, they also lived on jungle animal meat. It is believed that the Montagnard people were of Pacific Island origin, and around 800 A.D., they were driven to the central highlands by culturally superior Vietnamese from southern China. The lowland Vietnamese treated the Montagnard people as savages.

“Special Forces A-teams were tasked with organizing the indigenous Montagnard people. The American military brass, in the early stages of the war, sought to improve our military presence.

“Against this backdrop, A-teams consisted of 12 American soldiers who trained, paid, fed, equipped, and served as military advisers to the CIDG, Civilian Irregular Defense Group (the Montagnard tribesmen).

“On the fateful day of July 1, 1967, the team medic and I left the camp with 50 Montagnard paramilitary soldiers under the cover of darkness to avoid detection from the surrounding hills. I will give the Montagnard men credit for being

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes good soldiers, for being good-natured, for knowing the terrain, and for being excellent trackers.

They despised the Vietnamese. Above all, they were loyal to the Americans.

“Shortly after getting under the triple canopy of the jungle, the early morning light revealed the footprints of an enemy unit, perhaps a squad or larger, which had moved through the area. I suspected they were having breakfast nearby. A Montagnard told me, ‘Maybe we catch chop-chop.’

(Eating.) I was told they had fresh green uniforms

Class of 1965: Playing golf at the Lexington Golf & Country Club in August 2023 are (from left) Stewart Kruse (son of Joe Kruse), Irwin McCumber, Joe Kruse, and Jeff Gausepohl.

Class of 1965: Joe and Kristin Kruse in Bali, Indonesia, in June 2023.

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and must have come across the Laotian border from the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

“One enemy soldier was posted to guard the trail used by our patrol. As we were tracking the movement of the enemy unit, the guard shot me with his AK-47, hitting me with four bullets. People had told me that because of my height, I would make a good target. The enemy soldier let several shorter Montagnard soldiers pass before he took aim at me. I never saw the NVA soldier.

“The ensuing radio traffic, reported to the camp by my American medic teammate, was picked up by the pilot of a C-7 Caribou cargo aircraft, making a routine delivery to our camp. Hearing that I was wounded, the pilot backed his aircraft to the end of the 1,400-foot dirt runway for my evacuation.

“Once loaded on board, I looked up to the flight deck and saw the pilot, Brother Rat Steve Smith, from Newport News, Virginia. I have little doubt that Steve’s actions helped save my life. At great risk, he did not take the time to circle and gain altitude above the enemy’s small arms fire. In addition, by waiting for me, I avoided a lengthy 40mile helicopter flight to the 67th Field Hospital at Pleiku.

“In later years, when I twice saw Steve and his wife, Lark, first at our 50th Reunion and another time at an event in Onancock, Virginia, he was hesitant to talk about the risks he took to save my life. I had been without medical care from 8:30 a.m. until reaching the 67th Field Hospital at 11 a.m. I will always be grateful for Steve’s determination and bravery while flying me from the middle of nowhere to life-saving medical care. I regret not writing this story prior to Steve’s passing three months ago.”

Marlin Sweigart: “Greetings from San Antonio, Texas. It’s hot here, even for South Central Texas!

It’s been over or near 100 degrees for weeks with no end in sight! However, Shirley and I escaped the heat with a 10-day trip to the U.K. in early July.

Billy and Patti Loughridge invited us, along with Dickey and Barbara Hightower, to stay with them at their house, The Pear Tree Cottage, in Bourton-on-the-Water, located in the Cotswolds area of England. The Cotswolds is a beautiful area with a number of towns whose architecture is restored to the original 16th- and 17th-century Tudor style. We did a lot of sightseeing with Patti as our very knowledgeable tour guide and Billy driving. Dickey and I did not attempt to drive, which probably saved all our lives! We also spent several days in London with the girls, shopping and seeing the sights. We especially

enjoyed visiting the underground bunkers where Churchill and the British government ran their World War II operations. Billy, Dickey, and I spent a lot of time reminiscing about our old VMI baseball days and Coach ‘Chubet’ McGinnis! On our way to play West Virginia, Coach left our team captain, Billy Loughridge, as well as Donny White and Jimmy Breckinridge ’67, plus one or two others, stranded in the mountains at a hot dog stand when they were late getting back to the bus!

They eventually flagged down a car and made it to Morgantown and played in the second game of a double header! However, it was a big mistake by coach. Many thanks to Billy and Patti Loughridge for their hospitality in the U.K.! The pictures are of the six of us inside the pear tree and the front door of the cottage.”

Joe Kruse: “Below is a recap of a recent trip to Indonesia with some photos attached. Jeff Gausepohl and I are working on meeting in Alexandria Dec. 1. Celebrating my upcoming 80th birthday in Bali and Indonesia with my wife, Kristin. We spent five days on the island of Bali, then boarded a 15-cabin yacht to snorkel and dive at some of the other Indonesian islands for a week. We swam with the largest fish in the world, a whale shark, and then got a little too close to the largest (and deadliest) lizard in the world, the Komodo dragon.

Then, we climbed up 872 rocky steps for a spectacular sunset view.”

Easley and Alice Moore just returned in mid-July from a trip to the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca to visit their half-Mazatec-Indian grandchildren, Lucas, age 8, and Margarita, age 5. Here is a picture of them at Margarita’s preschool graduation. The grandchildren are dual citizens and have VMI provisional appointments in the Classes of 2036 and 2039, respectively.

All, take care of yourselves. Be safe. Don’t fall!

1966

Nick Hoskot

Good day to all of the brother rats of ’66! I am writing this as the temperatures here in South Texas climb above 100 degrees for the umpteenth day in a row during summer 2023. And that got me thinking that by the time you read these notes (November), fall will have arrived, and many of you could be experiencing pleasantly seasonal

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Class Notes winds and small craft warnings by sailing from the temperatures in your areas. mooring at his house down the coast to the West Jim Pauls provided a picture of him and Buddy Chop harbor, utilizing, as I recall, only a partially Greene at an annual golf tournament that Buddy reefed working jib. (Why would the brother rats co-sponsors with a hometown civic group. Jim has of ’66 stoop to use a perfectly good motor when been a “hole sponsor” for several years and usuchallenging Mother Nature?) As we were comally plays in Buddy’s foursome. They won their ing about into the wind to the mooring with a “flight” this year, even though they were playing rocky windward shore only feet away, the landwith two Hokies! Good job, Jim and Buddy! lubber Hines twins failed miserably, and the Also, in May, Jim Smith reported that there was commodore and yacht were soon grounded on a mini reunion/social get-together in beautiful some exceedingly craggy granite.”

Short Pump, Virginia. Jim and Sandra Smith were I searched this morning (in ’23) and found joined by Doma Browder (Jamie), Sandy Smith this picture of us sailing to Nantucket that very (Guthrie), Dick Goodall and Joyce Kennedy, John week in 1966! (Me at the helm, Edwin checking McEwen and Delores Lee, Herb and Nancy Chitthe wind, and Randy telling us what to do!) Ah, tum, and Joe and Kathy Dictor. Jim provided a to be immortal and young again!” Rich, what a nice photograph of the group, but unfortunately, it Class of 1966: Chris Cocoris ’23, recipient of the Conner History Scholarship great sea story! Thanks, and thanks to Randy, of was not clear enough for publication.

Award; Jane Conner; and Maj. Gen. Cecourse, for supplying all of the necessities.

Jane Conner informed me that, prior to Al’s dric T. Wins ’85, superintendent.

I also received a photo of BR Joe Gesker, passing, they set up a scholarship for a history hard at work (as a volunteer), scrubstudent. Every year, cadets write a paper, bing a section of the wall at the Vietnam which is judged by the head of the history Memorial last July. He is appropriately department. Earlier this year, Jane went attired in his official 1st Cavalry Divito VMI to meet the 2023 recipient, and sion “Vietnam wallwashing” uniform. she provided a photograph. Thank you, Thanks, Joe; please know that your efJane. What a meaningful way for you and forts are greatly appreciated by all of us!

Al to recognize a cadet’s achievement(s).

Rick Kiernan continues his work with Randy Urmston plays a part in two the Desert Storm Committee. (Rick was separate events years apart; in the most the spokesman for Gen. Schwarzkopf recent, he and Eliza were on the Orkney during Desert Storm). The Desert Storm Islands in northern Scotland on MemoMemorial will be located adjacent to the rial Day, visiting the Churchill Wall that Vietnam Memorial sometime next year. added security to Scapa Flow. Later, they During the last Fourth of July weekvisited Hoy Island, which features a muend, Woody and Lori Sadler led a team seum for both World War I and World Class of 1966: Rich Hines, Edwin Hines, and Randy Urmston of 20 Rotarians to Jamaica to distribWar II. Randy noted it was “an interestsail Urmston’s boat off the coast of Nantucket in fall 1966. ute 264(!) wheelchairs at locations in ing combination with the neolithic sites Montego Bay and Negril, Jamaica. The in the Orkneys.” After returning from wheelchairs were distributed at four centheir trip, they “attended a wedding of tral locations and some rural areas for two Marines on Bainbridge Island with those unable to travel to the central locaa Marine officer presiding. Of course, I tions. Woody noted that half of the recipflaunted my VMI credentials and all of ients were carried to the distribution lomy Marine friends. The Marines were cations by a caregiver. Diabetes in adults well represented.” and birth defects in children from lack of This next event occurred shortly after prenatal care were the major causes of our graduation and was relayed by Rich the need for a wheelchair. (The expresHines: “Randy was kind enough to invite sion on the face of the woman in the acEdwin and me to the Urmston manse in companying picture says it all.)

West Chop, Labor Day weekend 1966. We Thank you, Woody, Lori, and Rotary sailed—no stinkpot this—in the Urmston International for all you do to assist the craft (’34, as I remember) from Martha’s less fortunate in our world.

Vineyard to Nantucket and to various ports That wraps up these notes/photos for of call on the vineyard. All kindergarten this edition of the Alumni Review. for Commodore Urmston. So, on our last Class of 1966: Joe Gesker scrubs the Vietnam Veterans MeA reminder for all: Notes and photomorial July 16, 2023. morning on the vineyard, Randy decided graphs for the next edition will be due to we should test our skills against hurricane

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes

1967

Lonnie Jan Abernathy

Class of 1966: Woody Sadler in Jamaica with the recipient of a wheelchair provided by Rotary International.

Class of 1966: Buddy Green and Jim Pauls at the annual golf tournament sponsored by Green’s civic group. me by Feb. 10, 2024. I would appreciate receiving any photos prior to that date so that they can be reviewed technically for magazine printing suitability.

My thanks to our contributors for this edition; y’all need to be helping by providing copious notes from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and new years to “flesh out” the next set of notes.

Good health and good attitude wishes for all of the brother rats of ’66!

Nick

2023-Issue 4

This compilation of notes starts in July for August submission to appear in November. Timely submissions to me are helpful even when they do not appear in print for months. Thank you. I trust that your summer escapades have been sent in by the day you receive this issue so I can have them in for the February issue. Sometimes information arrives in time, and sometimes it does not. We are also limited to five pages, and fortunately for our class, we usually have more and have to cut out extra lines. We usually have seven to nine photos submitted, so there is always a good choice.

Some make the cut, and the others I send out by email.

As a reminder, Charlie Moir is battling cancer and hopes to visit his grandson at VMI in the fall.

Recent surgery prevents him from going to his matriculation. Rat Charles Fitz-Allen Griffiths 2024+3 will be on the swim team. Reuben Terry sent me a memory of many nights with Charlie. “Charlie was absolutely the best three-card poker player in barracks. We had regular poker games in our last two years. Hunter Taylor, Harley Duane, Charlie, and I were regulars. Others came and went, such as Billy Brent, Tom Merritt, etc. One night, Captain West busted us on his OCMNI check. The game broke up, but not before Captain West agreed to sit in on a hand, and a picture was made. This shot was Hunter Taylor’s informal Bomb picture in our annual.

Another time, Captain Trandahl was banging on my door. He couldn’t see into the room with his flashlight because we had a blanket covering the inside poker game. A lot of scrambling occurred inside the room. Charlie was and is a super guy.

I want to meet his grandson and because I live in Roanoke, I get to VMI a lot. I am committing to Charlie that I am going to meet his grandson and be there for him. Reuben.”

George Elmore: “Thank you for my birthday card and email. The card reminded me of the days I spent in ranks and the timelessness of VMI. In a way, I miss those days and being with our brother rats. I never thought that I would feel that way, but I do. Thanks for everything that you have done for us. Your Brother Rat George.”

Chuck Krebs: “We got a little concert from the

Glee Club. They performed at the yacht club at the dam on Lake Maury, a little west of Columbia, South Carolina. This is where I bought my first real sailboat, Amalfi, a 25-foot O’Day. Was a very nice evening. Great having the women with the team. Best wishes from Indian Land, South Carolina.”

Jamie Tate: “Dear Jan, I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the end of last May with Kathy. I decided to look into buying a kilt and the accouterments. Measurements were taken, and I tentatively considered the Edinburgh tartan because the Tait (Scottish spelling) family is from the Borders and would wear a district tartan. However, I would like to consider the VMI New Market tartan. The staff at the shop in Edinburgh didn’t have any listing for this tartan, and I wanted to

Class of 1967: Jim Joyner receives a sword from his brother rats at his 50th Reunion.

Class of 1967: John Gupton (left) and Ron Lowry in Richmond, Virginia.

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Class Notes manufacturing, and I really enjoyed solving techsee if you have any source for this tartan or if you discharge a month early so I could start back to can give me the registry number for our tartan pass school in September. I started at what was then nical problems. In 2005, HP offered a big carrot to that I could send along to the shop staff. Best Re- VPI and transferred to that university in Blacks- a number of older engineers to take early retireburg. I spent three years there and earned a Bach- ment. I met my wife, Terri, while I was with Philip gards, Jim.” elor of Science degree in chemical engineering. Morris. The manager I worked with decided his Jay Topping: “Jim Joyner was one of my roommates during my rat year, along with Eddie Jones, After a little time with Dupont in Waynesboro, group needed to speak some Spanish, so he hired a teacher, Terri, from the local community then Jesse Perdue leaving at Christmas. college to come to our site and attempt to Feeling sort of lost. Doing well for a geeteach us Spanish three days a week. I still zer. Finally, I fully retired three years ago speak very little Spanish, but she sure is but still dabble for friends. Currently rehelpful when we travel to Spanish-speakcovering from a second knee replaceing countries. We have one daughter livment/revision. My first knee got infecting in Houston with one granddaughter. ed a year-and-a-half after the operation.

We have another daughter living in WestOtherwise, health is good. Got our big chester County, New York, and they have sailboat in the water and took it down to our grandson and another granddaughKey Largo and back in winter 2021–22. ter. I will say they learned more Spanish Still living in Flint—healthy water! Son from their mom than I ever did. Well, that in Naples, Italy, with the Navy. He and was a long way to explain my education his then-wife got pregnant and then disince leaving VMI. A couple of years vorced, so I have grandson but no daughago, I read about my dyke passing. I was ter-in-law. My daughter got married Class of 1967: Gathering for the class’ annual golf outing at really sorry that I had not made the eflast August and bought a house in D.C., the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, fort to visit with him before his passmoved from NYC. So, all and all, a little North Carolina, in June are (from left) Joe Stafford, Jim Phlebusy, but enjoying life, except for the ocgar, Carter Melton, Tubby Wilkinson, Tom Gillette, Jack Vest, ing. You might remember one of his casional bad news. Jay” Ruben Terry, Dave Neel, George Sanborn, Jim Cain, and Ker- roommates, Floyd Duncan [’64]. He and I have remained in touch over the mit Quick. Not pictured is Ted Mervosh.

Joe Stafford sent a note regarding years. OK, I have rambled on way too roommates: “I recommend you contact long. Yes, we do live in Salisbury, and Tom Gillette. He told us at the VMI golf Davidson University is actually in the outing in June that he did graduate from town of Davidson. I have friends who VMI. It was quite a story. After leaving, graduated from High Point University he joined the service and had a tour in and know that it is a very fine instituVietnam. Upon discharge, he was able to tion. Cheers, John.” convince General Shell [’931] to let him J.I. Orrison: “Ann Plentl visited with return. I believe he got his degree in civBrenda and J.I. Orrison in July at their il engineering. I sincerely appreciate your Lake Lanier home. There was an afefforts.” ternoon cookout and visit attended by John Carnes: “Where to start? Leaving Marci and Mike Bagnulo and Joan VMI in June 1964 was one of the hardand Jan Abernathy. Ann informed est things I had to do as a youngster. I the group that Will Plentl is going to worked in construction that summer and be honored for his contributions to the decided to join the service in September.

North Carolina aviation industry this I grew up as a military brat and realized fall when a reproduction of the first I did not want to join the Army. I joined Wright Brothers flier to carry a pasthe Navy thinking I would be able to get Class of 1967: Attending the funeral for Dave Bristow in Mid- senger is completed. The aircraft will into the nuclear sub program. As you can dlesex, Virginia, are (from left) Bob Klink, Kip Jones, John be dedicated to Will and become part imagine, regardless of what your recruitLee, Jamie Tate, and Tubby Wilkinson. of the air museum. The event will take er promises you, you go where the serplace in Raleigh. Ann will give us device wants you to go. Most of my time I ended up in a tech service position with Philip tails as they become available. It will be an opin the Navy was stationed aboard an LSD, so we hauled Marines and their equipment up and down Morris in Richmond. In my assignments, I trav- portunity for ’67 to gather and honor our broththe coast of South Vietnam for over three years. eled a lot in the Caribbean and Central America. er rat.”

Monica Chun has sold the home that she and What I did learn was that I needed an education, One of my best friends was a VMI grad from the Class of 1971, and he convinced me that I should Ken shared, and she is now in Redmond, Washso I took classes by correspondence back then and advanced to E-5 in less than two-and-a-half take a look at his company, Hewlett Packard. ington. If anyone needs her new address, please years. Fortunately, I was able to get an honorable So that is where I spent my career in their inkjet let us know. With all of the time Ken spent diving

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes in Hawaii, he would certainly be sad with the wildfires in Lahaina.

When we sent out the roommate charts Terry Moore put together that he created for the 50th, Tom Brown responded with some information to assist with the completion of the chart. He became a corporate healthcare lawyer with McGuire Woods, LLP. He roomed with Allen Jarvis, George Rodak, and Bob Randolph. In his reply, he noted how much he continues to enjoy keeping up with the class and, because of a connection with Skip Roberts ’68, continues his donations.

Bob Ward: “Hi, Jan, I think this may be the first time I have submitted information for the AR. Becky and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the week of July 27–Aug. 3. We were joined by our family at a house we rented in the Broadmoor area. Lori and her husband and two grandsons traveled from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and our daughter, Bethany, and her husband and two granddaughters joined us from Manhattan, Kansas, where we now reside. All four grandchildren will be in college this fall. Both daughters were born at the U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital while I was assigned to the legal office at the academy from 1971–75. We did all of the touristy things like going to the top of Pikes Peak, touring the Garden of the Gods, visiting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, and driving around the USAFA. We even found our former quarters and showed the family where our daughters were born. Everything had changed so much we had trouble recognizing where we were. I think Colorado Springs has tripled in size since we lived there. We had a great family vacation and a memorable 55th anniversary. Bob Ward.”

Terry Moore: “Beth and I have basically stayed at home. However, we did take a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Of course, I wore my VMI ball cap the whole time. And, yes, received a number of The Citadel-oriented comments, but none presented negatively.

We enjoyed the great restaurants to the fullest.

The trip was billed as a genealogical ‘ancestry search.’ Consequently, we visited about a dozen of the older churches and associated cemeteries. There’s all sorts of history in Charleston, and it was an enjoyable place to spend a week.

Glad we’re using digital photos now. Beth and I coupled the Charleston trip with a visit to Atlanta for our third grandchild’s high school graduation. He (Terry V) will be joining his sister,

2023-Issue 4

Kate, a senior at Georgia Tech. We now have three in college (the third one, Eddie, is at High Point University). His sister, Nikki, may join him at HPU in fall 2024—we’ll see. They are all growing up so quickly. Interesting note—as I am a Kappa Alpha Order member from VMI, I now have son Terry IV, Terry V, and Eddie all in KA. Nice legacy—three generations. One last bragging point: Kate has not started her senior year just yet, but she already has an employment offer in hand from PricewaterhouseCoopers, a large consulting firm. I guess the job market is a bit more aggressive these days. That’s all from LA (lower Alabama for the uneducated).”

Neil Schlussel: “This has been a busy summer. My son moved from Dayton, Ohio, to Montgomery, Alabama, in June to be the commander of the Barnes Center for Enlisted Education at Gunter Air Force Base. I visited him for the change of command (a very impressive ceremony) and then helped unpack some of his boxes and take his twins sightseeing to get them out of the house full of boxes. After that, I spent 10 days with my family in Nags Head. In August, I spent four days at the Jersey shore (Margate), visiting friends and spending more time at a beach. While at the Jersey shore, I was able to fly some of my kites since this year’s weather at Nags Head was not conducive to kite flying. In late August and early September, I visited Nova Scotia. Spent several days in Halifax and more days exploring the Cabot Trail, which goes around Cape Breton. Since I am writing this before I have gone, I am told it is a great place to visit. I will probably start traveling to overseas locations next year since I have not traveled outside the United States since COVID-19 started.

I had major back surgery in January for spinal stenosis (with four months of recovery with no biking). Since recovery, I worked my way back to my normal biking routine (20-plus miles at a time). Neil.”

Joe Stafford: “Joyce and I had a wonderful two-week trip to Croatia in the latter part of May and first part of June. There were only four couples from the U.S. Most were from Australia, along with two couples from Korea and three Canadians. Picture is Joyce and I sitting on the city wall in Dubrovnik where Joyce and I got the opportunity to swim in the Adriatic Sea.” Burt Burckard: “My parents didn’t buy a TV set until after they sent me off to Frederick Military Academy in 1961. No TVs there! Then it was VMI. There was only one TV set for cadets.

I think it was in the basement of the engineering

building. And you had to be a firstie with privileges to watch it. I think I saw it once. Most of the time, I was on restriction for various infractions.

I was a cadet waiter for three years, so my natural grubbiness got me a lot of penalty tours. After VMI, it was Germany for two years. I think they had a TV set in the officer’s club that showed the one AFNTV channel. But I lived with a German family, so I saw only the West German channels.

Three, I think. No Ed Sullivan. Then ’Nam. You recall, we didn’t even have civilian radios in the bush for obvious reasons. Once, I asked my two RTOs if we could get AFVN on the PRC-25s.

They still laugh at that at our reunions. I led a sheltered life. But I enjoyed seeing what the heck the rest of my contemporaries were doing on Saturday nights! 1st Class Private Bert.”

Fred Smith: “We spent the first part of the summer, mid-June through mid-July, traveling with an RV tour group up one side of Michigan and across the upper peninsula area and down the other side.

In Detroit, we took a tour of the Ford F-150 truck factory, which was very interesting, and visited another smaller area of Michigan, Holland, where they have their own windmill and manufacture wooden shoes. I tried on a pair just to see how they fit. We also got to tour the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and I got to sit in the presidential chair at his conference table. On the upper peninsula, we toured Tahquamenon Falls, which is a beautiful area, as well as going through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie. We also had a fast and daring ride through the sand dunes, sliding all over the place, but we survived. We got over to Mackinac Island, where we toured most of the island in a horse-drawn carriage, ending up with a delicious meal at the royal hotel. It’s Aug. 10, and we just ended a week at Duck, North Carolina, with our children, where I got to sit out on the beach under the umbrella and just nap as I read—or pretended to. It has been a really enjoyable summer. Hope you have had a wonderful summer also. Fred and Judy.”

Since the last Alumni Review, we have lost two BRs: Dave Bristow unexpectedly passed June 29, and Jim Joyner passed July 4. The Bristow family held a service in Middlesex, Virginia, that was attended by John Lee, Kip Jones, Bob Klink, Jamie Tate, and Tubby Wilkinson. As was fitting for Jim’s military service, a graveside memorial was held, and then a service with military-style honors was held for Jim in Lexington, Virginia, at the Presbyterian Church.

Chuck Malley sent a great summary of the day: “It was a remarkable day which began at the

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Class Notes

1968

Tom Hickey

Class of 1967: Pictured on a visit to Fort Riley, Kansas, for former and current officers of the 1st Infantry Division are (from left) Larry Adams, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John Meyer ’93, and Roger Gross (Adams’ friend). cemetery with about 100 people in attendance, to include an Army honor guard providing the traditional respects with a firing squad and taps followed by the presentation of a U.S. flag to the family. A minister from Jim’s church offered appropriate prayers. In his remarks, he said the attendance was the largest assembly he had seen, which reflects how special Jim was. Jim’s son, Jamie, gave a very emotional remembrance of his life with Jim. Myself, Chuck Krebs, John Lee, George Elmore, Bill Creswick and his wife, and Henry Dickerson attended, along with many others from ’67.” As of this writing, a number of names are still being submitted. I will not have all of the details until after my notes for the Alumni Review are turned in, so I will share more information by email. Several said that they thought about 23 BRs attended. Photos of BRs at the reception tables were sent in by Mike Bagnulo, and a copy of the service program received from Chuck Malley will be shared by email to all, as will other photos that might come in.

Joan and Jan Abernathy celebrated their 55th anniversary this past June 29, as did Terry and Beth Moore, also June 29, but in a different city.

William and Jo Fleshood celebrated 30 years together with a great dinner at Canoe restaurant.

We are fortunate to be here to continue to add to the years of celebration. We know many of you have also celebrated many years together, and we have often thought of creating a list of marriages from those early days.

In the bonds.

Stay Safe and Healthy, Jan

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First, an update on our 40 “missing” brother rats that I mentioned at our 55th Reunion in April. Afterward, Marta St. John-Anders went to work using Internet sleuthing skills. As a result of Marta’s excellent efforts, the count of “missing” brother rats now stands at 28, with all but five with us for less than one year. Here’s how we got there. Marta found definitive information on 12 brother rats on that list. Unfortunately, eight have died since their time at VMI. Bob Duckwall was the only graduate on that list. His sister told us that he died in the late 1980s after a lengthy illness. Those who did not graduate and the year they died are Robert Carville in 1978, Harvey Wendorf in 1996, Bobby Thompson in 2006, Norman Purdy in 2010, Sheldon Williams in 2011, Jack Cranford in 2013, and William Fallin in 2022. On a happier note, Marta also discovered and verified addresses for four others: Richard Knox (Herndon, Virginia), Bill Colmer, Frank West, and Steve Counts, and we’ve got updates from Frank, Bill, and Steve.

What follows are the inputs of our brother rats edited to fit within the available pages.

Frank West (Moneta, Virginia) wrote in midMay: “You found me! Evidently, I’ve been in the witness protection program, but no one told me. I finished my rat year at VMI and then transferred to the University of Richmond, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. Right after graduation, I married Kaky (Katherine), whom I was dating while at VMI. Whenever she came to visit, she watched me walk penalty tours. I still owe the Institute some tours! We live on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. We have three children and five grandchildren. For 40 years, I owned and operated a window company in Bedford, Virginia.

I had four roommates at VMI: Howard Donald, Bob Farrenkopf, Johnny Johnson (deceased), and John Sutton. My brother-in-law, Bill Gearhart ’70, was in the Class of 1970. He liked it so much he was there for five years. Thank you for reaching out to me; I really appreciate it. I have many fond memories of VMI and am proud to be a member of the Class of 1968.”

Bill Colmer (Mount Hood/Parkdale, Oregon), who was with us for one year, sent in his first

update for the notes: “My wife, Linda, and I live in the woods up in the Cascade Mountains in a small house that we built and where we have lived for the past 40-plus years.”

Steve Counts (Lewes, Delaware): “I relished VMI and the martial lifestyle. Alas, too much. I lost my focus on the academics, and my grades accurately reflected that. Though it pained me a great deal, I decided very late in my rat year that I was

Class of 1968: Attending the Fredericksburg – Quantico Chapter rat send-off Aug. 6, 2023, are (from left) Jim Polley, Billy Seargeant, and Brandon Bissell ’98.

Class of 1968: Jesse Smith (left), curator, accompanies Sally Lester, widow of Johnny Lester, on a tour of the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, July 20, 2023.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes Tom Coffey (Wytheville, Virginia): “Only memdoing an injustice to my parents, who were financ- in relatively good health, and thank God for that.”

John Hart (Staunton, Virginia): “Dean Kershaw orable action in our family this year has been with ing my education. I made the decision to transfer to the University of Maryland and major in micro- invited me to visit his Thursday class the week of the younger generation. Daughter Kelly has been biology/virology. I did very well academically, but our 55th. I sat in and saw some impressive two-ca- selected to be one of the graders for the high school I just could not ignore the siren song of the mili- det presentations in his construction management AP chemistry exam, which means an all-expenses tary. During the second semester of my sophomore class. Dean even gave me 60 seconds to pass on paid trip to Salt Lake City. Would be nice if that were the Bahamas, but she’s not complaining! year, I enrolled in the Navy’s Aviation Reserve some words of wisdom to the cadets. As for the Ethan has been promoted to the ranks of senior Officer Candidate Program, became a Navy Re- reunion, it was great, and my wife and I really enserve enlisted E-4, and attended AVROC training joyed it. I just wish we had the time to have a con- R&D staff at the Oak Ridge National Lab. Howversation with each BR. Our son, Matthew Hart ever, there are other indicators that might call his in Pensacola, Florida, for the next two summers (see the film, An Officer and a Gentleman). De- ’99, who had worked for Wells Fargo Bank, took intelligence and/or sanity into question. For examspite very generous offers from the government to a position in 2021 as a middle school teacher at ple, he has qualified to compete in the Badwater a church-sponsored school in Kernersville, North Ultramarathon, which is a 135-mile grind through finance my advanced degrees and a draft exemption in return for working on biological warfare Carolina. He taught three semesters when he was Death Valley early in July. (Cue Death Valley Days research, I opted to go on active duty as a Navy terminated ‘because his exam prep notes did not with Ronald Reagan and 20 Mule Team Borax!)”

John Augustine (St. Petersburg, Florida): “It was exactly point to each question and that he made flight student upon graduation. My honest intenvery enjoyable seeing all our BRs at tion was to serve my required four the 55th. The bonds are still intact, years on active duty and then return the memories remain vivid, and the to the laboratory. But after flying jets cadets continue to be impressive. off of aircraft carriers, visiting exotRosemary and I are still in ‘caretakic (and some not-so-exotic) couner mode’ rather than ‘travel and intertries halfway around the world, and esting vacation mode.’ As a military getting married, I was hooked! Later, brat, having time in the Army myself after 28 years, two children, 14 years in Europe and traveling there during haze-gray and underway at sea on civilian work, we can say, ‘Been 13 aircraft carriers, a divorce, a new there, done that,’ to a large degree. wife, and probably the most fun you Hope everyone stays healthy, active, can have while standing erect, I reand avoids those nursing homes as tired. But flying was now almost an long as possible!” addiction, so I signed on with FedEx. Steve Powers (Malvern, PennsylAfter 15 years of ’round-the-world vania): “Our family is doing well fun in multiple aircraft, my age dicwith four daughters and nine grandtated that I retire. Fortunately, the children all over the U.S.A. Some company needed flight simulator inClass of 1968: Attending the VMI Football Reunion Aug. 4, 2023, are grandchildren are now working structors, and I stayed on for another (from left) Bill Carter; Danny Rocco, head coach; Charlie Bishop; and fulltime, and others are still in high five years as a contract instructor. FiBob Schmalzriedt. school or college. I had to depart earnally, after 48 years of flying, I was lier than expected from our 55th Regrounded. I relish the past but live in union. My wife is having a few health issues. We the present. I thoroughly enjoyed my year at VMI; the students take notes.’ In other words, he was challenging them academically, but obviously, that are not complaining, as most of us do an ‘organ I’m damned proud to have been accepted to the Institute and to have been a member of ’68, if only was not the mission of the school. Everything is all recital’ with our friends when we meet. So many right, as he was hired back in his old office at Wells doctors’ appointments and medication at our age. for a year. But I did not stay the course nor run the Fargo, and they said he would be the easiest new Our home is right on our HOA pond. I can fish whole gauntlet. For reasons good or bad, I left the trainee ever. They were glad to have him back. Our for bass from my deck. We have been very good ranks, but I cherish my VMI memories.”

John Hince (Bryan, Texas): “We really did hate daughter, Christina, gave birth to our granddaugh- friends with people from Ukraine for the last 20 years. Now, we are all helping the refugees in to miss the reunion. Right now, we are in Colum- ter on Monday night of our reunion during the time of the banquet. Exciting banquet, as we kept any way we can. I was blessed to help a 7-yearbus, Mississippi. Our youngest, Peter, just got his first command. Lieutenant Colonel Peter Hince is getting updates from our daughter-in-law. I have old Ukrainian girl fish in our pond just a few days now commander of the 37th Squadron at Colum- been invited to teach for another year at the waste- ago. She loved it. They are so very grateful for any bus Air Force Base. This is a primary flight train- water operators’ course at Virginia Tech this Au- and all the help the U.S.A. is giving them. As you gust. This will be my 29th year teaching WW, and know, our brother rat, Augie, keeps us well-ining squadron. We are also planning (early stages) to bring one to three grandsons to visit VMI I had 10 years in the water operators course prior. formed on many topics. It is good when many of us share our stories while we still can.” at some point. Also got word that a get-together I am excited, as we will be back in Blacksburg inBob Mills (Miramar Beach, Florida): “Rita and stead of on Zoom as we were for three years. As is being planned in the Dallas area by some BRs. I are enjoying retirement. This is tourist season, so for COVID-19, both my wife and I missed that.”

Certainly hope to make that. Gerry and I remain

2023-Issue 4

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Class Notes this place is very crowded. We are going to Maggie Valley for the month of August.”

Steve Miller (Durham, North Carolina): “Suzie and I spend as much time as we can taking care of our 2-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Arthur, who is, of course, a genius. Neither of us is acting anymore. I am doing a little writing, just noodling around. Got involved in producing a documentary feature on our local minor league team, which was mired in bureaucratic delays, and ultimately, the shoot has been rescheduled for next summer, which will give us time to get additional ducks in a row, maybe raise a little money, or get some presales. Ironically, we have missed the bad smoke that usually plagues B.C. this time of year. For some reason, it’s become much worse back east.

Pulling for the Blue Jays and staying out of trouble.”

Joe Petitta (Safety Harbor, Florida): “Really hated to miss the reunion, but our house was undergoing a major remodeling with workers in and out daily. That was followed by my wife’s business trip to Cannes, France, that we extended to Madrid, Spain, so she could catch a real bullfight!

Considering the fact that she watched six matadors ‘bloody’ six bulls in one evening, I believe her interest in the sport has waned! Hoping to make it to the 60th. Missed the opportunity to mix it up with old friends tremendously.”

Lee Chapla (widow of John): “I just returned from three weeks in California visiting with daughter Maren and family and attending school promotions—grandson Jack (you may remember when he and his mom went with me to the 50th Reunion) was promoted from eighth grade to high school and youngest grand Lauren was promoted to middle school from fifth grade. A big change for me came when I adopted a 1-year-old golden retriever last week. I had not had a dog since John and I lost our last golden in 2012, so it will be quite an adjustment, but fortunately, he’s exceptionally calm and mellow, and I have not yet changed his name (Lucky). I’m still volunteering at the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir as a gallery and tour docent. I’ll give you a tour if you’re interested and feel like driving to Virginia! Miguel Monteverde ’66 is also a volunteer at NMUSA.” George McLaurine (Northpoint, Alabama): “After finding out in August 1967 that the Institute was not allowing me to return for my 1st Class year, I just dropped off of life’s radar for a while.

There have only been two contacts from brother rats in all that time. It seems I just disappeared off the Institute’s and the Class of ’68’s radar, also.

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I have never regretted coming to VMI. It was a humbling, demeaning, uplifting, motivating, challenging, and inspiring time, and I am sorry that it came to an end the way that it did. I headed down some rocky paths for a few years, just me and my guitar all over the U.S., but eventually went back to school and finished at Auburn. Through the years, I have consistently been a computer geek and am retiring this month after more than 30 years with a manufacturing group in Tuscaloosa.

God has truly blessed me with a wonderful, wonderful wife, Julie; five kids; and 10 grandkids (and more to come)—eight of whom are here in town.

In 2016, God called me into the pastorate of a small church in West Alabama. I started seminary at 70. Two years later, a second church asked me to help them out, and I now pastor it, also. What

Class of 1968: Attending the Military Order of the World Wars National Convention in Annapolis, Maryland, Aug. 5, 2023, are David King (The Citadel ’71) and Jim Haney.

Class of 1968: Frank Pinizzotto and Gil Piddington attend the 2023 British Open, held at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, July 23, 2023.

a wonderful experience it is. I’ll finish seminary (God willing) this next May, but as of next month, I will be full-time in Reform, Alabama, for one of these two small churches and preaching at the other one, also. What a wonderful turn of events.

The VMI experience is not my most wonderful remembrance in life, but it has nothing to do with any of you. I never really fit in, but in retrospect, I feel that is on me. There are some great memories.

I never fell out from a run. I have taken my kids through the Institute twice. There is pride (the right kind) in my time there. I have not handled the disappointment from that summer 1967 well over the years. That has led to some bitterness. It is time to let go of that, so I apologize to you all.”

Jim Lambert (Columbia, Missouri): “Phyllis and I have had a busy year. We have six grandkids.

One is 17, four are 16 (yes, quadruplets), and one is five! They keep us busy with their sports, from baseball, basketball, volleyball, track, and football. The five teens are now driving, so our Uber days are almost over. We have traveled from Kansas City to Atlanta and other points in between to watch them play. As I said, keeping us busy. Beyond that, we celebrated my mother’s 100th birthday this year and hope to see 101 next year. Things are good here in Missouri.”

Clay Thompson (Salisbury, Maryland): “Not much going on in the Bury; just chillin’ with Donna and ZZ dog. Upcoming events (we hope). Having a get-together with Tom and Rosemary Hickey and Dave and Jean Clark at a rented house in Luray, Virginia, in late September. Also planning a get-together with the Clarks and John and Margaret Byrd for our annual trip to Williamsburg, Nov. 3–10, for our 52nd wedding anniversary. Hope some Williamsburg BRs can stop by for a visit.”

Ron Stultz (Williamsburg, Virginia): “Living in Williamsburg Ford’s Colony for five years now, and Priscilla and I like it here: Green, minimal traffic, and quiet. I continue to upgrade and repair everything, to include Priscilla’s 1997 Z3 convertible, which I bought new and rebuilt after a garage fire 10 years ago. All our children, offspring, adults are here with us for a week—reunion, or ‘meeting of the tribes,’ as I call it. Five grandchildren and three dogs! Circus comes to town, the first since 2021 and COVID-19. Priscilla continues to travel worldwide, and oldest daughter and Priscilla are headed to the Grand Canyon in the fall. Thoughts of trip around Virginia to include a VMI visit, but I have not been in Lexington since my mentor, Doctor Dean Foster, passed. Still in touch with his oldest daughter, and she visits here twice a year. She has the Foster vibes, and I love to talk with her.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes I am tasked with creating a Wikipedia posting on Doctor Foster and have a ton of information, but it is a winter activity and just not there yet. Wear a VMI hat or shirt a lot of the time and run into alumni all the time. Always acknowledgement that I am from the ‘Old Corps.’ Talking to son-inlaw about all the musical groups that played VMI while I was there.”

Billy Seargeant (Fredericksburg, Virginia): “I am still at Morson’s Row watching the grass grow, or it seems like this with the lack of progress. The GC anticipates final completion in early December 2023, about two years behind schedule.

I promised the state I would stay and see this one through. Then I plan to retire, Lord willing. Dianne is helping our daughter with disabled grandson and two beautiful granddaughters. My 10-year-old granddaughter, Elizabeth, was awarded a special one-week internship at NASA in Alabama in a few weeks, and we are very impressed with her efforts.

I give her VMI items so she does not forget. As soon as this project is completed, we plan on a visit to my brother in Pipe Creek, Texas.”

Mike Smythers (Chesapeake, Virginia) provided an update that reported on his recent medical issues. I don’t like including detailed medical information in the Alumni Review version of the notes because it can be as much as six months between the date when I receive the information and it is published. Suffice it to say that he is continuing his recovery from heart, eye, and dental issues, as well as an injury to a toe and a shoulder injury from a fall while hiking. Mike closed with, “Have you read Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon by Ghiglieri and Myers? All hikers definitely should.

Final note—thank God for the medical profession.”

Bill Carter (Raleigh, North Carolina): “I’ve been at the beach with my daughter and her family. She has a 9-year-old boy and a 3-yearold girl. I loved being with them but was worn out after two weeks. Maybe being 77 has something to do with it. We have the minor aches and pains but nothing major. Charlie Bishop and I are going to Lexington next weekend for a football player reunion. We’ll probably be 40 years older than most of the attendees but will have a good time. I haven’t played golf since my last back operation, but have the OK from my doctor to go ahead. I’ll start back soon. I was sorry to hear about Jack Cranford. Charlie Bishop, Lewis White, and I roomed with him our rat year.”

Andy Andrews (Ocean Springs, Mississippi): “Family is well.”

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Howard Chapman (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina): “Summer heat has been oppressive here in Mount Pleasant. I am continuing to work hard with my friends on the town council. We are now into resiliency in a big way. With hurricane season in full blast, it has been a buzzword. Can’t believe it has been 3.75 years since I was elected. I have decided to run for another four-year term in November. Wish me luck! Still working with the National Guard for hurricane preparations. The state legislature gave the South Carolina State Guard an opportunity to get paid for drill, and I took advantage of that, training directly with the National Guard last weekend. My unit, the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, has sent a number of soldiers to Djibouti in the Sudan area. Also, they are helping out on the border in Texas, so they are short on personnel. Not that I count for their active personnel, but I am on their command staff for DISCA events such as hurricanes. In the fun sector, I belong to several shag clubs. We have dance events several days a month. It is a lot of fun getting together with local friends and sharing great beach music while learning more about the state dance. Good exercise, too! Speaking about exercise, I am fortunate to be able to work out daily at the Mount Pleasant Senior Center, which is less than a mile from my house. Helps keep me young and able to respond as needed with the National Guard.”

Steve Hubbard (Maplecrest, New York): “I am doing OK, playing a little golf, and looking forward to ski season. My daughter, Josie, just received her Ph.D. in animal behavior. She is currently in Alaska studying the communications of whales. And will have a post-doctoral position at the primate center at UC Davis. Son Stephen’s family is doing well in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Granddaughter Rosie is entering senior year of high school and is very interested in marine biology. She attended a summer session in that field at a university in Miami and was very excited about that. Other granddaughter is a freshman in high school.”

George Sebren’s (Niceville, Florida) input covered a lot of medical ground. Between fall 2022 and August 2023, George had a shoulder replacement (September 2022) and hernia repair (June 2023), and his wife had back surgery (April 2023).

He added that after the shoulder surgery, “Thanks to an aggressive physical therapist, I was playing golf in two months, though not very accurately, with a restricted back swing. We were in Key West for our ‘winter’ months of December through March. We hosted a festive Christmas

party for some of our friends down there, including the owner of the building. She made her money with Walmart, then oil, and invested in the condo at Key West. Good idea! Her husband’s toys include three airplanes. He took me for a spin—no pun intended—up the island chain and back in his Cirrus Vision jet, which has a built-in parachute for an emergency. Nice jet, but not aerobatic, unfortunately. Fortunately, our condo had a very good gym, which I used frequently trying to build up the delts and help the golf swing. Played the course at Key West a couple of days a week and got back to my normal mediocre golf. Now we’re hanging out enduring the heat in Niceville—mid- to upper-90s every day since July. Makes us look forward to our next visit to Key West in December. I’m planning to make it up to Lexington for the Wofford game in September if no other crisis comes up. See you and other BRs there! Rah Virginia Mil!”

1969

Walter Judd

Greetings, brother rats and friends of the great VMI Class of 1969, who will celebrate our 55th Reunion in April 2024. Our BRs are an active group and like to get together. We gather and celebrate together at various times: Sometimes in happy times and sometimes in sad times. We also say goodbye to BR Ken Houston in these notes, written in August 2023.

“Kenneth Frank Houston, age 76, passed away peacefully Friday, June 23, 2023. Ken was born in Chicago, Illinois, Jan. 15, 1947, to Florence (Alchanowski) and Frank W. Houston, a career U.S. Army officer. He grew up as a typical Army brat, moving frequently to places including Japan, Germany, and from coast to coast in the U.S. Ken graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1969, where he was commissioned as an Army officer. Following graduation, he received an assignment as a land clearing company commander in Vietnam. The Army later assigned Ken to Auburn University to study international relations. His military service included 10 years on active duty and another seven years in the reserve, where he attained the rank of major. After leaving the military, Ken began a 25-year sales career in the packaging industry. He retired in 2004 after having risen through the ranks of two

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Class Notes Fortune 500 corporations. Although officially retired, Ken kept busy with several other ‘second’ careers in the following years. Ken enjoyed many things in life, and he never met a stranger. Ken loved to talk incessantly, especially after enjoying a few of his favorite adult beverages. He was somewhat technologically challenged but managed later in life to own an iPhone, which he never, ever understood how it worked. Ken died knowing that Gone with the Wind was the best movie ever made, General George Patton was the baddest man on the planet, and Mexican chili beans were the best food ever. Ken was married to the love of his life, Susan, for 34 years. Ken is survived by Susan and children Wendy (Chuck) Safrit, William Kenneth ‘Bill’ (Yalile) Houston, and Jeffrey (Lisa) King; brother, Rob (Deb) Houston; and grandchildren, R. Cook, Hayden, Vivien, Cheyenne, Sarah, Alex, and Raechel, as well several nephews, nieces, and cousins. He especially loved his grandchildren, often taking them on adventures during visits. The family wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to all the wonderful doctors and nurses at the Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Rowan Regional Medical Center for their kind and compassionate care during Ken’s final days. Arrangements for a graveside service and celebration of life are pending.”

After spreading the word to several BRs, I received this note from Joe Flanz: “Thank you, Walt, for informing me. Ken was my roommate in our 2nd and 1st Class years, along with Lee Galloway. Three more opposite personalities could hardly be imagined, but we successfully got along.

I will remember Ken in my gift to VMI this year and in the future.”

After waiting for over a year, a small group met to give proper goodbyes to Rudy Segaar at his interment at Arlington Cemetery May 22. Wife Judy and two sons, Glenn White, John and Nancy Scott, and Tom Hickman, were there to celebrate his life.

Later that same week, many of us in the Tidewater, Virginia, area met for a picnic at Gary Mackey’s house in Norfolk May 24. Gary Mackey, Drew Brantley, John “Chalk” Hardy, T.O. Palmer, Glenn White, Bob Alexander, Mike Santoro, T.B. Thompson, Bob Waldo, Bob Watts, John Ishon, Webb Hatch, John Sebrell, Bruce Gregory, Tom Catlett, B.A. Rennolds, Bob Heely, Bob Flowers, and Walt Judd, plus John Griffin ’68, Taz Taylor ’70, and Dick Hamlet ’70, met for lunch and much conversation. Gary and Peggy’s yard is shady and cooled by breezes off the nearby creek and comes equipped with comfy chairs and

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a welcoming dog. Glenn cooked dogs and burgers, and T.O. brought barbecue and fixings from Hatteras. All good!

May 26 was a sad day, as Cammy Bryan ended her stay on earth. Mike Santoro noted attendees from our class and friends of our classmates at the memorial service June 4. “At her service were Mike and Martha Santoro, Bunny and Carolyn Paulette, W.I.P. and Barbara Priest, V.J. and Margi Petrella (one of Charlie’s roommates), Bob and Ruth Waldo, John Cabot and Jane Ishon (and both their daughters), Glenn White, Bruce Gregory, Knox and Shirley Hubard, Courtenay Welton, John Sebrell, Bob and Lush Heely, Tom and Becky Hudson, Spunky and Linda Butler, Bar and Doris Delk (she worked at VHS for many years and knew Cammy through that connection), Val and Lorie Southall, Marty and Cathy Parks, Win Winfree, Pat King and his wife (Pat was also Charlie’s roommate), and Dick and Cheryl Camp. Also, Tricia Branch (Pat’s widow) and Jacque Wheatley Miller (Jim Hitchcock’s widow/former wife). I might note, too, that Meade King ’85 and Terrie Conrad were sitting behind us during the service. There were probably a lot more VMI-connected people there. I noted Waite Rawls ’70, Richard Clary ’70, Howard and Nell Cobb ’62, Paul Dickinson ’70, and Jack Mountcastle ’65. (This is by far not a complete list).” Thanks, Mike, for “taking attendance,” as I was in Denver with my grandsons.

From Charlie weeks later: “As most of you know by now, I lost my wife, Cammy, June 26, a few days shy of our 54th anniversary. We had assumed that having lived 19 years with Parkinson’s disease, I would be the first to go. Diagnosed last October with acute myeloid leukemia, Cammy fought the illness bravely until the very end. I know that many of you have lost wives to illness, and for the first time in my life, I understand just how much you have suffered as a result. Stunned disbelief seems to be my current state of mind, but I remember that with time, wounds heal, although they often leave scars. Something that has helped me get through this ordeal is the tsunami of cards, letters, emails, phone calls, words of encouragement, and support I have received from so many friends and family. Especially meaningful has been the support I have received from my BRs. When we were told to look out for each other by our cadre September 1965, I had no idea that that dictum would be applied a half-century into the future. Thank each and every one of you for lending me a helping hand when I needed it. If I can ever return the favor, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Dick Camp sent this newsy update in early July: “Cheryl and I spent two weeks in Italy in April of this year. In Rome, we visited the Vatican, the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. We also took a day trip to Naples on a fast train, followed by a tour of the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. Our next stop was a fast train to Florence with two day trips to Tuscany, visiting medieval villages with a whole lot of wine tasting.

Our final destination was Milan, also by fast train.

This included a day trip to the Town of Como, Lake Lugano, Switzerland, then back to Lake Como, which included a ferry ride to Bellagio and ending with a two-hour boat ride around the lake.

I first visited northern Italy with my family in the mid-fifties. I remember visiting Pisa, Lake Garda, and Venice. Cheryl first visited Italy and some other countries in Europe for a month during the mid1970s; before our present trip to Italy, I had thought I would try and look up Jerry Fresia, but with our tight schedule, I didn’t think I would have enough time, particularly since I didn’t have much to go on to begin with. We spent very little time in the towns of Como and Bellagio. After arriving by ferry in Bellagio, Cheryl and I ate a late lunch on the waterfront promenade. After lunch, Cheryl went to two specific stores in town that she had read about before the trip. The rest of the group also decided to make the rounds before the Lake Como boat tour departed. We were told that if we missed the boat, we would have to hitchhike back to Milan on our own. I decided to stay along the waterfront as there wasn’t a whole lot of time available. I sat on a low stone wall facing Lake Como, looking at the snow-capped mountains surrounding the Lake that seemed to go straight up into the sky.

As the sun got hotter, I decided to move to where there was some shade. I ended up facing the stores and restaurants away from the water. Because of this, though, I noticed a narrow column of signs in Italian pointing to different stores along the waterfront promenade. On the last sign at the bottom of the column were the words ‘Fresia, galleria d’ arte,’ with an arrow pointing toward the end of the promenade to the left. I stared at the sign, thinking, ‘What are the odds?’ Quickly calculating how much time I would have to be able to look for the gallery, I got up and started doing a slow jog in the direction of the arrow about 50 to 100 yards toward the left end of the promenade. I knew I could not stay long even if I found it at all. At the end of the promenade, I saw another sign for his gallery pointing up the hill. By then, I had started breathing hard but decided to keep going. Fortunately, I found the gallery a short distance up the

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes hill on the right just before I thought I would need to be resuscitated. Jerry’s storefront looked like an upscale art gallery. I went in and introduced myself to an attractive lady there named Conchitina, who I learned is Jerry’s wife, who helps him run the gallery as director. Since Jerry wasn’t there, I explained that I would probably have only enough time to leave a written note as I had to return to the waterfront area. She said she would have Jerry stop by there as he was already on his way to the gallery. She called him, gave me the phone and I talked with him briefly. She took my picture; I thanked her and left. Fortunately, Jerry showed up in time at the waterfront. By then, Cheryl had also returned, so our tour guide took our picture. We barely had enough time to say hello and goodbye, but weighing the odds of finding Jerry on his way to his gallery was pure luck. Our crossing paths at the waterfront could be considered the first Ad Hoc Downtown Bellagio Organizational Meeting of the VMI Class of 1969, Lake Como Chapter.

According to the available information about Jerry, he is an internationally acclaimed American Impressionist Society master. His work represents the best of contemporary Impressionist painters and is considered by some the best contemporary painter of Lake Como and the Lombard Prealps.

He has sold over 1,500 paintings worldwide and has provided master class-type workshops in Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy, and in St. Petersburg, Florida. Also, he is a writer on the subject of art.

As mentioned previously, Jerry and his wife, Conchitina, run their art gallery in Bellagio. He seems to have run the gamut of academia with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering; a Ph.D. in political science, both teacher and author; and American Impressionist Society master, pleinair painter, both teacher and writer in that field as well. Jerry Fresia’s website is fresia.com. (Some sections appear to be still under construction, but when you are scrolling down the website, there are several of his videos.)”

Bob Tanner: “Finally retired after 46 years practicing law, I found time to do what I have enjoyed doing ever since cadet days: Write about Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862. Seems like I can’t get enough of this. Anyway, University of Tennessee Press is coming out this fall with my latest effort: Critical Decisions of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862. It was a fun book to write. ... Susan and I are looking forward to the 55th Reunion.”

Mike Santoro sent me this news. “Hopefully printed nearby is the picture of Bruce Gregory and Randy Vass (center) at the War Memorial. The

2023-Issue 4

Class of 1969: V.J. and Margi Petrella flank their daughter, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Sarah Graham, at her promotion ceremony.

Class of 1969: Pictured at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia, June 9, 2023, are (from left) Bruce Gregory, Randy Vass, and John Bannister (friend of Gregory and Vass). person on the right is Doctor John Bannister, their common friend and an Air Force veteran. Randy is a Marine Vietnam veteran. My understanding is that he had a stroke a few years ago. Bruce wanted to show him the Vietnam exhibit at the War Memorial. I asked Clay Mountcastle ’94 to meet them and present the Vietnam veteran pin to Randy. You can see he is wearing that in the picture.”

From John Pearson in Texas: “Great to hear from you after all these years. I read your articles in the Alumni Review each quarter and enjoy hearing what our BRs are doing. I had a lot of friends in the other classes, and it is good to hear

that they are still active. Don Mercer and I went to high school and VMI together. I got to talk to him and learn more about his world tour. He is quite a photographer. I met my wife on graduation weekend, and I was smart to marry her on my birthday one year later, so not only was it my birthday but our 53rd anniversary. We have two very successful sons and three grandchildren who live nearby in Texas. Life here in Texas has been wonderful. I retired in 2017. I’ve belonged to a golf group for 20 years, but that did not keep me busy. I had an idea for a book since I was 12 when my grandmother gave me some Civil War letters from her father. Since you can self-publish, one book turned into three. They haven’t sold, but it was good to accomplish the idea. In the second issue of 2022, the VMI Alumni Review was kind enough to write an article on my fourth book, After Golf. I have really enjoyed retirement. Again, really good to hear from you.”

From V.J. Petrella, “My (U.S. Coast Guard) daughter was promoted to commander today. Her husband, Cliff, and her mom, Margi, pinned on her new shoulder boards.” Toro’s comment, “I think it is cool that V.J. and Charlie (Bryan) were roommates, and their daughters both went to a U.S. service academy.”

Scott Rhodes hit the road from Hickory, North Carolina, and traveled to Great Falls, Montana, this summer to be closer to his son and his family.

Scott and Amy bought a house there and will settle into the great American West. In the mid-July check, he mentioned a bunch of boxes still waiting to be unloaded. Made me think of my active duty days and the move every few years.

On July 21, Spunky Butler, Mike Santoro, and I took Charlie Bryan for lunch at a restaurant near Charlie’s home in West End Richmond. The conversation was terrific, with Charlie supplying a group of good questions and recollections. Who knew five BRs would be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, or so many BRs would be fascinated by the Civil War and its effect on us today in our mid-70s, or that we can gather anytime, any place, and laugh out loud at antics from yesteryear? The time skittered by, and all enjoyed the food and the fellowship. Later that same evening, my wife and I picked up Tricia Branch and met Mike and Martha Santoro for an early supper. Tricia is busy planning for her daughter’s wedding this fall. She stays busy but still misses her partner, Pat. One last note about Charlie Bryan and his impact on life in Virginia: Before Cammy’s memorial service and his move to a new apartment (with lots of help by John Sebrell and Mike and

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Class Notes Martha Santoro) in Richmond, Charlie was honored by the Medical College of Virginia Foundation at an awards ceremony. “An MCV Foundation trustee for 12 years, Charlie Bryan, Ph.D., was instrumental in raising $5 million—which was matched with another $5 million from the VCU School of Medicine—to establish the VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center in 2011. His efforts served as a catalyst for changing the landscape of neurological care and research at VCU Health. Charlie, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, remains the founder and nucleus of the Movers and Shakers, a group of community partners and donors who share his vision and who collectively have raised millions of dollars that drive life-changing neurological research and patient-focused care at VCU and VCU Health. Charlie’s brother rats from his VMI Class of 1969 have made significant contributions toward this effort.”

Hugh and Adrienne Hopkins celebrate their 50th anniversary in June 2023. Frank Novakowski sent pictures and words in July from the Summit Beckley Reserve, the site of the July National BSA Jamboree. He was with 300 scouts and adult leaders from Michigan. Doug and Janet Marks traveled to northern Europe in May and were impressed with the American cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy. Doug took part in a ceremony to honor the “spirit of youth” and vets there.

John DuBose wrote, “June 19 and 20, I participated in an archaeology project with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation on land north of New Market where the Confederate artillery was massed at the end of the battle. An archaeologist supervised a dozen guys with metal detectors looking for artifacts in an attempt to identify the exact position of the guns during the battle. Relic hunting on this land is totally forbidden unless in an organized program such as

this one. A variety of items were found and will be mapped by the archaeologist using the GPS coordinates of each artifact. Very interesting. On June 19, we went to lunch at the Southern Kitchen (where else?) and ran into Bob Waldo and wife Ruth, so it was good to see a BR.” Phil Rightler wrote to me after hearing about Ken Parris’ passing: “As commander of our local veterans organization, I was in charge of the 2023 Memorial Day ceremony in our community. U.S. Army Major General Bill Terpeluk ’75 was our guest speaker. Whereas Memorial Day is to honor our ‘fallen,’ Bill was very humble in his delivery to our audience. Bill was insightful

Class of 1969: Pictured in Bellagio, Province of Como, Italy, in April 2023 are (from left) Dick Camp, Dr. Jerry Fresia, and Cheryl Camp.

Class of 1969: Members of the class meet for lunch at the home of Gary and Peggy Mackey in Norfolk, Virginia, May 24, 2023.

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to produce statistics and histories of large cemeteries where American ‘fallen’ comrade-in-arms lay eternally at rest in Europe. The numbers are staggering! The memories fade with time. But we cannot forget what they did there. Bill’s closing segment was for all American citizens to carry the torch for those military service members and their families who suffer PTSD and related suicides.

Bill was very gracious and fully intends to stay in touch with our small veterans’ community. A noble gesture from a remarkable citizen soldier.” Phil is a Navy veteran in New Jersey.

In late July, a small group of BRs participated in a Zoom call with Virginia “Jinky” Garrett, our VMI Alumni Agencies liaison for reunions, and started a conversation about our 55th Reunion next April. Many of the tasks we, the members of the class, had at earlier reunions are now being handled by VMI. We are planning to spend time in Lexington from Sunday afternoon until Tuesday night and will develop a list of optional activities for those two days. Our big dinner Monday evening will be at Marshall Hall and is being shared with members of four other classes older than us.

We will be honored at a parade Tuesday afternoon and will stay on post after the parade for our class informal dinner at Moody Hall. There are two hotels accepting reservations for our class reunion evenings in April. We will have activities April 14–17, so plan accordingly.

In the Spirit, Walt

1970

Steve Talley

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the VMI Class of 1970, It’s early August in the Queen City. It’s hot, but we have had adequate rain to keep the Shenandoah Valley green. The Parade Ground is in good shape.

VMI is gearing up for its 184th year. Rat sendoffs are occurring throughout the country. Athletic teams are back in action. The men’s and women’s soccer teams returned in August and started their seasons. When you read this, the football team will have declawed the Davidson Wildcats and turned them into docile house creatures purring for mercy. On Aug. 19, approximately 491 rats matriculated, a far cry better than last year’s 375. After a long

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes economical way to lose weight, and challenging time, the Institute is Russ. Next time, save all that monback on track. ey and join Weight Watchers. Russ Don and Lois Crawford returned told his own family war story. In his from their paradise in Costa Rica. words, “I, too, had an uncle killed in Doctors affirmed that they are not World War II. He was James Beverly spring chickens but are healthy for Daniel, my mother’s oldest brother. their age. It must be that hearty CosHe hailed from Charlottesville and ta Rican food, toucans sitting on was part of the Monticello National the window sill, and hummingbirds Guard. He landed at Omaha Beach buzzing about all day. When back in in the first wave as part of the 116th the States, Don and Lois picked up Infantry, Second Brigade, Company a grandson in Wisconsin and brought G [same regiment as my Uncle Earl]. them to a summer session at Opequon Quaker Camp in Clear Brook, Class of 1970: Gathering at Ocean Isle, North Carolina, in July are Tom James made it through the first few Blickensderfer (Peel Dillard’s friend), Bill O’Connor, Ralph Costen, weeks of the war but died in action in Virginia. Don and Lois volunteer in Peel Dillard, Lew Reynolds, and Lee Moon.

Saint-Lô July 12, 1944.” The Army the kitchen at the camp. Don says, “It’s our annual FTX.” Remembering returned James’ remains to his home my FTX makes me wonder about the city, Charlottesville, where he is burcuisine that comes from that kitchen. ied in Riverview Cemetery.

SOS comes to mind. This intrepid Brother Rat Dave Price and I have couple will have returned to Costa had email and phone conversations Rica when you read this. “We invite about Earl and other veterans, inbrother rats who want to escape the cluding the Bedford Boys, the 35 heat in the U.S. to visit us in Monsoldiers in a National Guard unit teverde, where the nights are cool from Bedford, Virginia, who served and the days are mild. No AC needin Company A of the 116th Infantry ed. There are only open windows to Regiment, 29th Division. By the end catch the breeze and the sounds of of D-Day, 19 would be dead, with tropical birds in the forest.” Careful, four more dying before the end of the brother rat. Heaven only knows what campaign; thus, Bedford suffered the you might be getting in for. largest per capita losses of any town In August, I shared by email stoin the United States. Dave has a story ries about my uncle Earl Price Talabout his father and father-in-law. In ley, who died on D-Day at Omaha his words, “My dad landed at OmaBeach. Other brother rats have told ha Beach, was wounded at Saint-Lô, me stories about members of their evacuated to a hospital in England, Class of 1970: Pictured at the annual “chumps and champs” golf out- and returned to duty just in time to families who served in armed coning in Ocean Isle, North Carolina, in July are Bill O’Connor, Dick Mar- break through to Bastogne. At war’s flicts, including Don’s story about his shall, Lee Moon, Ralph Costen, and Lew Reynolds. grandfather, 1st Lt. Boyd S. Crawend, he served as a guard for General ford. In his words: “My grandfather, Eisenhower at the IG Farben ComFirst Lieutenant Boyd S. Crawford, was killed at personal effects returned to my grandmother were plex, where, ironically, I did twice with the U.S. Cantigny, France, May 28, 1918, while serving as his silver first lieutenant bars. My dad wore them Fifth Corps (not for Eisenhower, of course). My an engineer studying trench warfare designs. My during his time as first lieutenant in the Army, and father-in-law, who lied about his age to serve in dad was 3 years old, and his brother was 2 years then I wore them during my first lieutenant time in World War II, also served in Korea and Vietnam. older. Boyd Crawford’s death left my grandmother the Air Force.”

He seldom spoke of his service. Only a few served Russ Marshall reported to tell us about a world our country in all three of these conflicts. Our a single mom to raise two boys. When my family lived in France while my dad was stationed there cruise he and Nancy took Jan. 6–May 30. “There Bedford Boys and these two men I love dearly, by the Army in the 1950s, we visited my grand- were a lot of firsts for us. Easter Island is out there along with so many others, were foremost in my father’s grave. My dad also took me to see all the in the middle of nowhere. The Taj Mahal is fas- thoughts this Memorial Day.” major battlefields of World War I. So many lives cinating; the marble inlays were beautiful. SingaBy the time you read this, Alvah and Beth Arnn were lost. The experience showed me that war is pore is a lovely city, unlike the crowding in Hong will have joined a gregarious gaggle of about 35 inefficient in resolving disputes between nations. Kong. We saw some impoverished areas of Afri- BRs and spouses for a week on the Outer Banks But there will always be those who seek power by ca, but the children smiled wherever we went in October for the annual “amazingly, we are still and seemed glad to see us. How much weight alive” celebration (my title). Participants will stay force, and those who seek peace must be strong enough to deter them. Among my grandfather’s did I gain? I lost five pounds!” Not the most in Beyond Paradise, a monstrous vacation home

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Class Notes resembling the Starship Enterprise. Spending seven days in closed quarters with that many VMI people and about 50 quarts of whiskey, rum, gin, scotch, wine, and gallons of beer probably would be considered something different than “beyond paradise” by some. You will hear more about this escapade in future class notes. In August, Alvah and Beth spent two weeks in Spain and Portugal, primarily to drink wine from new countries. At home, they do yeoman’s duty caring for Beth’s 99-year-old mother, who lives with them.

Good on you, Beth. A good daughter you are.

Their son, Patrick, has officially traded his F-16 in on an Aerobus 310 and flies a full schedule for Delta Airlines out of Detroit, Michigan, hoping to make Atlanta his hub assignment. Before Delta allowed Patrick to fly the Aerobus, they made him pledge that he would not perform aerial aerobatics like he used to do in his F-16. Their daughter, Sarah, is leaving the classroom after 13 years and will be working in administration in the Burlington School System. Alvah works part-time and has formed a PLLC in North Carolina to provide water systems estimating services. He is not quite ready to give that gig up.

Brother Rat Don McQueen alerted me that the iconic Southern Inn in Lexington had closed. Who in our class has not taken a date to the Southern Inn except for cheapskates like me? The current owners, George and Sue Ann Huger, plan to offer the inn for special events and private parties and focus on a new enterprise, the Lexington Catering Company, just in time for our next class reunion, which will happen in spring 2025 (probably in April), barring a return of COVID-19 or some other disaster. It’s a big one, the 55th; not too early to plan for it. So, put a placeholder on your calendar.

Bob Hawthorne has been experiencing many health challenges in recent months, including the recent revelation that he has renal cell carcinoma in one kidney. When you read this, doctors will likely have removed the diseased kidney. Bob’s kidney function without the diseased kidney will probably not be 100%, so he may need dialysis.

Recently, he had surgery on his arm to prepare it for that. Doctors create an arteriovenous fistula, an abnormal vessel they form by joining a vein to an artery to form a more accessible blood vessel that provides increased blood flow adequate for dialysis. But you can’t hold this guy down. He is still booking charter flights with Martinair.

Bob and Cathy celebrated their 50th anniversary at son Jeff’s home. To surprise his dad, Jeff secured the services of the Richmond-based band, the Escorts, to play around the pool. The 11 old

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guys in the band play an eclectic repertoire of beach music for toga parties and inebriated “alligator dancers.” It was also a surprise when Jeff presented his dad with the $1,100 bill for the band.

Lead guitarist, Steve St. John, who played with Bob in the Cascades, a band Bob put together in his youth, still bangs out tunes for the Escorts.

Class of 1970: Don Crawford’s grandfather, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Boyd S. Crawford, who was killed in action at Cantigny, France, May 28, 1918.

Class of 1970: Tommy Cooke camping in Colorado July 15, 2023.

Bob’s Escorts are not to be confused with another Escorts band, also known as the Legendary Escorts, an American R&B group formed in Rahway State Prison in 1970 by Reginald Prophet Haynes.

Haynes had been incarcerated at Trenton State Prison in 1968, where he practiced doo-wop singing with fellow prisoners. Interestingly, the warden transferred him and his fellow doo-wopper jailbirds to Rahway, where they performed as the Escorts at a talent show. By some simple twist of fate, they caught the attention of Motown producer George Kerr, who came to Rahway and recorded the Escort’s debut album, All We Need is Another Chance. As a side to this story, Brother Rat Mike Sisler hails from Rahway, but I don’t think he did any prison time there. I must check on that.

Two of Bob’s roommates, Mike Ferrari and Gary Tyler, and Bill Scherer called to check on him recently. Bob reported that these guys reaching out to him lifted his spirits immensely. Bob shared a few stories about some brother rats, including Gary and the legendary Stix Chandler, who was in Band Company with Bob—same platoon. Gary, Ron Seyford, John Hall, Jerry VanLear, and I were our class’ matriculants from Staunton, Virginia. Gary was in Band Company, and he and Bob performed with the VMI Commanders Jazz Band, formed as the Ramblin’ Keydets in 1917. One time during our cadetship, Gary stood in for the ailing and very famous Bill the Bugler, who was loved by all cadets in that era for his very much appreciated habit of using the last smidgeon of his breath to string out the final note of assembly, a gesture Bob tells me, that Gary emulated quite well. And the Stix story? Bob used to carry an unauthorized and fully loaded water pistol at parades to squirt Stix at the right moment to keep him calmed down.

I discovered through Facebook that Bob Gregory has been dealing with health issues. His posting read, “After three months in the VA hospital and two months in medical rehab for a broken hip and pelvis and a stubborn infection on my spine, I’m finally out and trying to get into an assisted living place until I can walk again. The pain is horrible.

Hopefully, I’ll be back to somewhat normal soon.

Thanks to all who came to see me and sent up prayers.” I only have an email address for Bob and have sent him a note. If any brother rats out there are in contact with him, please let him know we wish him well. Contact me for his email address.

Jim Gillespie’s wife, Susie, informed me that Jim has prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones. Doctors have been able to keep the cancer under control with hormone therapy for a couple

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes of years but recently had to add chemo to the arsenal. “We’re happy that after three chemo transfusion sessions, he has a lowering PSA count,” Susie says. Let’s hope that trend continues. I remember Jim well from our time at VMI, a tall young man.

I mean strikingly tall, athletic, and a tough basketballer. Susie told me that at the chemo transfusion treatment center, nurses added a chair to the end of his recliner to accommodate his height. Susie says that she and Jim appreciate positive thoughts and prayers for Jim’s cancer to continue to be controlled.

News from Tommy and Jill Cooke: These two have been gallivanting around in recent months, including trips to Hilton Head; Myrtle Beach; Saint Thomas (with Terry and Lanny Gault ’71); and Ocean Isle, North Carolina (to visit Marsha and Ralph Costen, Herb And Susan Braun, and Bill and Paula O’Connor). In July, they went boondocking out West in their RV. And Jill did all of this after a recent hip replacement. Boondocking—camping “in the raw” without water, electricity, sewer connections, bathrooms, or picnic tables.

Of course, the RV has all that stuff and more. On the way out, a tour of Maker’s Mark and Angel’s Envy distilleries in Louisville, Kentucky, probably supplied an essential boondocking need. They ended up in Colorado’s high desert country somewhere between Salida and Leadville at 9,500 feet, surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks in the Sawatch, Collegiate, and Mosquito Mountain Ranges, in a campsite they shared with hares (not Elmer Fudd’s wascawwy wabbit, Bugs Bunny. “Say your prayers you wascawwy wabbit,”), antelope, hummingbirds, sagebrush, tumbleweed, and a few locals. Their little brown and white dog, Pearl, tagged along to protect them from rabid hares.

Warm days, cool nights, and incredible views were on the menu (besides roasted hare). They met their son, Brad Cooke ’98, and his wife, Shayna, and their kids who live in that country. Tommy reports that he had no idea it got so cold in the high desert at night. Take a sip of that Maker’s Mark, Tommy.

That will make you forget about the cold. On their way home, after a stop in Georgia for a little more camping on the Toccoa River in the Chattahoochee National Forest north of Atlanta, they stopped in Wise, Virginia, where Tommy provides free dental services to less fortunate folks at an outreach clinic in those parts.

Speaking of distillers, Carl Strock checked in to tell me great news—the arrival of a great-grandson, Cillian (pronounced “Killian”) Strock-Sheehan, VMI Class of 2044, in February. His mother, Emma, is the daughter of Chris Strock ’97, and

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his father, Dylan, is Irish. “We are impressed with Emma’s judgment, as Dylan’s family owns a distillery and brewery in Ireland and a few restaurants in Chicago,” says Carl.

Recently, Peel Dillard joined his Marine Corps buddy, Tom Blickensderfer, Bill (formerly known as Big Bill, now Medium Bill, soon to be Slim Bill) O’Connor, Ralph Costen, Lew Reynolds, and Lee Moon at Ralph’s fun factory in Ocean Isle, North Carolina, for, well, I’m not sure how to describe it. All the pictures I received were of guys in a swimming pool supported by noodles, drinking beer with big smiles on their old, wrinkled faces.

Bill (formerly known as Big Bill, now Medium Bill, soon to be Slim Bill) O’Connor is doing well with his new knee, received in March. Bill decided to go on a diet and lose 100 pounds. To date, he has 42 pounds under his belt. No, wait—that’s 42 pounds no longer under his belt. He reports that the annual chumps and champs golf tournament happened at Ocean Isle, North Carolina. Peel Dillard, Mike Sisler, Lew Reynolds, Dick Marshall, Ralph Costen, Lee Moon, and Bill competed for the grand prize—whatever that was—and like last year, the champs won. I don’t know which guys are the champs or which are the chumps. They are all champs to me.

Kent Schlussel checked in. He says he recently talked to Mike Ferrari, who had shoulder and knee operations last year, to repair some body parts and install a few spares just to be safe. The good news is that Mike, Carol, Kent, and Judy recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversaries. After many married years, I understand the need for spare body parts. In May, Kent and Judy traveled to western parts of the United Kingdom, Wales, and Scotland. They stopped in the Orkney Islands (north of the Scottish mainland), where about 20,000 humans and half a million sheep live. Kent says the Orkneys have stone rings similar to Stonehenge but 1,000 years older.

In July and August, these two youngins go on a Baltic cruise in a small boat (89 max passengers). Their grandson, Ethan Schlussel ’22, a second lieutenant, is working on a master’s degree at Virginia Tech, paid for by the Air Force.

At VMI, Ethan was an Air Force ROTC scholarship recipient and an Institute Scholar, served as Band Company commander, and carried a loaded water pistol during all parades. He has orders to Edwards Air Force Base to report in January 2024. In addition, he is planning on getting married in April 2024 to his Ring Fingure date! Be proud, Kent and Judy. Be proud.

Carolyn and Phil Anderson attended the Atlanta rat send-off in August. He is recruiting a local high school girl, a rising senior and soccer superstar, to enroll for 2024. He says VMI is very interested in her. Thank you, Phil. That is vital work for VMI. For his 75th birthday this fall, Carolyn and Phil will be on a 10-day New England cruise out of Boston.

I am aware of three brother rats who have lost their spouses. There may be others. Let me know.

Below note in obituary excerpts the emerging theme of accomplishment, loving and noble nature characteristic of the women that VMI men are damn lucky to marry. Contact me for links to the obituaries.

Cy Dolph’s wife, Mary Margaret “Mamie” Pastore Dolph, died this year in early May. “Mamie lived in Norfolk for over 40 years, substituting in public schools and raising her family. As a wife and mother, she defined love, faith, courage, perseverance, and optimism … she was the heart of the family. She devoted her life to her husband and four children and touched the hearts of all who knew her with her strength, faith, courage, and humor.”

Dave Miller lost his wife, Helen, in August 2022. Helen was an accomplished O.R. nurse, a singer and piano player, an avid sports fan, but most of all, “a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. ... She was David’s biggest supporter in his professional life and many activities related to Virginia Military Institute.”

Peel Dillard lost his wife, June, in 2012. She died at age 64 from the ravages of a terrible degenerative condition (progressive supranuclear palsy), a form of Parkinson’s disease. To this day, Peel supports national efforts to fight this dreaded disorder. “June taught elementary education in the Essex County Public Schools for over 20 years. ...

Her love for Peel, her girls, and the Rappahannock River were foremost in her life. She was the epitome of a gentle, kind, and beautiful lady.”

Recently, Dave and Peel traveled down to the Alabama coast, where they met Jack Hoffman and Tom Norris for fine dining, drinks, and reminiscing. Dave reports, “We had a blast! Great to catch up with our brother rats!” It was a bittersweet trip for Dave, who spent many of his 49 years with Helen in a condominium they shared in that part of the country. This trip marked his first return to the condo without her.

Keep Cy, Dave, and Peel in your thoughts these days, and other brother rats who have lost loved ones. As brother rats, the VMI way calls us to offer words of support and condolence to those among

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Class Notes us who are hurting. Those simple gestures grow the bonds and are a balm for the pain.

Remember to pencil in April ’24 for the next reunion.

Now, in the words of Warren, “In the Spirit.”

1971

David Ellington

I hope that by the time you read this, the sweltering heat of this past summer has abated, and our Keydets are undefeated in football! Hope springs eternal. So much is going on it’s hard to know where to start, but here goes.

Although Jane and I have been back in Virginia since 1984, my trips to Washington, D.C., have been few and far between and overnight visits limited to only a couple of quick in-and-out meetings with no time to be a tourist. Recently, we had the opportunity to meet an old Army friend with whom I had worked in Germany with my German landlord’s sister and her husband for a several-day visit in the nation’s capital. I had not only forgotten how beautiful and impressive it is but also how steep the steps on the Lincoln Memorial were, how the Washington Monument is set on a hill rising up from the Mall, and how L’Enfant’s symmetry has been preserved with the axis of the Mall, White House, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial all melding together. The War and Veteran’s memorials were equally impressive.

The World War II Memorial commemorates the great battles of Europe and the Pacific, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial features 19 largerthan-life soldiers on patrol in addition to a recently added listing of casualties, but the stark beauty and simpleness of the Vietnam monument catches one’s attention immediately. The memorial is two long right triangles of black granite, hypotenuses on the ground, pointing away from each other.

Starting at one end of the monument, the 58,000 plus soldiers who died are listed chronologically; name only, no ranks. It gets very personal. There are a couple of books to help one locate specific names. With this help and that of a volunteer guide, I found on Panel 12 W, Line 36, Brother Rat Scott Kenton Pardee. I thought it appropriate that one had to look up to see his name. Scott matriculated from Springfield, Virginia, and stayed with us for only one year. I don’t think he and I ever

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crossed paths, so I know nothing about his time with us. He joined the Army and became a warrant officer helicopter pilot. He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division and was stationed in Thua Thien Province, one province below the DMZ, right above Da Nang; Hue is its provincial capital.

More American soldiers died in this province than any other in the Vietnam War. On March 23, 1970, as we were starting spring break and close to the anniversary of ’71 breaking out of the Rat Line, Scott was killed on a flight mission. His death was announced like the rest of the deaths of former cadets at SRC. If in Washington, you should go see the Memorial, see Scott’s name, and remember his sacrifice.

Soon after our last notes were due, D. Walton and “the Room 112 Committee” once again organized and executed an entertaining evening celebrating our graduation and New Market Day at the Commonwealth Club in Richmond. In all, 24 BRs; 22 spouses; and Bo Traywick ’67, who spoke after the meal, were in attendance. A special call-out goes to long-distance attendees Bernie and Wanda Groome, who traveled from The Villages in Florida, and Bill and Margaret Ginder, who came from Dallas (and no, Bill did not wear his red, white, and yellow coveralls to the Commonwealth Club). Everyone seemed to enjoy the get-together.

Bernie was one of only four physics majors to walk at graduation with us in 1971 (modern languages had one, chemistry three, and mathematics five). After VMI, he obtained a master’s degree in material sciences at UVA, obtained his professional engineer certification (no easy task), and then a law degree from the Augusta School of Law. After all his schooling, he first worked at the Savannah Nuclear Power Plant and then worked for Teledyne Brown engineering firm. Throughout this time, he served 13 years in the Army Reserve and 13 years in the Navy Reserve! Bernie is a very modest guy, and getting this information out of him was like pulling a full set of impacted wisdom teeth, but what an interesting life. I subsequently read that the VMI Glee Club was in Florida at The Villages, so I asked Bernie if he had heard them, and he replied, “Wanda and I went for a very enjoyable evening. It was held at the Eisenhower Center at The Villages, Florida. We hosted a Glee Club rat, C.G. Wolfe ’26 from Buena Vista. My brother Larry Groome ’75 also attended, and he and his wife, Fran, hosted two cadets. We all were very impressed with the caliber of the entire Glee Club. We are both doing very well and enjoying our retirement.”

Soon after the soiree at the Commonwealth Club, I was able to join a number of our BRs at the Keydet Club Spring Leadership Event. There was a good turnout from ’71 with Acuff, Gault, Kennedy, Bryan, Strickler, Coleman, and me in attendance. For the second year in a row, the overall golf champions for the golf event were the team of Mike Strickler, Buddy Bryan, Ron Bryan ’55 (Buddy’s uncle), and Ron’s stepson, John Taylor.

On the complete other end of the skill spectrum, i.e., dead last, was the team of Ken Coleman, Ray Mangus, Bernie Riesbeck ’78, and yours truly. In the parlance of golf, we played to our handicaps, meaning that in spite of the fact that our team had a combined handicap total approaching the numerical value of the national debt and that we were playing from the “old timers” tees (about 1 yard behind the ladies tees), we were still woefully lacking in scoring skills. Oh, well, truly a wonderful time was had by all, and our team could not be accused of “padding our handicaps.”

As we and our significant others approach our mid-70s, a gim report is unfortunately necessary. If I missed anyone, please excuse me and get me your latest up-to-date info. We have had so much bad news from Florida with the hurricane damage and other issues; it is refreshing to report that Ann Biersack continues her recovery with the help of Carl and the support of many other BRs in the area. Mac Garrett is scheduled for significant back surgery in the near future, “front and back approaches,” according to his wife, BooBoo. By all reports, excepting his gait, the pre-operative Mac is unchanged from the Mac of old, and he hopefully will do well.

I heard that John Nilon wasn’t doing well, and I contacted him. John wrote that he was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and was presently under treatment and doing well. When asked about his life after VMI, he revealed a career that started soon after graduation as an infantry platoon leader with the Berlin Brigade. Then followed assignments in Korea, Fort Bragg with the Special Forces, and then the 82nd Airborne, back to Germany and then to U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida. Through his travels, he met his future wife, Debbie, an Army anesthesiologist whom he married. BR Rick Pearman was his best man at the wedding. After he finished his Army career, John graduated from Catholic University Law School and ultimately worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs before finally retiring for good. According to John, “Rick and Jenny Pearman, Ken and Bernie Piernick, and my own Doctor Debby are all

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes actively seeing to it that I eat properly, hydrate properly, comply with my medications, and wash behind my ears. With a team like that on my side, the cancer doesn’t stand a chance.”

I got a very nice letter from Dave King. After a career in the Army, Dave has been teaching JROTC at Tunstall High School, located in Pittsylvania County, a few miles outside of Danville. He provided this interesting update, “On Sunday, the Allegheny – Blue Ridge Chapter of the Association of the United States Army commemorated Flag Day and celebrated the 248th birthday of the Army. Most folks probably have no idea about either one.”

“Last fall, I was with our chapter president, retired Colonel John Miller (W&L Class of 1967), when he invited General Wins ’85 to speak and swear in local recruits. Prior to the event, I asked the Alumni Association office to reach out to the local alumni chapters and let them know about the event. The Institute was well represented. To my surprise, our brother rats, Herb Whitley and Rick Littleton, walked in. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Payne ’94 was there with his Army JROTC cadets, who presented the colors. Matt is the senior Army instructor in Bedford. Also, during the ceremony, I heard, ‘Rah Virginia Mil,’ a couple of times. As it turns out, the parents of Captain Spencer Jefferson ’17 were there also, and his mom made sure the Institute was heard from that day especially. As it turns out, Captain Jefferson

Class of 1971: Pictured are Charles M. Brock Jr. (The Citadel ’43), uncle of T.J. Wilson ’74; Clyde “Duke” Ellington ’43; and Charlie Parkins ’43.

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Class of 1971: The Allegheny – Blue Ridge Chapter of the Association of the United States Army commemorated Flag Day and celebrated the 248th birthday of the Army in early June. Pictured are (from left) retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dave King; retired Lt. Col. Matt Payne ’94; Michael Okin, Washington and Lee ’71 and Military Order of the World Wars commander in chief; Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent; retired Col. Herb Whitley; retired Col. Rich Littleton ’71; and John Miller, Washington and Lee ’67 and Allegheny – Blue Ridge Chapter Association of the United States Army president. is going through the Navy Dive school, so I told them about Pete Van Hooser.” Dave also said that he attended the 2023 Military Order of the World Wars National Convention recently, and he got to meet a member of our dyke’s class, Jim Haney ’68. “Although I didn’t know him when I was a rat, we shared a number of stories about our experiences at the ‘I.’ Glad I finally got to meet him, even if it is 50-plus years later.”

Dave closed with this message and hope: “I don’t have any idea how many VMI alumni are members of the order, but General Wins was the 2022 MOWW Distinguished Service Award Recipient and is a member of the Piedmont Chapter in Lynchburg. Given the Institute’s contributions during both World Wars I and II and every war since, I would like to help generate interest in that area of our history.”

Andy “Trash” Ash and I tried for months to meet and talk before we finally spent an afternoon together in Lexington while he was on his way to West Virginia on a botany excursion. With the single exception of some added facial hair, Trash could pass for his cadet self. Trash, Bob Pickral, and I spent the entire afternoon retelling old stories of our exploits and adventures under Col. Louis “Hot Rod” Hundley ’47, Col. Oscar “Gup” Gupton, Col. Jack Reeves, and Dr. Fred Swope in the biology department. Rolf White’s

question of actually how big an Angstrom is, and Dr. Swope’s answer, was a classic. White, R.D.’s multiple questions, and Col. Hundley’s multiple answers to some of the most interesting questions imaginable kept us in stitches most of the time, then and now. This was especially true after one question that prompted the good colonel to ask if Rolf obtained his scientific knowledge from grocery store checkout line tabloid magazines. After graduation, Trash obtained his Ph.D. in wildlife biology from the University of Toronto and then taught at East Carolina University, Gardner-Webb, and at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. During this time, he has also served as President of the Association of Southeastern Biologists, written a book, and published a slew of papers.

Jane and I were driving across Iowa this summer, and I wrote to John “Corn” Biggs, complimenting him on the beauty of his home state.

Miles and miles of corn, soybeans, and beautifully maintained farms. To boot, Iowa is not flat but filled with rolling hills. John wrote back, notifying me of the death of Ronald Grennes. Professor Grennes taught Spanish and mentored Corn, taking him to Mexico City during our summer breaks for archeological digs. Corn has been a busy man. He had just returned from Texas visiting cousins who gifted him with the shako of

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Class Notes years, Charlie Parkins ’43. As it his uncle, James Edward Biggs ’44. turned out, I had found the very same Corn returned the favor by handing picture pinned to a bookshelf in a out several copies of his book, Morsecondhand bookstore in Lexington tuus Sum, Ergo Vixi—A History of the about 25 years ago. When I took the Biggs Family from Charlemagne to picture down, on the back were the the Present. He then returned to Iowa names of all the cadets, and identiand completed the 50th Anniversary fied the location of the party as Room RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great 248, February 1942. All the particiBicycle Ride Across Iowa). Although pants, as noted in the caption, were in officially, the number of registrants is the Class of 1943 except Harold Tiplimited to 10,000, it was estimated ton ’42. Like T.J., Parkins was from that 40,000 riders at least started the Harrisonburg and was a longtime ride this year. The ride goes from the Class of 1971: Gathering in barracks in February 1942 are (from left) family friend.

I sent him a couple of western border of Iowa on the MisBob Reeves ’43, Charlie Parkins ’43, Jimmy Demmler ’43, Harold Tipton ’42, Duke Ellington ’43, Buddy Welton ’43, Leo Tynam ’43, and other pictures, one with Parkins and souri River to the eastern border and Tom McGraw ’43. my father with “another unidentified the Mississippi River. Seven days, guy.” He quickly replied that the otheight nights, and around 500 miles of er “unidentified guy” was his mother’s brother, up-and-down riding. The overwhelming majority The Citadel Class of 1943, a longtime friend of of folks camp out at night, with nighttime concerts Parkins. The small world of VMI is a lot bigger at each site. This year, Lynyrd Skynyrd was among than we can ever imagine! the featured bands. The logistics of managing this As almost all are aware, the Institute continues to event must be mind-boggling. This anniversary undergo a lot of criticism, both from without and year was a tough one as, in addition to all the parfrom within. I recently came across an interesting, ticipants, the weather was oppressively hot. The full two-page article in the Sunday, Oct. 3, 1976, fifth day, the temperature was hovering around Roanoke Times and World News titled, in bold100, and the course was 89 miles with 4,218 vered, large type, “There’s No New Era At VMI, Just tical feet of climb. Despite this, our intrepid BR, Success.” as you can see, finished in style with the ceremoWe have been through many trials and tribulanial dipping of his tires in the Mississippi. Don’t tions before and come out stronger. Clarabelle overlook the classy riding jersey. Now he is off to Walkup ’23, the niece of a Vietnamese refugee Europe for three weeks. No moss growing on this rescued off a boat in the South China Sea, recentrolling stone. ly remarked, “You quickly learn at VMI that the I got a note from T.J. Wilson IV ’74, a member most important thing is the person standing next of our dykes’ class. T.J. had come across a phoClass of 1971: John “Corn” Biggs dips his to you. And that comes from a collective resilience to from his dad, T.J. Wilson III ’42, featuring a tires in the Mississippi River after finishthrough adversity that cannot be achieved anygroup of cadets having a party in barracks. My faing the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. where else.” So BRs, fear not, the Spirit lives on, ther, C.L. “Duke” Ellington ’43, was identified as manifested not only by the realizations revealed in the picture, along with his roommate of three by recent graduates but by the care, help, and consideration that you continue to show for our fellow BRs and families in need and the Institute. Keep up the good work, and keep the spirit alive.

Zeke

1972

Larry Houseworth

Class of 1971: Brother rats gather at the Commonwealth Club in Richmond, Virginia, to celebrate their graduation and New Market Day.

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Brother Rats, Families, and Friends, Greetings and salutations upon you from a somewhat “balmy” holy city. Today’s heat index

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes the Baltimore Orioles to the New York Mets, of 100 degrees Fahrenheit is sweetly (“sweat-ly”) hits, and 37th with 447 runs. The Keydets ranked both pennant contenders. reminiscent of our first days of cadre with their 16th in doubles (134), 17th in slugging percentTo our news—Marie and I joined Linda and age (.529), and 25th in on-base percentage (.409). highs of 94-98 degrees (and no AC; I looked it And Reed Garrett ’15, pitcher, has moved from Bob Stransky at the Richmond Club’s rat sendup). But, by the time you read these notes, we’ll off at Dominion Energy Center. Big turnbe wrapping up the football season, and out of some very impressive young men Thanksgiving will be right around the and women, with families, who asked corner. Ahh, blessed fall. individual alumni/ae and panelists some News is somewhat light this time of very well-thought-out questions (with a year, but there are items of interest. While few requests for typical college freshman final numbers won’t be known until “war stories”). Institute and Corps Sgt. next week’s matriculation (Aug. 15), we Maj. Sowers gave an inspiring presentashould see 485-512 incoming rats for the tion on “easy happens someplace else,” future Class of 2027 as opposed to last and Bob Louthan ’82 spoke of “why year’s 375 for the Class of 2026. Last would someone choose to go to a college year’s drop was reflective of an evolving like that.” If you ever have the chance to decline in the nationwide high schoolhear either of them speak, I strongly recage population, COVID-19’s impact on ommend you do so. college open houses, and an increase in I certify there must be something in students opting for gap years in their conthe air; it’s great to hear from these three tinuing education.

BRs: Doug Pritchard checked in, noting It will be interesting to track attrition that he and his bride, Mary, celebrated through Matriculation Week and into the their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 4. A academic year. Two years ago (2021), senior engineering supervisor, Doug rethat number was 105—last year (2022), tired from the Chesterfield County Envithe number dropped to less than 50. The ronmental Engineering Department after commandant’s staff attributes this to an more than 40 years. Hopewell is a better increased focus on physical conditioning Class of 1972: Gale and Anne Sommers with Dick and Donplace because of your service, BR (cerguidance for incoming rats; the effectivena Valentine in Jacksonville, Florida. tainly the water’s better)! ness of the Summer Transition Program; Add Fred Walker to the list. After an and tighter control of exercise, diet, and eight-year stint as an Air Force engineerdiscipline direction to cadre. ing officer and armed with a degree in fire In case you missed it (I know I did), protection from the University of MaryVMI’s baseball team pulled off an amazland, Fred began a long career in fire proing “never say die” victory in its second tection engineering and management for game of the season against 2022 national the Air Force’s Civil Engineering Supchampion and No. 1 ranked Mississippi port Agency headquartered at Tyndall Air State Feb. 18. After falling behind 10-1 Force Base, Florida. He wrote, “Sorry I by the end of the second inning, VMI missed the 50, but I am on my fifth regot four runs in the third, two each in the incarnation doing fire protection engifourth and fifth, four in the seventh and neering for the AF (military, civil service, an insurance run in the ninth. Mississipcontractor, civil service re-hire, and again pi State cut the lead to one with a runner contractor), and they sent me on an accion second and one out, but VMI’s pitchdent investigation board during the 50th. er, Cadet Will Riley ’24, got the last two At least now I am working from home on outs for one of the biggest upsets of the the side of a mountain/hill in New York, season. so I can concentrate on convincing the VMI led NCAA Division 1 with 192 four grandkids to consider the Institute stolen bases, a full 30 ahead of national for university.” Great note, Fred—now second-place Louisiana-Lafayette. The hang on for a major segue here ...

Keydets broke another 30-year NCAA So, Jim Read also appears out of the mist Division I record for most stolen bases in with this: “Hard to imagine, but I still have an inning with nine in the second against Norfolk State March 19. By the end of Class of 1972: Larry and Marie Houseworth with Linda and two kids left in the nest. Luca (18) will be Bob Stransky at the VMI Club of Richmond rat send-off. entering the University of Alabama next the year, VMI finished fifth in the nation week, and Pierson (20), after two years with a .322 batting average, 28th with 604

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Class Notes stops in Cartagena, Colombia; Panat Auburn, decided to transfer to ama City, Guatemala; and two stops VMI, and although he is academin Mexico before flying home from ically a rising junior, he will maLos Angeles. We’ll be celebrating triculate Aug. 19 as a rat with four our 46th wedding anniversary in years to graduation. It’s been thrillSeptember in the Dominican Reing watching him finally see the public. With children grown up light; we’ve had so much fun with and taking care of their offspring, this decision (!) ... but in a gentle traveling is becoming the norm. way. Several of our brother rats We’ll be in Tucson in January for a were incredibly helpful with adMasonic event and then in June in vice, and Chunk Neale ’69, whom Austin to see my daughter and her you remember, was a 1st Class cafamily there. What lies beyond that det when we were rats and stepped is above my pay grade. Best wishin to verbally strain Pierson oces to our BRs, and we’re looking casionally along the way when forward to our 55th in 2027, the there was a waver. Some things good Lord willing. RVM, ’72!” never change. (Smile.) There are Class of 1972: Pictured at the Coolfont Resort in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, are (from left) Elaine West, Bob MacMeccan, Ed Murphy, Barry Thanks, BR. no doubts now ... he’s ready, and Bartley, Bax West, Cindy Murphy, Glenda MacMeccan, and Margaret Eric Hammersen says, “Greetthe Class of 1972 will have a rat, Bartley. ings from the Texas Hill Country. future Class of 2027, in barracks.

Nothing significant to report at this Fun stuff! Pierson has an affinity grounds itself in tenets of reverence, gentility, time. It’s hot (surprise)! It’s the middle of sumfor the whole class because he’s been through knowledge, and leadership. A richly deserved mer, and the central part of Texas is about on the our four Bombs more than I have. Please pray for same latitude as Cairo, Egypt. Sort of reminds him when moved, and please encourage him if award, indeed. me of growing up and going to high school in I hope you all saw Henry Knick’s Memorial the opportunity ever arises. Blessings!” I certify El Paso, except now we’ve got air conditioning.

Day email identifying and saluting VMI’s casual(again) that this class never ceases to amaze me!

I remain engaged in a variety of activities here in Walt Chalkley: “Debbie and I had a great time ties in Vietnam. Powerful; thanks, BR. Fredericksburg—serving on a couple of boards Paul Gorski sent the picture of Stonewall manattending General Peay’s [’62] Kappa Alpha and committees appointed by the city council, Award ceremony Aug. 12 in Orlando. He gave ning post No. 1 at the New Market Museum. working with the school district, helping the loGale Sommers sent the picture of him and a wonderful speech to about 300 members of the cal VFW, and writing up some articles for the lofraternity.” Kappa Alpha was founded at Wash- Anne dining with Dick and Donna Valentine cal paper about this winter’s 175th anniversary of ington and Lee University in 1865, providing during a recent visit to Jacksonville.

Barry Bartley sent their gathering’s picture and the establishment of what became known as Fort a “moral compass for the modern gentleman.” this news. “The eight of us gathered in Coolfont Martin Scott—the first frontier post established KA has over 160,000 members worldwide and Resort, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, for the by the Army in Texas after the Mexican War.” weekend. We spent time sightseeing, eating, an- There’s no slowing you down, BR. Ironman Buzz Chacey shared this from the tiquing, eating, catching up since our 50th Reunion, and, of course, eating. The picture was tak- Ironman 70.3 North Carolina Facebook page. “In 2022, Mr. Ken, a proud member of TriAugusta en at breakfast on Sunday morning. We’ve been getting together annually for a long time, as we Triathlon Club, took a bad fall on mile 47 of the bike at IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina, breakwere roommates for our 3rd and 2nd Class years.

Bob and Glenda MacMeccan and Bax and Elaine ing his collarbone and derailing his racing and West live in Chesterfield County near Richmond, training for months. But Mr. Ken decided that if the Murphys are in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and he started the race, he’d better finish it—and betMargaret and I still reside in Herndon, Virginia, so ter late than never. After a full recovery, Mr. Ken Coolfont was a semi-central place to meet. Five- recently finished what he started by biking 10 year reunions are too far apart, so these annual miles and then running 13.1, completing the 70.3 distance just a few months late. Throughout his gatherings take up the slack. We usually went to football games in the fall, but with age, distance, recovery, Mr. Ken and Sami, race director, stayed and disdain for climbing the steps in the stadium, in contact. Recently, Sami ceremoniously prethis kind of reunion is easier on all of us. On a mel- sented Mr. Ken with an Ironman 70.3 North Carancholy note, our last football game reunion be- olina medal in honor of his hard-won achieveClass of 1972: Ken Chacey celebrates his fore COVID-19 was the last time we saw Harold ment. Congratulations on your finish, Mr. Ken! completion of the Ironman 70.3 North Plott. RIP. On a personal note, this past January, We can’t wait to see you on the red carpet soon.”

Carolina Triathlon. we took a cruise through the Panama Canal with Our ever-modest BR wanted to make sure we

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Class notes

Class of 1972: Paul Gorski’s photo of the Stonewall Jackson statue at the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park. knew, “Joe Knick has been working hard with a swimming goal this year. We have been keeping each other updated on how we are doing. Joe has over 62,000 meters swimming for the summer (as of Aug. 1). He needs 38,000 more to hit his 100,000-meter swimming goal for the summer.

Also, Joe has been in touch with John Sayers, who has walked 1,100 miles now and over 2,000 for several years.” You, gentlemen, are animals!

OK, that’s a wrap for now. Take care of you and yours; when in doubt trust your gut; talk with cadets whenever you can; and let’s look out for each other—Rah Virginia Mil, BRs! Larry

1973

October, so I know what my assigned projects will be when we get back from vacation. We have enjoyed being around the family, and although we sorely miss our wonderful friends in Raleigh, we have enjoyed Little League games, pool time, ice cream, pizza, and family dinners. I just got back from four days of Scout camp with one of the grandkids—a lot of hiking! We had a great time.

Little hard on an old man, but we had fun.

Since we moved, we have been to Florida a couple of times. Our newest grandchild, Lilian Rae Kelly, was born June 24. Family doing just great.

Derek and I were able to also get in a day of gulf fishing, which is always good. We spent time at the ranch in Virginia over the Fourth of July and had our usual mini family reunion and activities that week. We had 35 for lunch and 56 for fireworks.

As always, it was a great time. We have also been to a couple of VMI functions this summer, especially the rat send-offs in the area. And we are (as I finish these notes) enjoying a week at Nags

Class of 1973: Pictured at Nags Head, North Carolina, are (from left) Bill Spencer, Larry Mays, Mike Kelly, M.B. Adelson, Art Pendleton, and Klaus Worrell.

Mike Kelly

Hello, Brother Rats!

I can’t believe it is August already. After July 4, it seems that the summer just flies by. I hope you survived the heat wave that swept across the Southwest and are looking forward to cooler weather.

Fall will be here, and Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away when you get this set of notes.

Pat and I are trying to get settled in since our move this spring to the Greensboro area. I still have a garage full of boxes, as is the guest bedroom; we have guests coming in September and

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Class of 1973: Michael Smith and Charlie Havasy in Calabash, North Carolina.

Head with several BRs. Klaus and Laura Worrell have been renting a house at the beach in Nags Head for several years, and some of our BRs have been attending on a regular basis. Last year was the first year we were able to go, and it is a real treat. Joining us were Larry and Debra Mays, Bill and Linda Spencer, M.B. and Mary Adelson, and Art and Susanne Pendleton. P.X. and Caroline English had planned to come, but P.X. ended up having back surgery, and they didn’t make it. Neil and Virginia Carlson also had originally planned to come; however, their solar panel “farm” was severely damaged by hail, and they had to stay home and get it fixed while living in their RV. Good luck with that, Neil. They had just returned from a trip to Skagway, Alaska. During the week, we plan to get together with Webb and Beth Tyler and their daughter, Lara Chambers ’03, who have a house in Duck. Paul and Donna Forehand and John and Janet Benson were also in the area this week in Corolla, so we planned to get together with them, as well. Needless to say, the VMI Class of ’73 will be heard from this week on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

The guys have really had fun going over past VMI, travel, military, and other tales of old. The ladies are tolerating it. We have had time for games and puzzles and just “doing nothing.” Mary and Debbie were walking on the beach early one morning and were stopped by a surf fisherman who asked if they were mermaids; he said he had not caught a fish all morning until they came along. He offered to get them a chair if they would sit a while.

Bill and Mary Stoner sent a note to Neil to say they were in Skagway two weeks prior and really enjoyed their visit.

Bill and Linda just returned from a trip to Spain and shared their experiences with the trip. Jeff Minch posted pictures of his vacation to the Colorado mountains and was enjoying some respite from the heat, while Bill and Linda were experiencing record heat in Spain.

George Tisdale keeps in touch with the class through Facebook. He has a hiking club with several of his friends and routinely posts pictures of areas they have traveled. Most recently, they were in the Linville Gorge in North Carolina.

Roland Tiso continues to enter bodybuilding contests. This summer, he competed in the national championships in Pittsburgh, and in August, he won the over-60 age group at the Tampa Pro/ Am Master’s 60 Bodybuilding Championship. At our reunion, Roland presented a humidor to Maj. Gen. Wins ’85 given to him by the NCOs serving

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Class Notes in the Joint Intelligence Center, Bagram Air Base events. Many chapters also have regular break- they came out West. The logistics for the visit did not work out, but they connected by phone in Afghanistan, who entrusted Roland to find a fast or lunch meetings as well.

Mac Kirkpatrick and his wife were traveling and had a wonderful chat. Mac has since sent an final home for it.

Tom and Bonnie Clark were in Albuquerque along the West Coast this past summer, and while email talking about our reunion and our bonds as brother rats. Excellent comments, in August to celebrate his mother’s 97th Mac. Thank you. birthday. Tom also posted a picture of him Since the reunion, a group of us have in a ukulele band playing at their church been holding regular Zoom meetings to Fourth of July weekend. Looking good, look at ways we, as a class, can be supTom! Playing Ring Figure this year? portive of VMI. The unity tree and our Hugh White has posted several really resolution were a great starting point, and neat photos and videos of his horses and we want to find a way(s) to build on that. riding in horse shows. His main jumper, We have had lots of comments from alumTempleton, certainly puts on a great show. ni about our activities thus far, and some Hugh has a way with horses and trains classes are currently looking at things they them at their ranch in California. Not sure can do as well. Michael Burke, Ken Kawho posted the picture, but on our class lisky, Tom Linn, and Jeff Minch have website was a picture of Hugh in a rockbeen spearheading our discussions thus ing chair, sound asleep, with two cats far. Larry Mays, George Tisdale, and I climbing all over him. Mark Skupien said have been participating as well. We have that you could tell a VMI person as they shared a lot of ideas and spoken to the can fall asleep almost anywhere! I think Class of 1973: Klaus and Laura Worrell host a dinner for VMI Alumni Agencies and the recruiting/ Templeton wore him out. Neil and Jimmy brother rats from the Richmond, Virginia, area in June.

Reeves also provided some comments.

Pictured are (from left) Hap Reisch, Malon Updike, Tom admissions office, volunteering our help and suggestions. Most recently, we have Mark was complaining about the heat Jennings, Worrell, and Ray Burton. had several of our BRs write testimoniand sent a picture of his backyard and a als about what VMI has meant to them drink on the deck. He said he has now figand how the Institute has helped them be ured out that he mows his grass so he can successful. We are looking to work closrelax and enjoy a bourbon. I like the way er with the admissions office in recruiting you think. If you live in a townhome, you and finding ways to get the positive ascan sit and have a drink and let someone pects and news about VMI out to the pubelse mow the grass. (Full disclosure—at lic. If you have any thoughts or suggesthe ranch, I taught Pat how to drive the tions, please contact one of us. The Class Kubota so I can sit on the porch with a of 1973 wants to spread the word about cold one while she mows.)

VMI and its educational system—unlike Paul Jalbert posted a nice note about any other, “not ordinary,” and a 24-hourhis wife, Emily, who has now opened her a-day education for citizen-soldiers. own print shop and is selling prints of her As you read these notes, November paintings. You may recall she had paintand fall will be upon us. Thanksgiving ed a picture of VMI shakos that Maj. Gen. will be just around the corner. HopeWins won at auction at our reunion. She fully, we have been able to get together has some beautiful paintings, so check out during the fall at ballgames and mini reher shop, Elsy, emilyjalbertart.

Class of 1973: Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintenunions.

Please be sure to let me know of Corey Regelin shared a picture of the dent (left), accepts the gift of a humidor for the superany gatherings you have or activities you Maryland rat send-off he attended. Corey intendent’s office from Roland Tiso. The humidor was may attend.

The deadline for my next set said six of the 32 rats from Maryland were given to Tiso for safekeeping and permanent residence by the non-commissioned officers at the Joint Intelli- of notes will be Nov. 15, so please let me in attendance. Michael Burke shared ingence Center, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Pictured in hear from you. formation about the RSO in the St. Louthe background are Mike Kelly and Terry Howlett, Tiso’s Pat and I wish you a wonderful Christis area and said he was looking forward roommates. mas and holiday season and a happy new to helping with recruitment fairs this fall. year. Be safe. And don’t forget those Pat and I attended the combined Fayettelast-minute end-of-the-year contributions to ville and Raleigh chapters’ RSO in early August; in Oregon, they wanted to go over to Great Falls, VMI. Support the Corps and Institute we are however, we missed the one for the Triad Chapter Montana, to visit with Gary Shick. Mac said all so proud of. Take care. held the day after we came to the beach. I encour- that until our reunion, he had not seen or spoken In the Bonds, age you all to get involved with the local chap- to Gary in 50 years. They had a great visit, and Mike ter and activities such as the RSOs and recruiting Gary asked them to come and see them when

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Class notes about a handful of BRs, such as Rich Forbes, Red Undercoffer, and Glenn Morris. Glenn Morris’ attendance on our 50th had not been confirmed, so a calling campaign was devised to encourage his attendance—either attend or we will bring our families to your home to visit. Interestingly enough, Rob and Joan Bacon spent a week in the Keys with my high school sweetheart and her husband, diving for lobster and living the good life. The Facebook pics suggested that they had way too much fun. Nothing like a week in the Florida Keys to soothe the soul!

The ultimate sand trap—the Outer Banks. Phil Parker reports having a blast playing golf with John Pate, Rod Beard, and Pete Shelley. No scores were recorded. I’m not sure they could count that high. I suspect they spent most of their time either in the woods or on the 19th hole. Rumor has it that John Pate carries a chainsaw in his bag, just in case. I’m sure the tales were tall

as they wandered around looking for lost balls.

The Potomac Area Breakfast Club meeting July 22—a small but mighty gathering of ground zero Snookie Parker breakfast club diners. Attendees: Charles Gardner, Bill Minor, Don Whitten, and Don Kilcullen. Charley Banning laments, “As one can tell, our numbers have diminished.” Sadly, we’ve lost John Valenstein, Mike Mahoney, and Bob Trost from our ranks. Bobby Cunningham has moved to Tennessee; Clint Anderson has moved to TexGreetings, Brother Rats, Family, and Friends of as; Rick Donahue has moved to Wyoming; Red the Class of 1974!

Undercoffer moved a long time ago to the comBy the time you are reading these class notes, forts of Lexington; Tom Cunningham is down we will be on the downwind leg for our 50th Reto the shores of Calleo, Virginia; and Arnie Leonunion and about to turn on a short final. A sumard and Space Huddle have retreated to North mary of the August reunion planning IPR, along Carolina. For those attending, Charlie Gardner with a proposed schedule of events, can be found is still doctoring, Bill Minor is still judging, Don toward the end of these class notes. The good Whitten is still consulting for Mitre, and Don news—to date, the attendance group, led by Kilcullen was stumping for Cadet Antonio AhGary Trinkle, reports 142 BRs responding with anj ’24, who is working in Amman, Jordan, on a, “Yes, I plan to attend,” and an additional 42 a Boren project. A small but mighty fine crew!

BRs responding with a, “Maybe.” That is a poI recently had a nice conversation with Tim tential of 184 BRs attending the reunion and likeMcCarthy. Tim and his wife, Terry, live in ly around 300 total attendees. More on that later.

Pennsylvania but still have a house in Seaville, The big news in this Parker household was the New Jersey, which allows Tim and Terry to go arrival of our first grandchild May 29, Memorito Cape May and Ocean City, where he went to al Day—King George IV. Actually, the name is high school. Terry’s sister lives in Virginia, not George Thomas Smith IV (nicknamed Teddy— far from Richmond, so they go down there four too many Georges in the family). I’ve dubbed to five times a year to visit and spend some time him King George IV. King George is the first in Williamsburg. Tim spent 30 years in the Army grandchild on both sides of the family. Parents Reserve with the 78th Division, which is inactive George and Olivia are doing well even though it now, and retired as a colonel. Tim owns Kinsley is a significant lifestyle change—carefree DINKs Inc., a business that manufactures equipment for (double income, no kids) change from jetting off various uses. Tim said he recently shipped five to wherever for the weekend to two hours to pack pretzel machines and several timing screws and the car with baby stuff just to go to the grocery Class of 1974: Al Vicory, John Hunter, and Ted Telle in The Villages, Florida. is currently building fillers and some other mastore down the street. We love it—so excited. Did chines. Tim and Terry are planning to attend the I tell you that Nick Saban called? Did not realreunion. Looking forward to ize they are recruiting this early. seeing you there, Tim. I told him to stand in line, Mac Rick and Bev Donahue are Brown had already called! doing well in Wyoming. Rick In late June, Marla and I were is still working as a government at our condo in Florida (on the contractor for Foxhole TechnolSouth Jacksonville Beach/Ponogy—currently the acting depte Vedra Beach line) and had uty director of land warfare in breakfast at Penman Diner at the DTE&A Office within USD Jacksonville Beach with BRs (R&E) but claims it is getting old Judge Nottingham and Rob Baand retirement is looming. Bev con. Understand night owls Joan spends a lot of her time quilting Bacon and Rhoda Nottingham and attending meetings. Rick has were still snoozing while we been going through some boxes dined on SOS, hash browns, and eggs. Siblings, kids, and grandClass of 1974: Attending John Valenstein’s celebration of life service are and keeps finding various items kids are all doing well across the (from left) Arnie Leonard, Maria Leonard, Jon Mounts, Bill Pennypacker, from his rat year. Rick explains that he has always been a pack rat board. The stroll down memory Debra Rene Pennypacker, Debbie Banning, and Charley Banning. (no pun intended) and thought lane surfaced interesting stories

1974

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Class Notes in Lionel Bart’s Oliver! that was persome items that might be of interest, formed at the Prince William Little such as the VMI Military Courtesy Theater accompanied by the Manas& Social Customs pamphlet we were sas Symphony Orchestra. This sucgiven at the start of our rat year and cessful production was preceded by copies of his General Committee and Wilson as Jacob Marley in Scrooge: Rat Disciplinary Committee infracThe Musical and as George Weedon, tions and invitations. Rick mentioned a great benefactor of the Continenthat he had reached out to Richard tal army and fellow officer alongside Valenstein regarding John’s passGeorge Washington, in the producing—noting that they were all friends tion of the Twelfth Night at Kenmore, in Michigan, having moved from Vira take on Shakespeare in a January ginia to Michigan after completing his rat year. They played a lot of golf Class of 1974: Attending John Baumgardner’s celebration of life 1776 Colonial American setting. As and did those things college kids do service are (from left) Mark Prentice, Tom Puskas, Mike Fisher, they say in the business, “break a Sarah Fisher, Pat Flynn, Bert Graham, Sue Flynn, Wilson Johnson, leg.” Well done, Wilson. What next! in the summer. Thanks for the note, Bill Shumate, and Jon Mounts.

Al and Kathy Vicory, rumored to Rick. Looking forward to seeing you be the first family of The Villages, are and Bev at the reunion. thrilled to report that Ted and Susan Chuck and Louise Ward took a Telle are becoming neighbors! They came, they 6,000-mile trip in their 2001 Corvette from Charsaw, they sold—their home in Tennessee, and lottesville, Virginia, to Green Valley, Arizona, have a contract on a beautiful home less than a (south of Tucson) in late March to mid-April this mile from the “House of Vicory.” The fact that year. Highlights: The Memphis Zoo; Gateway Charlie and Tommy Toler (Hernando Beach) and Arch in St. Louis; Old Route 66 down through Bert and Jane Zinkand (Lakewood Ranch, near Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma; Santa Fe and Bradenton/Sarasota) are relatively close by may Albuquerque; and, of course, standing on the have influenced the Telle decision to relocate. It corner in Winslow, Arizona; Flagstaff; Sedona; turns out that John and Lenora Hunter were rentTucson; Green Valley; White Sands; and Rosing a place in The Villages, and before they dewell to visit our fellow space aliens (looked for parted back to Birmingham, they dined with the Huddle but didn’t see him there)! A whirlwind Vicorys and Telles. Word has it that these three 24-day excursion! Proud grandpa news—Chuck amigos had a blast! I wonder if the Hunters are has a granddaughter who is starting her second Class of 1974: Pictured are (from left) considering a move? year at Liberty University on a full scholarship John Pate, Phil Parker, Pete Shelley, I just got off the phone with Lane Toomey. in mechanical engineering. Chuck laments that and Rod Beard.

Lane mentioned that he had made contact with he is the surviving roommate, with Wayne WorKevin Fogarty. It was the first time Lane and man and Karl Liebrich gone. Even Room 109 acrylics and oil drawing class at the community Kevin had talked since they graduated. Lane was is gone (now a stairway since the new barracks)!

Chuck and Louise are looking forward to seeing college and might take a music theory class there calling Kevin to invite him to our reunion. Kevin had not been to any reunions since we graduyou all at our 50th Reunion. Note: They will be as well. Dave seems to have lots of free time, and ated. Kevin is still serving as a prosecutor with celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary May he and Susan are looking forward to the 50th! the Queens (New York) district attorney’s office.

Bill Shumate has just returned from an envi25, 2024!

Marla and I get to see David and Susan Shep- ous father/daughter adventure. Bill and daughter Lane committed to keep in touch and continue to pard regularly since we both reside in Wilson, Jenna took a 10-day trip to Greece in May and prod him to return along with the rest of Room 456 (Steve Fisher, Roland Lazenby, and Frank had a great time. He sent a photo of the two of North Carolina. The Sheppards stay busy and “Rub” Rawls). them at the Parthenon after “pressing up the hill are enjoying life. David has started to divest himIt has been confirmed: Mike Morrissett did reself from some of his many volunteer civic du- of science.” T’was a nice picture, but not enough ties. He is currently down to eight committees, pixel strength to be included in the Alumni Re- tire in December 2022; however, Clay has been boards, or commissions (chairing three). He view. Bill retired from the Secret Service back in busy finding him honey-do chores, so he’ll consider going back to work. In the meantime, they seem January and claims he now is just doing what he plays tennis whenever he can find three others to spend a lot more time at their house on the bay. willing to play and ends up playing three-plus wants to do—mostly working around the house, Bruce and Sue Jones (really Sue) sent out onetimes per week—claims he is not getting much going to Washington Nats and Fred Nats baseball better but enjoying it. He refuses to get into pick- games, and trying to stay one step ahead of the year anniversary pictures of the Lake Como, Italy, to Amsterdam trip. Was one great trip filled with leball even though he owns a paddle. He said he law. Nice to hear from The Mate! one sweet memory after another. I was actually I understand Wilson Johnson and company got recently joined the Wilson Ukulele Band and is getting ready for the senior home Christmas tour. rave reviews at their most recent theatrical pro- exploring an eight-day Lyon to Avignon (southern France) cruise with an option to include Nice, Then, for some reason, he signed up to take an duction, Oliver! Wilson played Mr. Sowerberry

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Class notes Cannes, and Monaco when the Jones’ email arrived. Still looking for a good deal! As Bob Hope was inclined to sing, “Thanks for the memories!”

T.J. and Kerri Wilson responded to the email trail from the airport on their way to Northern England to hike Hadrian’s Wall—all 84 miles worth—with plans to visit Scotland afterward.

I’m thinking Arnie Leonard and Bill Candler may want to consider a Hadrian’s Wall hike after they complete the Appalachian Trail.

Extra, extra, read all about it. Roland Lazenby’s latest book is out, Magic—The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson. While at the Hops Hill gathering for the reunion planning IPR, I was listening to Roland explain what he had learned regarding book sales and how some books land on the bestseller list. Speaking with Roland’s wife, Karen, and daughter, Jenna, who were also present for the Hops Hill event, the other big news in the Lazenby household is that Jenna’s son matriculates this August as a member of the Rat Mass of 2024+3. Grandpa is elated, while mom, like all moms, is concerned for her baby boy. As we all know, they enter as boys and come home at Christmas break confident, disciplined, and respectful young men!

Got an update and request for prayers from Paul Van Doren regarding his health challenges. Paul reports his stem cell transplant June 24 is now off the table since his hip break June 16 while fiddling with the ivy bed, trying to create a no-ivy barrier. Paul saw his local oncologist a week later for a routine appointment and asked about the two funny bumps that had been there for the past four months. Paul had asked earlier about the bumps and was told there was nothing to worry about. Well, it turns out to be a very rare form of leukemia called leukemia cutis that calls for a different chemo regimen. Paul says recovering from the hip fracture is his main preoccupation and concern. Keep Paul in your prayers.

Bert Graham mentioned in a recent email an obvious lesson at our age is that putting off contact with friends is not a good idea. We lost two of our brother rats in July. On July 15, a celebration of life service was conducted for John E. Valenstein at Grace United Methodist Church in Cambridge, Maryland, followed by a reception at the Cambridge Yacht Club. John’s brother, Rich (Kitty), assisted wife Mary Ann in planning and organizing John’s celebration of life service and reception. Several brother rats were able to attend: Arnie and Maria Leonard, Charley and Debbie Banning, Jon Mounts, Bill Pennypacker, Steve Orr, and Tom Puskas.

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On July 23, John Baumgardner passed. Services for John were held Aug. 12, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Washington, Virginia. Attendees: Mark Prentice, Tom Puskas, Mike and Sarah Fisher, Pat and Sue Flynn, Bert Graham, Wilson Johnson, Bill Shumate, and Jon Mounts.

As I was about to submit these notes for publication, I received a call from Bob Smith in Colorado. Bob had learned that BR Wayne Newman had passed June 25, 2023. At the moment, we have little information to provide. Clearly, there will be more to follow. Bert Graham’s comment struck a nerve, given the news of the last 60 days!

Come see your BRs! A summary of the 50th Reunion planning committee IPR in Lexington follows. Attendees: Lane Toomey; Gary Trinkle; Pete Meredith; John White; Bruce and Sue Jones; Pat and Sue Flynn; Craig “Snapper” and Cathy Carlock; Chip and Cathy Beaman; Andy and Pat Young; Roland; Karen and Jenna Lazenby; Thomas Walton; Terrell Williams; Graham “Red” Undercoffer; Bert Graham; Frank Richardson; Tom Puskas; Rick Kastelberg; T.J. Wilson; and Mike Morrissett. The highlight of the IPR was the afternoon gathering at Pat and Sue Flynn’s home on Hops Hill. We were blessed with some ideal weather, which allowed for spectacular views from the balcony of Pat’s Hops Hill home. There was good cheer, good beer, and great “eats” to round out the evening. With respect to the IPR, the reunion planning was “on course, on glidepath” but not yet on the short final. Gary Trinkle’s Attendance Committee had secured disposition and/or contact information on all 380 BRs that matriculated Aug. 20, 1970, and more importantly, had 142 BRs that responded with a “yes” for attendance and another 42 “maybes.” The possibility of 184 BRs attending is phenomenal.

Lane Toomey reported on his Campaign Committee’s effort—almost halfway there to a very ambitious target with the end of the calendar year donations yet to be tallied. A quick summary of the reunion schedule.

Guiding principles: 1) All about the BRs and reconnection; 2) More upscale—it’s our 50th; 3) Affordable; 4) Lots of free time; and 5) Focus on the f-word: Fun. The schedule: Wednesday, April 24—Early arrivals; early bird gathering on Hops Hill.

Thursday, April 25—Activity day: Registration, golf, tennis, pickleball, clays, ladies’ afternoon tea, free time, hospitality suite opens.

Friday, April 26—Class day: Breakfast in Marshall Hall, class meeting, class memorial, free

time, official welcome in Moody Hall, fellowship/nightcaps in the hospitality suite.

Saturday, April 27—Tradition day: Breakfast in Marshall Hall, class photo, parade, Old Yell in barracks, lunch in Crozet (optional), free time, cocktails and dinner in Marshall Hall, fellowship/ nightcaps in the hospitality suite.

Sunday, April 28—Farewell breakfast in the hospitality suite. We have rooms blocked in Lexington at the following: Best Western at Hunt Ridge, Hampton Inn, and Sleep Inn. If you have not yet made a reservation, I recommend you do so ASAP, as there is more than one reunion going on this weekend. There is a VMI Class of 1974 website that has detailed information on the reunion. There is a class Facebook page where some information may be posted. Expect an online registration site sponsored by the Alumni Association to be up and running in the late January/ early February timeframe. More to follow as we approach the short final.

That is all for now. Everyone, start finalizing your plans for the reunion. Don’t come alone— bring a wingman/call a roommate. Take one last stroll down memory lane! Look forward to seeing you there!

Class contacts: snookieparker1974@earthlink. net and Charley Banning cbanning@cox.net.

Send me a note. Yada, yada, yada and yaba daba dooooo!

In the Bonds, Snookie

1975

Thomas Mason

Brothers, Sisters, and Casual Readers, At first glance, this column always seems to begin with great promise. It looks like a loaded deli sub sandwich with great bread, but after a bite or two, one quickly notes the spoiled meat, moldy cheese, and wilted lettuce. At times, I’ve been guilty of serving you a rather bland porridge.

Let’s see what’s on the cutting board this quarter and if any seasonings were used.

It’s now mid-fall and nearly Thanksgiving; time to begin the climb up the Christmas card mountain, yay! These notes cover activities experienced by our group from early May through mid-August 2023. Summer news has

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Class Notes Allen Morgan, Art Nunn, Mark Hall, and Rob organized a lunch group that included our visiting yielded the following: Charlie Collins’ Appalachian Trail tale end- Taylor (who shot sporting clays). Taking third guest, Garland Isaacs. John Costa and Art Nunn ed in Lexington, Virginia, June 7, 2023, after 79 place in the Hobie Doyle ’909 Flight were Doug supplied gravitas to this gathering. I remain humHarvey, Chip Louthan, Ollie Way, and me, net- bled at observing the gifts of each of these brothers days and 700-plus miles. Happily, he was met as they minister, counsel, and provide hospitality, by a reliable cadre of BRs and feted to lunch at ting $17 each payday. (We’re rich!) comfort, and wisdom to other classmates in times An unexpected visitor from the class came Niko’s Grille. Many thanks to Scott Risser, who reserved adequate space at the charming bis- through Roanoke in early July. Harry McKnight of need. The company was comforting, while the meal quality was not. tro. Other attendees were Glenn Kent Wood checked in from Furr, Stewart Fleming, Allen Manhattan, Kansas, where he Morgan, Ben Vanderberry, plays golf five days a week with and Charlie’s childhood friend, other Army and Marine retirees.

Pete Jowaisas (from Lynchburg).

Kent requested assistance getStories from misbegotten youth ting in touch with his old 116 were swapped, and laughter was roomies, Gibby Houser and Alan shared by all. Charlie had the opHansen. Outcome of those conportunity to recharge and visit his tacts is unknown. old roomie at the home of John Upon completing these notes and Sheila Costa in Roanoke the for our last get-together, I left you prior weekend. The final punctuwith something of a tease: Oliver ation point on this journey was and Bonnie Way had just arrived in mid-July when Charlie was in Johannesburg, South Africa, the featured speaker at the class where, seasonally, it was midprayer assembly on Zoom. Charfall. Their several days in Capelie related both the physical and town saw penguins; ostrichs; baspiritual journey he experienced boons; and beautiful, rugged land while on the trail.

Several days earlier, Glenn Class of 1975: Pictured are (from left) Lisa Dell’Osso, Dan Dell’Osso, Reggie and seascapes of that South AfriWebb, and Kathy Webb. can peninsula/seaport. A 1,000Garland joined Charlie Collins mile flight northeast took them to coax him through a few more next to the Kapama Game Reserve just outside difficult miles of hiking, and those two were met of Kruger National Park. Here, the Ways enjoyed

by Harry McKnight for a chow down at Three safari glamping. Each day, they took two vehicuLittle Pigs BBQ in Daleville, Virginia. lar excursions into the bush, one trip in the early In late June, a surprise email arrived from Hamid morning (with coffee service) and one in the eveMoghavemi-Tehrani seeking immediate help ning at dusk. They got to photograph the majeswith a passport matter. M-T and his wife, Faye, ty of elephants, Cape buffalo (most unpredictable were gifted a Norwegian cruise vacation trip by animal in Africa), rhinos, giraffes, the lion king their daughters, and all was well until five days (crunching on the flesh and bone of impala), leopprior to departure, and M-T’s passport had not yet ards, and hippos. They also got to see some of the arrived. We reached out to several classmates, and uglies: Warthog, hyena, and vulture. The open veRich McFarland and Scott Risser immediately hicles and dusty trails in which they ventured out made contact to the State Department and local each day delivered them back to camp covered in U.S. congressional representatives’ office for asa fine layer of South African dust. sistance, and presto, case solved!

The trip moved on to Zimbabwe and the ZamAt the Keydet Club Leadership outing in June, bezi River to view Victoria Falls by helicopter and Chip Louthan remarked to me how well his VMI stay at a country bush lodge in Botswana with a lockbox has fared over 52 years. Chip’s relating view of a large watering hole in which many herd this story may prompt others to unshelve this timeanimals arrived and departed almost on a schedless keepsake and examine its contents. Lock comule for their daily drink. Their travel group of eight bination remembered, and my own popped open, was soon delivered to Johannesburg for their rerevealing a trove of minor memories. The darned laxing 16-hour flight back home. thing has held up like a time capsule!

This journey was so well-received that this adJune 9 found most of the usual suspects at the anClass of 1975: Dan and Laura Schultz venturous couple will return on a future trip farnual Keydet Club Leadership Outing at Lexington with their dog, Charlie, at their home in ther north to Kenya and the Serengeti Plains to Golf & Country Club. Seen were Glenn Furr, Williamsburg, Virginia. witness the savannah’s migrating herds of zebra, Steve Chapin, Mike Hunter, Billy Hunter,

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Class notes met near Santa Barbara, California, for the April wildebeest, eland, impala, gazelle, kudu, dik-dik, finally, one grandson loading up the family tree. wedding of the Webb’s daughter, Mattie. The two Steve and Sherry Chapin have vacated Brentand the hunting prowess of the cheetah. I shall apply for work with the BBC as a narrator (#SirDa- wood, Tennessee, and found a temporary home in couples enjoyed catching up during a fast-paced vidAttenborough #NationalGeographic) when my downtown Lexington, Virginia. In homey Lexing- walk on the morning of the wedding. That snippet ton, they will be close to his physician specialists was short and sweet. tenure serving the class expires!

Dutifully reporting in his “all right” status was I felt it appropriate to follow the above adven- at the UVA Medical Center. Upon recording this Rick Law. He and Pariolee will take a Scandinaentry, Steve will have both assisted Allen Morgan ture with another excursion by our class picaroon, Glenn Garland. The scenario is as follows: in scouting the football team pre-season work- vian cruise Aug. 17–Sept. 4, and he looks forward Mid-July, the annual, world-famous three-week outs and also wandered post during Matricula- to seeing a raucous crowd of BRs in Charleston, bicycle race in France (Le Tour) is underway; tion Week in late August in hopes of identifying a South Carolina, for the annual tilt against The CitGlenn and two bike buddies excitedly travel to needy 4th Class cadet who would like to be adopt- adel in mid-October.

Every quarter or so, a remote field corresponEau Claire, Wisconsin, with their expensive gear ed into a safe haven home in town.

Reggie and Kathy Webb traveled West, Dan and dent submits an entertaining dispatch. The followto ride the Wisconsin 400 Trail (it’s a mere 22 Lisa Dell’Osso traveled South, and the couples ing was filed by John Prior, just three weeks back miles in length). from France. The accompanying photo We’ll call this the tour de farce. Misstep shows the players in this drama. Charlie number one: Glenn had removed the front Hoon hosted five of our finest and their wheel of his bike for transport, and somespouses out to the Missoula, Montanta, one placed this wheel on top of the vehisummer camp and recreation headquarcle instead of inside the vehicle. I’m led to ters. Seen were Mike Hunter (Sloane), understand the said quick-release tire now John Plunkett (Michelle), Mike Garten, lies on or near Interstate 94 somewhere Lowrie Tucker (Kathy), and John Prior northwest of Milwaukee. Mishap num(Lori) for three days of fly fishing. Mike ber two: Upon stopping for the night, the G. and John went out into the hills mindriver of their vehicle pulled into the parking for sapphires. Several of the spouses ing garage at the hotel and, not rememberwere squired about and entertained by the ing that two of the three bikes were on the always vivacious Sharon DeAlba. The roof-mounted carrier, managed to destroy ladies took in some sightseeing in nearthem as he drove through the low clearby Phillipsburg and Helena. The entire ance garage entrance. As of this writing, Class of 1975: Gathering around the gravesite of Benjamin group toured the Gates of the Mountain it remains unclear if any of the trail was R. Kearfott ’43 at the American cemetery above Omaha ridden.

Beach in Coleville-sur-Mer, France, May 15, 2023, are (from on the Missouri River and then went on I haven’t heard from Lane Pritchard left) Glenn Garland, Ben Vanderberry, Greg Diamontopulos, to Glacier National Park before returning lately, our classmate who ages backward.

Jerry DeWaters, Randy Frank, John Prior, Tom Mason, Low- to Missoula for a final night’s fete with the rie Tucker, Stewart Fleming, and Len Riedel.

Hoons. Happily, in both quarries, multiple John Young and Brenda Honeycutt trout and sapphires were collected. Many married in a small celebration in Fort Mill, thanks, Johnny P.!

South Carolina. Since March, As a postscript to the above adthe happy couple has traveled venture, I have been chided to ask to Franklin, Tennessee, and on Mike Hunter, the next time I see to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to visit him, about fishing from a drift John’s son prior to his deployboat and a shoe ... ment to Poland. From OklaMr. and Mrs. Jelly Bear (Robhoma, they visited the Wichita ert and Sandy Taylor) took their Mountain Wildlife Refuge and children and grandchildren to saw prairie dogs, longhorn catDisney World in Orlando in tle, and bison. They attended mid-summer. I’m delighted to the reinterment ceremony of report they are all still on speak13 Revolutionary War soldiers ing terms. (one British, 12 American) loFrequent correspondent Paul cated on the battlefield at CamBernard commented on and den, South Carolina, and visitclarified earlier concerns about ed U.S. Marine Corps barracks his recovery after saliva gland in Washington, D.C., complete Class of 1975: Pictured at Charlie Hoon’s Montana summer home in June cancer treatment. The latest scan with an evening parade. Beare John Prior, Mike Garten, Lowrie Tucker, Hoon, John Plunkett, and Mike came back clean. He expects to tween John and Brenda, they Hunter. make an appearance at one or have nine granddaughters and,

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Class Notes gain licensure. Bigger news included more football games this fall. By the a lengthy road trip by Tad and Bev to time these notes publish, Paul will Piancines, California (it’s rural, about have taken a bucket list trip to Isramidway between Palo Alto and San el with his sister-in-law and her husLuis Obispo—out of curiosity, I just band. had to look this up), to a working Greg Stultz courteously sent in an sheep ranch for a family wedding. As “all right” from O-H-I-O. always, Blossom (the cat) maintained As many of you are aware, Larry a benign indifference to the surroundGroome experienced an alarming acing family chaos. cident while on a cruise in the spring.

Alas, Larry Waks apparently has After 92 days in one form of medinothing to report. cal facility or another, he is finally Happy Thanksgiving, merry Christhome using a wheelchair and walkmas, and happy holidays in whatever er to help him recover from the mulway you celebrate! tiple fractures and ligament damage Humbly, I remain, he suffered. That email was received Never above you, never below you, July 28. Perhaps an uplifting inquiry Class of 1975: Greg and Melody Diamontopulos at the change of always beside you, or two would be in order, as he has a command ceremony for their son, Peter Diamontopulos ’13.

Your Friend, BR, and Notary, long-term rehab road ahead.

Tom Mason Snookie Parker ’74 wrote me to share ideas about 50th Reunion planning and with whales, and glacier hiking from Aug. 1–15.

After summering in Connecticut, John Whitshared that he would be in Lexington for one or worth looks forward to his return to Florida in more football games this fall and to advise me of the succession as president of the Central North the fall with hopes of avoiding any hurricane acWilliam Bhatta Carolina – Raleigh Chapter of our own Rick tivity.

Harry Broaddus continues to recover from Hening.

The ever-cheerful Ellett Smith states he’s “all back surgery in May. In August, Harry’s wife, right” in Northern Virginia, enjoying getting to Carol, will have accompanied Bill Terpeluk and know his first grandchild, taking walks, and look- Denise Hollerbach on a cruise to the Bahamas.

Congratulations to Jim Joustra. He was appointHarry replied to the question posed as to whething forward to our 50th!

Fran Hillson typically responds to the blandish- er he ever heard from or about his old 1st Class ed to the VMI Board of Visitors for a four-year roommate Bob Feller, and that answer was not term in June! Along with Tom Watjen, the Class ments and wheedling I employ for stories with of 1976 will have an important impact on VMI. since 1988. Coleman Feller, what say you? some news of his own. He is teaching an honors Jim and Susan Mallon met with Jim J. in the Rick Hening looks forward to seeing a few writing course this fall at the University of Delclassmates and other alumni at the VMI visit to middle of July for a few days before he had to aware. He enjoys this much more than teaching “rat English.” Frank has been teaching at UD for North Carolina State pre-game event and foot- attend BOV training in Richmond. Jim M. said, ball game Sept. 15–16. He will also be seen in “We took him to the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, over 10 years now.

Frank and Melody Cole have returned to the Lexington in early September at the VMI foot- then to the VMFA to get him some culture and ate lunch there at The Amuse Restaurant.” By the ball home opener versus Davidson. Rick generNorth Carolina Outer Banks (Manteo) to live. ally stays busy with concerts, baseball games, fu- way, Susan just passed (with distinction) the level Florida was not their cup of tea.

2 Wine & Spirit Education Trust exam. From the Dan Darnell is looking forward to making his nerals, and day trips in and around Rocky Mount, WSET internet site, at level 2: “You’ll gain knowlway into the ’75 riff-raff section of Foster Stadi- North Carolina. edge of the principal and regionally important A proud family ceremony took place in San um this fall for Keydet football.

On Sept. 6, Sosthenes Behn will resume his Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug. 1. Greg and Melody Di- grape varieties of the world, the regions in which they are grown, and the styles of wine they proCamino de Santiago pilgrimage in Portugal, hik- amontopulos traveled to that port to witness the duce. Through a combination of tasting and theoing east to west from the town of Sarria to Santi- change of command and assignment of their son, ry, you’ll explore the factors that impact style and Lt. Peter Diamontopulos ’13, as commander of ago de Compostela. quality and learn how to describe these wines with A nice note from Kevin Wright in Duck, North the U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter Donald confidence.” Hmm, I think I will have a glass of Carolina, expressed lament over attaining the life Horsley (WPC-1117). Congratulations, skipper!

The semi-annual family and friends letter came wine now. milestone of 70, getting to know Webb Tyler ’73 Oscar and Cindy Cammuse’s family is doing out from the MacGowans. Contained therein (his neighbor), and sharing some ideas for our were multiple facts about the many two-wheeled, well (two daughters and five grandchildren). Os50th Reunion.

Dan and Laura Schultz will celebrate their com- motorized conveyances Tad has owned and much car said, “Still living in St. Paul, a small town of less than 1,000 about 31 miles northeast of Dallas, bined 140th birthday on an Alaskan vacation, who-shot-john about the obstacles, courses, and Texas. I am in my sixth year of retirement from salmon fishing junket (by float plane), kayaking exams one must pass in the state of Oregon to

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Class notes group. They are all in the late 90s and beyond. We summer and are doing well. Mark said, “My the circuit board manufacturing industry and nevbrother Jay’s [’62] daughter, Rebecca, married in just are amazed at their accounts.” er run out of things that my kids, grandkids, and Jake Berberich spends most of his time in the Maui, Hawaii, in June, and we were delighted to wife want me to do. Can’t wait to see everyone Boone, North Carolina, mountains. Jake said, be there along with [my] son, Julian ’09, and Jay’s in 2026.”

“Temps rarely go above 80 ... always a breeze and wife, Peggy Lee, and son, Matt ’10, to celebrate Ted Trout and his sister, Lisa, spent three weeks last fall in Italy. Ted said, “Of the many highlights, low humidity. Have not turned on the AC all sum- the marriage.” (I am glad the Sculleys missed the one was literally opening (unlocking the rooms) of mer!” Jake visited Mark Sculley in August out in August fires in Maui.)

“Bernadette had two babysitting jobs in Hawaii the Vatican Museum; there were only 19 of us, so Salt Lake City for a Room 415 trash talk/mini retaking care of Julian’s boys while Michelle [Juwe all got to unlock at least one room ... and we union with Marshall Coyle on Facetime!

Mark and Bernadette Sculley enjoyed the lian’s wife] was TDY in Japan and Palau, leaving got to spend time on our own in the Sistine Chapel. me in charge of home improvement Lisa and I didn’t leave until after the projects.” museum closed, so about 14 hours Ray Ramos is working on retirein there.” After they returned to the ment but is still involved with RayU.S., Ted picked up a new Cavalier mond (the company), albeit at a more King Charles Spaniel. His previous strategic level. His son, Michael, was one sadly passed unexpectedly in named president in January and is February. working on taking the company to An update from Mike Hillsgrove: the next level. Ray and Margaret will “Still old, still fat, still writing novels be off to Ireland/Scotland in Septemthat no one will ever read. Still marber for two weeks of “visiting the ried, although now living in civilizasites, finding out what happened to tion at the behest of my wife of 47 Margaret’s inheritance since she is years, who refused to visit the desert related to the early king of Scotland, anymore. The heat this year, to be and as always, trying out the alcofair, would have killed me. Started a holic beverages along the way.” Ray fourth novel to each of my trilogies signed up to be a mentor/coach at the because Mike still can’t do math. local high school, which has a very Still painting little lead soldiers. Still Class of 1976: Pictured at the 45th Reunion in October 2021 are (from high poverty rate. He said, “I will have three grown children with three left) Paul Spencer, John Strock, and Carl Opel. start with three ninth graders and stay grandchildren.” with them through graduation. It is a In August, Dave and Barb Bass pretty cool program, and I hope I can make a diftraveled to Ketchikan, Alaska, for a two-week visit ference in the lives of a few.” and to celebrate Dave’s 70th birthday! Dave was Eye surgeries seemed to be August’s hit of the born there when Alaska was still a territory. The month: The Berberich-Sculley roommate team birthday party was great; they were able to visit both had eye surgeries recently. Jake said, “Don’t lots of family and many old friends and fit in some think either of us will require a service dog or good old-fashioned tourist stuff. Dave said, “We white cane.” Mark Sculley said, “Bernadette tells were here last year on a cruise (40th anniversary), me I’m hard of hearing [so after eye surgery] ... I but just for a day. So this has been a great homecan read lips much better now.” Ray Ramos said, coming.” They stopped in Seattle, Washington, on “My pickleball game was looking pretty good, but the way to Alaska for a family memorial service to had to take time away from it because I had cataremember Dave’s Uncle Freddy, the World War II ract surgery.” Ray is learning how to shoot clays.

B-24 crew member of The Vulgar Virgin. (He was He said, “With the cataracts, shooting has been killed in Operation Tidal Wave over Ploiesti, Rointeresting because there are times I never hit the mania, Aug. 1, 1943. His remains were identified launch. Hoping things will be better after the eyes and repatriated 78 years later. Dave interred him in are done.” I think, for many of us, cataract surgery August 2021.) is in the tea leaves.

Tony and Sharon Young are enjoying sunrises at The 1974 Southern Conference football champithe beach at Vero Beach, Florida. Tony said, “We onship ring: Phil Upton worked with other alumni are lucky to have the ocean breeze and p.m. showClass of 1976: Razz Waff was inducted to create a ring commemorating the 1974 Southern ers to cool the heat! But, growing up here, I can reinto the Adjutant General’s Corps Hall Conference football championship. Good news— call days before central AC!” Tony stays busy supof Fame June 15, 2023, becoming the the rings are available to order for any 1974 footporting local World War II veterans. He said, “We first reserve component soldier—reserve or guard—to be inducted. ball team member! Eligible BRs can contact Phil have a stage and memorial planned for the World for an order form and/or further details; I will send War II veterans. We are delighted to still have a

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Class Notes you Phil’s contact information separately. There are also plans for the 1974 team to gather and celebrate the championship during a home football game in 2024 (further details to be announced and the date to be determined).

Sorry for my senior moment in February—got Jack Christy and Greg Speaker mixed up with travels to Machu Picchu, Peru. Greg said, “Now I know why Jack called me. I missed the call. However, I think the class knows that Jack Christy would never journey to the mountains of Peru and walk around in the rain for five hours at 12,000 feet! Not when he could sit in a well-worn easy chair, drink some cold beer, and watch football on TV! Now, I do ask that if you ever publish a picture of Jack in his well-worn easy chair drinking beer, please do not label it as Greg Speaker!” Jack said, “Now, while I’ve no real interest in going to Machu Picchu anymore; I used to, but, meh. In 1981, I did wander around Lhasa, Tibet!”

Anyone thinking ahead about the 50th Reunion?

I know it sounds far away, but the Class of 1974 will celebrate its reunion in spring 2024. That puts us two years out. I have discussed with some BRs their ideas for the 50th. One BR has recommended doing a casino night at the CLE. Andre Koneczny had a good idea—start collecting your old VMI photos from 1972–76 so we can copy and put them online to share with everyone. What other ideas are out there?

And now, the BR minute: Andre and Lois Koneczny are enjoying life as grandparents, business partners, husband and wife, and mom and dad. Andre said, “Never a dull moment with everything going on with the family!”

Steve Joyce survived the long, hot summer. Otherwise, he said, “Been enjoying the national conventions for model railroading and plastic model kits here in Texas.”

Jim Dittrich has written about VMI standouts— Charles Ransom ’01, Tom Tait ’55, and Professor Ty Wilson—as the Alumni Association historian.

Chesty Puller ’921 and Lem Shepherd ’917 are next.

Jim and Sharon Joustra went to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem in August.

They had a vested interest. Their son, Andrew, was the movie’s script coordinator! As of these notes, the movie has grossed over $95 million.

In August, Phil Upton, Hunt and Penny Ozmer, and Bobby McQueen ’77 got together in Lakeland, Florida, and spent several hours reminiscing and catching up with each other. Greg and Rosie Lucado enjoyed a Rhine River cruise in July. By chance, Greg met Frank Cooper ’83 on the way

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to an excursion oom-pah dinner in Rudesheim, Germany. Greg said, “The chance meeting resulted in a delightful evening of tall tales and just plain fun.”

Unfortunately, there is sad news to report: Carl Opel passed away June 13, 2023. He was 68 years old. He is survived by his wife, Anna; children, Rick Szymanski and Jenilee Szymanski; grandchildren, Marianna, Elysia, Araceli, Sophia, and

Class of 1976: Ian Fergusson and Alan Kinker, former roommates, at Kinker’s home in Port Haywood, Virginia.

Class of 1976: Ken and Sue Harbin in Rome, Italy, in July.

Fernando; brothers, Mike Powell and Chris Opel; and sisters, Elizabeth Holmes and Kathryn Dittman. Carl matriculated from El Paso, Texas, and was a distinguished graduate, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He also earned a master’s in civil engineering degree from the University of California – Berkeley. Carl served on active duty for approximately 18 years.

Here are some BR memories of Carl: Carmen Villani: “A very sad day for the Class of ’76. What an honor it was to serve with him on the Honor Court! He represented our class and A Company well. Rest in peace, brother rat!”

Mark Rinnan: “Sad news indeed and hard to believe when he was so vibrant and alive at the 45th Reunion. Based on our conversations at the reunion and as a fellow civil engineer, I will say he made many unique contributions to both our country’s defense and improving our society.”

Ares Koumis: “I remember a few times asking Carl, ‘How’s the air up there?’ I guess now, he really knows. Godspeed, BR.” Jeff Wall: “Sad news indeed. We are diminished and, as a group, far too young yet for this to be happening.”

Mike Martino (Mike roomed with Carl his 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Class years): “As with all brother rats, what a great guy. Extremely talented and intelligent while being pragmatic. I will miss him, and my hope is that he is in a better place.”

Steven Joyce: “Truly saddened to hear this. I spent quite a bit of time with him at the 45th Reunion. Liz and I are taking a Panama cruise this December, and I was looking forward to hollering at him as we went through the locks.”

Rocky Glass: “Absolutely a sad day for the Class of 1976. I had the privilege of having several CE classes with Carl, and what a class act from dawn to dusk. Cling to all the good memories that we all shared with Carl. God bless!”

Alan Pyke: “Yes, another great loss for our class.

Always a gentleman, and only fond memories of him! An outstanding career and a loss to all!”

John Strock: “Having Carl appear at the last reunion was a high point for me, and I am sure [for] many others. I hadn’t seen him in a long time, so I was full of questions about his life in Panama and just catching up. Some things had changed, but he was still the good guy from before.”

Charlie Archer: “Sad to hear, and I echo the thoughts of my BRs. I connected with Carl at one of the earlier reunions; he had a fascinating life and loved his life in Panama with Anna.”

Ray Pavlosky: “The passing of any of our brother rats is a very sad and heartfelt event in our lives,

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes

1977

Steve Kelly

Class of 1976: Mike Tate with his daughter, Kelli, in Durban, South Africa, in June, at the conclusion of the Comrades Marathan, a 54-mile race. and we will forever hold them dear in our hearts and over 50 years of memories. He will be missed and remembered as a great brother rat.”

Mack Curle: “This is sad and very unexpected.

I really enjoyed catching up with Carl at our 45th Reunion. Another good man gone too soon.”

Will Adams: “I am sad for the loss of another BR taken too soon from our midst. It just makes me appreciate the BRs we still have. Prayers for Carl’s family and friends and all of us who remember him.”

Maury Gatewood: “I want to echo what all our BRs have said. The loss of Carl is a loss for society, his family, and our class. Enjoyed talking to him at our reunions, and my condolences to his family.”

Jim Delisio: “I’m with Maury. Carl came to the 45th. Leigh Anne and I ate with him at the Mullins’. He was telling us all about Panama after he allowed me to tease him about the heavy jacket he was wearing. He gave it right back to me, too. A credit to our class, VMI, and his family. Glad to have had that time to get reacquainted and to know him at all.”

Brian Puse: “I was so sorry to hear about losing another BR. Carl was a true example of the VMI man.”

Jim Joustra: “This one really hurts. Carl was a great soldier, Keydet, and a fine human being.”

Bob Cox: “Sad news for the Class of 1976, prayers for his family.”

Bill Neal: “A great brother rat!”

That’s the news as of Aug. 15, 2023. Stay safe and healthy. Hope you and your loved ones enjoy Thanksgiving, the December holiday season, and the new year in 2024!

2023-Issue 4

Greetings, Super ’77!

It is late July as I write these notes. Summer has descended upon us with a vengeance here in North Carolina. I can always tell how hot it is by the number of bugs eating the roses out front of the house, and this summer, there are more pests than roses.

I appreciate those who took the time to send updates on what is going on in their lives. I am happy

spend time touring Ireland this summer after Mark taught a class for cadets there.

The Class of ’77 and the Institute were well represented at the celebration of life service for Brother Rat “Skeet” Ashby June 24 in Remington, Virginia. Those present were Kimber Latsha, Mark Bryant, Mark and Mary Lou Hunt, Steve Kelly, and Ed Johnson ’79. The VMI alumni led those attending in the VMI Doxology, which Skeet had requested to be sung at this service. The class provided a nice wreath in VMI colors which went well with the red, white, and yellow color theme.

The class wants to offer condolences to the family of Brother Rat Bart Pasco, who recently lost their oldest son, James Denham Pasco II. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. I mentioned the flowers we provided for Skeet’s

Class of 1977: Attending the celebration of life service for Evan “Skeet” Ashby in Remington, Virginia, June 24, 2023, are (from left) Ed Johnson ’79, Alumni Association chief operating officer; Mark Bryant; Kimber Lasha; Steve Kelly; and Mark Hunt. to report that I am recovering well from my latest operation and will be out of my cast in a few weeks. I ruptured a tendon on my left foot, and it has taken longer than I would like to heal. On the better news side, my wife, Mauri, and I just got back from Tennessee, where we were a part of our oldest grandson’s wedding. You know you are getting old when your grandkids start getting married!

I received a note from Chris Manno. Chris recently retired from American Airlines, but he got an offer he could not refuse with Southwest Airlines as a full-time 737 flight instructor. Congratulations, Chris, on your new flight adventures!

Can’t wait to see your illustrations of rookie pilot mistakes!

Tim Thompson and his Dragon Force Karate Team have been busy this summer with summer camps and competitions. Sounds like the Dragon Force continues to do well in competitions.

Mark Bryant and his wife, Caryl, were able to

service and also wanted to let you know the class made a contribution to the Colorado Springs MS Society in honor of Brother Rat “Jack” Adams.

The next set of class notes is due in November.

Please take time to send me an email and pictures to share some of your news with your brother rats.

I hope to see many of you at the mini reunion Oct. 28.

Take Care, Tick

1978

Tom Brown

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class,

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Class Notes As you read these notes, our 45th Reunion was only a couple of weeks ago. As I write, the reunion is about two months away. Brother Rat Jim Simons was gracious—he says foolish—enough to coordinate the events and has put in a stupendous effort. He is to be commended for contacting as many BRs as possible. When you see him next, buy him a beverage of his choice and take him fishing. Thanks for all you have done, Jim! Now for the news from around the class.

Mark Seely: “Doing fine in the San Francisco Bay Area. Finally getting some decent weather.

Lots of travel planned for the next several months.

Looking forward to seeing my BRs at the class reunion.”

Kevin Callanan: “All right. Retired from Valley Health in 2019 and opened my own consulting company, Callanan Executive Services. We just became empty nesters. Our son, William, just started his freshman year at Christopher Newport University. We have many plans for travel to South Carolina and Florida.”

Frank Fountain and Paul Campbell: “All right!”

Tim Pishdad: “Thank you to all my BRs for their well wishes and prayers as I recovered from my stroke!”

Rick Wetherill: “All right! Won’t make the reunion, maybe 50th?”

Danny Thornton: “Look forward to seeing all at the reunion. Please keep BR Tom Ferguson in your prayers as he wrestles with a variety of health issues.”

Joe Cafarella: “I cannot attend this reunion. I will commit for our 50th, though, if I’m still vertical. All is well here in Ohio. Lots of medical issues, but nothing that keeps me from playing mediocre golf.”

Dave Gray: “Okay in Yorktown. Looking forward to the reunion and the opportunity to get in some fishing while in the AO.” Pete Manoso: “All OK in Newport News, Virginia. Our daughter and son-in-law blessed us with a second granddaughter, Lily Catherine Amante, in June. Ed and Mary Little met us for lunch at the Surf Rider Restaurant in Hampton, Virginia, on a Sunday afternoon in July. I enjoy the monthly class prayer group and encourage everyone to join us.”

Tim Berkhimer: “All right, sir. Looking forward to our reunion in a couple of months. Congratulations to Danny Thornton in his new role.”

Dave Mecredy: “Greetings from Minnesota. Everyone is well here. This past weekend, I showed my 1948 Ford 8N tractor at the Scott Carver Threshers event in Jordan, Minnesota.

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We’ve been members for years, but I had never exhibited my tractor until this year when my son, Branson, arranged to transport the tractor to the thresher’s grounds.”

Mike Freeman: “Not much new here as summer winds down. Hope to attend the North Carolina State versus VMI game in September and looking forward to seeing everyone at our reunion.”

Blaine Vorgang: “Wendy and I will not attend the reunion this time. Other than that, things are going along ‘peachy keen’ here in Plainfield, and we continue to be in an ‘all right’ status for your stick check!”

John Tucker: “All right in Columbus, Ohio.”

Jimmy Leech: “We’re OK here in Corpus Christi, except it’s hot as #$%@. It’s supposed to be hot here in the summer, but it’s been relentless this year. I guess that’s true in many places. I regret that I will not be able to attend the reunion. I won’t bore you with my whiney excuses. Let’s just say I hope to make it to the 50th. I hope it goes well and that everyone has a good time.”

Paul Mitchell: “As a retiree, I have embraced my role as a local historian. For my high school alma mater, then Huguenot Academy in Powhatan, Virginia, which was later transformed into Blessed Sacrament Huguenot, I organized two reunions: (a) The 50th reunion of the HA 1973 varsity VAAC championship basketball team in February, and (b) the 50th reunion of the HA 1973 VAAC championship football team in September.

Billy Hupp ’77 was a senior on that outstanding HA basketball team, which only lost three games all season, winning the first conference championship in school history. One losing game was to Bill Hardy’s Amelia Academy in OT. I was a captain and a VAAC All-Conference left offensive guard on that ’73 football team. We failed to have an undefeated season when a short field goal attempt narrowly missed on the last play of the game. We lost by a mere two points to Mark McKissick’s Prince Edward Academy.

“Also, along with Norris Hall, my next-door neighbor in Wayland in my preschool days, we created ‘Old Bon Air Kids’ for those who grew up in the greater Bon Air-Southampton area during the ancient era of 1950–70. We have held two program/gatherings so far in St. Michael’s Episcopal Church’s parish hall, combining entertaining education presentations with opportunities for socializing. BAK are reconnecting with old friends, former neighbors, and acquaintances and making new friends. As I write this, the number of members on our Old Bon Air Kids Facebook group page has grown to 375. Members are posting all

kinds of old photos which prompt a lot of shared memories and anecdotes. Tom Griggs, the son of the late local TV celebrity, ‘Sailor Bob’ Griggs, made a wonderful presentation at our first gathering about his dad, including showing a 13-minute film he produced of behind-the-scenes film clips.

All the kids in the greater Richmond area during that 1950–70 era grew up watching The Sailor Bob Show.

“According to CT and PT scans, I have no evidence of cancer; thank the Lord I feel well. Eva starts third grade at BSH. Now that I am retired, I can do a lot of traveling about just for the fun of it.

This summer, Eva and I attended family reunions in New Holland, Pennsylvania (dad’s side), and greater Louisville, Kentucky (mom’s side), meeting lots of relatives in person for the first time. I learned that some of my forebears are positively presidential. In our Allen-Muffett family tree, we have a George Washington, a Ulysses Grant, a Herbert Hoover, and a Benjamin Franklin.”

Joe Mounts: “All is well here. Work is still going well and keeping me busy. Becky retired a couple of years ago, but I’m still having a blast at the cape.

We did buy an RV about a year ago and have made a few trips, mostly to Fort Wilderness for a relaxing week of doing very little, but I imagine we’ll make some longer trips in the future.”

Gary Snyder: “Happy to report things in Kentucky are just fine. Looking forward to seeing all at the reunion, and the Room 142 crew are all planning to be there.”

I had a great conversation with Bob Longwell, who is doing all right on the Florida Gulf Coast.

He says he hits the links and is enjoying retired life.

That concludes the news from around the class.

Please stay in touch. I use the VMI Alumni Agencies email system to stay connected with the class, and the VMI Alumni Agencies no longer uses “snail mail” for reunion information. Jim Simons worked very hard to get as many contacts updated as possible; he had an email mailing list of 266 of the 362 cadets who matriculated with the Class of 1978. While perhaps imperfect, it allowed him to reach out to almost 100 more classmates than we would have had he not dedicated hundreds of hours to the effort. If you know of anyone who has not been contacted by email either by myself or the Alumni Agencies, please have them contact me or Virginia Garrett of the Alumni Agencies at vgarrett@vmiaa.org (800) 444-1839, ext. 244. This way, you will get all the information about class happenings, and as we are going to be a bit closer to our 50th Reunion, you

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes Niehaus. They occasionally have lunch with other Old Corps alumni in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. All are doing well. Additionally, Andy ran into Ray Whitner, who now works for North Carolina DEQ in the Mooresville office near Charlotte. Ray is doing well and is enjoying being closer to his children, who also live in the area.

Richard Toft wrote to report that all is fine in Florida. He was in charge of this year’s Memorial Day ceremony for the city of Fort Pierce and the luncheon afterward at his American Legion Post 358, all of which went well. He is now looking to similar success with their upcoming Veterans Day observance. Richard also reported that he had gone Howard “Chappy” Lucas to a track event at Sebring and put his Z06 Corvette through its paces. Richard described the experience as “if a car could grin, it probably would have matched the one on my face, finally getting to stretch its legs like it was bred to do!”

Our class was well represented at the July 15 Brother Rats, Norfolk Tides VMI alumni function, with Jim I trust this finds everyone safe and well.

Harrington, Frank Jester, John Colonna, and I want to thank Mike Ogden and Renee for their Jim Owens attending. amazing work and outstanding service to our class Brian Tollie checked in after returning from a for the past 19 years. I also want to thank everyone three-week trip to the Maritimes in Canada. On for the encouragement, kind words, and support I the way home, he and Laura stopped in Carlisle, have received as I take on this new role as your Pennsylvania, where they had breakfast with Debclass agent. bie Jussel. Brian wrote that “Debbie lives in a I am writing these notes shortly after the passbeautiful 19th-century home in the historic part of ing of John George. It was with a heavy heart Carlisle. Her two corgis and her on-site bicycle rethat I learned of John’s passing. Our thoughts and pair shop keep her pretty busy.” Brian also shared prayers are with his family. He will be missed.

Class of 1979: Mrs. Alphonso Hamilton, that he has been in touch with Jeff Goldhardt. Jeff Thanks to everyone who checked in. Turning to mother of Anthony Hamilton, and Greg is recovering nicely from his heart attack, as Faith notes: Weaver at the Alphonso Hamilton Day has him well under control and is taking good care Asa Page checked in and shared that he and Karin Staunton, Virginia, in June 2023. of him. Brian further reported that once Jeff and en just returned from a three-week trip out West.

Faith sell their house in Texas, they After the conclusion of a business will be moving back to Virginia! trip to Coronado, California, they Ralph Briggs sent word he is still spent the following two weeks hiktraveling to Eastern Europe for work ing and exploring both the mountains on a monthly basis. While dealing and deserts of Northern and Southern with a very hot Florida summer, Utah. Although the scenery and wildhe and LuAnn went on an Alaskan life were spectacular, the 107-degree cruise to celebrate their 39th annivermid-morning temperatures were a sary. During the trip, Ralph reported bit more than they bargained for and that their second grandson decidmade them miss Virginia. Recently, ed to come two weeks early. They they were joined by their two sons watched him being born via Faceand attended the Peninsula Chapter Time from Skagway, Alaska! rat send-off event in Hampton, VirGary Parker shared that he and ginia, hosted by Tom Morehouse Lesley finally made it to England to ’70. They enjoyed meeting several visit where her mom grew up. While young pre-strains and their parents as Class of 1979: Touring the Violet Bank Museum in Colonial Heights, in London, he sighted a VMI hat they start to embark on the VMI exVirginia, June 21, 2023, are (from left) Joe Tudor, Doug Doerr, Gleb wearer but didn’t get the chance to perience, and it brought back many Taran, Chappy Lucas, Phil Southers, Pete Underwood, and Anthony chat with them. After England, they memories. Although Karen was Pais. headed out to Montana to get spoiled amused, Asa was slightly startled will not miss out on notifications.

Hope you had a wonderful time at our 45th Reunion and reconnected with BRs. Stay connected through the class Facebook page, VMI78, and keep your email address current. Join us on the monthly Zoom prayer call on third Tuesday of the month at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. As always, time to update your status!

In the Spirit, Tom/EZ Bear

when Col. Tom Davis ’64, who retired from the VMI history department in 2007 and now lives in Newport News, informed Asa that he still owed him a term paper and he hadn’t forgotten!

Andy Neff sent, “My wife, Patti, and I visited Jack Stevenson and his wife, Jerri, in early August.

Had a great time visiting sites in Memphis and did some bicycling. Jack is quite the bicycle enthusiast. It was nice to reconnect with Jack and Jerri.”

Andy further reports that he recently had lunch with Steve Lyon, Dennis Staples, and Harlan

1979

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Class Notes reported that he has been in touch with Joe Jenby the cooler weather while visiting friends in Eu- Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg; and actor Morgan Freeman, U.S. Air Force veteran. Lt. Gen. Gregg was kins and Phil Andrews. reka. While waiting for Lesley to retire next year, Bill Albro checked in from humid Southern the first African American to reach that rank in Gary is keeping busy managing his own rental Maryland, reporting having contacts with many properties in the Roanoke area. As they are still the U.S. Army, with Tim writing, “It was pretty BRs over the summer. in Charlotte, Gary is putting a lot Bill Smithson has sold the house of miles on his pickup! He hopes to in Georgia and is spending the summake it to The Citadel game. mer and fall in Vrbos in Charleston Randy Atkins continues his amazand other places as he migrates up ing work with VMI athletics, writing, the coast.

“I am looking forward to my upcomSput Leadbetter is busy with the ing 48th as part of the VMI radio and reconstruction and addition on the TV productions for football, providback of the house in Richmond and ing services of talent stats” and of hopes to be in Whitestone recovering his optimism for the coming season. by the end of July.

Randy also shared that he is conBill Bersson had called to retinuing his pursuit of his bucket list port that all is well, as he and Ann items, including visiting all the Major were at the Pensacola house for the League Baseball parks. With his wife week. Dan Sheahan reported that he and oldest daughter, Randy reported just summited Mount Rainier with that they completed a 3,000-plushis son and daughter-in-law and is mile trip over 10 days visiting seven swimming 20 to 30 furlongs three stadiums (Philadelphia, Cleveland, days a week!

Detroit, Chicago White Sox and Bill further reported hearing from Cubs, St. Louis, and Kansas City). In Dean Smith, who was preparing for addition to attending eight baseball his and Bill’s upcoming dive trip, as games, they also did some cultural well as staying in touch with John activities, including Personality: The Class of 1979: Attending the VMI Football Reunion Aug. 4–6, 2023, Arthur.

Lloyd Musical in Chicago and the are (from left) Al Soltis, Jeff McLean, Greg Weaver, Nick Collins, and Ed Johnson, Alumni Association chief operating officer.

Bill and Barbara visited Ginny and American Jazz Museum and the NeDoug Mauck at their abode in Topgro Leagues Baseball Museum, both ping, Virginia, for a few days in May. in Kansas City. Randy writes that it Bill helped Doug with Ginny’s new was a fun trip for all, with plans for a garden fence with Barbara and GinWest Coast tour in the future. ny taking in Kilmarnock. Great fun Bob Bookmiller wrote, “Rae and I with plans to do a repeat later in the are enjoying retirement and working summer. Following this, Bill attendon our property. Lots of good travel ed the celebration of Noel Harris’ coming up, and we are planning to marriage to Kathy at Noel’s farm. It make the reunion. See you all then.” was an extra special event, as they Keith Ranker checked in and realso celebrated Mrs. Harris’ 95th ported that he had heard from John birthday! Other BRs in attendance Kailey. Keith also shared that his were Eric Nost, Rick Hall, Meade daughter will be getting married in Spotts, Dave Jeter, Tom BaltaOctober and that he and Ellen celezar, Brad Jones, Mike Oden, Mark brated their 41st anniversary in AuByrd, and Rob Maxey. Bill reportgust. ed, “It was quite a mischief!”

Tim Bridges reported that he met Bill has also been in touch with up with Sean Lanier ’94 while atClass of 1979: Attending the Norfolk Tides baseball game July 15, 2023, are (from left) Jim Harrington, Frank Jester, John Colonna, and Linda and Reggie Sadler, who are tending the Freedom to Serve event Jim Owens. doing some renovations of their place at Howard University, which celeat Hilton Head Island in advance of brated the racial integration of the Reggie’s retirement in early 2024. With Bill and armed services 75 years ago. A great event as wit- cool to have him with us.”

Tom Manley wrote that it has been a busy time Barbara’s upcoming move south to Okatie, South nessed by its guest speakers of Hon. Lloyd Ausfor him. He had just returned from Scout camp Carolina, they will be practically neighbors to Lintin, secretary of defense; Hon. Denis McDonough, da and Reggie, with Bill looking forward to besecretary of Veterans Affairs; Hon. Carlos Del with the grandkids and then attended his nephew’s wedding down in Panama City, Panama. He ing closer to one of his old roommates. Bill shared Toro, secretary of the Navy; U.S. Army retired

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes that “Barbara and I have been busy selling, fixing, packing, moving, and getting things ready for the eventual relocation when we close in Okatie. We will be selling here in Waldorf next spring.”

A BR breakfast was held June 11 in Arlington, Virginia, with Tim Bridges, Doug Doerr, Tom Manley, Anthony Pais, John Poffenbarger, and Bill Albro attending. Among the topics of discussion was Anthony having just returned from Scotland, where he did some hiking in the Highlands.

Greg Weaver reported in saying he does not plan to slow down in retirement! On June 24, Weave and Tim Bridges met in Staunton, Virginia, to support Tony Hamilton’s family during Alphonso Hamilton Day, an annual day established by the City of Staunton to honor Tony’s dad. Weave was asked by Tony’s mom, Mrs. Alphonso Hamilton, to speak on Tony’s behalf. Weave then went on to Lexington to support this year’s College Orientation Workshop’s four-week summer program held at VMI. Weave shared that “Jeryl Salmond came to back for the College Orientation Workshop program graduation for his grandson!” Weave then returned to Lexington in early August for the VMI football reunion weekend. Weave’s busy schedule will continue as Weave shared that “I have tickets for a sold-out concert featuring Sting at the Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia, Sept. 2!”

Al Soltis wrote, “Greg Weaver, Jeff McLean, Nick Collins, and I were joined by Ed Johnson at the Friday reception for this year’s VMI football reunion. It was a great weekend for us sharing stories and interacting with the current coaches and players. Greg Weaver and I were blessed to

Class of 1979: Tim Bridges and Sean Lanier ’94 attend the Freedom to Serve event at Howard University in Washington, D.C., July 26, 2023.

2023-Issue 4

share with the team Sunday morning at the FCA breakfast about our faith and the bond God created between us as football players and brother rats at VMI. It was a special weekend for us all.”

I was able to join Doug Doerr, Pete Underwood, Gleb Taran, Anthony Pais, Joe Tudor, and Phil Southers on a historical outing to visit the Violet Bank Museum in Colonial Heights. This site was the headquarters of the Marquis de Lafayette in April 1781 for the battle of Petersburg. The current structure, which was rebuilt in 1815, served as Lee’s headquarters from June–September 1864 during the siege of Petersburg. Afterward, we all had lunch, which almost turned into SRC! A good time for all!

I had the opportunity to connect on the phone with John Kailey, George Eliades, Charlie Sachs, and Parke Smith. All reported doing well, as I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Greek is just 15 minutes down the road from me here on the western side of Richmond. I look forward to further connecting with everyone.

Thanks again for everyone’s support in this new role for me. The start of planning for our 45th Reunion is rapidly approaching!

Class of 1980: Bill Kyle and John Runyon in Summerville, South Carolina, in June 2023.

1980

John Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats!

These notes cover the period May 16–Aug. 15, 2023.

The period began with an email from Wayland Patterson with a photo. Wayland lives in the Florida panhandle and organizes a group of alumni from other military colleges. At the April gathering, the VMI grads serenaded the attending VPI grads with “Far beyond the hills of Blacksburg.”

I exchanged emails and a series of text messages with Dwight Pearson and Tom “Gunny” Kelly, who each sent me a birthday card via snail mail.

Also, thanks to Steve and Cathy Andrews for the birthday card. Steve and I were roommates for our four years at VMI, and he wrote that we have now both made it to 65.

I then exchanged email messages with Paul Burkholder, Dave Hagemann, and Dennis Jacobs, who have a common birthday. Paul is happily retired and active with his two toddler granddaughters. He recently spent time with Dennis Maguire.

Class of 1980: Jim O’Connor and Dave Hagemann at dinner in New Orleans, Louisiana, in April 2023.

Dave is considering retiring and planning to stay in Michigan. Dennis was in Italy, enjoying turning 65.

Patrick McCarthy sent an email in advance of a mission trip to Albania as well as a card via snail mail.

I exchanged email messages with Paul Keel on his birthday. Paul and Angela live in Hawaii, where Paul works for Hawaiian Airlines. They had their ninth grandchild in November 2022.

I exchanged email messages with Doug Reddington on his birthday. Doug retired at the end of June and planned to travel to Iceland for a threeday bike trip, after which Maureen would join him for a tour of the island.

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Class Notes Events include golf on Friday and a Friday eveI exchanged email messages with Mike Harpning dinner. Mike also included congrats to Shari er on his birthday. Mike is retired, and like many and Preston Vock on the wedding of their son. of us who are now Medicare eligible, Mike sucTom Bersson replied that he and Amy were plancessfully navigated his enrollment. He is in good ning to attend. health, and his family is doing well. He serves John Runyon sent an email with pictures takon a few boards, volunteers at church, and works en during a visit to John’s home in Summerville, around the house. Mike and Joy continue to travSouth Carolina, by Bill and Debbie Kyle. They el with trips to the west coast of Portugal/Spain/ spent the time golfing, fishing, and some rifle France, and Belgium scheduled for the fall and a range practice. Bill and Debbie live in Midlothian, trip to Asia in 2024. Mike has been in contact with Virginia. Bill plans to continue working for a few Tom Gelles and Jack Keane and plans to attend years at BlueScope North America. John retired local chapter events. from the Medical University of South Carolina I spoke with Chal Glenn on his birthday. Chal in January. Bill followed up with a message with lives in Sumter, South Carolina, and we discussed his current contact information. Bill also wrote getting together during my planned visit to South that he had a very memorable vacation with John Carolina in connection with the VMI football and Debbie and looks forward to many more with game versus The Citadel; see additional details Class of 1980: Jay and Janice Hawkins in them and other BRs in the future. about the game below.

Baja, Mexico.

I was copied on an email message from Patrick I exchanged text messages with John CasamasMcCarthy that included a happy Father’s Day sa on his birthday. And with Jed TenHoeve on his wish for our BRs, noting that he looks birthday. John reported that all is well in forward to our 45th Reunion, which is Florida. Jed also reported all good. now less than two years away.

I exchanged email messages with Kirk I exchanged email messages with Deadrick on his birthday. Kirk wrote Sean Gallagher on his birthday. Sean that he spent the holidays in Atlanta with lives in Newport, Oregon, and reported his children and grandchildren. that things are going great in the Pacific I exchanged voice and text messagNorthwest. es with Dennis Maguire. Patti and I I exchanged email messages with Joe are traveling to Maine over Labor Day Paustenbaugh on his birthday. Joe spent weekend for a wedding, and we considthe day hiking in the mountains in Utah ered detouring to Boston. Dennis offered with his wife, Michelle; Paul Burkholdus Red Sox tickets. However, due to a er; and Rob Robinson. scheduling conflict, we have to immediI exchanged email messages with Rob ately return to NYC. Gearhart on his birthday. Rob was in June began with an email from Bert Cape Hatteras with his family and grandSchneider. On June 5, Bert and Peggy children and wrote that he is enjoying recelebrated their 41st wedding anniversatirement and traveling as much as possiry. To celebrate, they spent a couple of ble. days at the Arizona Grand Resort and Rob Robinson forwarded a text mesSpa in Phoenix. sage from Rob Quarles noting that Rob I exchanged several text messages and Class of 1980: Pictured at the Roanoke Country Club in Roanoke, Virginia, in May 2023 are Dixon Tucker, Rob Quarles, Q. is now a grandfather to Maeve Arkell phone calls with Ed Baker. These reMike Luning, and Tim Hodges.

Mokler. volved around the Stanley Cup playoffs July began with an exchange of text and his Carolina Hurricanes and includRobby wrote that Beth is well, Ginny is enjoy- messages with Elliott Wolffe on his birthday, with ed the air quality on the East Coast due to the fires a copy to Eli Alford. Eli recalled celebrating Eling her job at the VMI hospital, and Katie is busy in Canada. liott’s birthday a couple of times during summer I exchanged text messages with Scott Sayre with her two daughters, ages three and one. Robby school! played in the Pup Cup (the Keydet Club golf touron his birthday. Scott and Mary have relocated to Robby Wheeler sent a text asking to be connectnament that supports the Jeff Morgan scholarship) Florida but still have their home in Lexington.

I also exchanged text messages with John with John Blankenship, John Caplice, and Allen ed to Doug Monjeau, so I wrote to Doug. Doug wrote back with an OK to connect and with an upHughes on his birthday. John maintains contact Ramer.

Mike Luning sent an email updating those cop- date and photo. Doug retired from a 23-year Delwith Bruno Loefstedt, Jay McCauley, and Phil ta Airlines career. Most of that time, he was flyied on the status of a planned gathering in CharlesMunisteri via a text group.

Each year, after receiving his birthday card, ton, South Carolina, in connection with the VMI ing the 737 out of JFK. He is also retired from the versus The Citadel football game Oct. 12–15. U.S. Air Force, where he was an F-16 fighter pilot, Robby Jones returns half of the card with a note.

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Class notes completing 20 years in 2000. Doug currently enjoys the rural North Carolina lifestyle (he lives in Eden). Finally, as Doug was on the VMI rifle team, now that he is retired, he competes extensively in the sport of trapshooting, attending events in the Carolinas and Virginia, and always wearing a VMI hat and/or shirt.

Frank Hilton left a voice message and then sent a text saying that he and Wanda would be in NYC Aug. 3–5 and would like to get together with me and Patti for dinner. As Patti and I had plans to depart the city on the evening of Aug. 3 for the weekend, we agreed to meet on the third for dinner. We also offered our apartment to them, which they accepted. See below for details of their visit.

I confirmed with Tim Hodges that he would, for the third consecutive year, be my partner in my golf club’s annual member-guest tournament Aug. 11–13, including two practice rounds Aug. 9–10.

Again, see below for details.

Tom Bersson sent a text message, with photos, after attending a VMI night at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia.

Jeff Washington sent a text with an attached photo taken in Montenegro, where he and Renee were vacationing with Gene and Zymora Scott.

They were on a Mediterranean cruise with stops in Athens, Naples, and Barcelona.

I exchanged text messages and then spoke at length with Wade Stinnette. Patti and I plan to visit with Wade and Lannie during our trip to South Carolina in connection with the VMI football game at The Citadel.

Chal Glenn sent a text with a photo taken in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, where he was joined

by Doug Conyers, Rick Gilbert, Robby Jones, Steve McKenna, and Mark McLean. As I had already received five photos, look for this picture

Class of 1980: Gene and Zamora Scott and Renee and Jeff Washington vacationing in Montenegro in July 2023.

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in the next set of notes.

Craig Jones sent an email after receiving his birthday card. Craig lives in Seven Lakes, North Carolina, and works remotely for Charlottesville-based Southern Teachers Agency. He wrote that he proudly celebrated grandson Bastain Putnam’s first birthday in July.

Gary Levenson called. Gary is retired from VMI, where he was deputy commandant, but has been working as a civilian in the VMI Army ROTC department. He spent several weeks at Fort Knox, and as of Aug. 15, he is preparing for at least another semester in that role at VMI. He may spend Thanksgiving in our apartment in NYC. August began with COVID-19. Patti and I hosted friends at our Poconos house the last weekend of July. Upon returning to their New Jersey home, they tested positive for COVID-19. On Aug. 1, Patti tested positive, and Aug. 3, I tested positive—after two negative tests. This is significant because, as noted above, Frank and Wanda Hilton were arriving from Harrisonburg Aug. 3 and were staying in our apartment. And my annual member-guest golf tournament was Aug. 11–13, and Tim Hodges was my invited guest for the third successive year (we were defending champs in our flight). Frank and Wanda visited and stayed in our apartment, but I left the city before they arrived. I spoke with Tim, and we agreed to drop out of the tournament.

Bob White sent an email with a picture taken with Traci in Bar Harbor, Maine, where they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. Bob plans to retire at the end of 2023, but Traci plans to work for another year. We discussed getting together for golf—possibly in the Poconos.

I spoke with Allen Ramer on his birthday. Allen retired in March and keeps busy maintaining a farm in Culpeper. His son is getting married in September. Allen also saw John Blankenship, Dusty Boyd, Hugh Fain, Tolar Nolley, and Josh Priest on the Rappahannock River.

Walt Wood sent an email message from Alaska. Walt wrote that he and Mary Lynne had lunch in Boise, Idaho, with Tom and Lynn Kelly. They tried to also include Mike Kelly, but Mike was not available.

Dixon Tucker sent an email message noting that he saw Tom Wilson. Dixon wrote that Tom is planning to attend a football game in Lexington this year but will not be traveling to Charleston for the game versus The Citadel.

Throughout the period, I exchanged text messages and spoke with Tolar Nolley. Tolar reported that he has had very good medical news regarding

his battle with prostate cancer. There is no cancer in his bones and no cancer in his bladder. He also had successful hernia surgery and is planning to have knee replacement surgery later this year. He also reported he and John Blankenship rode their motorcycles for a visit with Ken Baybutt. We also discussed Tolar returning to the Poconos to join me in my season-ending golf tournament and possibly bringing John Blankenship.

At the deadline for submission, those planning to attend the VMI versus The Citadel game in Charleston are Tom Bersson, Dave Hagemann, Larry Hupertz, Jay McConnell, Rob Quarles, Dixon Tucker, and Tony Zoetis. Boyd Gaines and Donna are unavailable, as they will be on a cruise. Preston and Shari Vock are also unavailable.

Thank you for your continuing support and for keeping me in the loop via phone calls, text messages, and emails.

1981

Jerry Manley

BRs, It has been a busy summer! Have seen or spoken to a good many of you over the past few months, for which I am very thankful.

As I often do, starting out, I would like to extend a few honors of recognition to family members of our class that have gone before us. Over the past three months covered by this write-up, we have mourned just as many losses in our extended class family: BR Mat and Robin Merriman mourned the loss of Robin’s father, James “Jim” Ring Jr. ’61 in May. Jim was 85 and passed peacefully in Virginia Beach with his wife, Frankie, and sons, Kirk and Jim, at his side. Jim had a long association with VMI. He administered the Ring Scholarship established by his father (VMI Class of 1917). Jim also had tremendous family ties to VMI with his brother-in-law, Robert Williamson ’61; son-inlaw, Mat Merriman ’81; and son, Jim Ring ’88.

BR Paul Brier mourned the loss of his father, retired U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. George Brier, in January 2023, but attended military services at Arlington National Cemetery in June. The services were impressive and truly fitting for such an accomplished military officer. George graduated

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Class Notes For Robin and Mat, Paul and Rhonda, and Steve priest with the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. from the University of South Carolina in 1946 and was commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps. He and Marianne, our hearts and prayers are with you His youngest son, Doug, is stationed at Hurlburt and lives in Navarre, Florida. Doug and his wife served on active duty for the next 33 years. Initial- all. have two sons, 16 months and 4 months old. Any On to updates on and inputs from our BRs: Jake ly serving as an infantry officer, he was designated free time for Jake and Donna pretty much gets taka naval aviator in 1951. His depth and breadth of Jaks sent me a great note. He closed his consulting service spanned tactical, operational, and strategic business and moved from Tallahassee, Florida, to en up visiting kids and grandkids. Jake shared that leadership levels, including service in the Korean Texas in January 2020. He initially lived in a travel since neither he nor his family lives anywhere near and Vietnam Wars, and culminated in his com- trailer by himself for a year while his new home Virginia, it makes it tough to attend class events. mand of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing/Marine was being built. Donna joined him once his office He followed that up by stating that he does miss Air Reserve Training Command. Following his and house sold in Florida. Jake works full-time for VMI and all our BRs. Ray Lawson shared that it has been an eventretirement from the Marines in 1976 and a few JMT, a highway design firm with an office in Shiner, Texas, a town where his family has roots and a ful summer for his family, as well. Ray reported years as a defense contractor, he earned a Ph.D. from George Washington University in engineer- “great place to live.” Jake’s three sons have been that he “traveled to the Great Lakes, an unexpected ing management and taught at the university for spread all over the country for the past several hospital stay, prepping to continue tutoring mathematics at the University of South Carolina – Aikyears. Just recently, Jake’s oldest, Sam, along with about 10 years. BRs attending the service to represent the class were John Driscoll, Ricky “Moose” his wife and Jake’s oldest grandson, were stationed en, I donated four ponytails to ‘Children with Hair Loss’ (a great organization!), lots of artwork creat Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, just McCue, and Jerry Manley.

BR Steve Tennant also mourned the loss of five hours away. Jake’s middle son, Jacob, is a ated, and frequent grandbaby duty.” He feels busier in retirement than when he was his father in June, retired Lt. Col. an engineering manager. Ray also Charles “Charlie” Edward Tennant. shared his adverse experience (anaCharlie was another highly decoratphylaxis) with a blood pressure meded and accomplished military offiicine called Lisinopril and remains cer and a 1959 graduate of the Unitwilling to share personally with any ed States Military Academy. Upon BR that may be interested. A numgraduation from West Point, he was ber of you BRs have already reached commissioned a field artillery ofout to him with questions, and he reficer and was trained as an Army mains at the ready to share further. aviator. He served his country for BRs Jeff “Julio” Davies and Ken over 21 years, including eight years “Catman” Morris met me in midoverseas with three combat tours May at Shannon’s coffee shop, the in Vietnam and Laos. Upon retireRise & Grind Café, in Powhatan. ment, he worked for many years as a Jeff was in Richmond on business systems engineer in Annandale, Virand had some free time in his schedginia, and Westlake Village, CaliforClass of 1981: Attending a dinner sponsored by the NYC – Long Isule, which coincided with Catman nia. Services were held at Bucktrout land Chapter are (from left) Adrian Bogart, commandant; Mark of Williamsburg in June, with BRs Gonsalves, chapter president; John Ferry; John McKeegan; and Bob being released on parole ... again. As always with these two, it was a great John Holloway and Mark Kanter Munno. time with a lot of laughs. Catman and representing the class.

Karen also visited with Jeff and Ann Davies in Suffolk, where they spent time with Jack Nurney ’50B, Ann’s beloved father.

Jamie Byron and A.T. Funkhouser met up for their annual Harley ride. This time, they met up in Big Timber, Montana. They rode from there down to Greybull, Wyoming, and over to Gillette, Wyoming, for some “much-needed beer and a rest overnight.” They continued to Devils Tower; Spearfish, South Dakota; Deadwood; and down to Hot Springs, South Dakota, where they rented a cabin for three nights. They did day rides out of the cabin to the monuments: Crazy Horse, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, and the famous Needles Highway. Ending the trip, they Class of 1981: Brother rats attend the annual ski bash event held at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. split up at Hot Springs. A.T. made it safely back to Beulah, North Dakota, and Jamie made it home

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Class notes oncologist is pleased with her progto Boise, Idaho. They had a phenomress, and Gudrun’s spirits are high. enal time retelling stories of all the I would add that her engagements crazy “stuff” they did at VMI and the with Dan’s BRs, such as Jeff and many other times they were able to Bill, keep her on the positive side. get together over the last 46 years.

Our annual ski bash event at the They saw amazing landscapes, scenHart family property on Smith ery, and wildlife while covering Mountain Lake was another huge about 2,500 miles. success. BRs in attendance includAlways good to hear from John ed Ken “Catman” Morris, Bruce Dixon! John’s lovely bride, Patricia, Kitchen, John Ditillo, John Ferry, suggested that John “take inventoHank Lee, Bob “Gator” Underry” of their 10 grandchildren (four wood, Dave Hinchee, Vince “V” granddaughters and six grandsons) Wood, Bill Stamm, Mike Placzek, and comply with all of her suggesPete Tranchik, Jerry Manley, Geoff tions (read: Guidance or directives).

Hinshelwood, Gary Morgan, Mark In doing so, John recently applied Kanter, Clinker Moss, Greg Wolfor another provisional appointment, ven, Tim Dean, Rob “Cos” Costelbringing the Dixon provisional total Class of 1981: Gathering for brunch in Northern Virginia are (from lo, and Jim Hart. Many other family to 10! John and Patricia also visited left) Nick Savage, Frank Palermo, John Driscoll, Ricky “Moose” Mc- and friends were present. The drinks with Greg White and family. Greg Cue, Pete Nauta, and George Depaoli. were plentiful, the food was great, is doing well in Paeonian Springs, and the brotherhood was even better!

Virginia. At the time of writing, John Always a wonderful time, with huge was preparing to teach for the upthanks to Jim Hart, Derek Hart ’94, coming school year and looking forand the rest of their family. ward to football season. He seems to Brian Quisenberry shared that he have a “connection” on some of the was able to go turkey hunting this largest crabs on the Chesapeake Bay spring on BR Jeff White’s property and reported how huge the crabs get in Hale County, just south of Tuscaat the mouth of the Susquehanna and loosa. Jeff and his son, Reid, along Gunpowder Rivers. John and Patriwith Butch Hostetter and Brian cia hope to make it to Lexington for also hunted quail in east Georgia in some VMI football and hope to see March and hope to do it again next other BRs in the stands.

Class of 1981: Attending the VMI Football Reunion events Aug. 4–6, spring. Brian and Jessica also made Greg and Ann Wolven chimed in.

2023, are (from left) Bruce Kitchen, Bill Grigg, Sam Woolwine, Lou it to Lexington to attend the annuAnn traveled to Maryland to help her Rolan, and Brian Quisenberry. al VMI alumni football reunion this parents with The Rex Reed Truck past August. Also, in attendance were Touch Day at the end of April. The Ed Boylan shared that he and Linda are well and Bill “Jaws” Grigg, Bruce Kitchen, Lou Rolan, event was named after Ann’s late brother, who was very involved with it at St. Elizabeth’s, where enjoying their grandkids being so close to them. and Sam Woolwine.

Trip Lloyd has been active in his theatre enhis children attended school. On Mother’s Day The biggest news he had to share was that he and weekend, Greg and Ann drove down to Charles- Linda are the proud owners of a piece of property gagements. He shared that following playing ton, South Carolina, to visit their son, Chris. Their in Brunswick Plantation, located in extreme south- Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he east North Carolina, a beautiful area in which to played Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show. He daughter, Katie, and her husband, Billy Meyer, flew down to meet them there. Ann reports that it settle and transition into retirement. They closed has nothing theatrically planned in the near future on a lot in June and plan on moving there in late and looks forward to a break but will be starting up was a lovely weekend full of family togetherness as they visited the Charleston Harbor, City Mar- spring 2024 after they sell their home in Texas. again with his various singing groups. His office is ket, and then spent a day at Folly Beach. They Looks like the Carolina shore is where Ed will returning to work in person in their D.C. building, ended their visit with a trip to the largest and old- build their retirement home. An exciting time for and he is not happy about it, but as a supervisor, them, though they will be sad moving away from he puts on his smiley face. He and his wife, Anne, est Angel Oak Tree east of the Mississippi! Greg plan to spend the holidays at home this year and drove back down again in mid-July to spend a their grandkids.

Jeff Adler and Bill Bird, being the saints that will hopefully be joined by his son and daughter. long weekend with Chris. In June, they also spent a week in Vincennes, Indiana, visiting with Greg’s they are, spent time with Dan Pere’s mother, Three more years to their graduation and Trip’s remom and dad. To round out their August, Greg and Gudrun, to celebrate her 87th birthday in July. tirement.

Mark and Maria Gonsalves recently traveled to Ann were visited by Karl Betz as he was traveling Dear Gudrun continues to battle cancer and has had to deal with a few issues. However, her Sicily and successfully ate and drank their way for through Virginia.

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Class Notes 19 days hitting Palermo, Susafa, Agrigento, Mount Etna, Taormina, Lipari, and Salina. Before their travels, Mark, as the president of the New York City – Long Island Chapter, hosted our BR Adrian Bogart, commandant, in NYC for a dinner and chapter luncheon. In attendance for these events were our BRs Bill Argiriou, John Ferry, John McKeegan, and Bob Munno. As if that were not enough for our tireless BR, Sloppy and Maria will be heading to Patmos, Greece, soon after I submit this article to return in September.

Quick hitters: Lou Darden and his lovely bride moved to Lexington. They are both retired and plan to attend the home games whenever they can.

Mark Hardy wrote last year that upon retiring he knew he would be helping to babysit his grandson, Mason. With Mason now 1 year old, Mark is doing just that and enjoying every minute.

George Depaoli coordinated another Northern Virginia and Maryland brunch in mid-June. In attendance were George Depaoli, John Driscoll, Moose McCue, Pete Nauta, Frank Palermo, and Nick Savage.

Dan Dorsey’s son, Garen, is doing tremendous things with his music. He played piano as part of the Charles Owens Quartet at the historic Smalls Jazz Club in New York City in June. Garen also played with Charles Owen at Smalls back in January, where Dan and wife Cat were able to attend in person.

BR Bob Cody traveled to D.C. and Virginia in July for a teaching workshop. Bob took the

Class of 1981: Pictured are (standing, from left) Ken “Catman” Morris, Karen Morris, Jeff Davies, and (seated) Jack Nurney ’50B, father of Ann Davies.

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opportunity to extend his travels down to Lexington to share a brunch with BRs at Niko’s on the 15th. In attendance were Marc Barthello, Bob Cody, Mark David, Bruce Gitchell, Jerry Manley, Kurt Owermohle, Gator Underwood, Greg Wolven, and Sam Woolwine.

Vince “V” Wood, Jim Hart, and Larry Butler got together in Virginia Beach in August. V was with family in the Beach area for a week on vacation. Jim and Larry entertained V’s family with lots of stories, some of which were actually true.

From V: “Always good to catch up and they both seemed to be doing great.”

Bob and Agnieszka Munno have been on another scuba diving adventure. He was recently diving with the Scubaqua Dive Center in St. Eustatius, where he was joined by his brother, Tom Munno ’88, and his family for a great week of diving. St. Eustatius, a Dutch Caribbean island, was reportedly the first to acknowledge the rebellious infant United States as a nation. The “first salute” of the USS Andrew Doria Nov. 16, 1776, ultimately led to the island’s demise as the Brits exacted devastating reprisals.

I may have neglected to share in the last printing that Shannon and I spent a tremendous weekend in April at BR Jim and Tammy Holloway’s bed-andbreakfast, the Bay Haven Inn, in Cape Charles. It is a beautiful B&B, and Jim and Tammy are incredible hosts. Breakfast prepared by them was almost as incredible as the history of Cape Charles shared by Jim! I highly recommend a stay at the Bay Haven Inn if you ever find yourself in Cape Charles!

As for me, Shannon and I are still enjoying life in Powhatan. It is quite an active place, and I run into VMI alumni regularly. Most recently, I had a great visit from members of our Ring Figure dykes’ class. My brother, Tom Manley ’79, and his BRs, Doug Doerr ’79 and Phil Southers ’79, were camping at the Powhatan National Park. I stopped in to see them for an evening drink around the campfire. The following morning, we met at Shannon’s coffee shop and were joined by Anthony Pais ’79. Great visit with those “old coots;” great men, all.

Well, that is enough from me. If I missed anyone’s input or if I misrepresented, my apologies.

Send me a note and scold me appropriately.

To all, take good care of your health and force those phone calls, texts, and mini gatherings with our BRs. You won’t regret it. Cheers, and God bless.

In the Bonds of ’81, Jerry

1982

Will Council

Hello, Brother Rats!

Is it hot enough for you?! That’s an old Southern greeting that feels appropriate for this time of year.

It must be too hot where everyone is because it’s too hot to write notes to the class agent, apparently.

I missed my usual reminder when the Alumni Review shows up in the mailbox, so this is an attempt at a Hail Mary to get something put together.

Van Noah called me wondering if I was up in the D.C. area, as he saw a large group of Boy Scouts touring the city. They were all there acting as tourists prior to the National Scout Jamboree, which was held in July in West Virginia. Unfortunately, I did not get to go this year. Van did inform me that he has retired and was helping with his mother’s home. I could be wrong, as I have slept since that phone call, but I believe he has relocated from North Carolina to Northern Virginia now.

As I reported in the last set of notes, Andy Balding has also retired and is now getting to do some traveling to places he and Brenda want to go to and not what the government demands. First stop was Greece. He says this is Brenda’s bucket list, but I am pretty sure it was a mutually agreed upon bucket. They went to the Akrotiri ruins, which were buried under 60 feet of volcanic ash. There are two- and three-story masonry homes with indoor plumbing and sewage systems from 1650 B.C. Impressive! This predates Rome, which I always thought led the world in modern plumbing masterpieces. Next trips include Rome, Venice, and Florence. I have asked Andy to please allow me to be in his checked baggage next trip.

Former roommate Steve Fudge just sent me a photo of a tobacco field. Can’t exactly post that to the class notes, Steve—not without you standing in the picture! I guess I need to be a little more specific about sending in pictures. Anyway, Steve remembers me telling of my wonderful teenage experiences of working on my uncle’s tobacco farm in North Carolina, and this field is the last in his area. So, he called me a relic of the past, or words to that effect. What are roommates for except to insult you or call you names? Ouch. I told him I have now inherited some of that very same land, but there is no tobacco to be found, as it is all

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes Which one of you will respond first timbered in long-leaf pine. I will be and tell us more details about the meet revisiting that land next month as we and greet? Oh, you don’t have access travel down to hold a memorial serto the photo for detail, but behind the vice for my mom, who passed away two is a framed copy of the VMI Honthis last January. or Code. I think that is just awesome, Jose and Fran Suarez are now callpersonally, Mark. ing St. Augustine their home. They My last set of notes was done while I moved into their new home mid-May, was attending the commissioning and and they are looking forward to hostgraduation ceremonies at VMI in May ing mini VMI reunions. Jose tells us he for one of my Eagle Scouts. If I recall, just had some successful eye surgery I was pretty much halfway gone from to repair some edema and scarring in testing the contents of a few bourbon his left eye. Just the thought of havbottles at Keith Jarvis’ house. Keith ing sharp pointy things near my eyes surprised me with a special guest. Jeb makes me have issues! I told Jose that Class of 1982: Pictured at the graduation of Will Caulfield ’23 in May Snider dropped in. He had recently remy eye doctor dropped the cataract 2023 are (from left) Bill Caulfield, Caulfield, and Josh Caulfield ’13. located to the Lexington area to help word on my last visit and just about take care of his mom. This was Jeb’s had to pick me up from the floor. They first time having any sort of reunion, and after that should know better than to just casually mention awesome evening of catching up and sipping good those things. Rest easy; they told me I have many bourbon, he says he will not miss another opportumore years before I need to worry about going unnity. An update for Keith: He recently got his masder the knife ... to the eyeball! ter’s in civil engineering from Northwestern.

Paul Capozzoli has rejoined our ranks! Paul reMike Eden sent a note via Facebook Messensponded to my request for notes on our class Faceger that I combined with an even earlier note from book page. I didn’t know he was there, as he was him, so this is a corrected edit. Son Austin ’16 got hiding under an alias of Don Vito! Paul says he married last year and is now living in Richmond left VMI after our rat year, but he recently retired while working for Navy and Air Force logistics. from 35 years in the IT field and now spends his Grant is now working in Silicon Valley, Califortime as a part-time bicycle repairman in Charlotnia. Son Sean is a junior at Penn State and will tesville. That is what I aspire to be, but it needs be heading to law school afterward. Twin daughto be in France or Italy. I asked Paul for more deters are off to their first year in college; Danielle tails about the between years. He says he spent a few years as a tennis pro while completing his degree at Bryant University. His professional career was in IT, primarily in the Richmond area.

Been married going on 40 years now and has two grown daughters, also in the Richmond area. So, Class of 1982: Brad Vanderwarker and he bounces between Midlothian and Fluvanna, Hon. Mark Ciarrocca, both former Honwhere he has a farm. (How does that put him in or Court prosecutors. a bike shop in Charlottesville?) Paul also reported he recently ran into Chuck Pace at the same bike shop. I don’t have an update on Chuck’s health is- and the Nichols’ uncles. Spoiler alert, they have sues, so please continue to keep him and his family one more still in grade school, so it might be eight more years! in your prayers.

Scott Crumpler is always there to rescue me Four more years! Four more years! Say it with me! Wait, say it with Leslie and Guy Marango- when the notes are kind of thin. He forwarded the ni. Their oldest son, Louis, has just matriculated picture of our former Honor Court prosecutors, to VMI, and I am quite certain that he will be in Brad Vanderwarker and Mark Ciarrocca, meetBand Company. Straight from Civil Air Patrol to ing up. Honestly, the picture was sent to Scott from his brother-in-law, Emmett Heltzel. But no story the Corps of Cadets. Do any of you remember having to run around as rats with our circled fin- came with it! We will have to wait for the next reunion to see if Brad was there pleading his case gers upside down over our eyes as goggles, imClass of 1982: Matthew Frazier ’23 (left) itating whoever acknowledged being in the Civil for placing himself on report for never getting into with Will Council at graduation in May. Air Patrol? Maybe it was just my nightmares re- any trouble at VMI. No confinement, no PTs, no fun. So here is the challenge to Brad and Mark: turning. Anyway, good luck, Louis and parents

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Class Notes Mine is not the only family wedding news. J.J. Costello reported in with an update. He and Cherie are well. Their son, P.J., was married in April and recently earned a master’s degree in space systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University School of Engineering in Baltimore. Also, P.J. was selected for a direct commission in the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer. I am confident J.J. will soon be donning his best uniform to administer the commissioning oath to his son.

What a great way to continue a family Naval service tradition. J.J.’s own continued Navy service is keeping him busy with fleet operations and assisting our allies, but he is finding time for him and Cherie to travel abroad in the coming months.

I received a note from Jim Outland. He conveyed appreciation for Steve’s service as class agent, which occurred during a tumultuous and Jamie MacDonald challenging time at the Institute and the nation (and then there was COVID-19). He also expressed his thanks to Steve, Mary, and the ’83 Reunion Committee, who executed so flawlessly on our reunion logistics. Jim shared that, from his view, the whole event for me seemed like a solid team effort and Greetings to all of you and your families. I hope was really “uplifting,” and he meant uplifting literyou are enjoying your summer. As I settle into ally! According to Jim, “After ‘Mr. Nimble’ Gottmy class agent role, I am learning the procedures wald so youthfully scaled the sentinel box for our and processes established by my predecessors, to barracks Old Yell, I felt obliged to do the same, alwhom I am most grateful. The historical records beit was feeling the pressure not to drop the ball. and notes on file certainly simplified the transfer of Thankfully, a crew of BRs stuck around to assist responsibilities from Steve Amato to me. Again, a my ascent—BRs Dodge, Lasek, Mills, Murray, tip of the hat to Steve for a job well done and, of Preston, Warren, and Westbrook (among othcourse, to Mary, who kept him straight. I am sorters) saved the day and gave me the push needed ing out the best means of communicating with evto join Teddy up there. Alas, and for some reason, eryone and simplifying means for you to commuthere were no BRs from C Company or D Companicate with me. So far, emails and texts work fine.

Class of 1983: John Geis and Jamie Macny offering to help, so go figure, but ‘on the hands With those of you with whom I am connected Donald at Bald Head Island, North Carof giants,’ as they say ...” through social media, it has been a busy spring olina, in May. During the reunion, Jim enjoyed catching up and summer. Cele and Lynn Seldon seem to nevwith a variety of BRs at the hospier stop moving from one adventure tality suite: Dr. Marty Curry, the to another. There have been a few Sykes, the Chius, the Prestons, and retirements, wedding anniversaries, many others. Danny Chiu, who, acbirths of grandchildren, and severcording to Jim, looks like a youthful al national and international travel stud, was an inspiration and motivatexcursions. The summer is full of ed Jim to integrate jump rope into his brother rat birthdays, too. ’83 has a workout routine. Jim stated, “Indeed, lot of summer birthdays! it has been a long time since the days Jennifer and I have been busy this of Coach Cole and Virgettes and PT summer. In June, our son, Liam, cards when I last held a jump rope, married Jaclyn in Philadelphia. It so it has taken me a while to get back was a wonderful wedding with a on that horse (and also not look like a beautiful couple within a historifool).” Jim is glad to report he is now cal city with plenty to see and do.

While preparations were underClass of 1983: Pictured in Las Vegas, Nevada, in June are (from left) in the groove somewhat, and it seems like a great way to stay in shape as way, I was granted a pass to have Sam McGreer, Al McGreer, and Steve Amato. well as keep his coordination up to a pint at Philadelphia’s oldest pub, is playing Division I soccer as a goalie for Drexel, and Nicole is at FAU in Boca Raton, Florida.

Mike is looking forward to all being off his payroll! There will be an annual golf trip to South Carolina in November with many of the ’82 football team. Thanks so much, Mike!

Well, that is all for me for now. My deadline is here, and I am late. You all stay cool, and hopefully, you will make it to a football game and send some photos!

Take care, and don’t forget to please write, text, email, or snail mail!

Sincerely, Will Council

McGillin’s, where the locals proved quite friendly and welcoming to a stranger. A note of interest for our class was Liam’s best man, Peyton Alto. Peyton is John Geis’ nephew and the son of his sister, Allyson, who some of you might recall was Band Company’s representative on the homecoming court in 1981. A month earlier, Liam was in Peyton’s wedding at Bald Head Island, where John and I linked up for a mini reunion. It is remarkable how weddings make the world seem small. For the rest of the summer, Jennifer and I are traveling between Virginia and New Hampshire. I love Virginia, but a quiet place on a lake is far more appealing than negotiating the work-related hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia.

1983

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Class of 1983: Mary and Steve Amato place flowers at Jack Manley’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2023.

during peak crab season. Four dozen crabs later, and they were all walking sideways! Hopefully, that’s a good warm-up for a Shore visit later in August from BR Scott and Pam Horan. Jim will share more on that later.

Lynn Seldon added to Jim Outland’s report that for the second consecutive summer, he and Cele, the Outlands, and the Branners convened on the Eastern Shore, where the Outlands and Branners both have places. They feasted on fresh blue crabs caught by Jim and Wade. A good time was had by all and the Seldons hope to return every summer if the Branners and Outlands will have them.

Ivan Marcotte also checked in. After 35 years with Bank of America, he decided to retire. Ivan states it was a great ride. He and Donna bought a home in Pray, Montana, where they intend to spend their summers and return to North Carolina for the winter months. Best wishes to Ivan and Donna on this new leg of their life’s journey.

Duane Padrick shared an update. He is still battling cancer and reports that he and cancer are presently at a stalemate. He’s not getting worse, but the cancer is not totally gone. Duane says, “I will take it.” He is continuing with chemo treatments every other week and has been doing so for nearly three years. He is grateful for not experiencing any serious side effects from the chemo and so counts his

Class of 1983: Mary and Steve Amato place flowers at Bob McGehee’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2023. date. Jim expressed his thanks to Danny for his inspiration!

Finally, Jim reports, “Jodi and I were fortunate to host a crab pickin’ at our home on the Eastern Shore for Wade and Elizabeth Branner and Lynn and Cele Seldon, as they were all visiting the area

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Class of 1983: Gathering for a crab-picking party in July are (from left) Jodi Outland, Lynn Seldon, Wade Branner, Elizabeth Branner, and Jim Outland.

blessings every day. Now with all of that, Duane expressed his most important update was that he and Anne McIntyre were married June 14. Anne attended our 40th with Duane. They were married in Anne’s hometown, Perth, Ontario, Canada, and are now working through the immigration process for Anne to join him in Newport News, Virginia. Congratulations to Duane and Anne on their nuptials and heartfelt prayers and best wishes to Duane for total victory over cancer.

Hugh Daughtry sent his greetings from Rocky Top. At the time of his update, he and Robin were very busy. While Robin was at the beach catching up with friends, Hugh was packing his rucksack to serve on staff for the Boy Scout National Jamboree in West Virginia. Although a career Air Force veteran, Hugh credits VMI for adequately preparing him for the hardship of spending two weeks in a tent.

Hugh said he had a delightful conversation with Kenny “Bird Dog” Burgess. As rats, Hugh and Kenny dyked in the same room, along with Merlo Pile and Ben Robertson, so it was great catching up. Kenny lives in Chesapeake and has developed quite the bowling game. He stays in touch with Grey Carter and Dave Via. Hugh and Kenny shared a few laughs while recounting stories from their cadetship. Hugh said it was great to hear Kenny’s voice, and they made a pact to attend our 45th.

Steve Amato provided a short update. In June, he was on temporary duty in Las Vegas, where he met Sam and Al McGreer for dinner. Sam and Al moved to Las Vegas several years ago, where Al accepted a new position with L3 Technologies.

Steve remarked how great it was catching up with Sam and Al. They are enjoying the warmer weather and don’t miss the cold winters of Nebraska.

Steve last saw Al in 2008 while they were both deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. On Memorial Day, Steve and Mary volunteered to support the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation, during which they laid flowers at gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery. Among the sites they honored were the graves of our Brother Rats Bob McGehee and Jack Manley. Steve concluded his update with a note that there are still Class of 1983 challenge coins available for purchase at $10 per coin, to include shipping. Please contact Steve for specifics.

Again, I hope you and your families are enjoying the summer. With the number of events taking place this summer, we should have a lot to share in the fall. Speaking of the fall, the VMI Alumni Association put the word out about the VMI versus The Citadel game in Charleston Oct. 14.

If you want to know more, look for the notice in

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Class Notes with the Sore Knee,” the late, great Oakland quarterback, Kenny Stabler. Lee attributes this coif to the fact that Steve works at Fort Belvoir, out of sight of the big brass at the Pentagon, spends several days per week on the links, and therefore can “dress down” accordingly. Speaking of “dressing down,” Hank Selman (not an Army intelligence officer but nevertheless a keen observer with an eye for detail himself), who had also forwarded the phoBill Janis to and recently got lunch with Gen. Dyer in Atlanta, noted that, “Apparently, when you are a two-star, you can go casual if you feel like it ...”

While Andy, Lee, and Steve were learning how to be military intelAs I was putting the finishing ligence officers back in 1984, Jeff touches on these notes, I was drivWhite and I were Navy ensigns and ing back alone to Pensacola, Florida, roommates assigned to our first duty from our new home in St. Petersburg. station, Naval Air Station PensacDriving for hours along Interstate 10, ola, Florida. Jeff went on to a long passing miles and miles of scrub and distinguished career in the Navy pine forest, my eyes were drawn inas both a Naval flight officer and a exorably to the mile marker. Then cryptologist. Recently Jeff and ShelI thought of how these little metley drove down from Huntsville, Alal signs, mass-produced and placed abama, to visit their son, Mitchell precisely every 0.01 miles along the Class of 1984: Pictured at the retirement ceremony for U.S. Army Col. White ’21, who is following in Jeff’s interstate, were the modern manifesAndy Petretti are (from left) Lee Wimbish, Petretti, Steve Woolwine, footsteps as an ensign, completing tation of ancient milestones. Stone and Maj. Gen. Bill Dyer. his flight training at Naval Air Stamarkers hand-carved and placed tion Whiting Field near Pensacola. imprecisely in ages past helped us Their other son, Perry White ’21, is servmeasure our progress as they led us along ing as a strike officer on the USS John the road to our ultimate destination. Over McCain and is currently busy shadowing time, the “milestone” became a universal the Russian and Chinese fleets off Alaska. metaphor for significant events in the pasRose Ann and I had the rare treat to join sage of time over a life well lived. them for Sunday brunch, and it was “time So, here is my latest report on the “milevery well spent.” stones” along the road of life for the Class Mark Morgan sent me a photo from the of 1984. reception of the wedding of his son, Jay I spoke with Lee Wimbish, who joined Morgan. With alumni representation rangSteve Woolwine and U.S. Army Reserve ing from the Class of 1974 to the Class Maj. Gen. Bill Dyer to honor and celeof 2015, the Institute was certainly heard brate over 30 years of faithful service of from on that day! Congratulations, Mark!

U.S. Army Col. Andrew Petretti July 24, As I reported in the last edition, Rose 2023. Andy’s last posting was to the OfAnn and I have relocated to St. Petersburg fice of the Secretary of Defense for Intelto be closer to our daughter, Rachel, and ligence and Security, and his retirement her son, Ben, who made us grandparceremony was held in the Hall of Heroes ents in July. When I told Greg Cavallaat the Pentagon. Being a former Army inro the happy tidings, he quickly calcutelligence officer himself, Lee offered sevClass of 1984: Pictured at the wedding of Mark Morgan’s lated that my grandson, Theodore Miles eral profound and insightful details. The son, U.S. Air Force Capt. Jay Morgan, to Dr. Megan BlanStallings, would be a provisional mempresiding officer of the ceremony was chet in Boulder, Colorado, in June are (from left) Jamie U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, DeShoemaker, Alex Thompson, Ricky Kastelberg ’74, Frank ber of the Class of 2044. Cav further fense Intelligence Agency director, who Kollmansperger, Mark Morgan, Blanchet, Jay Morgan, noted that, if we applied for the permit Frank Hargrove ’15, and Sam Hunter ’15. in advance, he could be excused from has known and served with Andy since parade to push my wheelchair into Old they were classmates (along with Lee your email or online in the VMI Alumni Agencies events calendar.

As ever, please keep in touch. We are brothers for life, and it would be awful to lose accountability of one of our ranks. All the best to every one of you.

and Steve) in the Basic Military Intelligence Officer Leadership Course at Fort Huachuca, back in 1984, and who remarked that “back then, I always figured Andy would be the general, and I’d be working for him someday ...” Lee’s keen eye for detail also noted that Steve was sporting a new hairstyle that made him look like “The Sly Snake

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Class notes

Class of 1984: The cake prepared for Col. Andy Petretti’s retirement ceremony.

Class of 1984: Pictured after Sunday brunch in Pensacola, Florida, are (from left) Bill Janis, Mitchell White ’21, and Jeff White.

with your brother rats—especially if it has been a long while since last you spoke, and make sure to send me photos and updates! As always, I’ll close by saying, “Goodnight, Carl Romano, wherever you are!”

1985

Bill Wieners

Class of 1984: Bill Janis with his first grandson, Theodore Miles Stallings.

Barracks at our 60th Reunion!?

Speaking of reunions, as you are reading these notes, our 40th Reunion is five months away.

Please mark your calendars, clear your schedules, and plan on being in attendance April 26–27, 2024. Until then, please take the time to catch up

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Hello, ’85!

I have been in Lexington the last few weeks enjoying the fine August weather and plan to attend Matriculation Day later this week before I head back to Rhode Island. It has been a busy couple of weeks with the Charlie golf safari in town, which looks like it was a big hit with the attendees, and near as I can figure, it looks like about 40 BRs made it. I had visits with Neil Lowenstein, Mark Bornhorst, Scott Vaughn, Dave Campbell, Kelly Raber, Jim Chartier, and Joe Irby at the house while they were in town for safari, and as always, it was fun to be with them.

I had an opportunity to visit with Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, superintendent, while I was in Lexington, and he was kind enough to share with me what he is excited about and the achievements he and his staff accomplished together over the past year and that they are prepared for the next class of incoming matriculants, the upcoming academic year and the future of the Institute. I was impressed with what he shared and encourage everyone to reach

out to him, as well. In addition, he told me he had the opportunity to visit with both Chuck Rogerson and Darren Sawyer recently and says they are doing well.

Joe Irby has volunteered to take on the job of reunion boss and grand marshal of the Class of ’85 40th Reunion in 2025. Thanks, Joe! Call on all of us to help you in any way we can. I know I speak for the whole class when I pledge our availability and all the necessary financial resources to you for the Class of ’85’s 40th! RVM ’85, ’85, ’85 in 2025! Be there or be square boys! And plan to bring your checkbooks!

George Halages informs: “Our first grandchild was born July 3, 2023. We welcomed Anna Louise Halages, and mom and baby are doing well! ...

Our oldest daughter, Alexa Halages, was accepted into the Duke University Accelerated Nursing Program, and she starts in January 2024. Rose Ann and I are very excited for her. Hopefully, she will be able to provide quality care when her dad needs his diaper changed! We are all doing well, and business is a bit slow, but could be much worse! Murph, Knobby, and I have been competing with each other using the Apple Watch challenge; Murph has gotten the nickname of ‘Night Stalker’ because he does not do anything during the day, but at about 9 p.m. he starts walking—for miles—each evening. Both of them have kicked my @#$ every week, but it is having positive impacts, and we enjoy the ball-busting that takes place. I hope all is well in your world!” Congratulations, George, to you and Rose Ann and the girls!

Fantastic news! The world needs more Halages!

Steve Fisher informs: “Hey, Bill! Glad to see you are working for the class. It’s been a long time. If you have space, I’m teaching math, coaching the swim team, and coaching the girls’ tennis team at York High School in Yorktown, Virginia, approaching my 30th year in public education.”

Hi, Steve; plenty of space, brother. Thanks for the update!

Jim Stinebower informs: “Hey, Bill, just wanted to reach out and send the attached photo. I’m sure we all remember when they trucked the rats to the base of House Mountain, and the training cadre raced the rats to the top! Probably doesn’t happen anymore, but as I recall, the cadre always won by a mile (probably because the rats hadn’t slept in weeks)! From left to right standing are Jim Stinebower, Chris Busse ’84, and John Lindsey ’84, and left to right seated are John Stuart and John Keenan. All the ’85 BRs were first to the top, followed much later by the ’84 guys; they’ll probably claim the opposite, but those guys are getting

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Class Notes old, so their memories are pretty unreliable at this point! Not too much new happening for me and the family; I still spend half my time up on Lake Michigan and the rest of the year here in McLean, Virginia. Both of our boys are doing well. Our oldest, Aiden, just graduated from Georgetown Prep and is off to college in upstate New York in the fall, and our youngest, Rheese, will be a sophomore at Flint Hill and is long pole defense on the lacrosse team and both defensive/offensive tackle on the football team. My wife, Cari, and I have been busy with all of the pending college hoopla, but otherwise things are good. RVM and best, Jim.” Congratulations, Jim! Alpha!

Steve Cooper informs: “Hi, Bill. It has been a long time. Just an update on retired Colonel Steve Cooper. Living in Avon, Connecticut, with my three boys. Retired from the Army Reserve but still working for the Federal Highway Administration (although plan on retiring in one-and-ahalf years when I turn 62). My youngest of three boys, Kyle, just graduated from high school and will be attending UNH this fall at New Hampshire and also will be in the AFROTC. Sorry, guys, but I could not convince him to go to VMI. Even with my nephew, Major Nicholas Cooper ’09, now at VMI as the senior Air Force cadre member overseeing the Air Force cadets. Nick just arrived and will be getting married in the fall in Lexington, and I plan on attending that. Nick also went to VMI. Hopefully more photos to follow when we have his wedding. I will also be with my two brothers, Johann Cooper ’81, Frank Cooper ’83, and me of course in ’85, so it should make for a good photo.

I hope all is well. Steve.” Congratulations, Steve!

Let me know when are headed for Lexington, and we can catch up! Stay in touch and shoot photos anytime!

Mark Williams informs: “Hey, Bill. Hope all is well. Attached is a photo of our second grandchild, a boy, Macon Hollingsworth (future Class of 2045, our great-grand dyke class x20). Life is good. My daughter, Margaret, and family reside in Richmond, 1.2 miles from me and Alston, now known as Birdie and Bibi (which is Swahili for grandmother). Son Wallace is moving back to Richmond from Denver, Colorado, in August and will be coming to work with me at our small business, Cauthorne Paper Company, in Ashland, Virginia.

I bought Cauthorne Paper in 2018 after our family box business was sold, and I was temporarily unemployed. The founder of Cauthorne Paper was Ross A. “Adolphus” Cauthorne ’905. He attended VMI but was expelled after allegedly leading a drunken protest against one of his professors. He

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founded Cauthorne Paper Company in 1912. The company has evolved over the years from a major distributor to a niche converter of custom-size sheets and rolls of a variety of paper, paperboard, and non-woven materials. I plan to get Macon Hollingsworth a provisional appointment soon to the Class of 2045. VMI relatives other than myself include great-grandfather, Hobbs Goodwin ’63; great-great-grandfather, John Goodwin ’934; my uncle, Tommy Inge ’59; cousins, Tom Inge ’89, George Inge ’91, and Wallace Inge ’96; and one of my cousins’ sons, Thomas Inge ’25. That is all I got, Bill. Look forward to returning to Lexington this fall for a football game and hope to see you then, if not before.” Congrats, Willy, to your family! Another Williams in the universe! Awesome!

Mike Lamore informs: “I wanted to mention we have been working on upgrading the VMI baseball field to AstroTurf for about a year, and the project finally got started this summer with a completion date in late September. Being a former baseball player, they tapped me for about 50% of the cost, and we were pleased to be able to sponsor it. It is a good thing for VMI baseball and will make it a first-class facility.” I went by while on post, and he is right; they are doing an extensive makeover of the field. Thanks for caring and for your continued giving back to the Institute, Mike!

Paul Shoemaker informs: “A quick update. This spring, my wife and I took another step closer to retirement with the purchase of a new home in Calabash, North Carolina, where we can continue to work remotely. We will be spending about half a year here to take advantage of the great local beaches and outdoor space and the remainder in Texas to stay close to the grandkids. If anyone is in the area, give me a shout. As part of our move, we waited for the final closing in Lynchburg, Virginia.

While in the ’burg, we met Jeff Hill and his bride in Farmville for lunch and a catch-up. It was good, as always, to see them and break bread and raise a glass—or two. Paul” I saw Jeff recently, and he doesn’t change, does he? Good!

Jake Spivey shared that “Scott Medeiros is the newest member of the Charlotte COO forum.

Scott is the chief execution officer of Rosewood Family of Companies, a family-owned conglomerate of organizations developed to execute a full suite of construction, installation, project management, and staffing services,” as well as, “I have had the great fortune to have worked with several brother rats over the years. When I switched jobs in September 2022 to work for the Joint Staff, I was privileged to have the opportunity to work with our class president, Jim Chartier. Jim was an extremely impactful person within our branch of the Joint Staff. He will be remembered for his cheerful personality, his warm, welcoming spirit,

Class of 1985: Steve Cooper with his sons, Ryan, Kyle, and Skyler.

Class of 1985: Participants in the annual Charlie Company golf safari gather for a photo at the Lexington Golf & Country Club in August 2023.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes and his U.S. Marine Corps ‘can-do’ attitude. He retired June 30, 2023, after 41 cumulative years of federal service. After taking his trip to Wyoming (back in July), he now starts planning his return to Italy. Jim received the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Medal from Mr. Ric Shulz, director, Futures & Concepts Division.”

Tim Martin informed me that all is well and that he has started his new job as a financial planner in Southern Virginia.

Mike Adkins reports “became a granddad, AKA ‘Popa,’ to little Ms. Caroline Elizabeth.” Congratulations, Mike!

Barry Brockway wrote in: “Hope you are doing well. I will not be able to make the safari weekend, as I am recovering from a recent surgery. I hope to make next year’s outing.” Barry, get well soon.

In March of this year, Cary Westin was unanimously voted to be the interim city of El Paso’s city manager.

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Matt Carter has been elected chair of the Northern Virginia Veterans Association Board of Directors. Congratulations, Matt.

I asked Jake to put together a safari update, and it is as follows: “The safari got off to a great start Wednesday evening. Jake Spivey, safari commodore, arrived late in the night and found Brother Rats Steve Marsh, Steve Hagan, Rich Williams, and Neb Neblett gathered on the balcony of Moody Hall enjoying the camaraderie that exemplifies the safari. After a few adult beverages and some entertaining discussions, the gang turned in for the night. Thursday morning was mysteriously misty and cool. Remember, August! However, the weather made the morning’s round of golf super enjoyable, as the duffers were challenged to stay dry (it rained), rather than stay hydrated, fighting off August’s typical heat and humidity. Chasing the little white ball were the commodore, Hagan, Williams, and Neblett, joined by John Pollock, Scott Vaughan, and Mark Bornhorst. After their soggy round, the main foursome dried off and went to Niko’s for lunch, where Dave Campbell joined them. Due to the cool temperatures and continuing rain, the gang decided an afternoon dip in the mighty Maury River was unnecessary, returning everyone to Moody Hall’s balcony. Quietly (not!) pulling into town and joining the conversations were George Halages and Mark Carroll.

Entertaining jokes, limericks, and pictures on cell phones were shared, putting everyone in a good mood. Dave Campbell was so thoroughly amused that he attempted 27-and-a-half times to tell the group about a trip to Waynesboro with BR Mike

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Class of 1985: Mike Adkins with his granddaughter, Caroline Elizabeth.

Class of 1985: Pictured in Victor, Idaho, in July 2023 are (from left) Jeff Norris, Joe Irby, and Shawn Oliver.

Cook and a particular cadet corporal Dave really, really, really disliked. While there was much humor in Dave’s initial 26-and-a-half attempts to tell his story, the final rendition left everyone sitting around the table, staring at each other asking the question, ‘Is that it?’ The namesake event of the safari started at Lexington Golf & Country Club with 31 duffers. Joining Thursday’s group were Bush McIntyre, P.W. Sarver, Steve Palmer, Rob McIntire, Tab Warlitner, W.G. Rowlett, Jeff Hill, Kevin Jenkins, Ken Hirlinger, Steve Medeiros, Matt Daniel, Dave Tingley, Ken Hirtz, Tim Martin, Bill Bowman, Chris Welch, Russ Orrison, Kelly Raber, John Keenan, John Stuart, and Hayden Bayer. As she promised the commodore, Mother Nature delivered a beautiful dry day with partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures. Ken ‘Moose’ Hurst joined George Halages and Steve Marsh as refreshment specialists, keeping their fellow BRs well-hydrated. As folks completed their round, they returned to the clubhouse, where Jim Spellman, Joe Pauley, Bill Wieners, Kerry Kirk, and Jim Chartier greeted them. Following lunch, with the day’s temperature on the rise, many BRs changed clothes and assembled at Jordan’s Point Park for a cooling dip in the Maury River. After their swim, most of the gang washed up and went into hustling and bustling Lexington for dinner. Reassembling on the balcony of Moody Hall a few hours later, the safari’s commodore held part one of his first-ever awards ceremony. Mark Carroll ensured each safarian had a raffle ticket so the commodore could issue door prizes to individuals having a lucky (winning) number. Dave Campbell was recognized as the safari’s latest Matt Hamilton Triple Lindy Dumb#@$ Award recipient. The details behind Dave’s winning stupidity are too gory to be described in the Alumni Review. Next time you see Dave ask him, ‘How did you do it?’ Commodore Spivey, with much support from Neb Neblett, sold custom Class of 1985 trailer hitch covers to interested BRs—100% of the proceeds from the sale are being donated to the ALS Association in Matt Henderson’s name.

After much cheering and guffaws, the award ceremony concluded, and the safarians retired back to the balcony to solve climate change and similar conundrums. Jack Emerson showed up early Friday afternoon and stayed through the end of the commodore’s awards ceremony. Then, as usual, he headed back to Fancy Gap, Virginia. Saturday was absolutely one of the most picturesque days in the valley this year. The temperature was in the upper 80s, the Maury River flowed confidently with sufficient water to keep most boats and floats from

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Class Notes hitting bottom. The fish were biting, and the group had an exceptionally enjoyable time. Later that night, Commodore Spivey concluded his award ceremony by recognizing Jim Begley for his escapade last year. Briefly, Jim had asked how he could help Borny get lunch ready for the standard, post-golf chow down. He was instructed to head over to Bill Wieners’ house, where others would join him. Unfortunately, Jim got his directions for Bill Wieners’ house mixed up and entered not Bill’s but Bill’s neighbor’s house. Not one to remain idle, Jim tidied up the place while he waited. After an extended waiting period, Jim called the commodore, and during the conversation, the revelation that he was in the wrong house became apparent. Jim hurriedly departed and went next door to Bill’s. So unsure of Jim’s navigation skills, Commodore Spivey made sure Jim is now better prepared. Should he enter someone’s home in the future and decide it, too, needs some tidying up, Jim has the tools of the trade. Sunday morning encountered a monumental change as the Lexington Diner ceased operations back in the spring of this year. Therefore, most safarians went to the Sunrise Diner, where they enjoyed a fine meal. The Commodore highly recommends their Hungry Man’s Trashcan omelet. A few BRs returned to Moody Hall to ensure it was cleaned up and suitable for turnover to the VMI Alumni Agencies, while everyone else hit the road headed for home. Until next year.”

As always, may God bless our country, our people in uniform, the Corps of Cadets, VMI, our VMI family, and our VMI friends.

RVM ’85! ’85! ’85!

Class of 1985: Jim Chartier receives the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Medal from Ric Shulz, futures and concepts division director.

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1986

Clint Hubbard

This edition is being written in August and will appear in print sometime around November or so.

August always makes me think of August 1982, when all of our lives took a decided turn and we embarked on a journey that would change our lives for the better. God bless the Institute.

Sadly, we start this edition with some sad news.

Scott Wagner’s wife, Tyra, passed away in early July. Of course, we remember Tyra as Scott’s Ring Figure date and his wife for 37 years. Tyra was a fixture at the reunions, always engaging in fun and doing yeoman’s work in helping Scott to stock the bar in the hospitality suites at the reunions. We’ll miss her big smile and big personality, her fun spirit, and her willingness to always pitch in and keep things lively.

As always with sad times, there were a number of BRs who closed ranks around Wags in his time of deep sorrow. Of course, the local and pseudo-local BRs (an incomplete list includes Jay Ball, Bob Cabell, Wayne Fuller, Jeff Morgan, Jon Moody, Clif Tinsley, Gordon Poindexter, Jamie Inman, Frank Trice, Tim Keilty, Bobby Rainer, and others) all gathered around, but many came from a distance to hold up their brother rat. In particular, Mark Laughon, Jim Taggart, Steve Thacker, and Dave Spears all made significant trips and were greatly appreciated by BR Wagner, I’m sure.

If there was anything good about this event, it was that among those showing up to support BR Wagner, was one, each, Gitchell, Ranger Carl. I know, I almost didn’t believe he was still kicking either, but he sat right beside me during Tyra’s service. BR Gitchell is alive and well in Annapolis while still doing the beltway bandit shuffle. Alas, I did not get an update on Gitchell, R.S. Or Tim Young, Roman Malavet, Hank Selnau, or etc., etc. Some of our boys are still off the grid.

Steve Thacker proudly informs that his youngest daughter, Samantha (Sam) of the University of Denver’s women’s lacrosse program, was named the 2023 Women’s Lacrosse National Defensive Player of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association. Ms. Thacker is the first Pioneer to pick up the national honor after also earning her second consecutive IWLCA First Team All-American award. She became the first

DU player to repeat as a First-Team All-American after also being chosen as a junior in 2022.

Congratulations to the youngest Thackerette!

And also to her mom and dad, who drove her to lacrosse practice way back when.

Some of the best news of the year came when Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin nominated our BR Jamie Inman to the VMI Board of Visitors in June.

Easily one of the most admired and best-liked men in the Class of ’86, Jamie’s intimate knowledge of the Institute, along with his keen mind and steady demeanor, will be a respected asset to the VMI Board of Visitors. BR Inman was the longest-serving chief of staff in the history of the Institute before “retiring” from that position to join Afton Chemical Corporation in Richmond.

But his talents were so valuable that Gov. Youngkin reached out and brought him back. Bravo, Gov. Youngkin! You are a true friend to VMI, sir, and definitely hit the long ball with this appointment. Jamie’s term on the Board of Visitors commenced July 1. On behalf of the Class of ’86, we wish BR Inman the best in his tenure on the BOV and thank him profusely for his continued devotion and service to the Institute.

Keep on making us proud, BR Inman.

From Africa comes some big news from the big man. Mark “Duke” Ellington checked in to let us know he is coming stateside to be closer to his elderly parents. In Duke’s words, “I am writing to let you know of a sea of change in my life. Earlier this year, I took the anguishing decision to repatriate to the not-so-United States of America. I’ve been kicking around Africa since 1965 with a few breaks here and there, so this is a big deal. It is also a radical change for my two daughters, who, like me, have grown up in Africa.” BR Ellington’s parents live in Johnson City, Tennessee, so he will be joining them nearby.

In late June, Duke took his eldest daughter on a tour of Virginia universities and, along the way, was also able to rekindle friendships with a few BRs. After checking into the Jay Thompson hotel (from whence they launched visits to Liberty and JMU), the icing on the cake was an SRC event to which Jay (and Robin) also invited Jeff and Audrey Boobar and Todd and Donna McCullough. BR Ellington says it was a great visit and a grand time.

As BR Ellington reinvents himself in America, he will become the U.S. representative for a South African company that designs, manufactures, and supports ballistic vehicles. A portion of the company’s business is USG-funded MRAPs that go to partner nations for use

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes in peacekeeping, stabilization, and counterterrorism missions. That part of the business is in North Carolina, and Duke will be overseeing the manufacture of MRAPs there. However, the company wants him to expand the U.S.-based business beyond purely military applications, so he has been thinking about how to market to cash-in-transit companies, law enforcement, and even those providing executive protection.

Needless to say, BR Ellington will be looking to network as he starts this new chapter. Best of luck, and welcome to CONUS, Duke.

Speaking of shaking, baking, and making big moves, the word on the street, er, internet, is that Tim Macaulay has departed “the People’s Republic of Tax-achusetts” and is now getting his mail in Pineville, North Carolina, just south of Charlotte. In reality, it probably has something to do with proximity to his progeny, who went to school far beyond the hills of Blacksburg, Virginia—y’all know the place. The benefit for us is that, hopefully, that means we’ll be seeing more of one of the finest human beings on the planet, our BR Macaulay.

Through the magic of social media, I had a great connect from Clay Skelton in Roanoke, Virginia. Clay was with us for a year or two, then ventured into greener pastures than VMI. He is running his own shop in the Star City called Origo, which is a fleet safety entity dedicated to making over-the-road fleets safer and, thus, overall traffic safer. He seems to be doing well and is available on LinkedIn, so look him up and connect with another BR. Good to hear from you, BR Skelton.

Lastly, if you ever get an invite to a party at Steve Pancham’s house, do yourself a favor and go. Steve (and Monica) hosted a cookout party over the summer attended by over 150 people easily. Great chow, cold beer, live music, and an overall good vibe. Among the local BR attendees were Jay Ball, Pat Farrell, Wayne Fuller, Brett Hayes, Andy Mason, Jon Moody, Gordon Poindexter, Bob Rainer, Scott Wilson, and of course, Panch, as well as your dedicated class agent. Kick@#$ good time.

Well, that’s about it. It was only a scant 41 years ago that we all had our first meeting with each other and were sporting around in olive trousers with a white shirt and black tie. By golly, you boys are getting old! Reach out to a BR and keep those bonds tight.

Hope you are well, brother rats. Shoot me an update on what you’re up to; your BRs want to hear about you. Take care, and happy holidays.

2023-Issue 4

1987

William J. McCarthy

Brother Rats, What to do when you are jet lagged and awake at 4 a.m. in Turnberry, Scotland? Well, I decided to finish the class notes for the best class in barracks! ’87, ’87, ’87! I am taking a well-needed vacation to chase the little white ball around the Scottish countryside. For me, rest and relaxation only occur if I can get to a place that is five time zones away or has limited cell phone service. Since hanging up the lacrosse cleats two years ago, skiing and golf have taken up my available free time.

This quarter was an absolute blast again, with me trying to pull all kinds of people out from under the woodpile. I will recommend to all that if your information on file with the Institute is stale or not up to date, it is very difficult for me to find you.

(Although I try!)

I had the opportunity to travel to Fort Worth for the graduation of my daughter, Katie, from Texas Christian University in May. Go Horned Frogs! I ran into Charlie Schoen ’86 and Gene

Class of 1987: The cake prepared for U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness’ retirement celebration.

Class of 1987: U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness speaks during his retirement ceremony held at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 21, 2023.

Class of 1987: Gathering to celebrate the retirement of U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Furness at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 21, 2023, are (front row, from left) Dennis Butts, John Pilloni, John Barnard, Rob Goodwin, (back row) John Nolen, Kenny Marsh, James Bright, Owen Curley, and Eric Davis.

Present but not pictured is David Harbach ’61, former commandant.

Warren ’83 at the graduation ceremony, as well!

Charlie’s son graduated from the Neeley School of Business with Katie. I tried to connect with local resident Monte Ferguson for my last trip to Cowtown, but he was headed to Smith Mountain Lake to spend time with his mother on Mother’s Day. Since Monte was not available, I called another Fort Worth resident, Ray Davis.

Ray is retired as commander in the Navy Reserve and is currently splitting time between Fort Worth, Texas, and Marco Island, Florida. Ray has worked in project management at Sysco, the food distribution company, for some time now. It was great to hear what he has been up to over all these years.

Todd Burdette works as a civil engineer near his home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Although he

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Class Notes Budapest. He and his family relocated from Euis a classically trained mechanical engineer, Todd Corps knows how to celebrate its leaders would be rope to Santa Barbara, California, a few years an understatement. has been doing site work for most of his career. He ago. His roommate, Tom Mitchell, and I caught Dave’s roommates, Rob Goodwin, Dennis looks forward to seeing everyone at our next gathering. I mentioned that the wrestling BRs, Todd Butts, and John Barnard, were in attendance, up recently. Tom is now ordained with the Baptist along with me and a great group of guys. Owen Church and spends his time ministering to those in Arris, Jim Bean, and Brad Brzozinski, all looked need. I know he recently went to Africa on a misCurley, Eric Davis, James Bright, Kenny Marsh, like they could make weight very easily. He said and John and Edna Nolan all made the trip to sion trip to help. he is going to make his best effort to stay engaged, There were multiple mini reunions. Clifton and I have seen him participate in our Facebook North Carolina. Father John Boughton was scheduled to come, but flight delays prevented him from Coger, Bobby Blackwell, Keith Washington, group a bit more.

Spoke to H. Byrne in August. He has been cy- making the trip. Dave and Lt. Gen. Chip Bierman Neal Robinson, and Terry Fortune got together cling quite a bit after jumping out of perfectly good are great friends to this day, and I know Chip want- for a 40th beach reunion at Clif’s house at Buckroe Beach in Hampton. The fellas look great, and airplanes. He is looking for people to do some road ed to be there but was leading our troops in Japan.

A special treat for me was to hang out with Col. I know they had a great time. Bobby also has an bike excursions if anyone has interest. He is one of annual event, men’s Walk for Life in Baltimore, the many Tampa residents, and I look forward to a David Harbach ’61, our commandant, at gradumini reunion at some point since I have family just ation. As Furness mentioned in his speech, Col. where a bunch of VMI guys participate. I will try Harbach has been a longtime mentor to Dave, to send something out next year to see if we can south in Boca Grande.

J.P. LeMaire is working as a supervisory agent and it was great to see him and his wife make the get a big VMI ’87 turnout.

I played birthday phone tag with quite a few of for the Florida State Lottery Commission in Tal- trip. I can tell you he has not changed a bit. you, and I will call when I get back to the U.S. At the ceremony, Lt. Gen. Furness was prelahassee. He is responsible for security when they sented the Distinguished Service Medal by retired to complete the conversation for the next batch pull the Powerball numbers, which as you would imagine, has multiple layers of audit. J.P. retired Gen. John Amos, who retired as the 35th com- of notes. Via text, Craig Covert came back from from the Tallahassee Police Department with 32 mandant of the Marine Corps. Gen. Amos was the London to spend a few weeks this summer in Lexyears after enlisting in the Army post graduation. keynote speaker at the ceremony, and I would say ington. I tried to connect when I was in town for both he and Dave could have talked for hours, ex- a quick business meeting, but the timing did not He says he keeps in touch with Roberto Jacquez cept it was 95 degrees in the Camp Lejeune sun. work. and Tim Guck.

Dr. Paul Russo is adjusting to living in the low Kevin Barker has been on an RV excursion Dave and Lynda have relocated to the Tampa area, where Dave will start his civilian gig in August. He country of South Carolina. He and Bill Wanovich across the U.S. I missed a mini reunion in Lexington with Tom Peer, Craig Covert, and Ricky is looking forward to a mini reunion with all our got a visit from Adrian Garcia, who was visiting Cruze. Kevin also went by Kansas City, where he BRs in area. My family goes to the west coast of his parents in the area.

Dr. Neal Naff is in great spirits now that Lamar stopped by Pillonia to visit John Pilloni and Chair- Florida every Thanksgiving week, so expect a call.

I caught Randy Janey while he was at LAX, Jackson has a contract with the Baltimore Raman Meow. vens, and the Baltimore Orioles are on fire. We Speaking of RVs, we have had quite an influx heading to Budapest this summer. Randy has been of BRs into the RV community. Bob and Tracy developing an auto racetrack and resort outside of are all fortunate that Neal loves his work and plans on practicing medicine for years to Phillips are celebrating his retirement come. by giving up permanent residency Finally, the local Richmond crowd and going on a two-year tour of the is fantastic, and there is interest for states. The last Facebook post of the another get-together once the summer Phillipses that I saw was in Camden, activities are over and now that most Maine. Ken Devero is also on a jourof us are empty nesters. My old roomney to see the states. It was great to mate, Matt Morgan, and I seem to talk to Ken and hear about his career talk more frequently these days or run in the service and the joys of travelinto each other locally. Had a good ing. chat with Mark Barth, who is loving BR Matt Howard and his wife, living in the historic Fan District not Darcy, are on a nautical expedition far from me. Rob Hinson also lives of the coastal waterways of this great pretty close in the Fan. country. Matt and Darcy floated their Saw Todd Williamson at a Fourth way up to Newport, Rhode Island, for of July party and had some good a few weeks of “remote” work. laughs with him. I know he was in The highlight of the quarter for me Italy for a week while his youngwas attending the retirement ceremony of U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. DaClass of 1987: Pictured at a mini reunion in Hampton, Virginia, are est daughter, Margaret, was doing a vid Furness at Camp Lejeune, North Clif Coger, Bobby Blackwell, Aaron Neal Robinson, Keith Washing- study abroad program.

I caught up with D.T. Wood early Carolina, July 21 after a distinguished ton, and Terry Fortune. in the quarter, and he is doing great.

36-year career. To say the Marine

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes be the driving force in organizing these He is another person who is really looking get-togethers. In attendance were Jim Floforward to increasing his level of particirio, Sam Tate, Derek McFarland, Hugh pation within the ’87 ranks.

Brian, Rich Stone, John Keppeler, and One would think that because I live in me.

Richmond, I have parties every weekend I have talked/texted with few BRs rewith BRs and I am on top of everyone, cently. Ray Simmons is doing well in but that is far from true. I do run into a ton West Virginia and is hoping to get to Lexof alum and sometimes find people who ington for the reunion. have been “out of touch” for a while. That BR Cloyd Tavenner recently accepted a kind of detective work led me to get the new job with Rolls Royce in Kingsville, contact info for Jon Freeman. Jon has alTexas, as head of operations for their F405 ways been one of the funniest guys in our engine aftermarket program. His youngclass (my opinion), so it was 30 minutes of est daughter matriculated in August, so we side-splitting laughter for me. Jon has been should be seeing more of Cloyd and his in the food biz for his entire career and has wife, Mickie, in Lexington. spent the last 10-plus years out in Kansas BR Rick Blocker is doing well and livCity. He said he used to do New Cadet Reing in Nebraska. Rick is also planning to cruiting events with Hiram Morales and be at the reunion and has a nephew in the John Pilloni. current rat class. Rick’s daughter is finJamie McGlasson sent me a note that he ishing her last year at Liberty University reads the Alumni Review every quarter. I Class of 1988: Playing golf at Quantico, Virginia, in August after transferring from the University of plan on having more about Jamie for the are (from left) Andy Tate ’92, Chuck Ellis ’90, Jon Sachrison Nebraska, so hopefully, we will be seeing next Alumni Review. ’87, and Ed Wetherell.

Rick in Lexington a few times during the Thanks for all the kind words, great phoacademic year. tos, and overall support of my work on the BR Gregg Thomas is still working as chief enAlumni Review. I strive to cast a wide net and get counted about 30 alumni overall in attendance.

In case you missed it, there is a nice article in last gineer AMRAAM for the Air Force at Eglin Air everyone involved. quarter’s issue of the Alumni Review. Congratula- Force Base in Florida. Gregg and his wife, LauBest, tions again to Jim; I know he will continue to do rie, were kind hosts to my son, Thomas ’22, for Dog a long weekend during a break in his training at a great job for the Commonwealth in his new role Fort Moore, Georgia. They have had him down and continue to represent the Institute well.

We had our quarterly class lunch in Fredericks- to their house in Niceville, Florida, about a threehour drive from Fort Moore a couple of times over burg July 28. BR John Keppeler continues to Ed Wetherell the last year.

BR Adam Volant is working for Booz Allen Hamilton in Evans, Georgia, since his retirement as a brigadier general and director of operations G3, U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon. Adam and Brother Rats, his wife, Terry, have also graciously hostI hope this finds you all well. This is aled my son, Thomas, a few times. I apways an odd cycle for class notes, written preciate the love and support of our VMI just before a reunion and received just affamily. Anyone who has friends or family ter. A lot of planning and coordination at VMI or in the Northern Virginia/Leeswent into the reunion, and the registration burg area who needs any support or assisnumbers are good (about 50 BRs and 35 tance, please do not hesitate to reach out; guests) at the time of this submission. In I always enjoy the opportunity to help in the next issue, I hope to be posting lots of any way I can. great stories and pictures from the reunion In August, I was able to get together with and from BR McFarland’s class campout Chuck Ellis ’90, Andy Tate ’92, and Jon in September. In the meantime, just a few Sachrison ’87 for a round of golf at Quannotes from the field since our last edition.

Class of 1988: Having lunch in Fredericksburg, Virginia, tico.

Andy is BR Sam Tate’s younger In June, BR Jim Ring was promoted to July 28, 2023, are Jim Florio, Sam Tate, Hugh McMenamin, brother, a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieumajor general and appointed adjutant genHugh Brien, Rich Stone, Derek McFarland, John Keppeler, tenant colonel, an “honorary BR,” and ofand Ed Wetherell. eral of Virginia. A good number of BRs ten attends our class lunches in Northern were able to attend the ceremony, and I

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Class Notes right around the corner in fall 2024, we will push information out via electronic means. Is your mailing address current? Update it through the VMI portal, VMI Ranks in the For Alumni dropdown menu on the VMI Alumni Organization webpage, or send me an email if you prefer.

Consider joining the VMI ’89 Facebook page for the latest reunion info and most up-to-date info on the Class of ’89. Hope to see you there. ONE-989!

Class of 1989: Zach, Beth, and Kevin Boyum visit post.

Class of 1988: Pictured are Gregg Thomas and Thomas Wetherell ’22.

Virginia. Chuck is a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, a retired U.S. marshal, and just moved back to Virginia from Guam. Jon is a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and works at Quantico as the USMC University Foundation COO. We get together for golf a couple of times each year; if anyone would like to join us, just drop me a line.

I hope to hear from more of you over the next few months and look forward to seeing you all at a lunch or in Lexington.

Until then, stay safe, and all the best to you and your families. RVM! Rah, ’88!

Class of 1989: Pictured alongside the pit crew helping them with their Champcar Endurance Series race car are Tom Hernandez, Paul Mele, and Jim Masella.

Class of 1989: Tom Fanshaw paying homage to alumni killed in action at the Normandy American Cemetery in France.

1989

David A. Martin

A few admin notes: If you have not received emails from the class agent, please send an email to David.a.martin4@gmail.com. With the reunion

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Class of 1989: Gathering for a meal at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in McLean, Virginia, May 15, 2023, are (from left) Steve Warren, Billy Miller, Allan Stoneman, Granger Gilbert, Danny Baker, Matt Tederick, Andy Tunnard, George Bowles, Charles Willis, and Mike Murray.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes the text message group with Brian Woodford, Jeff Kaster, Jamie Setze, and several others; it very entertaining, and I get a good laugh from the banter at least once a day.

Dennis Bundens also dropped me a nice note as we were discussing changing admissions standards and whether any of us would get into VMI today: “I would never get in today.

However, I owe everything in my professional career to my VMI experience. Getting in by the skin of my teeth changed my life dramatically.” I couldn’t agree more, and I bet many

among us have the same thoughts.

Dave Amsden checked in in August, and I also heard from Luis Del Valle, who was in Daren Payne search of Neil Whitmore’s contact information. Luis is in the Dakotas in some of the best upland hunting areas in the world, and I envy him. Neil, meanwhile, is once again on the ballot for Rockbridge County School Board and will stand for election in November.

Greetings, my friends, from Lex Vegas and I later heard from BRs Mullori and Lanzilthe Buena Vista metro area. As I put these lotta. Mullori invited me to snake hunt in Nenotes together, post is starting to fill back up absco Creek, and J.P. Lanzillotta emailed me with cadets as the fall sports teams are pracfrom somewhere in the world (I think Diego ticing, cadre people are returning, and in a few Garcia or Kuwait) to tell me he was bored and days, another mass will matriculate into the cato see if any BRs were in his vicinity. Unfordet gray. Not too long after that, the remainder tunately, I was unable to help either of them. of the Corps returns for the start of classes and Recently, I think most of us heard from my away we go for another fun-filled academic old roommate, Rich Mehl, who was offering year. Now, on to the news. up some more of his limited supply VMI prints It’s been fairly quiet around Lexington this that still show the Jackson statue in front of summer, but I did get a visit from Jim Cox, who barracks and some other scenes from around dropped by while on the road visiting some of post. These were apparently very highly sought his many mattress stores spread throughout after and well received, and he basically did Virginia and the Carolinas. Jim hasn’t changed them for cost to BRs. Many thanks, Mehl, and a bit and spends a lot of time on the road these much appreciated! days overseeing his vast business empire.

My other roommate, Sean Hoover, checked I also had a visit from Mike Kemp when he in, as he is with the ATF and chasing down was in town for the annual Keydet Club Leadsome really nasty characters in New Hampership Outing and the board meeting in June. shire but looking toward retirement in the notMike was planning his annual rat send-off too-distant future. event for the Roanoke rats in his area. Charles Class of 1990: Fred Minnigerode and In military news, Col. Lee Havird checked Plageman was in town for the event, as well as Mike Pilley aboard Pilley’s vessel in the in to let me know he will be officially retired in Pablo Martinez and Ramon Williams. Pablo waters of coastal South Carolina over October after 33 years of service to our nation in is also on the Keydet Club board, while both the Fourth of July weekend. the Air Force. Col. Havird was still finalizing his Ramon and Charles continue their work as plans for retirement and future employment when road warriors for the VMI Alumni Agencies.

I last heard, but he will be departing Pat O’Leary also stops by my his current duty station at Penn State office, and we run into each othUniversity ROTC this month. er regularly as part of his work as Also in the Air Force, Lt. Col. Dave VMI’s chief counsel.

Walsh finally retired and sent along In April, we had the annual Legthe following: “Yea, I’m moving acy Day here at VMI, and repreback in a couple of months, but I’ll be senting the Class of ’90 with their down in Mobjack, not on Gwynn’s kids were George Palomar, John Island. Can’t buy enough land on Hahn, Dennis Fogler, and Chip the island to keep people out of my Chenery. In fact, Chip has a son personal business and have a farm. I who will be starting this fall as a rat. bought 21 acres a couple of years ago Later in the reporting period, I and need to get busy on home conheard from Bill Gaspar, who may struction now. I haven’t fully retired. actually be freed up to do a huntTook a part-time defense contracing trip this fall with Rob Gudz tor job that allows me to go to and me now that his work at ECS has stabilized, and Rob Clark, Class of 1990: Gathering to celebrate Independence Day are (from Florida and make a couple of grand who checked in from Minnesota. left) Rick Pearman ’71, Chuck Ellis, Tony Baker, Andy Kvasnicka, Erroll for a few days of work. It’s focused on training international students on I also got notes from Dave McMartin, Donnie Roberts, Sam Butler ’92, and Sean Lanier ’94.

C-130 employment. Look forward Graw, who continues to operate

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Class Notes to being at more VMI events when I get home.”

Sticking with the Air Force, Mark Hennigan sent along a great article and presentation done

by Lt. Gen. Dan Caine on interagency cooperation that included a great photo of BR Caine in full dress uniform with three stars. Thanks to all of you guys for your service to our nation and for your years of sacrifice on our behalf!

A recent retiree, Dave Kaulfers, checked in to let us know he completed a 788-mile hike on the Pacific Coast Trail and then accepted a new job as assistant area engineer for Ghirardelli Associates in San Jose, California. Glad you made the hike safely, Dave; that is quite the feat. I don’t even like to fly that far anymore!

Speaking of Hennigan, he sent me a great photo from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, of him attending his son’s graduation from Field Artillery Basic Officer Leadership Course in June.

Another great photo I got was from Chuck Ellis and a gathering of BRs in Prince George, Virginia, including Donnie Roberts, Erroll Martin, Tony Baker, and Kvasnicka, among others in attendance.

Fred Minnigerode shared a photo from the Fourth of July weekend aboard the boat of Mike Pilley in the Carolina low country enjoying the salt life.

Garrett Thompson passed along a photo of him with one of the cadets his family hosted the past four years, as it seems they have some mutual friends of his daughters in Roanoke.

Garrett remains in the Army Reserve and still doing his chiropractor business, as is Gordy Byrne.

Class of 1990: Attending Legacy Day with their sons in April 2023 are Dennis Fogler, Chip Chenery, George Palomar, and John Hahn.

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Just before the deadline, I got the following update from Doug Henderson: “My youngest daughter, Hailey Jane Henderson, will be matriculating this weekend. If it’s not too much to ask, could you please find out who her dyke is, and if she doesn’t have one, please try to make sure she has a ‘quality’ one? By the way, I talk with Jim Dufford regularly, and he wanted me to tell you hello.”

I also understand that we have Chip Chenery and Buddy Garbett who will be dropping off rats for matriculation this year.

In the LinkedIn business world, we find that Todd Blekicki started a new position as associate project manager at Chevo Consulting, LLC, and Jeff Rawes also has a new gig as aftermarket product specialist at SPS Flow Mixing Solutions.

Terrence Kerner and his company, Atlantic Constructors, was recognized as sponsor of the month for the VMI Club of Richmond in July, and it seems John King is the inaugural member of the advisory board for tevixMD Corporation due to his legendary status in the healthcare field.

Tim Bosetti, recently retired from the Army, is now a senior project manager with A-C-T Environmental and got to see his son become an Eagle Scout this summer.

Donnie Roberts was recently sighted at the AHRMM Health Care Supply Chain conference representing as the CEO of his firm, Caracal Products and Services out of Michigan.

In this quarter’s installment of “where are they now,” I’m trying to catch up with the following classmates: Bill Donahue, the other BR Ellis (Jack), Chris McConnell, Doctor of Dentistry Dave Robbins, Dave Bland, Ryan Foster, Bill Melvin, Rob Ondrick, Scott Smith, and Trey Wetsel—not sure what happened to these guys, but it has been way too long since we heard from you. Give us a shout or shoot me an email and let me know what’s up with you and where you can be found.

That’s about all the news I have for now.

Looking forward to seeing many of you up here this fall and over the winter during basketball season. I will also be in touch about our 35th Reunion, which is approaching in less than two years. As always, if you are not getting my regular emails, please drop me a line so I can add you to my 230-plus BR distro list.

Thanks again for your support and for all you do for our class and VMI! Daren Payne

1991

Chuck Story Chris Edmonston

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1991.

Class of 1991: Pictured on Matriculation Day are (from left) Chuck Story, Charlie Cathcart, and Charlie Schindler. Cadet Cole Cathcart ’24, Cathcart’s son, is the dyke of Joshua Schindler, who is Schindler’s son and a member of the Rat Mass of 2024+3.

1992

William Woodward

BRs, Here are the latest updates from our classmates: Ed Davis sent me a picture of his and Jerry Allen’s families continuing their biannual tradition of vacationing together at various national parks. Most recently, they visited Rocky

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes shipped out to Hawaii to take over his new Mountain National Park in June, and position at Camp Smith, Oahu, where he they were at the Continental Divide in will be the deputy commanding general of Colorado. Ed says this has been a great Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. I received tradition for Room 110, and both sets of a photo of the three toasting using a bottle kids have become best of friends over the of Kavalan scotch that Chien-Fang “Race” years!

Yu had previously sent Mike. Also in attenGreg “Jabba” Andricos reports that dance were all three wives, Jennifer Frey, he has had a busy summer. He linked Jenny Starling, and Kim Shipley. The famup with Marcus Waehler during a families had dinner out in town and then reily vacation to Bethany Beach, Delturned to the Frey home for drinks and the aware, in July. “After discussing the toast. Speaking of Maj. Gen. Yu, he is still Old Corps Rat Line and our percepin the Taiwanese Army and is now the sution of the current state of the Corps perintendent of Taiwan’s Army Academy with Marcus’ father, Jim Waehler ’67, per an update from BR Tsai-Tzu Ho. Conwe met up with Brandon Freel ’93 at grats to both him and Dan on their new asMickey’s Family Crab House, where signments!

Todd Langford ’00 took a brief break Kent Gring reported in from Thailand from vacationing with his young family with a lengthy update as to what he has to join us in recapping some rugby (on been up to for the last two years since June and off the pitch) stories and the consis2021. He is currently conducting an extentency of discipline administered by the sive job search from overseas. Kent reports, commandant’s office.” I received a pho“I departed the U.S. in June 2021 and joined to of Jabba and the Waehlers. Jabba also Class of 1992: Pictured at the Allen Stone Memorial Run- our program office in Dubai to support the mentioned that he and “Jerry Whitlock Swim-Run in July are (standing, from left) Trent Dudley, ’02 were excited to represent Wagman Bobby Vaughan, Matt Ott, (seated) Will Current, Syble Afghan Justice Support Program out of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. I was waiting Heavy Civil, Inc. at the June 2023 Navy Stone, and Tom Christman. in Dubai for the State Department to comEmployer Recognition Event in San Diplete my clearance update in August 2021 ego, California, where the company was when the Afghan government collapsed. recognized as one of America’s outstandI remained with the program until March ing Navy Reserve employers for 2023.

2022, when the program ended, trying to The annual NERE recognizes civilian support my local Afghan team members employers for their outstanding support as they dealt with severe changes as a reto Reserve Sailors in their organization sult of the Taliban takeover. Since I rented and the United States national defense. out my D.C. condo expecting to be in Kabul It was an all-day event that included until February 2023, I found myself ‘homedemonstrations on the aircraft carrier less’ and thus discovered AirBnB is very USS Carl Vinson, aircraft, and other fainexpensive overseas. I spent the first three cilities, followed by an evening reception months in Sicily and have been in Thailand at the USS Midway Museum. Wagman since July 2022.” In his “free time,” Kent was nominated for this award by Jerry has completed a business transformation Whitlock, who is the design-build projcertificate, an open water scuba certificaect manager on Wagman’s FHWA-EFLtion, and real estate agent training. Kent has HD D-B project to rehabilitate approxiClass of 1992: Toasting Dan Shipley’s new position as depmately 10 miles of the historic Colonial uty commanding general of Marine Corps Forces, Pacific expertise in professional services, internain June 2023 are (from left) Mike Starling, Shipley, and Jay tional development, and management conParkway in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Frey. sulting with roles such as program manager, who is also a commander in the Navy director, or operations management. Most Reserve. In addition to the company Tim Rodriguez emailed to say that his son, Des- of his client experience has been with U.S. and award, Greg, along with Wagman Heavy Civil’s vice president and general manager for Virgin- mond, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Acade- foreign governments. He is geographically flexiia operations, Glen Mays ’83, both received an my in June and is now a second lieutenant in the ble with eventual plans to move back to D.C. If Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve cer- U.S. Space Force currently stationed at Vanden- any BRs know of job openings that may interest Kent, please let him know. tificate from the secretary of defense, acknowl- berg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California.

Peter Holm sent in an update mentioning he ran Jay Frey and Mike Starling sent me an update edging them as patriotic employers, supporting employee participation in America’s National on a gathering they had in June with Brig. Gen. into two VMI guys from 2017, Kory Patten ’17 Dan Shipley in Purcellville, Virginia, before Dan and Andrew Givens ’17, back in June while Guard and Reserve Force.”

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Class Notes Supply Weapon Systems Support. He is touring the Point Loma Lighthouse in the sustainment lead for ships, submaSan Diego. Peter was there with his famrines, aircraft, and expeditionary groups. ily when they spotted his VMI hat. PeHe also runs physical distribution out of ter reports that he has “been in Palmdale, Norfolk, linking with U.S. TransportaCalifornia, with Lockheed Martin Aerotion Command and the various branches nautics ADP (Skunk Works) since 2015 of the Armed Services. Matt states that he in the engineering line of work (we’re is “pounding the road,” coordinating with looking for engineers and seasoned manall of the providers in the industry, as well agers, by the way). Have a mechanical as our organic Navy teams. engineering consultancy spooling up on I got a quick note from Laird Knights the side and will be focusing on that inresponding to his birthday card just creasingly going forward and transitionchecking in. ing out of aeronautics at some point. My As for myself, I remain extremely busy oldest daughter is starting her second year at work for the Navy here in Northern of college here in California, my youngVirginia. My wife, Leslie, and I recentest daughter is regionally competitive in ly returned from a Rhine River cruise in gymnastics, and my son in the middle is Class of 1992: Gathering for a deep-sea fishing trip in Gulf Germany with my mother and our son, hoping to get plugged into Scouting.”

Breeze, Florida, are (from left) Rob Mizelle, Scott Council, Will ’18. (See Class of 2018 notes for Jeff Zeigler emailed a quick update to Tim Jordan, Jerry Allen, Billy Waters, Taylor Holt, and Jeff picture of Will and me in Holland touring say that he was still living down in AusZeigler. windmills dating to the 1640s.) Unfortutin, Texas, and he was finishing up a full nately, I took a tumble while hiking in the summer of camps with his son, Henry, as Black Forest in Germany and dislocated my arm well as some trips out West. Jeff also sent me a Taylor Holt, and Jeff Zeigler.

Tom Christman and Matt Ott both sent me up- and fractured my shoulder. Got to spend about five picture (unfortunately not enclosed due to lack of space!) from our cadetship, which included him- dates from the annual Allen Stone Memorial Run- hours in a German ER getting my arm reset but self, as well as Tom Christman, Patrick O’Fer- Swim-Run in July. I received a picture with Will continued on the trip later that day. At the time of this writing, I am still waiting to hear from the orCurrent; Allen’s mom, Syble; Tom; Trent Dudrall, John Williamson, Marc Orgain, Matt Ott, thopedic surgeon back here in the U.S. if my fracand Bill Berry. I also got a picture from Tim Jor- ley; Bobby Vaughn; and Matt. ture will require surgery.

Matt Ott also sent a personal update. He says dan’s wife, Courtney, with a number of BRs on a Please let me know of any major life events such deep sea fishing trip in Gulf Breeze on the Florida that due to his current job, he is living in Philaas marriages (including for our children), births, panhandle hosted by Billy Waters, including Rob delphia while his family remains in Norfolk, VirMizelle, Scott Council, Tim, Jerry Allen, Billy, ginia. Matt is serving as the commander of Naval deaths, and advanced degrees so I can inform the Alumni Review. If you have a change of address, let the Alumni Agencies and me know so that we can make sure you get all VMI correspondence.

In the Bonds, Woody

1993

Lincoln Swineford

Class of 1992: Pictured at Bethany Beach, Delaware, in July are (from left) Marcus Waehler, Jim Waehler ’67, and Greg Andricos.

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Class of 1992: Pictured visiting the Continental Divide are (from left) Linette Davis, Jerry Allen, Julia Allen, Reese Davis, Ed Davis, Harrison Davis, Kristen Allen, and Maggie Allen.

Brother Rats!

Hope everyone has had a great summer so far as we head into fall.

About a year ago, I shared with everyone a plan started by Jeff Williams to provide a hand sketch of Virginia Mourning Her Dead to the families of our brother rats that have died in the service of our country. Jeff worked on the sketch for quite a while to get it the way he wanted. He was also hampered

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes by the fact that he works at a standing desk, but because of his battle with cancer and damage to his hips, it makes it hard for him to stand for a significant length of time. He kept working and working at it and finally finished it up and got the final product to me, and it looks great. I’ve reached out to Paul Syverson’s wife, Jackie, and Tom Miller’s father, also named Tom. I’ve got their addresses and will be sending them copies that are suitable for framing. We’re also providing copies to Paul’s and Tom’s kids.

This was a major undertaking by Jeff to get his sketch done and sent to me, and I am very proud to be able to send these to the families on behalf of the class. Jeff, thank you for your hard work on this. It was very thoughtful to come up with this idea and then see it through. I will pass on anything I hear from the families.

I’ll get my update out of the way first: It has been a great summer; a great week in Hilton Head, where we managed to get the whole family together, which was really nice. Also took a short trip to Northern Virginia for VMI Night at National’s Park.

A great time and got to see Scott Coleman and his wife, Stephanie, very briefly, as they have relocated to that area. I also got a chance to catch up with Rod Turback and his wife, Vicky. Rod has retired and lives in NOVA when he isn’t literally traveling the world to fight forest fires as a fire pilot—those guys who fly low over raging infernos and drop water or fire retardant, that’s Rod now, which is really cool. Great catching up with them. Also hung out with some guys from lesser classes, which was also nice.

Also got to see Rick Barnes when he made the trip to Richmond for a local VMI chapter function. Rick and I had a beer at Steambell Brewery, which is owned by a VMI guy and his family and regularly sponsors VMI nights. It was also great catching up with Rick, and I appreciate that he made the ride down.

I ran into Mark Cumashot at a local minor league baseball game. We sat and talked for a while, and he mentioned how much he’s enjoying the promotion to assistant chief that he earned and mentioned in our last update.

And finally, I ran into Chad Smith at a

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Class of 1993: Jake Nilsson ’23 commissions into the U.S. Navy May 15, 2023. Pictured are (from left) Erik, Alison, Jake, and Chase.

Class of 1993: Erik Nilsson and his wife, Alison, at Nilsson’s U.S. Navy retirement ceremony.

Class of 1993: Dom, Liz, Jacqueline, and Ryon Ford at Dom Ford’s retirement ceremony from the U.S. Marine Corps.

local restaurant one Friday night. Chad lives about 10 minutes from me. I was there with some friends, including Bob Scaglione ’86, and some guy from ’90 also came in at some point, but I don’t remember his name. Took some time to sit at the bar and catch up with Chad and his wife. Had a beer and a shot of Maker’s during our visit and ended up laughing so hard at some of the things Chad said that my ribs hurt. Chad and I cross paths on jobs occasionally, so we’re going to sit down for lunch one day. Our goal, which we came up with after the shot, is to find the best Mexican restaurant in Richmond.

An admirable goal, if there ever was one.

As we continue to grow older (but not up), we have some retirement updates!

Dom Ford checked in from Texas: “Howdy from Keller, Texas. It’s been a while since I last reported in, so here goes.

I retired from the Marine Corps in July after 30 years; of course, the Corps made me do one more deployment to the Philippines (this past April) for a month before I EAS’ed. At least it was a short gig, and we stayed in 5-star hotels in Manila.

Looking back at my service on the whole, I can honestly say that I won’t miss the circus, but I’ll dearly miss the clowns. I’ll note that I transferred my job as I MEF G-6 to Colonel Kwabena Gyimah ’98, who is VMI Class of 1998. Team Ford just moved from Camp Pendleton to Keller, Texas (DFW area), with my wife, Liz, and my 12-year-old son, Ryon. We’ve got a great place on a golf course with plenty of room, so if there are any BRs visiting in our neck of the woods, there’s a cold beer and a guest room ready and waiting. ... Our daughter, Jacqueline, is entering her junior year at Penn State and is doing well. As for me, for now, I’m taking time off, PTing, spending lots of time with family, and uncoiling from 30 years of a fairly stressful but highly rewarding job. Will start figuring out what I want to be when I grow up around January. Maybe now I can actually attend a reunion or other alumni event.”

Dom, congratulations on your retirement and a great career! Good luck with the next step!

Cole Yeatts also rang the retirement bell after 21 years with Kitty Hawk Ocean Rescue. “I was going to lay low,

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Class Notes Speaking of John Weeda, in un-retirement news, visiting the region often and linking up with BRs but I retired from the town of Kitty Hawk after building their ocean rescue division. I trained and John reached out to me: “After a nearly two-year and other alumni in the region. I’ll be based out worked with the USCG, especially rescue swim- ‘gap year’ post my 27-plus year career at JPMorgan of my home in Staunton, Virginia, with frequent and a lot of soul searching, I’ve recently joined the attendance to key events on post. My wife, Leemers and SAR, and as an instructor for USSS. I received the Director’s Award this past June—the VMI Alumni Agencies in a development capacity anne, will be holding the fort down at our home in highest honor available—and am now pursuing as a major gifts officer. I’ll be primarily covering Northern New Jersey until my youngest son gradthe western part of the U.S. and look forward to uates from high school there, at which point the a career in consulting for first responders and exWeeda family HQ will officially be Staunton. My pert witnessing. I am still instructing for the USSS eldest son, Declan, is entering his senior year at now, and I will continue until I get too old to jump Lehigh University and spent his summer interning ... lol and then maybe a little longer. I am happily at CBRE’s NYC office. A big shout out to BRs Jim married to wife Sheri, a neurosurgeon PA at ChesRoman and Dave Stokes, who both were generapeake Hospital, and my daughter, Perry, is 12 ous in spending time with Declan and sharing inyears old and a rising seventh grader who plays formation about their respective business lines at soccer and softball and makes us proud parents. I CBRE. My middle son is entering his sophomore still live on the Outer Banks.” Great update, Cole, year at James Madison University and is looking and congratulations on the retirement and the Diforward to living in one of his fraternity’s main rector’s Award. That’s really great. party houses, affectionately named ‘The Bunker.’

And Erik Nilsson checked in after his retirement, God help us. I look forward to staying connected which I watched on live streaming. During the cerwith all of you, and please don’t hesitate to reach emony, Erik received his last salute from his son, out if you need anything VMI related. For those Jake ’23, who commissioned in May. It was realwho have current cadets or incoming rats, please ly cool to see that. Here’s Erik’s update: “My son, let me know at jweeda@vmiaa.org, and I’ll do Jake, graduated and commissioned this May from my best to keep tabs on them. Until then, RVM!” VMI. Rah, ’23! He is in San Diego now, getting Great news, John! Working for VMI has to be a lot ready to go to his first ship. Chase is about ready less stressful than attending VMI, but good luck to start his sophomore year at Embry-Riddle in with the new endeavor!

Daytona Beach, Florida; he is smarter than all of Kevin Roop and Eric Avila checked in with reus. I went ashore for the last time May 25, retirlocation news: Kevin moved to Aspen, a place ing from the Navy. It was a great day, and BRs where the beer flows like wine, to take a head Craig Eubank and Brian Melvin were there to coaching job with the ski team for the Aspen Valcelebrate with me and my family. As I was piped ley Ski & Snowboard Club. If anyone hits Aspen, ashore, the sideboys were manned by six ensigns, Class of 1993: Jeff Williams’ sketch of Kevin is available for a beer. all newly commissioned from VMI. It was awethe Virginia Mourning Her Dead statue.

Eric and his wife relocated from Virginia to St. some. I took some time for myself and went on an Louis: “At the risk of jinxing myself, I swear this is archaeological expedition to Israel. It was amazmy last big move. We’re home, and we’re ing and everything I expected and then staying put. I’d forgotten what a giant pain some. Upon return, I dug up some othit is to take your entire life and box it up. er old relics with Craig Eubank, and we I’ve had the opportunity to reconnect with saw The Connells in concert! I am now my old roommate, Peter Van Leunen, working for Booz Allen Hamilton as a who’s an attorney here in STL. We meet senior maritime operations analyst. As I up for lunch occasionally and talk about type this, I am in Naples, Italy, observing absolutely nothing serious.” an exercise—not a bad gig! I did get to Mike Parker also checked in. “Left a the Hampton Roads rat send-off a coujob after 27 years and started another last ple of weeks ago and was joined by John March. New industry to me and new chalWeeda! It was great to catch up over lenges, but life is good. Martin Crawford a few bourbon old fashioneds! That’s stopped in Friday before Memorial Day, about it, and I look forward to hopefully and we had a beer and some BBQ.” Mike, seeing you guys at a game this fall! All it was great to hear from you; good luck in the best and RVM!” Great update, Erik. the new industry!

I enjoyed following your retirement cerSteve Roberts sent in a great update: “I emony online and am glad you got some Class of 1993: Pictured at the VMI Football Reunion, held attended the second annual VMI football personal time before jumping into the on post Aug. 4–6, 2023, are (from left) Steve Roberts, Kelly reunion, held Aug. 5–6, 2023, on campus. new gig, as hard as that gig may be. ConHolbert, Dale Johnson, and Tony Scales.

It was a special weekend, as I had not seen gratulations on a great career!

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes several of my BR teammates in over 33 years! On Saturday, Coach Rocco and his staff invited all football alumni to attend practice and meeting sessions. They also gave tours of the updated weight room and football facilities. One cool thing is that Coach Bryan Stinespring, the offensive line coach for VMI, was my tight ends coach when I played at VT. Small world!

“The highlight of my visit was seeing my ’93 teammates in person. It was so great to reminisce with Dale Johnson, Tony Scales, Mike Morgan, Kelly Holbert, Ray Flowers, and Tony Woods! I was also able to catch up with Mike Perfetti ’92, Curtis Mason ’92, Rusty Hale ’92, Jim Hubbard ’90, and Coach Rick Cruze ’87. The Keydet Club put on a great BBQ dinner for us with an open bar from 5–9 p.m. Saturday. Then, a big group of us headed to The Palms to shut things down. Sunday morning, the FCA held a breakfast attended by the entire current VMI football team and Coach Rocco and his staff.

“Kelly Holbert gave a great speech in lieu of Lorenzo Carpenter, who could not attend. Lo’s talk focused on leadership and commitment to details in order to succeed. It was incredible, and Kelly did a fantastic job. The second featured speaker was Will Alley ’01. Will is a colonel chaplain in the Army stationed at the Pentagon. His talk focused on his faith, football, and his time in the military. Very well done!

“The Institute is going to make the football reunion an annual event. I’m hoping to see many more teammates attend next summer! All the best!” Sounds like a great time, Steve. Glad you could get up there and glad that it’s going to become an annual event now.

Joe Aldrich also checked in. No major updates, but if anyone is in New Mexico, let him know and you can hook up for a beer or two.

Neil Osbon checked in from Fernandina Beach, Florida, where he is playing music in five bands and is always on the lookout for more places to play. “I had to come back from teaching in Japan when dad died in 2021, so I’ve been making friends in music and playing out a lot. I’m working on other things, too, but I’m just going for it with writing, recording, performing, and collaborating. I don’t do my own solo gigs, since I have a voice made for silent films. But I play with several groups. Actually, I love to do vocal harmonies and play lead guitar, which is really where I fit best. One friend and I have mostly been playing in South Georgia and Northeast Florida, but we want to travel further out in the southeast if we can make it work financially. I’d love to have a profitable

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reason to come to Virginia or the Carolinas. She’s got an amazing voice, and I have a feeling (even at our age) that we’ll get somewhere once more people hear her. Still, we’d rather play small to medium places than go to Nashville or some other place where talent gets signed and then gets altered. I’ll also be subbing at a local Christian school, but the part-time schedule allows me to do as much music as I like.” Being a rock star sounds like a pretty good gig, Neil. Glad you’re getting the chance to do it, and it sounds like you’re enjoying it.

That’s it for now, brother rats. I’m submitting this on the 34th anniversary of our matriculation.

A life-changing day for many of us and certainly one of the best decisions I have ever made. I will be forever grateful for the experiences, lessons, friendships, and, most importantly, my brother rats, some of the finest, funniest, and best men I’ve ever met. As Bill Cox said about our brother rats in a Facebook post, “I am honored and blessed to know them and count them among my friends and supporters.” Amen, Bill. God bless us all, have a great fall, and hope to see as many of you as possible at football games this year. ’93, ’93, ’93.

1994

Clay Campbell

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1994.

1995

Joseph W. Doyle

Brother Rats, Hey, guys! I hope this set of notes finds you all well. Can you believe that 32 years ago, we set foot into barracks as the Rat Mass of 1992+3?

How fast the time goes. In just a few days, post will again have the sounds of cadre, rats, and football games. I hope everyone has had a good summer.

I met up with Bill Eger while taking a couple of days at Water Country and Busch Gardens with

my son. Bill is doing well. He is a middle school history/political science teacher in Norfolk public schools. He is also continuing to teach classes at Tidewater Community College. It was great to catch up with him.

Chris Grimes shot me a quick email to say hello. I hope to be catching up with him in Richmond real soon.

If anyone has any news to report, just shoot me an email or give me a call. Would love to hear from you guys. Let me know if you are coming to a football game, and maybe we can meet up.

That’s it for now. Take care, guys!

Rah Virginia Mil! ’95, ’95, ’95.

1996

Jon Dano Nick Latsios

Brother Rats, The connection that makes this class great is continuing to go strong, and we look forward to seeing many of you this fall.

Col. Michael Waltz was retired July 19, 2023, after 27 years of combined service in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard. The ceremony was held in the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, D.C., and I am pleased to hear that several brother rats from the mighty Class of 1996 were on hand, including Barron Mills, Cedric Canada, Max Casteleyn, Ricky Mattoso, Mike Obadal, Robert Swann, and Christian Hoff.

I was proud to hear that Col. Wes Parmer recently received the Defense Superior Service Medal for his contributions as the public affairs chief of future operations at the National Guard Bureau during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and our country’s civil disturbance in 2020. Well done, Wes! Brandon Porter reached out to let us know that he and his family are doing well. His oldest graduated with honors from King University this year, another got her associate degree, while another graduated from high school. He still has one son in high school and one son in middle school. Also, it’s that time of year again

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Class Notes base with Tom Danielsen and send for the Little League World Series in him a warm birthday message.

Williamsport, Pennsylvania. His now Company C was running heavy 13-year-old son, Josiah, played for when Bryan Cooke ran into Barthe Nolensville, Tennessee, team ron Mills at a random gas station that made it all the way to the Unitin Danville. ed States Championship game last Jim Tinguely, for his annuyear in 2022, where his incredible al Fourth of July PwC shutdown, story of how God guided his famihiked the Appalachian Trail ly through the challenging journey through Shenandoah National Park of his injury and his following five for five days! Next year, he is planeye surgeries was shared with milning to bike camp the Erie Canal lions of people across the country from Buffalo to Albany, and evon ESPN and ABC. The result has eryone is welcome to join. You can been a kind and humble young man who has excelled in pretty much Class of 1996: Celebrating U.S. Army Col. Mike Waltz’s retirement in follow Jim’s adventures on Faceanything he does while keeping a Washington, D.C., July 27 are (from left) Barron Mills, Cedric Canada, book.

If you do not know, Matthew Bogreat attitude. This year’s NolensMax Casteleyn, Waltz, Julia Nesheiwat, Ricky Mattoso, Mike Obadal, Robert Swann, and Christian Hoff. gusky is a major Jeep enthusiast, ville team has miraculously made and his vehicles are quite impresit back to Williamsport, making it sive. This includes his Jeep he calls the third year in a row for this Little “Dirty Rat,” which recently made League organization to make it to a trip to the giant duck in LeonardWilliamsport. In the 76-year histotown, Maryland. He also ran into ry of Little League, no other orgaColin Boynton at a kids’ swim nization has achieved that. Josiah meet recently and said he is doing and the rest of their family will be well. rooting this year’s team on. Let’s Finally, Vern Wilkens let me all do the same! know that while vacationing off Dave Hall reached out, and of Cape Cod this summer, he encouncourse, he and his amazing famitered a great white shark while ly have been very busy. His midkayaking. Like out of a scene from dle daughter graduated high school Jaws, the shark circled his kayak. as valedictorian and is heading off Vern quickly consulted his own to Purdue for mechanical engineergenerative artificial intelligence ing. His oldest spent the second block of her summer on the USS Class of 1996: Gathering at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, in July are platform called Vern-Bot to deAmerica stationed out of Brisbane, (from left) Bryan Cooke, Nick Latsios, and Tonio Napolitano, all for- termine how to handle the situamer roommates. tion. But Vern-Bot just told him to Australia. She is beginning her jucrack open a beer, eat some blue nior year at the U.S. Naval Acadecrabs, and see what happens. Miraculously, my. Dave’s youngest daughter is a rising freshMike Deegan showed up out of nowhere in a man in high school and will be the only female rowboat, seemingly as if he rowed straight from on the wrestling team. What an impressive set of Alaska! Mike harnessed his Alaskan king salmdaughters the Halls have! on fishing experience to attempt to catch the Continuing with proud parents, Lawrence mighty fish. With Vern stuffing his face with Gullette is quite proud of his son, Derion, who crab claws, Mike desperately tried to reel in the committed to the Texas Longhorns as a lineshark but was unsuccessful. Vern then threw a backer and will be a freshman this year there. beer can into the shark’s mouth, and it quickKeep an eye out for him on college football Satly swam away. Vern and Mike both concluded urdays. that sharks do not like Milwaukee’s best. They For an exciting pirate’s weekend on the water, shook hands, and Vern said he just watched roommates Bryan Cooke, Nickolas Latsios, ToDeegan slowly and mysteriously disappear into nio Napolitano, and families rented a houseboat the ocean fog. It’s always awesome when brothon Smith Mountain Lake for a gorgeous weeker rats randomly meet while on vacation. end in July. Good thing it was a lake and their Class of 1996: Jim Tinguely hiking the All the Best to You and Your Families, map reading and navigation skills did not need Appalachian Trail.

Jon and Nick to be challenged. They were also able to touch

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes

1997

David M. Hudock

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1997.

1998

Joseph Bates Jr.

Hello again from Lexington, Virginia, where this edition of notes is coming to you shortly after the 25th Reunion and is being written about two months before the actual event. I must admit that I am getting a few chills as I think about this fact, and a bit of sadness. It seems as if I have been writing about this date for a long time, and now, as it approaches, the realization that it will be over before we blink is yet another reminder of how fast life passes us by. I truly hope all who attended had a great time and are looking forward to getting together again in the future. I can assure you that a lot of people put in quite a bit of time to deliver what we hope was a great weekend for

all who could make it.

A special thanks and huge shout out to Thierry Lemercier, who dedicated additional time and energy to preparing for the weekend. He graciously opened the Abigail Inn to the class, spent time researching the venue and arranging for us to visit, and used his connections in the local hospitality industry to defray the costs of alcohol and food for the weekend. Many thanks for his efforts, our renewed friendship, and his dedication to the class.

Christian Craft and I first started talking about the reunion about four years ago when he was planning the matriculation celebration, and through it all (pandemic, a mid-life career change, etc.), he has remained passionate/committed to the cause and a constant vocal advocate for the class.

He also assembled a small group of BRs to contact everyone with the primary goal of getting as many people to return to the reunion as possible.

Additionally, this group tackled the challenge of fundraising for the class reunion gift, which is a necessary yet, at times, thankless volunteer effort on each of their parts, and I apologize if I missed anyone who participated: Brandon Bissell, Cale Christensen, Rich Daughtridge, Matt Guise, Bobby Heely, Ryan Landmann, Gardner Mundy, Demetri Poulos, Mike Rogers, Jimmy Stanley, Andre Thornton, and Tom Warburton.

Thank you all for the time you dedicated to the reunion and the class.

John “J.P.” Morris just hung up the phone, and he has clocked in for the reunion planning an excursion to the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, which has three folks registered as of this

Class of 1998: Gathering in Richmond, Virginia, in May with Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent, to discuss their upcoming 25th Reunion and the Institute’s vision are (from left) Travers Clemons; Matt Guise; Andre Thornton; Ernesto Sampson; Christian Craft; Wins; Jimmy Stanley; Brandon Bissell, Alumni Association director of alumni outreach; Paul Sakellariou; Meade King ’85, VMI Foundation chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies director of advancement; and Tim Trant.

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morning. I cannot wait to hear more about this and to go there later.

As I type this today, we have 26 BRs and 24 guests registered for the reunion, which continues to grow, and we are selling challenge coins, hats, shirts, and other items in an effort to raise money for the operating account. Please note that these operational account funding efforts will continue throughout the years ahead so that we can continue improving the quality of our returns to post.

I truly wish that I had more to share; here goes: A fine group of gentlemen gathered in Richmond at the beginning of summer for dinner and a presentation from the superintendent. Included in the picture are Travers Clemons, Matt Guise, Andre Thornton, Ernesto Sampson, Christian Craft, Gen. Wins ’85, Jimmy Stanley, Brandon Bissell, Paul Sakellariou, and Tim Trant. Sadly, I was unable to attend due to out-of-country travel, but I heard it was a great time!

Chad Novacek checked in just after the last edition went to print. He finally popped up to see where things were with the reunion and jumped back on Facebook. He was looking forward to returning for his first reunion. After eight years, he hung up his lantern with BNSF Railway in Arizona last June and joined the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration side of the house as an immigration services officer out of Lincoln, Nebraska. He very rapidly realized that working from home is a big transition from switching freight cars! Chad, thanks for checking in, and I hope we were able to connect during the reunion.

The first half of this year has come and gone much faster than I anticipated, and it seems that the back half will likely be the same. Hopefully, we are all enjoying the ride as much as possible.

We are loving life here in Lexington, and with the continued return of 1998 to the city (Thierry Lemercier and Brandon Bissell), we are looking forward to improving our interaction with the local chapter and the Institute more each year.

Sean Hicklin and I are heading to Kansas the second week of September for a muzzle-loading hunt, and I am hopeful that by the time the next notes are due that my son and I will have gone to his farm and successfully conquered the big guy that got away last year on youth day. My wife is headed to the northeast the week prior and then taking my daughter to Florida for Thanksgiving while my son and I head to Dallas for the Cowboys game.

The quickest way to reach me is via text or at joeybates@hotmail.com, and my commitment to you is a response, along with working hard

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Class Notes Randy ‘Shades’ McMath fairly regularly. Andy’s son will be a freshman at Auburn in the fall, and Randy’s daughter is headed to the University of South Carolina.” Thank you for the update, Corey.

Time certainly flies. We’re glad you guys were able to get together!

BR Randy Brown sent in this update: “It’s been a busy summer for us. My wife and I just celebrated our 22nd anniversary in June. My daughter, Gracie, is getting ready to start her second year at

the University of Lynchburg, and my son, Zachary, will be starting the third grade. Zachary is taking a break this fall from baseball and playing football for the first time with me as his OL/DL coach. Big change from coaching softball and baseball the past 13 years. I am still working with AmeriGas and coming up on nine years. I cover everything from Cumberland to the coast. We were able to see the VMI versus VCU baseball game at The Diamond in Richmond in the spring, and the VMI family showed up in mass to cheer for our Keydets. It was great to see so many alumni! Hope to make it to some football games this fall.” Marines Jay Witt make great football coaches, so we know you’ll knock it out, Randy! Enjoy!

Brother Rat John Bolt reports, “Another great year in France at the Normandy American Cemetery. The highlight for me remains meeting so many great people from all over the world, and Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class I do enjoy spotting the occasional visitor wearof 1999, ing the VMI spider and sharing stories with them.

It has been a very busy summer. I hope you all Among the many visitors this year, I escorted were able to spend some wonderful time with some 40 members of the Class of ’75 who were your families and loved ones, making memories visiting on New Market Day to lay wreaths on the and positively impacting the lives around you. As graves of the seven alums buried here. Also, on you’ll read in the notes below, it’s clear that the the occasion of the 79th D-Day commemoration, I Class of ’99 is being heard from around the globe. met U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John V. Meyer III ’93, Jeremy Obenchain sent this update: “Greetwho is the commanding general of the U.S. Arings from Hanoi. Between retirement and the my’s 1st Division. This division famously landed move, I caught up with a bunch of folks: Mike on Omaha Beach June 6, so it was great to spend Purdy, Chris Antonelli ’96, Mike Obadal ’96, time with the general and his staff on this occasion.

Matt Bryant, and Patrick Henderson. I also heard Class of 1999: U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Our family’s time in France is expected to come to from Jason Hennigan, Coley Campbell, Patrick John Meyer III ’93 (left) and John Bolt a close shortly, as we look forward to a PCS move Stutts, Court Whitman, Chris Copenhaver, Jake at the Normandy American Cemetery to the Cambridge American Cemetery in England Hughes, and Conor Powell. Everyone is doing in France on the 79th anniversary of later this September.” well. Kevin Morris ’93 and I reminisced about D-Day, June 6, 2023.

Rounding out this quarter’s notes is Brother Rat our semesters in Spain over coffee with KathPowell Harrison. Powell writes, “We are leen Bulger-Barnett in Scott Shipp Hall. well in Capbreton, France. I haven’t visitThere’s a study abroad scholarship set up ed Richmond or Lexington as much since in Col. Bulger-Barnett’s name. We’re hopgetting married in 2015 and having kids. ing to get it fully funded before she retires Agnes is 6 now, and Nathanaet is 4. Since in the spring of 2025. Anyone interested my parents live near Asheville, North Carin supporting it as part of our upcoming olina, that’s become our family’s new base giving reunion, please reach out. Looking in the U.S., with one trip there a year, usuforward to you, Court, and Ben Kincaid ally in late October. Surf Hostel Hossegor, visiting Vietnam.” Thanks for the update now in its fifth season, is one of the projJ.O.! I’m in for the trip to Vietnam if you ects that we’ve launched under the umcan secure a tour of Khe Sanh, and the brella of Surf Church. It’s not set up for scholarship is a worthy cause. families with children (it’s a hostel, after Brother Rat Corey Kearse was able to all), but it would be a great destination for catch up with BR Daniel Payne and Dana father-son surf trip or for any group of iel’s wife, McKenzie, in Birmingham. Coguys traveling together. Literally across rey said, “Daniel is doing great, and we both agreed it had been way too long, and Class of 1999: Corey Kearse (left) and Daniel Payne and the street from one of the best surf spots in Europe, we stay very busy in July and Auwe’re going to do a better job keeping their wives meet up in Birmingham, Alabama. gust, but some of the best surf conditions in touch. I still talk to Andy Kratt and tirelessly to make sure that we all enjoy the trips to post in the years ahead.

I hope you are well and that when you read these notes in November 2023, you take a few minutes to shoot me an email, Facebook message, or text message so that I have more to share. If you are coming to town this fall/winter/spring for any activities, then please give me a shout in advance.

Rah Virginia Mil! ’98, ’98, ’98.

1999

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VMI Alumni Review

Class notes on the premise that I promised to behave. That’s mostly true. She and I also celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary and planned a trip to Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous architecturally designed house and a UNESCO World Heritage site in southeastern Pennsylvania. It was such an interesting tour. Highly recommend.

It should be no surprise that our class continues

are in the fall. We’re open from April through the end of October.” Thank you for the update, Powell, and for the work you continue to do in France.

Brother rats, make sure you update your contact information with the Alumni Agencies. Changes/updates can be sent to Mary Price at mprice@ vmiaa.org or to me. I look forward to speaking with each of you soon, but until then, all the best to you and your families, and Rah Virginia Mil! BR Jay Witt

2000

Chris Abbott

Once again, John Scott Wilson swam across the Chesapeake Bay—12.5 miles in 10-and-a-half hours. And as if that weren’t enough ... against the current. When he is not training for the next Aquaman film, he continues to practice law part-time as a public defender in Norfolk.

Devon Jones is starting a new job at Avaamo.ai doing technical project work in the AI space. His kids are starting 3rd and 1st grade, and they are all still living in Richmond. He ran into Matt Gallienne in a grocery store parking lot, and they plan to catch up over some beers soon.

Jack “Fudd” Thornton reached out and shared that he recently became acting commonwealth’s attorney for Northampton County over in the Eastern Shore of Virginia. His boss retired, and the court appointed him to her position. He has an election for a full term in November, but so far, he is unopposed ... just the way we all like it! He sent a photo from his swearing in the Northampton County Circuit Court. He keeps in pretty frequent contact with Will Moore, who, as you may or may not know, is an assistant county attorney out in Spotsylvania County. They often commiserate about the silliness of the human condition.

He also frequently connects with Mitch Wells ’94, who is a defense attorney out in some backwoods outpost called Richmond. Mitch was the roommate of Jack’s brother, Chase Thornton ’94, who is a granddad now and is still a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy. If anyone finds themselves traveling through his neck of the woods, feel free to pop into the courthouse to say hello and catch up!

Matt Keller spent three days in Rhode Island taking depositions at the law offices of Turner Scott ’70. He originally reached out to Turner

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Class of 2000: Will Moore on a hike. looking for a referral for a place to use as a base of operations, and he generously turned his firm over to him for three days. He recently bumped into Chuck Minski when he was on an overnight trip to Dulles. (I requested a picture, but the lighting was too low). He also sees Matt McComas pretty much every week, as their kids go to the same school, and he just moved closer to his neighborhood. Their families watched fireworks from his deck on the Fourth of July.

Speaking of Will Moore, he is still an attorney for Spotsylvania County, where he and his wife live along with their bulldog, the empress of the Twittersphere, “The Lola.” He provided me a host of photos.

Class of 2001: Rich Groen’s change of command from the 3rd Security Assistance Force Brigade July 7, 2023.

2001

Tony Gelormine

It’s hard to believe this summer has come and gone, and we’re starting a new school year. I say that every summer. Well, it’s been the same old stuff, different day for the Gelormine clan. By the time you read this, our kids will have started their respective sophomore years at William & Mary and high school. Our daughter spent her summer working for a winery in Hamilton, Virginia, learning under the tutelage of Ashton Lough ’91, while our son spent the majority of his time growing (he’s officially a 6-foot kid) and getting ready for fall golf season. Heather spent her summer at the Kennedy Center, attending no less than six shows in six months. Fortune favors the bold, as I was her “arm candy” for three of them

Class of 2001: Melissa Williams Krawiec, D.O., Institute physician, and her husband, Lukasz, on their wedding day in May 2023.

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Class Notes to favorably represent the Institute to our military coalition partners, our country, and “our native state.” On to the notes.

Kyle Kramer sent a note last year that I deeply apologize for not including in past editions. He writes, “It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything for a class update. 2022 was a big year,

Class of 2001: Kyle Kramer and his wife, Amy, celebrate Kramer’s Ph.D. graduation in 2022.

so I thought I’d share. Along with pinning on captain (Navy Reserve), I was also selected for major command and completed my Ph.D.” Congrats, Kyle!

Rich Groen sends his best to the class and writes that he has finally relinquished command of 3rd Squadron, 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade July 7, after 1,549 days! A truly incredible accomplishment. Thankfully, he has the photo to prove it.

His next stop will be the Australian War College in Canberra this December.

For those of you who have not heard, Dr. Melissa Williams Krawiec was named the new Institute physician! She continues the care formerly provided by Dr. David Copeland, who recently retired after treating the Corps of Cadets for 31 years. However, Melissa shares equally exciting news that she and Lukasz were married in May. Kelly Sullivan was there to share their special day, and we wish the happy couple all the best in their adventures to come!

Last and most unimportantly, I got an update from my old roommates (whereby their becoming my roommates can only be described as “poor life choices” during our 1st Class year).

Ethan Weber writes, “Guy Workman, Ryan Blake, and myself met up in Woolwine, Virginia, for our annual get-together. Ryan is still with ICE in Suffolk, Guy is with Amazon in Kansas and enjoying his well-earned Army retirement, and I returned from a year deployment in Qatar working for Special Operations Central. I just started at ARCENT at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina as the G2. It was nice to catch up with S17. (Minus Tony!)” The audacity to have a reunion and not invite me ... ah, well. Ethan says it’s for the best for when the militia arrests happen!

Some things never change.

All the best to our standout class; see you in the countermarch!

2002

Salmaan Khawaja

Class of 2001: Kyle Kramer’s children, Connell and Kaylee, pin on his insignia at his promotion ceremony to captain in the U.S. Navy in 2022.

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Brother rats, hope this edition of the Review meets you and yours well. I have one important note this time around. Tri Tang just graduated and was hooded after completing his doctorate in business administration from UNCC in May. Congrats, Dr. Tang!

Class of 2002: Tri Tang celebrates his graduation from a doctoral program at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte in May 2023.

Hope you all are well. Please submit notes and pics if you are able!

In the Spirit, Salmaan

2003

William Talley V

Brother Rats, As I type this brief set of notes up, the summer is drawing to a close as school (at least in our area) will start back in less than a week. Matriculation of the new Rat Mass will occur shortly, and football season is on the brink of kickoff.

However, when this set hits your mailbox, the weather will be cold-er, and football season will be winding down. I hope each of you has enjoyed the summer and that this finds you well.

I want to give a shout out, as I’ve done in the past several times over the years, to Jared Swanson. He had no news to report from Band Company, but he emailed me to let me know that there was no news to report. Jared, thanks for always sending me an update—even if there is no update to send!

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes John Roche reached out as he’s now up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the Army War College. The Virginia National Guard blessed him with this opportunity. John and his wife sold their house in Virginia and moved the entire family up to Carlisle.

So far, so good, he reports after two days of being there. They plan to come back to Virginia once he’s finished up there but aren’t quite sure where in Virginia yet.

Class of 2003: Joe Voorhees (left) and Chaz Wagner on Voorhees’ boat in June 2023.

Class of 2003: Chaz Wagner (left) and Bryan Wacker at a LIV Golf tournament held at a Trump National golf course in late May 2023.

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Kyle Haire has checked in from time to time now that he’s retired and has too much time on his hands. He relayed to me that Jason Harr reached the summit of Mount Blanc in France in July. He sent me a picture, but I’m not sure if it’s going to be a high enough resolution to be printed in the AR. Chaz Wagner continues to be on the move, as you can see from the photos included in this set of notes. Chaz and Matt McQueen caught up, I believe in NOVA, in mid-May one evening. I’m not sure what’s going on in the picture but looks like Chaz is working his centerfold spread pose. Later in May, Bryan Wacker had to detain Chaz when he refused to be quiet during the tee shot of one of the pairings at the LIV golf event at Trump National. I believe he also tried retrieving lost balls from a water hazard that day, as well, which I don’t believe was the issue—it was the fact he didn’t want to get his clothes wet when he went in to get the balls that was the issue. At any rate, Chaz continued his BR rendezvous in June when he caught up with Joe Vorhees down in Virginia Beach. Joe took Chaz out on the water for a boat ride, which conjures up memories of a Jay Hickman sketch from back in the day. A big thanks to Chaz for always keeping me updated and sending pictures when he catches up with folks. I never thought I’d say this, but if more of y’all were like Chaz (yep, that’s the part, SMH), we’d have a much longer set of notes.

I caught up with Adam Britt briefly in July at a Little League baseball tournament in Atlee. Adam’s son, Nate, made the Atlee All-Star team again this summer, as did my youngest, Chappell. While they didn’t play each other this summer, Atlee was the host location for our tournament.

Well, BRs, that’s it for this set of notes. Send me updates, pictures, jokes, recipes—heck, I don’t care, just send me something! Also, we do have some swag left over from our 20th Reunion. If you

want a class ring lapel pin, Yeti lowball, baseball hat, or something else that’s specific to our class, reach out and let me know. I’m glad to ship things to you, and all funds go directly into our class account. I hope to see some of you this fall. Until next time ... Rah Virginia Mil ’03, ’03, ’03!

Class of 2003: Matt McQueen (left) and Chaz Wagner in May 2023.

Class of 2004: Rod James (left) with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

2004

Scott E. Campbell

Chris Richman is working at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia. He attended the graduation of Colin Tortorelli ’24+4 and Jack Leary ’24+4 May 13, 2023. Colin and Jack are scheduled to matriculate to VMI Aug. 19, 2023.

John Ginder finally convinced Lakin Board to attend alumni events with the Houston Chapter of the Alumni Association. Lakin showed up to the July event!

Matt Mikula was recently at Topsail Beach with family. They went to a low country boil set up by Matt’s younger brother. Other families were also there, and as they got to know the other parents, this woman said, “Wait, you went to VMI? I have family that went there. What class were you?”

Matt said, “2004.” She said, “Do you know Geoff Goldsmith? He’s my brother.”

It’s a small world, after all!

Slava Kirillov is still making movies in Moscow and working his way to Hollywood as a producer.

In the meantime, he’s a father again! He and Irina welcomed Stella in July 2022, and Herman is excited about being a big brother!

Rod James has been busy. He writes: “It’s been a busy year with a few memorable journeys. In

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Class Notes He planned to meet with Eric Waters, March, I got a call that I’d be going to but I’m unsure if that materialized. DerUkraine with a small group of military ek Raymond is back from Germany and folks (eight total) to assist the Ukraine is living in Kansas with his family. Matt Armed Forces General Staff. I spent two Sanders is still working in Tennessee as months in Kyiv and various locations to a physician’s assistant and doing an amazhelp plan war efforts. After Kyiv, I was ing job.” home briefly before going to the Paris Dan Hall and his wife, Shannon, welAirshow as the DoD air boss. That was a comed their fifth child, Ryleigh, to the very rewarding experience. I even had the world Aug. 13, 2023! Ryleigh joined Teachance to meet and have lunch with [Virgan, Brigid, Finn, and Connor. ginia] Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who spoke Glenn Walton writes: “Amy and I were very highly about VMI after he delivered all set to PCS to Germany last summer, but the commencement speech May 16, 2023. typical Army—orders changed at the last I finally made it back to Germany and was hour! We ended up at SOCOM in Tampa, promoted to colonel two days later, July 1. where I relieved Will Doyle ’07 (Vinny I now work as the combat operations diviLaorenza’s rat!) in my current position. I sion chief of the 603 Air Operations Cenalso run into Ray L’Heureux regularly in ter. I’m anticipating another assignment Class of 2004: Master Sgt. Chris Richman with Colin Tortorelli and Jack Leary at Riverside Military Academy’s grad- the building, as well as Mark Hamilton in next summer to a vice wing commander or uation in May. Tortorelli and Leary are now members of our Washington office. On one of our regroup commander position, but hopefully, the Rat Mass of 2024+3. cent trips to D.C., Mark set up a lunch with that’s after our reunion, which I’ve yet to Eric Waters and Matt Vogel—a great opmake. I’ve got a goal for next April to see portunity to see some of the team and catch my BRs again soon!” up. Last week, we went up to Baltimore Clark Laster is teaching Algebra 1 and for Will Doyle’s promotion to lieutenant working with transition services to get jobs colonel, and Tim Berry ’98 and Vinny for special education students once they and Natasha Laorenza were all there for leave high school. He also coaches middle the party at Camden Yards. Finally, Lakin school and varsity soccer. This summer, he Board had breakfast with me, Amy, and worked as the director at Camp Kekoka, a our whole crew during an overnight stop residential youth summer camp. on one of his regular JetBlue routes beClark has been keeping up with some tween Houston, Tampa, and NYC. other BRs and writes: “Recently, I talk“There’s a strong presence here in ed with Kent Monas, who is stationed Tampa—hardly a week goes by within New Mexico. After arriving at his out someone rolling down a window at new post, he drove to the Grand Canyon Class of 2004: Dan Hall with his children, Teagan, Brigid, a stoplight or mentioning the flair at the and the Monument Valley. Steve Linkous Finn, Connor, and Ryleigh (newborn). desk! Mike Dudas ’96 and Nick Cooper is back in Wake Forest with his wife and ’06 are just some of the Keydets we run children. He recently returned from a deacross regularly.” ployment to Japan as a chaplain in the Air Force.

Scott Campbell

2005

Tom Hardinge Timothy Johnson

Class of 2004: Matt Mikula with Jen Blanton, Geoff Goldsmith’s sister, at Topsail Beach, North Carolina, in summer 2023.

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Class of 2004: John Ginder and Lakin Board at a VMI alumni event in Houston, Texas, in July 2023.

Greetings, Brother Rats,

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes

Class of 2005: Will Council ’82 (left) with Rob Witcher in Tennessee in summer 2023.

Class of 2005: Bodhi Fields, son of Jenny and Danny Fields, was born Aug. 9, 2023.

As I sit down to write you, it’s the middle of August, and I sit here in North Carolina in the thick of an excessive heat warning. I almost forgot how intense this East Coast humidity can get!

I’m at the tail end of a two-week family vacation, and I’m now staring down the barrel of an 18-hour road trip back to Iowa, planning to arrive home just one week before the fall semester begins.

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Summer has come and gone once again, and I’m sure as you read this entry, your thoughts will be on the upcoming holiday season—time moving slowly but passing quickly all the same.

On with the notes.

To begin, I received the following email from fellow class agent Will Council ’82: “This past weekend, I had the privilege of spending some time floating down a river here in Tennessee with your BR Rob Witcher. We are both involved in Boy Scouts here in the Chattanooga area, and we were doing some whitewater training in preparation for a big Scouting raft race at the end of the month. Rob was taking training to be a safety boater for his scout’s raft. Wish I could have taken some action pictures, but I don’t trust hanging onto my phone while paddling a kayak!”

Sam Johnson checks in: “I officially give up battalion command of 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines, Aug. 12. Over the last two years, I’ve been blessed to lead more than 700 Marines and sailors from four states as the Marine Corps’ only HIMARS Reserve artillery battalion. Only a few short years until retirement now. On the personal side, we’re still outside of Charlotte. I started a new business, Pet Passages. It’s a franchise for dignified pet funeral and cremation services.” Congrats on leading your battalion over the last two years, my friend!

In other promotional news, Matthew Dussia was promoted to major in the U.S. Air Force this past year. He also wanted to give a big thanks to all the BRs who completed his dissertation survey. He defended his dissertation and earned a Ph.D. in organizational leadership. Additionally, BR Daniel Harrison was promoted to full professor (military rank of colonel) at VMI this past spring, effective Aug. 1. Can I get a brother rat clap-clap for both Matthew and Daniel?!

Finally, I have one more update from the previous notes to pass along: Danny Fields and his wife, Jenny, officially welcomed a baby boy into their family this past August. Bodhi Douglas Fields arrived happy and healthy Aug. 9, 2023. Congrats to you both, and big brother Sawyer, as well!

One more housekeeping item to mention: I was finally able to put together a full class email list with updated addresses, which you should have seen in August. Thanks to all of you who reached out to let me know that you were, in fact, receiving my requests. I try not to spam your inboxes too often, but I do very much appreciate hearing from everyone with their news

and updates to pass along. The more info I have to share, the easier this job becomes.

As always, stay safe and be well.

Rah Virgina Mil, Tom Hardinge

2006

Will Collier

Brother Rats of the Choice Class of 2006, Chris Rodgers reports, “I am about 99% of the way done with a hard pivot. If memory serves, my last update, circa 2015, had me in the Navy and transiting the Strait of Magellan aboard USS George Washington. Since then, I have left the Navy (medically retired), graduated from the University of Michigan Law School (Go, Blue! I’m required by law to say that now), and was accepted for an Equal Justice Works Fellowship hosted by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid that will allow me to work on behalf of active duty and U.S. military veterans in southwest Texas who are not citizens to (1) apply for citizenship if they want it and (2) apply for whatever veterans or other public benefits they may be eligible for. Anyway, I’ll be taking the

Class of 2006: U.S. Army Maj. Andrew Upshaw and Lt. Col. Harley Jennings ’04 in Stuttgart, Germany. Upshaw and Jennings work together at Special Operations Command Europe.

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Class Notes

2007

Maury Denton

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

2008

Robert Hill Class of 2006: Chris Back and Kevin Simpson at a TechnipFMC team-building event in Houston, Texas.

Class of 2006: Chris Gilliland with Mike Straub ’82 and Wade Houston ’72 at the Bull Run Golf Club in July.

Class of 2006: Andrew Ihnen and Matt Tamillow at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in May. Texas State Bar Exam in July and then should be working out of El Paso for at least two years after that. If anyone is at Fort Bliss during that time, they can feel free to reach out. (Especially if they have an in with someone in the base legal department or are involved with whatever the base does for new soldier indoctrination/ training—that actually would be extraordinarily helpful!)”

Matt Tamillow gave his first Alumni Review update since leaving barracks. Matt is a firefighter with the Fairfax County Virginia Fire & Rescue Department and is working toward

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a master’s degree in homeland security studies at NPS. He lives in Spotsylvania, Virginia, with his wife, Dani, and three kids.

In May, Andrew Ihnen and Matt Tamillow bumped into each other at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Andrew does research work as a scientist at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, California. He lives nearby with his wife, Colleen, and their two kids, and they’re all doing great. Andrew was at NPS attending a Joint Munitions Program review as part of the Technical Steering Committee. Neither have previously submitted updates and found this chance encounter to be the perfect opportunity to catch up. Rah Virginia Mil! Lt. Col. Kyle Schriefer is currently living in D.C. and serving in USSOCOM as a legislative liaison to Congress. Glad all is well, BR, and that you are representing F-Troop in D.C. Todd Wilson; his wife, Brigid; and their four children are living in Centreville. Todd is the director of government operating solutions for K2 Consulting and doing very well. Todd and I realized that the neighborhood he lives in is the same one I grew up in and where my parents, Pam and Bill Collier ’72, still live. Over the Fourth of July, our families, Grace and John Collier ’09, and some neighbors got together for a barbecue. Todd even passed along my resume and helped me get a job with K2. What a guy!

As always, please keep sending me your pictures and notes on your status. We want to know what you are doing, brother rats!

Your BR, Will

The Sollock family expanded a little earlier than expected. Nikki and John Sollock welcomed twin girls to the family. Lillian Morgan and Adeline Charlotte arrived at 34 weeks. After a brief stay in the NICU, the family is doing well at home.

Adding twin girls must be something for our class, as Tim Beckley and wife Rachael added twins earlier this year also, now growing at home after a NICU stay, as well. Tim, Rachel, and daughter Amelia are now joined by Adalynn and Alice. Congrats to the Sollocks and Beckleys on their additions!

Travis Ludden and wife Kristen added a son

Class of 2008: U.S. Army Capt. Mack Shehee ’17 and Maj. Joe Prinzinger during an exercise in Europe, DEFENDER 23, as a brigade crosses the Danube River.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes to their family. Logan Thomas joined his sister Charli (2) in the family May 25, 2023. Congrats to the Ludden family!

Maj. Joseph Prinzinger checked in from Europe. He and Capt. Mack Shehee ’17 crossed paths at Defender Europe to help build a bridge and watch the multinational brigade move across the Danube River.

2009

Bradley Simpson

Brother Rats: I hope this edition of the Review finds you and your families well. I have had a chance to catch up with a few here and there this go around, and it sounds like everyone is doing well.

Jonathan Kim just moved to Diego Garcia on the British Indian Ocean Territory in the middle of the summer. He is out there working in the public works department for Navy Support Facility Deigo Garcia as the facilities engineering and acquisition division director. He is in charge of all the contracts and construction happening on the island. He said it is a nice island out there,

Class of 2009: Mitch Ress visits post with his daughter, Parker Kathryn. but sadly, there are no other alums on the island.

He went on to say there is a The Citadel grad he is mentoring and training properly. He is only out there for a year tour, while his family is back in Delaware.

Mitch Ress and his wife, Chelsea, welcomed their first child, baby girl Parker Kathryn, to the family Dec. 29, 2022. Mitch and Chelsea have been very busy and enjoying every moment of parenthood over the last few months. They also said that they are looking forward to taking her to her first VMI football game this fall.

I had a chance to catch up with Justin Tammelin at the beginning of August. Justin has taken a new job with Alumni Association as the director of alumni engagement. He was at the Roanoke Chapter rat send-off gathering. It was great to see and talk to him again; he and his family are doing well.

Well, that about does it for this edition. I hope everyone is doing well.

2010

Brandon Page Kilian Landersman

Class of 2009: Mitch and Chelsea Ress with their daughter, Parker Kathryn, born Dec. 29, 2023.

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Howdy, Brother Rats!

Eric Brigham and his wife, Stefani, recently moved to Williamsburg and are expecting their first child, Miles, at the end of September. Congratulations, Eric!

I had the chance to catch up with Paul Woo in person a few days ago. Paul is still working for the Pecos County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, but his father recently suffered a heart attack. His father is recovering in the hospital, but keep him in your prayers.

Jack Keilty, now a lieutenant commander and Naval aviator, made the 2024 officer selection for the Blue Angels and will be an F/A-18 demonstration pilot. Quite the accomplishment, and when we see them flying in 2024, it’ll be one of our own up there!

That’s all for this round; I hope the rest of you crazies are still truckin’ along.

2011

Thomas H. Pace

2011, Rah Virginia Mil. I hope everyone had a great summer and is ready for another great season of Keydet football.

John Held and his wife, Heather, recently took a road trip to New York, visiting the Buffalo Zoo, Niagara Falls, and old friends. They got to visit Canada for the first time, dip their toes in Lake Ontario, and take their little girl to the Strong National Museum of Play.

Drew Luxhoj recently finished his interventional cardiology fellowship at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Katrina, and daughter, Ava, are now stationed at Nellis Air Force Base where Drew is the director of the cardiac catheterization lab. They are expecting a second baby, due this September. In exchange for medical school, the Air Force has graciously added 100 more years to his service commitment before he can get out.

Matt Talbott and Maddie and their son, Big Mac, are doing great in Galveston. I got the chance to spend a weekend on the beach with them, cruising around in their golf cart, Kenny.

My goal is to be less fat than him the next time we see each other so he has one less thing to make fun of me for.

Sean Purnell made chief petty officer last

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Class Notes October. He and his wife live in Charlottesville, Virginia, with three boys, Billy, Alexander, and James. In November, they celebrated Kyle Gianni’s wedding at VMI, where Matt Wilcox was the best man. Carl Biggs was also able to make the celebration. The rats formed up and gave Kyle and his wife a big cheer during SRC. Jon Twigg is “giving Ashley more babies.”

Against his best efforts, Sean also ran into my former roommate, Matt Deacon, in Lynchburg a few times this year, including at the Valentine’s hop, where he painfully witnessed Deacon’s awkward dance moves. Deacon and Budge Hunter’s construction company is doing great work in the Lynchburg area. He swears any construction on I-81 isn’t his fault.

And never forget, Leugers was first.

Take Care, Brother Rats, Tom Pace

a baby boy. Trey was born this past July, weighing in at 9 pounds, 14 ounces. Everyone is doing great, and his big sister, Austin, is loving being a big sister. Unfortunately, my efforts to convince Wayne to name him Bruce Whiting did not go as well as I hoped. Congrats to the entire Whiting family!

Matthew Dickinson and his wife, Tivoli, also became parents to another child this year. Lorelei Lark Dickinson was born May 17 in Fredericksburg. She looks beautiful and very happy

for your family of four!

Samantha Farr recently made a worldwide move. Sam is now serving in the 10th Support Group as the group S4. As a result, if you want to visit, you’ll have to travel to Okinawa, Japan, where she is now stationed. On the plus side, you can probably rack up some great air mile points by doing so!

I’m probably missing someone, so if I did leave anyone out of these updates, I apologize.

I greatly appreciate those who sent information to share with the class. I look forward to hearing from more of you before the next edition. Take care and until next time!

In the Bonds, Bruce

2013

Charles Jones

2012

Bruce Howard Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2013.

Brother Rats, I hope this edition of the Review finds you and your families well. Here are updates from some of the members of our class, so I hope you enjoy.

Kelly Maggio Salanski and husband Stefan welcomed the birth of their son July 4. Their son, Viktor Peyton Salanski, is named after his great-grandfather, who was also a VMI alum, Class of 1944. Congrats to the growing family and sending you all well wishes.

Also, congratulations to another growing family, as Karter Rivera and his wife, Katie, welcomed their son into the world. Julian Reid Rivera was born July 9, and thankfully, everyone is healthy and happy! We’ll see if Julian grows up to be more of an athlete or mathlete ... hopefully a combination of the two! Extremely happy to hear of this amazing news.

Riley Ewen and his wife, Jessica, would like to share news on the birth of their fourth child, a baby girl. Edith Sophia was born this past August, and I’m glad to hear the older siblings are loving the newest addition to the family! Congrats to the Ewen family!

Wayne Whiting and his wife, Holli, also would like to share the great news of the birth of

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Class of 2012: Matthew Dickinson’s daughter, Lorelei.

2014

Samuel Guidry Johnny Partin

Class of 2012: Kelly (Maggio) Salanski’s son, Viktor.

Dear BRs, It is hard to believe that by the time you get these notes, it will be Thanksgiving/Christmas time. I must say that this year has flown by. At least to me, it seems like it has been the quickest year on record. Before you blink your eyes twice, we will all be gathering together at ole “Mother I” for our 10th Reunion. Speaking of the 10th Reunion, I want to give a few shoutouts and relay my sincerest gratitude to several BRs who have volunteered to serve on a reunion committee.

I want to thank the following BRs for signing up to serve on the Events Committee: T.J.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes handsome baby boy (Daniel Jr.) to this Curl, Abby Dawson, Nicole Harding, world. Little Daniel Jr., I can tell, is goand Ted Gottwald. ing to grow to be 6-feet-plus like his Another thank you to the following dad. Congratulations, Daniel and DeBRs for signing up to serve on the Outnise; we are so happy for you! reach Committee: Andrew Daniels, Sam On May 18, 2023, at 10:17 p.m., Joss Guidry, Jon Mattingly, Justin Vernon, Schuchert and his wife, Nicole, welChristian Beale, Ben Kier, Ben Osen, comed a cute little girl (Olivia Rae) to Sabina Crites, Robert Brent, Connor this world. Congratulations, Joss and NiMays, Thomas Pierpoint, Nicole Augcole; I know she is going to grow up and gins, Ben Smith, Mickey Hofmeister, do great things, just like her parents.

Daniel Kitchen, Vince Reo, Hannah If the month of May wasn’t busy Best, Sterling Taylor, and Nick Mari. enough, Joe Predebon and Nick Mari Last but certainly not least, thank you ran the Philadelphia 15K Tough Mudto Flora Edelbrock, Eva Edelbrock, der representing “Mother I.” Running a Sam Guidry, and Jon Mattingly for joining me on the Campaign/FundraisClass of 2014: Pictured at the Culpeper Sprint Triathlon, tough mudder together has become an ing Committee. held in Culpeper, Virginia, July 29, 2023, are (from left) annual tradition for Joe and Nick. They Johnny Partin, Flora Edelbrock, Eric Triassi, and Eva Edel- are also running the Washington D.C. “SuIf you would like to serve on the Outbrock. per” Spartan race in September. Special reach and/or Campaign/Fundraising shoutout to Nick, because shortly after this Committees, please send me a note. We race, he went and did a triathlon. Bravo, Nick! would love to have you join our efforts to make Not only has Nick Mari been on fire with his this reunion a grand ole time! races and enhanced physical fitness routines, Onward to the updates and news from BRs: but he is also now engaged to the lovely MiBack in April, our BR Tommy Atran tied the chelle Zosky. The good news continues to roll knot with his lovely new wife, Lindsey. I don’t with him because he and Michelle just bought a know who had the bigger smile in the wedding house. Congratulations to y’all on your engagepictures, Tommy or Christian Beale! Congratument, and welcome to the wonderful world of lations, Tommy and Lindsey; we wish you many home ownership! years of happy and blissful marriage!

Tommy Bylund married Sonja Meighan Around mid-May, Jonathan Reardon and MatJune 24, 2023, at River Bend Golf and Country thew Reardon joined me at a fun charity golf Club in their hometown of Great Falls, Virgintournament to raise funds for the Patrons of the ia. They’ve had the opportunity to visit LexingJames River Ball at the Brookwoods Golf Course ton a couple of times together and show each in Quinton, Virginia. We had a blast of a time, Class of 2014: Joe Predebon and Nick other what life was like on the other side. Sonja even with us doing poorly on the greens.

Mari at the Philadelphia 15K Tough is a 2015 W&L graduate. If you’re ever around The next day, the Reardons and Michael MayMudder in May 2023.

Northern Virginia and looking to play golf, let hew met up for breakfast. Shortly thereafter, Tommy know.

Mike and I got into a long text thread catching One of our BRs has had their Hollywood deup. Mike is doing very well. He lives in Chesterbut! Jon Mattingly is putting his million-dollar field with his lovely wife, Julia. They both just smile to work for the New York National Guard. welcomed a precious little girl, Mila Taylor MayHe spent the end of the month in June working hew, March 2, 2023. Congratulations, y’all! on a recruiting commercial. Jon, I hope you will After talking with Mike, he told me a fun post the link in the 2014 Facebook page so we fact: His wife is our BR Alex Burton’s little can all see it. sister. What’s even funnier is Alex texted me Christian Beale and his wife had an amazing one or two days before Mike messaged me. vacation in Greece in early July. They did difAlex is excelling in the Navy and moving on ferent guided tours of Athens and a guided tour up. He has deployed over to Europe. He is goof Delos, one of the Greek islands. It is located ing to take good notes of great spots to visit, Class of 2014: Participating in the James next to Mykonos. The Beales give Greece two so I know the good spots when I start traveling River Ball Patrons Golf Tournament, big thumbs up and encourage everyone to visit abroad (i.e., when my new passport comes in). held at Brookwoods Golf Course in the country.

Alex, we wish you a successful deployment Quinton, Virginia, May 12, are (from left) On July 15, I went back up to “Mother I” for and pray for your safe return back to the States.

Johnny Partin, Jonathan Reardon, and a one-day escapade and to also celebrate the reOn May 10, 2023, at 8:40 a.m., Daniel OberMatthew Reardon. tirement of Capt. Ned Riester ’78. It broke my lander and his wife, Denise, welcomed a

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Class Notes heart to hear that he retired after 30 years at the Institute. However, we celebrated in fashion!

We had a de la mar party for him! Eddy Gloeggler, you know what I’m talking about—a shrimp boil! It was such a grand time and so much fun getting to catch up with him!

Justin Vernon and his family moved to Fort Gregg-Adams (formerly known as Fort Lee) in late July. He is working in the CASCOM building.

What is even more fun is that the CASCOM building is across the street from the DPW building I work in. The day before Justin started his new assignment, I got to meet up with him and his beautiful family. We had ice cream at City Point Burgers and ice cream in downtown Hopewell. Now, I am trying to get him to join our Chick-fil-A Friday crew on post. More details to follow.

In late July—y’all won’t believe this—I actually completed a (sprint) triathlon. Eva Edelbrock, Flora Edelbrock, and Eric Triassi convinced me to sign up for the Culpeper Triathlon. Next one we do, we are hoping to have matching VMI triathlon singlets. Have to strut those bold red, white, and yellow colors; I hear they float on high because the Institute will never die! Haha. Funny side note, we actually ran into Joe Munno ’12 at the race.

Funny side note No. 2, I beat him on the swim by 10 seconds (but he destroyed me on the bike and run). On a serious note, Eva won second place for her age group, and Eric won third place for his age group.

In early August, I had the pleasure of this time catching up in person with Michael Mayhew for lunch in Hopewell. The company he is working for is doing some commercial development in the area. He told me that his roomies and the stars of Base Co. are doing well. Cody Holder, Jordan Tarsovich, and Jacob Humrich are all in the Richmond area, doing well with their families, and enjoying successful careers.

On Aug. 12, 2023, Joe Kohm, Hunter Harvey, Nick Ballard, and I met up for dinner at the Mission BBQ in Virginia Beach. We had a wonderful time catching up! Joe is working as the director of public policy for the Family Policy Alliance, Hunter is a weapons officer for the Navy and is getting ready to go out to sea, and Nick is working with the Joint Staff. I told them that I got a new duty assignment with the Virginia National Guard, and I am now drilling down in Virginia Beach at SMR as the public affairs officer for the 329th RSG. Joe, Hunter, Nick, and I agreed that we should do some fun BR dinners down here in the Tidewater area. So be on the lookout for more details!

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Over the summer, Aaron White and his lovely wife, Megan (fellow Thomas Dale High School Knight—let’s go!), moved down to Richmond and adopted a cute little puppy! Her name is Miley, and she is so adorable. I can tell she will easily have Megan and Aaron wrapped around her paw.

Nate Myers is currently deployed overseas with the Marines in Jordan. He has been able to literally follow his father’s footsteps by visiting the same sites just 24 years later. Super cool, Nate; please keep the Facebook pictures coming. It is a lot of fun seeing them.

Nicole Auggins just started her new duty assignment with the Air Force as an ROTC instructor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, this past summer. I must say her office is quite beautiful, but that’s because she has a great big VMI flag flying in it. Lol! Congratulations, Nicole, on this great assignment. I know you will excel immensely and mold many great young Air Force officers.

Also this summer, Greg Reardon and his wife, Sinclair, went on an adventure to Pikes Peak Summit, Colorado. They made it all the way to the top—14,115 feet above sea level! What a great way to spend an anniversary; talk about taking their marriage to “new heights!” Awesome job, guys!

While perusing my Facebook newsfeed one day, I came across a post of Santo Ripa and his little daughter. So, I reached out to him via Facebook Messenger and had a great time catching up. Santo is living in Virginia Beach with his daughter, Rory, and three dogs. He is a teacher and coach with the Virginia Beach Public School system.

Last BR note, and definitely an exciting one!

Jack Dixon was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the Rockingham County School Board.

The board unanimously approved his application and started July 1, 2023. He will serve until Dec. 31, 2023, when the winner of a special election will take over. Congratulations, Jack, on this wonderful honor! I know you will be a great asset for the board and work tirelessly to ensure the children of Rockingham County get the best possible education!

Quick note: Please take the time to update your contact information with the Alumni Agencies.

This is important because lots of information is forthcoming about our 10th Reunion. We want to make sure you and your family get an invite.

Last note, we have many BRs on active duty, with the reserve, or in the National Guard who are up for promotion to major, or lieutenant commander for the Navy and Coast Guard peeps.

Class of 2014: Jacob Lysher proposes to his girlfriend, Mollie.

Class of 2014: Tommy Bylund and Sonja Meighan at the River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls, Virginia, on their wedding day, June 24, 2023.

Please keep everyone in your prayers for a quick, smooth, and successful promotion process!

I hope everyone and their families have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year!

God bless you all!

In BR Spirit, Johnny Partin

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes

2015

Henry Meredith Johnny McDonald

Keydets!

Nothing big on my end. Just gearing up for Frank Hargrove III’s bachelor party; I’ll be sure to pack Liquid IV. But we’ve got a big set of Class of 2015: Attending the wedding of Harrison Williams are (from left) Matt Diccianni notes this quarter. Let’s jump in! ’21, Ben Augello ’18, Williams, and Hank Rhodenizer ’12.

Matt Navarro is getting out of the Navy this August. Currently living in Virginia Beach, he’s Costa Rica, where he owns a medical tourism stationed on USS Arleigh Burke. been working with fellow alums Bennett Dodcompany called Apollo Medical Travel. Their Will Luxhoj and his wife, Stephanie, had their son ’16 and Jimmy Callahan ’17 for the last bread and butter is full-mouth dental restofirst baby boy in June. His name is Jensen! few years. rations, but they recently expanded into stem Shane Bohn and his wife are expecting their Will Claytor graduated from the University of second child late August/early September. It’s cell therapies in Medellin, Colombia.

Maryland in May with an MBA and Master of Joel Hoisington was recently hired as a health gonna be a baby girl!

Supply Chain Management degree.

Wesley Jacobs has settled down in San Jose, and P.E. teacher in Fairfax County! He’s beyond Gregg Oldland married his wife, Hillary, this excited to begin his new career. past April. A bunch of BRs came to help Travis Hawkins and his wife bought a celebrate, including Krister Kniffin, home in Orlando and are expecting twin Damian Arnaiz, Hon. Brice Scott, Jake boys in December. Two future Keydets Mizrahi, and Brent Shaufert. “Big” on the way!

Greg Scott ’85 and his dyke, Chad Tessa Livingston is expecting her secSussman ’12, along with a few of their ond baby in October; it’s a girl! She got rat-ties, also made it: Andrew Heinlein her RN license and ADN in summer ’18, Gram Pratt ’18, and V.M. Szalank2021. iewicz ’18. This past July, he moved to Cody Pillow and his wife, Mady, and Norfolk to be the dentist on the USS 8-month-old son, Audie, moved back New York. to Charlottesville, Virginia, after being Brad Anuszkiewicz has a second baby in Maryland for the past eight years. on the way, and their due date is the first He’s teaching and coaching at the Field week in January. Brad also just applied School of Charlottesville. He’s also takfor his diploma in functional neurology. ing firefighting classes to volunteer at a Brendan Simons transitioned out of local department. the military at the end of August. He’s Joe Broughton separated from the currently enrolled in the UNC – ChapNavy back in April and finished his exel Hill full-time MBA program. He also ecutive MBA at Vanderbilt in May. He’s got married back in 2021! now working from home for a small vetSam Hunter announced that his first eran-owned government contractor and baby is on the way! Likely due in March. looking forward to never standing watch Quinn Ellis and his family were just stationed in London, England, and will Class of 2015: Pictured at the Mariner Skills Training Center, or duty again. Joe bought a house in be there for the next few years.

Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia, are U.S. Navy Lt. Jimmy Callah- Northern Mississippi close to Memphis an ’17, Lt. Bennett Dotson ’16, and Lt. Matt Navarro. in June, so if any Keydets are passing Jeff Whiteman just moved to Rota, through, you have a free place to crash.

Spain, with his wife for three years. He’s

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163

Class Notes

2017

Benjamin Stewart Michael P. Griffin

Class of 2015: Jeremy Sanders and his wife, Sydney, on their wedding day, Dec. 3, 2022.

Class of 2015: Taylor Kennedy with his twins, Theodore and Penelope, at a Norfolk Tides baseball game.

March 4, 2023.

Jeremy Sanders got married Dec. 3, 2022, to his wife, Sydney Sanders (formerly Sydney Baldomero), in Colorado Springs. Two VMI roommates, Brent Clark and Robert McClelland, were groomsmen. Jeremy left the active duty Army last September and is currently attending seminary in Los Angeles, where he and his family will be for at least the next three years.

Nick Dreybus and his wife, Micaela, welcomed their first baby girl in June. He was recently promoted to engineer structural 3 at the Newport News Shipyard in the CVN Hull Structures department. Nick also commissioned into the USN Civil Engineer Corps Reserve and was assigned to CBMU 202 in Virginia Beach.

Phew! Wonderful list of updates. Per usual, ping me if you or a BR needs address/contact info updated with VMI or just want to catch up.

Always game for a call.

Rah Virginia Mil, Henry Meredith

2016 Class of 2015: Nick Dreybus’ daughter, Olivia.

Hay not required.

Ross Barnett just got stationed in Shreveport, Louisiana, for the next few years as the director of operations at the 608 Air Communications Squadron.

Harrison Williams got married July 22, 2023, to Anna Bellavia.

Taylor Kennedy and his wife, Ashleigh, welcomed Theodore and Penelope to the world

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Murphy Kerner Hunter Morgan

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2016.

These notes cover the period from May 16– Aug. 15, 2023.

Nerds of 2017, thanks for tuning into another issue of “where are they now!?” Before we get there, I wanted to pass along that I’m stepping down from class agent and passing the baton to Mike Griffin. It’s been an absolute privilege to serve these past five years. Thanks, everyone, for working with me and sharing your cynicism. We’ll be in more than capable hands.

Mike did a phenomenal job planning, organizing, and conducting our 5th Reunion. He’s laid the base for our 10th Reunion and has already hit the ground running on connecting the class post-graduation. That being said, over to you, Mike! Death before dishonor!

–Ben Before I get started, Ben Stewart, thanks so much for all you have done. I’m excited to expand upon the foundation you have built over the last several years. I know I speak for everyone when I say I truly appreciate the time and effort you have dedicated to keeping our class connected and informed ... but you know I’ll be reaching out to get updates from you regularly!

Hello, All! What a busy spring it has been! I have recently moved to a new section within my squadron and am now part of the team overseeing AFROTC field training down at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. I can’t help but find it ironic that I would spend this much time in ROTC after graduating when I bounced around Kilbourne Hall countless times while at the “I” years ago. In any case, I will likely remain here to manage that training for the summer, so not much travel or exciting news on my part. I did, however, hear some exciting news from Cody Bottoms, who is newly engaged to his girlfriend (now fiancée), Amanda Bollinger. Congratulations to Cody and Amanda! I spoke with Matt Johnson and

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes his wife, Alyssa, as well. They are settled out at Fort Riley in Kansas, where Matt has assumed company command. The new assignment puts them closer to Alyssa’s family in Colorado and also allowed them to visit with Mack and Deelen Shehee a few times this summer. As always, it was very good catching up with them, and we all hope to visit in person in the near future.

Joe Baumann also reached out to me a few times. He provided me with updates on his unit’s softball team (of which he has been a part for several years now) and their upcoming games. Best of luck in the summer season to you, Joe! Casey (Field) Haeg and I had a short text

conversation back and forth in May regarding possible initiatives for the class as we go forward. Mostly things like managing the class accounts and rebuilding some social media connections (as I have recently been told by people younger than me that Facebook’s day has come and gone, so it’s hard to reach people on that platform sometimes). However, we did also talk about some fun stuff, like building the initial plan for the 10th Reunion! The last one was a lot of fun, and I am so excited to be working with her and Joe Baumann on the next one. Casey and her husband, U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jared Haeg, got married May 20 in the mountains of Washington state. Shortly

Class of 2017: Attending the wedding of Jason and Elizabeth Bass are (from left) Glenn White ’69, Dr. Jim Baker ’69, Brandon Conley, Zach Lafreniere, Elizabeth Bass, Jason Bass, Matt Saunders, Josh Akers ’20, Max Stuart ’20, and Tyler Smith.

Class of 2017: Attending the wedding of Casey (Field) Haeg and Jared Haeg are (from left) Ben Field ’15, Kurt Schommer ’15, Michael Connolly, Brandon White, Patrick Finn, Casey (Field) Haeg, Jared Haeg, Abigail Dimirack ’20, Brittany (Woychak) Finn ’18, Angelique (Barlow) Kuzel ’17, Kathleen (Yates) Taggart ’20, Kelly Russell ’17, Paige Taylor ’16, Haley Scott ’18, and Bethany (King) White ’18.

2023-Issue 4

after the wedding, they moved to Quantico to continue on in their military and DoD careers.

Back in June and July, I reached out via our class Facebook page to spread the word about updating the class roster. To make a long story short, you have all been busy! Addresses, phone numbers, emails, and even last names for some have changed! Go figure! In an effort to keep the class connected and ensure we have the most current data on file, I have been contacting members of the Class of ’17 to green up my list. This will help me get official updates from the Institute out to the class quickly. I’m happy to say we have made significant progress, and I have gotten to hear some great news from quite a few people while going through the process. One such person was Spencer Jefferson. Spencer told me that he is currently down in Panama City Beach, Florida, but is prepping for a PCS to Hawaii. I imagine we will be in touch again once he gets set up out there, as I am intimately familiar with life on Oahu from my first assignment with the Air Force from 2017–20. Best of luck with training and I hope you enjoy it out there! It’s an awesome place to be stationed! Shortly after talking with Spencer, I heard from Brendan Caldwell, who also provided updates for our roster. Unfortunately, he hasn’t had access to the class page for some time, so I’m hopeful that we can get more updates from him in future Alumni Reviews with these new changes.

Josh Worthley contacted me after seeing my post on the class page. He is currently living in Virginia Beach working in the fire department while also running a construction business with his father. Josh and his wife, Alexis, have two kids, Gabriella and Lucas, that keep them busy and seem to be enjoying life every day.

Around the same time, I called Emily Adams, who moved back out to California after we graduated six years ago. Much like Brendan, I look forward to more updates from our West Coast BRs in the future!

Riley Morgan sent me updates, as well. He is currently the interim principal engineer over water distribution for the City of Richmond.

Miraculously, he still finds time to game here and there, so we definitely need to trade gamer tags and catch up online.

Malcolm Thomas moved to Tucson, Arizona, for work and seems to like the area, despite the incredible heat. He works in missile design for Raytheon now but prior to that had been doing system engineering work for L3Harris in

165

Class Notes

Class of 2017: Eleanor Charlotte Holmes and Jackson Theodore Holmes, children of Grant and Alessandra Holmes.

Virginia. Now that he is out in Arizona, he has had opportunities to visit Joe Baumann relatively frequently. If I make it out to see Joe this fall, the three of us definitely need to get together out there.

I spoke with fellow Company D member, Frank Ferrara, as well. He and his wife, Melissa, live in New York, where Frank works as an engineer.

I also called Zach Campbell around the same time, another Company D classmate! He is still in Virginia and gets together with some of the local ’17 members as time allows. Zach will be moving soon, so updates from him will become more regular at a later point. I look forward to hearing more from you, Zach. Best of luck with the move!

Emily Dawson also let me know what was going on in her part of the world. She got married last October and started a new job that keeps her busy, but we discussed catching up in person next time I make it up that way.

Jon Bukowski and I texted back and forth for a bit, as well. He is still in the D.C. area and working for the DoD and the Army Reserve. It was great reconnecting with him and awesome to see his excitement to provide updates for our future Alumni Reviews.

166

Around the first of July, Tyler Corcoran sent me his updates, and we had a conversation over text. It’s always good to catch up with a rat roommate. We joked about our shared experience in 421 with Joe Baumann and Zach Campbell and discussed where our respective careers have taken us. I think he was surprised to learn I had moved to Alabama; it is somewhat of a downgrade from Hawaii, haha. Tyler lives up in Pennsylvania now, so hopefully, if I PCS somewhere north next year, we can visit in person.

In my efforts to reach out to every Delta BR I could find a number for, I managed to get in touch with Mike Gates. He is currently the commander of the Horse Cavalry Detachment at 1st Cav. In his off time, he can be found riding horses, hanging out with his two dogs, or getting together with his girlfriend.

In his own words, he is “living a $%#@ good life,” which is great to hear! I also spoke with Andrew Gazzillo. He and Meghan, along with their two boys, Jack and Sean, are currently at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I believe that was a recent move for them, so I am glad to see that the trip went smoothly and they are getting set up here on the East Coast.

Jake Goulet and I caught up in early July.

I was happy to hear that his family is all doing well up north and excited to hear that he and Gina are newly engaged! Congratulations, Jake and Gina!

Shortly after catching up with Jake, Bryan Wade and I had a long phone conversation reminiscing about our time in Company D at VMI. Our cadre used to mix us up from time to time because of our industrial strength Rat Line-proof glasses. He is up in North Carolina these days with his wife, Tashalynn.

In addition to Bryan, I touched base with another Company D member this summer; Brad Nardella. He recently moved and now lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During our conversation, we recalled the time our company went to one of his lacrosse matches. Brad told me that outside of his regular work schedule, he still partakes in the sport and has been coaching lacrosse locally.

Brodey Stofflet and I traded text messages briefly, but unfortunately our schedules didn’t line up so well this quarter. Looking forward to catching up with you more in the fall, man!

A similar situation prevented me from getting to have a full conversation with Pat Beegle or Collyn Dashner, but I know we will have a

chance to talk this fall. I know I wasn’t able to sync up with Pat, as he is currently on nights, but we will find a way! I hope all of you are doing well, and I’m looking forward to talking soon!

Kyle Harrell also provided me with some updates. He is currently in Suffolk, where he bought a house with his wife, Erin. He works for Summit Design and Engineering and is looking to take the PE exam this year to get his license early next year. Best of luck to you, Kyle!

Jessica Hansen and I spoke briefly, as well.

She is doing well in the New York area after moving there last year. Unfortunately, I think that move made traveling way down to Lexington for the reunion in September somewhat of a challenge, but she still made it! I’m so grateful for all the help you provided, Jess. Looking forward to seeing you at the next one in a few years! But don’t be a stranger until then!

Brian Colitti also reached out to me during this period. He recently PCS’d to McGuire Air Force Base from out on the West Coast. Glad to have you back on this side of the country and looking forward to more updates from you in the future!

Speaking of updates, someone I have not had the chance to talk with in a long while, David Groseclose, let me know he and his wife, Emily, are still in Virginia. He is currently in the reserve up there.

Ashley McManus is currently out in New Mexico. I was glad to hear she has been enjoying her time out there. We talked mostly about work and guitars (which is normal for those who know me), as well as about her time in Band Company while we were at VMI. Much like all our other engineering classmates, the nuances of her job go over my head a bit, but in layman’s terms, she gets to do some very cool engineering work.

Hamp Beddoes and I also had a phone conversation recently. He is a lieutenant in the Coast Guard out in California but may be moving next summer. He recently got a chance to get away from work for a bit and take a trip back to Wyoming to see some family. I hope it was a restful trip, Hamp! Looking forward to talking again soon!

Kyle Welch reached out to me this summer, as well. He is busy but otherwise well. He recently bought a fixer-upper that consumes much of his free time. Looking forward to seeing how it comes out!

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes After spending the last five years in San Diego, Jimmy Callahan is currently working a new Navy shore duty job in Norfolk as a mariner skills instructor. He was kind enough to explain that job for me as “boat school for ensigns.” He and his wife, Linda, are expecting their first child, a girl, this winter. Congratulations!

Josh Littlefield reached out to me before I could use Matt Johnson or Cody Bottoms to get his number and cold call him. He and his wife, Allison (Partin) Littlefield, are currently living in Tennessee. Josh is a captain in the Army and part of the EOD/ordnance career field, which is partially the reason why he, Matt, and Cody reconnect semi-regularly. Josh and Allison seem to like the area up there and are enjoying their free time exploring Tennessee. Josh also recently completed his master’s in transportation and logistics management.

I did get a chance to speak with one other Company D BR: Shu-Hao Yang! He is now a captain in the Taiwan Army and has actually been put in charge of teaching military English for their trainees. We talked a little about his time in the Army and compared notes on how often our two countries like to move people around.

Grant Holmes and his wife, Alessandra, recently welcomed their second child, Eleanor Charlotte Holmes! Congrats to you and your family!

And last, but certainly not least, Jason Bass reached out to me with some updates, most notably that he and his (now) wife, Elizabeth, were married in June in Crozet, Virginia. Congratulations to both of you!

Thank you to all those who provided updates. It was awesome to hear from so many of you and I hope you will all reach out regularly! For those, I didn’t hear from, I’ll be reaching out soon! Last plug from me: A number of you have moved, gotten married, changed last names, etc., since we graduated. If you are reading this and haven’t talked to me this year, there is a chance I am working off of outdated information for you. I’m going down my list working to confirm relevant data so we can get messages out to the class, but I can use your help! If you are a classmate, a parent or spouse of a classmate, or have accurate numbers for people in the class, please do not hesitate to call, text, or email me. Thanks in advance for your assistance! That’s all from me for now.

Take care, all!

Rah ’17.

2023-Issue 4

2018

Carlee Anderson Matt Esnardo

2020 Alexander Dragan Holly K. Njabo

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2018.

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2020.

2019

2021

Annika K. Tice

Levi Kennedy

Nathan D.A. Mumford

Jonathan Krauss

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2019.

Happy Summer, Brother Rats!

Boy, is it hot over here in Twentynine Palms, California! Richie Quispe and I just completed the Basic Communication Officer’s Course, and I am currently supporting the Sixth Marine Regiment as they conduct their ITX. After that’s over, I’ll make my way to North Carolina, where I will be stationed in Camp Lejeune.

Enough about me; let’s see what our brother rats have been up to!

Back in May, Brendon Lloyd graduated from The Basic School and is now in Naval Flight

Class of 2021: Emilio Maestas recently became Airborne qualified.

Class of 2021: Collin Perry proposes to his fiancée, Georgia, in Hyde Park, London.

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Class Notes

2022

Seth McRoberts Kelly Rollison

Class of 2021: Ben Winter presents his research at the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress held in Henderson, Nevada, in May 2023.

Class of 2021: Jonah Eger and his father in San Diego, California, at Eger’s promotion ceremony to lieutenant, junior grade.

Training in Pensacola, Florida.

Elijah Spradlin and Isaak Halkidis graduated from the Army’s Air Defense Artillery School in Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Emilio Maestas likes jumping out of perfectly good airplanes and recently was Airborne qualified!

James Booth graduated from the Army Pathfinder School in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Billy Pierce finally got his wings as VT-4’s top graduate.

Nathan Ocampo recently came back from

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Class of 2021: Jay and Grace Kennedy. his deployment to Qatar and is getting some much-needed R&R. In June, Jonah Eger was promoted to lieutenant, junior grade in San Diego, California.

Congratulations, Jonah!

Kirk Ring spent two weeks flying UH-60 Blackhawks with the 2-224th Assault Helicopter Battalion and the Virginia National Guard.

We had a bunch of engagements and marriages in June! Joseph Hammer, Anna Armfield, Christopher Holland, Cole Robertson, and Alex Caporaletti all got engaged, while Josh Thomas and Joseph Murray got married in June. Colin Perry and Thomas Clements got engaged in July, and Jay Kennedy got married in July. Caleb Blank got married in Lexington May 6 to Shea Whitehurst and enjoyed a magnificent honeymoon in Belize!

Finally, Ben Winter was given the opportunity to present his M.S. research at the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, titled, “The Long-Term and Basin-Scale Effects of Residential Water Conservation on Shared Water Availability.” Way to go, Ben! In a blink of an eye, three years went by, and now our rats are about to be dykes themselves.

I hope all of you can, one way or another, make it back to the Institute this school year and see your rats and grand rats. I hope to see some familiar faces at tailgates and football games this year! Until then, stay safe, happy, and successful in everything you guys do. Until next time, brother rats!

Mizpah, Jonathan Krauss

Greetings from Your Favorite BRs, Kelly and I hope your past few months have been successful and fulfilling. This quarter will be rather short; however, it will be filled with some personal and career milestones for some great BRs. So, without further ado, let’s congratulate BRs Thomas Hanisch and Claudia Distinto on their recent marriage. Also, many congratulations to Lance Weimann and Christina Skaggs on their recent engagement. My apologies for its late announcement, but Jake Luchansky also recently got engaged and will be getting married soon to his beautiful fiancée, Riley Hatcher. Congratulations to all our future husbands and wives-to-be.

In Marine Corps news, our very own Ellie Miller just became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps by graduating Marine Corps OCS. What a major accomplishment; huge congrats, Ellie.

And, finally, in Army news, both Mike Tempesta and our very own possum whisperer, Kelly Rollison, have recently deployed to Poland.

Class of 2022: Gathering in Richmond, Virginia, are (from left) Andrew Horton, Charles McElroy, Toby Little, Bain Kvasnicka, Drew Burton, and Chris Krush.

VMI Alumni Review

Class notes Sam is also commissioned into the Army Reserve, and we are wishing the best of luck to him as he begins his new adventures in medicine.

Justin Addis shares that he has just started working as an IT operational analyst for Peraton, based in Quantico, Virginia. He is also awaiting his schedule with the reserve, where he will be with the 55th Sustainment Brigade at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. His branch is adjutant general, and he has the title of strength manJacob C. Sekerak ager, where he describes his duties as a human resources officer. Great work, Justin!

Dennison C. Kelly Moving on to relationships, we want to congratulate Major Fick and his wife on getting married June 6. He said that many BRs were there to share the milestone and big day and that it was a “grand old time.”

He is currently awaiting his BOLC date of Oct. 1, where he will be stationed at Fort Gregg-Adams.

Brother Rats, Congratulations, Major!

I hope you are all well and have Another wedding announcement been enjoying the summer as newcomes from two of our BRs, Jason ly minted alumni! It is hard to beLerner and Josie Freeman! The lieve that it has already been a few two were wed June 16 and also had months since we were all together BRs as part of their wedding party in Lexington, but here we are off and present to celebrate the occainto the “real world” and finally Class of 2023: Major Fick and his wife, Reagan, on their wedding sion. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lerner are getting to do the things we’ve been day in Angleton, Texas, June 6, 2023. commissioned in the Air Force and working toward for the better part are looking forward to beginning of the last four years. It is such an both their careers and the adventure of married honor for both Denny and me to keep up with vate sector jobs, some signing contracts and life. Congrats to them both! awaiting ship dates for OCS, others coming all of you and what you’re up to. Below are It is such a joy to hear about all of the proback to the Institute as faculty, and a handful some updates on how the summer went! fessional accomplishments and personal mileof engagements and weddings. Let’s mention I’ll start things off by noting that my sumstones from all of you, so please continue to mer internship with Naval Information War- a few highlights! keep us updated. God Bless, RVM, and Rah To start, our very own valedictorian, Sam fare Center Atlantic was full of practical ex’23! perience using the knowledge I learned during Wolfe, started medical school at the VCU Jake and Denny School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia. my ECBU classes on the hill. What I’m most Well done, Class of ’22; keep up all the great work, and hang tough, as always. Remember, if Kelly or I are missing any accomplishments or milestones, make sure to contact us, and we will add your triumphs in the next issue.

God Bless and Rah ’22, Kelly Rollison and Seth McRoberts

2023

excited for now is my new role as a regional new cadet recruiter for VMI! I’ll be based in Hampton Roads, and I’m looking forward to sharing why our alma mater provides one of the best college experiences that high schoolers should consider. Susie Kirchman will also be in the same role but based out of Northern Virginia. If you have any younger siblings or friends that are interested in coming to VMI, feel free to point them our way!

There have been a few other notes of interest from the rest of the class, with BRs completing their various primary schools for their respective military services, beginning new degree programs in higher education, starting new pri-

VMI Photo by Kelly Nye. 2023-Issue 4

169

Class Notes

Baby Keydets HALL—A daughter, Ryleigh, to Shannon and Dan Hall ’04, Aug. 13, 2023.

Marriages ATRAN—Lindsey Artz to Tommy Atran ’14, April 1, 2023.

BYLUND—Sonja Meighan to Tommy Bylund ’14, June 24, 2023.

KIRILLOV—A daughter, Stella, to Irina and Slava Kirillov ’04, Sept. 5, 2022.

MAYHEW—A daughter, Mila Taylor, to Julia and Michael Mayhew ’14, March 2, 2023.

OBERLANDER—A son, Daniel Gerhardt, to Denise and Daniel Oberlander ’14, May 10, 2023.

SCHUCHERT—A daughter, Olivia Rae, to Nicole and Joseph Schuchert ’14, May 18, 2023.

degrees MS

Joel Chapman ’12 Master of Science SANS Technology Institute June 2023

Update your contact information on VMI Ranks today!

New users: vmialumni.org/newuser

Returning users: vmialumni.org/ranks

VMI’s 10 Most Senior Alumni According to the records of the VMI Alumni Agencies, the people listed below constitute the 10 senior alumni of the Institute.

Please contact the Alumni Review staff if any errors are noted.

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Robert W. Smothers ’44

Dec. 2, 1922

Malcom B. Lacy Jr. ’46

July 27, 1924

Selden S. McNeer Jr. ’46

Jan. 8, 1925

Lawrence Altaffer Jr. ’46

Jan. 10, 1925

Harvey E. Wise ’50B

Feb. 5, 1925

Gene D. Thornton ’46

Feb. 20, 1925

George W. Coleman ’46

March 15, 1925

Frank W. Seiboth ’51

May 14, 1925

Charles L. Pitzer ’46

July 25, 1925

Patrick Bowditch ’47

Aug. 19, 1925

VMI Alumni Review

The Institute Society:

50 Years of Dedicated Impact The mission of VMI seamlessly aligns with a global need for honorable leaders, selfless service, and personal sacrifice for the greater good. Members of the Institute Society are philanthropic leaders supporting this proven mission.

The VMI Foundation applauds these thoughtful donors for their individual and collective generosity and their shaping influence on the exceptional quality of a VMI education.

As boldly today as in its humble beginnings in November 1974, the Institute Society continues to provide academic and leadership opportunities for cadets, enhance endowments to help attract and retain top-notch faculty members, and donate necessary unrestricted support for VMI. Importantly, these annual gifts also help resource and safeguard immutable cadet-run barracks systems— honor, class, and regimental—demanding personal accountability and thoughtful leadership.

If you place a high value on the importance of principled leadership in our nation and believe in the unmatched preparation of VMI cadets for lives well lived as citizen-soldiers, then you would feel very much at home as a member of the Institute Society.

On Nov. 8, 2024, the VMI Foundation will celebrate 50 years of the Institute Society. Join us—make your leadership gift today!

Scan for more information 2023-Issue 4

171

Provisional Appointments APPOINTEE’S NAME

2029 Dakota L. Castetter

2030 Campbell A. Clapper Riley G. Kier

2031 Remsen Y. Baird Jack G. Lee Tucker Smith

ALUMNUS-CLASS

Larremore J. La Monte ’75 M. Jeff Abravesh ’75 Mehrdad Andisheh ’75

RELATIONSHIP

Uncle Uncle Uncle

Thomas F. Morehouse ’70 Benjamin L. Kier ’14 Zachariah A. Kier ’11

Grandfather Father Uncle

William R. Baird ’89 Gregory A. Lee ’92 Jason W. Smith ’96

Father Father Father

2032 Timothy O. Trant III

Timothy O. Trant II ’98

Father

2033 Maddox Jolly

Rory T. Chisholm ’11

Uncle

John R. Roche ’03 Larremore J. La Monte ’75 M. Jeff Abravesh ’75 Mehrdad Andisheh ’75

Father Uncle Uncle Uncle

Rory T. Chisholm ’11 Ronald K. Milligan ’78 Christopher L. Milligan ’11

Uncle Grandfather Uncle

W. Bruce Pence ’74 Gregory A. Lee ’92 Finnie D. Coleman ’90

Grandfather Great-uncle Grandfather

Larremore J. La Monte ’75 M. Jeff Abravesh ’75 Mehrdad Andisheh ’75 Larremore J. La Monte ’75 M. Jeff Abravesh ’75 Mehrdad Andisheh ’75

Uncle Uncle Uncle Uncle Uncle Uncle

2038 Sydney F. Roach

Burton P. Beatty ’43

Great-grandfather

2039 Liliana M. Love

Mark C. Shepard ’81

Grandfather

2034 Abigail Roche Atticus L. Waters

2035 Marshall Jolly Lawson R. Patton

2036 Maverick C. Pence Dominic Turner 2037 Mazi M. Castetter

August J. Waters

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APPOINTEE’S NAME

2041 Cade T. Roach

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

Burton P. Beatty ’43

Great-grandfather

Benjamin L. Kier ’14 Zachariah A. Kier ’11

Father Uncle

2043 Luke E. Boyer

Robert C. Boyer ’11

Father

2044 Georgia McMahon Emma K. Via

Connor T. McMahon ’15 Travis F. Via ’15

Father Father

2042 Tristan I. Kier

2045 Kaia J. Arnold Reed C. Boyer

Anthony L. Arnold ’83 Robert C. Boyer ’11 William B. Dawson ’52 J.E. Dawson Boyer ’08 Lily M. Carag Vincent D. Carag Jr. ’86 Piper DeMan Lauren E. Dost ’20 Rory S. Grandstrand Stephen V. Motylinski ’85 Emily Hobbs Benjamin J. Hobbs ’05 Benjamin Huger V Benjamin I. Huger IV ’16 Anderson M. Huger ’22 George D. Huger ’64 Benjamin Huger Jr. ’934 Scott S. Huger ’922 George A. Derbyshire ’899 Benjamin Huger ’893 Bowen B.W. McDowell James C. Sutherland ’53 John H. Sutherland ’926 William A. Sutherland ’939 Henry C. Sutherland ’42 Gabriel S. Sutherland ’18 Elijah M. Meradith-Eyers Michael J. Smith ’77 Luke X. Nicotera Charles X. Nicotera ’10 Charles S. Patton Ronald K. Milligan ’78 Christopher L. Milligan ’11 Rhett R. Patton Ronald K. Milligan ’78 Christopher L. Milligan ’11 Hayden T. Pence W. Bruce Pence ’74 Frank B. Cole Jr. ’75 Philip J. Cole ’04 Lincoln B. Pence W. Bruce Pence ’74 Frank B. Cole Jr. ’75 Philip J. Cole ’04 Brooklyn J. Phencie Robert E. Phillips ’87 James T. Purnell Sean T. Purnell ’11 Annabelle J. Sidhu James P. Van Landingham ’72

Grandfather Father Great-grandfather Uncle Grandfather Mother Father Father Father Cousin Great-uncle Great-uncle Great-grandfather Great-grandfather Great-grandfather Great-grandfather Great-grandfather Great-uncle Great-uncle Cousin Grandfather Father Grandfather Uncle Grandfather Uncle Grandfather Great-uncle Cousin Grandfather Great-uncle Cousin Grandfather Father Grandfather

VMI Alumni Review

Provisional Appointments APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

RELATIONSHIP

Annabelle J. Sidhu (Cont.) John H. Van Landingham ’68 Great-uncle Zoe S. Stafilatos James C. Sutherland ’53 Great-grandfather John H. Sutherland ’926 Great-grandfather William A. Sutherland ’939 Great-uncle

APPOINTEE’S NAME

ALUMNUS-CLASS

Zoe S. Stafilatos (Cont.) Henry C. Sutherland ’42 Cameron W. Young Gabriel S. Sutherland ’18 John L. Young ’75 Lisandro E. Williams Eugene Williams ’74

RELATIONSHIP

Great-uncle Cousin Grandfather Grandfather

Graduate School Partnerships The Virginia Military Institute has forged relationships with graduate and professional schools in Virginia and across the U.S. These agreements offer opportunities, including admissions concessions, internships, guaranteed interviews and, in some cases, guaranteed admissions.

Partnerships include Virginia Commonwealth University,

the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Florida State University, Norwich University, and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Programs include law, medicine, business, engineering, and communications.

Contact Olivia Fowler at fowlerog@vmi.edu for more information.

Jonathan M. Daniels 1961 Seminary Scholarship Dr. G. Lee Southard ’59 and his family established the Jonathan M. Daniels 1961 Seminary Scholarship in 1985. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist VMI graduates pursuing an advanced degree leading to Protestant Christian ministry. The scholarship is named in honor of Jonathan M. Daniels ’61, who, after graduating from VMI, followed a call to ministry and entered seminary.

For more information, applications, and instructions, please contact Mary Cannon, administrative assistant in the VMI Chaplains’ Office, at cannonml@vmi.edu.

The degree pursued must lead to service as a pastor or military chaplain in Protestant ministry. The deadline for submitting the application is June 15 of each year. Scholarships are awarded in July.

2023-Issue 4

173

Taps James A. Willson III ’47 James Alexander “Jim” Willson III ’47 of Danville, California, died July 9, 2023. He was 96.

He matriculated from Little Rock, Arkansas, and spent less than a year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; sons, Tom (Jill) and Andrew (Meagan); daughter, Jeanne (Greg); grandchildren, Hayley, Lauren, Alison, Marc, Nico, and Brit; great-grandchildren, Cardyn, Meyer, and Huck; and sisters-in-law, Judy and Amy.

Earl E. Patton ’51 Earl Edward “T-Bud” Patton ’51 of New Iberia, Louisiana, died May 5, 2023. He was 93.

He matriculated from New Iberia and spent less than one year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

He is survived by his wife, Lorraine Leblanc Patton; children, Eddie Patton (Cordonna), Christopher James Patton (Jené), and Catherine Joan Patton Bryant (Greg); grandchildren, Micah Patton, Stephen Patton, Christopher Logan, Andrew Patton, Caytlon Dasport, Drake Gaudet, Brittany Scott, Taylor Primeaux, Kaitlyn Saldana, and Zachary Bryant; and sister, Patsy Patton Duck.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph Patton Jr. and Kenneth “Keno” Patton.

Ralph T. Dalton Jr. ’53 Ralph Toms Dalton Jr. ’53 of Waynesboro, Virginia, died June 24, 2023. He was 90.

He matriculated from Staunton, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Virginia.

James W. Eads ’53 James William “Jim” Eads ’53 of Manakin-Sabot, Virginia, died June 22, 2023. He was 92.

He matriculated from Lexington, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He is survived by his daughter, Susan Bost Eads.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Eads; son, William Byron Eads; and sister, Francis Lucille Eads.

Paul E. Fortin ’53 Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Edward

174

Fortin ’53, Ph.D., of Topeka, Kansas, died July 22, 2023. He was 92.

He matriculated from Newburyport, Massachusetts, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Denver.

He matriculated from Boston, Massachusetts, and spent two years at VMI. He is survived by his wife, Ann; children, Donal Wadleigh and Margaret Wadleigh; grandchildren, Nicholas, Matthew, Nicole, and John Richard; great-grandchildren, Avery, Nate, and Payton; and brother, Alden.

Charles S. McCloskey Jr. ’53

John Lee Machen ’56 of Mobjack, Virginia, died June 19, 2023. He was 88.

He matriculated from Mobjack and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Linda; children, John Lee, Naudain, and George (Donna); grandchildren, Leland (Xin Wei), Phillip, Mark (Emily), James, John (Heather), Esther, Ruth, and Peter; step-son, Zell Railey; and daughter-in-law, Cindy Machen.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Pam, and siblings, Elizabeth Warren, Helen White, and George Machen.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Charles Stuart “Stu” McCloskey Jr. ’53 of Melbourne, Florida, died July 8, 2023. He was 91.

He matriculated from Vicksburg, Mississippi, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.

He is survived by his children, Karen McCloskey and Stuart McCloskey (Sande), and grandsons, Chris McCloskey and Greg McCloskey (Jennifer).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patsy.

Walter M. Sanders III ’53 Walter McDonald “Walt” Sanders III ’53, Ph.D., of Gainesville, Georgia, died June 14, 2023. He was 92.

He matriculated from Bluefield, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from Johns Hopkins University.

He is survived by his children, Nina, Walter M. “Sandy” Sanders IV ’82 (Dianna), Brian (Susan), and Steve (Emme); grandchildren, Grayson (Jessie), Stephanie (Steven), Aubrey, Emily, Mac, Larissa, and Brett; and great-grandchildren, Isaac, Sawyer, Liam, and Emmett.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Emily J. Sanders.

William G. Greig ’55 William Grant “Bill” Greig ’55 of Salisbury, North Carolina, died June 12, 2023. He was 89.

He matriculated from Honolulu, Hawaii, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He is survived by his son, Grant Greig (Anne), and two granddaughters.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Greig, and sister, Gail Schlegel.

John L. Machen ’56

Robert G. Christopher ’57 Robert Glassell “Bob” Christopher ’57 of Wicomico Church, Virginia, died May 3, 2023. He was 88.

He matriculated from Wicomico Church and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Susan O’Hara Christopher; son, Robert Christopher (Mary “Squiffy”); and grandchildren, Elizabeth “Wizzie” and Sallie Christopher.

He was preceded in death by his brother, A.G.W. Christopher Jr.

James W. Rust Jr. ’57 Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James Wilson “Jim” Rust Jr. ’57 of Salem, Virginia, died June 14, 2023. He was 86.

He matriculated from Colonial Heights, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Barbara “Bobbie;” children, James Rust III (Abby), Cynthia Figgers (Bill), Kathryn Evans (Shawn), and Stephanie Welles (Brad); 12 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and siblings, Linda Davis and Ronnie Rust.

Arthur N. Wadleigh ’55

Linwood L. Arthur ’58

Arthur Nicholas Wadleigh ’55 of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, died July 1, 2023. He was 93.

Linwood Leroy “Lee” Arthur ’58 of Flower Mound, Texas, died May 9, 2023. He was 87.

VMI Alumni Review

Taps He matriculated from Coleman Falls, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Sue; children, Lori Wilkins (Dave), Bradford Arthur (Rayelynn), Douglas Arthur (Anita), Michael Arthur (Sonya), Jerri Jacobs (Tom), and Kristi Frederick (Kelby); and brother, David Arthur (Mollie).

Albert L. Bramble III ’58 Albert Lester “Bert” Bramble III ’58 of Boynton Beach, Florida, died April 21, 2023.

He was 87.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Lorraine Bramble; children, Christopher Bramble, Timothy Bramble, and Ginger Bramble Kennedy; grandchildren, Kyra Bramble, Serena Bramble, Quinlan Kennedy, and Aidan Kennedy; step-children, Stacey Krizan and Garrett Bruttomesso; and step-grandchildren, Logan Krizan, D.J. Krizan, Brooke Krizan, Cole Bruttomesso, and Paige Bruttomesso.

He was preceded in death by his former wife, Judy Bramble.

John W. Noeltner Jr. ’58 John William Noeltner Jr. ’58 of Camden, South Carolina, died July 17, 2023. He was 86.

He matriculated from Williamsville, New York, and spent one year at VMI. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Marley Noeltner; son, Keith; grandchildren, Kyle and Laura; step-daughters, Kim and Lori; and step-grandchildren, Carson, Jamie, and Ashley.

He was preceded in death by his son, Kirk; step-son, Jason; and sister, Joyce.

Samuel B. Witt III ’58 Samuel Brown “Sam” Witt III ’58 of Richmond, Virginia, died July 6, 2023. He was 87.

He matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Virginia and a certificate from the Harvard Business School Senior International Management Program.

(Editor’s Note: An extended obituary for Witt appears in the In Memory section of this issue.)

Jerry C. Booth ’59 Jerry Clark Booth ’59, M.D., of Waynesboro, Virginia, died June 27, 2023. He was 86.

2023-Issue 4

He matriculated from Abingdon, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Virginia.

Edward G. Talley ’59 Edward Garner “Ed” Talley ’59 of Roanoke, Virginia, died June 3, 2023. He was 87.

He matriculated from Salem, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He is survived by his son, Edward G. Talley Jr.; daughter, Lisa Paige Taylor (Jon); grandchildren, Laura Hernandez (Kyle), Alicia Talley, Jack Talley, and Rachel Talley; great-granddaughter, Valerie Hernandez; brother-in-law, Dale Oakey (Susie); and former daughters-in-law, Melissa Evans Talley and Kathleen Meilink.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Caroline Oakey Talley; son, Minor Christopher Talley, M.D.; and infant daughter.

Louis E. Frenzel Jr. ’60 Louis Earl Frenzel Jr. ’60 of Bulverde, Texas, died Jan. 9, 2023. He was 84.

He matriculated from Galveston, Texas, and spent less than one year at VMI. He is survived by his wife, Joan; children, Louis Frenzel III, Ann Powell, John Frenzel, and Sallie Frenzel; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; siblings, Judy Crane, Jeanne Gibson, and Mark Frenzel; and sonin-law, Glenn Powell.

Richard H. Schweickert ’60 Richard Henry Schweickert ’60 of Corona del Mar, California, died July 11, 2023. He was 84.

He matriculated from Altadena, California, and spent less than one year at VMI. He is survived by his wife, Betty Martin Schweickert; son, Richard Henry Schweickert Jr. (Maureen); daughter, Merritt Schweickert Blake (Greg); and grandchildren, Tyler Richard Schweickert, Joseph Douglas Blake, Julia Helen Schweickert, Samantha Elizabeth Blake, Carson Davis Schweickert, Katherine Paige Blake, and Daniel Gregory Blake.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Graham R. “Bud” Schweickert Jr., James Davis Schweickert, and David MacDonald Schweickert.

William B. Tatterson Jr. ’60 William Bernard Tatterson Jr. ’60 of

Mathews, Virginia, died June 13, 2023. He was 85.

He matriculated from Mathews and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He is survived by his daughter, Kathryn Tatterson (Sterling Hudgins); grandson, Ray Hudgins; step-granddaughters, Madeline Hudgins and Morgan Schultz (Jeff); sister, Margaret Sutton; and brother, John Borum Tatterson (Ann).

He was preceded in death by his former wife, Jeannie Hudgins Tatterson.

James K. Ring Jr. ’61 James Kirk “Jim” Ring Jr. ’61 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died May 22, 2023. He was 85.

He matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and spent three years at VMI. He is survived by his wife, Franklynn Williamson “Frankie” Ring; children, Roberta Davis Ring Merriman (Matthew Merriman ’81), Jeffery Kirk Ring (Amy), and James Wright “Jim” Ring ’88 (Leigh Anne); grandchildren, Kristine Roberta Merriman Suttle (Matthew), Joshua William Merriman, Caroline Elizabeth Ring, Davis Kirk Ring, Joshua Wright Ring, and Elise Noelle Ring; and great-grandchild, Madeleine Roberta Suttle.

Fielding L. Wilson Jr. ’61 Fielding Lewis Wilson Jr. ’61 of Stafford, Virginia, died June 27, 2023. He was 84.

He matriculated from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and spent one year at VMI. He is survived by his wife, Bettie Brewer Beckwith Wilson; children, Fielding Brewer Wilson (Rich McCrary) and Sarah Ashlin Wilson Harrington (Jason); and grandson, Jayden Lewis Harrington.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Anne Martin Wilson Rowe.

William H. Cook ’62 William Howard “Bill” Cook ’62 of Henderson, Nevada, died July 2, 2023. He was 82.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Miriam; children, John (Brooke) and Suzanne (Dave Downey); grandchildren, Joshua, Braxton, and Rylan; step-children, Maria, Yvonne, and Wilfredo; step-grandchildren, Olivia, Kevin, Anthony, Michael, Sarah, and Daniel; brother, John;

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Taps and sister, Karen.

He was preceded in death by his former wife, Freddie, and grandson, Nicholas.

Mark H. Graybill Jr. ’62 Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Hickerson Graybill Jr. ’62 of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, died July 11, 2023. He was 84.

He matriculated from Salem, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Southern Illinois University.

He is survived by his children, Terri Lynn Duke (Robert), Mark Todd Graybill (Kami Martin), and Kelly Lee Graybill; grandson, Logan Todd Graybill; and former wife, Barbara C. Graybill.

Neil A. O’Connor ’62 Neil Andrew O’Connor ’62 of New Port Richey, Florida, died June 25, 2023. He was 82.

He matriculated from Winnetka, Illinois, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Dee.

Lewis W. Reed ’62 Lewis Warren Reed ’62 of Savannah, Georgia, died June 7, 2023. He was 83.

He matriculated from Warwick, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Annette; son, Warren Reed Jr. (Chris); 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; step-sons, Mark Canady (Shannon) and Joe Canady (Heather); step-daughter, Renee Wilkes (Tim); and brother, Michael Reed (Barbara).

Frederick W. Shirley ’62 Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Frederick William “Fred” Shirley ’62 of Spring, Texas, died July 7, 2023. He was 83.

He matriculated from Silver Spring, Maryland, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University.

He is survived by his daughter, Kendra Benedict; sons, Kevin Shirley (Holly) and Kent Shirley (Amanda); grandchildren, Madelin, Maya, Will, Abby, Owen, Nate, Dayton, Taylor, Samantha, and Alexandra; brother, Ed Shirley; and sister, Elizabeth McIntyre.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Judy

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Shirley, and grandchildren, Hannah and Holden.

James M. Wood Jr. ’62 James Marshall “Jim” Wood Jr. ’62 of Suwanee, Georgia, died May 18, 2023. He was 82.

He matriculated from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University.

He is survived by his children, Mark and Victoria.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne.

Michael M. Stockdell ’63 Michael Meade “Mike” Stockdell ’63 of Columbia, South Carolina, died June 2, 2023.

He was 81.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and spent two years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia, a Master of Fine Arts degree from Georgia State University, and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Whitton Stockdell; children, William Maupin Stockdell (Rekesha) and Caroline Clay Wilhelm (Jason); grandchildren, Devin, Henry, Arden, Elise, and Abbie; step-children, Elizabeth, Rebekah, and Jonathan; and brother, Cary Randolph Stockdell (Melissa).

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Dr. Anne Meade Stockdell-Giesler.

Elbert O. Drumheller Jr. ’64 Elbert Oakley Drumheller Jr. ’64 of Lynchburg, Virginia, died May 22, 2022. He was 79.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from the Florida Institute of Technology.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy; sons, Scott Drumheller and Devin Drumheller (Kara Trowell); daughter, Daron Hewitt (Ryan); and sister, Sue Perry.

He was preceded in death by his sisters, Abby Eloise Drumheller and Candice Drumheller Baker.

John P. Mathay ’64 John Preston “Jack” Mathay ’64 of Conneaut, Ohio, died June 2, 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Youngstown, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from

VMI. He earned a Master of Education degree from Westminster College.

He is survived by his wife, Judith A. Mathay; children, Elizabeth Vinciquerra (Anthony), Sarah Zurbuchen (Matthew), and Andrew Mathay (Lydia Munnell); grandsons, Jonas Vinciquerra, Luca Vinciquerra, Remy Zurbuchen, Loic Zurbuchen, and Asa Mathay; and sister, Mary Frances Mathay.

He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Lillian Vinciquerra.

George M. Rapport ’64 George Michael Rapport ’64 of Madison, Connecticut, died July 11, 2023. He was 80.

He matriculated from Eastchester, New York, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics.

He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Princeton University.

He is survived by his wife, Jane H. Rapport; sons, Michael, Allan, and Nicholas; and four grandchildren.

David W. Bywaters II ’65 David Walter Bywaters II ’65 of Whitehouse, Texas, died May 22, 2023. He was 80.

He matriculated from Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He is survived by his children, Melinda B. Downey (David), Catherine B. Kivlan (John), and David W. “Trey” Bywaters III (Allie); and grandchildren, Jane Bywaters and Brynn Bywaters.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Patricia B. Waller.

Frederic W. Cochran ’65 Frederic Worth “Fred” Cochran ’65 of Danville, California, died June 29, 2023. He was 81.

He matriculated from Suffern, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Science degree from the University of Southern California.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; son, Greg Cochran (Lisa); daughter, Jill Newton; granddaughters, Taylor and Emma Newton; and step-grandchildren, Holly and Kasch Hopkins.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Lynn Cochran, and brother, Bruce Cochran.

VMI Alumni Review

Taps Robert L. Gordon Jr. ’66 Robert Lee “Rob” Gordon Jr. ’66 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, died July 7, 2023. He was 78.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Richmond and a Master of Health Administration degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Karen, and sister, Mary Ellen Gordon.

David H. Bristow ’67 David Hart “Dave” Bristow ’67, M.D., of Hartfield, Virginia, died June 29, 2023. He was 78.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his children, Talia Rose (Evey), Isabel Wilshire (Nick), Gabriel Bristow (Holly), and Christopher Bristow; sister, Jean Bristow Jordan; and former wife, Allison Hendrick Bristow.

James N. Joyner Jr. ’67 Retired U.S. Army Col. James Nurney “Jim” Joyner Jr. ’67 of Lexington, Virginia, died July 4, 2023. He was 79.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned Master of Arts degrees from the Army War College, the Naval War College, and Georgia State University.

(Editor’s Note: An extended obituary for Joyner appears in the In Memory section of this issue.)

Michael R. Shemonsky ’67 Michael Richard Shemonsky ’67 of Kutztown, Pennsylvania, died Oct. 26, 2022. He was 77.

He matriculated from Peckville, Pennsylvania, and spent less than one year at VMI. He is survived by his son, Nicholas C. Shemonsky (Ashley); grandson, Christopher Shemonsky; and sister, Susan Logorda.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra L. Shemonsky; sister, Barbara Kman; and brother, Jerry Shemonsky.

John J. Bagby ’68 John Jackson “Jack” Bagby ’68 of Charlotte,

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North Carolina, died Nov. 13, 2022. He was 77.

He matriculated from Danville, Virginia, and spent just under three years at VMI. He is survived by his children, John, Emily, and Matthew, and six grandchildren.

Kenneth F. Houston ’69 Kenneth Frank “Ken” Houston ’69 of Salisbury, North Carolina, died June 23, 2023.

He was 76.

He matriculated from Alexandria, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from Auburn University.

He is survived by his wife, Susan; children, Wendy Safrit (Chuck), William Kenneth “Bill” Houston (Yalile), and Jeffrey King (Lisa); grandchildren, R. Cook, Hayden, Vivien, Cheyenne, Sarah, Alex, and Raechel; and brother, Rob Houston (Deb).

John M. Baumgardner Sr. ’74 John Miles Baumgardner Sr. ’74 of Stephens City, Virginia, died July 23, 2023. He was 71.

He matriculated from Washington, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his sons, David Kirkwood Baumgardner, Stuart Davis Baumgardner, and Garrett Vogel Baumgardner; grandchildren, Jackson Miles Baumgardner, Tannen Baumgardner, and Audrey Ann Baumgardner; sister, Ann H. Baumgardner; and sister-in-law, Margaret D. Baumgardner.

He was preceded in death by his son, John Miles Baumgardner Jr., and brother, Douglas Kirkwood Baumgardner ’73, who died Nov. 30, 2021.

John E. Valenstein ’74 John Earle Valenstein ’74 of Cambridge, Maryland, died June 25, 2023. He was 71.

He matriculated from East Lansing, Michigan, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in modern languages from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Baum Valenstein; brother, Richard Valenstein (Kitty); and sisters-in-law, Gloria McWilliams and Charlene McWilliams.

Paul V. DeCarli ’75 Paul Victor DeCarli ’75 of Bedford, Virginia, died May 28, 2023. He was 70.

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and spent one year at VMI. He is survived by his sister, Marguerite

DeCarli; brothers, Earl DeCarli ’78 (Jenny Quinn), James DeCarli (Bonnie), and Robert DeCarli (Kelly); and brother-in-law, Dr. Bill Mitchell.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Johanna DeCarli Mitchell.

Carlton G. Opel ’76 Carlton George “Carl” Opel ’76 of Miami, Florida, died June 13, 2023. He was 68.

He matriculated from El Paso, Texas, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He earned a Master of Civil Engineering degree from the University of California – Berkeley.

He is survived by his wife, Anna; children, Rick Szymanski and Jenilee Szymanski; grandchildren, Marianna, Elysia, Araceli, Sophia, and Fernando; brothers, Mike Powell and Chris Opel; and sisters, Elizabeth Holmes and Kathryn Dittman.

William C.R. Potts ’82 William Cabell Rives Potts ’82 of Deltaville, Virginia, died May 21, 2023. He was 63.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and spent three years at VMI. He is survived by his brother, Allen Rives Potts Jr. ’71.

He was preceded in death by his father, Allen Rives Potts ’43, who died Feb. 26, 1998, and grandfather, Thomas Rives Potts, Class of 1918, who died April 29, 1956.

Andrew P.D. Blair ’94 Andrew Philip Davis Blair ’94, Ph.D., of Austin, Texas, died May 3, 2023. He was 50.

He matriculated from Stafford, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Gyeongsang National University.

He is survived by his wife, Melody; daughter, Helia; son, Abel; step-daughter, Jinah; mother, Whitney; and sister, Heather.

He was preceded in death by his father, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Frank Blair.

David C. Underwood Jr. ’94 David Cecil Underwood Jr. ’94 of Lynch Station, Virginia, died June 9, 2023. He was 52.

He matriculated from Clifton, Virginia, and spent three years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University

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Taps of Arkansas and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Texas – San Antonio.

He is survived by his wife, Abby; daughter, Alexandra; son, Thomas; father, retired U.S. Air Force Col. David C. Underwood Sr.; step-mother, Margaret; and brother, Sean.

He was preceded in death by his mother, June Ellen Underwood.

VMI Family John T. Hooton John Thomas Hooton of Goshen, Virginia, died July 16, 2023. He was 69.

He worked in VMI Dining Services.

He is survived by his son, John E. Hooton (Amy Brown); granddaughter, Edith; and sister, Kay White (Michael).

Paul D. Humphries Paul Douglas “Doug” Humphries died July 13, 2023. He was 66.

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He taught in the Department of International Studies at VMI. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts degree from the University of California – Los Angeles.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; daughters, Dade, Coady, and Charlotte; sister, Virginia Biacsi; and brother, John Thaddeus.

Louis R.F. Preysz III Louis Robert Fonss “Lou” Preysz III of Lexington, Virginia, died July 9, 2023. He was 78.

He formerly taught in the Department of Economics and Business at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Utah.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia; children, Louis IV, Christine (Fogarty), Mike, and Dan; seven grandchildren; sisters, Carole and Marsha; and brother, Jim.

Charlotte B. Walker Charlotte Behrenberg Walker of Southern Pines, North Carolina, died June 23, 2023.

She was 93.

Her husband, retired U.S. Army Gen. Sam S. Walker ’45, served as VMI’s 11th superintendent from 1981–88.

She is survived by her sons, retired Col. Walton H. Walker II (Catherine) and retired Lt. Cmdr. Sam S. Walker III (June); grandchildren, Walton H. Walker III (Lorene), Sam B. Walker, Joseph B. Walker (Katee), Charlotte W. Olsen (Thomas), Catherine W. Mielke (Benjamin), and Michael S. Walker; and great-grandchildren, Ellis and Lucy Olsen, Gale and Jonathan Walker, and William and Emily Mielke.

She was preceded in death by her husband and daughter, Sally Anne Walker.

Virginia B.D. Young Virginia Bledsoe Davis Young of McLean, Virginia, died July 30, 2023. She was 77.

She formerly served on the VMI Foundation Board of Trustees.

She is survived by her husband, Reynolds Young ’66; daughter, Virginia Young Newton-Newhouse (Brian); and granddaughters, Katherine Reynolds Newton and Halbrook Frances Newton.

VMI Alumni Review

After Taps Samuel B. Witt III ’58

By Gene Williams ’74 If you knew Sam Witt ’58 personally, you know that he personified class. There were several traits Sam shared with many VMI graduates from his era. He was smart, dignified, very efficient and purposeful in executing his business affairs, and he was generous with his time, talents, and treasure. What was quintessential Sam, however, was his character and courage. When he committed to doing something, it was as good as done.

He was committed to the College Orientation Workshop program, which he demonstrated in both word and deed. He was one of the initial members of COW’s board of directors when we received our 501(c)(3) designation in 1998, and he continued his service as a director for almost two decades.

In fact, COW was one of the last boards with which Sam was involved. Along with other board members, Sam helped guide COW to expand its program offerings and geographic scope and ensure its financial stability.

In that latter area, Sam was indispensable. In 1998, COW had an equity of around $66,000.

Sam arranged for me to meet Thomas A. Saunders III ’58, his brother rat, in his New York City office, where I made my “elevator presentation” about COW. Afterward, Mr. Saunders made a significant pledge. That pledge—combined with another substantial commitment from another donor—was the basis of the current financial status of COW, of which the total equity has grown by almost 30 times. Without Sam, it is unlikely I would have ever had the opportunity to make the case for support directly to Tom Saunders.

Besides giving COW immediate legitimacy, Sam held COW’s leadership to high standards and mentored me personally in the challenging world of charity management. Sam also was a tremendous influence on me personally.

Being like Sam was an aspirational target for me. Sam was a significant talent and extremely influential, in and out of VMI circles. It was

strong motivation for me that such a talented and well-connected person would invest his time and resources in me and the program I loved. I also learned a lot from him directly as a mentor and indirectly by studying his example, and what I learned helped me grow exponentially.

He was not always easy on me when I dropped a ball or acted without confidence.

However, he was never condescending or acted as if he was somehow superior. I learned how to be a better leader and how to be civil, even when I was upset.

Undoubtedly, Sam made the world so much better than he found it. I am grateful he chose to share his gifts and his time with COW—and me. I count that as a true blessing for me and the many young men who have been associated with the program.

I pray Sam’s soul will rest in everlasting serenity, and his memory will grow in all those who were blessed to have known him.

John M. Baumgardner ’74

By Bert Graham ’74 Brother Rat John Miles Baumgardner ’74 passed away peacefully at his home in Stephens City, Virginia, July 23, 2023. John was born and graduated from high school in Northern Virginia, but he considered home to be Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia, on his family’s farm. Washington, Virginia (not to be confused with the “other” nearby municipality called Washington, D.C.) is the home of the Inn at Little Washington, which is well known in the foodie community. John was not a foodie.

John enjoyed outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, and hunting and annually contributed to the operation of a Christmas tree farm operated by his family. John also was musically gifted and excelled at piano and accordion. John managed to conceal his musical virtuosity while at VMI, probably with good reason. I cannot picture John playing the accordion anywhere at VMI without generating a significant amount of good-natured abuse

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from his brother rats.

John spent three of his years at VMI somewhat in the shadow of his brother, Doug ’73.

A member of the Class of 1973 told me Doug was an ideal cadet and graduate of VMI, which is accurate. I don’t think this bothered John, although I do recall in one instance, John told me his father, after a dinner with John and Doug, criticized John for the quality of his shoeshine. John later slyly pointed out to me that his dad graduated from Virginia Tech and was a member of their corps of cadets, so maybe the shoeshine comment lacked credibility. John was a proud 1st Class private.

John received his VMI degree in civil engineering and later earned his professional engineer license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. I know of several civil engineering grads with better GPAs than John who never achieved PE status. This likely is because the word persistent is a synonym for John Baumgardner. His professional career was in

the civil engineering and land surveying field with several government and private organizations where he put his PE skills to good use and was able to work outdoors periodically.

John eventually formed John Baumgardner, PC, Land Planners and Surveyors. Most of his firm’s business was in Rappahannock County and the surrounding area. John was sometimes required to visit the county offices to research deeds, which often enabled him to expand his extensive knowledge of Rappahannock County (formed 1833) history and lore, which he was always willing to share. In 1975, John drove from his home in Washington to my home in Roanoke in order to drive us to and from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for the U.S. Army’s Field Artillery Officer’s Basic Course.

I learned a lot about Rappahannock County during the outward journey and more (with some repetition) during the return journey.

I did a terrible job of staying in touch with John after our brief stint of Army active duty.

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After Taps There were one or two stories passed along to me over the years about John, but we had no direct contact. I called John in late fall 2022 during our VMI 50th Reunion planning cycle, and we did not miss a beat during our lengthy chat. John was proud of his four boys, and he told me his health was not good. Subsequently, John sent a

couple of handwritten letters to our class agent and sent me what he claimed was his first text message, which he managed to send twice. After our recent encounter, I promised myself to call John a couple of times per year but did not do so prior to John’s passing. A message for all BRs of 1974 and other readers is not to put off

any opportunity to catch up with your friends.

John was an unassuming, persistent, friendly, and loyal brother rat who led a life centered around outdoor activities, music, local history, business application of civil engineering principles, and his family. We all should do so well in life.

John E. Valenstein ’74

By Bill Pennypacker ’74 Retired U.S. Army Maj. John Earle Valenstein ’74 passed away peacefully June 25, 2023, at home in Cambridge, Maryland, after a long and heroic battle with ALS. John was an Army brat born April 19, 1952, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Throughout his too-brief life, John lived and experienced life in many places in the United States, including Maryland, Kansas, Florida, and Virginia, and abroad, including France, Greece, Germany, and Belgium; however, he considered Cambridge—where he met and married his lovely wife, Mary Ann, in 2013—to be his true home.

John entered VMI in August 1970 along with his 380-some brother rats and graduated four years later with a cadet saber as a Company F lieutenant, a degree in modern languages, a commission as a second lieutenant of field artillery, and the enduring friendship of his many brother rats. Tragically, his four-year roommate, Cliff Biram ’74, predeceased John by several years.

Upon graduation, John followed his muchloved and respected dad into the Army. Beginning with his service at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), in the XVIII Corps Field Artillery, John had a long and varied Army career with service both at home and in Europe. Unlike many of his liberal arts brother rats, John actually managed to find a use for his degree that late

in his career: He managed to parlay his mastery of French learned at VMI into a cushy NATO assignment in Belgium. Though John always thought of himself as a soldier, his retirement after 20 years of dedicated service left him plenty of time for a full second career.

Following the Army, John threw himself into a new calling, founding a successful financial planning practice with a good friend. What he enjoyed most was helping his clients, whatever their needs, whatever their status—wealthy or just getting started in life—to achieve their life objectives. He was smart, analytical, thorough, possessed a great work ethic, and endlessly dedicated to his clients’ success. He enjoyed getting to know them, their families, and their interests.

I remember his pleasure in telling me how he had helped one of his clients achieve the status of millionaire and the sense of accomplishment that gave him.

John had a lifelong love of travel. While his journeys took him across America and the world, I especially remember the great mid-Atlantic motorcycle ride of June 1976. He and I rode 1,700 miles in two weeks—camping in the Smokies; spending a night in Moody Hall (wonder if they ever got the mud out of the drain); sponging off his aunt and uncle in Washington, D.C.; and finally a couple of days with his younger cousins in Ocean City, Maryland,

before riding back down the coast.

In later years, his travel was more sedate and upscale, which reflected his love of the good life. He enjoyed a “bonne bouteille” and good camembert. He was also a consummate reader and master curator of music playlists. Having no children of his own, he delighted in visiting his brother, Rich; sister-in-law, Kitty; and his nieces and nephew, of whom he was immensely proud.

In 2007, John met the love of his life, Mary Ann Baum, and in 2013, they married in a wonderful ceremony in Cambridge. They lived in a beautiful home where John, in retirement, savored his well-earned life’s experiences either with friends (on several occasions, we shared oysters on the half-shell and our respective whiskeys together) or sharing a quiet moment with Mary Ann on their porch overlooking the water.

John faced the challenges of ALS with great courage. When diagnosed, his great concern was for his wife and his family, not for himself. As his condition steadily deteriorated, his family marveled at his courage in facing life each day—his morale high, his ability to smile, enjoy the simple pleasures of watching a good old movie with family, reminiscing about old times, or listening to what his nieces and nephew were up to.

John lived his life to the fullest. He departed this world in peace for a better place, and his brother rats will miss him.

Laurence “Jack” Adams ’77, M.D.

By Steve Kelly ’77 Our brother rat and friend, Laurence “Jack” Adams ’77, M.D., died suddenly Jan. 25, 2023.

Jack hailed from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

At VMI, Jack served on The Cadet staff and participated in the Civil War Roundtable. Not one to seek rank within the Corps, he remained

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a private and simply buried his head in the books. His brother rats remember studying with Jack most nights in the chemistry and biology buildings. Jack graduated academically distinguished and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. He attended the Georgetown

University School of Medicine and, upon graduation, became an Air Force flight surgeon. After a superb Air Force career, Jack moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he practiced medicine with Colorado Springs Neurological Associates for over 26 years.

VMI Alumni Review

After Taps There, the city honored him as one of their top physicians.

Jack was not only a recognized physician; he was a man of faith and family. He loved his roles as husband to his wife, Michelle; father of his

two daughters, Beth and Laura; father-in-law to Paul and Eric; and grandfather (“Dagra”) to his two grandsons, Samuel and David. Jack’s family would tell you he had many passions, including baseball, economics, history, and reading, but

his life was defined by his love and compassion for others. We can only hope our lives will be remembered like Jack’s. Rest in peace, brother rat, knowing that you will be greatly missed by all whose lives you touched.

Evan H. “Skeet” Ashby III ’77

By Steve Kelly ’77 Our brother rat and friend, Evan Hamilton “Skeet” Ashby III ’77, passed away Jan. 26, 2023, after a lengthy battle with Guillian-Barre Syndrome. Skeet came to VMI from Remington, Virginia. He was the photo editor for the VMI Bomb, served with the VMI firefighters, and was a member of the American Chemical Society. Following graduation, Skeet was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He qualified as a navigator and served aboard KC-135 Stratotankers for 17-and-a-half years. After the Air Force, Skeet felt called into ministry with the United Methodist Church. He attended Wesley

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Theological Seminary and graduated in 2007.

Unfortunately, Skeet’s illness prevented him from fully realizing his call to ministry. In spite of illness, Skeet’s family would tell you how he courageously battled to regain physical health and capability for the remainder of his life.

His exemplary perseverance, determination, and positive attitude, in spite of his physical limitations, inspired all who knew him to strive for greater strength and compassion.

Several brother rats from the Class of ’77 and Ed Johnson ’79, Alumni Association chief operating officer, had the privilege of attending Skeet’s celebration of life service

at the Remington United Methodist Church in Remington, Virginia, June 24, 2023. The church was full of those who had been touched

by Skeet’s life. His wife, Brenda, and sons paid tribute to the life of this devoted Christian minister, father, grandfather, distinguished veteran, town council member, chaplain firefighter, mentor, and friend. Skeet had requested the VMI Doxology be sung at this service, and the VMI contingent present was blessed to be able to make this happen.

Rest in peace, brother rat, knowing you will be greatly missed. Our desire is to emulate the life you lived in spite of the adversity you faced.

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STAFF NEWS Deal ’12, King ’85 Transition to New Roles The VMI Alumni Agencies named Andrew Deal ’12 Alumni Agencies chief development officer in addition to his role as Keydet Club chief operating officer.

As a cadet-athlete scholarship recipient himself, Deal remains passionate about the power of athletic scholarships and the work of the Keydet Club. His additional title as Alumni Agencies chief development officer reflects his larger contributions to the Agencies and commitment to supporting the Institute.

Deal matriculated from Chester, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics Deal ’12 and business from VMI. He lives with his wife, Carly, and daughter, Cameron, in Lexington.

“The scope of Andrew’s work far exceeds his role as COO of the Keydet Club,” said David Prasnicki, Alumni Agencies chief executive officer.

“We are now recognizing him for his leadership role in annual giving, planned giving, and working with major gift officers. He has added new energy to his staff. I look forward to great results in the near future.”

Meade King ’85 was named Alumni Agencies director of advancement in addition to his role as the VMI Foundation chief operating officer.

Throughout his career, King has served as an advancement professional in admissions, alumni relations, and development for two Virginia prep schools and two Virginia colleges. Before his position as Foundation COO, King helped lead the Keydet Club as its chief operating officer. He holds a degree in modern languages from VMI and earned two development certifications from the School of Professional and Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. King has also served as a member of the VMI faculty.

He is married to Leslie King, his high school King ’85 sweetheart and Ring Figure date, and the couple has three adult children and one grandchild. They consider it a privilege to serve King’s alma mater and make their home in beautiful Rockbridge County.

“In his career, Meade has contributed to many areas within the Alumni Agencies,” said Prasnicki. “He will bring a more focused approach to advancement. Critical areas, such as reunion giving, the Institute Society, and the General J.H. Binford Peay III ’62 Endowment for Academic Excellence, will all benefit from his care and attention.”

Four Alumni Join VMI Alumni Agencies Staff Ethan Carpenter ’23 joined the Alumni Agencies as development officer in June 2023.

Carpenter is originally from Chesterfield, Virginia. Throughout his time at VMI, he developed his leadership abilities as a cadet-athlete on the NCAA wrestling team for all four years.

Carpenter served as a cadet emergency medical technician, contributed to the VMI strings club as a violinist, and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Just days before his graduation, Carpenter ran around the Parade Ground for 24 consecutive Carpenter ’23 hours as a fundraiser supporting Operation Enduring Warrior, a nonprofit dedicated to helping wounded military and law enforcement veterans. During his run, he completed 125 laps, logging more than 70 miles and raising over $4,000.

With his experience as the cadet-in-charge of the call center and as an Alumni Association intern, Carpenter honed his communication and alumni relation-building skills. He has an enthusiasm for engagement and a passion for VMI, and he is committed to continuing to make a positive impact on the Institute in his new role.

“Ethan’s passion for VMI and fundraising experience as a cadet will greatly benefit our development team,” said Andrew Deal ’12, Alumni Agencies chief development officer and Keydet Club chief operating officer. “We look forward to his continued success in building positive

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relationships with our alumni in his new role.”

Kevin Ryan ’01 was named Alumni Agencies financial controller in June 2023. A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Ryan graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business. After graduation, he obtained a master’s degree in accounting and certified public accountant licensure.

Ryan worked in the finance industry for several years before returning to VMI to serve as the Institute’s comptroller.

Before joining the Agencies, he spent his last two years at the Institute working in the superintendent’s office.

Ryan and his wife, Danielle, have three sons and have enjoyed living in Lexington since 2014.

“We’re very fortunate to have Kevin on our team,” said Crissy Elliott, Alumni Agencies chief financial officer. “His previous work experience, coupled with his institutional knowledge, will be a tremendous asset. His existing awareness of and appreciation for the extent and significance of VMI alumni and family Ryan ’01 support to the Institute will serve him well in his new role with the Agencies.”

Justin Tammelin ’09 joined the Alumni Association as director of alumni engagement August 2023. His primary focus will be working alongside local chapters to plan and execute events that best serve the alumni

VMI Alumni Review

Staff News population. He enjoys building relationships with people and spent the last eight years working on restaurant leadership teams for Chick-fil-A. Tammelin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI and later earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in marketing from Liberty University.

He lives in Staunton, Virginia, with his wife, Meg, and their two little girls, Charleston (5) and Berkeley (3). Tammelin enjoys cooking and beTammelin ’09 ing outdoors. He hopes to have a positive impact on everyone he interacts with and is grateful and honored to be able to serve his fellow alumni and the Institute.

“I am excited to welcome Justin to the Alumni Association team,” said Ed Johnson ’79, Alumni Association chief operating officer. “He brings a wealth of experience in leadership and teamwork, and I am confident he will make significant contributions to our organization.”

John Weeda ’93 is a dedicated professional with a passion for philanthropy and international education. In July 2023, he joined the Alumni Agencies as a major gift officer, assuming the crucial role of fostering leadership giving in the western part of the U.S.

Before joining the Alumni Agencies, Weeda spent 27 years as a managing director in JPMorgan Chase & Company’s corporate and investment banking division. However, his heart led him to pursue a meaningful career in cultivating support for various causes.

A native of Burke, Virginia, Weeda’s own transformative study abroad experience in Valencia, Spain, during his cadetship inspired him to advocate for international study opportunities for all cadets. He believes in the power of global experiences in shaping individuals’ lives.

Beyond his professional achievements, Weeda dedicates his free time to making a difference as a child advocate with the Young Center. This nonprofit organization champions the rights and best interests of unaccompanied immigrant children, ensuring their safety and well-being, whether in the U.S. or their home countries.

Weeda currently resides in Staunton, Virginia, with his wife, Leeanne, and is a proud father of three college-age sons.

“I am excited to welcome John to the team.

As a major gift officer, he will play a key role in our efforts to encourage leading support for the Institute,” said Deal. “His experience and accomplishments, paired with his passion for Weeda ’93 VMI, will serve him well.”

Three Alumni Agencies Employees Promoted to New Roles Sydney Coffey was promoted to the role of strategic operations officer in July 2023. She began working for the Alumni Agencies in July 2021 as a direct marketing specialist and transitioned into the role of assistant director of annual giving in October 2022.

Coffey, a native of Lexington, Virginia, served as an intern with the VMI Alumni Association in 2019. Following her undergraduate studies at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, and University College Cork in Cork City, Ireland, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Before joining the Agencies in a full-time capacity, Coffey served as a special needs private education aide and worked closely with teachers, speech therapists, and program coordinators to maintain communications with children through English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. She has a passion for nonprofit fundraising and making a difference in the lives of others.

In her new role, Coffey is responsible for developing solicitation strategies, creating compelling messaging, and overseeing the production and distribution of all fundraising materials. She utilizes data-driven approaches to analyze giving patterns, donor behavior, and campaign effectiveness to inform decision making, identify trends, and implement strategies for donor segmentation and targeted appeals.

“Sydney continues to transform our annual giving efforts,” said Andrew Deal ’12, Alumni Agencies chief development officer and Keydet Club chief operating officer. “She is always willing to help others across departments and brings an innovative approach to our development strategy.”

Joe Czekner was named VMI Alumni Agencies creative content manager in July 2023. He joined the Agencies communications team in January as graphic designer and photographer. Now, in addition to project design, Czekner will lead the charge in strategizing, repurposing, and storing Alumni Agencies creative content.

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Czekner graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in design and visual communications and has over a decade of experience in the design field.

Amy Goetz, Alumni Agencies chief communications officer, said, “It didn’t take long for the VMI Alumni Agencies to identify Joe’s potential.

Within a very short period of time, he enhanced the look of the Alumni Review and dynamically adjusted how we present the great news stories regarding our cadets and faculty. Joe’s leadership in establishing creative content paths forward will benefit us greatly.”

Corri Sensabaugh was named annual giving data analyst in July 2023.

She joined the VMI Alumni Agencies in February 2019 as the Alumni Association assistant director of reunions before becoming director of reunions in 2022. While part of the reunion team, Sensabaugh was actively involved in reunion events both pre- and post-COVID-19, from having the unique opportunity to facilitate the Association’s first virtual reunions during the pandemic to welcoming back a record number of classes during the Fiscal Year 2022 timeframe.

Before joining the Alumni Agencies, Sensabaugh worked for the Kroger Company in several capacities, including human resources, talent management, and operations. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College in 2009. Sensabaugh resides in Rockbridge County with her husband, Chad; son, Hutson; and daughter, Henly.

“Corri is going to be analyzing our data, helping to build more effective annual giving segments, tracking appeals, and building out different metrics and dashboards to help us track our progress and understand what we’re doing well and what we can improve on,” said Deal. “She brings a lot of experience and a strong work ethic to the team, and we’re excited to have her.”

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The Words on Which We Stand THE MISSION OF VMI Virginia Military Institute believes that the measure of a college lies in the quality and performance of its graduates and their contributions to society.

Therefore, it is the mission of Virginia Military Institute to produce educated, honorable men and women, prepared for the varied work of civil life, imbued with love of learning, confident in the functions and attitudes of leadership, possessing a high sense of public service, advocates of the American Democracy and free enterprise system, and ready as citizen-soldiers to defend their country in time of national peril.

To accomplish this result, Virginia Military Institute shall provide to qualified young men and women undergraduate education of the highest quality—embracing engineering, science, and the arts—conducted in, and facilitated by, the unique VMI system of military discipline.

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VMI Alumni Review

A VMI cadet lives by the Honor Code, which states a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. A cadet is also expected to live honorably in accordance with the Code of a Cadet. Both Codes demand the inviolability of actions and words and the incorruptibility of VMI principles.

Code of The Cadet A cadet’s word is their bond.

A cadet embodies integrity at all times.

A cadet is a leader of character who offers equal respect, treatment, and understanding to all.

A cadet stands against intolerance, prejudice, discrimination, hate, and oppression.

A cadet productively communicates, lives, and works with people from many backgrounds.

A cadet finds sacred duty to country, state, the Corps, family, and friends.

A cadet embodies a philosophy of physical well-being.

Good manners, grace, proper humor, and humility are commonplace characteristics of a cadet.

A cadet is appropriate in speech, habits, and dress.

A cadet never takes counsel of their fears.

A VMI cadet is a well-mannered, respectful, and properly presented individual who holds themself and others accountable for their actions and words as a valued member of the Corps. VMI standards are high for meaningful purpose; to produce leaders of character. A cadet wears the VMI uniform with pride, always remembering and demonstrating what it means to be a VMI cadet.