2026-Issue 2 VMI Alumni Review

2026 - Issue 2

Virginia Military Institute

In This Issue . . .

This issue includes class notes and news items covering the time period of Nov. 15, 2025, to Feb. 15, 2026.

In Memory

PUBLISHER

VMI Alumni Agencies

Interim Chief Executive Officer: Crissy Elliott

Chief Communications Officer: Amy Goetz

Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Czekner

Assistant Editor: Mattie Montgomery

Communications Officer: Scott Belliveau ’83

Designer: Joe Czekner

Development Writer: Mary Price

Staff Photographers: Joe Czekner and Mary Price

Freelance Photography: H. Lockwood McLaughlin

ALUMNI REVIEW ONLINE vmialumni.org/alumnireview

PUBLISHING OFFICE

VMI Alumni Agencies

Alumni Review Office P.O. Box 932 Lexington, VA 24450 review@vmiaa.org | 540/464-7221

PRINTER

Walsworth | St. Joseph, Michigan

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. Periodicals postage paid at Lynchburg, VA, and additional mailing offices.

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Editor’s Note: Unless otherwise stated, photos courtesy VMI Alumni Agencies.

Outside Cover:

H.

Message from the Superintendent

Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87

As most of you read this, the Institute’s 2025–26 academic year will be in its final days. I am looking forward to the events of Finals Week—especially commencement, when I will present the coveted VMI diploma to the men and women of the Class of 2026. I’m also preparing for my first full year as superintendent, during which I will work with the Class of 2027 as they exercise the leadership skills learned over the past 3 years.

Looking back at the past several months, I wanted to share some of my thoughts. First and foremost, I must express my gratitude to the entire VMI family—alumni, parents, and friends—for your unwavering support, especially during the Virginia General Assembly 2026 legislative session. This was demonstrated in a variety of ways, including participation in events held across the Commonwealth by VMI Alumni Agencies and local alumni groups, along with coordinated efforts to advocate for and share the value of VMI before members of the General Assembly. Undoubtedly, this support buoyed the spirits of the VMI family, including our cadets, and boosted the confidence of everyone on post.

One of my proudest moments over the past few months was watching leaders in the Corps of Cadets respond to some news reports critical of VMI in a mature and well-considered manner by laying out facts, pointing out errors, and offering to communicate with reporters and other critics. That reflects the approach VMI has taken. We have a wonderful story to tell, and we can demonstrate that the Institute punches well above its weight when it comes to making positive contributions to the Commonwealth and the country. Our emphasis, therefore, is making that story more widely known.

That effort—and so much else—demands we have first-rate communications and marketing capability that utilizes the talent and dedication of our own professionals and the latest developments in technology and communications media. This must be a process of continuous improvement building on the good work of VMI and making the most of the already strong partnership we have with the VMI Alumni Agencies.

Holding every cadet to high standards has always been at the heart of our military system. Striving to meet those standards instills in cadets habits of self-discipline, attention to detail, and proper time management that will stand them in good stead throughout their professional and personal lives. Moreover, it makes sure cadets meet the expectations the VMI family and the public rightly have for cadets’ conduct, dress, and deportment. One of my top priorities, therefore, is the promotion of good order and discipline within the Corps of Cadets. To that end, I have been working with Col. Lawrence Havird ’90, commandant, and his dedicated staff to establish and enforce the necessary regulations and develop an understanding of the need for our standards and for cadets to take pride in their appearance and behavior.

“ I am fully committed to preserving our mission and our values, as well as ensuring excellence in our academic and athletic programs.”

This year on post, we have maintained several of the strategic initiatives begun under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Wins ’85, such as bolstering our enrollment efforts and honing our communications and marketing.

To the former, VMI is in an increasingly competitive environment when it comes to attracting high-quality young people to the Corps of Cadets. That stems from the simple fact that the number of people of high school age is steadily diminishing and will continue to do so for many years to come. Our challenge is to bring the enduring benefits of the VMI education to the attention of qualified young men and women as clearly and as soon as possible in their high school careers and encourage an increasing number of them to apply to VMI. Finally, we need to make sure the applicants we accept will make the decision to matriculate. In other words, we need to close the deal.

Daily, I deal with many challenges and details any college president would find familiar. But VMI is not just any college. It has a mission set out for it in the 1830s by its founders to educate young people in a manner that will transform them into soundly educated, honorable, and purposeful citizen-soldiers ready to lead by personal example and to serve by leading. This mission is carried out through defining components of VMI’s educational experience—the Honor Code, the Class System, the Rat Line, and the Regimental System. It is that mission and those elements which reflect our enduring values of honor, discipline, and service. I am fully committed to preserving our mission and our values, as well as ensuring excellence in our academic and athletic programs.

All of us on post are thankful that, in our work on behalf of cadets, we have strong partners in the tens of thousands of people who make up the VMI family. We are fully aware of this support—past and present—and its many positive effects on the Institute and the Corps of Cadets. We are immensely grateful for it. As I continue my tenure as superintendent, I greatly anticipate meeting with many of you and engaging your devotion and energy in the ongoing work of making VMI the preeminent small college in America.

Flores ’84, Smith ’96

Honor U.S. Marine Corps Birthday and Founders Day

Celebrating Founders Day and the U.S. Marine Corps birthday are (from left) Vincent Rivera, Alfredo Perk, Anthony Crider, Christopher Miles, Mike Fike, Shawn Flores ’84, Jason Smith ’96, Jacob McGraw, and Derek Cruz—all of whom are former Marines, except Smith, who served in the U.S. Army.

Alumni Serve at Joint Task Force Southern Border

Pictured at Joint Task Force Southern Border at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Jan. 26, 2026, are (from left) U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ethan Hogan ’22, U.S. Army Capt. Hannah Harley ’16, U.S. Army Maj. Carl Bird ’13, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Eubank ’91, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Fredy Jurkowitsch II ’11, and U.S. Army Capt. Bradley Paul ’17.

Tighe ’11, Kier ’14 Support

Operation Atlantic Resolve

Serving together in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Zagan, Poland, are U.S. Army Majs. Korey Tighe ’11 (left) and Ben Kier ’14 in November 2025.

Page ’10, Caporaletti ’21 Serve in Japan

U.S. Army Maj. Nelson Page ’10 (left) and Capt. Alex Caporaletti ’21 work together designing missile storage facilities in Hiroshima, Japan.

Phillips ’17, McMahon ’17 Graduate Special Forces Training

U.S. Army Capts. Luke Phillips ’17 and Pete McMahon ’17 graduate Special Forces Advanced Targeting Reconnaissance Target Analysis Exploitation Techniques at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in September 2025. Phillips is a detachment commander in 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and McMahon is a detachment commander in 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Kier ’14 Promotes McKee ’21 to Captain

While serving in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Calvary Regiment, as a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, U.S. Army Maj. Benjamin Kier ’14 promotes Capt. Brendan McKee ’21 to the rank of captain Nov. 12, 2025.

Morgan ’17, Littlefield ’17 Serve Community

Riley Morgan ’17 and Allison Littlefield ’17 are using their engineering degrees to serve their community by improving the drinking water and stormwater systems in Richmond, Virginia.

Left: Morgan serving the transmission main relocation tie-in in Richmond’s Diamond District so the city could build a new baseball diamond in February 2026.

Right: Littlefield collects stormwater asset data as she helps assess where stormwater improvements need to happen to better serve the city and its citizens.

In Memory: Retired U.S. Army Gen. David M. Maddox ’60

By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer

Retired U.S. Army Gen. David M. Maddox ’60 died Jan. 3, 2026. He was 87.

As a cadet, Maddox majored in mathematics and was a Distinguished Military Graduate. He was involved in many activities, including the General Committee and Executive Committee, The Cadet, his class’ Ring Figure Committee, the Timmins Music Society, and the Newman Club.

He held rank within Company F for 3 of the 4 years of his cadetship. In his 2nd Class year, he was its first sergeant and commanded it during his 1st Class year. Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III ’62, VMI’s 14th superintendent, recalled that Company F had a reputation of being “difficult to run.”

Like Company A, it had “large, tall people, a lot of athletes, and other physically big men.” However, Maddox’s history in The Bomb noted his “devotion to duty is as real as death and taxes.” So, it is not surprising that, as Peay said, Maddox “achieved high standards.” Peay credited it to Maddox’s ability “to build teamwork, cultivate communications, and use the VMI reward system.”

Commissioned as an Armor officer, Maddox served 35 years in the Army. During this career, he served in various staff and command positions and commanded at every level from platoon to Army group. His first assignment was in Germany—he would serve there four times—with the 14th Cavalry Regiment, which he ended as a troop commander. He later led the 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (1981–83), and the 8th Infantry Division (mechanized), as well as served as the assistant division commander (operations and training) of the 4th Infantry Division (mechanized). Maddox also served two tours in Vietnam, including one as a senior operations adviser with Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Maddox’s soldiers admired his tactical ability and, because of his prematurely gray hair, gave him the enduring nickname “The Silver Fox.”

“General Maddox was a most exceptional and talented soldier and a gifted graduate.”

He earned a Master of Science degree in applied science (operations research) from Southern Illinois University in 1969. Recognizing his skill in that field and dedication to it, the Army assigned him to be the military assistant to the deputy undersecretary of the Army (operations research), as well as the deputy chief of staff for combat developments at the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command. He would also later be the commanding general of the service’s Combined Arms Operations Research Activity at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Maddox assumed commanded the Army’s V Corps in Germany in November 1990 and served in that position until June 1992. The following month, Maddox was promoted to general and became the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army Europe, commander of the U.S. Seventh Army, and the Commander of NATO’s Central Army Group. He would serve in that role until December 1994.

The end of the Cold War posed many challenges to the Army. For example, its presence in Europe declined from approximately 250,000 personnel in 1991 to less than 100,000 3 years later, and many of its bases closed. However, there remained a demand for well-trained and well-equipped forces to conduct contingency operations in various theaters. Maddox received accolades for his application of operations research to ensure that the budgetary pressures on the Army as a whole—and his command in particular—did not reduce the combat capabilities of American units based in Europe. Maddox received many awards for his service, including two awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Medal. He also received the Bronze Star and earned the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Basic Parachutist Badge.

After he retired from the Army in 1995, Maddox became an independent consultant to industry and government.

He was a member of the Defense Science Board, a senior fellow of the Army Science Board, and served as chairman of the board of Army Science and Technology. He was also on the board of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory and the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs.

He was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2004 in recognition of his many contributions to the field of operations research and his long-term focus on applying it to the Army’s operations and planning. In October 2007, Maddox was on a six-member panel that examined procedures for appointing and supervising contracting officers within the Department of Defense, which produced a report detailing many proposed reforms. He was later part of a team that examined the Army’s acquisition policies and processes.

The Military Operations Research Society recognized Maddox’s contributions to the field by presenting him with its Wanner Award, and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences awarded him its J. Steinhardt Prize for his leadership in the application of operations research to military challenges. He was also a member of the Army Operations Research Society Hall of Fame.

Maddox served the Institute as a VMI Foundation Board of Trustees member from July 2002–June 2010. He was a member of numerous committees, including the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, and the Nominating and Awards Committee. During his 2 years of service on the Fundraising and Stewardship Committee, he was chairman of its annual giving subcommittee. He was so devoted to the subcommittee’s work that he frequently traveled to post to speak with cadets about the importance of private financial support to VMI— and their future role in providing it as alumni.

“General Maddox was a most exceptional and talented soldier and a gifted graduate,” said Walton M. Jeffress Jr. ’68, who served as a Foundation trustee from 2003–16 and was the organization’s president from 2011–14. “During his service as a trustee, his enthusiasm, comprehensive recommendations, and sound guidance helped the board improve its performance and the Foundation significantly increase donations in support of VMI from multiple sources.”

Maddox married his wife, Ethelmary (née McCleskey), in June 1968. She survives him, as well as four children and 15 grandchildren.

“A LASTING INFLUENCE ON VMI’S FUTURE”

By Scott Belliveau ’83, Communications Officer

David Prasnicki (Hon) is recognized during the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet in the Marshall Hall Center for Leadership and Ethics Feb. 7, 2026.—

Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

By any measure, 40 years is a large portion of someone’s life. When you start thinking about people’s working lives, four decades—give or take a few years—constitute almost their entire working life. For David L. Prasnicki (Hon), VMI Alumni Agencies chief executive officer, four decades is almost precisely the entirety of his career, and he has spent almost all of it at the VMI Alumni Agencies. That career came to an end with Prasnicki’s retirement in early April 2026.

Prasnicki began his career at VMI a bit more than 40 years ago when, almost immediately after receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Roanoke College in 1985, he started working for the VMI treasurer’s office. In February 1986, Harry Warner ’57, then-VMI Foundation executive vice president, and Robert Wentz ’54, then-VMI Alumni Association executive vice president, recruited him to join the VMI Foundation. As Prasnicki recently stated, “That moment marked the beginning of a career devoted entirely to the VMI Alumni Agencies, the Institute, and—most importantly—the Corps of Cadets.”

In 1992, he became the VMI Foundation chief financial officer; in 1998, he received the title and responsibilities of vice president and chief financial officer. In those positions, Prasnicki supervised a staff of dedicated professionals who provided accounting, personnel management, financial management, and information technology services to the VMI Foundation, the VMI Keydet Club, the VMI Alumni Association, the VMI Alumni Agencies, the George C. Marshall Foundation, and the former VMI Development Board.

Prasnicki has also been responsible for the daily management of the VMI Investment Committee and its successor organization, VMI Investment Holdings, LLC, which have been responsible for the stewardship of the endowments that support the Institute, the VMI Alumni Agencies, and the George C. Marshall Foundation. In that capacity, he was instrumental in the development of new investment strategies and provided invaluable advice to board members.

In fall 2021, Prasnicki became the interim VMI Alumni Agencies CEO, and he was named to the permanent role in January 2022.

by citing the impact of his efforts regarding investments: “David’s financial skills are legendary, as is his knowledge of the financial markets. By applying them to the stewardship of the Agencies’ investments management, he significantly contributed to the increase of the endowment’s value from $49 million in 1986 to $875 million today—outstanding growth that has resulted in significant benefits for VMI.”

On a personal note, Hall said, “It has been a great pleasure and privilege to have worked with him for more than 30 years on numerous projects— many having a lasting impact. I and others consider him a very special friend with whom we have enjoyed many joyous occasions with him and some, most regrettably, of deep sadness.”

One thing that has struck just about everyone who has worked with Prasnicki is his profound love of VMI. Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, the Institute’s 15th superintendent, remarked, “From my first encounter with David, his pride and deep dedication to VMI were obvious; it was as though he had himself been a cadet. I can’t recall another leader in the VMI community who so passionately shared VMI’s story by emphasizing cadet experiences and the achievements of our respected alumni. His openness to working with me and his genuine communication with alumni about all the positive developments on post have left a lasting influence on VMI’s future.”

John Williams ’88, Alumni Agencies Board chairman and VMI Foundation Board of Trustees president, said, “The Alumni Agencies would not be what they are today without the leadership of David Prasnicki. His dedication to supporting VMI is unmatched and is reflected in the exceptional staff he assembled within the Agencies. David has worked tirelessly to ensure the Agencies remains steadfastly focused on VMI’s mission—particularly through recent challenges and periods of leadership transition. I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with David; he embodies the very best of VMI. His impact is lasting, and it is clear that David will be impossible to replace.”

“I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with David; he embodies the very best of VMI. His impact is lasting, and it is clear that David will be impossible to replace.”

Prasnicki made significant contributions to the work of four major fundraising campaigns, all of which enjoyed widespread support among the VMI family and raised hundreds of millions of dollars in support of the Institute. He also played key roles in the establishment of the Jackson-Hope Fund and the General J.H. Binford Peay III 1962 Endowment for Academic Excellence, both of which provide financial support critical to the steady advancement of VMI’s academic program.

Last decade, the VMI Alumni Agencies embarked upon a reorganization aimed at making its work on behalf of the Institute more efficient and effective. A major goal of the reorganization was to enhance the Institute’s execution of its mission to provide well-educated, active, and above all, honorable citizen-soldiers to the Commonwealth and the country. Throughout the process of developing a new structure and executing the necessary changes, Prasnicki was a crucial player, offering insights rooted in his extensive experience that were valued by everyone involved with the reorganization.

Conrad M. Hall ’65, a longtime volunteer leader, has served in many capacities with the Agencies, including as VMI Foundation president, VMI Investment Holdings, LLC, board member, and currently, General J.H. Binford Peay III 1962 Endowment for Academic Excellence board member. Asked to reflect on Prasnicki’s contributions to VMI, Hall started

On Friday, April 10, Prasnicki was presented with a resolution naming him an honorary alumnus of VMI, an honor currently bestowed upon fewer than 30 individuals.

Several of Prasnicki’s colleagues and friends honored his service by establishing the Prasnicki Family Call to Duty Scholarship at VMI. The scholarship, which will support an Army ROTC scholarship recipient, is the second scholarship linked to Prasnicki. The first was the Stephen Chase Prasnicki Scholarship, named for Prasnicki’s son, a 2010 West Point graduate who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012. It supports a football or lacrosse player who is commissioning in the Armed Forces.

It is undeniable that Prasnicki’s efforts have had a profoundly positive effect on the lives of thousands of cadets—including that of one of his sons who graduated from the Institute, Tyler Prasnicki ’15. Therefore, as a beloved colleague heads into retirement, the VMI Alumni Agencies extends to him warmest wishes for a long, healthy, and happy retirement and bids him—as he has so often has bid others—godspeed.

Scan the QR code to support scholarships honoring David and the Prasnicki family.

Corps of Cadets

The Corps of Cadets marches with sharp precision in the inaugural parade for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger in January 2026.—VMI

Photos by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

In keeping with tradition, VMI took part in the inauguration of Abigail Spanberger, the 75th governor of Virginia, in Richmond Jan. 17, 2026. The theme of the inauguration was “United for Virginia’s Future.” As governor, Spanberger became the first female commander in chief of the VMI Corps of Cadets.

While snow flurried before sunrise on the 17th, 28 buses loaded with cadets, uniforms, weapons, and musical instruments pulled away from VMI and headed to the state capitol. A small group of cadets served as ushers for the swearing-in ceremony at noon. The parade immediately followed.

The Corps appeared as the second group in the lineup and captivated the large group of spectators gathered along Capitol Square as they marched with precision and polish. The Regimental Band played the “VMI Spirit,” VMI’s fight song, then completed a musical handoff to the Pipe Band, who played “Shenandoah,” a song closely associated with VMI.

As the cadets passed Spanberger, the command of “eyes right” was given, instructing the cadets to turn their heads and eyes 45 degrees to the right as a ceremonial salute to the governor. Farther back in the procession, VMI’s mascot, Moe the kangaroo, charmed the crowd when he appeared with 11 other Virginia public university mascots.

“The Corps of Cadets took pride in the opportunity to showcase its military precision and discipline to their new commander in chief.”

To prepare for the flawless presentation VMI is renowned for, the Corps returned 3 days early from winter furlough to get haircuts, inspect uniforms, distribute rifles and sabers, rehearse music, and carry out practice parades. During those practices, cadets made multiple circuits down Letcher Avenue, across the Parade Ground, and back up to barracks. They rehearsed their “eyes right” to the George C. Marshall statue.

Devin Auzenne ’26, regimental commander, said it was a privilege to lead the cadets in the parade. “It is fulfilling to prepare the Corps, then experience the well-executed performance, and know the entire Commonwealth was able to witness it,” said Auzenne. “Participating in the parade is a representation not only of the Institute’s values, such as peaceful transition of power and support of the newly elected

commander in chief, but also a reminder that the Institute is staying true to its promise of developing leaders of character who go on to serve the Commonwealth and nation after graduation.”

Col. Lawrence Havird ’90, commandant of cadets, who accompanied the Corps to the inauguration, said the cadets were honored to participate in the transition of governance from Gov. Glenn Youngkin to Spanberger.

“The Corps of Cadets took pride in the opportunity to showcase its military precision and discipline to their new commander in chief. We look forward to Governor Spanberger visiting post sometime soon so she can see firsthand how the VMI mission benefits the Commonwealth of Virginia and why the Institute is such a special place,” Havird said.

LEADERSHIP

Lowery ’02: PEOPLE

By Mattie Montgomery, Assistant Editor

U.S. Army Col. Tasha Lowery ’02 has built her career around people—standing beside them, listening to them, and leading them.

For an adjutant general officer in the Army’s human resources branch, command opportunities are rare, but Lowery has man aged to hold command at every level from company to brigade command. For her, best part of her my career,” she says of being on the ground with soldiers and carrying out missions

Lowery’s people-first leadership approach has shaped her military career, beginning continuing into her current role as the colonels’ man agement chief, staff in managing all Army colonels. Her military career years old, she joined her high school’s JROTC program. Growing of Blackstone, Virginia, portunities and personal development of the JROTC program were unmatched. “It was huge for me,” she Lowery also found tor in her

Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Har ry Elliott. Inspired by enlisted in the began considering her next step when she received a call from a VMI alum about at tending the Institute.

Matriculating in the second class of wom en, Lowery knew or the challenges awaiting her Line. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it by any

means: It was very challenging,” said Lowery. “I do think things were a bit more challenging as the school itself was figuring out how to matriculate women with the second class, so that made it difficult.” Her class began with more than 30 women and, by the end of 1st Class year, narrowed to fewer than 10 proud graduates.

What kept her going on the hard days was her determination, family, faith, and the strong bonds with her brother rats. For Lowery, there was never another option. “Determined, I think, is a good word for it. ... The more someone says, ‘You can’t do something,’ for me, it’s like, ‘OK, I’m just going to show you,’” said Lowery. “There’s also something to be said when you’re surrounded by other people who are going through the same things you’re going through.” The small but intrepid group of female cadets, especially, supported each other throughout all 4 years of cadetship, and Lowery said they continue to connect annually to this day.

At the Institute, she balanced being a cadet-athlete on the track and field team, serving in the Marine Corps Reserve, and holding rank within the Corps. In her 1st Class year, Lowery became interested in military intelligence and decided to switch branches and commission as an Army officer. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, Lowery commissioned as an Army military intelligence officer. After 9 years in MI, she had the opportunity to switch branches and transitioned to her current branch in the Adjutant General Corps.

Her current role as the colonels’ management chief regularly splits her life between Fort Knox, Kentucky, and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and sends her all over the globe. Maintaining this isn’t without sacrifice, but she and her husband, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Five Shawn Lowery Sr., make it work as parents of their 14-year-old son, S.J.—an avid hockey player—with the support of her mother, Lucy, who has lived with them for the past 10 years. “My mom is really the glue that keeps it all together,” said Lowery. What she has loved most about her role, particularly in command, is the challenge of understanding

Below: Lowery is pictured with her son, S.J., and her mother, Lucy, who Lowery describes as the “glue” of the family supporting their dual military household.

the people and thereby how best to execute a mission. As an adjutant general officer in a commanding position, Lowery wears two hats: Understanding her soldiers is a more typical part of her human resources role, but she also balances that with her command role, needing to motivate them and successfully carry out missions. “I like understanding the folks [who] are behind the mission; I enjoy meeting people where they are, having conversations, [and] understanding the person,” said Lowery. “There is a lot that goes into understanding who you’re commanding, and those things are important to successfully completing the mission,” continued Lowery. “It builds trust.” This mutual trust and being on the ground with soldiers is the most rewarding part of her role. “There’s just goodness for me in being around soldiers and being a part of change and implementation; it has absolutely been the highlight of my career.”

Her leadership style has always been a listen-first approach, and she says, “I think it’s easy, especially if you are put in a leadership position, to feel like when you go into a room that maybe you have to be the loudest voice in the room. And for me, I don’t believe that. ... As a leader, if you start speaking, then I think it causes others in the room to remain silent.” She feels she can make the best decisions when she listens, and her decisions are informed by different perspectives and experiences.

Looking back, Lowery views her VMI education as integral to setting her up for success. “As I’ve gone on this military journey, there are things I learned from my time at VMI like the determination not to quit and the aptitude to just continue to ask questions if something doesn’t make sense—just to name a few. I’m 20-plus years into my Army career, and there are situations I find myself in, and I think, ‘I don’t know if I would be able to do this if it wasn’t for what my VMI experiences taught me.’

My VMI experiences have molded me to be the leader I am, as well as the person I am away from the military.”

When she reflects on her most poignant takeaway from the Institute, it naturally leads right back to people and the lifetime connections she made. “As I look back at VMI, the biggest takeaway for me is the friendships I still have. I have an amazing group of friends after 20-plus years. ... We are all so very different, but the one thing that brings us back together is VMI.”

Above: Lowery pins her husband, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Five Shawn Lowery Sr., with the help of their son, S.J., at his change of command ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., in May 2022.—Photos courtesy Lowery.

Filling Barracks with Qualified Cadets

Call to Duty Scholarships Answer the Call

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Applying to colleges midway through his senior year of high school, Cadet Zachary Denton ’27 wasn’t sure if VMI was his best fit—and he was afraid he’d missed the deadline to apply for scholarships. The son of two U.S. Army officers, Denton knew he wanted to serve in the military and run track, but he was on the fence between VMI and another college. Wavering between the two institutions, Denton applied for VMI’s Call to Duty Scholarship, which pays room and board for commissioning cadets already receiving federal ROTC scholarships.

Currently, more than 180 cadets are the recipients of these scholarships, which have been offered since the 2023–24 academic year. The Call to Duty Scholarships have been deemed a game-changer by the VMI Office of Admissions in that they are often the deciding factor swaying a cadet’s decision to enroll at VMI.

Three years ago, Denton was one of those trying to decide. “I was really on the fence about where I wanted to go [to college],” he explained. “But I got the email and just got this big smile on my face. I’m like, ‘OK, now, I really think I know where I want to go.’ I’d been talking to the coaches, I’d been talking to the [professors], and they’ve been persuading me more and more, and it’s increasing: This is the place I want to be.”

With the financial challenges of cadetship lifted, Denton has plunged headlong into his VMI journey. A psychology major, he’s conducted an independent study under the auspices of the Summer Undergraduate Research Institute, and he’s a huge fan of the department’s small class sizes and personal approach to learning. “[Faculty members are] very open about trying to engage with cadets,” said Denton. “And if you want to do research, if you want to take that next step, they’re very, very encouraging and supportive of trying to do that. And I think that's a general rule, honestly, across all the departments, is that they’re very willing to help you. And if you want to do something, if you want to take that extra step, they’re really excited for you to do that.”

Academics, of course, are only one part of a cadet’s VMI experience—and Denton has a full plate outside of academics. He’s a member of the Institute’s NCAA Division I track and field team, where he’s a long jumper and hurdler. In addition, he’s a peer tutor, a member of the Cadet Battery, and also part of VMI’s College Debates and Discourse Initiative. At graduation, Denton plans to commission into the Army and hopefully serve as a military intelligence officer.

Without the Call to Duty Scholarship, Denton believes, there’s a very real possibility none of this would have been possible. “Coming to VMI

has allowed me to try all these things I thought I would never do, and taking one step behind that is, if you have to worry about the financial piece of it, it’s a lot harder for you to look for your passions and look for your dreams,” he stated. “I can’t imagine my time at VMI without the Call to Duty Scholarship. It’s almost one and the same for me. It’s almost synonymous.”

For alumni who’ve chosen to financially support the Call to Duty Scholarships, Denton has a message of immense gratitude. “I don’t think I’d be doing nearly as well without their generosity,” he noted. “I’ve met other Call to Duty recipients. They’ve all been equally grateful. They’re all going on to do great things, whether in the corporate world or in the commissioning world.”

Because he’s such a fan of the Call to Duty Scholarships, Denton has even recruited another recipient: Cadet Sterling Root ’28, a family friend of the Dentons.

Like Denton, Cadet Elle Clancy ’27 found out about the Call to Duty Scholarships before she matriculated—and it was a deciding factor in her decision to attend VMI. A native of Woodstock, Georgia, Clancy discovered VMI through a mailing sent to her home, and as a three-sport athlete in high school, the discipline of a cadet’s daily life resonated deeply with her. Soon, her mother talked to a coworker who was an alumnus, Patrick “Pat’ Haddock ’00, and after that, the Clancy family visited VMI for an open house.

The daunting prospect of out-of-state tuition, though, threatened to put a damper on her dreams. “I knew I wanted to go to a military college, but it was hard convincing my mom because of financials,” Clancy explained.

A federal ROTC scholarship took care of tuition worries, but that still left over almost $12,000 in room and board fees, plus ancillary fees, each year. A VMI track and field coach told Clancy about the Call to Duty Scholarships, and with that in hand, she was set to attend the Institute, which had been her first choice ever since the open house visit.

Clancy came to VMI as a swimmer, but she’s since shifted her focus to the military and is now a member of the U.S. Army Ranger Challenge team. This past summer, she attended air assault school and also completed an internship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New York.

A civil engineering major, she’s a sergeant in Company B and was the internal head of operations for the Class of 2027’s Ring Figure Committee.

Would she still be at VMI without the Call to Duty Scholarship? When asked, Clancy took a moment to reflect on the question. “I think I would still be at VMI, but without the scholarship, it would definitely be a struggle, and having the scholarship makes my life a lot easier,” she stated. “I don’t have to stress. I can just focus on school. ... Now I see myself going and becoming an Army officer, and I’ve been pursuing that. It’s made me invested in pursuing a commission.”

Also, like Denton, Clancy is extraordinarily thankful for the generous donors who support the Call to Duty Scholarships and make cadetship possible for so many. “It’s not just influential for me, but I know it’s also been influential for my fellow classmates who also face the same struggle [with cost],” she said.

“Every single time that I’ve met someone who’s gotten this scholarship, it’s someone that I look up to. ... [The] people who are receiving the scholarship are worth your investment because they’re going to be amazing leaders one day.”

Call to Duty Scholarships Vital to VMI’s Future

By Mary Price, Development Writer

“The Call to Duty Scholarship program is really part of what’s going to make our admissions process successful as we experience what every college and university is experiencing, and that’s the decline of the college-age population.”

That’s what John Williams ’88, VMI Alumni Agencies Board chair and VMI Foundation Board of Trustees president, has to say about the vital importance of the Call to Duty Scholarships, which cover room and board fees for cadets already holding federal ROTC scholarships.

“[The scholarships] not only help us attract the top talent in the country because all these young men and women are already vetted by the federal government through the ROTC scholarship program, but it’s going to help us retain them,” he continued.

The Call to Duty Scholarships, which were first offered in the 2023–24 academic year, are quite costly to provide, with an initial input of $1 million almost depleted in their initial year alone. Furthermore, they are entirely supported by private funds raised by the VMI Foundation. Because of this, Williams believes that every alum should support these scholarships to the best of their ability, and it’s especially important for those who were recipients of federal ROTC scholarships themselves.

Former ROTC scholarship recipients “were the benefactors of the nation’s generosity,” said Williams, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired after 20 years of service.

“Alumni should take a hard look at the experience they’ve been able to have as a result of the support they’ve received and try to think what it would feel like to be able to help some young man or woman achieve his or her dreams. My class just opened the Class of 1988 Call to Duty Scholarship, which we aim to have fully endowed by our 40th Reunion. Imagine if every class were to take on that challenge.”

While Williams did not receive an ROTC scholarship himself during his cadetship, he was the grateful recipient of private support through the Scott Shipp Huger Jr. ’53 Memorial Scholarship. “Without that financial support, I would not have been able to continue at VMI,” he commented.

Currently, Williams shared, the Foundation is in the early stages of a campaign to raise funds for these critically important scholarships, as they are instrumental to the Institute’s bright future.

“The Call to Duty program reflects the enduring spirit of service that defines the VMI family,” said Williams. “It is an opportunity for alumni and supporters to invest in the Institute’s future by strengthening the Corps of Cadets and the mission of leadership and service. I encourage everyone who believes in that mission to answer the call.”

To support Call to Duty Scholarships, scan the QR Code. Checks may be made out to the VMI Foundation, with “Call to Duty” on the memo line, and mailed to the VMI Foundation, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.

Views From Post

Success is never guaranteed here on post, yet shoulder to shoulder with brother rats, cadets face challenges head-on in quiet moments of determination. For themselves—and for all who depend on them— they press forward. That is the VMI way.

2026 Breakout

Breakout began on a frigid morning with a blast from Little John in barracks followed by a sweat party workout in Cocke Hall Jan. 24, 2026. The rats then went to their North Post stations and began log carries, pull-ups, and obstacles, including low-wire crawls. The day concluded with bear crawls across the Parade Ground and one final sweat party. The newly minted Class of 2029 gathered for dinner in Crozet, followed by their first Old Yell. See more photos online.

VMI Confers Degrees, Commissions Officers in December 2025

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

VMI’s December commencement ceremony was held Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. Proud families and delighted friends gathered in Memorial Hall to honor 29 cadets as they were awarded their bachelor’s degrees.

At his first graduation ceremony as superintendent, Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87 welcomed the assembly and thanked the parents for their invaluable role in raising their children and instilling in them the values, ideals, drive, and determination necessary to succeed at VMI. Furness told the graduates that the Institute is meant to be a hard and demanding school in order to prepare them for the unique situations that are difficult to predict but are sure to come. “Each of you has completed that training and are ready for the next chapter of your journey.” He congratulated them and reminded them that they are part of the VMI family, “a network of support that will last a lifetime.” Furness then introduced the keynote speaker, whom he referred to as his personal friend and battle buddy, U.S. Marine Corps

Lt. Gen. William J. Bowers ’90, deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Bowers, who was a 4th Class cadet the year Furness was regimental commander, addressed the graduates with commanding enthusiasm and infectious energy. He cited one of VMI’s founders, Col. J.T.L. Preston, and his belief that the true value of a college was best determined by the character of its students and the performance of its graduates. He continued by challenging the graduates to live by Preston’s words inscribed on the parapet in Memorial Garden: “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.” He clarified Preston’s message for the cadets.

Bowers then took time to comment on Preston’s advice: “‘The healthful and pleasant abode of a crowd of honorable youths.’ You all have made fitness a part of your lifestyle. It is part of who you are. ‘Pleasant’ is not normally the first word that comes to mind when you think of the VMI experience,” he said, evoking laughter from the audience, “but now we see what Preston meant. ‘Pleasant’ means you have a cheerful disposition. You have resilience. The world is going to knock you down, but as a VMI graduate, you have what it takes to get back up and overcome adversity with a cheerful, pleasant disposition. You’re going to be trusted implicitly wherever you go, because you’ve lived under the most stringent and rigorous honor system anywhere in the country.

“‘Pressing up the hill of science with noble emulation.’ You’re going to be expected to press constantly uphill. You’re going to do hard jobs in hard places. You’re going to press the boundaries of science and technology.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. William J. Bowers ’90, deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, addresses the graduating class in Memorial Hall.—VMI Photo by Kelly Nye.

“You’re not only going to meet the standards of those who have come before, but you’re going to surpass them and do it in a way that inspires.

“‘A gratifying spectacle.’ Your fellow citizens are indeed grateful that young men and women of character like you take up the challenge willingly to become part of this VMI experience, to live a harder life, and to become honorable leaders in our country and our state. Our country has always counted on VMI to produce leaders of character.

“‘Objects of honest pride to their instructors and fair specimens of citizen-soldiers.’ You’re all expected to have those positive attributes of citizen-soldiers, the selfless person whose ideal is to serve others in a democracy.

“‘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.’

Now it’s probably a stretch to call the current times a time of deepest peril, but make no mistake, we are being challenged every day by those who seek to undermine and disrupt. There are significant storm clouds gathering. The people of our country and the Commonwealth of Virginia are counting on you. We are eager to see you get out there and make a difference. Congratulations.”

The presentation of candidates for degrees was delivered by Brig. Gen. Robert W. Moreschi, Ph.D., dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent for academics. Following the conferring of degrees by Furness, the audience gave the graduates a standing ovation as they tossed their gloves in the air and sang the “VMI Spirit” and the “VMI Doxology.”

A reception was held afterward in the VMI Museum.

The evening before commencement, the ROTC joint commissioning ceremony was held in Memorial Hall, where 17 commissioned into the U.S. Army as second lieutenants, two commissioned into the U.S. Navy as ensigns, and one commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps as a second lieutenant. Offering remarks and administering the oath of office was U.S. Army Col. Timothy Price ’04, who graduated from VMI with a degree in international studies and commissioned as an infantry officer. The individual pinning ceremonies and first salutes followed the ceremony.

Price commended the cadets on the hard, necessary path they have chosen. He encouraged them with a quote from VMI’s most famous graduate, Gen. George C. Marshall,

VMI Class of 1901: “‘The soldier’s heart, the soldier’s spirit, the soldier’s soul are everything.’ If you are a soldier, a Marine, or a sailor, that sentiment remains the same.” He shared with them that VMI changed his life and has prepared them well for their career ahead, as they are physically fit, well educated, and have lived by the Honor Code—“and the friendships you have made here will outlive deployments and all the chaos of a military career.” He thanked the families for their continual support for those commissioning, congratulated the new officers, and concluded with, “Rah Virginia Mil!”

Top: Graduates sing the “VMI Spirit” at the conclusion of the commencement ceremony in Memorial Hall Dec. 18, 2025.—VMI Photo by

Bottom: Commissioning cadets take the oath of office during the ROTC joint commissioning ceremony in Memorial Hall Dec. 17, 2025.—VMI Photo by H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

H. Lockwood McLaughlin.

Cadet Rescues The Citadel Administrator:

Renders Aid to Rival Fan

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

When it comes to school rivalries, the one between Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel is among the most historic and intense. The Military Classic of the South, the annual football game between the two senior military colleges, is their biggest competition, with the winner taking home the coveted Silver Shako trophy. This academic year, the game was held in early November 2025 in Charleston, South Carolina, and it was there that Cadet Dusand Barrow ’28, a VMI emergency medical technician, set aside his team partiality to aid a Citadel fan in distress.

For all away NCAA events, VMI Emergency Medical Services sends a small contingent of cadet EMTs to provide emergency response services for cadet spectators in need. Originally, Barrow was not intending to attend the football game at The Citadel, but it was the birthday of the cadet who had been assigned to go, and he wanted to spend the weekend with his family. So, Barrow volunteered to fill in, and—along with three other EMTs and Donnie McBrayer, VMI EMS adviser—found himself on the bus to Charleston on game day.

Upon arriving to Johnson Hagood Stadium at The Citadel, Barrow prepared to march in with the other corporals but was alerted that McBrayer needed his help with a patient. He sprinted to McBrayer, who was aiding an older gentleman who had fallen and was bleeding.

“We treated him, cleaned him up, and sent him to the hospital in an ambulance. After that, I went under the stand area to buy a snack. A group of people high up in the stands saw me, ran down the stairs, and asked if I was an EMT. One of their friends had passed out and needed care. I climbed the stairs with them to their friend, who was fully unconscious. I treated her for about 5 minutes until the EMTs The Citadel had hired for the game arrived. By that time, the patient was awake but still a bit groggy. I grabbed their equipment and monitored her vital signs. The other EMTs talked to her and got more information. She had a history of high blood pressure and became overheated in the South Carolina sun. She declined to go to the hospital, so I gave her some water and told her, ‘If anything else happens, please feel free to grab me or somebody who’s in a blue shirt like me, or call one of the other EMTs.’”

It was then the patient and her friends realized that Barrow was a VMI cadet, and were impressed he had come to the home team side of the stadium willingly and without any reservation to render aid. “I told them this is my job, it is how I was trained, and what’s expected of me. They told me if I ever think of switching from VMI to The Citadel, they can help. I told them, ‘No, no, I’m very happy at VMI,’” laughed Barrow.

The group asked Barrow for his name so they could send a recommendation to Col. Ley Havird ’90, VMI commandant of cadets. Though Barrow did not expect to receive anything for what he considered a normal service call, a couple days later he received an email from the group of The Citadel friends.

Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent, presents a letter of commendation to Cadet Dusand Barrow ’28 for his service as an EMT at the football game in Charleston Nov. 1, 2025.—Photo courtesy Col. William Wyatt, executive officer to the superintendent.

“It turns out they are all faculty members at The Citadel. So that entire group sent an email to our adviser, and to our commandant, who awarded me an optional—an authorized excuse from supper roll call. Then I got another email saying our superintendent wanted to meet with me in his office.”

It was there that Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent, presented Barrow with two challenge coins: One from himself and one from the president of The Citadel. Furness also presented Barrow with a letter of commendation.

According to McBrayer, VMI EMS is a Virginia department of EMS non-transport agency that runs 911 emergency services on VMI property. “It provides coverage for any cadet-related function that needs EMS support, such as rat activities, parades, NCAA events, and ROTC exercises. VMI has 58 EMTs. Barrow is very competent when working with medical patients. He is constantly striving to learn more when it comes to training as an EMT.”

Barrow is originally from the South American country of Guyana, but now calls Norfolk, Virginia, home. He is majoring in biology and is the cadet in charge of VMI’s firefighting club. He volunteers as a firefighter for the Lexington Fire Department. Being a first responder is extremely important to Barrow, and because of the EMT and firefighting training and practical opportunities offered at VMI, it is one of the reasons he chose to become a cadet. He is also involved with the climbing team, VMI Theatre, Officers’ Christian Fellowship, and works at the Corps Physical Training Facility. Following graduation, he plans to enlist in the U.S. Army Reserve and become a professional EMT or firefighter.

VMI Receives Accreditation Award

By Marianne Hause, VMI Communications & Marketing

VMI was recently honored by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an institutional accreditor for quality assurance in higher education, representing 780 institutions. It presented VMI with a Torch Award, a new recognition that celebrates member institutions for their leadership in one of three categories: Affordability, student success, and post-college outcomes. VMI was recognized for exceptional post-college outcomes, the only Level II institution—one whose highest degree offered is a bachelor’s degree—to receive the award in that category. Dr. Stephen Pruitt, SACSCOC president, formally announced the award at the association’s annual conference in December. The Torch Awards elevate the work of institutions that demonstrate exceptional commitment to access, quality, accountability, and measurable improvement, reflecting SACSCOC’s mission to highlight and support student-centered excellence across the region. The recipients were selected based on their strength across multiple indicators in each award category, rather than overall ranking. VMI was granted the award based, in part, on its strong postgraduate successes. According to recent data, 97% of VMI graduates are employed or are in graduate/professional schools within 5 months of graduation. Brig. Gen. Robert W. Moreschi, Ph.D., dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent for academics at VMI, stated that approximately 54% of the Institute’s recent graduates were commissioned into the military, while 30% accepted full-time positions with wellknown public and private sector employers. “Furthermore, 10% were accepted in graduate and professional institutions, with many of these attending academic programs ranked in the top 75 by U.S. News & World Report,” said Moreschi. Col. Andrew Luna, Office of Institutional Effectiveness director and SACSCOC liaison for VMI, strongly believes the Torch Award is the culmination of VMI’s ongoing commitment of honor and excellence to every cadet it serves. “While we are currently undergoing our 10-year reaffirmation of our accreditation with SACSCOC, we have actually been accredited by them since 1926. For 100 years, VMI has met the rigid accreditation standards to prepare our cadets for strong leadership roles, and this new award shows VMI is clearly doing its job,” Luna stated.

2025–26 Basketball Season Recap

Riddled with injuries the entire season, the VMI basketball team struggled for much of the year but found many positives throughout the season to build a solid foundation for upcoming campaigns.

The Keydets finished the year with only six wins, much in part due to the absence of injured 1st Class cadet star and Southern Conference Preseason Player of the Year, Rickey Bradley Jr. ’26, who ended up missing the entire season due to injury and was unable to step foot onto the court for a single game.

T.J. Johnson ’28 excelled the entire year and was recognized as a Third Team All-SoCon recipient for his accomplishments. The Belton, Texas, native played a big role for the Keydets this season by averaging 35.4 minutes per game, second-most in the league.

Deadly from beyond the arc, Johnson ranked second in the SoCon and seventh among all Division I shooters with nearly four three-pointers made per game. Johnson launched 301 shots beyond the arc, ranking first nationally,

and made 107 three-point field goals, the fifth-most in the country.

Johnson averaged 18.4 points per game, which ranks fourth in the SoCon.

Johnson was chosen to serve on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors as one of only three NCAA student-athletes nationwide to serve on the committee.

The Keydets earned their sole conference victory Jan. 3, 2026, when VMI defeated Chattanooga by a 79-71 count at Cameron Hall.

On Jan. 17, the VMI basketball program celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1976 and 1977 NCAA Tournament teams, as many members of those historic teams reunited in Lexington that night to be honored for their unprecedented achievements as former Keydets.

VMI’s season came to a close in the opening round of the Southern Conference tournament, where the No. 10 seed Keydets fell to No. 7 UNCG by an 84-70 score in Asheville, North Carolina.

Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

VMI Wrestling 2025–26 RECAP

2025–26 Regular Season

» VMI went 6-9 overall and 2-6 in Southern Conference play.

» VMI’s win over Campbell University was the first in 11 years and the Keydets’ first known win against Campbell at home since 1979.

» VMI picked up a dual win over Duke University.

» Beau Lewis ’29 won the 174 FR/SO bracket at the Southeast Open.

» Patrick Jordon ’27 led the team with 12 wins, earning a ranked win in the process.

» Dyson Dunham ’26 won a team-leading five league duals.

2026 Southern Conference Championships

» VMI finished in seventh with 36 points, scoring the most points in a SoCon tournament since 2010.

» Toby Schoffstall ’27 and Dunham both placed fourth.

Ryan Vigil ’26 Crowned 2026 Southern Conference Champion

Ryan Vigil ’26, VMI wrestling 165-pounder, survived the gauntlet as the underdog No. 8 seed and came out on top, earning the 2026 Southern Conference title at Kimmel Arena in Asheville, North Carolina, March 7, 2026. Vigil becomes the first Keydet to win a conference title since Neal Richards ’19 in 2020 and gave VMI its first NCAA qualifier since Dyson Dunham ’26 was an at-large bid in 2024.

Staged against the SoCon’s No. 2 seed, Appalachian State’s Anthony Conetta, in the finals, Vigil used a key reversal and four near-fall points to break open the scoring. Vigil would hold on for a 7-2 decision, earning a riding time point in the process, to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championship in Cleveland, Ohio, March 19.

Vigil, who was tabbed the No. 8 seed in the 165 bracket, had a long way to the finals by running through four wrestlers, the most by any finalist in any bracket this year. After clawing through the most bouts in this year’s tournament, Vigil was dubbed the 2026 SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler.

In his path to the first-place bout, Vigil posted a technical fall in the pigtail match, 17-2. Less than a couple of hours later, the Colorado native upset the nation’s 24th-ranked 165-pounder and the SoCon’s No. 1 seed from The Citadel with a sudden victory decision.

In the semifinals, Vigil used a last-minute third-period takedown to etch his name into the championship round with a 5-4 decision. With the wins on day one, Vigil became the first Keydet since Richards to make it to the championship match.

Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

VMI Swimming and Diving

2025–26 Regular Season Recap

» The men’s team went 4-3, earning a winning record in back-toback seasons.

» The men broke 10 team records and had 35 all-time top-10 performances. They also won the Keydet Invite.

» The women’s team went 1-7 with a win over Saint Francis College.

» The women broke 20 team records and 33 all-time top 10 performances were achieved.

» For the second season in a row, the women earned a D-I victory, the first time since the 2014–16 seasons.

» The women placed second at the Keydet Invite, the highest invitational placing in team history.

» Ian Lutz ’29 was named America East Rookie of the Week Oct. 7, 2025.

» Stephen Russell ’28 was named America East Swimmer of the Week Oct. 7.

2026 America East Championships

» The men finished in fourth with a team score of 423, the highest placing since 2021, and medaled in four of five relays.

» Lutz scored bronze in the 100 fly.

» The women closed out at seventh with 159 points, the highest point total at the America East Swim and Dive Competition and any conference meet in team history.

» The women had the most scoring swims at a conference meet in team history.

» 23 total records were broken.

» Isabelle Haer ’28 became the first female diver since 2023 to place in the top eight in the championship meet.

» Lane Jones ’26 placed fourth in the 1-meter dive, the highest placement for a VMI men’s diver in the America East era.

» On day 3 of the championship meet, 19 VMI swimmers made it to the finals, the most ever in program history.

Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

2026 Indoor Track and Field Recap

The VMI indoor track and field teams continue to improve and climb the ranks in the Southern Conference from a competitive standpoint in the league.

» The VMI men’s track and field team placed fourth and the women’s team sixth at the Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by VMI at the Corps Physical Training Facility.

» Deonte Harris ’29 was named SoCon Co-Freshman of the Year after winning the triple jump and placing fourth in the 60-meter hurdles.

» The Keydets captured three individual titles at the conference meet: Zachary Denton ’27 in the long jump, Deonte Harris ’29 in the triple jump, and Naturale Faison ’28 in the 60-meter dash.

» VMI earned nine All-SoCon honors across the men’s and women’s teams: Faison (first, 60-meter), Harris (first, triple jump), Denton (first, long jump), Morgan Fraser ’27 (second, high jump), Reagan Gilman ’28 (third, 800-meter), Shea Hart ’26 (second, pentathlon), Cameron Thomas ’27 (second, pole vault), Kevin Koumondji ’28 (second, 60-meter), and the men’s 4x400 relay team of Anthony Wilkerson ’28, Ben Hagerich ’26, Rye Jackson ’28, and Taj Peace ’29 (third). Gilman broke her own school record in the 800-meter twice

Gilman first set the mark with a 2:11.81 at Liberty’s Darius Dixon Invitational in mid-February. She later improved the record to 2:09.37, finishing third at the SoCon Championships and earning All-Conference honors. Thomas set back-to-back personal bests in the pole vault during the season: He cleared 5.11 meters at the VMI Team Challenge and improved that mark the following week with a 5.12-meter vault at the VMI Invitational.

Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

A Look at the 2025–26 VMI Rifle Season Making Their Mark:

The VMI mixed and women’s rifle programs continued to take notable strides this season. From an NCAA qualifier to freshman of the year to Junior Olympic qualifiers and victory over The Citadel, here are some of the highlights of 2025–26.

» After shooting a program-record 587 in smallbore at an NCAA Qualifier in Morgantown, West Virginia, Alexander Pohlman ’28 became the first shooter in program history to earn an invite to the NCAA Championships, as he was named an alternate for the event.

» Darian Tweedell ’27 and Pohlman both medaled in the Virginia State Qualifiers, with Pohlman being crowned state champion for his 588 in the air rifle.

» Soraya Sar ’29 claimed SoCon Freshman of the Year honors after finishing sixth individually at the SoCon Rifle Championships.

» Laura Canaday ’27, Kyle Kemp ’27, Zachary Mauriello ’27, Pohlman, Sar, and Wuyue Xie ’28 represented VMI at the USA Shooting Winter Air Gun Championships in December.

» VMI faced six top 20 programs during regular season competition, opening at No. 9 U.S. Naval Academy and No. 3 Texas Christian University; hosting No. 18 University of North Georgia, No. 12 University of Akron, and No. 19 University of Alabama at Birmingham; and closing out 2025 against No. 4 Georgia Southern University.

» The Keydets scored victories over Wofford College, John Jay College, and rival The Citadel in October, with the mixed team posting a season-best 4605 aggregate.

Photos courtesy VMI Athletics.

Arkansas Chapter Founders Day Dinner

Arkansas Chapter members enjoy a Founders Day dinner Nov. 15, 2025.

Bluegrass Chapter Gathers at Churchill Downs

Bluegrass Chapter members enjoy a day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, celebrating Founders Day, the U.S. Marine Corps birthday, and Veterans Day Nov. 9, 2025.

Centex Chapter Founders Day Dinner

Attending the Centex Chapter Founders Day dinner Nov. 7, 2025, are (from left) Chris and Jennifer Adams ’03, Vince and Michelle Carag ’86, Mike Lakos ’86, Jace and Carli Thompson ’24, and Jeremy Methven ’13.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter Founders Day Gathering

Left: Members of the Corps of Cadets join the Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter to celebrate Founders Day in Raleigh, North Carolina, Nov. 12, 2025.

Right: Jack White receives his appointment to VMI from Col. Lawrence Havird ’90, VMI commandant, during the celebration.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter December Senior Breakfast

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members gathering for a senior breakfast Dec. 16, 2025, are (from left) Chip Davis ’77, Margaret Davis, Parky Parkman ’66, Mary Fran Parkman, Alan Tashima ’71, Debbie Seipp, Harry Seipp ’78, Bill Gibson ’65, Dorris Gibson, Bill Murchison ’70, Paul Johnston ’61, Roger Rosenfield ’47, Betsy Wilson, and Larry Wilson ’62. Present but not pictured are Lane Toomey ’74, Rick Hening ’75, Barton Pasco ’77, Jim Brown ’76, Kirk Hubbard ’57, Will Bynum ’77, and Pete Shelley ’74.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter November Senior Breakfast

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members enjoying breakfast Nov. 18, 2025, are (seated, from left) Paul Johnston ’61, Lane Toomey ’74, Don Brown ’71, Alan Tashima ’71, Larry Wilson ’62, Roger Rosenfield ’47, Pete Shelley ’74, Will Bynum ’77, (standing) Chip Davis ’77, Bill Gibson ’65, Bill Murchison ’70, Rick Hening ’75, John Kuchnia ’57, Kirk Hubbard ’57, and Barton Pasco ’77.

Cleveland Chapter Founders Day Celebration

Cleveland Chapter members celebrate Founders Day with a dinner in Beachwood, Ohio, Nov. 11, 2025.

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter January Senior Breakfast

Central North Carolina – Raleigh Chapter members start the new year off with a senior breakfast Jan. 20, 2026. In attendance are (standing, from left) Will Bynum ’77, Pete Shelley ’74, Bill Gibson ’65, Chip Davis ’77, Barton Pasco ’77, Rick Hening ’75, Jim Brown ’76, (seated) Lane Toomey ’74, Bettie Pasco, Alan Tashima ’71, Larry Wilson ’62, Paul Johnston ’61, Roger Rosenfield ’47, and John Kuchnia ’57.

Hampton Roads Region Founders Day Gathering

Hampton Roads Region alumni enjoy celebrating Founders Day with fellow alumni, family, and friends in the area Nov. 11, 2025.

Maryland Chapter Watch Party

Maryland Chapter members enjoy a watch party for the VMI versus The Citadel game Nov. 1, 2025.

Metro D.C. Region Alumni Watch Commanders Game

D.C. Metro Region alumni gather for a night of watching the Washington Commanders take on the Denver Broncos in Landover, Maryland, Nov. 30, 2025.

Metro D.C. Region Hosts Superintendent

Metro D.C. Region alumni gather for a luncheon with Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, VMI’s 16th superintendent, at the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., Nov. 5, 2025.

New River Valley Chapter Gathers to Watch VMI Basketball

New River Valley Chapter members gather to watch the VMI versus Radford basketball game Dec. 21, 2025.

Middle Tennessee –Nashville Chapter Founders Day Celebration

Middle Tennessee – Nashville Chapter members celebrating Founders Day Nov. 11, 2025, are (from left) Doug Schnabel ’68, Dave Pitts ’88, David Miller ’70, Thomas Sebrell ’64, Austin England, John Manley ’64, Marvin Thews ’68, Matt Jablonka ’64, and Charlie Sanger ’82.

New York City – Long Island Chapter Watch Party

Members of the New York City – Long Island Chapter join for a watch party for the VMI versus The Citadel football game at St. Pat’s Bar & Grill NYC in New York City, New York, Nov. 1, 2025.

New York City – Long Island Chapter Founders Day Celebration

New York City – Long Island Chapter members celebrate Founders Day at Empire Steakhouse in New York City, New York, Nov. 5, 2025. Joining the chapter are Justin Tammelin ’09, Alumni Association director of networking; Cadet Devin Auzenne ’26, regimental commander; and Cadet Max Ankrah ’26, class president.

Rappahannock Chapter Watch Party

Attending the Rappahannock Chapter watch party for the VMI versus The Citadel football game Nov. 1, 2025, are (from left) Walter “Wip” Priest ’69, Rich Duke ’90, Marc Jasper (The Citadel, class of 1984), Dan Robinson ’91, and Mark Gedro ’76.

Pensacola Chapter Founders Day Celebration

Gathering at the Pensacola Chapter Founders Day celebration Nov. 11, 2025, are (from left) Mark Roltsch ’83, Gregg Bamford ’96, Alex Boykin ’05, Bill Bersson ’79, and Nate Straub ’96.

Rappahannock Chapter Founders Day Celebration

Rappahannock Chapter members celebrating Founders Day Nov. 10, 2025, are Dan Robinson ’91, Andy Stewart (The Citadel, class of 1984), Neal Rogers ’82, Ramil Ibanez ’90, Mike Thomas ’79, and Peel Dillard ’70.

Richmond Chapter Oyster Roast and Watch Party

More than 160 attendees celebrate with the Richmond Chapter for an oyster roast and the VMI versus The Citadel watch party Nov. 1, 2025.

Rio Grande Chapter Watch Party

Rio Grande Chapter members attending a watch party for the VMI versus The Citadel game in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Nov. 1, 2025, are (from left) James Ray ’10, Erin Pettyjohn ’01, Joe Aldrich ’93, and James Shircliff ’01.

Rocky Mountain Chapter Founders Day Celebration

Rocky Mountain Chapter members celebrating Founders Day with a dinner in Lakewood, Colorado, Nov. 11, 2025, are (from left) Philip Goldberg ’88, Parke Smith ’79, Debra Smith, Marshall Coyle ’76, Mrs. James Donato, James Donato ’97, Mayling Herbert, Dean Kratzenberg ’87, Paul Herbert ’68, Henry Ehrgott ’98, and Warren Weiss ’87.

Valley Chapter Watch Party

Valley Chapter members enjoy a VMI versus The Citadel watch party at O’Neill’s Grill in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Nov. 1, 2025. Cheering on the Kedyets are (from left) Thomas Hannon ’24, Dickie Sedwick ’71, Edmund Strickler ’62, Cameron Seay ’70, and Don and Stacey Bowers ’90.

West Coast Florida – Tampa Chapter Watch Party

West Coast Florida – Tampa Chapter members host a watch party to cheer on the Keydets against The Citadel Nov. 1, 2025.

West Coast Florida –Tampa Chapter Lunch Cruise

West Coast Florida – Tampa Chapter members set sail on a Veterans Day lunch cruise Nov. 9, 2025.

West Coast Florida – Tampa Chapter New Year’s Gathering

West Coast Florida – Tampa Chapter members gather for a New Year’s celebration Jan. 17, 2026.

The Villages Chapter Cheers on Keydets

The Villages Chapter alumni cheer on the Keydets against the University of Central Florida Knights at the basketball game Nov. 29, 2025.

Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet Highlights Generosity

On the evening of Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, a large crowd gathered in Marshall Hall on the VMI post for the VMI Keydet Club’s signature annual event: The Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet. Held in gratitude for the many donors whose generosity makes athletic scholarships possible, the event allows donors to enjoy a meal and fellowship with their cadet scholarship recipients. This year, the banquet drew approximately 450 attendees, including 250 cadet-athletes, along with Keydet Club Board of Governors members; Jamaal Walton ’07, VMI director of intercollegiate athletics; and Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent.

After a welcome from Andrew Deal ’12, VMI Keydet Club chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies chief development officer, Kelly Sweppenhiser ’06, Keydet Club president, addressed the guests.

“The Keydet Club is truly the heartbeat of VMI athletics,” Sweppenhiser noted. “Through the generosity of so many of you in this room, the Keydet Club is able to provide the resources behind scholarship operations and facilities. In 2026 alone, the Keydet Club will provide over $7 million dollars in scholarship support to over 300 cadet-athletes, not to mention the significant contributions to various operational facility improvements all across post. ... The bottom line is this: Behind every NCAA sport are many humble Keydet Club donors who are leading VMI athletics.”

Sweppenhiser, a standout baseball player for the Keydets during his cadetship, recalled that he only came to VMI because he received a scholarship provided by Bill Paulette ’69. “Now, as a free-swinging third baseman from rural Pennsylvania, I never would have set foot in Lexington, Virginia, in my life, if it wasn’t for Bill Paulette’s generosity,” Sweppenhiser related. “He chose to invest in VMI athletics, and his decision changed my life forever.”

Now in his second year at the helm of “Keydet nation,” Walton took the podium next to lead a round of applause for coaches, administrators,

By Mary Price, Development Writer

and athletic staff before recognizing the accomplishments of cadet-athletes, 139 of whom held rank or another leadership position in the Corps of Cadets during the 2025–26 academic year.

In his remarks, Walton emphasized the importance of cadets building relationships with their scholarship donors. “These are opportunities you have right now that you should take full advantage of, getting to know that person and not just writing a letter,” Walton counseled. “Tell them what your dreams are and what your hopes are because those are the people who want to help you in life. I encourage you to continue to build

“None of this is possible without the Keydet Club, without the donors who provide the resources and allow us to provide a Division I athletic program.”

those relationships and just know they’re very important.”

Like Walton, Furness encouraged cadet-athletes to take a wide-angle lens view of what’s happening in their lives and be grateful for the donors making their VMI educations possible.

“Hopefully, you all are thanking the people who are providing these resources because they’re transforming your lives,” the superintendent stated. “You may not know that all the time. You may not realize what VMI is doing for you. ... When it’s happening to you, when you’re young, sometimes you don’t appreciate it.

You don’t really see the forest for the trees, where you’re going to be in 30–40 years. None of this is possible without the Keydet Club, without the donors who provide the resources and allow us to provide a Division I athletic program.”

Furness also spoke to the unique demands of being a cadet-athlete. “It’s 20 extra hours or more a week that’s piled on top of an experience that is demanding, not easy, exacting, unrelenting, and we don’t lower training,” he stated. “It’s a significant load, extra load, that you’re bearing for the Institute.”

It’s a path fraught with obstacles, Furness acknowledged, but one that produces an end result that will bear rich dividends down the road. “You’re here for your journey,” he stated. “It’s not easy. A lot of times it isn’t fun. A lot of times, you want to do anything but complete a journey. But I tell you: This place transformed me. It’s transforming you.”

The highlight of each year’s Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet, of course, is the presentation of the Three-Legged Stool Award, which is given to the cadet-athlete who most exemplifies the philosophy of a VMI education encompassing academics, athletics, and the military. The term was coined by one of the Institute’s most beloved alumni, Giles Miller, Class of 1924.

This year’s recipient was Cadet Dyson Dunham ’26, a wrestler who not only advanced to the NCAA tournament last year, becoming the first Keydet wrestler to do so in 5 years, but he also won his first match at the NCAA tournament, becoming the first Keydet to score points in the NCAA tournament in 17 years. The recipient of a 3-year U.S. Army ROTC scholarship, Dunham finished in the top 23% at Army Advanced Camp last summer. Academically, he’s a civil engineering major who’s been named to the dean’s list three times and currently holds a 3.4 GPA.

Jim Gibson, VMI wrestling head coach, described Dunham as having made “a lasting impact in his leadership, a reflection of his personal drive and his readiness to lead in the future.”

Speaking briefly after accepting the award, Dunham thanked a number of people for believing in him and supporting his goals—among them his parents, grandparents, coaches, and fellow athletes.

“The Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet is a very special occasion because it brings cadet-athletes and their donors together,” said Deal. “We are extraordinarily thankful for the generous donors who provide scholarship resources for our cadet-athletes. VMI athletics is sustained by their consistent and powerful support.”

“PAYING BACK WITH INTEREST”

Blandinos Establish Scholarships in Mechanical Engineering

By Mary Price, Development Writer

Joe and Joyce Blandino celebrate with graduates at the Institute’s December graduation ceremony.—VMI Photos by Kelly Nye.

“So to me, what’s fun with the undergraduates is you’re there at the ‘aha’ moment, when they really start to see how what they learned really can be applied.” That’s what Col. Joseph “Joe” Blandino, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering, has to say about the joy he receives from teaching and mentoring cadets. It’s a joy he shares with his wife, Col. Joyce Blandino, Ph.D., also professor of mechanical engineering, who holds the distinction of being the first tenured female faculty member in the engineering disciplines at VMI. What’s more, the Blandinos are not only faculty members but generous supporters of VMI, as well, having established two scholarships in the mechanical engineering department.

The Blandinos’ story began when they met as graduate students at the University of Virginia. Two years later, they married, and 3 years after that, Joe accepted a position at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. VMI, though, was already on his radar thanks to his friend, Marshall Coyle ’76, Ph.D., whom he’d met in graduate school.

When a position opened at VMI in 2007, Joe applied and got an interview. Right away, he was impressed with Brig. Gen. Charles F. “Casey” Brower IV, Ph.D., then-dean of the faculty, who was as committed to undergraduate research as he was. What’s more, VMI’s military culture felt familiar, as Joe had commissioned into the U.S. Air Force from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering on a 3-year AFROTC scholarship.

“I really felt, as soon as I set foot on post, this is where I fit in,” he noted. Since coming to VMI, Joe Blandino has continued his research with NASA and helped several cadets find internships and employment opportunities.

Joyce Blandino, meanwhile, brings a unique background to post, having earned a degree in life sciences with a concentration in bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an undergraduate and then earning both a Master of Science degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia.

in this department is fantastic, and I couldn’t imagine it being any better anywhere else in the world.”

“Here, I can really make a difference in people’s lives,” said Joyce. Like Joe, she formerly taught at James Madison University and experienced the blur of faces that life at a large university brings. “And you never really knew where they ended up, or whatever turned out, or whatever happened [to them]. Here at VMI, you kind of know where the story went.”

“That’s actually one of the benefits here is the relationships you establish with [cadets],” Joe agreed. “The connections seem to last a lot longer. The ties are a lot tighter.”

Looking around Joyce’s office, it’s easy to see those ties: The walls are covered with photos of smiling cadets on graduation day—and as of the 2025–26 academic year, one of those faces is a face they see in the hall each day. Maj. John V. “Jack” Wilkins ’16, Ph.D., who was once Joyce’s advisee, has returned to the Institute as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

“What you see if you’ve been at VMI a long time—where you see your students come back and become faculty—is this place is transformative,” Joe noted.

The classroom dynamic in this department is fantastic, and I couldn’t imagine it being any better anywhere else in the world.

At VMI, she’s forged those interests into a unique lab for cadets interested in biomechanics and other aspects of human performance—interests that often dovetail nicely with VMI’s exercise science minor. More than 10 years ago, she partnered with Col. Michael “Mike” Krackow, Ph.D., in what’s now the Department of Human Performance and Wellness (formerly physical education) to establish the biomechanics laboratory, with equipment provided by a Jackson-Hope Fund grant. The lab has enabled countless cadets to conduct research with real-world implications, like developing affordable prosthetic limbs and helping the elderly avoid falls.

For both Joe and Joyce, watching cadets develop from scared rats to confident 1st Class cadets who can contribute to the knowledge base in their field is their favorite part of teaching at VMI.

Both describe their classrooms as interactive, and Socratic questioning is often a big part of the classroom dynamic.

Joe described interviewing a potential faculty member who asked what he’d be most surprised about in teaching at VMI. “If you’re going to be a faculty member who’s going to just try and lecture from PowerPoints here, you’re going to fail miserably,” he replied. “The classroom dynamic

Driving some of the excellence that makes VMI transformative, of course, is funding— and the Blandinos and their cadets have benefited not only from the Jackson-Hope Fund but also the Summer Undergraduate Research Institute and the Benjamin H. Powell Jr. ’36 Institute Professorship in Engineering, which Joe currently holds. Now, he and Joyce believe, it’s time to give back.

“Certainly the Powell professorship provided a stipend that helped us as we were getting established and our kids were young and then going to college, and now, fortunately, we’re at a point in life where we can pay that money back with interest,” he commented.

In gratitude for all they’ve received, and with a desire to support future cadets as the cost of higher education continues to rise, in 2024 the Blandinos established the Blandino Scholarship for Academic Achievement in Mechanical Engineering for 2nd and 1st Class cadets majoring in that discipline. The scholarship’s focus is retaining high-quality students in the ME program.

Most recently, Joe established the Dr. Joyce K. Blandino Mechanical Engineering Scholarship in gratitude for all his wife has done for the department. “You can hardly walk by her office without a [cadet] being in there,” he stated. He added that Joyce doesn’t just teach engineering or biomechanics—very often, she teaches cadets vital skills, like how to take and organize notes. With that emphasis on foundational skills, it’s therefore appropriate that the scholarship bearing Joyce’s name is for rats, with the goal of attracting high-quality students into the department. Joe noted that ideally, he and Joyce won’t be the only ones supporting the scholarships. “I think, for us, the most rewarding part is that it’s not just something we’re doing, but it grows to where mechanical engineering alums really feel that they got something worthwhile from what we taught them and what they got out of the program and are willing to help support that,” he stated.

DORCAS WILKINSON: “You Can See Philanthropy at Work”

By Mary Price, Development Writer

“You can see philanthropy at work every day at VMI: In the cadets who receive scholarships and whose research or study aboard programs are funded in part through private gifts, in the faculty who are supported by faculty endowments, in the facility and grounds improvements, and in new buildings.”

That’s how Dorcas Wilkinson, a VMI Foundation Board

who matriculated from Arrington, Virginia, a small community in Nelson County, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. After graduation, he went on to a 25-year career with the Air Force, followed by an 18- year career at Lockheed Martin. Throughout his life, he maintained strong ties with his brother rats.

Spence’s enduring affection for VMI was evident from the moment he and Wilkinson met, of course, but for her, a funeral for an alumnus missing in action during the Vietnam War highlighted the brother rat bonds like nothing else could. Spence’s roommate, U.S. Air Force Capt. J. Scott Dotson ’66, was shot down over Laos in 1969, but his remains weren’t identified until 2002.

“When Scott was finally returned home, brother rats came from all over the country to honor him at his burial at Arlington,” Wilkinson recalled. “The brotherhood, the respect for each other, the love for each other, and the connection they feel is remarkable and was especially visible that day. It made an impact on me.”

Both Spence and his brother, Robert A. “Bob” Wilkinson ’65, were recipients of scholarships that enabled them to attend VMI. For both, Wilkinson noted, the Institute was the only college they applied to, and coming from a family of modest means, higher education wouldn’t have been possible without financial assistance.

“[Spence] received the James Henry Maxwell, Class of 1885 Scholarship, established in Maxwell’s memory by his sister, Mary Maxwell, in 1921. He never forgot the generosity of Ms. Maxwell,” Wilkinson commented. Early on, Spence determined that when the time was right, he would follow her lead, and so several years ago, he endowed a scholarship. “We have thoroughly enjoyed meeting each scholarship recipient and realizing the difference it was making in their lives,” said Wilkinson.

Left: Dorcas Wilkinson with Cadet Eufenuel-John Buna ’27, recipient of the Wilkinson scholarship, at the VMI Foundation Scholarship Banquet in April 2025.

Right: Dorcas Wilkinson and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Quincy Murphy ’15 with Cadet Eufenuel-John Buna ’27 at the VMI Foundation Scholarship Banquet in April 2025.

The VMI Foundation Scholarship Banquet, at which donors have a chance to meet and interact with the cadets holding their scholarships, quickly became a highly anticipated date on the Wilkinsons’ calendar. “The scholarship luncheon is truly my favorite event each year at VMI, as it was for Spence. The opportunity to meet the recipients and learn about their dreams, aspirations, and accomplishments encouraged Spence to add to the endowment each year, and I continue to do the same. And with a couple of the recipients, we developed long-standing relationships.”

One of those relationships is with U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Quincy Murphy ’15, a standout track and field athlete who received the Wilkinson Scholarship for 3 years as a cadet. A civil engineering major, Murphy went to work in that field immediately after graduation but later felt the call to serve his country.

“He called Spence one night and said, ‘I’m thinking about going into the Marines. Would you write me a letter of recommendation?’” Wilkinson recalled.

“He’s now a captain in the Marine Corps, and we continue to stay in touch,” she said. “He returned to Virginia for a couple of years, while studying for his master’s in environmental engineering at Old Dominion University. Being close to Lexington, I would invite him to join me at the scholarship luncheon. The

event was a great opportunity for him to interact with the [cadets] and give them some advice and counsel. Perhaps someday, Quincy and the other recipients will establish their own scholarship endowments.”

Wilkinson’s support for the Institute, though, hasn’t been limited to the scholarship that bears her husband’s name. Spence was manager of the football team as a cadet, and since his passing in 2019, Wilkinson has made supporting the Keydet Club a priority, as well.

“I also give unrestricted VMI, because I have a very strong belief that those are the most valuable dollars that come to any institution,” she stated.

Wilkinson has been a Foundation trustee since 2021, and the position has opened her eyes to the extent to which private giving enables VMI to provide cadets with a 21st-century education.

“You walk across post, and you can truly see philanthropy at work,” she stated. “And when you read stories about current initiatives such as the Call to Duty Scholarship program, the priorities for VMI athletics, or plans for the Advancement Center, all of which are being driven significantly by private gifts, you realize the power of philanthropy and what it does for the Corps of Cadets and VMI. I hope every member of the VMI family will consider making a gift because it is so critical for the Institute’s future.”

1946

David M. Hudock ’97

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 1946.

1947

Jonathan Safrit ’10

The Class of 1947 proudly welcomes the Class of 2026 into the ranks of VMI alumni. Though separated by nearly eight decades, the connection between 1947 and 2026 is rooted in the same shared experience of hardship, discipline, brotherhood, and devotion to the Institute. Time may pass, but the spirit of VMI remains constant.

Roger Rosenfield, the only verified remaining member of the Class of 1947, is doing well. To quote Roger, “Everything’s fine.” In typical VMI fashion, his words are simple, steady, and understated. He continues to attend the VMI–Raleigh breakfast when he’s able, and I know the group is always honored to have him there. His presence is a living link to a remarkable era in the Institute’s history.

Shortly after these notes are published, Roger will celebrate his 100th birthday—an extraordinary milestone for an extraordinary man. When we last spoke by phone, I told him I hope to make the trip down to Raleigh to help mark the occasion.

Reaching 100 years is rare; doing so while remaining as engaged as Roger is with alumni and the Institute is rarer still.

As always, I remain available to the friends and families of the Class of 1947 and genuinely enjoy hearing from you. On behalf of the Class of 1947, I extend best wishes to all as we move into the summer months—and offer a warm welcome to the newest members of the VMI alumni family, the Class of 2026.

1948B

Lisa Tracy

Dear Brother Rats of ’48B, Families, and Friends,

It’s with great sadness that I must report we have lost two of our brother rats of ’48B. Rod Kallgren’s family called in late fall 2025 to tell us of his death, and we learned in February 2026 that Al Loth had passed on early in the month.

I spoke with Al Loth’s daughter, Anne Pallotta, shortly after his death in February as the family gathered at the house in the North Chesterfield area, now part of Richmond. Anne said Al’s health had been failing since before the turn of the year, but he stayed sharp till the end of his life.

He was proud of his achievements and experiences at VMI and in his career, but he would tell you without hesitation that his greatest achievements were his marriage to his high school sweetheart, the late Doris Elliott Loth, and the lives of “our four wonderful daughters”—Linda Whitehead, Paula Edmunds, Anne, and Leslie Roberts. In our conversations over the past 3 years, he spoke most fondly of the house where he was so happy still to be living, 62 years after the family first moved in, and which contained so many memories of those five lovely women.

Al had just been added to the list of our 10 most senior alumni when I last spoke with him shortly after he became part of that echelon. He received the news with his customary dry humor, which I greatly enjoyed in our talks over the past 3 years.

He came to VMI already quite familiar with the combination of academics and military discipline, as a graduate of John Marshall High School in his native Richmond, where he’d served as regimental commander of the corps of cadets and received the Civitan Club’s award for citizenship. Of that 1944 rat year at the Institute, he told me it was “pretty tough and also pretty sparse,” as Army demands had already taken most of the Corps. He recalled his later service in the peacetime Army as an experience in military mayhem, as the Army simultaneously tried to downsize its war-weary regiments and call up the reserves, owing to some arcane military regulations. Al ended up briefly serving at the Pentagon, where he said, “I’m sure I was the only second lieutenant in the place.”

He graduated with a B.S. degree in civil engineering and was inducted into the honorary engineering society, Tau Beta Pi. Al also served as regimental commander of the Corps of Cadets and was awarded the National ROTC Medal for Leadership and Excellence. His rank in the Corps led to one of his proudest memories of life at the Institute: His being assigned to act as aide to Gen. George Marshall ’901 for a day, as Marshall traveled to Richmond to address a joint meeting of the VMI Club there.

It remained, he said, one of the most memorable days of his life, as he was “just a cadet, standing over in a corner trying to stay out of the way of the dignitaries.” But when the time came for a photo of Marshall with the governor and a congressman, Al recalled that Marshall saw to it that his aide was part of the picture. The resulting photo recorded Cadet Albert L. Loth standing right next to the general, who had never forgotten where he got his military start. “It taught me that there are no little people in the world,” Al said. “We all have our roles to play.”

He put the discipline instilled at the Institute to good use in a 41-year career with AT&T, starting with what was then the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company, a major AT&T subsidiary. He worked in a number of capacities as the company became the nation’s most far-reaching communications system and then was divided through divestiture in 1984; when he retired in 1989, it was from Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) as managing director of Dialed and Private Line Services.

Al also had a keen sense of the value of community service. He

Class of 1948B: Rod and Jean Kallgren on a trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with their sons in the 1960s.

and I talked about the role the Bell Laboratories played in that respect nationwide, and his personal community service included fundraising for the American Red Cross, 15 years as a member of the City of Richmond Personnel Board, and several years as an arbitrator for the Commonwealth’s mediation system for addressing state employees’ grievances. He retained a keen interest in local politics to the end of his life and enjoyed sharing regular updates on his opinions about Richmond city management. In lighter moments, he cultivated his golf and tennis games and an interest in keyboard music.

Family and friends celebrated his life in late February at St. Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Church in North Chesterfield, Virginia. The family suggests memorial gifts may be sent to the Families of the Wounded Fund, Inc., c/o Village Bank, P.O. Box 330, Midlothian, VA 23113.

It was in late November that Rod Kallgren’s son, Scott, called to tell us Rod had succumbed to ALS, which he’d contracted very late in the life he so enjoyed.

Scott told us that despite the devastating illness ALS brings with it physically, his father was mentally as sharp as ever, though unable to talk easily as it progressed. But he continued to communicate with written word and gesture and with his unfailing good humor even then. He was surrounded during his final days by the many family members living near him in Michigan.

As your class agent, I have many fond memories of conversations with Rod. His family contributed many more in an obituary that ran in the Detroit Free Press in early December. Rod himself was a great storyteller, and his own story starts with the fact that he was born on the day in 1927 that Charles Lindbergh’s successful flight across the Atlantic became international news.

Rod was always modest about his own accomplishments—he mostly liked to tell stories about the people and the world around him—but you may remember he was a great sports buff. Growing up during the Great Depression, he managed to pursue that passion as an avid swimmer, tennis player, and golfer as his family moved from his native Detroit to Florida and Virginia.

As a sports fan, he also liked to recall childhood memories, including conversations with baseball legend Nap Lajoie on a park bench in Lake Worth, Florida; swimming and high diving with Olympian athletes in Florida at the age of 5; and caddying for Sam Snead, all-time PGA tour win leader, when the Kallgren family moved to Virginia and the legendary golf champion was lending his prestige to the Hot Springs course that still bears his name.

Class Notes

At VMI, Rod was a center on the VMI basketball team until, as for all of ’48B, his academic career was interrupted by World War II, when the draft took him to Fort Bragg as an enlisted man. He returned to VMI to complete a degree in chemistry in 1949 and was courting the girl who would become his beloved wife, the late Margaret Jean (Moser) Kallgren, when he was called up to serve as an artillery officer in the Korean War, where he attained the rank of captain. He told me in a conversation last year that he and Jean, facing that separation, did the only logical thing: They eloped. When he returned from Korea and they landed at Fort Bliss, he recalled, they liked to joke that the base was aptly named as the spot for their belated honeymoon.

His civilian career later landed them in Michigan, where he made his mark as a Dow Chemical employee, starting as a lab technician and rising to the post of automotive regional sales and marketing director. “For the kids, it was a great place to grow up,” he told me, adding that “family is everything.” Four of his and Jean’s six sons still live in Michigan, as do many of their 18 grandchildren and a growing number of great- and great-great-grandchildren.

But work and Rod’s love of family did not diminish his devotion to the sport that eventually became his chief athletic pastime. He liked to joke that he achieved eight hole-in-ones during his lifetime—one for Jean, one for each of their six boys, and finally one for himself, in 2017, at the age of 90.

The first time we spoke, he told me one of his late-life goals had been to live to see the year

2000, and he was pleasantly surprised when that year came and went. He reset his goal and said he was now aiming to see his 100th birthday.

Son Scott noted that he almost made it. A memorial service for family and friends will take place on what would have been his 99th, followed by an informal reception for family and friends at 11 a.m. May 22, 2026, at Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Township, Michigan. His family says donations in his memory may be made to Kirk in the Hills, ALS of Michigan, or Alzheimer’s Association of Michigan.

By the time these class notes reach you, we will be in that month where, in the hills of Virginia, the dogwood is giving way to lilacs and apple blossoms. As I write this, however, we are still mired in what the news media have taken to calling “snow-crete.” So, as you read this, congratulate yourselves that we made it to the merry month of May and that sheet of frozen snow is just a memory. When we spoke, it was still upon us, but your reports of it were encouraging. George Ramsey was taking his dog to nearby Peaksview Park in Lynchburg. Angus Crook said that, yes, he and Nancy were fine, but only after having to leave their apartment for 5 days after the electricity went out during one of the fierce winter storms we all so enjoyed between New Year’s and spring’s arrival.

May the rest of the spring carry you past VMI graduation and on into the summer in good health and with some good diversions. You know I am always eager to hear your news, so please call, email, or mail me at any time.

With fondest regards, Rah, ’48B!

Yours,

Lisa T.

1949A

Jonathan Safrit ’10

As we mark the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of New Market, we pause to reflect on the courage and sacrifice that have long defined the spirit of the Institute. In that same spirit of continuity, we proudly congratulate the Class of 2026 on their graduation. Their accomplishments represent not only years of hard work and perseverance, but also the enduring strength of the VMI tradition that connects generations of alumni.

I am pleased to report that 1949A’s last member, G. Harrison Whitten Jr., is doing well and,

Class of 1948B: Al Loth at his home in the Bon Air area of Richmond, Virginia.

as of this writing in February, has just celebrated his 99th birthday. Reaching such a milestone is remarkable in itself, though it would come as no surprise to anyone who knows Harrison that he met the occasion with characteristic humility. Despite my best efforts to make much of it, he graciously downplayed the event.

Spending time in conversation with Harrison is always a genuine delight. He gives generously of his time, and his stories are as rich as they are entertaining. There is a depth to his recollections that brings history vividly to life, whether he is reflecting on his cadet days, his professional career, or the many friendships formed along the way. I am continually grateful for the wisdom, warmth, and steady perspective he brings to every exchange.

During one of our recent conversations, I mentioned how impressed I was that his family’s automotive business had surpassed the 100-year mark. Even more striking, Harrison shared that the company ranks among the five oldest businesses in Richmond. Such longevity speaks not only to sound business practice, but to generations of dedication, integrity, and community ties. It is a remarkable family legacy—one that mirrors, in many ways, the enduring traditions we cherish at VMI—and I always enjoy learning more about its history through Harrison’s stories.

On a more somber note, I learned of the passing of Mrs. James E. Harrington late last summer, Aug. 30. In keeping with her wishes, no obituary was published. However, in speaking with her family, it is clear that she lived a full and meaningful life and will be dearly missed by all who knew her. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to her loved ones and keep them in our thoughts.

As always, I remain available to the friends and family of 1949A and truly enjoy hearing from you. The connections we maintain—across classes, across generations—are a testament to the strength of the VMI brotherhood. On behalf of the Class of 1949A, I wish each of you a safe and enjoyable summer season, and I look forward to sharing more updates in the months ahead.

1949B

Ding Patton

Class Notes

new in his life but he did ask how many brother rats are still living. As near as I can tell, there are still nine of us since Harvey Bradley’s and Jack Hayes’ deaths, which I previously reported by email but that includes Fred Duggan, whom I am not sure about since I tried calling him recently and the phone number was not in service.

Tom Altizer is in Florida and usually enjoys playing golf twice a week but recently had to skip one because of the extremely cold weather. He also takes a 2-mile evening walk most days.

Nobbie fell and had a compression fracture in the L1 region in her lower back in November. She was in horrible pain. Fortunately for her, some poor soul had scheduled a kyphoplasty procedure, but Medicare wouldn’t authorize payment for him, so the doctor scheduled her for the procedure in his time slot instead of waiting until Feb. 26. She got immediate relief from most of the pain, which was a blessing, and is almost back to her usual daily routine.

Greg asked about Tom Altizer and if I had heard from Max Feinman. Max calls about twice a year but not recently. I always feel uplifted after speaking with Max.

I have had a couple of calls recently from brother rats who are concerned about what is happening in Richmond regarding the Institute’s future. I, too, am concerned about the future of our beloved VMI, but I have no information that is not available online. Pray that the legislature will do the right thing and let VMI be VMI.

I am still hoping to hear from some of you who seldom write. Please write, brother rats, or there may be nothing to report in future editions of class notes.

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

1950B

Robert F. Lynd

These notes cover the period from Nov. 16, 2025–Feb. 15, 2026.

Jim Morgan made his usual yuletide telephone call and said he just wanted to check in. Nothing

This covers the period Nov. 16, 2025–Feb. 15, 2026.

As I started this article, it was the weekend of Jan. 24—the bitter cold had encompassed half of the country. Turns out that my part of New Mexico had the worst of what came through the state. We had temperatures of 5°F and 6°F with subzero wind chills and over 6 inches of snow, which is quite a bit for this area. When you read this in the

middle of May, flowers will be out, the sun will be shining, and spring will be in the air. Ah, me. Let’s get the unpleasant news out first. One of our favorite BRs, Hoge Sutherland, passed on in late November at the age of 97. We all remember his wit in our Bomb and at our reunions. It was always fun to be around Hoge, and his passing has brought us to 12 BRs remaining as of this writing.

Speaking of the dozen of us remaining, at this moment, the difference between the oldest (Win Thornton) and the youngest (Jim Flippen) is 1 year, 2 months, and 7 days. Everyone is 96 except the two oldest, Win and Tommy Kirk, who are 97.

And speaking of Win Thornton, he rang me out of a clear blue sky—said he just wanted to talk. I told him he is now the oldest remaining brother rat out of the 12 of us left. He took that news gracefully. Win is recovering from a fall in which he cracked his ribs, and now, after 20 years in independent living, he moved across the street into assisted living, where they are taking good care of him. We talked about the doctor’s advice as to how to care of oneself. As the doctor said, “Just don’t fall!” Win has a motorized chair to get around. He said he would have liked to come to the reunion, but he just couldn’t. He asked how many were there, so we talked a bit about the reunion.

His two children are not close by. His son is now living in Santa Fe, and at age 72, is still working for British Petroleum. He retires oil rigs after they pump all the oil out because those rigs are a tremendous liability for BP. His daughter lives in Decatur, a suburb of Atlanta. So he doesn’t see much of his kids.

Win reminded me he was a 1st Class private, and he related a story about his experience at graduation. He went up on the stage and received his diploma from the superintendent. Then he moved over to receive his commission from Gen. Shepherd ’917 (Deedee’s dad). Win said he must have done something wrong along the way—didn’t salute or had his documents in the wrong hand or something. Because, when he finally made it to the end of the stage, there was Col. “Ollie” Bucher ’917 waiting there. Ollie’s only words to Win were, “Gross, gross, gross.”

Despite that memory, Win said he thinks VMI is one of the greatest schools there are.

I called Jim Flippen and checked on him by phone. He’s currently in assisted living but gets around independently. His assisted living is mainly oversight. They check on him from time to time to make sure he’s OK. If he scratches himself, they’ll dress it. He has fallen two or three times in last 6–8 months but never broken anything. He skinned up legs and arms this last time. In his motorized chair, he rides to the dining room and to the gym, where

he does an “old man’s” workout for 20–30 minutes to keep his cardio up. His heart is all right. His knees and legs are a problem. He played tennis two or three times a week for 45 or 50 years. He was big into squash for 20 years and jogged every day. So, he wore out his legs before the rest of his body. He has had one knee replaced about 30 years ago. He should have the other knee replaced but says he’s too old for the anesthesia. He had an ankle replaced 20 years ago, and that took 4–5 months to get back to normal. That knocked him out of tennis.

He’s excited to see his granddaughter, Emily, on the CBS program “Survivor.” The 50th season of that show will be shown starting this February. For this occasion, they are bringing back all the survivors, plus ones considered fan favorites. Emily was on the show a few years ago. She’s older now—31—but when they paid her $40,000 to agree to be on the show, well ... They filmed in Fiji last April, but the results are being kept top secret. Jim couldn’t get her to talk.

Email: I’m pausing here to say that both Win and Jim profess they either do not have an email address or do not get involved with email. The information in the rosters I have indicates that 11 of our 12 remaining have email addresses. I think some of you don’t know you have an email address attributed to you. It may be your wife’s; they always seemed to be more “with it.” When I send an email to the addresses I have, I don’t get a kickback telling me it no longer exists. So, somebody associated with you is receiving my messages. I did receive one response to my latest from Frank Fugate. Just a brief reply saying, “Nothing to report.” At least I know Frank’s still with us.

You see, all it takes is for you to just respond to my email with a simple message like Frank’s. Then, I will know you are still with us. If you have access to the internet and email, and you don’t use it, you are doing yourself a very great disservice. The Alumni Agencies puts out myriad information almost constantly via email. And I send you little blasts every so often. Maybe because you are not using email is why I don’t hear from you. Hey! Get with the 21st century— you’re missing out of a lot if you don’t. Are you just turning into old fogies?

VMI situation as I write this in February: I’m sure you’ve heard about what’s going on at VMI—the bills introduced in the General Assembly. (Editor’s Note: Please visit vmialumni.org/ mobilize for the most up-to-date information.)

In rummaging around in my souvenirs, I came across a copy of the speech our dear Brother Rat Tommy Harwood gave at our 45th Reunion.

Tommy was the keynote speaker at that reunion. His words struck me as being apropos of this time. I cite here excerpts from that speech, which I hope will boost our morale. “On Sept. 9, 1946, 361 young men matriculated at VMI. Some were veterans of World War II, but most were fuzzycheeked, fresh out of high schools. They were from farms and cities, towns and suburbs. They came in a variety and combination of sizes and shapes: Tall, short, thin, heavy.

“Few knew each other. Those who knew what was going on—or thought they did—were scared and bewildered. Many were being ‘sent’ to VMI, while others were there by choice or fate. ...

“We learned of the Honor Code and the General Committee; of class privileges and VMI history; of the Spirit of VMI; of barracks life, academics, and athletics; of always marching; and much, much more.

“New words like bone, fin out, drive on, gim, and hay became a part of our vocabulary. Our common troubles, which none escaped, held us firmly together as a class. The strong bonds of fellowship and loyalty were being formed. ...

“Our number diminished. Quickly at first, then at a slower pace. Many departed for various reasons: The rigors of the Rat Line, academics, finances, marriage, the military system—on and on. But those who did leave were our brother rats, and today, we’re still proud to call each other brothers. ...

“We scattered, went our separate ways, pursued our goals. There were jobs, marriage, children. Success and heartbreak, joy and sorrow, good times and bad. But, through it all, we stuck together, drawn to each other by the common bond of affection and loyalty to each other and to the Institute. ...

“Let’s continue the concept of the citizen-soldier. ... VMI is unique—the only pure, classical military college left in the country. We must keep it that way. ...

“But, even though times have changed, as they always do, we should never abandon those time-tested, simple concepts that have made VMI what it is: I’m speaking especially of the Honor Code and the class system. Resist any attempt to change them. ...

“We owe so much to VMI. Only together can we as a class leave a legacy of which we and future generations will be proud. Individually, we’ll be forgotten. Time will do that. But together, and only together, can the Class of ’50B live on.

To paraphrase the final line of the ‘Doxology,’ God bless our class and VMI.”

It’s time to rally ’round the Institute, boys! ¡Hasta la próxima vez! ¡Al menos eso espero!

1951

Ursula Baxley

Frans Kasteel reports that “here at Millenbeck, we have had solar panels installed, with no upfront costs. Until our shih tzu got sick herself, she kept me healthy walking. We almost lost her, but tonight she ate half of my dinner and all of her kibble. We have kept walking with all of this ice, since four legs are better than two, and we haven’t broken any bones yet. Daphne is fine and will come to the reunion. Next week in Irvington, I will go listen to the superintendent in person. We must keep VMI out of politics. Looking forward to seeing all of you in April at the reunion.”

Bounce Carsten’s daughter reports that he is well and still going to work.

These following Class of 1951 notes were generously submitted by Cindy Eggleston, daughter of Jerry Eggleston: As you probably know by now, Taylor Hay passed away in February 2025. He was 9 days short of his 95th birthday. Aside from real estate development, Taylor invented ways to exercise at home (Synergetics and PocketGym). Cindy Eggleston (Jerry’s daughter) wrote in to say that she remembered hearing the story of how Taylor became a hero Oct. 29, 1949, when VMI played West Point at Michie Stadium. The researched story that follows tells of Taylor’s moment of glory as a third-string defensive end. It also tells how VMI scored its second touchdown. Both touchdowns were made by ’51s. Both were

Class of 1951: Fred Anson.

Class Notes

from Kentucky. Perhaps if you have bourbon, you should pour a very small shot while you read about the day these ’51s became heroes. While VMI lost 40–14, it’s important to note that in 1949, the Keydet Flying Squadron outscored other teams that lost to the fortress-like defensive Knights: Penn State (7), Michigan (7), Pennsylvania (13), and Navy (0). Army was ranked the second top team in the country, and Vince Lombardi was a new assistant coach. Taylor Hay, who had not played all season, stepped onto the field in the second half, with a halftime score of 27-0. Coach Earl Blaik had a safe margin, so he rested his starters. Even so, at the end of the third quarter Army was on the VMI 16 on a second down. Then a Knight named Depew was hit hard on the line of scrimmage and fumbled. The ball spurted out of his hands 3 feet into the air. Taylor Hay caught it and outran the second-string Knights for 83 yards (77 according to the Roanoke Times) to complete a touchdown! Does anyone remember who was responsible for clocking Depew?

The second touchdown came with 45 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Fred Anson intercepted the ball from Coach Blaik’s second-string quarterback son on the VMI 48. He cut across the field and down for a 50yard touchdown!

The Cadet Newspaper wrote that Henry Quisenberry also blocked a kick, then picked up the ball and ran 42 yards for a touchdown, only to be stopped by an offsides penalty.

In addition to Hay’s and Anson’s great plays that day, the ’50Bs gained yardage: Captain Tommy Phillips ’50B (guard), Joe Veltri ’50B (quarterback), Thatcher Watson ’50B (end), and Ray Tamalis ’50B (fullback). Other ’51s made mention, too: Joe Stump (back), Country Lauerman (tackle), Kirby Bernich (center), Jerry Eggleston (guard and linebacker with an interception and 1-yard gain), and Bill Graf (back and kicker). The ’50 Bomb stated that, “Tackle Bill Lauerman’s rugged line play was outstanding.” Neal Petree ’52 (end), Tommy Birge ’52 (back), and Henry

Quisenberry (end) were standouts, as well.

The Punchbowl commentary found in the Cadet newspaper noted that while VMI scored against the lesser Knights, they also played Army starters in the first half. In the first half, Army scored two of their touchdowns when they recovered nervous fumbles deep in VMI territory.

The Cadet newspaper writer, Hus Sutherland ’50B, wrote: “They failed to take into consideration the fact that, for the Virginians, odds count not on the field of honor. They failed to take into consideration the famous spirit that keeps all VMI teams fighting.”

Rah Virginia Mil, rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, VMI; ’51, ’51, ’51!

God bless all of you, and God bless VMI.

1952

Dear Class of 1952 Family,

Let me start with the good news: Dates for your 75th Reunion have been announced! The reunion will be held April 12–13, 2027. These days are a Monday and Tuesday, and most often, reunion attendees arrive in Lexington Sunday night to settle into their hotels and rest up before events kick off the next day. If you are even cautiously optimistic that you could attend, please mark your calendars now. More information will be forthcoming later in the year.

What a joy to hear from so many of you at Christmas! Messages arrived by letter, card, telephone, and email, and I heard from two brother rats for the very first time. Joe Webber and John Taylor, it was a real delight to hear from each of you! Please stay in touch—and that goes for everyone.

December began with an email from Joe Webber, a resident of Lititz, Pennsylvania, sharing his memories of Christmas 1941, when the country was newly at war, and his older brother was in the U.S. Army (who, happily, came home safe and sound when the war was over). A week or so later, he sent a second email, noting, “It’s been an unusual year for me in that my wife, Pat, died after 6 years of contending with dementia last April. Then my first great-grandson came along in January, and another

Class of 1951: Joe Stump (No. 31, fullback) carries the ball for the Keydets with Jerry Eggleston (No. 20, linebacker) behind him.

Class of 1951: The program for the VMI versus Army football game played at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, Oct. 29, 1949.

Class of 1951: Tom Phillips ’50B, captain of the Keydet football team.

Mary Lanford Price

great-grandson entered last month. All children, grandchildren, and now the two new great ones, all in the same year.”

Joe also sent me a photo of a piano bench with an explanation: “The item below is one I created for daughter Julie to cover the pad on her piano bench seat about 9 years ago. She finally got around to having it installed by an upholsterer here in Lititz and brought it by for me to see. Turned out to be rather nice. (This has been my hobby now at my advanced age.) She asked me to use my favorite hymn as the theme for her reminder to continue her piano lessons she started back then. How could I resist?” The hymn is “It is Well with My Soul.” I am amazed by this wonderful piece of handiwork—Joe is quite talented!

As for John Taylor, I first heard from him via a Christmas card in December, and he sent a wonderful family photo. Then, one day in early January, he called, much to my delight. With great emotion, he thanked me for putting him back in touch with his brother rats. I have to confess it took me a moment to remember what I’d done that was so deserving of praise, but then I remembered sharing a list of phone numbers with Dr. Andy Dickinson, who’d arranged a conference call with members of the class. “I’m back in the fold,” John reported happily after enjoying a chat that included not only Dr. Dickinson but also Zeke Finney.

Since this was our first phone call, I asked a few “getting to know you” questions, and here is some of what I learned: After graduating from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University. Then, it was off to Dallas, courtesy of a job offer from Ford Motor Co., and it was there he met Betty on a blind date. They have two sons, one of whom lives with them—as do their adorable twin granddaughters!

“I’m basically in good health, and so is Betty. I really can’t complain,” he noted. “I’ve had a good education and a good life.”

John no longer drives, but his son takes him and Betty wherever they need to go, and they enjoy outings near their home in the Highland Park section of Dallas. They also attend St. Michael and All Angels

Class Notes

Episcopal Church in Dallas, where Betty Taylor is the oldest living member. At church, the Taylors often see Mary Louise Hopson, daughter of Carl Carstens ’51, so the VMI bonds are strong in the lone star state.

John also noted that he was the first class agent for ’52—and while I can’t say for sure that I’ll be the last, I plan to remain as long as I’m needed and wanted. It was a real pleasure speaking with him!

I was also in touch with Rem Simpson, who is currently wintering in Florida this quarter. He wrote, “I had a nice card from John ‘Zeke’ Finney. No message but a great picture of his entire family. As for me, I remain about the same. Five years ago, I had Covid pneumonia, which left me with lung damage, and I am short of breath a lot. I do use a Rollator to get around, and I am still driving and ‘reasonably sane,’ according to my daughter.”

Langhorne McCarthy is always one of my most

faithful correspondents, and in mid-November, she sent an update on her very red, white, and yellow clan: “You are so thoughtful to send birthday greetings to the remaining VMI Class of ’52 and also to their wives, and I appreciated getting mine. The ’52 VMI class is very fortunate to have you as the class agent, and you do a fabulous job! I joined my son-in-law, Wade Stinnette ’80, and daughter, Lannie Stinnette, at the Institute Society Dinner Friday, Nov. 7. My meal was delicious, and I’ve never seen such a huge amount of people and cadets as there were that night. My son, Chuck McCarthy ’85, was there also, and a good time was had by all.

“I’ve got three weddings to look forward to, and the dads are both VMI grads. The first wedding will be held Dec. 13 in Richmond. The proud parents are Jennifer and Jack McCarthy ’87, and the groom is their son, Hunt McCarthy ’17. I’m really looking forward to it and a large McCarthy family reunion. The next two weddings will be the daughters of Beth Ann and Chuck McCarthy ’85. The first one to take place will be in August 2026 for Meredith McCarthy, and the second will take place in October 2026 for Caroline McCarthy. Both weddings will be in Richmond, and again, two more McCarthy family reunions. My cup runneth over, and I’m so excited and can hardly wait! A happy Thanksgiving to you, and I hope the nice weather we’re having will last for a while.”

Langhorne wrote that in November—long before the fiercest January in many years assaulted Lexington and much of the East Coast, really, with a monstrous snow and ice storm and 10 days of subfreezing highs. For younger Lexingtonians, seeing the Maury River almost entirely frozen over was an amazing sight. Do any of you remember the river freezing over when you were cadets? If so, please feel free to call or write and let me know what you remember.

And these notes wouldn’t be complete without a Christmas card report! I was happy to receive cards from the following individuals: Harriet Redman, Charlie Hogge, Ann Carman (widow of Minor Rogers), Cecil Puckette, Monica Harrington, Estelle Gordon, Sigrid Coulbourn, John Taylor, and Sugar Holland.

Class of 1952: The piano bench seat Joe Webber made for his daughter, Julie.

Class of 1952: Attending the wedding of Hunt McCarthy ’17 in Powhatan County, Virginia, Dec. 13, 2025, are (from left) Wade Stinnette ’80, Mary Weston McCarthy, Hunt, Langhorne McCarthy (widow of Joe McCarthy), Chuck McCarthy ’85, and Jack McCarthy ’87 (father of the groom).

Many of you enclosed Christmas letters or wrote notes on your cards, and I read each one carefully. From Lynchburg, Virginia, Cecil Puckette wrote, “Carolyn and I are fine, along with our three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Thank you so much for what you’re doing for the Class of ’52. We wish you the happiest Christmas and a great new year.”

From Plano, Texas, Charlie Hogge wrote, “I am finally enjoying full retirement! I enjoyed my work as an engineer doing hardware development just before my 70th birthday. I then became an ombudsman volunteer assigned to visit a nursing home weekly and make sure those living there were being treated well. After 17 years, I retired from that activity also. Thanks for being our faithful class agent!”

Sigrid Coulbourn, a resident of Rolling Hills Estates, California, reported that she’d recently celebrated her 91st birthday. “I enjoy receiving the VMI Review; sadly, the numbers of the Class of ’52 are getting smaller,” she wrote. “I am familiar with the names of all of Charlie’s classmates. I am happy living in our house filled with happy memories of Charlie.”

From Davidson, North Carolina, Harriet Redman wrote that she enjoys living at The Pines in Davidson. “One of my favorite activities is going to the park at nearby Lake Norman,” she shared. “There is a bench at the edge of this beautiful lake where I like to sit and listen to the waves along the rocky shoreline. This area is in the flight path of the Charlotte airport, so we get to watch the planes coming in and see all the boating activity on the lake. My gardening these days is in container pots, and I love planting and caring for my plants. I plant annuals in the spring and fill my pots with pansies in the fall. The mild winters are perfect for pansies, and they provide beautiful color during the winter months.”

I have to confess that writing the Christmas card portion of these notes always gives me a moment of distress that I might have overlooked someone’s card or note. So, if you sent a card and see your name missing from the list above, please accept my apologies.

Taps: I had very much hoped this notes cycle would bring no sad news, but it was not to be. Both Sandra Pittman and Dr. Andy Dickinson informed me of the passing of Barbara Welsh, widow of Cecil Welsh. Mrs. Welsh, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, and longtime resident of Virginia Beach, died Jan. 30, 2026, at the age of 95. Her obituary in the Virginian-Pilot noted, “Barbara was educated in Norfolk public

Class Notes

schools and graduated from Maury High School in 1948. She graduated from Randolph Macon Woman’s College in 1952 and married Cecil T. Welsh the same year, following his graduation from Virginia Military Institute. During their 70 years of marriage, she taught school in Norfolk; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Virginia Beach. Barbara was upbeat, kind, and generous, and loved her family and her many friends. She enjoyed traveling the world with Cecil, frequent trips to Lexington, and spending time with family at the beach and the Eastern Shore.”

She is survived by her three children, Martin Welsh ’78 (Sonja), Leigh Gallalee (Drew), and Carolyn Atherholt; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

In addition, I learned in early February that Sally Ruhsam, widow of Hugh Ruhsam, died Aug. 29, 2024, in St. George, Utah. Her children wrote in her obituary, “Mom was a hard worker. She managed both dental and doctor offices throughout her career. She also worked the switchboards back in the ’70s. She volunteered at Welfare Square for years, helping people get ready to get back into the workforce. She helped with resumes, clothing, and finding them transportation.

“Mom loved being active. Some of her hobbies included camping, fishing, golfing, bowling, and even a little snow skiing back in the day. She loved playing with her dog,

Buddy. She also enjoyed gardening. She would often cut a few fresh roses from one of her rose bushes to bring inside. Mom and Hugh loved to travel. They had many adventures together.”

She is survived by her sons, Vic (Michele) and Jeff (Diane); her daughter, Suzanne (Shawn); daughter-in-law, Laurie; and stepchildren, Mary (Craig) and Von (Vicky). She also leaves behind many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I know you will join me in sending condolences to both the Welsh and Ruhsam families.

As I close these notes, I’d like to also mention another recent passing among the VMI family. Retired U.S. Air Force Col. William “Bill” Noell ’53, who died Feb. 7, 2026, at the age of 94, may have served as class agent longer than any other VMI alumnus in history: He began serving in April 1986 and continued until the day he died. If that’s not an incredible record of service, I don’t know what is. I will not serve as long, but I hope to serve as well as he did.

Wishing each of you the very best for the spring and summer. ’52, ’52, ’52!

1953

TedMariani

Editor’s Note: Before going to press, we learned the sad news of Bill Noell’s passing Feb. 7, 2026. His Taps entry will appear in the 2026-Issue 3 Alumni Review.

1954

J.M. Perry Archer

Greetings:

As I am writing this, Lexington is clutched in the grip of a hard ice shell with no immediate hope of its melting. Classes are still ongoing, as I learned from Mary Price of the VMI Alumni Agencies. She teaches rat English and described the daunting walk from Moody Hall to Scott Shipp Hall in words which made it clear the trip was pretty threatening. If you all remember the downslope of the bricks when

Class of 1952: John and Betty Taylor with their twin granddaughters.

going on that walk, you can imagine the possibility of a fall when ice is hardened. I do not recall anything like that during our time. Only snow at times. Wonder if drills are still held on the stoops during times of rain and snow when going to the Parade Ground was too arduous. I heard a commentator today mention a country song essentially saying that global warming is freezing us to death.

Heard from BR Don Walden. He and Maureen recently visited Europe again, traveling to Prague, Budapest, Esztergom, Melk, Munich, and Bratislava. They saw many castles at or near the Danube River.

Don and Maureen spend enjoyable time at the Addison Athletic Club for bridge and other activities. She takes Don, who like many of us no longer drives, to Farmers Branch Library for newspaper reading and checking out books. Don says he has read more than watching TV, partially because the Cowboys had such a particularly bad year.

Had a good conversation with Ollie Hux. He is still driving, but not in the city (Denver). We discussed the 1951 step-off and our memories of that event, as well as medical stuff we are enjoying (ha). Ollie touted me onto a book by a former cadet (“Virginia’s Ring”), and I find it particularly engrossing. The author manages to write in such a fashion that makes reading it a real pleasure. Easy to relate, remembering our time. Some things have not changed.

Our BR Joshua Wright Ring “Jay” Langhammer passed away Jan. 3, 2026. He was 94 years old. Jay was retired from Fabricated Metals Industries, Inc., which he had formed.

At VMI, Jay was on the swim team and majored in English. Jay married Martha Page Muse, nicknamed “Tot,” and she was the love of his life. Page is an attorney. They have four children—John, Page Pest, Shreve Menk, and Marshall—and seven grandchildren. Page and Jay were married for 66 years.

Jay entered the U.S. Air Force after graduation, hoping to become a pilot; however, he was involved in an aircraft accident, injuring his back to such an extent that he had to leave flight school and ultimately the Air Force. Just shortly before he died, he was heard to say in response to something, ‘Oh, hell yes!’ Right up to the end, he was filled with enthusiasm.

Jay had a full and happy life. A story: One night, Jay went sleepwalking in an upstairs bedroom and walked out of the second story of the house, falling into some boxwoods. The Lord must have been looking out for him on that occasion because he survived without

Class Notes

serious injury. Astonishing. That is it. Call or write if you have anything that you want to appear in the Alumni Review.

Thanks.

1955

Barney Lawless

To the class: Sorry to be so short, but after 6 weeks in the hospital and rehab, and having to move (note address change), this was the best I could do. Save up your stories for next time.

Barney

1956 Dickie Justice ’82

Greetings, Class of ’56!

Coming to you from frozen Gills Creek on Smith Mountain Lake and looking forward to a much-anticipatedbreakfromthearcticweather we’ve all had for the past 3 weeks. This weather made me wish for my old overcoat while walking the dogs every morning. Single-digits temps with double-digit winds made for an unpleasant and frequently abbreviated walk.

George Penn sent a much-appreciated email back in December. He and his wife, Ellie, reside in Lexington close to the beloved Institute. George is into collecting old cars and trucks. When not busy with the antique vehicles, he and Ellie spend time at their second home in Colonial Beach on the Potomac River and renting it via Airbnb. George reports being in fair health and appreciates being able to still drive his vehicles. George passes on his best wishes to his fellow classmates.

Shortly after hearing from George, I had the pleasure of talking to Bob Morris. Bob enduredtheratyearwiththeClassof’56andthen diverted to the University of Richmond. While at VMI, Bob was a member of Band Company, so we instantly had common ground. We probably played the same marches in 1978 that Bob played in 1952!After graduating from the University of Richmond, Bob went on to join the

U.S. Army and retired as an Army chaplain. He is a Vietnam vet and Green Beret trained. After retirement, that probably qualified him to teach boys’ middle school Sunday school! Bob claims he never had a penalty tour during his year at VMI. Maybe Bob didn’t try to have enough fun! Bob fondly recalled the privilege of marching in Eisenhower’s inaugural parade in D.C. He has been living in Florida since 2005 and is looking forward to attending the upcoming 70th Reunion. Bob plays golf three times a week and exercises 30 minutes daily. It sounds like the military discipline is in his blood. Lastly, Bob expressed his appreciation for the military fundamentals provided by VMI and attributed some of his military career success to his time at the Institute. I think many of us can relate, whether in military or civilian life.

In mid-December, Beth Pendleton wrote, passing on the news of her husband’s death a few days prior. Edmund Pendleton had a highly successful career in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring as a colonel after 25 years of service. Edmund joined Pendleton Construction Corporation in 1959 and ultimately became president and chairman of the board. He played a key role in building early sections of Virginia’s interstate highway system, including I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley. Sam Kirby ’71 sent an email with a link to Edmund’s obituary. The web address is grubbfuneralhome.com/tribute/ details/1381/Edmund-Pendleton-Jr/.

Bonnie Rodeman called in December to inform us that Bill Nelson passed away Dec. 4. After graduation, Bill joined the Marine Corps, serving as a combat engineer for 4 years active duty and over 20 years in the reserve. He retired as a lieutenant colonel and continued his engineering pursuits with the Luck Stone Corporation, where he served as senior vice president. Bill’s obituary can be found at blileys. com/obituaries.

The Alumni Agencies sent word that Donald Howland of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, passed away Dec. 15, 2025. Don matriculated with the Class of ’56 but made a quick decision that VMI wasn’t the place for him and departed after 7 days. You must admire someone who can make quick decisions when appropriate. Don was married to Kathryn Kay for 72 years at the time of his passing. His obituary can be found at this web address: kuzoandfoulkfh. com/obituary/DonaldDon-Howland/. By the time this gets published, the 70th Reunion will be in the books. Kathie and I are looking forward to meeting class members and enjoying a little time back on post.

George Sydnor Jr.

Nick Kallelis

The Virginia Military Institute: An Uncommon Purpose!

Good afternoon, brother rats of the Class of ’57. It’s a midwinter afternoon here in Fincastle; windy and cold with several inches of snow and ice on the ground, and another heavy snowfall expected over the next couple of days and below normal temperatures with a high of 22°F and a low of 2°F, the new normal this winter. This is my 36th edition of notes for the Class of ’57—9 years and counting.

Attention, attention in barracks: The 70th Reunion of the great Class of ’57 will be held April 12–13, 2027. Let’s get ready ... take your vitamins; cancel all falls, both anticipated and unanticipated; practice walking without a cane or walker; and give the wheelchair, as the case may be, a rest. Worried that you might be tapped to lead us as chairman for the reunion? Not to worry, the Alumni Agencies will handle all the notifications and arrangements.

All 52 of us still standing have now passed our 90th birthday celebrations—that is, except for John Kuchnia, who will finally pass the notable mark June 14. Remember, guys, our age group makes up approximately the top 2.25% segment of the nation’s population. And even more gratifying to know that, as the database on aging states, once attaining the age of 90, you have a 40% chance of making it to 95, and if you make it to centenarian status of 100, you will be part of 0.75% of the population. (Class agent’s note: Hang in there, guys.)

Don Coombs is the new leader of our popular Class of ’57’s calla-thon program, having stepped up with a “change of command” when Ben Elmore “retired from the field of duty” after having originated and overseen the successful

Class Notes

program for several years. So here we go with the first reports from Don’s caller teams: Team No. 5: Tony Di Cesare called Ron McManus, Phil Miller, Bill Moore, Paul Muldowney, and Jay Musser. Tony, reporting on himself, said he was doing great. “Our family has been blessed. I am happy to say that my lungs are functional and are now doing OK. I can live with a rare condition called idiopathic lung disease. My healthcare physicians determined it might have come from the inhalation of the aerosol from patients’ mouths while using an ultrasonic scaler as a periodontist. We did not wear a mask until AIDS, which came out in 1981. About the same time, I started flipping houses to help pay for the college tuition for our seven kids—many of these houses clad in asbestos—so who knows? But in any case, the end result was seven baccalaureates, three masters, two doctorates, and one post-doctorate. I feel ‘sort of broke,’ but all seven are debt-free; not a nickel

is owed on their respective educations.”

Ron McManus reported he was doing well, still living independently in Lexington and currently enduring the cold and snow. Ron said he has a little knee arthritis but termed it “small stuff.” He has two children and four grandchildren, all doing great, and he is very proud of them. Ron said to tell the BRs that he is “still “kickin.” Bill Moore and wife Florine, “the mayor,” live in Williamsburg Manor and are doing as well as might be expected. Bill is physically fit but has suffered from slowly advancing dementia over the last 3 years. He is in the memory care unit there at Williamsburg Manor, with his wonderful wife, Florine, not far away. The two of them try to keep up with as many classmates as they can and always welcome visits from BRs. Florine recalls how she and Bill met at the then-Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, now Randolph College, in Lynchburg. They were married in “her hometown” of Dallas, Texas, in September 1959; Bill had gotten an early out from his service in the Army, Armor, and was about to enter law school at Washington and Lee. It just so happened that George Sydnor was in the process of obtaining an early out from the Army—artillery, surface to air missile— at Fort Bliss, to attend the Darden School, then known as the Graduate School of Business Administration, at the University of Virginia. Well, Dallas was then a short 700 miles from El Paso and was on the way home to Virginia for George. To make a long story short, Bill asked George to be a groomsman at his wedding. George gladly accepted. Florine was from Highland Park, “the place” to live in Dallas: Big homes, big churches, big everything. It was quite an affair, inducing George to revise his return schedule to Virginia the following day; he needed some rest from the rigors of the previous day. Tony added that he remembered Bill as the consummate gentleman at the “I,” while many of us were demonstrating high levels of immaturity.

Paul Muldowney, witty as ever, is always a pleasure to engage in conversation with. Paul said it was “status quo” for he and wife Harriett, aka Lovie. They are very happy with a long, fulfilling marriage, a large (huge?) family, and enjoy each other’s company immensely, while supporting their big extended family of kids/ spouses, grandkids/spouses, and great-grandkids in any way they can. Many calls to Phil Miller/ daughter Betsy and Jay Musser went unanswered. As we all know,

Class of 1957: Jay Woodward after his military pinning ceremony with his family in August 2025.

Class of 1957: John Whittle, George Sydnor, Howard Lawrence, Don Coombs, and Kirk Hubbard having lunch at the Roanoke Country Club in Roanoke, Virginia, in December 2025.

Phil has been afflicted with a neurodegenerative condition which he has endured for many years; I fear he may have taken a turn for the worse. As for Jay, “the eternal rainmaker,” I left a voicemail wishing he and wife Sonja well.

Tony signed off with a personal note: “When I was ordained a Catholic deacon, I had to take a vow to pray the liturgy of the hours daily. It took about an hour, centered mainly on Old Testament readings. There were interesting repetitions, one of which was ‘time, like an ever-rolling stream, bore all our lives away, they flew forgotten as a dream that died at the break of day.’ May there always be someone that remembers. God bless, brother rats.”

Team No. 6: Martin Andersen called George Niedermayer, Randy Pendleton, P.D. Phillips, Jim Piggott, John Poffenbarger, and Ed Powell Martin, reporting on himself, said he was doing well, although he still experiences some health problems from Agent Orange exposure during deployment to Vietnam in the ’60s; he is able to cope with it with able help and support from the VA. Martin says he and wife Lynne (who takes good care of him) are still traveling, mostly doing cruises out of Tampa. And every Monday, just like clockwork, Martin goes to the local range and enjoys his shooting, occasionally hitting the target. George Niedermayer said he and wife Helen were doing fine and had nothing new to report. (Class agent’s note: Refer to past editions of these class notes to see their personal activities, centered on church and community.) Martin had a nice conversation with Randy Pendleton, whose take on growing older is, “Old age is not for sissies.” Paul “P.D.” Phillips was “on break” in Destin, Florida, when reached. Per P.D., all OK with wife Ann and himself—nothing new to add. He then talked with Jim Piggott, who had just returned from a lengthy road trip out West, during which time he had the opportunity to visit with his brother, whom he had not seen in a number of years. He and wife Toni (Antionette) are in good health and enjoying the good life. He was unable to reach John Poffenbarger, although he tried a number of times. The call monitoring service just said each time that he was not available (Class agent’s note: George Sydnor regularly exchanges calls with John; he is well and has adapted to life without his partner and wife, Susan. In a recent call, John said he planned to leave the assisted living facility he has been in and plans to move back to their lifetime home on Kanawha Blvd. there in Charleston, West Virginia.)

It took Martin many times to reach Ed Powell, but he ended up having a good conversation with him. Ed is doing well and still very active in his

Class Notes

family business which will soon be celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Team No. 7: Nick Kallelis called Dudley “Pruney” Price, Warren “Skip” Richardson, Fritz Scholtz, John St. George, and George Sydnor as follows: “We’re iced in, which gave me an opportunity to get my report in on time. Wife Carmen and I had family visiting from Florida and Colorado. They all flew in while the country was experiencing the winter ice storm. How they made it was sheer luck. They flew out this morning, and again, it was fortunate they could get up our steep driveway, which was thick ice. The fireplace ashes made it drivable after a couple of attempts.

“I had a relatively successful call to my assigned brother rats to check in with. Dudley ‘Pruney’ Price says he is hanging in there. I would guess a lot of us can report the same. He has two married sons. He recently took the auto train from Florida to Virginia, where his son has a cattle farm and horses. He had an enjoyable time. Pruney appreciated our birthday card and asked how many BRs we still have with us. My estimate was about 50, which later George Sydnor confirmed as being 52 still in ranks. Unfortunately, I was unable to reach Warren ‘Skip’ Richardson, who has gone ‘radio silent’ on us for the last couple of years, so we will have to classify him as MIA in the swamps of Southeast Virginia.

“Fritz Scholz is well and says he keeps chugging along with no major health issues ... a good conversation; he was appreciative of the call. In speaking to John St. George, I learned he had an unfortunate accident, which resulted in a broken shoulder and subsequent surgery. He is temporarily wheelchair-bound while he is undergoing rehab. The ‘Saint’s’ passion is his golf game, and he is hopeful he will soon be out playing when spring arrives in a couple of months.

“George Sydnor reported that he is finally over a 2-and-a-half-year period of various skin cancer surgeries and treatments, including radiation and immunology, accompanied by a series of falls, two of which required brief periods of hospitalization followed by several months of homecare treatment. George was upbeat, saying he feels better now than he has in 3 years. Welcome back, George; we were all concerned about your situation and happy that all is now well.”

Team No. 8: Kirk Hubbard called Jack Trant, Armand Wagner, Harry Warner, John Whittle, Joe Wickes, and John Woodward as follows. Reporting on himself, Kirk said he was doing well and settled into daily life at the Templeton retirement facility in Cary, North Carolina. Kirk said he was doing well. (Class agent’s note: Robust

would be a more apt description.) He noted that Cary was all pasture and rolling hills some years back and now is continually growing in population, an urban suburb of Raleigh. He stated he was glad we had heard from Dick Hunt and said he is in occasional contact with John Kuchnia Kirk mentioned he had a couple of friends there at Templeton.

“Ann and Bill McPhaul have a grandson, Morgan McPhaul ’26, at VMI, who has played tight end on the football team. He is a 1st Class cadet, Class of ’26, and has a year of eligibility left. When I first met him a couple of weeks ago, he was wearing a UNC sweatshirt; then, about a week later, he announced he would be going to Oklahoma State next year. Wow, who knows what will happen next in the evolution of collegiate FBS football? I had a brief conversation with Jack Trant and wife Jo who said they are OK, but Jack did sound a little feeble. I was unable to reach Armand Wagner and Harry Warner; no response from Armand after leaving him a voicemail, as well as an email, hoping to receive some response—all to no avail. Harry and wife Sis have a mailbox that is blocked, so I sent him an email to which I hope he responds. I do recall that they are in the assisted living unit in the Kendal at Lexington.

“I discovered that to reach John Whittle it is best to go through his wife, Carole. In response to an email I sent, John said, ‘Sorry, I had no idea you were trying to get in touch with me. As of right now, we are busy packing to go to our property in Florida for the next couple of months. The only problem is that I want to drive; Carole wants to fly, saying it is ridiculous to drive, as it is a 2-day drive, 8 hours of driving each day. The jury is still out as to who prevailed, but John did send their best wishes to all our brother rats. Joe Wickes is getting along relatively well in his assisted living quarters and prepares his own meals with grocery assistance provided by his two daughters. He is basically wheelchair-bound with a bad hip but manages well and enjoys passing the time away with crossword puzzles. It is not well known that Joe served as an instructor in the electrical engineering department for a year following graduation prior to his Army assignment to Fort Knox. In Joe’s words, ‘Here I am, an instructor in the EE dept., a mere 2 years after responding in turn to a question posed by Col. Lee Nichols ’44: ‘Mr. Wickes, do you have a question?’ with a somewhat insubordinate quip, ‘Sir, I do not know enough to ask a question.’ Joe added wryly that he was not computer savvy and depends on his son-in-law to help with any problems, the latest of which was his frustration with not being able

to get his printer to work, and his computer expert was out of town.” Kirk quipped that it was too bad a 5-year-old was not around to fix the problem, as that is what he depends on. Joe also mentioned that he had lost his class ring, and Kirk advised him that since he had never had it resized or repaired, he should be able to get it replaced. Kirk had sent his ring in a few years ago to be resized and, because of the larger size, they remodeled the ring using the same stone, and it looks as good as it did in 1957.

George reported on John “Jay” Woodward, who has been in hospice at Broad Reach Hospice in Chatham, Massachusetts, for several months. Friday morning, Aug. 22, Jay received a military pinning ceremony. Broad Reach Hospice, with guidance from We Honor Veterans, provided a planned veteran pinning ceremony that morning. Three of his children were there; it was beautifully received. Jay was alert and truly was honored by the ceremony. Broad Reach put together a reflections book with pictures of significant places in his life, including VMI and the pictures provided by Ed Johnson ’79, VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer at the time. Jay loved it and was moved sentimentally, a very special occasion having just lost Pauline “Polly,” his wife and loving partner of 62 years, a year prior Feb. 3, 2025.

(Class agent’s note: Taken from the WHV pinning guide, “Veteran pinning ceremonies provide an opportunity to acknowledge the military service and sacrifices made by a veteran and their family. Hospice organizations are uniquely situated to offer a final expression of gratitude and appreciation for a veteran’s service. This act of recognition and appreciation can provide a veteran with a sense of meaning and purpose at the end of life, while simultaneously providing comfort and closure to a veteran’s loved ones.”). (Class agent’s second note: Interestingly, Jay’s and George’s fathers were brother rats in the Class of 1923, John Woodward ’923 and George Sydnor ’923). Don is off to a good start in “filling” Ben’s shoes and shares the same passion as did Ben in keeping up with those 52 of us still standing in ranks with the call-a-thon program, wherein each brother rat gets a call twice a year and which is designed to check in with “those still standing” in our ranks. The call-a-thon program is our “how goes it” program ... checking in to see how each BR is doing, verification of addresses, mobile numbers, email addresses, and info for inclusion in the class notes in the Alumni Review, noting such as things of

Class Notes

general interest as family life, trips, interesting stories, reflections on our time at the “I,” and photos are important for including in these notes. The next time around, when the next set of notes is written, we will hear from Team No. 1: John Kuchnia reporting on B.D. Ayres, Bill Batten, Alan Baumgartner, Bill Benson, Bob Blocker, and Bob “Mad Dog” Bolling; Team No. 2: Bill Gay reporting on Dick Collier, Don Coombs, Claiborne Coupland, Lew Diuguid, and Mark Doty; Team No. 3: Curly Mason reporting on Ben Elmore, Carter Fox, Milton Hargrave, Carl Hellstrom, and Tommy Hunter; and Team No. 4: John “Pags” Paganelli reporting on John Kilday, Frank Kline, Howard Lawrence, Carl LeBourdais, and Charles “Tiger” Locke. An effort will be made to contact Vic Wolf, who has several ranches near San Jose, Costa Rica. So, stay tuned to hear the latest on all of our brother rats as time moves endlessly along like an ever-rolling stream.

We received nice notes over the holidays from Nancy Clapp, Bill “the Tiger” Locke, Bill Gay and wife Frances, Ed Powell and family, and Ann Spivey, in which and in a later call she indicated that she had applied to Westminster Canterbury Rappahannock in Irvington, Virginia, for residency.

Since the last edition of these class notes, we have lost Guy “G.E.” Murray, who passed away Dec. 13, fulfilling a life well-lived. George called his widow, Rosalie, to offer condolences from the class, which she much appreciated. G.E. had been in a nursing home since last April and suffered from advanced dementia with no quality of life. “At last, he is at peace,” she said. We shared memories of

the many stories associated with his well-lived life. Perhaps the most memorable of which goes as follows: A few years back, G.E. and Rosalie were flying back from a family gathering in his private plane when suddenly they experienced engine failure; no power and miles away from the nearest airport. Seemingly unperturbed but with sweat on his brow, G.E. landed his plane on the only open space around ... a fallow, slightly overgrown cornfield. “A little rough,” said Rosalie, “but we made it.” Failure was not in G.E.’s vocabulary. He made his way to nearby Farmville, corralled some mechanics and engine parts, and returned to the spot where his plane had come to rest. Several hours later, with the engine repaired and operable, all excess weight such as seats, suitcases, etc. removed to lighten the plane, G.E. taxied to the edge of the field, revved the engine, rolling forward and taking off, barely skimming over the tops of nearby pine trees. He made it and flew to the safety of the Farmville airport some 15 miles distant.

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 21st list of those gone but not forgotten Class of ’57: Dick Moore, Feb. 3, 2019; Phil Peters, Feb. 13, 2019; Ben Wiggins, May 11, 2019; Don Jamison, Nov. 19, 2019; and Larry Wise, Dec. 10, 2019. 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. When you are young, speed and adrenaline seem to be great. But as you get older and wiser, you learn that comfort and peace are more important. This is called SOS: Slower, older, but smarter. Dedicated to all our brother rats who, like me, now realize that it is time to slow down and enjoy the rest of the trip.

And remember: The 70th Reunion of the great Class of ’57 will be held April 12–13, 2027. Let’s get ready ... take your vitamins; cancel all falls, both anticipated and unanticipated; practice walking without a cane or walker; and give the wheelchair, as the case may be, a rest.

So, 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 Class Agents, George and Nick

Class of 1957: Dick Collier with his grandson, Warner Collier ’24, at the Institute Society Dinner Nov. 7, 2025.

Lee McCown

Greetings from Richmond, Virginia, which has just thawed out enough to allow safe walking. No one we know can remember how long it’s been since our region has had such dangerous conditions for so long. Some guess 30 years. We are grateful we never lost power.

Between Jan. 27–Feb. 3, more than 4,000 Central Virginia people sought medical care for ice-related injuries. In all of Virginia, it was more than 12,000.

Medical reports in the newspaper listed broken hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, and ribs, plus sprains, among the injuries. Local hospitals have been pushed to their limits, forcing them to bring in additional staff and expand operating room capacity in a hurry. Doctors stressed that even a minor fall on ice can cause serious injury and advised getting yourself checked out. During this cold and icy period, one of Laura’s friends was already scheduled for knee surgery. She was able to get the surgery, but she said the hospital was in total chaos with long waits for pain medications and meals.

Class Notes

photograph of a happy couple in front of a screen showing Mount Rushmore, just to make you smile. I think the whole family is now using it as a screensaver. It includes son Kevin (College of Charleston B.A., University of California at San Diego M.A.) and his wife, Dawn (Bucknell University B.A., University of California at San Diego M.A.), at some kind of apparently successful party in Amman, Jordan, where they live because of his State Department job. I was so happy they came with their three children for my 90th birthday party in October.

Back to the thread of health reports: Lenny Rubin has finished his chemo and radiation treatments following his bout with cancer. He says

his progress is good. He added that his bags are packed, and his car gassed up for the 70th Reunion.

Don Cuthrell has lingering discomfort in his neck and back for which he gets shots every 3 months. He is disappointed to have to give up his volunteering at the Williamsburg Foundation but is looking forward to his 90th birthday this weekend. Carolyn continues her pet-sitting business for a select group.

Duke Bishop says he is doing fine and has 8 years and 4 months more to live, according to the calculations he did using the “Death Clock” website. I told him we will definitely be expecting him at the 70th Reunion.

Since Laura is still recovering from a September fall, she stayed in the house throughout the mess. I tried to be careful as I cleared snow and ice and was lucky a) not to fall and b) to have neighbors with the right equipment and attitude to tackle the challenges. I was finally able to walk to and from a haircut downtown, mostly unhampered by snow and ice, but it was really cold, and I thought my legs might fail me before I got home. While errands were challenging, including the barber shop trip and a pickup of some box lunches, Laura and I enjoyed being reminded of some things that make Richmond special: Its 100-year-old businesses. The John Marshall Barber Shop has been cutting the hair of Virginia governors and lesser customers like me for a century plus. And Sally Bell’s Kitchen, which has received the James Beard Foundation’s American Classic Award, was founded in 1924 and is still using the same delicious Southern recipes. Pass the pecan tarts, please.

I’ve talked with a number of you recently, and it has been an “organ recital” experience to some degree, as our bodies (and minds!) are continuing to age. Before I begin that report, I’ll mention a

I did my calculation on the site, death-clock.org, and discovered that I will die Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2031, so I should be at the reunion in 2028. Check out the site and let me know if we can expect you. Never too early to start planning.

Vivian and Bill Gee have relocated to The Meridian, 21865 Ponderosa Drive, Boca Raton, FL 33428. They are in assisted living, as Bill has lost most of his sight and no longer drives. He would enjoy hearing from BRs by phone at 561702-5903, as he does not text or use the computer. Wishing you well in your new home, Vivian and Bill.

Bill Dunn says he has macular degeneration, diabetes, hearing aids, a heart stent, and arthritis, but otherwise he is doing OK. Bill does not drive at night and only locally during the day. Keep us up to date on your situation, Bill. Wishing you well.

Art Carnevale reports from his somewhat recent relocation to Mount Dora, Florida: “Not much news. Seems like days, then weeks, all run together. I have not been on the golf course since last fall. Mostly because of weather, as it has been quite cold here. May have set some records. Today was the first day that was good, and Joan had a doctor’s appointment that kept us grounded. Maybe tomorrow?

“We have not gone anywhere; our new car has 1,800 miles in 1 year. I still have back issues, several nerve ablations, and get many shots, but nothing helps. Other than that, since we can still ride on the course, all is well.

“I see Roy Palmer when he comes to visit his brother here. Other than that, no contacts. I will push forward to talk to Billy Gee. We were roommates for several years. Wish I could be more newsworthy. Your non-newsy BR, Art Carnevale.”

Thanks for the update, Art. We have fond memories of Mount Dora and have learned

Class of 1958: Jefferson Miles ’24 on his graduation day.

Class of 1958: A view of superintendent’s row from 1917.

something of its history from one of Laura’s friends. The friend’s father ran a hotel there where he organized something involving rich people and their fine cars that came in via railroad. We’ve enjoyed staying in that old lakefront landmark ourselves. There was a shop on the property where daughter Alane knew the manager, who had moved from Richmond. Alane and Laura are still talking about what great inventory she had stocked. We have a few handsome examples from there ourselves.

As I take a break from reporting on our challenges with aging, I can report the latest from Roy Palmer, Mr. Eternal Youth. “No progress on my potential move, other than completing house projects in preparation.

“I’m on the waiting list for Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge in Charlottesville and Vicar’s Landing in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. I was late in signing up for both and may have to look for an alternative solution. Of the two, Florida is probably the best bet.

“There’s a huge country music festival here later this month, see wintergrass.com. Picking and singing groups from all over the U.S. and other countries are on the agenda. I will be attending with Mara and David Pitkethly. I like it so much that a couple of years ago, I bought a banjo. My progress has been quite slow, and I’m not ready to perform.

“Winter passed this area up this year. So far, there was only 1 day when the temperature reached freezing. Highs this week are around 60. I officially retired from flying in December.” Roy must surely be among those who held a pilot’s license the longest. Congratulations on your years in the air, Roy, and best wishes in your new life.

I’ll call attention now to a photograph of VMI that my father, Albert Sidney McCown ’931, somehow came to possess. I asked Col. Keith Gibson ’77, VMI Museum System executive director, about it, as he must know more about VMI than any living person. He said, “I have seen this interesting view. It shows ‘Faculty Row’ on the west side of the Parade Ground, circa 1917. At far right is what was the commandant’s house during your cadetship. It was torn down to build Lejeune Hall in the ’60s. [Lejeune Hall has also been torn down, but its services were incorporated into the construction of Third Barracks.]

“The cannon are World War I era French 75s— note the camouflage paint,” Col. Gibson continued. I think it’s the most beautiful old VMI photo I’ve ever seen, even though it doesn’t include any barracks. If any of you have VMI photos in the antique category, we’d love to try to use them in class notes.

Class Notes

I wrote my father’s name earlier, and I’m guessing you Southerners could easily determine who he was named for—Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, the Confederate general who died at the battle of Shiloh in 1862. Johnston was the highest-ranking officer on either side to be killed during the war. At age 59, he must have also been one of the oldest to serve. I regret not ever determining why my McCown grandparents chose that name for my father in 1908. I inherited the Albert and got the middle name I go by from another Confederate general, as did my mother, Frances Lee Mason McCown.

While not the same one, the big tree in that old photo reminded me of what was called during the time I was going to VMI with my father, “the old guard tree.” It stood on the Parade Ground for decades, in front of where Memorial Hall is now. According to the beautiful bronze on the memorial stone sited where the tree once stood, it died in 1951.

The ashes of BR Earl Bennett were scattered around this monument and several other places on post (including the football field, where he was a cheerleader) following his death in 2013.

We have a photo of our two 5-year-old grandsons playing on that elegant tree tribute in 2007. It says: “An emblem of VMI esteemed by all her men.” Laura calls that “a tender touch at a rough place.” Both of those boys are now VMI graduates: Jack

McCown ’24 and Jefferson Miles ’24. Jack’s graduation was in May 2024 in Cameron Hall. I’ve reported on that event in previous notes.

Jefferson’s graduation ceremony was last December in Memorial Hall, which, with 25 graduates, was a much more intimate setting. It was a great experience for us, with an excellent speech by Lt. Gen William Bowers ’90, deputy commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, USMC. The reception afterward—actually a full lunch— took place on the floor below, right in the middle of the exhibits at that very fine museum that we can all take pride in. We’ve reported previously on how superior it is to the sad one at The Citadel. Col. Gibson told Laura that day that he’s heard that comparison and the high opinion of our museum expressed more than once by The Citadel alums!

We’ve lost four BRs since the last notes were filed: Bill Kump, Tony Lash, Jerry Paull, and Alex Clarke

Bill Kump died Nov. 9, 2025. I attended his memorial service at St. Stephen’s Church here in Richmond, as did Brooke Doggett, Kay and Jim Stillwell, and Stuart Whitehurst. Bill was a high achiever, indeed. He earned his law degree from West Virginia University and practiced law for 35 years. He then obtained his master’s degree from Union Theological Seminary and was ordained in the Reformed Episcopal Church, then serving St. James Episcopal Church in Mathews, Virginia. Bill was an avid reader whose hobbies included playing the bagpipes and earning a black belt in judo. Bill is survived by his wife of 64 years, Agnes; son, Dr. Cyrus S. Kump II (Molly); daughter, Sterling Coulbourn (Tommy); seven grandchildren; a brother; and a sister. I won’t add a rest in peace for Bill because if there’s higher education in that final resting place, Bill is surely involved.

I learned in mid-November from Chad Lash ’70, Tony Lash’s brother, of Tony’s death. Here’s an excerpt from what our yearbook says about him: “As editor of The Cadet ... Tony disproved the old adage that if you were an engineer, you did not know ‘no’ English. He managed to major in physics ... and still be barracks’ ranking literary ace. ... Watch this lad, he will end up doing the thing you would least expect and a superior job of it, too.” Recent decades brought Tony’s eventual estrangement from VMI and from our class. Here’s hoping his passing was free of suffering.

As Roy Palmer said, upon learning of Jerry Paull’s Dec. 8 death, “A nicer guy has not entered Limits Gates.” I couldn’t agree more. Jerry did two trips through the U.S. Marine Corps before VMI as an enlisted man, then a career as an officer after

Class of 1958: Lee McCown’s son, Kevin, and his wife, Dawn, in Amman, Jordan.

VMI. He led the first combat helicopter parachute jump in USMC history while in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. After retiring, he taught high school history for a while, then joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. His activities after another retirement included volunteering with Big Brothers and for hospice patients. Preceded in death by his son, James, Jerry is survived by his wife of 44 years, Karen, and daughter, Elizabeth. We’ll miss you at the next reunion, Jerry. Rest in peace and Semper Fi. BR Alex Clarke died Feb. 1. Laura and I attended his funeral at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Warsaw, Virginia, as did Charlie Hayes. (Charlie told us his daughter and 11-year-old grandson are now living with him.)

Alex grew up in this church and was buried there, next to his mother, right after the service. Alex was a U.S. Army veteran, a longtime professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia—I once ran into him at the airport, where he was coming back from teaching a class on the physics of the eye in Boston—an entrepreneur and a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts. He enjoyed hunting, flying model airplanes, talking to people around the world via ham radio, and singing. Preceded in death by daughter Linda, he is survived by his wife of 30 years, Xuguang; sons Alexander (Carolyn), Connor (Karen), and Vasa; daughter Henrietta; and granddaughter Laura (Kyle). Rest in peace, Alex. Here’s hoping they have your favorite beans and rice like Kuba Kuba’s there.

Memorial gifts of $100 for all of these BRs have been made to VMI from the Class of 1958.

Here’s wishing all of you good reading, good television, good sleep, and no broken bones. Lee

Class Notes

he rest in peace.

At Bob and Anne Baillio’s Thanksgiving dinner, first two grandchildren disappeared and then reappeared in Bob’s shirts. Then three more went. People began to notice, and suddenly all were dressed in Bob’s and Anne’s clothing. It was too funny and they had to share a picture that came from dress up. Their year has been a great one since they moved to the Hallmark—great new friends, wonderful service, delicious meals, valet service—all they could have asked for and more. They are quite happy they made the move and are trying to keep up with all their old activities and the new ones available there. There were only three flies in the ointment this year. The saddest is that Anne’s nephew, Keith, died unexpectedly at the age of 51. Daughter’s husband, Frank, has spent a lot of the year battling colon cancer but has now finished his chemo, and we are praying for a full remission. Anne had to go on full-time oxygen, but she has a cute red three-wheel walker to carry the generator and is ready to go whenever there’s a chance. Otherwise, they are 88 and 85 now and doing well “for our ages.” To keep them young this summer, they acquired a kitten who is rapidly growing into a cat. Her name is Sugar Pie, but when they took her to get spayed, we discovered that “she” is a “he” or now an “it.” She delights in leaping into the Christmas tree, climbing the branches, and attacking the ornaments. She is a great source of amusement (and frustration) to them. They continue to be proud as they can be about their grandchildren. Bob and Anne hope all of you had a fantastic holiday season and a new year filled with love and joy and good health.

Received a lot of Christmas cards from our brother and sister rats and thought I might share them with you. Bobby and Alice Ross hoped that this holiday season brought you those moments of joy and happiness you deserve with your family. They spent Thanksgiving with their daughter in Lexington. Unfortunately, Bobby’s and Alice’s health has not been the best this past year. The recovery is slow, but progression is being made. God bless you both, and you will remain in our prayers.

Lee, Ed Adams’ widow, hopes happy hours, pleasant memories, and thoughts of family and friends made your Christmas the merriest ever.

and Mel and Jean cruising occasionally past each other in the night and giving a shoutout. Big news was that Todd is happily married to a lovely girl, Tilly.

Asa and Skippy Bishop wish that He shines on every part of your Christmas celebration.

Jimmy and Linda Johnson hope the blessings of this glorious season surrounded you and all you hold dear. Jimmy has a second valve replacement but is doing great. Keep him in your prayers.

Carl Kasko hopes His love surrounds you during the season and always.

Spence and Beverly Tucker continue to hold the fort in Lexington. They hope that the Christmas season brought you and yours the warmth of friendship and the music of laughter.

Joy, the widow of Jack Angolia, is doing fine. She spent Christmas with her daughter in Dallas. Christmas was a lot different this year without Jack around. It is something she, as well as many of us, must get used to, but it will continue to be difficult. She is looking forward to the new year, which always bring changes.

Linda, widow of Dick Phillippi, is doing OK but misses Dick terribly, as we all do. She hopes everyone has a happy New Year. Betty, widow of Penn Whitescarver, still stays in contact with many of Penn’s brother rats and enjoys receiving the Alumni Review. She lives in Bel Air, Maryland, now, close to her son and his family. Her other son is still living in Florida. She sends greetings to all brother and sister rats.

Max Guggenheimer hopes everyone had a happy and peaceful holiday season.

Harry and Ann Ray are doing pretty good and hope everyone stays well in the coming year.

Art and Ginny Brandriff write that it is sad to see our ranks thinning, and we lose so many good people each year. Stay safe and take advantage of family members when they offer help. They hope all the peace and beauty of the holiday season continue to surround you throughout the coming year.

Jeff, Karen, and Zeke Galon ’92, son of Paula and Zeke Galon, who are neighbors of mine, dropped a note to let me know his mother is moving back to this area in the next few months. We plan to get together to welcome her back.

It is with a great deal of sadness and sorrow I report that we have lost another stalwart in the VMI Class of 1959; Bob Hobson passed away at the end of January. Bob had a bad fall, and it was just too much for him. He died from injuries sustained in a fall. His son, Scott, said he has joined his wife, Lois, for what he imagines was a very happy reunion. Bob loved the opportunity to see all his brother and sister rats at the 65th Reunion. May

Bette, widow of Lloyd Thacker, wishes your Christmas was bright and merry and your new year a happy one.

Jo Anne, Donnie Dreelin’s widow, reports that all is OK in the Dreelin family. She spent Christmas with all her children this year and had such a good time.

Mel and Jean Anderson had family coast to coast, with Toby and Bonnie roaming the world,

Terry and Harry MacGregor have slowed down a bit, but they continue to be thankful to God for their health, strength, and mobility. They continue to enjoy their family, church, and service to the Gideons. They just celebrated the birth of their 19th great-grandchild. They were recently blessed to gather the family together for Thanksgiving with over 30 on Thanksgiving Day.

Marvin and Betsy Boswell hope our holidays were filled with peace, love, and happiness, and

Shep Shepard

may the new year bring us every joy.

Dick Irons, who lives just down the road about an hour or so, writes that all is well with him and hopes our holiday season was filled with joy and special moments. We have been promising one another that we will meet for lunch someday, and we will make it happen in 2026. The last time we got together, perhaps 10 years ago, he took me to the cleaners on the golf course.

Ralph and Janice Rae Lawson are happy as they can be with their new retirement home in Richmond.

Paula, Steve Barcik’s widow, wrote to hope everyone experienced peace and joy throughout the season. She appreciates being kept in the loop and hearing about all of Steve’s brother and sister rats.

Eddie and Carolyn Barnes are doing well and still making their annual trip to Sweden to visit Robert and his family. They hope we all had a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Mary, Noland Pipes’ widow, is doing OK. She is trying to get through all the papers that have accumulated for the past 65 years. It is a monumental task but has to be done. Life is so different without Noland around, but she has to get used to that. In the meantime, Noland will be put to rest in her hometown of Bedford, Virginia.

John and Alida Martin are as well as can be expected. They have now been at Lakewood for 6 years while at the same time celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Kids are doing well, although they do not see them as much as they would like. Still have one living in Asia that they got to see for the first time in years. They wish everyone peace and contentment to warm your heart long after the holidays have passed. Lee Ann, widow of Max Blanchard, loved getting the VMI Christmas card and reading the Alumni Review to keep abreast of what the brother and sister rats are up to. Lee Ann spent much of the year having surgery—a knee replacement in January and a shoulder replacement in July. She has been recovering with the help of the family. It really does take a village. She spent Thanksgiving with her daughter in Phoenix and Christmas with another daughter in Ohio. She is so grateful for family and friends and wonderful memories.

Class Notes

Jim Edmunds wrote that the news of Bob Hobson’s passing was very sad to him; he has many good memories of trips between VMI and Washington with him and others from the D.C. area, including Mike Brooks, Walt Ferony, Mark Smith, Art Pomponio, and Mel Anderson. Bob and Lois even joined Jim and Mary Lew at the ice capades the evening they were married, although they didn’t mention it until much later. Jim is hoping for a better 2026 for Miki and him. They missed three much-anticipated trips last year: A Viking River Cruise in January due to Jim’s pneumonia, a trip to Maui in May after he tested positive for COVID-19, and an October trip to Aruba following a hospitalization for heart failure. This year, they plan

to stay in the U.S. and stick to shorter trips of a week or less. They traveled to Santa Ana for 5 days in January, though it rained almost the entire time. Currently, they enjoy a subscription to the San Francisco Symphony rehearsals every few months. They take an hour-long ferry ride each way and walk around the city afterward. Between that and walking their two 55-pound Weimaraners for 30 minutes every day, they are staying active. They are doing their best to stay healthy, though it certainly gets harder with age.

John and Pat Van Kesteren write that little of any interest is going on in New Mexico, but knowing John and Pat and their lifestyle, I know that’s an exaggeration. They seem to be attending too many funerals. Only four are left from John’s high school class. They are particularly proud and happy with their grandchildren, who are scattered all over the world. Pat and John look at each other every day and realize how blessed they are to have one another. Let me add an amen to that; I miss Ann more and more every day and just hope I was the best husband I could have been.

Lee and Nancy Southard have spent most of the past year managing the health issues that naturally come with age. They are thankful that these challenges have been successfully addressed, and they are deeply grateful for the many prayers offered on their behalf and for the assurance they have in relying on the Almighty through it all. Because of this, they did very little traveling this past year, but they have hopes to make up for it this coming year. Nancy devoted much of the year to caring for Lee during his bout with adrenal insufficiency and knee replacement surgery while at the same time providing much-needed ongoing support for her family in Delaware. If there was ever a giving heart, it was hers. No wonder Lee loves her so much. Lee postponed publishing “Reflections on Genesis” to release a second edition of “The Battle We Must Not Lose,” recognizing the need for an upgrade considering the current turmoil in our country. Lee and Nancy hope everyone enjoyed a merry Christmas and is looking forward to a prosperous new year.

My sister, Susan, widow of Bud Mease, turned 90 this year, and her friends and family had a great 90th birthday

Class of 1959: Bob and Anne Ballilio with their family.

Class of 1959: Shep Shepard and family at the rollout of the Artemis II rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

celebration at St. Thomas More in Sandy, Utah, where she and Bud spent 40 years. Susan is now living with her daughter in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has made two trips to Florida to visit me, and that is always something to look forward to. She will be coming again next month to spend a week or so and enjoy the beautiful Florida weather. Fourth of July was spent in Clovis, New Mexico, with her grandson and his beautiful new wife. Her grandson is a captain in the Air Force, special ops. I hope to get out to Colorado Springs this year to see all my relatives there.

As for me, I am adjusting to retirement home living—many new friends and good accommodations. Food could use a little improvement. It is hard to believe I am coming up on a year living here. My health is fairly good, although I do have problems walking and lose my balance a lot. For the past 2 months, I have been having some eye problems that seem to be a result of shingles I had a few years ago. I am having problems seeing, which is why I bring it up. I was just about to close out the class notes a few days ago when I hit a button I should not have hit, and it ate everything I had written. After crying for a while, I called my daughter to see if she could recover it, but no such luck. After talking to my other daughter and complaining, I didn’t have time or the strength to try to recompose it. Being a sympathetic and loving daughter, she asked, “What else do you have to do?” That did shed some light, and I sat down and recomposed what I could remember. If I did not include something you sent in, I apologize, but this was the best that I could do. My girls do look after me and get me out once in a while. We attended a great production of “Singin’ in the Rain.” I remember seeing the movie in 1953— the last movie I saw in Germany before coming home. Brought back a lot of wonderful memories. They are also taking me to Cirque du Soleil “Drawn to Life.” Looking forward to that. A few weeks after, my sister Susan comes to visit, along with one of her daughters and a grandson. My grandson, who is in the Coast Guard, came down for a few days, along with his beautiful and wonderful wife and my great-granddaughter. We had a wonderful time with them; wish they were closer, but they are on their way to Hawaii in a few months. I hope to get back to traveling but need someone to accompany me, and that’s a problem for my daughters. We will work it out. Keep those cards and letters coming in.

Yours in the Spirit, Shep

Class Notes

1960

James A. Smith III

Greetings from Lexington, Virginia. There is a buzz about VMI regarding the new superintendent, Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87. Things are “tightening up.” I was a bit tardy in my start of these class notes.

On Nov. 16, Jim Schaaf and Jim Gibson celebrated their next birthdays. I spoke with both. Jim Gibson related he is well—nothing special going on.

Jim Schaaf wrote the following long email update: “Jimbo, I appreciated your birthday call. While checking your email address, I found my old roommate, George Ax, had changed his address, so I’m getting two emails off today. I have not been back to VMI since graduating— my oldest grandson was on a Southern battlefields tour that included VMI and sent the attached picture and video. The bricks and Scottish influence on the band surprised me. My youngest grandson is a first-year student at Auburn University. I visited him to see his dorm last week and had to laugh at the comparison of his four-man dorm room to our four-man VMI barracks room! His living room (with a TV) is the size of our barracks room. Two halls branch off of the living room with two bedrooms and a shared bath each, and there is also a kitchen. I can’t complain—VMI’s austerity and emphasis on time management have done well for me in 20 years of military and 30 years of aerospace industry (mostly defense). The Army, at times, has given me a bit more excitement than was comfortable—I’ve lived and worked in the Panama Canal Zone, Vietnam (advisor duty), Kwajalein Missile Range (now Reagan Test Center—I was the guy with his thumb on the destruct button during ballistic-missile intercept flight tests), Vietnam again (U.S. troops), and Iran (in time for the shah’s regime collapse).

This Veterans Day, our Sunday school gave a presentation on warriors throughout the Bible and beyond—one of the final passages included ‘and God shall protect ...’ That hit home for me. On my first Vietnam tour, I was the target of snipers on three occasions (they missed). On my second tour, I was mortared twice— the only casualty being one of my men with a burnt hand from grabbing a hot fragment for a souvenir—and I was the target of two attempted

fraggings that malfunctioned. Iran was dicey— hiding in a safe house for a week while there was no law and order. I’ve followed the changes in the class curriculum and student research programs—I am impressed! I was sorry to hear the old EE power lab is gone—that made my tour as an advisor in Vietnam. I had two Vietnam maintenance companies, and one had all brand-new U.S. equipment—all set up to show me on the first day I came to the company. The machine motors were pulsating—ugh, ugh, ugh—and they had cans of water dripping on them to keep them cool. From that power lab, I knew what was wrong—running 60-cycle U.S. motors on French 50-cycle power. I turned their site generator to 60 cycles, and everything smoothed out, gaining smiles from all the NCOs. Advisor duty can be hard, but that crew did listen to me after that, and the commander put my cubicle next to his office—the commander of the other company was a scuzz ball, more interested in repairing the general’s Mercedes than the trucks lined up in his shop, putting my office as far from him as possible, so I ended up working with his junior officers. Becky has lung cancer. Ten years ago, in Huntsville, Hudson Alpha (DNA research company) opened shop in the middle of all the space and defense companies and offered weekly lectures, which we attended. They predicted that DNA would eventually be used to fight cancer, and that’s what her medication is designed to do. We’ve been visiting the oncologist for scans and blood tests every 6 weeks, and the cancer is not spreading—some is still there, but it’s not increasing—our concern is that it doesn’t mutate. As Clint Eastwood says, ‘Don’t let the old man in.’ I have hearing aids and a cane helps my balance, but keeping busy keeps the ‘old man’ away. I tutor first-grade reading in an afterschool program and am a volunteer science interpreter for the McWane Science Center—a science museum for children, but adults like it, too. Dealing with a bunch of happy and thrilled children once a week makes my day. I’m also with a model railroad group that sets up ‘The Magic of Model Trains’ show at the museum for the Christmas season—more happy children! I appreciate hearing from you and all the activity in the annual. I hope the world is treating you well. Jim.”

On Nov. 19, Herb Vaughan celebrated his next birthday. I spoke with “Pee Wee” the next day. He is well in Richmond.

On Nov. 21, I was able to catch up with Phil Spivey, who relates he is well.

Sadly, Nov. 11, Bill Giles passed away after

a long illness. Bill was at our 65th Reunion using a wheelchair but in great spirits. His obituary can be found in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Guy Smith wrote, after attending Bill’s funeral, the following: “Bill’s memorial was very nice and well attended. Unique was the playing of ‘The Spirit’ (band recording) as the family entered. Bill’s son is a third-generation alumnus. Roy McLeod and I seemed to be the only brother rats. Our class floral tribute was lovely. Our lone admiral was listed in the bulletin to speak; however, someone read the tribute message from Jimmy. I rarely go anywhere without seeing former students or their parents, and today was no exception. Hanging out inside the rest of this miserable weather day. We hope to get to Williamsburg later this month for one last lunch at the Chickahominy restaurant before it closes for good. It’s been a favorite birthday spot for Phillipa for many years. I hope you will have had a chance to eat there. I’m looking forward to a Florida golf trip next week and getting off the vestry at church the end of the month. Three times is quite enough for that! Happy New Year. Guy.”

Class Notes

On Dec. 1, George Miller and Jim French celebrated birthdays. I did not speak with Jim, who lives in Lexington, but I did get the following message from George: “Thanks for the call, Jimbo; sorry I missed you (out for my morning walk). Things are well, feeling pretty good, and still getting into trouble (just staying ahead of disaster, so to speak). I take a solo road trip every summer—always enjoyable—but don’t get back to Virginia—all my Commonwealth relations have passed on. I do stay tuned to VMI’s frequency, as I feel the Institute provided lifestyle standards and a moral code which stand the test of time. God bless, take care! George.”

I also got the following email from Jay Jarrett after I had called him on his birthday: “I don’t remember if I told you, but in March 2024, I had a Whipple procedure for cancer of the ampulla of Vater. It showed up as jaundice one morning, and they found the cancer encircling my bile duct and put in a stent. The surgery followed a couple of weeks later, and I have been tested every 6 months for any recurrence. I’m happy to report that there has been none. Have a great Thanksgiving, Jay.”

I don’t usually report on the medical situations of our brother rats, but Jay volunteered the above great news for sharing.

On Dec. 5, Brother Rat Joe Morabit passed away. His obituary can be found in the Kennesaw, Georgia, newspaper. Joe and I played a fair amount of golf and had as much fun as bad golf can bring. Joe related that while stationed in Germany, Kris Kristofferson, a helicopter pilot at the time, would fly Joe around when he needed it. Small world.

I received the following email from Guy Smith regarding Ed Bomar: “I had a nice chat with Eddie recently. He’s moved to a continuing care type facility—I think was a bit overdue based on some previous conversations. He noted how pleased he is with his new neighbors and the services offered. His new address is below: 285 Madison Avenue South, Apt. 305 Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. I hope to see some brother rats at Bill Giles’ memorial in January, and I hope this finds you both well and anticipating a wonderful Christmas and a blessed new year.”

We have lost two more brother rats recently: “Pete” Haycock Nov. 12, and Roy Quinn, class president, Dec. 20. Pete’s obituary can be found in the Lancaster, California, newspaper. Since I got his obituary too late for flowers, we made a donation in his honor to the James Tumlinson Award fund. Roy Quinn’s obituary can be found in the Summerville, South Carolina, newspaper.

I hope you all had a good and blessed Christmas. It was quiet in Lexington. I received Christmas cards from the following brother rats: Chris Fleet, G.G. Phillips, Prill Brown (widow of Seafus), Mike Shoemaker, Lin Hilliard (widow of John), Darryl Markland, Ray Crickenberger, Jim Schaaf, Ed Davis, Jeep Goodwillie, Jack Willard, Wayne Leblang, Jim Seeley, Ed Martin, George Miller, Sam Miller, Bob Graves, Henry Brown, Tom Kurkoski, and Bolling Williamson Ruth and I received peanuts from none other than “Peanuts” and Jan Elliott. With Christmas now come and gone, along with New Year’s Day, the Corps is on Christmas furlough, and Lexington is quiet. VMI basketball is playing, recently losing to Samford Jan. 1 but won Jan. 3 with Chattanooga. VMI has a new football coach who runs the “triple option,” which should help. We’ll see.

On Jan. 2, our worthy scribe, Hap Miller, celebrated his next birthday. Hap and Mary juggle time between Lexington and Patriots’ Point in Williamsburg.

On Jan. 5, Jim Bagby and Tom Kurkoski celebrated their next birthdays. I spoke with Tom, who is doing well. Jim couldn’t be reached, so he got email wishes.

On Jan. 3, Brother Rat Gen. Dave Maddox passed away after a distinguished career and a long illness. His obituary can be found in the Arlington, Virginia, newspaper.

On Jan. 14, Pete McGue celebrated his next birthday. I did not speak with Pete but left a voicemail greeting, along with email wishes. Pictures from the 65th Reunion show Pete and George Coulbourn climbing the sentinel box for the Old Yell.

The following brother rats celebrated birthdays: Jan. 15, Ray Crickenberger; Jan. 24, George Ax;

Class of 1960: Jimmie and Carol Seeley with Buddy and Jeannette Frith.

Class of 1960: Jimbo Smith; Steve Riethmiller ’63, who dyked in Jimbo’s room; and Alex Wise, younger brother of Andy Wise.

Jan. 27, Buddy Frith; and Feb. 2, Al Smith

They got phone calls, when available, and were well by today’s health standards.

On Feb. 12, Ed Martin and Jon Parnell celebrated their next birthdays. Ed was in as “good” health as we all are. Jon and I talked about all things going on at VMI today. He’s stuck in Texas and hasn’t been back at VMI for a while. He is also in as good health as possible for an 89-year-old. He does a 10–15-minute treadmill workout daily.

On Feb. 15, I caught up with Jeep Goodwillie He and Bo Bowles are VMI producers. His grandson is a graduate, along with his son. Jeep is tolerating his multiple infirmities that come with our age. We had a nice phone conversation. Jeep did a wonderful job as one of our earlier class agents, setting the bar high.

This brings this edition of class notes to a close. There is much going on with VMI, the new governor, and the Virginia legislature. I encourage each of you to stay in touch with anyone whom you might feel is involved with VMI and the legislature. We are so fortunate to have a very active superintendent, Lt. Gen. Furness ’87. I think we will get through this crisis with as few scars as possible. As always, VMI needs our support, not only financially but also spiritually. Your emails help.

Our class awards, the Bayliss Award and Tumlinson Award, continue to need our support. Please stay in touch. Sadly, our numbers are getting smaller by the day. I’ve omitted the obituaries of Bill Giles, Pete Haycock, Roy Quinn, Dave Maddox, and Joe Morabit that I normally would put in the notes, as space doesn’t allow.

Let me hear from and about you.

In the Spirit,

Jimbo Smith

Lots has been going on since the last class notes. Unfortunately, you will not be able to read these updates until after the reunion, and life changes quickly. It has been quite exciting to read notes from our widows. As of today, 11 have signed up for our reunion, and I know a few more will attend, and this pleases me tremendously. I received a ton of Christmas cards. I read them all, and I’m going to attempt to extract from them information that may be of interest to you. Ann McCormick broke her wrist but still managed to pen out a note

Class Notes

saying, “VMI and brother rats will always have a place in my heart.” Kate Martin is in a retirement community and doing well. Her only medical problem is her eyes and has limited writing and driving. Elaine Wilkinson recently returned from a trip to Vienna. She said Don loved it there, especially before Christmas. Molly Popp said they got hit with 10 inches of snow, and she’s settled in for the winter. Gaylia Hudgins is smiling from ear to ear as she is now a great-grandma. I have been watching her on Facebook, and as I said before, she’s the energizing bunny widow in our class. Renate Mowery spent 3 weeks in Europe and enjoyed seeing old friends and family. She even had a few days in Rome. Traveling is not so easy anymore. Nancy Gabbert says she enjoys reading the VMI Review. Bonnie Hurley has been doing OK. Gerry Madison, the widow of my dyke, is doing fine. She has a grandson at VMI. Shirley Hartford has had her ups and downs this year with falling and breaking parts of her body. She has recovered fairly well. Shirley spends most of her days in the senior center doing exercises, dance classes, and social activities. The best part of attending is lunch is only $5. Nancy Bruce (Grant Eddy) sent a great picture of her and her nine grandchildren. Charlene Eubank is finally settling in after Bill’s death. Pauline Manly is living with her daughter in Willis, Texas. She’s doing OK except for a few health problems but manages to stay active in the church and still drives. Betty Jo Jarvis is doing OK. Carole Magee is excited about being a grandmother. She manages to stay busy playing bridge. Donna Tyler Fisher had a cancer scare, but she thinks it will be OK. Leola King is doing great. Their son, John King ’90, and his wife had a baby girl, which makes her a great-grandmother. Earline Thompson reports from South Africa that she is still active and driving (but only in town). The University Press will be launching a reprint of two of Paul’s and John Laband’s books on the Anglo-Zulu War. These books are considered valuable to South African history. Joyce Gibbings is doing fine. She is still keeping up with the tradition of beer and cookies on Friday, and she generally has a full house. David Gibbings ’88, her son, just lives a few houses away and, besides enjoying some home-cooked meals, keeps an eye on her. Judy Christie is doing OK. Nancy Phillips writes she is still in Staunton and enjoying her family. Harriotte McDannald is settling in after Skip’s death. She is interested in the history surrounding the Col Alto (where we are staying). Tom and Annett Jones celebrated their first foot of snow. All is well in Maine, and they look forward to a more favorable 2026.

I am guessing Bill Hill has difficulty in writing

due to his Parkinson’s, so his wife, Jane, penned a note saying Bill really enjoyed the luncheons he had with the brothers.

Lou and Jane Kiger are doing OK, except that Lou continues to suffer with back pain. The good news is, “I am still vertical.”

Dave Harbach says that he played 46 golf courses over the past 3 years. However, he did not tell me what his handicap is. (Smile.) Dave and Sandra had a memorable 9-day cruise on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. In March, they are heading for a Florida coast and keys cruise.

Clayton Smith is recovered from his hip replacement, and he and Jan are planning a driving adventure beginning with our reunion in Lexington and traveling East.

Spike and Mary Callander are surviving.

Sal Vitale Jr.

Class of 1961: Robert “Bob” Burks on a golf outing in Southport, North Carolina, in 2015.

Class of 1961: Charlie Finnegan at Clayton Smith’s home at Amelia Island, Florida, in April 2024.

Spike’s had a series of complications, which included seven surgeries. Thankfully, he finally healed but was very weak and lost about 45 pounds. He is also on dialysis 3 days a week. They are real troopers.

I enjoy my frequent conversations with Paul Johnston. Paul’s wife’s condition is about the same. One day, I received a check in the mail from him with a note, “This is for the class fund.” Thank you.

Paul and Rae Goldman are coping. They spent Rae’s birthday at the local hospital because they thought it was her heart, but it turned out OK. They took a trip to Alabama for Rae’s son’s wedding, and all went well. I expect them at the reunion.

Bob and Loretta Coltrane are fighting the cold winds in their mountain retreat. However, Bob was taken by ambulance to an ER, and Bob was disappointed that the ambulance did not transport him there at fast speeds with its siren blasting away. Bob had a 90% blockage in his cerotic artery and some complications. On the sunny side, Bob has bonded with the turkey flocks in the yard. Loretta chaired a committee to organize and implement the year-long celebration to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the formation of Gallagher Township, where they live. That said, Loretta has begun to resign from organizations so she could spend time with Bob.

I received a note from Frank and Marion Oley, and all is well. They still do lots of walking, but at a much slower pace. They have established a routine of going to the local coffee shop every day and have met some nice people. On a good day, they go to Planet Fitness and ride the bikes and walk the treadmill. All the Oley children are fine, including Heidi, who had a major heart operation and is healing nicely.

Jim Harrison said the reunion is on hold pending future treatment plans and condition. His adult polio has returned.

My second rat roommate, Tom Whalen, has been through hell. He lost both legs (below the knee) due to an artery disease. His artificial

Class Notes

limbs were fitted to him, and he tries to walk with a cane.

I was very happy to receive a commissioning announcement from Edward Hale ’25. Edward, who used the VMI 1961 scholarship, graduated Dec. 17, 2025, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Ann and Don Rishell have had several health issues but still think they will be at the reunion.

Dude Copenhaver and Lee are doing well. They are now cohabitating (as they say) and enjoying life. In February, they spent time in the keys, and the wind and low temperature made their time there a little unpleasant.

Carl and Becky Hirsch are enjoying being

great-grandparents. They took a trip to Texas to see the new baby, and of course, he was beautiful. Carl and I try to get together as often as our doctor appointments allow.

I was very happy to receive a Christmas card from Joe Engelhard. Joe lives in Michigan and did make it back for one reunion. He reminded me of two brother rats he said “are never to be forgotten, Paul Powers and Battle Haslam.”

L.T. Jones’ wife, June, said that Troy is not doing well. His memory is gone. It is so sad for a BR who was a Mensan to be in this condition. Many of you asked how Lee Badgett is. Healthwise, Lee is OK, but like “L.T.,” his memory is gone, and he is at a memory unit at a facility in Colorado. Lee no longer has a phone and computer. His daughter, Nancy, visits him every day.

We have several brother rats who work behind the scenes to make our times together more pleasant. Ray and Sally Hanlein and John Tharrington are always there when I need them, and thankfully, all are still in good health. I was overwhelmed when The Cadet Foundation notified me that Ray made a donation in honor of me. Thank you. Another person I can count on when the class needs her is Sylvia Woodcock. Her arrangements for the brother rat outing in Williamsburg will be remembered for a long time. Stuart Woodcock is in good health, except for dementia.

Tim and Sandy Bryant are getting along. Tim had surgery on his ear, and he said it looks like a dog chewed on it.

Jerry Coen has been in a longterm care facility since February 2024. Mobility is the biggest problem, and Jerry is unable to walk or get around by himself. Glorie has continued with her line dancing, as well as other activities at their senior center.

Bob and Suellen Reitz are busy as ever. Bob still makes visits to the dermatologist to treat his skin cancer, and Suellen is heavily involved as a partner in Comic Cards and Collectibles of Pickens, a store that sells comics and figurines and a whole bunch of stuff like Pokémon and more.

Class of 1961: Pictured at the promotion ceremony for U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Christopher “Chris” Eubank ’91 at Fort Gordon, Georgia, are (from left) Kim Eubank, Chris, and Gerry Eubank.

Class of 1961: Sylvia Woodcock, Joanne Respess, Larry Respess, Sue Patrick, and Stu Woodcock with Patricia Hoskins (seated) at Willard Hoskins’ memorial service in Newport News, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2026.

Ashby and Sandra Taylor are doing fair. Ashby said he is in the early stages of dementia, and Sandra has a host of other problems. When they go to their doctor appointments in Norfolk, they stop by and see Joyce Gibbings.

John Gangemi is hanging in there as his Parkinson’s has worsened.

Fred and Sheila Kressierer have had a difficult year, and Sheila is now in a memory care facility.

Bill and Connie Nelms are enjoying the Brandermill Woods retirement community. In January, Bill was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer, and he called me to say goodbye.

Tom Phlegar is doing well. He had the entire family at the farm for Thanksgiving. Tom has been practicing his trumpet so he will be in shape to play taps at our memorial service.

Dave and Edwina Thomas are doing OK. Their inability to walk long distances has caused them to miss the University of Texas men’s and women’s swimming meets.

My rat roommate, Joe Lisiecki, said his wife, Mary, fell and is still in a wheelchair.

Paul Myatt’s daughter, Margret Jones, and I finally connected. Margret updated me on Paul’s Parkinson’s. He is in a memory unit in a facility in Arlington. Margi arranged a telephone conference, and Larry Respess, Sue Vitale (who dated him), and I talked to him for a few minutes. So sad!

Bill Fout is in Arizona. Sandra has stopped driving, and Bill has taken over. They should return home in time for the reunion.

Ed Fox is in OK health. He registered for the reunion.

Raine Gilbert said Claire is still recovering from her broken hip (Dec. 23), but she is still very insecure about Raine being gone for any length of time. My Sue also has the same feeling.

Mitch and Jennifer Kot spent a month in Marco Island, then Mitch went to Cuba for a week with the church, then from Miami to New York City for the funeral of Mitchell’s sister in Connecticut, and in January, they both left for skiing in Austria. Mitch said the conditions in Cuba are terrible. Those who think socialism is “neat” should spend time in Cuba.

I am very proud of the sons who have achieved the rank of general. Congratulations to Lt. Gen. Christopher L. Eubank ’91 Chris assumed command of U.S. Army

Class Notes

Cyber Command Dec. 3, 2025. Maj. Gen. James J. Ring ’88 serves as the 29th adjutant general of Virginia and will be on the VMI BOV. Can you imagine that our class gave birth to two generals?

This past year has been tough medically for both Joanne and Harvey Curley. In November 2025, Joanne had knee replacement surgery on her right knee. She completed PT and is doing much better. As for Harvey, his lower back kicked up. He was Joanne’s nurse, and then one day he fell and fractured three vertebrae. Traveling to Virginia for the reunion is not in their plans.

The Myruskis are currently basking in the sun in Naples, Florida, and happy to be there until reunion time.

Alison Drescher is doing fine and has no health issues. He is still doing woodworking and enjoying life.

Cammie and Dave Bella reminded me that we are in the “wisdom/elders chapter” phases of our lives, which means choosing how to spend our time and who to spend it with. Dave continues his work as a prophet—not easy, but that’s his calling—writing and sharing about climate change, “forever chemicals,” and what kind of legacy we leave for future generations. Cammie is active with the local Welcome Waggers and Therapy Dogs group with their Golden Retriever, Athena, and continues as a spiritual companion.

Bill Hala is enjoying hunkering down with Irene in his nice, warm lakeside home on the Bruce Peninsula, watching a few crows flying sideways and backwards in the fierce winds.

Bill and Shon Maurer were surprised and pleased when his son, Adam Maurer ’95, announced that Bill’s grandson, Karl, was accepted to VMI and will be attending next fall. Bill is still

writing articles for Vespers, and his latest article is “Lafayette and His Friends.”

I was also pleased that my Texas A&M friend, Pat Webb, is still with us. Pat guided us through our 50th Reunion. I reminded him that a VMI man saved Texas A&M. (Smile.)

We try to get together with the brother rats frequently in the D.C. metro area, and BRs from Richmond and Williamsburg joined us for the February lunch at Firebirds Fredericksburg. Attending were Russell “Rocky” Stone, Dick Youngblood, Bill “Snake” Daniels, Larry Respess, Larry Wetsel, John Tharrington, Ray Hanlein, Jack “J.D.” Miller, and Sal Vitale. Rocky is in good health, as is Snake. “J.D.” is back in the gym 3 days a week, Youngblood is still working, and Wetsel was off again to Montana the day after our lunch. Respess and I spend time creating documents as our way of keeping VMI on course. Lou Shuba is having a very difficult time. He has had several operations, been in and out of several hospitals, and as of Feb. 12, the doctors still do not know what is wrong with him. Pris is getting worn out going back and forth to the hospital. Lou has no appetite, even for homemade elderberry pie, and is losing weight. Pris hopes Lou gets better so they can celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary and take a trip to North Dakota, the only state Lou has not visited. Wetsel and I talk to Lou every day to keep his spirit up.

As for the Vitales, my daughters, Lynn and Cathy, decided Thanksgiving and Christmas would be prepared at our house, and their children would be there. My daughters brought all the food and prepared it in our ovens and microwave. Sue realized we did not have enough dishes to handle the crowd, so I bought sufficient flat and pasta dishes. Thanksgiving, Lynn cooked a 27-pound fresh turkey, and we got to keep the leftovers. Christmas Eve, Lynn prepared the seven-fish dinner (actually eight fishes). Cathy prepared the ravioli from scratch (under my supervision), meatballs, sausage, and braciole. All the meals were outstanding. New Year’s was quiet. The remaining days in this quarter were spent visiting doctors and Labcorp. The ladies at Labcorp know me and Sue by our first names. When we see you again, the reunion will have been celebrated, and I hope it will have been great.

I understand we are in the queue for heaven, and we have had our share of brother rats and spouses passing this quarter.

Class of 1961: Gathering at the Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Feb. 10, 2026, are (from left) J.D. Miller, John Tharrington, Larry Wetsel, Larry Respess, Sal Vitale, Russell “Rocky” Stone, Bill “Snake” Daniels, Dick Youngblood, and Ray Hanlein.

Willard Dunbar Hoskins III passed away peacefully Dec. 9 in Newport News, Virginia, surrounded by family. He will be remembered and missed dearly for his kindness, steadfast nature, and generosity of spirit.

Willard was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving for 3 years and departing with the rank of captain. The second lieutenants at Quantico used to date the young ladies from Mary Washington College. On one such occasion, Lt. Hoskins had a blind date with a lady named Joyce Stillman, aka Joyce Gibbings. While stationed at Camp Lejeune, Will met and married Patricia, his wife for 64 years.

Willard graduated from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business with a Master of Business Administration degree in 1966, and after 3 years of work at a furniture manufacturing company, he began his career as a financial adviser at Mason & Co. In 1976, Will accepted a position with Merrill Lynch, where he served clients for nearly four decades before retiring.

Will Hoskins was a positive, modest, and warmhearted man. He took pleasure in small things: A change in the weather, the ritual of a meal, the discovery of something new, and he was tirelessly patient, uncomplaining, and measured. He listened well, read widely, and took careful inventory of wisdom and inspiration.

A celebration of Will’s life was held at the Hidenwood Presbyterian Church. In attendance from the class were Stu and Sylvia Woodcock, Larry and Joann Respess, and Sue Patrick.

Robert Edgar Burks departed this world peacefully Jan. 13, 2026. Bobbie and Jeannie recently moved from The Villages to Rincon, Georgia, to be near their son. Robert took pride in having attended the esteemed Virginia Military Institute. His ties to his VMI brother rats remained strong throughout his life. His brother rats will always remember his personal sacrifice his 1st Class year when he could not return. Yes, he was an honorable man.

Robert contributed to the manufacturing industry with dedication and skill through his longterm employment with Ralston Purina. Robert’s hard work and commitment to excellence left a lasting impression on both colleagues and peers. Robert had a passion for life that included a deep love of golf, a never-ending enthusiasm for watching sports, and a special fondness for Westerns. He will be missed.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Charles Albert “Charlie” Finnigan Jr. passed away peacefully Feb. 2, 2026, in Fernandina Beach, Florida Charlie “met his wife, Marjorie, on a blind date

Class Notes

to the prestigious VMI ring dance.” (She must have been a “running” date).

Charlie’s flight experience included B-52 and supersonic aircraft, where he served as an electronic warfare officer and was a proud member of the Wild Weasel Squadron. In 1982, he began a second career in international marketing with Lockheed Electronics and then senior marketing director.

Charlie and his wife, Margie, moved to Fernandina Beach, where he enjoyed golfing with friends and driving his red Jeep on the beach. He was a long-term member of Mensa and served multiple terms as grand knight of the Knights of Columbus (St. Michael Council). Clayton and Jan Smith attended the service presented by the Knights of Columbus.

At VMI, Charlie was not a saint. He would always sit in the last row of the classroom, way in the back corner. The instructor, a civilian and new to VMI, would lecture while walking across the platform, rolling a piece of chalk in the palm of his hand. One day, the instructor suddenly dropped the piece of chalk. We all turned around to see what had startled the instructor, and there was Charlie sound asleep in his chair, wearing a trick pair of plastic eyeglasses with lenses that blinked up and down as Charlie’s head moved when he breathed, as if he was wide awake! Carl Hirsch contributed this story, as Charlie and Carl were in the same economics class.

Jeanette Smith, Holmes Smith’s wife, passed in February. She was sick for a long time and on hospice care. I called Holmes one day, and the next day, he texted me she was gone.

Sue and I enjoyed reading all the Christmas cards. I have always published the names of those who sent Christmas cards so you knew they were alive. They are Bella, Bryant, Browning, Nancy Birindelli, Callander, Coen, Coltrane, Daniels, Doleman, Gerry Eubank, Fridley, Gangemi, Joyce Gibbings, Nina Grazulis, Goldman, Gouldthorpe, Hanlein, Harbach, Harrison, Shirley Hartford, Henning, Gaylia Hudgins, Hirsch, Bonnie Hurley, Betty–Joe Jarvis, Paul Johnston, Keech, Kiger, Kot, Kressierer, Lisiecki, Maurer, Modine, Cinny Murray, Myruski, Nelms, Oley, Orndorff, Bill Phillips, Phlegar, Reitz, Respess, Rutledge, Clayton Smith, Thomas, Wetsel, Woodcock, Elaine Wilkinson, McCormick, Ring, Tyler, Tom Jones, Bill Eubank, Pauline Manly, Nancy Bruce, Nancy Phillips, Renate Mowery, Nancy Gabbert, Rishell, L.T. Jones, Molly Popp, Whalen, McDonald, Copenhaver, Whitehouse, Judith Christie, Engelhard, Shuba, and Taylor

1962

Edmund R. Strickler

John Mott Robertson

I am sorry to report that Monty Williams passed away Nov. 27. Monty came to us from Portsmouth, Virginia, and graduated with a degree in physics. Following graduation from VMI, he was employed by the research laboratory of E.I. DuPont in Richmond. He entered the U.S. Air Force in 1963 and served as a missile launch officer. In 1965, he returned to DuPont and worked on the project to start up the pilot plant to mass-produce TYVEK. Later, he was employed by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in the Nuclear Power Division. During his career at NNSY, he held many positions. Among many other things he did for the Institute, Monty served as our class agent from 1993–97 and 2017–22 and did an excellent job. He has been a hard act to follow! Monty is survived by his wife of 36 years, Carol Lewis Williams; three children, Sheri Taylor (James), Wendy Taylor (Greg), and Melissa Williams; two step-children, William Sykes Jr. (Emma) and Stacy Stroh (Edward); and nine grandchildren. A celebration of his life was held Dec. 6 and was attended by Alan Bamforth; Don Kane and his wife, Sandy; and Monty’s roommates, Jerry Burnett and Bill Mizell

I heard from Norm Halberstadt on his birthday that he is doing well and enjoying each day. He still retains a tremendous appetite to read and study each day.

Cal Seybold reports he and most of his family had a great trip to the World War II Museum in New Orleans in November. He said it is one of the most impressive museums he has seen.

Lou Ritchie writes that he and Sue are doing just fine down in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. They attend regular aerobic classes at the gym, play golf, and do other forms of exercise. One of the classes is called “keep moving it,” and that is the right idea at our age.

Bob and Nancy Miller sent me a nice Christmas letter, which contained some of the following information. They are both still kicking, though not quite as hard. Sometime in the past year, they went to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a wedding.

It was quite an experience as it was Indian, not Native American tribal, and it was very impressive. Bob said he is glad he did not have to pay for it. They both enjoy dining out several times a week, and there are quite a variety of restaurants in the Northern Virginia and D.C. area. They both do some exercise with Silver Sneakers and various other programs to help offset some of the dining out!

Ed Northrop sent me a nice picture of his granddaughter and some fellow students from Georgia Southern University on an educational tour to Croatia. They will be visiting 10 businesses and industries while they’re there. There are 24 total students on this trip, plus teachers, and they’re there for 10 days. Ellie is a junior and is the daughter of Todd Northrop ’90.

Class Notes

Larry and Betsy Wilson are now settled in at the Springmoor Retirement Community in Raleigh and not missing any of the old “stuff” except maybe an occasional tool from the garage. Betsy had a hip replaced in late October, and Larry is being a good nurse. Their children and grandchildren are doing well, which is a blessing. They haven’t been doing any traveling recently but are glad they took the trips they did when they were younger. I think that applies to all of us!

Several months ago, my emails to Doug Gates, via my group emails, began to be returned. I wrote Doug a letter asking if his email address had changed, and about a month later, he called me. Doug is living in Trinity, Florida, and doing well. In our conversation, I learned that Doug left the Institute at the end of our 2nd Class year and then graduated from G.W. We got the email addresses straight and reestablished contact.

I had not heard from Randy Campbell in a long time, but he replied on his birthday, and he and Julia are doing well.

Dan Prall wrote me asking a question about the Alumni Review, and in so doing, he sent one of his favorite photographs. When I looked at it, I recognized it. He had sent it to me a little over 20 years ago when I had been class agent from 2002–07. I am not sure, but I think the picture was published at that time, but its uniqueness deserves a repeat. This was in March 2005 when he won the “Best Walter” trophy at a LebowskiFest in L.A., where over 20-25 others dressed as Walter Sobchak [John Goodman] from “The Big Lebowski,” with a crowd of about 1,400 at the bowling alley in Long Beach. He took the trophy

again in NYC in 2006 and again in L.A. in 2007. Dan says he couldn’t do it now, as he has lost about 90 pounds since then. That is a good thing!

Gary Gilmore writes that they have downsized again, which means much less housework and no yard work. Now, rather than a pastoral view of Alva, Florida, they watch the city lights of Fort Myers.

John Anthony writes that he and Cynthia have had an eventful life since our last report. He made a full recovery from his serious emergency surgery

for bleeding ulcers in late 2024. They were delighted to host Beverly and Robert Evans in their home in McLean, Virginia, for several days last summer. They were also Ware Smith’s guests in the new superintendent’s box at one of the fall football games and were very impressed by the Institute’s new leader. In addition, he was present in the nation’s capital for the National Council on U.S.–Arab Relations’ 33rd Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, which John founded in 1991, where the third recipient of the Council’s third annual Anthony Leadership Award was recognized and addressed the participants.

I just found out that our 65th Reunion will be April 12–13, 2027. Put it on your calendar.

Sorry the notes are so slim this quarter, but I can’t write what I haven’t received! Hint, hint, hint. Let me hear from you.

In the Spirit, Edmund

1963

William C. Cowardin

As the brother rats of ’63 begin to move into their 85th year, I tried to shortcut through AI. The result was trite in the extreme. I could hear DoDo yelling at me through the cover of his grave. AI isn’t there yet, though the experiment was instructional. The following, for better or worse, is me. It’s been a quiet quarter for the class news. Not much came in. Larry James sent a Christmas card from Albuquerque. Fred Kennedy offered a soulful note on the death of wife Claudette June 9, 2025, of Parkinson’s. Her interment was Dec. 22 in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Thoughts and prayers to Fred.

Fred Green recounted on Facebook about blood clots. He is now out of the hospital, but it was described as a difficult time.

Several developments with respect to the Tucker Oliver fund. Upon Bunny Reynolds announcing that he was in terminal hospice, Randy Williams organized through the Alumni Agencies and Meade King ’85 a call for contributions to the fund

Class of 1962: Ellie Northrop (far right), granddaughter of Ed Northrop and daughter of Todd Northrop ’90, in Zagreb, Croatia, with other students from Georgia Southern University.

Class of 1962: Dan Prall as Walter Sobchak from “The Big Lebowski” in Long Beach, California, in March 2005.

from classmates in Bunny’s honor. Fifty of you responded to the sum of $55,837.85. I’m able to report that the fund, which started small after Tucker’s death in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, now totals $690,400 and provides over $23,480 yearly in scholarship assistance to deserving cadets.

In Bunny’s absence, Bill Wells has agreed to take over his duties. Bill reports he roomed with Tucker Oliver and is also from Bedford, Tucker’s hometown.

The January lunch of the Richmond BRs was canceled, so I have no news. Mike Curley is out of a short hospital stay.

Class Notes

I got a note from John Lacy’s widow, Carol, concerning the light mention of John’s death. As I explained to her, his sudden untimely death came 2 days after that class notes deadline and got only a truncated mention 3 months later. John was a dentist in Waynesboro and is sorely missed by Carol and family.

Perhaps the biggest current issue concerning VMI is two bills pending in the General Assembly to examine and defund VMI. This has brought forth a frantic and gargantuan response from the entire VMI family—cadets, administrators, alumni, and parents. By the time you read this, it will be old news, but today, it is front and center.

The periodic lunch of the Tidewater rats took place Feb. 11, 4 days before the deadline for these notes. It was great to see Johnny Mills and Lee Spessard, who came from afar to the Hampton Yacht Club.

Johnny Mills reported that he lost nerve sensitivity in his mouth to oral cancer radiation treatment, but he was able to tell stories like the rest of us. He’s lost 30 pounds in the process. That must be the hard way. It was encouraging to see him like his old self.

There were a few stories of illness and recounts of interaction with other alumni. Discussion surrounded the political situation the new superintendent encountered. He was generally given high marks by the group in dealing with a General Assembly coming off a sweep of the state offices by new legislators.

Lacking other sources, I reluctantly turned to Facebook for news of you guys. There I found lots of posts—some old, some new—about those of us who post. The following brother rats, among others, post on that site: Bill Wray, Pete Brunel, Gary Eifried, Bob Powell, Norm Skinrood, Doug Sterrett, Pat Kelly, Frank Allison, Dave

Vogler, Hobbs Goodwin, Wayne Kohlwes, John Macrae, John Mills, Taz Hubard, John Cockey, Paul Quinter, Paul Clare, Paul Thomson, Denver Perkins (of Moab, Utah), Mike Curley, and many others. If you are curious, there’s a search function which allows you to put in the name of the classmate about whom you are curious. At lunch, Beau Walker suggested I simply call a few of you up when I wanted to know what was going on. That’s a good idea, it seems to me, so don’t hang up when you get a cheery call from your class agent wanting to get some news. That goes for you, Walt Kleine, and you, Mike Smither

I am in the process of reading “Prodigal Soldiers” by James Kitfield, which mentions Binnie Peay ’62 as a formative general in a changing Army. Noting the reporting of the recent Breakout for the Class of ’29, I note that Binnie’s father and mine were also in the Class of ’29 ... 1929!

I admit it’s sort of cheating to include this in the class notes, but 85-year-olds are not doing as much adventuring as in the past. I hope you will keep me in your emails with more information in the future. In the meantime, I wish each of us good health and peace!

Best Wishes and Fondest Hopes for 2026, Bill

1964

John R. Cavedo

please don’t include them in Christmas cards. It require a lot of additional typing. It would be far easier on me if you simply included them in a separate email. Then I can edit, cut, and paste in a much shorter time. As I’m 3 weeks from being your class agent for 20 years, I know you’ll appreciate giving me this small indulgence.

Tony Munera: “We are pretty much settled in our senior living community. In April, we were in the Outer Banks with our friends from Barb’s sorority. In June, we had our family vacation in Virginia Beach, and in September, we went to Spain for 10 days with friends from VMI. In Spain, near the equator, it was a hot 90 degrees in Seville and Granada, but in Madrid, to the north, it was a cool 65 degrees. Tony had to buy a coat to stay warm.

“Living in Woodleigh Chase is like being in a cruise ship. Last week, we had the fall festival. In addition to good food, they cleared the tables out of the cafeteria and made it into a dance floor. They brought in a band, and Barb and I danced the night away. Not as agile as in years past but still moving. There is a swimming pool open several times a week, and card games, pickleball, and 70 other groups. In the evening, they periodically offer lectures on interesting topics and musical entertainment. Barb still does Jazzercise 6 days a week to stay in shape, meets once a week at our church with the boutique ladies, and continues with her sorority. To that, she has added a strength-and-balance class twice a week, a chair fitness class, and meets with ladies’ gab groups five times a week. Tony still meets with his Ignatian prayer group once a week and has added a men’s group and a veterans’ group, participates in strength and balance classes, and works out in the gym.”

In a later email, Tony added, “We have been in the Woodleigh Chase Senior Living Community for over a year and are happy. It is like living in a cruise ship. We get fed two meals a day, and there are plenty of activities to keep us busy.”

Bill Mendel emailed, “After leaving VMI, I kept my laundry bag, No. 189, in case I needed it for something. Well, finally I put it to use last week when the temperature here on the Gulf Coast threatened 32 degrees. So I pulled out my historic laundry bag and pulled it over a young lemon tree. It worked great. Lesson learned: Save your laundry bag.”

Several of the items below I picked out of Christmas letters sent to me. If you have such letters,

Dick Atkinson: “I have been in and out of the hospital since early November with three neck

Class of 1963: Having lunch at the Hampton Yacht Club in Hampton, Virginia, Feb. 11, 2026, are (from left) Fred Lanier, Lee Spessard, Jim Key, John Mills, Bob Walton, Beau Walker, Bill Cowardin, and Bill Bell.

surgeries during that time. I am now healing but still a lot of home health, doctor visits, and bandages. Despite this, 2025 was a good year. We had numerous visitors: Debbie plus Barbi and family in January, Joan and Allen Kaiser in February, and Bill and Marion Garber and Barbi and Duke again in April. Florida in winter is popular! In May, we had a very nice reunion with Susan’s siblings in Chincoteague, Virginia, then a great Danube cruise from Budapest to Bucharest with Barbi and Duke.

“We spent several weeks in June and July in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where multiple children and grandchildren visited. In September, we hosted Carrie and Dave to a golf holiday in Provence, France, and in October, a family reunion with all three kids and family members in Honolulu. November started the medical problems with Dick’s cervical spinal fusion, wound separation with hospitalization, and two more wound surgeries in December.”

Carrie Tucker: “I’m using Andy’s phone because he had all the VMI addresses, and I’m reaching out to all who loved him. It’s been very different not having him around, especially at Christmastime. I’m finding it harder every year, and I don’t know why. Maybe trying to adjust to the move I had to make. So much has happened since he died. My daughter got married, my oldest grandson got married, and my granddaughter got married. Good grief, hard to believe, but happy for them all. We flew to the Dominican Republic for my grandson’s wedding, and that was exciting, although I hate flying right now. But I have a new great-grandson, and that is really wonderful.”

Class Notes

Chesapeake Bay area where I grew up, followed by another fun week in Wilmington visiting the whole Boehling family.

“Millie is still very active with her Ukuladies group she and three other gals started 8 years ago. The group has now grown to 20. They meet weekly to practice and love sharing their joy of music by performing for our senior retirement communities. I am slowing down a bit, so my crew now throws me into the back of the boat and says, ‘Just steer; we’ll do everything else.’ We’re still having fun and winning a few races.”

Don Carson emailed, “I hope you both are well and enjoying life. I have made some big changes since Margaret died. I moved about 30 miles north into a 55-plus community that is close to our son. I hated to give up my old property, but it was time to move to a home with less maintenance and yard work. I love living here and enjoy the nice gym and yoga and pilates classes they offer. I also enjoy the many social gatherings. This now feels like home. After sharing 60 years with Margaret, life

was a big adjustment, but I am enjoying this next chapter of my life and hope there are a few more chapters to live.

“Don Jr. is nearby, and I see him often. Last Saturday, he and I played music with a friend at a local tavern. It felt great to be playing in a band again. I see Bob Warren, who lives nearby. He is doing well and still playing golf and enjoying grandpa activities.”

Butch Nunnally sent, “Going to Richmond VMI event tomorrow night at the Virginia War Memorial. Keith Gibson ’77 is the speaker. Have been told we have about 100 folks coming.” Butch and I have spoken on the phone a few times. We’ve been sharing our concern about recent events occurring in the Virginia legislature which affect the Institute. For information, it’s been my policy as class agent not to air grievances in my correspondence.

Al Fiorini wrote, “I never think to send any info for the class. I am still working as CEO of the company, and we continue to grow. This month, we are opening our new 390,000-squarefoot manufacturing plant in Louisville, giving us just under a million square feet of manufacturing. Our new 40,000-square-foot R&D facility opened in the spring. We can now certify and test units in size up to 80 tons from -20 to +140 degrees. We have the only lab in the country that can do this. I am playing about 140 rounds of golf a year, so it’s not all work and no play.

Ken Dice sent a short note: “All is OK here. We are in our ‘travel season.’ Thanksgiving in San Antonio, Christmas in Portland, and a cruise in January. Have a nice Christmas with family and a blessed 2026.”

Bill McVey: “2025 has been wonderful with multiple fun visits from Shelley’s family members throughout the year, and two exciting visits by Coleman, Rogchelle, and Henrietta during their spring break and later for Thanksgiving.

“It has really been great having Millie’s nephew, Michael, and Laurie Jorgenson choosing San Antonio as their new ‘home base.’ We had numerous get-togethers with them when they weren’t off on other adventures!

“We took a memorable weeklong trip to Maryland with Shelley and Eric, visiting the North

“Pat and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in January and are going on a 10-day cruise. Suite with hot tub on our veranda. Going to be fun. Health-wise, I have no complaints. The VMI basketball team is playing in Fort Myers Nov. 24 and 26. Pat and I are taking them all to a small Italian restaurant Nov. 25. Congrats to you all on your anniversary . I am 83 and kicking. Thanks for all you’ll do to keep the class together.”

W.J. Kitchen and I talk on the phone frequently. He sent the following: “We are doing well and staying busy. This past Sunday, we went to the Miramar Marine Base Air Show, billed as the largest air show in the USA. After both of us living so close to the air station for more than 25 years, this is the first time we ventured out to it. It was great, and the 3-day event drew over 500,000 attendees. It also marked the 250th birthday of the Marine Corps. Aircraft from all of the services, as well as from a number of our allies, plus numerous live demonstrations, including a wonderful Blue Angels show. It has been a while since we’ve seen the Blue Angels perform, and their show was

Class of 1964: Tom Sebrell, Matt Jablonka, and John Manley in Nashville, Tennessee, in January 2026.

Class of 1964: Millie and Bill McVey in Chesapeake, Virginia, in November 2025.

outstanding. I know your nephew flew with them. I wore my VMI shirt and VMI hat, and this is the first time wearing these that I did not get a single comment from anyone.

“In mid-September, we returned from an 18-day small ship adventure through the Northwest Passage. Its history is amazing, and many explorers lost their lives attempting to find the passage. It was a great trip which we enjoyed. The passage connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. While on our trip, we encountered a pod of 50-plus narwhals, a first for all, including the expedition team. We also saw over 100 Beluga whales swimming together, as well as at a different site seeing a mother polar bear with two cubs. These were amazing viewing. Next week, we are headed off to hike with some friends in the Seattle area and then travel to Ethiopia in late October with the VMI ’64 traveling group.”

Bill Mendel: “Lila and I are still living in Northwest Florida in the town of Shalimar, where we have enjoyed a great summer. Our two sons visited with their families, thankfully at separate times, and of course, we always appreciate the time with the grandchildren. There are eight of them, so I have to be careful sorting out all the names. I am keeping somewhat busy working part-time on the faculty of U.S. Special Operations Command’s school house, Joint Special Operations University. It is located at MacDill AFB in Tampa, 400 miles from home. I travel there about five times a year teaching in a counterterrorism course we developed for international students. In my August class was Major Teng-Yin Lin ’16. He is a special ops guy from the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army. It is a lot of fun working with foreign students like Major Lin, and it’s hard to consider it as real work. Trust all are happy and well. Regards to all our brother rats.”

I got a phone call from Harvey Sargent. He’s in good health. Like Butch, he has a lot of concerns about the future of VMI. As mentioned in the opening, by the time you get this (May 2026), I’ll have been class agent for over 20 years. I enjoy it thoroughly and have no intention of slowing down. But, to be effective, I need your support and input.

Class Notes

General Assembly. There is plenty of class opinion being expressed, and suffice it to say, all coming from our class that I know of is in support of VMI’s well-performing mission statements. The new superintendent is doing a very good job defending the Institute. Generally, the class messages are in support of the long view. So, I’m sorting out these notes from the “what’s up” section of the emails. So, what’s up:

Bill Cather: “Considering my quadruple bypass a year ago, I have been very active the last few months. I joined my sons and grandsons and other Scouts for the annual 20-mile hike. I managed to do 7 miles with 1,400 feet of altitude before I came off the trail. Hopefully, next year I can do the whole thing. Then, 2 weeks ago, Lyn and I went to Hollywood Beach, Florida, and had a fabulous time while most of you guys were freezing your butts off. I have my Scout camporee coming up next weekend, and then Lyn and I are headed to the Tampa/Clearwater area. One last thing—one of my granddaughters has been accepted into the Boston School of Ballet for an intensive summer program, but she is also auditioning for the Royal Ballet in London. I hope to see some of you in Richmond next November for the Institute Society Dinner.”

our brother rats and how well we are doing. Jamie and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.” (Note: Plural is all y’all.)

Jeff Gausepohl: “Good morning, all—Lexington is going to be in the 60s this afternoon! Baseball at VMI has really evolved. During our time, the baseball team played 23 games, which included spring trips to Winter Park, Florida; Western Georgia; and the Carolinas. Loved those bus trips each spring. Spring break is when we started our season. Now they start in mid-February and play at least twice the number of games. Tough as a batter—metal bats and low temperatures— ouch—if you do not make solid contact, you feel the vibration through your hands to your elbow. The stinging stops a couple of innings later!”

I report this period in the midst of extraordinary controversy surrounding VMI and the Virginia

Johnny Mac Marshall: “This has really been a ‘winter of our discontent’ as alumni, considering the various news items and actions of the Virginia Assembly. ... I feel confident that it will weather this particular storm. That said, it is equally important that we take care of ourselves in the really bad weather I suspect has hit all of us during the past month or so. For my part, not only was my Alfa covered with so much snow and ice that I couldn’t drive it even if I wanted to risk the roads, so I escaped to Reno. In January, I attended a conference of construction schedulers and engineers at the Grand Sierra Resort, where my job was to conduct a mock trial dealing with the impact of AI on construction projects. ... a perfect fit for a history major, right? Of course, I had to conduct some research on slot machines, with predictable results. This was sandwiched in between a steady stream of assignments as a visiting judge in North and East Texas. That is important because it keeps me out of Jamie’s way and helps me keep my weight down. Jamie, in the meantime, has been ‘at the grindstone’ and is in the process of being promoted at her company, which she richly deserves. We plan to celebrate by having her go with me to Poland in March, even though it means cold weather over there. It is hard to believe that it has been 61 years since we graduated, but what is not hard to believe is how well our class has weathered the intervening decades. It makes me happy to think of

Dave Kiger: “Good morning. At age 82, I decided to take some more golf lessons here in Hilton Head. Signed up for 15, one a week. The weather here in HHI will be 62 degrees so will try out my new knowledge. I’ve only had three lessons so far. Looking for some non-embarrassing play by end of spring. Here is a picture of my brother, Lou ’61, and me on my 75th birthday at Smith Mountain Lake.” (Dave, the picture needed a few hundred thousand more bytes—didn’t make the cut. And you need another 7 years, so the picture is kind of wonky.)

Richard Timmons, in response to my sending the article from the Staunton News Leader: “Unbelievable stupidity.” Hey, I’ll take what I can get (Lou).

Peter Trible: “Glad to hear you recovered from your icy fall unscathed. You were lucky this time. Jeanne and I just returned Jan. 28 from a warm and relaxing 12-day Caribbean cruise and are now at a condo in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

C. Lou Siegel

Class of 1965: Johnny Mac Marshall in Reno, Nevada, in January 2026.

It’s unusually cool in Florida but much better than at home in Virginia. We got off the ship in Miami and rode the high-speed Brightline train from Miami to Orlando, where we had left our car at Jack McEwan’s house. We spent several days with Jack, and he seems well. We all miss Linda. Familywise, I’m proud to say that my grandson, Will Reid ’24, was accepted by and will probably attend W&L Law School. He took some time off after graduation and has been working as a paralegal in Richmond. If any brother rats have suggestions regarding affordable housing in Lexington, please let me know (cell 804-512-4017; email, ptkroo65@gmail.com). Will was an honors graduate and Institute scholar. He was a captain of the football team and attended on a football scholarship. He was a left tackle starter.”

Finally, and as Lou always says, “Stay safe and don’t fall.” That’s all for now, folks.

Carr Hyatt took a fall on the ice during a trip to his barn. He said no damage done. This is a short series of notes. Everyone—take care.

1966

Nick Hoskot

As you will notice, this edition of our ’66 class notes is pretty light on content, so I need your assistance for future editions. Please send me any and all items relating to activities involving ’66 brother rats between now and mid-May 2026. You send the information/photos, and we will get them into the next edition of the Alumni Review.

Rick Kiernan’s long and dedicated career in U.S. Army Public Affairs included his service from Fort Wainwright in Alaska in 1977 to the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs at the Pentagon, where he was the principal Army spokesperson, with daily interface with 42 journalists representing the key radio, television, and newspaper outlets in the United States. Rick’s knowledge and professionalism assisted his work with the Russian armed services to produce and deliver items of “truth” and not simply propagandized information to be force-fed to the Russian armed services and selected public outlets. His final assignment was with the Army’s Pacific Command as the chief of public affairs, where his skills, knowledge, and experience helped him perform effectively during and after Hurricane Iniki. Rick retired from the Army after 26 years

Class Notes

of dedicated service during three wars—the Cold War, Vietnam, and the Gulf War—as a dedicated communicator. From 1993–96, he performed as the director of press operations for the Atlanta Olympics, where he and a staff of 1,200 personnel were responsible for supporting 4,000 journalists from 190 countries during that event. Bringing his professional media expertise full circle, Rick served as an academic lecturer at Georgetown, Temple, and Drexel Universities, sharing his lifetime of experiences with the incoming generation of communicators. Rick, congratulations on your many professional and personal accomplishments as highlighted by the presentation of the Joe Galloway Award for 2025.

Joe Dictor and Hugh Adams attended the visitation for Sam English last December. Sam’s daughter, Allison, told Joe that she was “very impressed” with VMI’s response.

Well, guys, that concludes this very brief edition of the ’66 class notes for the Alumni Review. Please, everyone, mark your calendars: Your next input for our class notes should be sent to me by Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

Hope to have seen many of you at our 60th Reunion last month!

Take Care, Nick

1967

Lonnie Jan Abernathy

I usually have to comb through 200 or 300 emails from the last 3 months to glean notes information. With the VMI turmoil caused by the Virginia political change, I have nearly 3,000 emails this time. I plan mostly short snippets and few long messages but will have sent more by email along the way before you see this set of notes. Our reunion is now announced for Monday and Tuesday, April 12–13, 2027. Some wives are already making plans, and we will have a special program just for our widows, who are always invited. Even if you are old and feeble, make some long-range plans beginning now. I know the travel irritations, but it might be the last time some of us visit with each other, so it will be worth it. Visiting with the cadets on post is extremely uplifting, as you will be able to visit with young people who represent the future of our country; they are exceptional, just like each of you!

Rob Gates: “My latest paper got accepted for

presentation at the Missouri Conference on History in March. We’ll do our usual 2 days out and 2 weeks wandering home to Virginia. We’ll start planning the route home soon, but this year will be different. Instead of targeting a couple of cities and staying at each for a few days, we plan

Class of 1967: Doug Taylor at the 30th Reunion.

Class of 1967: Rod and Pat MacKinnon.

Class of 1967: Ron Lowry with Anne and Mike Hall.

to hit a number of interesting places but basically keep on the move. I only have two places on the list so far—the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, and the Air Force museum at Wright-Patt. Maybe Lincoln stuff in Springfield, Illinois. Beverly wants to see more in West Virginia. I’m open to suggestions!”

Mike Miley: “Sally and I are enjoying life in Middleton, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison. We are lucky that our two daughters live here. We live in a condo on the shore of Lake Mendota with our little dog. I read, listen to the radio, and walk the dog. I love the AR.”

George Sanborn: “I made an interesting call today. Back in the summer, I sent my VMI class ring to Jostens for resizing. I called to ask about the progress. The man who answered said that he was working on another ring today from one of our classmates. I asked who this was. It was Mike Miley.”

Jim Wilson: “It has been one of the more elevated ‘medical issues’ years for me. Willing to forego any future ones. Thankfully, Liep is doing well. So goes OFism ...”

John Gupton sent a thanks for my Thanksgiving greeting and the memories it brought home.

Marie and Pat Conley sent a similar message in the form of a cartoon with a heart. Several others sent greetings with references to the amount of turkey being consumed.

Toni Barr (Rusty Barr’s wife): “Since Rusty passed away, I have greatly appreciated the two of you being in regular contact with me. Throughout the years, it has been wonderful to receive updates. I enjoy all the messages detailing VMI Class of ’67 families. Even though I haven’t met most of Rusty’s classmates, I feel close to all of you and the spouses who have lost their loved ones.”

John Carnes: “Thank you for keeping us so well-informed during the year. We really are a dying breed. I worry about the generation in school today with very little emphasis on our early history and how fortunate we were that the French were able to help during the Revolution; otherwise, we would be speaking British English.”

Gene and Marilyn Potter: “Happy Thanksgiving to you both and all BRs. We also had a quiet time today with only our daughter, Emily, who lives next door, joining us for a meal that both she and Marilyn prepared. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday as it does not entail all the craziness of Christmas. We do have so much to be thankful for. God bless.”

Skip Hathaway: “Sandra and I moved to Livingston, Texas, recently to be near our son, who is a senior pastor at Central Baptist Church. We’re loving it here. We live on a lake, and I, like you,

Class Notes

spend a lot of time reminiscing!

Chuck and Mya Krebs: “We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving at our daughter’s house nearby with our other daughter and some of her family plus other family members that were there. A great day.” Thanks to all for the many other holiday greetings.

Paige Getz (James Massie’s daughter): “I want to again thank all of you who contributed to the memorial flowers and for the several of you who came that day. I hope my speech summed up my father well: Loyal, funny, fiercely opinionated, endlessly curious, and profoundly kind.”

There were many comments on the George Mayforth article. Howard Seal sends his observation: “His comments match what I saw 2 years ago on my last trip to VMI. I believe there was not enough emphasis on the military life.”

Sharon Garrett: “I hope you and Joan have a wonderful Christmas. I, too, will have a quiet one with my son, Sam, sharing the holidays with me. We enjoy our memories of Skid. You and Joan have been a boost to all our BRs and their wives.”

Bob Flynn: “As you know, I’ll be 81 May 1. Our days are numbered, and we must make the most of our time left. I really appreciated you and Joan coming up for my birthday last spring. My best to both of you, and thanks for keeping us all informed. VMI had a huge effect on my character and life. It is a shame that everyone could not have gone there.”

On BRs wanting more contact, Phil Gioia: “Jim Ferrell picked me up from the inbound aircraft at Travis coming back from my second time in Vietnam in 1970. Took me to his apartment; I remember washing up and seeing a red dirt ring around his bathtub. The soil where we operated had a very red tone and was ingrained in absolutely everything. Send his email so I can get in touch.”

Jane Taylor: “I so appreciate your reaching out. It is a crazy/good busy time, and I’m blessed to have my kids and grands right in the area. Let’s each enjoy Christmas and church and family, food, and friends.”

Chuck Malley: “I expect everyone is aware of the 6-7 craze among the younger ages. Kids are going crazy over the numbers 6-7. We all received a great jacket at one of our class reunions with a patch of our ring and ’67 on it. I wore it the other day, and my grandkids, age 9 and 11, saw it and went crazy with the 6-7, 6-7 chant.”

John Lee on attending Randy Blanks’ gathering with friends instead of a service in the local neighborhood clubhouse: “I drove to Richmond from Goshen and spent the night with my daughter and family in Midlothian. Kathryn was willing to drive me to Suffolk from there Sunday morning, but the

weather looked really bad between Richmond and Suffolk, so I played it safe and drove back home. Really sorry that I could not attend. Weather also prevented George Elmore and others from driving to Suffolk.” John Forsyth also reported that Jim and Liep Wilson were able to attend, as were Bill and Mikal Hoofnagle

Ray Gosney’s son, Aaron, works for Bastille, the leader in wireless airspace defense. His daughter, Alexa, is a commercial pilot and has a daughter, Amelia Singer, who is a sophomore at Auburn. She completed the qualifications over the Christmas–New Year’s break to be a licensed private pilot.

Johnny Watt Vaughan sent his memory of Joseph Sherwood McGinnis upon hearing of his passing: “Sherwood graduated from T.J. High School in Richmond with me in 1963. His picture is in the 1964 Bomb, but none of the others. I don’t know what happened to him after that.”

Peggy and Ed Poe: “We are keeping active, both of us still singing in local choruses and attending our grandson’s volleyball and lacrosse games.”

On the recent freeze, J.I. sent this memory: “So, during a winter MS class, Captain Drudik was asked why we couldn’t wear earmuffs during winter. He responded by reminding us of the Revolutionary soldiers’ winter at Valley Forge with no winter clothes and no shoes. A voice from the back of the room responded, ‘Yes, sir, but they were fighting a war. We are going to college.’”

Christmas cards were full of cheer this year. Thanks to all who sent news we share with the class:

Doug and Carol Ann Mills: “Wishing you a happy New Year and a new year of happiness and good health. P.S. As always, thanks for your service as our class agent! In February, we joined daughter Shannon’s family for a long weekend at Disney World. March found us on a Danube River cruise with Doug’s sister and brother-in-law. Sue and Floyd are great travel companions! Doug also celebrated his 80th birthday. In June, we had a Mills family reunion at Sue and Floyd’s on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. We traveled to Egypt with a stop in Istanbul in November. December found us in Hingham with all of our children to celebrate Christmas.”

Barry Green: “This past year included a 9-day national parks tour through South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah, which showcased the breathtaking beauty of the Badlands, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. Then, for our 54th anniversary, we embarked on a glorious 12-day tour of Ireland.”

Tom and Shirley Mustard: “We have stayed close to home this year other than a couple of trips to be with family. We are so grateful there is a

biologic medication that is treating Tom’s Crohn’s well enough to keep him out of the hospital.”

William Fleshood: “This has been a year of recovery, peace, and joy after several years of family losses. We are now the elders of the family, having achieved the status of ‘octogenarians.’ We are both in reasonably good health and continue to play golf, travel, and enjoy time with family and friends. We also went on a Road Scholar tour of Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. We will end our year of 2025 with William purchasing a new vehicle, a hybrid Hyundai Palisade, and Jo getting a new knee.”

Howard and Sandy Seal: “Such a very sad year in the loss of so many brother rats. I hope 2026 will be a better year.”

Burt and Claudia Burckard: “Many thanks for the many Christmas cards over the past many years! Thought you might appreciate this ‘cannonball’ card—look on the ground near the muzzle of the ‘Lincoln gun’ at Fortress Monroe. Claudia and I brought that 400-pound shot down from West Point in 1978. We found it way up on ‘Target Hill’ that the cadets used as the impact area for the live gunnery drill in the 1880s. It did not fit my collection because it is slightly damaged from hitting the solid granite mountain that overlooks the USMA.”

Anne Hall (Mike Hall’s wife) Tallahassee, Florida: “No Christmas letter this year. Can’t say I’m adjusting to life without Mike, but I’m making progress in that direction. Thank you both for all you did for me in August. I have heard from so many BRs. What a great class! VMI love, Anne.”

Class Notes

were able to roll over him and get out the door before we were caught. Very lucky and did not try that again. I think that was our 3rd Class year.”

Bruce and Hollace Weiner: “Hollace and I are both doing well and feel most fortunate to be upright, ambulatory, and active at this point in our lives. Lots of adventures this past year with family and friends, with more planned in the coming year.”

Stan and Carol Waskiewicz: “We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in May of this past year at The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake Ohio State Resort, and Stan hit his 80th milestone in April. We had many visits with family and friends and even got the interior of the house painted and recarpeted. It was a busy year!”

Ray and Anne Irvine: “We took a Vancouver/ Alaska cruise and land tour for 2 weeks. The landscape was beautiful, and the weather was in the high 60s.”

Jimmy and Lynn Robertson: “In September, we sailed from Seattle to Alaska and Hawaii. We

enjoy the Roanoke Symphony and the Salem Red Sox. Lynn plays handbells at the church and coordinates the prayer chain and more. Jimmy is a Eucharistic minister and serves on the endowment board. We are both still in the choir and are lectors. Jimmy also remains active with the Lions Club and the Salem Education Foundation.”

Cliff Hagy: “We are in the process of downsizing and looking for someone to buy this place as we go through 40 years of stuff. At 80 and 77, the time is coming when we can’t maintain our 4,300-squarefoot house and 100-acre managed tree farm. Our oldest granddaughter graduated from WVU in December, and she is working at Thomas Memorial Hospital here in Charleston. Our youngest graduated from Herbert Hoover in June and is doing an online study. She has not decided what she wants to do. When I asked her what she wanted, she said something between theoretical physics and doing the French Foreign Legion. Our grandson is in the ninth grade at Herbert Hoover.”

Burt Burckard shared a history about his lifetime obsession with cannonballs. He concentrated on Lord Dunmore’s shelling of Norfolk and collecting shells from all over the Chesapeake area and West Point 1880s practice impact area.

Anne Anderson (Bland Guthrie’s daughter) wrote to verify my address. I hope she is able to join our reunion again with Ashton, who will be 9.

Jack Sheeran: “Will we be having a 60th next year, and if we are, will it be at the end of April? We are trying to plan a cruise, and if we are having a reunion, it will be

Mike and Lisa Ingelido: “Thanks so much for all you do for ’67. Keeping us together and informed is most appreciated. Stay well and have a happy 2026!”

Jim and Marie Waehler: “We are well and will spend a quiet Thanksgiving at home this year. My fatigue continues, so travel to Pennsylvania to be with family won’t work. We have reservations at the historic Atlantic Hotel in Berlin, Maryland. Sorry I have not provided any stories about my time at VMI, but my memory is mostly a blur of my time there. I do remember one incident where Pete Wells and I went downtown to drink after taps. On our way back, we saw the OG coming around the corner, and the gate at the south end was locked. The window of a 1st Class cadet was open, and we jumped in. Both of us landed on a 1st who was sleeping. But he was so confused, we

Class of 1967: Ski Waskiewicz with Ray and Anne Irvine.

Class of 1967: Jim Rogers, Jim Phlegar, Chuck Keblusek, Dave Neel, Bruce Weiner, Rick Irby, Kip Jones, George Sanborn, and Tex Young attend a memorial service for Robert “Bob” Klink in Gloucester, Virginia, Dec. 13, 2025.

an event for us to plan around.”

John May: “Glad to be in Florida, especially with the weather up North! Hope you guys make out OK! Boys are doing fine, thanks. Colin, the oldest, is a CFP for a firm in Richmond. Conor is a dermatologist P.A. in Delaware. I caught up with Tom Thurmond the last time I was in Richmond. Had a nice time catching up but was sorry to hear his wife, Mary Sue, was in a memory care facility. She introduced me to my first wife, and that always got me into trouble trying to sneak out of barracks after lights out. Walked a few penalty tours, but I think I got away with it more times than I got caught!”

Bert had an opinion on Jake’s October birthday photo. “Around here in these ‘Southern’ parts of Virginia (as opposed to the up-north Yankee parts), we do our kayaking in summer!” Jake responded by saying that summer there is July through October.

Andy Anderson sent an interesting message and photo about families in The Netherlands who adopt U.S. graves. You may want to ask him more about this.

Fred Smith: “It is very special that our deceased troops killed in action are still remembered by the people who were rescued and freed by their actions. This chokes me up a little bit reading about it.”

We concluded the year of 2025 with 10 losses from our ranks. This is 2 years in a row that we have lost 10 BRs. Those we lost, in order of passing: Dave Wilkinson, Andy Yowell, Cliff Hedgepeth, Jack Mundy, Win Phillips, Charles Harkrader II, Mike Hall, Clai Minor, Randy Blanks, and Bob Klink. And we also lost Dot Marshall, making it 11 from our VMI family. So far in 2026 we have lost Doug Taylor (Jan. 21), Rod MacKinnon (Jan. 21), Charlie Moir (Feb. 10), and Ray Irvine (Feb. 12). (The Taps for the last two will appear in the next Alumni Review.) This makes a total of 120 losses as of these notes. It looks as if 2026 will be a “bumpy ride,” but our class will survive it. It bothers me that many BRs have no patience for other opinions. Regardless of my views, I have tried to send what comes to me from any source. It can be difficult at times, as I do not agree with much of the virulent rhetoric that some use. I have tried, after offending many in the past, to temper my feelings in what I write or send out. It is pretty tough to offend me, but send me any wishes, and I will do my best to hear your opinions. It saddens me to see so many at odds with the friends of our youth. It concerns me to see the turmoil in our country, also. I wish I had answers or solutions. I am too old and opinionated, as are most of us, but I still cherish and need friends.

Class Notes

I wish for all a terrific 2026. Enjoy your time and friends and VMI memories. Grateful for you all.

In the Bonds,

Jan

1968

Tom Hickey

I’ll start with a personal update. After 32 years living in Clarksville, Maryland, in early December 2025, Rosemary and I moved into an independent living community in Bethesda, Maryland. We’re now less than 10 minutes from our daughter, sonin-law, and three of our grandkids. Our son and his wife are expecting their second child in April 2026, so we’re looking forward to a trip to the Los Angeles area in the spring.

Terry Bowers (Augusta, Georgia): “Just letting you know that Joyce and I are doing fine. However, it seems I must always miss reminders for submittals to our class notes!

“We are still cleaning up from Hurricane Helene after nearly 14 months. No major damage but plenty of trees down. Have to hurry on the cleanup, as our kids have committed us to move to Anderson, South Carolina, after 36-plus years in Augusta. Likely, we will be out of town before the next Masters. It appears I’m doing fine since my quadruple bypass.”

Wayne Burton (Saint Marys, Georgia): “To celebrate my 80th birthday, I helped my neighbor hang sheetrock on the ceiling. He is 20 years younger than me and takes me fishing, and I received 80 birthday cards. But then I stop to mourn all our brother rats who are no longer with us.”

Dean Kershaw (Lyndhurst, Virginia): “Nancylee and I are on a trans-Atlantic cruise. We embarked from the port near Rome. Now docked in the Azores. Will be in Fort Lauderdale next Saturday, Nov. 29. We were in Germany visiting our son, Thomas. He lives in Mackenbach, near Ramstein Air Base. He’s Palo Alto Systems’ regional sales manager for NATO. We spent a weekend in Paris with Thomas, our daughter-in-law, and grandson before flying to Rome.

“I’m doing well. Walked away from wrecking my van in September only to discover 2 days later that I had fractured my sternum and suffered a compression fracture of my L4 vertebrae. Well enough now to lift heavy objects and walk a 16-minute mile. Will start running again after the holidays. All’s well that ends well. I should be

doing pushups in the new year, too. I’d had harder parachute landings. It pays to be in decent shape.”

Dave Gibbons (Washington, D.C.): “Martha and I try to see our Colorado family as frequently as possible. Our son, Adam, and his wife, Brittany, are well, as are grandson Myles and his younger brother, Everett. Enjoy so much of what Colorado offers (cycling, hiking). I’m in a very active book club and a member of our men’s Bible group at church. We are blessed with family, many great friends, and relatively good health.”

John Warburton (Sarasota, Florida): “Anne and I are doing fine, and now that summer is over, enjoying that perfect ‘Chamber of Commerce’ weather we get each fall in Sarasota. As the family meteorologist, I worried all summer about potential hurricanes that tend to crop up in the middle of October. Our son, Andrew, and his fiancée, Sofia Rodriguez, were planning their wedding at Lido Key Resort Oct. 18. As luck would have it, the weather all weekend was perfect! All the family was here, and both Andrew and Sofia had their kids walk them down the aisle. We love the work we do at church and enjoy seeing our two local great-grandchildren! Turning 80 this week doesn’t worry me, and I look forward to what the future may bring.”

Dick Wise (Richmond, Virginia): “We always vacation on Lake Ontario in Henderson Harbor, New York, in August. Everybody knows about Niagara Falls, which is about 200 miles southwest of where we stay, but they might not know about the Thousand Islands, which are right down the road from Henderson Harbor. When we have visitors, we always take them on the Uncle Sam Thousand Islands Boat Cruise out of Alexandria Bay, New York. This last summer, as always, our guests were thrilled by the tour (I believe George and Dietra Walton can confirm). The mansions/castles on both sides of the St. Lawrence are magnificent. We also try to take them to Kingston, Ontario, a beautiful city! The city has a multitude of shops and restaurants overlooking the harbor on Lake Ontario, and tourists can take a bus tour of the city and witness some spectacular architecture. Fort Henry, which was built to guard against Yankee invasions back in the day, is located there and offers very entertaining Canadian military shows most weeknights in the summer. The Canadian Military Academy is also located there, and not a Canadian dollar is spared in the place’s upkeep.

“Moving on to Richmond, the local Purple Heart chapter and the Department of Virginia Purple Heart Order still keep me plenty busy. With the help of BR Norment, we were able to convince Virginia DMV to approve the installation of Combat Wounded parking signs at 15 DMV facilities

throughout the state. We also contacted Kindred Spirit Brewing, owned by John Barefoot ’93 and his wife, Heather, about brewing a beer that would support the Purple Heart medal and its recipients. They have agreed to brew 25 cases of Merit Beer, a lager, in 16-ounce cans, with a design that honors the Purple Heart. A portion of the sales proceeds will be donated to the Order of the Purple Heart, but more importantly, the wording on the can creates awareness of the significance of the Purple Heart medal, similar to the message conveyed by Combat Wounded parking signs. The first brewing will take place Nov. 30. Thirteen cases are spoken for already. My favorite major, BR Jim Burns, and I have each ordered one case. Maybe some other BRs would like to join us. If so, they can contact me, and I’ll take care of the rest.

“As for BRs, enjoyed seeing BRs Bishop, Smythers, Carter, Hyatt, Rankin, and Henry in Lexington last September for the one game we won. All are doing fine. Also went to a local high school game recently with BRs Walton and Donald. Speaking of which, I get together with them and BR Burns to quaff a couple of ales on Fridays. Anyone interested is welcome to join us.”

Audrey Burton (widow of Rich Burton): “I am doing well and enjoying great health and spending lots of time with my children and 11 grandchildren. I also have two very frisky toy poodles that keep me out walking and engaged with my community of dog lovers.”

Dick Garner (Matthews, North Carolina): “2025 has been a busy travel year for us. We have gone to Kiawah twice, Seabrook, Hilton Head twice (our old home), Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and Mexico. We have a trip planned for Cabo San Lucas in June, but that’s about it. Our health is

Class Notes

pretty good, and we enjoy our travels.”

Jay Reeves (Lynchburg, Virginia): “I keep in some contact with Tom Province and occasionally see Ned Perrow ’70 here in Lynchburg. I still practice law but have limited that to juvenile court practice. Diane and I married at Veritas Vineyard in Nelson County in 2021. I have three children, Jason, Collier, and Jordan, and a step-daughter, Susan. I had to wait until I was 70 for a granddaughter, Collier Hampton, and 76 for my grandson, Julian.

“My avocation is horses. I have a retired thoroughbred; Jockey Club name is Kind Hearted Woman. She has only broken my ribs twice. Her equine companion is a ‘senior’ Quarter Horse named Dazzle, who is the ‘pasture boss!’ I managed the Rockbridge County Humane Society while in law school and have been fortunate to have a number of beloved canine companions, currently including Reagan, a GSD, and Cali, a tri-color collie, now.”

Bill Todd (Wilmington, North Carolina): “We’re going to have around 14 of us at Christmas here in Wilmington. I’m hoping it gets a little warmer so I can reserve some tee times for the guys.”

Bill Bouck (Deerfield Beach, Florida): “Gail and I are blessed beyond our wildest dreams. We have a wonderful family, five terrific grandchildren, two of whom are at Oklahoma University and three here in South Florida, ages 9, 5, and 3. They keep us young and on the go. Gail sings in a choir which performs 10-12 concerts per year and travels abroad every few years. We are very active with our church family and are ringers in our handbell choir. In the summer, we return to Cazenovia, New York, every year to our 213-year-old house to spend time with our family and old friends. I

am still hunting, saltwater fishing, and golfing as often as possible. This year, my son, grandson, and I got to go to Costa Rica on a boys’ fishing and white-water rafting trip. It was awesome! Bill and Vicki Cobb are very near, and we see them weekly. I think often of how fortunate I was back in 1964 to be accepted at VMI and to be a member of the Class of 1968. It is the second-best thing to happen in my life (Gail is No. 1).”

Les Ridout (Westerville, Ohio): “80 years down and ?? to go. Just trying to noodle this out the other day and noted 80 years before I was born, the Civil War had just ended, and now 80 years later, here I am, and you, as well, I might imagine. Quite an expanse of time (this 160 years) and events, from horse and wagon to space travel and wireless everything. One can only imagine what the next 80 years will bring. Having dragged my wife, Fran, and our sons from Virginia Beach to Columbus, Ohio, in 1985, I can say it all worked out for the most part. We have four grandchildren: 20, 18, 16, and 14. Their families, our sons’, live within the same county here just north of Columbus. Our 18-year-old granddaughter is a freshman at Ohio University and is a member of their famous Marching 110. Hope they will get some airtime next Tuesday night when Ohio University plays UNLV in the Frisco Bowl.

“Fran and I celebrated our 56th anniversary this past October. My brother, a retired Air Force master sergeant, still lives in Chester, Virginia, and we visit once a year. The grandchildren kept us very busy the last 15 or so years. Luckily, we still have one somewhat dependent on us for transportation and such, as she is a high school freshman cheerleader and outstanding dancer. They seemed to have grown up faster than our sons. Time does truly fly.”

Steve Powers (Malvern, Pennsylvania): “Susie and I attended a wonderful Christmas play at a Ukrainian church last evening here in the Philadelphia area. We were invited by Ukrainian friends of ours we have known for over 20 years. The play was about the wise men searching for the king of the Jews. Extremely well done and very professional.

“The pastor invited a Ukrainian wounded warrior to speak for just a few minutes. He was in a wheelchair and had no legs, a double amputee. A big, tall, strong friend of his lifted him onto the edge of the stage and gave him the microphone. I met the wounded warrior after the service. The pastor was my interpreter.” A few days later, Steve wrote: “My wife and I visited our friends from Ukraine again yesterday. We learned that the wounded warrior I met in their church will be returning to Ukraine to rejoin his family and friends.

Class of 1968: Karen Burns, Jim Burns, Mary Ann Barton, Bryan Barton, Joe LeVine, Tom Hickey, Donna LeVine, Rosemary Hickey, Larry Ryan, Ann Timmons, and J.B. Timmons attend the Institute Society Dinner Nov. 7, 2025.

He helped to raise several thousand dollars to help soldiers and civilians who have lost legs or arms in the war.”

Jim Henry (Williamsburg, Virginia): “I got both a Christmas e-card plus my octogenarian alert from you in today’s email dump! In honor of getting old, I am going to reserve more time for golf and grandkids and less time for volunteering. For the past few years, I have served as an adjunct faculty member in the W&M graduate business school. I enjoy teaching a consulting course to second-year MBAs, and I also volunteer to help out with the first-year students every summer and fall as an executive partner. Come May, my age plus tenure will make me eligible for emeritus status. Back to shooting my age and/or caddying for the grandkids.”

Dick Rankin (Honolulu, Hawaii): “The big news is Cynthia retired from Hilton, where she was the public relations representative for Hilton Hotels Hawaii. She says she will now help more with Wounded Warrior Ohana, and we plan to travel more. In fact, we visited our seventh continent with a trip to Antarctica this year. We also rented a boat and cruised the Rideau Canal in Canada. Then there were several trips to Colorado to watch our grandsons play football.”

From Wes Padgett’s (Montgomery, Alabama) Christmas letter: “July 1 saw the birth of my grandson, Jamie Rae Padgett, to son Michaels and his wife, Victoria. Also in July, my daughter, Catherine, traveled from the United Arab Emirates, where she works for Sea World, to Alaska to attend the funeral of her birth mother. In December, Catherine, Luci, and I are taking a ‘Christmas Market’ cruise of the Rhine River—Amsterdam to Zurich.”

John Hart (Staunton, Virginia): “My wife and I spent New Year’s Eve in the Augusta Health emergency department. Here is the good part: Her ED doctor was Dr. Delk. After a few words, we discovered that he is the son of Brother Rat Rod Delk.”

Skip Anders (Mesa, Arizona): “I had openheart surgery in late September and have been in recovery since then. Marta has been a real trooper, coordinating my recovery and numerous medical appointments.

“We have been greatly assisted by my daughter and her husband, who have—at least temporarily—become our neighbors. Their rental home in Tempe was destroyed by storms in early October, and they lived with us for about a month while their insurance claims were processed and they searched for housing. They both continued to work from home, and to Marta’s delight, rented a house within walking distance from our own.

Class Notes

They hope to have their deferred honeymoon this coming spring.

“We celebrated Christmas, our 39th wedding anniversary, and two birthdays in rapid succession, with visits to local restaurants with friends and family. We’re hoping that my recovery will progress sufficiently to allow us to visit friends and family on the East Coast late this coming spring. In the meantime, I stay in touch with several brother rats via a weekly Zoom call. Ned Harris and I try to get together frequently and will resume our visits to the range as soon as I am able.”

George Buzzard (Waynesboro, Virginia): “Unfortunately, we will only be able to attend the February mini reunion on Friday. On Saturday, we are scheduled to go south for 2 weeks in Florida and a week in South Carolina. It is hard to believe that we are turning 80. When I turned 20 at VMI, I had no idea that I would still be alive. I stay in touch with two of my roommates, Lew Yeouze and Wayne Burton

“Norma and I are enjoying spending time with our grand and great-grandkids. We have a cruise scheduled in the spring from Barcelona to Rome. In June, we are going to Branson, Missouri, with our daughter and her family. We are looking forward to football season next fall to see if the new coaching staff can turn things around.”

George Woodbury (Lillington, North Carolina): “Pat and I are still enjoying life and appreciative of our good health and fitness. We both walk around 5 miles a day—Pat is more dedicated than I. Still hauling plywood up a ladder, still running my chainsaw and doing various projects around the house. This past year, I removed the metal roof from the barn and installed 68 sheets of 1/2-inch OSB, snow and ice shield, and then reinstalled the metal roofing, working mostly alone. Eliminated the metal sweating and dripping down inside. Once the weather warms a bit, we will be back out in our fifth wheel seeing the sights and enjoying ‘glamping.’ We celebrate 56 years of marriage this April. It only seems to get better every year. Life is good, and we are blessed.”

have just endured the coldest last 2 weeks on record. With more than a week of freezing temperatures every day, we did not view the groundhog’s prediction of more winter very kindly. With several memorial services and lots of politics to discuss, I have communicated with many BRs and their families during this period.

Aug 21, 2027: Save the date! “We are turning 80” party in Richmond—at the Jefferson Hotel or some similar venue.

On Saturday, Nov. 8, several BRs met at the football game after the Founders Day activities Friday. Bruce Gregory did not see any of the Institute Society crowd at the game. Apparently, we all left too early to attend the game. He did see John Sebrell and Bruce Noel with wives.

On Monday, Nov. 17, several of us met for dinner with the superintendent at Kingsmill in Williamsburg. BRs attending were Bruce Gregory, John Sebrell, and Don Bogard from Richmond, John Ishon from Hampton, Walt Judd from Yorktown, Tom Morris and Bob and Lynda Flowers from Williamsburg, and Bobby and Elizabeth Watts from the Eastern Shore. We learned a lot about Lt. Gen. Furness ’87 and his experience in working with governmental agencies and elected officials.

The holiday/Christmas cards started coming in around Thanksgiving. Tommy and Becky Hudson were first, with Art and Becky Bushey shortly behind. Soon after came John Weber and Lou and Tanya Sidney. When the photos of the Institute Society Dinner came out, there were several of the Sidney couple having a wonderful time at the after-party. Noise, heat, dancing: No problem, great fun! We will talk about the cards next time.

On Dec. 2, I was working hard on holiday cards to the class and noted I had an old address for John and Nancy Scott. I had heard from Win Winfree that the Scott house in Florida had endured some damage in a recent hurricane and that they had moved back to Ohio. I called and got through to Nancy. She asked, “How did you hear so soon?” Not sure of what was happening, I asked, “About what?” She told me John had just died after going through a lengthy period of chemotherapy for cancer. Next shown is the obit, in which Nancy spelled out much about their 48 years together.

Greetings, BRs and Friends of the VMI Class of 1969,

It is mid-winter here in Eastern Virginia, and we

“John Scott IV, 78 of Huron, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida, passed away at his home in Ohio Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. He was born March 3, 1947, in Elyria, Ohio, to John Scott III and Leah (House) Scott. John graduated from Elyria High School, class of 1965, and from Virginia Military Institute, Class of 1969. He received his MBA from Baldwin Wallace, class of 1986. He was employed as a manufacturing manager at Ridgid

Walter Judd

Tool Company in Elyria and as a leading engineer at Bicron Corporation in Newbury/Solon, where he helped design the gamma ray observatory circling this earth, protecting astronauts. John had musical talents, practicing the violin at Oberlin Conservatory for 10 years. He was the concertmaster of Elyria High School’s orchestra, and he sang in the award-winning high school choir. At VMI, he was Glee Club director and drum major for the Institute 1968–69. He was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Elyria. John’s extracurricular activity was snow skiing. He started the Cast N Keg Ski Club in Lorain, Ohio, and gathered many friends along his 50-year career. He attended all bus trips to Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Colorado, and all over the Rocky Mountains. A very inspiring trip was taken in 1979 when he and Greg Benedict played John Denver music on their guitars, accompanying more than 50 skiers in the airplane passenger area, singing especially ‘Rocky Mountain High’ flying out to Aspen, Colorado! John is survived by his wife, Nancy (Lamvermeyer), whom he married July 2, 1977. He is also survived by his step-daughter, Hallie Pettegrew (Ed); step-son, Jeff Temple ’87 (Patricia); seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his step-daughter, Jane Bettcher, and step-son, Lane Bettcher. Friends may call Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Birmingham Methodist Church, 15018 South Street, Birmingham, Ohio, until the time of the memorial service at 11 a.m. with Reverend Richard Kretchmar and Reverend Melvin Saylor presiding over the service. Those wanting to contribute to John’s memory may do so to the Navy Seals Foundation, navysealfoundation.org/donate.”

Glenn White flew to Cleveland and then drove over to Huron, Ohio, for the memorial service Dec. 18. He told me about the service and his meeting John’s family. He and step-son Jeff Temple ’87 spoke, among others. True to John’s preferences, music was provided by a pianist and a person playing violin. Glenn said many in the crowd knew John, as he taught them to ski and took them to the slopes at several locations.

Speaking of holiday cards, I used the materials sent to me by the VMI Alumni Agencies to prepare 253 cards for living BRs with a current address, plus 43 cards for the widows. I did not have any info on survivors or widows for 81 BRs. Sadly, some of our BRs and their wives have both already passed away, or BRs have not sent me current address information. If you know of the plight of BRs who has not been shared in the class notes, please tell me.

Class Notes

Bruce Gregory entertained at his house in Richmond a small group Dec. 17: Mike Santoro and Martha, Charlie Bryan and Denise Pakula (plus Denise’s sister), George Budd and wife, Bruce Noel and Gail, and John Ishon all were there.

On the same Dec. 17 in Norfolk, Drew Brantley gathered classmates and their wives for lunch at the Orapax Greek restaurant. It was Wip’s birthday and a week after Drew’s, so all acknowledged their birthdays. The ’69 BRs were Webb Hatch, Wip and Barbara Priest, Bob and Lush Heely, Gary and Peggy Mackey, Bobby Watts, Bob Flowers, Walt Judd, and Drew and Carol Brantley. Dick Hamlett ’70, a childhood friend of several of the Tidewater rats, also came with his wife, Dee. Football through the ages and how VMI must adapt to the new NIL situation was a hot topic. We noted that Coach Rocco was moving to Virginia Tech to join his son as coaches under the new head coach at Tech. Later, at the end of the month, VMI announced the hiring of the new football coach, Ashley Ingram.

We lost Larry Smith Dec. 24 at his home in Texas. “Larry A. Smith went to be with our Lord Dec. 24, 2025. Larry was born in Staunton, Virginia, Aug. 9, 1946, to John Franklin Smith and Dorothy Lunsford Smith. Larry attended Robert E. Lee High School, where he was a 3-year letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. He played on the state champion football team and was later inducted into the Lee High Hall of Fame. Larry was proud to attend Virginia Military Institute on a football scholarship. Upon graduating, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army and later became a Special Forces officer. Larry moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, learning the jewelry trade. He opened Larilins Jewelers, which was successful in designing and repairing jewelry and

watches. He made many good friends during his 40 years in business, including the friendly competition between his beloved Redskins and Cowboys fans. Much of his time was spent coaching his kids, improving their athletic skills and their life skills. The fun times at the beach and the numerous vacations made wonderful memories for all the family. Larry was always an avid animal lover. He was a Delta Society Pet Partner with his dog, Skylar. They loved going to the hospitals to visit the kids and the rehabilitation centers to see how people were improving. He always had two or three dogs because he would foster and then end up adopting. In 2006, he retired to Boerne, Texas. After clearing his property, he decided he wanted to work. Lucky for Mercedes-Benz of Boerne, they got a new inventory control manager. He really enjoyed all the people he worked with and the customers, too. Larry retired again after 12 years and traveled for 2 years in his RV, enjoying the sights and the people in much of Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Kentucky. He was always a gregarious, positive person who would talk to anyone about anything. Staying strong and working out was his mantra throughout his life. He believed that God had a plan for him and would pray every day for that plan to help him be the best person he could be. His love for others is ongoing. He is preceded in death by his parents and brother. He is survived by his wife, Donna Smith; his children, Aaron Smith (Paige), Josh Smith (Jennifer), Lance Smith (Kristen), and Jessica Sachanowicz (Ed); and 14 grandchildren. Celebration of life service will be held Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Currey Creek Church, 35 Cascade Caverns, Boerne, Texas. Memorial donations may be made to Wildlife-rescue.org, Hill Country Animal League, or Diamond Dachshund Rescue of Texas.”

Class of 1969: Attending Spunky Butler’s memorial service in Winchester, Virginia, Jan. 12, 2026, are (from left) Fred Downey, Glenn White, Bob Waldo, Skinny Baker, Tommy Hudson, Larry Seekford, V.J. Petrella, Thornton Newlon, and Bruce Gregory.

When I received the obit, I sent it to our BRs in the area, and they rallied to be there for Larry’s service.

I received the following words from Harold Fleischer (San Antonio): “Reb Anderson (Seguin), Paul Curs (Canyon Lake), Mike LaMar (Fair Oaks), and I (from San Antonio) met each other at Larry’s memorial service in Boerne, Texas. Paul had a picture of us taken on his iPhone. I scanned the memorial service leaflet, including the obituary and the associated card, when I got home. PDFs of those are available. Larry’s second son, Josh [’97], is a member of the Class of 1997, so when he saw us, he introduced himself. Larry’s daughter, Jessica, also introduced us during the service. We sat together and listened to a service filled with love and respect. VMI was mentioned during the eulogy by Larry’s oldest son, Aaron. After the service, we talked with Josh some more, and then his wife, Donna. There were a lot of VMI pictures on display. It was a good thing for us and Larry’s family for us to attend. Thank you for alerting us of this opportunity to attend.”

In early January, Spunky Butler suffered a massive stroke and died after undergoing surgery. Tommy Hudson sent the word out the day after. The memorial service occurred Jan. 12 in Winchester, Virginia. Here is the obit: “Harry William ‘Spunky’ Butler III, 78, passed away Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Richmond, Virginia, with his family and close friends by his side. Harry was born Feb. 18, 1947, to the late Harry William ‘Bill’ Butler Jr. and Rose Ellen Ramsburg Butler. He was raised in the town of Winchester, Virginia, which helps explain his lifelong fascination with all things historic. He graduated from Handley High School in 1965 and then attended Virginia Military Institute, where he was selected as commander of VMI’s Cadet Battery, served as a lieutenant in Alpha Company, received an officer’s sword, and was declared a Distinguished Military Graduate. He later earned his master’s degree in business administration from American University. He joined the Army after graduating from VMI in 1969 and was stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1972, he retired from active military service and moved to Northern Virginia to take a job in the defense industry, while continuing to serve in the Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. In 1985, he shifted careers to work at the General Services Administration, where he was able

Class Notes

to feed his insatiable travel bug by organizing and running national and international trade expositions until his retirement in 2010. Harry was a kind and strong man who devoted himself to his family. He never hesitated to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it, nor to give every bit of himself to his brother rats and his other friends. Harry is survived by his beloved wife of 18 years and lifelong best friend, Linda Snyder Gobbi Butler; his sister, Elizabeth Carrington Butler; his sons, Harry William ‘Brett’ Butler IV and Morgan Wyatt Butler and his wife, Casey Williams, and their mother, Nancy Madagan Butler; his bonus children, Melissa Gobbi and Scott Gobbi and his wife, Katie; and his four cherished grandchildren, Ruth, Evelyn, Austin, and Lexi. A celebration of Harry’s life, with Bishop Tom Berlin officiating, will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at the Braddock Street United Methodist Church, 115 Wolfe Street in Winchester, with a reception to follow. A visitation with family will be held at the church from 10–11 a.m. that same day. A private burial at Winchester’s Mount Hebron Cemetery will take place at a later date. Flowers may be sent to the Braddock Street United Methodist Church (which recommends Flowers by Snellings flowersbysnellings.com), although Harry would have preferred you consider contributing to the Virginia War Memorial (vawarmemorial.org/) or the Veterans for Foreign Wars Post 2123 (vfwpost2123.org).”

A nice crowd of BRs and families attended the service in Winchester. I spoke with Skinny Baker and Glenn White and received a photo from Skinny of the nine BRs there. Glenn later filled in the wives and family details. The entire group consisted of Tommy Hudson with his wife, Becky, and daughter, Ginger; Betsy Blandford; V.J. and Mar-

gi Petrella; Thornton Newlon with his wife, Marsha, and daughter, Bethany; Larry and Elizabeth Seekford; Bob and Ruth Waldo; Bruce Gregory; Glenn White; Skinny Baker; and Fred Downey Dr. Baker and I talked about Spunky for an hour that Tuesday afternoon and recalled many of his fishing and canoeing adventures. One photo appeared in several places showing Spunky by himself in an overloaded canoe. Skinny filled in the details: Spunky was carrying all the gathered-up trash and was headed for the nearest trash can along the route. Spunky was also, like Rudy Segaar and I, a latecomer to the annual canoe trip on the James River. He liked it a lot and became the master chef on the trips. He carried a folding table and all the needed gadgets to fix some terrific meals. I was fortunate to be part of some of those trips.

On the next day, Jan. 13, Courtenay Welton was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery by his family and friends. Bob and Ruth Waldo, along with Fred Downey, were there with the Welton family for the ceremony.

Also, Jan. 13, Mike Santoro assumed the job of chairman of the Virginia War Memorial Foundation Board after several years of other positions on that board. In one of his first meetings planning for an event in March, Mike found himself with “12 stars and a bar.” Gens. John Jumper ’66 and Binnie Peay ’62 and Lt. Gen. Bob Flowers ’69 led the numbers! Mike finished his tour in the Marine Corps with a first lieutenant bar many years ago.

On Jan. 17, Doug Marks passed to me the word that Bruce Sharp’s wife, Nancy, died the day before. Bruce said she had cancer and was gone very quickly after discovery.

On Jan. 21, Winnie Winfree called with an update. He appeared to be OK in his new home in Emporia, Virginia. Many of us were aware that Win had some health issues and was forced to leave his house on top of Afton Mountain in December.

On Jan. 22, I spoke via email with Mike Giles in the Boston area. I was seeking information on Lee Stillwell but did not get anything as Mike had not seen him for many years.

On Feb. 7, Mike Santoro and I drove to Lexington for a basketball game and Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet. The air was frigid, but the roads were clear, so we made the trip. I left white and freezing Yorktown and drove to Midlothian, in Richmond’s deep West End.

Class of 1969: Harold Fleischer, Walter “Reb” Anderson, Mike LaMar, and Paul Curs attend a memorial service for Larry Smith in Boerne, Texas, Jan. 22, 2026.

The weather and roads were still clear, but it was just as cold. We drove to Lexington and met Tom Jones and John Sebrell at the basketball game, which was energetic but not a win for the Keydets. Mike and I then went to the annual Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet at Marshall Hall and met four cadet-athletes. Nana Utsey ’28, our quarterback of the future, was our fund’s recipient. He was joined by baseball players Ben Cardone ’29, Bradley Garner ’28, and Ayden Albright ’29, all 4th Class cadets just out of the Rat Line. Tom’s table was empty for a while at the beginning of the gathering but soon filled in as the lacrosse team filed in from a bus ride back from a game in North Carolina. The camaraderie was good, and seeing old friends from the VMI Alumni Agencies made the evening a fun time.

My friend, Terrie Conrad, who worked legacy gifts at the VMI Alumni Agencies, moved on to a new job nearer her home, so I met Austin England, the man now working with families about promises and pledges made during earlier years. Many guys made pledges at several reunions along the way to give money when they passed away. Austin has good records of those pledges and is ready to talk with the families about honoring those good intentions after the VMI BR has passed.

Keep those gifts to VMI coming, BRs. The young persons we are helping truly appreciate us.

In the Spirit,

Walt

1970

Steve Talley

Hello, Brother Rats, Family, and Friends of the VMI Class of 1970,

On Jan. 25, the Shenandoah Valley was hit by a brutal sleet storm that froze into a foot-deep glacier. Staunton, my fair city, had to contract giant front-end loaders to break and pile it up. Now our hood looks like an ice fortress. The neighborhood kids are having a great time building igloos with the ice blocks. Meanwhile, on a frigid early Jan. 24 morning down in Lexington, this year’s rats got to do log carries, pull-ups, and negotiate other obstacles, like low-wire and bear crawls across a cold Parade Ground, after which the cadre treated them to one final sweat party. The new VMI Class of ’29 gathered for dinner in Crozet, followed by their first Old Yell. That sounds like a whole lot

Class Notes

more fun than our Breakout.

Just about the time of the onslaught of frigid temps here, I got an update from Don Crawford. He and Lois are “living the dream” in Monteverde, Costa Rica. “It’s a Saturday late in January 2026,” he starts. “The day is sunny and warm. [In Staunton, it’s sunny and 19°F.] I’m sitting at my desk with the gentle breeze wafting through the open window. The birds are cavorting in the trees outside. The agouti family that keeps the forest floor clean is busy with the food scraps that we sent their way this morning. [A small, nimble rodent native to the forests and jungles of Central and South America. It’s shy by nature and loved by all.] When I walk out of the apartment past the woods, I can see all the way to the Nicoya Peninsula, about 50 miles away from my perch at 4,300 feet up in the beautiful green mountains. Past the south end of the peninsula is a view of the Pacific Ocean. Sunsets are radiant here.” How’s that for a kick in the groin of us cold-clime dwellers?

He goes on, “We have a gecko that lives on the wall behind the TV. Most evenings, it will come out for a peek to see what’s going on. Occasionally, it will spot a spider with its weird, bulging eyes, and then the chase is on. Just as interesting but simpler than having a dog. Life is tranquil here.” I wonder if the gecko has tried to sell him insurance. My dog tries to sell me on buying better treats.

These two agouti lovers dine on fresh fruits and vegetables every day. “Healthy food and, of course, chocolate from the local chocolatiers. Coffee is grown and roasted right here, the best I’ve ever tasted. Lois has been taking lessons from a local artist. She is becoming quite good at capturing the essence of what she draws and paints. Her kind and gentle spirit moves her to visit the ‘shut-ins’ in Monteverde. She brings good cheer, conversation, and food to those who can’t get out easily. And food is her passion! She has mastered the art of baking homemade gluten-free bread and is good at incorporating new-to-us local veggies into our daily diet. And yet we don’t gain weight!” While Lois is doing all that work, Don goes for walks in the many local forest preserves and into town for groceries. He checks out the tourists’ hats and T-shirts, hoping to find a VMI logo. “Haven’t seen one yet.”

With all this healthy living in this Blue Zone (specific geographic regions worldwide where people live significantly longer—often reaching age 100 or more—with lower rates of chronic disease), Don “has made a new goal to someday be the oldest living VMI alumnus!” I suppose I’ll have to be satisfied with being the second-oldest

living alumnus. In a plea for longevity, Don hopes the flower fund will earn interest this year and go unused.

“Back in the day, when we got spirits from the ABC store in Lexington, I was one of the older brother rats in our class, so it fell upon me to ignore the law and purchase alcohol for my underage brother rats. It’s one of the things we did for each other back then. So, I expect some of the younger BRs to celebrate with me.” I’m not sure that behavior guarantees longevity, but it sure does engender respect.

Don and Lois plan to move to a retirement community in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, as soon as an apartment is available. When the cold winter winds in the Midwest begin to blow, “we will return to our home in Monteverde to enjoy the hospitality and weather for several months. Yours in the bonds, Don Crawford.” How about that for an update? Don and Lois have extended an open invitation to any BRs to visit them in paradise.

Russ Marshall is up next. He and Elaine were in Gastonia, North Carolina, for Christmas to see their grandchildren. They also visited the continuing care retirement community where they are building a house this year. “We do not have a date yet, but we are excited about making the move. A bonus is that it is not that far to Wofford, Furman, or Western Carolina, so we can still see some football and basketball games.” Elaine and Russ were at The Citadel basketball game Jan. 17, as were my son, Henry, and I. It was a raucous time. The Corps screamed and yelled in support of the team, to no avail. The Bulldogs put on a three-point shooting show and were very good at

Class of 1970: Bill O’Connor with Cadet Matt Wavra ’29, recipient of the Class of 1970 Scholarship, at the VMI Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet Feb. 7, 2026.

the foul line. The Keydets crawled back a time or two but couldn’t finish.

In response to a recent email by me to the class asking for New Year’s resolutions, Russ’s reply was short and sweet: “We do not make New Year’s resolutions. Period.” A few weeks ago, I made a quip in an email to the class, exclaiming that “I don’t have enough time to be in a hurry.” That reminded Russ about a needlepoint someone made for his father, who ran a feed store in Louisa, Virginia, and was always scurrying about to serve his customers. It read, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” That pretty well describes our rat year.

Tom Morehouse took a pre-birthday 2-week tour of some excellent golf courses in the Caribbean aboard the barkentine Sea Cloud II. For you sailing devotees, a barkentine (or barquentine) is a sailing vessel with three or more masts featuring square rigging only on the foremast and fore-and-aft rigging on all remaining masts; a spectacular sight indeed when under full sail— just the thing for a previous commodore of the prestigious Norfolk Yacht Club. Check out barkentine pictures online. Sallie didn’t go on this trip, so Tom bunked with an Army buddy, who had been on this trip before, and who, I bet, was not nearly as pretty as Sallie. “I visited the same Army buddy in The Villages (Florida) in December, and we played a round with BR Glenn Kuntz. It was great to get to see Glenn, as he is usually skiing when I’m in Florida playing golf. Glenn says there is a good VMI contingent in The Villages.

Class Notes

Emily and me in Staunton at the American Shakespeare theater to see the play, “The Pirate Ballad of Bonny and Read.” We were particularly pleased and privileged to have Phillippe Minez ’75 and his lovely wife, Donnella McGreer-Minez, join us. Philippe finished the rat year at VMI and transferred to West Point. Donnella has three family members who attended VMI: A cousin, Allen McGreer ’83, and brothers, Chris ’73 and Tim ’78. I can only hope that occasionally these guys take a few loving jabs at their West Point relative. I would do that, but Phillippe and Donella live about 500 yards from me, so I fear retribution.

The play, a musical, was superb—probably the funniest play I have ever seen. We laughed from start to finish. Even BR Mike Iwanik chuckled occasionally. A teenager wanders haplessly through

a maritime museum. Statues of pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read suddenly come crashing to life, wielding sharp tongues and swords, pulling the astonished teenager into their untold tale of “sea battles, bold disguises, and the price of living free. It’s a sea-shanty-fueled world premiere about rewriting the rules, claiming your voice, and choosing your own way forward.” Sort of like a VMI graduation. “There’ll be singin’, an’ cussin’, an’ swashin’ yer buckle ‘til yer timbers shiver and yer eye needs a patch!” There sure was a lot of that, much of it in Spanish. After the play, we went to a lovely restaurant in Staunton, the Depot Grill, and ended the very gratifying night with a terrible Old Yell led by me. My mediocre performance did not escape comment.

“We embarked from the Dominican Republic, where we played three lovely courses, including Capa de Caso or Teeth of the Dog. Then on to the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Nevis, and Barbados, and played some excellent courses there.”

Tom and Sallie will be doing a Sicily golf cruise in May aboard Sea Cloud Spirit, a fully rigged sailing vessel. This year in the fall, they are hosting the Peninsula and Williamsburg Chapters’ rat send-off at their home and are also looking forward to the baseball and lacrosse teams visiting here in March.”

On Nov. 16, 2025, thanks to the brilliant organizational work of Ned Haley, Bob and Martha Spore, Mike Iwanik and Vicki Gullet, Ned Haley and Fricka Raycroft, Tom Morehouse and Sallie Marchello, and Phil Jornlin and son John joined

Bill O’Connor, Gordon Williams, Ralph Costen, Dave Miller, Peel Dillard, Lew Reynolds, and Steve Craddock attended the annual Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet held Saturday, Feb. 7. I hope I did not miss other BRs who may have been present. Every year, the Keydet Club hosts this event to provide an opportunity for cadet scholarship athletes to dine with scholarship donors and other alum mentors. Be proud of these generous 1970 BRs. Gordon Williams is pictured with his two track scholarship recipients: Ruth Dickersheid ’28 (discus, shot, and javelin), who is majoring in economics and business and wears academic stars, and Isaac Osouna ’28 (intermediate hurdles), majoring in English and serving as a cadet corporal. Bill is pictured with the Class of ’70 scholarship recipient, Matt Wavra ’29, offensive lineman and CE major.

Jerry Nickelsburg wrote to provide an uplifting note. Until recently, he still had his VMI laundry bag, No. 714, “which survived all these years with many throws off the stoops and was still getting good use (though with a few holes) until it went up in the Palisades Fire a year ago. It was amazing that it lasted that long.” I’ll say! This is a guy with a Ph.D., a faculty director emeritus, and a senior economist at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. After all these years, he still had his VMI laundry bag until recently. How many of you other rascals still have your laundry bags?

Jesse Glidewell wrote to talk about his wife, Bobbye, and her treatment and prognosis for multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells (white blood cell that fights infection) in the bone

Class of 1970: Phillippe Minez ’75 and Donnella McGreer-Minez; Bob and Martha Spore; Mike Iwanik and Vicki Gullet; Ned Haley and Fricka Raycroft; Steve Talley and Emily Smith Talley; Tom Morehouse and Sallie Marchello; and Phil Jornlin and his son, John, at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia, Nov. 16, 2025.

Class of 1970: Gordon Williams with his scholarship recipients, Cadets Ruth Dickersheid ’28 and Isaac Osouna ’28, at the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet Feb. 7, 2026.

marrow. The cancerous plasma cells build up in the marrow, crowding out healthy blood cells, and can lead to symptoms such as bone pain and fractures, elevated calcium levels, kidney problems, and fatigue. Jesse mentioned the Galleri test, recommended by their primary care physician. According to that AI guy who lives in my computer, “the Galleri test is a blood test that screens signals from over 50 types of cancer that are often present before symptoms appear by detecting DNA in blood derived from the cancer cells.” There is a lot of information online about this test, both pro and con. Jesse says that getting the test early on made a “massive difference” in Bobbye’s treatment and prognosis. There is no cure for multiple myeloma, but proper treatments can manage the disease.

Multiple myeloma has not slowed Bobbye down one bit. She and Jesse lead an active life biking, climbing, and skiing. When I say climb, I mean climb; vertical cliffs in Arizona and other areas in the western states and Europe using a frightening method known as via a Ferrata, (by way of an iron path); scaling a rock wall equipped with steel cables, ladders, rungs, and other anchors installed to help very crazy people ascend, descend, or cross the face of an insanely frightening vertical cliff. That ought to scare the #%$@ out of those nasty cancer cells.

Jonathan Vordermark checked in to report that he is in the final stages of packing for a move from his formerly beloved Taos, New Mexico, where he pursued his passion for art, producing many excellent Southwestern landscape pieces. He says that Taos “ain’t what it used to be.” Where have I heard that expression before? He says the local economy imploded, and the art scene has declined, so it’s off to Prescott. By the time you read this, he will likely be settled in new digs and off painting in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, places like the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, and other magnificent Western landscape treasures. Maybe he will slip over to Las Vegas occasionally for a different art experience.

Craig Lewis is up next. By the time you read this, he will have visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for his annual kidney checkup. Craig and I are members of the VMI ’70 “one kidney” club. I seem to remember there might be at least one more ’70 guy with only one. Let me know, and I’ll add you to the club roster. Membership is free. Then there is the intrepid Bob Hawthorne, with no kidney function, who resolutely undergoes dialysis a couple of times weekly. I admire his determination and positive attitude with which he soldiers on. Craig reports from Wisconsin that he

Class Notes

has not aged one bit, so “how is it that his two oldest grandsons are off to college, with the oldest working on a summer internship in Manhattan this year. I’m a math guy, but I am grappling with the apparent paradox that they are getting older. Still, I am not.” Wishful thinking, Craig. May I suggest a math refresher? Changing the subject to something much easier to understand, the weather, he goes on to say, “has been relatively balmy here in Northern Wisconsin, teens and 20s, no subzero weather until next week. Otherwise, we wear heavy coats and hats, and that’s when we’re inside.” Craig and I had a gratifying phone conversation recently in which we discussed kidney health and other matters. We came up with sound advice for our BRs: Be kind to your kidneys treat them well. Keep that blood pressure in a normal range and go easy on the salt.

Speaking of kidneys, this story makes my heart soar like a hawk. It’s the storyist of stories. I made up that word. On July 13, 2022, 1,307 days ago, a robot, under the direction of a brilliant urologist, removed my right kidney, in which a renal cell carcinoma had taken up residence. The surgery was successful, and I have been cancer-free ever since. A few weeks later, I started receiving cards from Mary Kate Payne, the wife of the kindhearted Beast Payne. I suspect Mary Kate is an angel posing as a human. Without fail, our mailman places at least two cards a month in our box, still coming to this day, with encouraging words and news from the West Coast, as well as a pun, any of which our departed and beloved BR Warren Grasty, himself a pun meister, (much to the chagrin of some of us) would be proud of, and who also made it on to Mary Kate’s card list, and who is looking down on her from heaven to declare her a world class pun meister. (How is that for a runon sentence, Chad Lash?) Here are a couple of recent examples. Step up and get “pun-ished.”

“I keep yelling at this colander,” says the frustrated housewife. “Stop it, you’re straining your voice,” says Kevin, the bear. Or how about this? The confused young man says, “Should I become a juggler?” Mister bear says, “You don’t have the balls for it.” I love you, Mary Kate. I started putting Mary Kate’s cards on the refrigerator, but I ran out of room. Now they adorn my man cave, strewn about like Hershey’s chocolate kisses; each reminded me there is true goodness in our world.

I got an email from Bill Scherer with a short message that said only, “Buck, I finally got a chance to play Augusta! Hope all is well with everyone.” A video was attached, which I will not show due to the possibility of future litigation of a scantily clad older gentleman wearing

a Speedo, wielding a golf club.

Tommy Cooke chimed in to say he and Jill joined Lannie and Terry Sue Gault ’71, Bob and Susan Copty, Zeke and Jane Ellington ’71, and Ned and Ann Mikula ’71 at Hilton Head Jan. 15 for golf, I assume, although he did not mention it. Maybe his score was so bad he couldn’t bring himself to talk about it. They had a great dinner, a great time, and “the conversation was filled with VMI malarkey. I love that word. Bunkum, balderdash, and hogwash fit, as well.” I was going to post a picture of this crew, but class agent Zeke Ellington ’71 beat me to it. See his picture in his notes, right next door to mine.

I got stories from BR Dick Knight with sad undertones, but they were nonetheless uplifting. Recently, he spoke with Zoe, Ed Holmes’ wife, who confirmed that, at the time of his untimely death, he was a U.S. attorney working to prosecute crime syndicates and simultaneously pursuing religious instruction to advance in his church. Zoe told Dick their children and grandchildren are doing well.

Dick also spoke with Tom Hill ’64, VMI Hall of Fame wrestler, about his brother, our Brother Rat J.B.C. “John” Hill, Dick’s 3-year roommate. Like brother John, he has Parkinson’s disease. Dick talked to JBC recently. Tom and John’s father is Chandler Hill ’927

I, too, spoke with Tom recently. “My dad always observed that my brother got into trouble for what he didn’t do, and I got into trouble for what I did do. That was very true of my cadet life. Were my brother rats aware that my roommates and I maintained a full locker of civvies in the basement of the athletic building? Of course, with my demerits, I was going nowhere fast. I was relieved that President Johnson granted us amnesty. I remember straining in the mess hall as a rat when a 1st Class cadet told us to tell a joke. After our feeble attempts, he had us shout out our hometown. My turn came: ‘Ypsilanti, Michigan, sir.’ With a deadpanned look, he told me he wanted the joke the first time.

“My brother, John, and I wrestled at VMI and were both co-captains. After VMI, we went to Las Vegas most years to see the Cliff Keen NCAA Wrestling Invitational, named after a legendary wrestling coach at the University of Michigan. Many colleges, including VMI, participated. We often visited with our VMI coach, Oscar Gupton, and his wife, Clintus, as they had retired to Las Vegas.” My memory of the Gup is that he ran a few miles barefoot around the cinder Foster Stadium track, then led wrestling practice, which often consisted of him whooping up on his whole team (one at a time, I suppose, but maybe in groups), as

Class Notes

the story goes. A professor of biology and an excellent pianist, he was a serious man.

Dick also spoke to John McLemore, who lives just a few miles away in a very nice assisted-living facility. “John was a renowned bankruptcy lawyer in Tennessee. Before that, he was an investigative reporter for one of the major newspapers here, and I don’t doubt that we would have seen him on national TV if he had not eventually chosen law. I am so proud of our guys.” John, too, is engaged in a fierce battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Just think, this April our 60th Reunion will be only 4 years away. And now, I say to you, my brother rats, “Happy trails to you, until we meet again,” and, as Warren used to say, “In the spirit.”

“That’s the damnedest thing I have ever heard.”

My father-in-law, Dr. McKelden Smith, field surgeon, 8th Evacuation Hospital, U.S. Army.

1971

David Ellington

In my initial draft, I was going to celebrate and start with some good news announcing that we had slipped by another quarter of the year with no loss of brother rats. Unfortunately, right at the deadline for submission of these notes, the Alumni Agencies was apprised that our BR Tom Dinwiddie had passed away in April 2025. Tom matriculated from North Carolina, stayed with us for a full year, then returned to North Carolina. No further information is known. While we are very blessed only to have lost one BR, this does not mean that there is not a significant amount of illness, pain, and suffering affecting many others, but this is offset by the help, support, and considerations of an amazing number of brother rats in helping those in need. Keep it up; your efforts are noted and appreciated. The gim list remains active, so if you know or hear of a BR or member of his family who is suffering, please reach out to them and provide support.

I would like to sincerely thank the many who sent Jane and me Christmas cards this year. It was wonderful hearing from everyone, and especially those we hear from rarely, if ever. Tom Scott, in a very nice note, wrote, “I am forever appreciative for hooking me up with

BR roommates Lew Rea and Al Davis. They welcomed me back into your world and have me feel that spirit of brotherhood that we had when I left VMI at the end of our rat year in 1968. That year helped shape me to succeed in my life. Thanks to VMI and to everyone making me feel welcome back.”

A variation of the Christmas card is the Christmas letter. This year, I, along with many others, was the recipient of a true classic, “Bill and Margaret’s excellent Christmas letter” from our Texas tornado himself, Bill Ginder. It truly lived up to its billing. It starts with the announcement that Bill and Margaret are now great-grandparents with the arrival of a great-grandson. With Bill’s very long lineage of VMI graduates, the only information lacking was that of the year of the youngster’s provisional appointment to the Institute. In February 2025, Margaret and Bill went to Australia “to watch kangaroos and platypuses,” followed by a trip to Las Vegas the next month. Bill didn’t have much luck gambling, losing a load of money in the first 45 seconds, which led to a rapid retreat to a show at the Sphere, which he scored as “fantastic in every sense of the word.” This was followed by a trip to Jamaica to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. It sounds as if they had a wonderful time. They had a beautiful room with a butler who waited on them hand and foot. One night, the butler drew a hot bubble bath in the jacuzzi, complete with rose petals and “a lot” of bath oil. With all the oil, the jacuzzi was slick and filled to the brim. As Bill made his entrance, he slipped and fell into the tub, “unleashing a tsunami of water and bubble bath all over the room.” As he floundered in the tub trying to stand up, he couldn’t because the tub was so narrow and slippery. Finally, after much yelling and screaming, Margaret’s threat to call security to help hoist him to safety was enough for Bill to find the strength to get out of the tub. When

I asked if this had been recorded on video, he replied in the negative. The rest of the trip went well. Bill is excited about the upcoming 55th, and by the time this goes to press, we will have witnessed Bill sporting a new set of VMI custom bib overalls.

I received a very nice note from Bill Wadsworth, who noted he has been “playing a lot of tennis and trying to learn how to hit a golf ball straight and long.” Like many, Bill has also been traveling, with a trip to Italy. In Florence, the Uffizi Museum and then was on to Rome, where he visited 16 churches, basilicas, and cathedrals in addition to the Vatican. By the descriptions he gave of the number of historical sites he visited, VMI should hire him to teach a course on Roman history.

Jane and I spent time at Hilton Head in January, returning a day before the big snow and ice storm of late January. Ned and Anne Mikula spent some time with us. They are doing well, with Ned slowing down as he approaches finishing up his career as a lawyer. While they were visiting, Lanny and Terry Sue Gault, Bob and Susan Copty ’69, and Tommy and Jill Cooke ’69 joined us for lunch. A good time was had by all. We also had lunch at a later date with Aaron and Laurie Phillips. With the exception of sporting a head of grey hair, and who of us with any hair don’t easily fit this description, Aaron looks no different than from his cadet days. He has been retired from Union Carbide for quite a while, and despite having both knees and both hips replaced, the hiking trips they make around the world are mind- boggling, to include hiking the entire Camino de Santiago from France across the top of Spain to the Atlantic.

I had heard through the grapevine that John Nilon wasn’t doing well, so I wrote him a note to check up on him. He replied with a story of a fascinating life well lived. Upon graduation from VMI, John was commissioned in the infantry, regular Army. His first duty assignment was as an infantry platoon leader in the Berlin Brigade. While there, he was able to swap visits several times with Ken and Bernie Piernick down in Schweinfurt in northwestern Bavaria. I had to chuckle at this, as 5 years later, Bob Pickral was the Berlin Brigade surgeon, and I was stationed in Wurzburg, 20 miles or so south of Schweinfurt. In the year we overlapped, we made several visit exchanges also. John then was sent to Korea, where he was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division. Graduate school soon followed, then assignment

Class of 1971: Edna Pickral, widow of George Pickral ’43 and mother of Robert Pickral ’71, M.D., on a trip to Rome, Italy, with Latin Club students from Lexington High School in April 1986.

first with the 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg and subsequently as a company commander in the 82nd Airborne Division. During this time, the Piernicks, Rick Pearman, and John Ebeling all passed through Bragg, “so it was old home week.” Next was a tour with the Defense Intelligence Agency in the D.C. area, then back to Germany, with first an artillery unit and then back to the infantry. He was then assigned as a civil affairs officer stateside and struck gold when he met an active-duty Army doctor, Debbie Brown, with whom he “tied the knot” and married in 1990. BR Rick Pearman was his best man. John retired from the Army in 1993 and then graduated from law school in 1996. After several years in private practice, he joined the Department of Veterans Affairs until he retired again in 2016. His wife, Debbie, continues to work as an anesthesiologist at a local hospital in Northern Virginia. She remained in the reserve until 2011, with service time including deployment to Iraq. John is presently fighting a diagnosis of lymphoma but seems to be responding well to treatments. “Rick and Jenny Pearman, Ken and Bernie Piernick, and my own Dr. Debbie are all 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.” What a great attitude and another example of BRs supporting BRs. Thank you.

Class Notes

Speaking of Bob Pickral, as many of you know, Bob was diagnosed last year with pancreatic cancer, an illness that had taken the life of his twin brother within the last several years. He has undergone extensive chemotherapy and surgery and is currently recovering before any more therapy. Besides his weight loss, he is doing well, and his most recent scans are very, very encouraging—great news for a very aggressive type of cancer. In addition to this, he has the most positive attitude aimed at recovery I have ever seen. If attitude could cure cancer, he will live to the age of Methuselah!

I got a very nice note from Ed Artiglia, who is still working as a consultant at the Los Alamos National Lab outside of Albuquerque. His biggest event has been the transition to a “full-time grandparent” to his new granddaughter, Liliana. Despite these duties, in his spare time, he has completed three Spartan Obstacle Course Races. He looked pretty ripped in his Christmas card.

From Rolf White, some very nice news: Sally has made some improvements and seems to be

doing better. Rolf relates he met her in the student center cafeteria his very first day at MCV at the same time that I was trying to figure out where the front door to the medical education building was. Rolf sent a picture of him and Mal Kerley in aprons working as volunteer cooks or “cadet waiters in training” at a local school. Great retirement activities for a retired physician and civil engineer!

Jimi Heely reports that from a health perspective, he is doing better, but now he is chasing a seemingly impossible task in trying to find several shako chin straps so he can refurbish several Australian “slouch hats.” These are rabbit fur dress hats worn by the Australian Armed Forces. What they look like is beyond my ken, but we learn something new every day. At last report, I think Jimi has struck gold and found some used shako straps. Perhaps he will bring the finished product to the 55th so we can see what a slouch hat looks like.

Corn Biggs continues to improve his mobility with his new prosthetic leg, and wife Lynn is also improving after foot surgery. Despite the recovery from the surgeries last summer, they “downsized by buying a larger house in the country, with less

storage. The logic is questionable, but the views are great.” Corn is staying active in the local Rotary Club and American Legion Clubs and is the unofficial mayor of a breakfast club (read gossip group), which meets frequently to discuss local and national issues. Lynn is active in the local animal rescue organization.

In a bit of fascinating, but not unexpected or surprising news, I received notification that Jerry Acuff has been awarded place No. 17 in the “World’s Best 30 Sales Speakers, Trainers and Thought Leaders—Global Gurus.” Jerry worked for Hoechst Roussel Pharmaceuticals for over 20 years and was awarded salesman of the year twice and district manager of the year three times. He has since parlayed his experience in sales into writing three best-selling books on sales. In addition, he founded Delta Point, a consulting and speaking bureau, in which he shares his knowledge and expertise in the field of sales. Who would have thunk it—the “Cuffer” a recognized guru. Finally, coming in just at the deadline for the notes, my son, David ’02, joined me, TerrySue and Lanny Gault, Carol and Buddy Bryan, Marie and Ken Coleman, and Jerry Acuff at the Keydet Club Scholarship Banquet. It was a wonderful evening and gave us all firsthand exposure to the cadets who represent the Institute on the many fields of competition upon which they compete. I was impressed, as I am sure all of you would be, also.

VMI has been under a lot of criticism, with several proposals being introduced in the Virginia General Assembly that would radically change the Institute. At this point, VMI has responded in a very measured manner. Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, our new superintendent, has done a very good job in explaining exactly what the Institute does, its values, and the values it brings to the Commonwealth. Equally as impressive have been the current cadets from every aspect of the Corps who have come to the aid of VMI in providing individual testimonies outlining the unique attributes and outcomes delivered by the “VMI way” of education and training. I am confident that the Institute will continue “to be heard from today” in the best possible sense.

I hope as many as possible will be able to attend our 55th Reunion in the spring to renew old friendships and share stories of our lives after VMI. I look forward to seeing you and your families there.

Class of 1971: Susan Copty, Tommy and Jill Cooke ’70, Zeke and Jane Ellington, Anne Mikula, Lanny and Terry Sue Gault, Bob Copty ’70, and Ned Mikula at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Class of 1971: Ken Coleman with Parker, Wesleigh, and Barrett, grandchildren of Tommy and Teresa Lawson.

Class Notes

Larry Houseworth

Greetings and salutations to you all. These notes cover Thanksgiving through mid-February. There are indications that life is emerging from the new Ice Age, and by the time you read these, we’ll be back to sunshine and pollen (?).

This quarter has been hard on us, BRs. While we’ve lost Marc Fielder, Mark Simmons, and Ed Channel, the memories shared bring smiles and, yes, more than a few stories. That’s the definition of “in the spirit.”

By the time you read this, the hoopla surrounding the new Virginia General Assembly’s efforts to re-legislate VMI should be clarified and adjudicated. Lt. Gen. Furness ’87 has done a masterful job in meeting with bill sponsors and legislative leaders to rationalize the intent of proposed legislation and tone down the rhetoric. And, as no one shares the VMI message better than the cadets themselves, the superintendent has been wise to invite legislators to interact directly with them. Our messaging is in good hands.

And, in case you didn’t notice, the VMI rugby team finished its 10-1 season ranked No. 1 nationally in the National Collegiate Rugby Coaches poll and was Southern Conference champion with wins over national D1 powerhouse UVA and major beatdowns of The Citadel and App State. Well done, ruggers!

Holiday correspondence is always fun. Susan and Harry Gore keep busy—busy as family landlords; Debbie and Walt Chalkley took their grands to Germany and let them see where grandma and grandpa lived in their early Army career and where their mom was born; Jo-Ann and Zeno Henninger told of Air Force encounters with Marc Fielder and a random parking lot encounter with a Norwich alumna (as are two of Zeno’s siblings) who loudly and proudly extolled the virtues of a military school education and whose daughter is an Air Force Academy cadet; and Betsy and Chris Foster seem to have formalized their “grandparent life enhancement program.”

Pam and Bill Collier shared news of their extensive world travels, as

did Linda and Roger Hart. Cathy and Fred Bauer shared news of their seventh granddaughter (whose father is Lt. Col. Matt Halligan, VMI’s music director), and the always-photogenic Chris Tompkins, Winny and Jimbo VanLandingham, Gina and Tim Pool, and Barbara and Phil Smith all shared family portraits. Joan and Jim Pagones shared news of their new grands, and Joy and Norm Worrell showed off their golf course profiles. Emily Griffith had Santa join their holiday sweater shot, and Sharan Gore shared a luscious gingerbread recipe.

Ava Tucker and Phil Clayton continue their good work with Helping Ukrainian Families.

Glenda and Bob MacMeccan shared this: “We just returned from a Viking Nile River cruise with an extension in Jordan. Marty Parks ’69, whom I served with in the U.S. Army Reserve, took this same trip a year ago, and I booked it after seeing his Facebook photos. The trip exceeded our expectations. The trip started with several days in Cairo, followed by a flight to Luxor, where we boarded our ship. It cruised to Aswan and back, followed by a flight back to Cairo. Next, we flew to Amman, Jordan, for an extension and bused to a resort on the east bank of the Dead Sea for a night. We continued south to Petra for 2 nights before heading back north to Jerash before flying home.” Sounds exotic and on our bucket list, BR!

Paul Gorski said, “My grandson, John Gorski ’26, will be graduating from VMI this May with the Class of 2026. After graduation, he will be starting with the U.S. Secret Service.” We should be in good hands, folks.

John Pittenger shared this: “Linda and I spent most of last summer in Blue Ridge, Georgia. It’s a very nice tourist area near the Tennessee border. We just completed a Viking Ocean Cruise from Buenos Aires south to the ‘end of the world’ (Ushuaia, Argentina), around Cape Horn, and up the Pacific side to Santiago, Chile. We especially enjoyed Santiago, a very vibrant city. It was quite an experience. We traveled with Linda’s sister, Janis, and cousin, Diane.” We are certainly a traveling lot, BRs.

Eric Hammersen reported in from the Texas Hill Country. “Today, it is below freezing, and we’re supposed to have waves of freezing rain this afternoon and overnight. Good day to stay hunkered down at home. Not much to report from the Texas Hill Country. We continue to remain engaged with a variety of organizations in town, to include sitting on the board of a local 501(c)(3) and serving as the vice chairman of the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment. When the weather cooperates, we continue to make trips to visit other parts of Texas (and the state is

Class of 1972: Sunset at Phil Clayton and Ava Tucker’s home near Lexington.

Class of 1972: John and Linda Pittenger in Ushuaia, Argentina.

Class of 1972: Jim Flynn with his daughter and grandson, who is a Cub Scout.

big enough that there are plenty of places to see). Recent road trips were to Abilene, San Angelo, and San Antonio. Over the past month, I gave presentations on the role of the intelligence community to national security strategy to one local group, another on the history of the old Pinta Trail (an Indian trail that originated in San Antonio and ran north to Fredericksburg) to another group, and a third on some unusual foreign military aircraft in which I’ve flown to our local ex-military fliers group. We’re also involved with our church and with the city government. A surprisingly full calendar each month, considering Carol and I are both retired. Sorry to see VMI is in the governor’s and legislature’s crosshairs once again.” We are too, BR, and—the eyes of Texas are upon you.

Class Notes

flowers and garden stuff. While I grew up in the Virginia mountains with lots of snow and really like it, I am also glad when it warms up and the snow goes away! One neat thing that happened as a result of the snow is that we had three of the kids and six of the grandkids over for a sledding party on a big hill behind the house. That was a lot of fun. Two of the grandkids have lived in Florida most of their lives, so it was a special treat for them. Pat and I also enjoyed getting together over Christmas in Atlanta with the kids and grandkids.

There have been several things happening with BRs since my last Review notes.

Bob Bailey wrote, “Chris Eaton ’06, Tampa Chapter president, organized an afternoon cruise around the Tampa waters for military school attendees (VMI, The Citadel, colleges, academies). (We) introduced (ourselves) to Bob Brown, who was wearing a USMA ’73 neck lanyard along with a VMI CE hat. Bob Brown was an Institute CE instructor. His wife, Majorie, is a Southern

Seminary alumna who knew fellow student Libby Kennedy, wife of Mike Kennedy, (my) roommate. Small world.” And getting smaller all the time, BR.

Bob also sent this, “On Jan. 3, BRs met at Two Drummers Smokehouse, Toano. The coming together tradition started at the Institute when the four were cadre taking a break at the Central Luncheon, aka Johnny’s. Now with wives and retirement, a tradition of 50 years plus continues. Left to right: Karen and Rick Bishop, Ed and Liz Channel, Bob and Grace Bailey, front—Lib and Mike Kennedy.” Great picture and better memories, Bob.

And there’s this reminder from Tom Hathaway: “I have the audio track now for the reunion show that we did at the 35th Reunion at the Natural Bridge Hotel, and if anyone is interested, they should send me an email, and I can transfer the files to them.”

That’s about it for this time. Stay close, stay safe—Rah Virginia Mil!

Larry

Greetings, Brother Rats, Has spring arrived? Yes, sir! We had a lot of cold and snowy weather in North Carolina this winter, and I am looking forward to planting some

One of our brother rats, Steven R. Ray, passed away Jan. 10. Steve was from Fayetteville, Georgia, and left VMI after our 3rd Class year. He is survived by his wife, Lou; three children; and five grandchildren. A memorial was held Jan. 31 at the Crossing Baptist Church in Fayetteville. Please keep Steve’s family in your thoughts and prayers.

Our BR Danny Williamson lost his wife, Terry, in December. They had moved to Manhattan, Kansas, last fall to be close to their son and grandkids, who are at Fort Riley. A memorial service was held Feb. 18 in Staunton, Virginia. Please keep Danny and family in your thoughts and prayers, as well.

John Kearney sent me a note to let me know that his wife, Helen Carney, passed away suddenly Feb. 2. She lost her balance and fell at home and died. John said she may have also had a heart attack, and he is heartbroken. A memorial service was held in Media, Pennsylvania, Feb. 21. Let’s also keep John and his family in your thoughts and prayers!

Also in December, our BR Joe Duffy slipped and fell getting out of bed while on a hunting trip in Mississippi and broke his femur. He was taken to a VA hospital in West Point, Mississippi, and underwent surgery. Due to the seriousness of his injury and his handicap, he required extended hospitalization for physical therapy. He was able to transfer to a VA hospital in Richmond, Virginia, where he underwent therapy before being able to go home the day after Christmas. Joe and his wife, Mary, have sent me notes to express their extreme gratitude to all of our BRs in the Richmond area and across the country who came to visit, sent him cards, called and texted him, and were there to provide support and help. Joe mentioned more

Class of 1972: Glenda and Bob MacMeccan at Al Khazneh, Petra, Jordan.

Class of 1972: Former cadre sergeants and their wives gathering at the Two Drummers Smokehouse in Toano, Virginia, are (front row, from left) Karen Bishop, Lib Kennedy, Mike Kennedy, Grace Bailey, (back row) Rick Bishop, Ed Channel, Liz Channel, and Bob Bailey.

Mike Kelly

than 30 BRs who visited or called with support. He said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and friendship and wants to say thank you to everyone. A special thanks to Klaus and Laura Worrell, who welcomed Mary into their home and shared Christmas with her during Joe’s stay in Richmond. Mary also wanted to give a special thanks to Larry Mays and Klaus for helping to spread the word about Joe’s situation that started the outpouring of our BRs’ communication with him. Joe said he was “overwhelmingly grateful and humbled by it all!” Paul Jalbert visited with Joe on Christmas day and presented him with a painting his wife, Emily, had done for our 50th Reunion. Paul said they discussed their physical challenges, and how happy they were to wake up with a good attitude in the morning with their wives, other family members, and friends, and how important it was to “adapt, improvise, and overcome.” Mary was very thankful for all the gifts given to them while in Richmond.

I had a card and note from Jim Reid. Jim has been struggling for the past 3 years with multiple myeloma, bone cancer, and blood cancer. Jim and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Milton, West Virginia. Jim said that he is especially grateful to the Charleston (West Virginia) Area Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic for the excellent care and treatment he has received. He was told in December that he was in remission; however, he must still take a chemo pill daily, and due to his compromised immune system, he must exercise extreme caution with his daily activities. Great hearing from you! We wish you the best, Jim, and will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

Neil and Jennie Carlson sent me a nice Christmas card and note. They were heading to Florida to visit with family and friends in February and then take a cruise to the Caribbean and Central America.

Mac Kirkpatrick also sent a note to say he and his wife, Melanie, were doing well and getting ready to go to New Zealand for a month in February. Mac said when they got back, they were headed to Florida in their airstream to attend a BMW convention in Daytona Beach. In July, they are headed to Denver to attend a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. Sounds like fun! Be safe and have a great time.

Terry and Nina Howlett sent a nice Christmas letter. They are doing well and continue to be very involved with their church and the Christian Heritage School in Tyler, Texas. They had also recently visited Florida at their favorite beach close to Nina’s hometown. (Secret location!) Terry went on a hiking and study excursion last fall to Mount St. Helens, and when home, he continues to fly

Class Notes

for the CAP along the border and leads a character development group for CAP cadets.

In January, I had an opportunity to exchange communication with Don Caldwell. Don and I have not communicated much over the years, as he has really been busy with his job as the commonwealth’s attorney for Roanoke and Roanoke County, Virginia. After 46 years on the job, Don has decided to retire. He is excited and said he looks forward to reconnecting with the class. Congratulations, Don, and for doing a great job all these years. We wish the best of luck in retirement and look forward to your involvement with the class.

We received a lot of Christmas cards and letters this year, including some from folks I don’t hear from regularly, and I really appreciate everyone reaching out.

Jim Harvey, who completed his Doctor of Theology degree last year, said he was now working on two books: One about his experiences in Cambodia, and the other a “tome” of jokes and humorous stories. Jim lives in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Larry and Laurel Cerruti said they were doing well in Arlington, Virginia, and enjoying their new grandson, born in November.

M.B. and Mary Adelson also had a new great-grandson born last year. Since M.B. retired, they have been enjoying some time at the lake in Georgia, and Mary, with their two daughters and granddaughters, went on a trip to London last year.

Stuart Seaton wished everyone a happy holiday from Williamsburg.

George and Renee Goodwin likewise sent best wishes from Mineral, Virginia.

Ralph and Becky Littrell said they really enjoyed moving back to Rural Retreat, Virginia, to their homeplace and have about completed the renovation of their home. Ralph told me that their transition from Southern California is requiring some adjustments, but I don’t think they miss the West Coast very much!

Tim and Ruth Hassell live in Springfield, Virginia, and were looking forward to a great holiday.

Hank “H.B.” and Leise Weatherford used to send me pictures of their kids at Christmas. This year, they talked about their youngest daughter, Savannah, getting married; their oldest son (Henry and Lisa) giving them their first granddaughter; and their middle son, Rick, and his wife, Anna, are expecting a child in May. H.B. lives in Richmond.

Willie Wells said merry Christmas and happy New Year from Waynesboro, Virginia, and sent a picture with his Santa hat and a snowman overlooking the town.

Pat and Doug Huthwaite were enjoying the

Class of 1973: Paul Jalbert visits Joe Duffy at a Veterans Administration hospital.

Class of 1973: Mike and Pat Kelly’s grandchildren, Caroline Kelly, Ella Garcia, and Obie McMillan, enjoying a snow day.

Class of 1973: Roland Tiso on his 75th birthday with granddaughters Lena (5) and Evelyn (2).

holidays, hunkering down in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina.

We got a really neat, homemade card from Paula and Joe Wyatt, who live in Lynchburg, Virginia.

P.X. and Caroline English are doing well and staying active in Greenville, South Carolina.

Klaus and Laura Worrell also sent a nice homemade card and best wishes for the holidays.

Richard and Tahizy Bugbee also used to send me pictures of their two boys as they grew up. Well, this year, the picture shows those two boys are all grown up and nice-looking young men! Wow, it is amazing how “quickly” the world moves on—kids are grown, and now we’re talking about great-grandchildren!

David and Susan Northcraft sent pictures of their kids and grandkids. Dave said that after Christmas, he and Susan were leaving on a trip to Europe, followed by a trip to Israel led by Susan’s brother-in-law, who is a retired pastor. The trip was postponed in 2023 but has been rescheduled, and they were excited about going.

I always get a letter from Blake and Sandy Thomas, who enjoy flying about every weekend from their home in The Villages and the Grass Roots Airpark. Blake included a picture of an F-15C and F-15E escorting Santa!

Jim and Sharon Chalkley also live in Florida, in Orange Park. Jim said that they were doing well, but he had a rough time recovering from joint fusion and bone graft surgery last fall. They wished everyone season’s greetings. Bill Stoner sent warm wishes for the holiday season, along with a couple of family pictures. The Stoners live in Roanoke, Texas.

I had a nice card from Don and Diane Boucher, who live in Annapolis, Maryland. I don’t remember when I heard from Don last, but I look forward to linking up with them soon. I stay in close contact with Roland and Judie Tiso. Ro sent me a picture of two of his granddaughters, who surprised him with a birthday cake on his 75th birthday. The parents of these two, C.J. and Mike Inziillo, live in Lakeland, Florida. Their other daughter, Allie, and her husband, Per, live in Pittsburgh and had a daughter last year, whom they named Amara. Seems like Ole’ Ro has surrounded himself with a lot of ladies! Ro is scheduled to speak again this year at the Army ROTC dining-in at VMI in April.

Milt Salter wished everyone a great holiday and was still talking about his trip of “a lifetime” he had last year following the “Band of Brothers” route from England and across Europe. Milt said he had also been traveling around the country and invited any BRs coming to Southern Alabama (Mobile) to stop and see him.

Bob and Sharon Bushnell sent a nice Christmas

Class Notes

card and included a picture of their three grandchildren, who are now in the third and fifth grades. They live in Collinsville, Virginia, just outside of Martinsville.

And I had a great picture of R.B. and Becky Newman’s family on a trip to London.

Tom and Suzi Napier live in Moseley, Virginia, and wished everyone a wonderful Christmas and a bright and happy new year.

Dave Sutherland lives in Brownsburg, Indiana. Dave had been to the East Coast and attended some of the VMI ballgames and went on a trip to Africa, where he said he had some very interesting encounters with several animals, to include having their safari vehicle charged by a bull elephant. Fortunately, it stopped, snorted, and moved on.

Scott McCarthy was at the Institute Society Dinner with us in November and sent a nice note wishing everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year. Scott lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

Michael and Susan Smith are still in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and he often posts pictures of the beach, including Christmas day, when it is nice and quiet. They sent warmest wishes to all.

John and Ann Pinner enjoyed the holidays at their home retreat in Big Canoe, Georgia, and wished all a healthy and peaceful new year.

Sally and Jack Hayes live in Crozet, Virginia, and wished everyone a blessed and joyous Christmas. They lamented how richly blessed they felt, and especially this past year, in being able to travel to Scandinavia and Europe. They recommended reading the advent devotional book, “Recapturing the Glory of Christmas,” by Dr. Albert Mohler, as a reminder of our blessings.

John Leon, who also lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, wished all a great Christmas and said to let the “good news of Jesus shine through every part of your Christmas celebration.”

Hugh Long sent greetings from Augusta, Georgia.

Dean Smith likewise wished that we allow “the Lord’s great love bless you this Christmas.” Of course, he also sent his jokes of the year. Thanks, Dean; you put a smile on my face. Dean lives in Saint Cloud, Florida.

Tom Jennings told me before Christmas that he had finished additional radiation treatments and was going to have hernia surgery in December. In January, he had rotator cuff surgery and was laid up for a while and expected to begin therapy in March. Tom also indicated that his wife, Lois, had a couple of spots on her lungs and would be undergoing targeted radiation treatment. Wishing you all the best, Tom, and will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

In February, I sent a note out and mentioned that

Ken Kalisky, who is a director on the VMI Alumni Association Board of Directors, was asked to lead the New Cadet Recruiting team for the Association. The team, with 36 alumni, recently called 549 prospective cadets who had been accepted to VMI but as yet not committed. Mike Burke and M.B. Adelson were part of that group, and Doug Basham has agreed to join. Ken has asked if any of you or alumni you may know in your area are interested in helping to reach out to prospective cadets and/or participate in local college fairs to let him know. The team is looking for alumni with passion and a willingness to commit the time to contact the kids, and most importantly, the ability to sell VMI. Ken and Mike Burke have been involved with cadet recruiting for a long time and find it very rewarding. Please contact Ken directly if you are interested or have any questions.

I also wanted to remind you that VMI’s fiscal year ends June 30 and encourage you to give as you are able to the Institute. In today’s climate, amid the politics and turmoil going on around us, the Institute needs all the support we can provide. Thanks to all of you who give regularly; no gift is too small or too large.

Thanks for all your notes, cards, and letters. Let me close with one of Dean Smith’s Christmas jokes: “Making a list, checking it twice, left it at home, he’s texting his wife.”

Wishing all of you a great spring and summer. Be safe out there.

In the Bonds, Mike

1974

Snookie Parker

Greetings, Brother Rats, Family, and Friends of the Class of 1974!

I trust this missive will find you in good spirits. Christmas notes, lots to report—too much, so the entries will be cryptic.

On Nov. 21, Marla and I attended a retirement/welcome reception—the new hire was our daughter, Dr. Olivia Smith—the senior dentist was retiring. Spent most of the reception speaking with Pete and Susan Shelley, who were longtime patients of the retiring dentist. There were a good number of friendly connections from a variety of endeavors. Turns out Raleigh is not such a large town after all.

Received a note from Craig “Snapper” Carlock. He and his wife, Cathy, stopped by to visit Clay Morrissett and delivered a VMI windowpane on their way to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Myrtle Beach with family.

Dec. 9 had lunch with Judge Nottingham at AB Kitchen, Atlantic Beach, Florida. Judge and Rhoda are doing well. Judge is still working ... a lot of time from home.

Bruce and Peggy Pence are well and enjoying grandkids—Maverick (11) and twins (2.5).

Roland Lazenby is to be inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is in Richmond in April. A healthy number of BRs are planning to be there to witness the ceremony. An opportunity for a mini reunion—more to follow in the next set of notes.

Rich Forbes’ proud grandad moment—his grandson, Madden Daly, received the Scholar Athlete of the Year award at his high school and was just offered a football scholarship at VMI! Subsequent to this initial offer, a new coach was hired, and Madden’s offer was rescinded. The saving grace: Madden, scholar athlete of the year, will do well wherever he goes. VMI’s loss.

Robert “Craig” and Debra “Debbie” MacFarlane report all is well in the MacFarlane household. I counted eight grandkids. A highlight: Grandson Wyatt entered the Rat Line in August. Sent a picture of Wyatt in a kilt playing the bagpipes—go, Band Co.!

Note from Bill and Pam Shumate—Bill says no news except he is on the right side of the dirt. I say ... we will be the judge of that! Thanks for the note, Bill.

Pete and Susan Shelley finished a bonus room above their garage in Raleigh and a stone paver patio at their home on the OBX. They have five grandkids: Two in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and three in Raleigh, North Carolina. Trips included Pittsburgh and the Mountain Lake Lodge (where the movie “Dirty Dancing” was filmed) in Virginia with their Sunday school class.

Tom “Tex” and Patti Mascot continue to enjoy the great weather in Arizona. Tom plays golf three to four times a week while Patti manages the homestead. Daughter Liz is busy with her job at Walmart’s public policy office in D.C., while daughter Becca has moved to Doha, Qatar, after 2 years with the consulate in Istanbul. Tom did get to visit Becca for 5 days before she left Turkey. Hall and Martha Brodie sent a summary of their 10 grandchildren (4–23 years old). They stay healthy by walking three to four times a week, and volunteer—leading a Sunday school class once a month dinner for men recovering from incarceration, addiction, and abuse, Hall’s wild adventure

Class Notes

support in Montana, where he gets to do a little fly-fishing while there.

Received the very entertaining (laugh out loud) Christmas epistle from Ken and Betsy Terry, cleverly composed by Betsy ... starring the entire Terry clan (Ken, Betsy, Jacque, Conor, Trevor, Cat, Taylor, Tristan, and Landon). From buckling floors, broken boat, and the restaurant challenge ... the evil spirits were cast out, and things got better. The year’s highlight was the 9-day cruise from Rome to the Eastern Caribbean (I think Betsy meant the Eastern Mediterranean, but I could be mistaken). Their next trip is scheduled—10-day cruise to the Panama Canal ... will likely include parts of the Caribbean. All is well in Terry land!

Mike and Lera Andriani are doing well in retirement. Son Mike is a PM with the Air Force (Tinker AFB) focused on software development. Lera remains active with her women’s Bible study, has taken up swimming periodically, plays Mah Jongg with two different groups, and plans to get more active with her watercolor painting. Mike serves as a governor at the Army Navy Club as vice chair of both the House and Security Committees and swims 1,000 meters three times a week. Took their first cruise this year—Monaco, Naples (Palazzo de Caserta—Italy’s version of Versailles), and Rome, where they dined with Mike’s maternal cousins (19 at the dinner table).

Bob and Jeanne Slupik had a challenging year. Jeanne’s dad had a number of doctor’s appointments, one of which was with the VA audiologist, who was unimpressed with the current hearing aid and prescribed one that really worked well. Their message: If you have VA benefits, use them and see your VA audiologist. Not long after, Jeanne’s dad passed at 101 and was interred at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The year was highlighted by family visits to the memorial service, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Rob “Kid” and Vivian Fulks had a joyous year of many blessings. They were delighted to welcome their daughter, Lindsay, back to Texas. Lindsay and their youngest, John, were able to hang out in Richmond, Texas, and then museum-hopped around downtown Houston for a few days. John is living in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood. Their eldest, Alice, celebrated Christmas with her husband and their grandchild, Arjan, in Yucca Valley, California. Thanks for the note!

Bert and Cherryl Graham have four grandchildren (one boy, three girls) within a 5-mile radius. Cherryl enjoys golf, while Bert plays pickleball when not replacing knees and shoulders—all appears to be working well at this writing. They did do some cruising in the Mediterranean (started in

Istanbul and finished in Trieste/Venice).

John and Tracey Crawley had two wonderful trips to Germany in 2025 to visit their daughter, Danielle, and her family. During the spring visit, they took a high-speed rail to England to see some sites in London, then took a mini-bus tour to the counties of Devon and Cornwall to explore the southwest part of the isle. John says yes, we are slowing down. 2026 may be the last year for their nonprofit in its current form to provide tutoring in three public schools. They experimented with an off-site math camp in October for elementary-level students, which was a huge success. John thinks academic camps could become our new model to help the underserved. Christian ministry is still a priority for the Crawleys. Tracey has been leading women’s Bible studies, and John is ministering to several men. John also serves as an elder at their church, Peninsula Community Chapel. Additionally, they currently lead a “Marriage Navigators” homegroup and just served at Family Life’s Weekend to Remember in Williamsburg to help host 860 people who attended to enrich their marriages. Slowing down—I’m not so sure. Thanks for the note, John!

Arnie and Maria Leonard have had a good year highlighted with travel—an 18-day trip to Patagonia and a return trip to South America with daughter Sarah and grandson Davis to visit the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and the nearby Sacred Valley region. Proud parent moments: Sarah did climb Mount Blanc (15,766 feet) in France and the Cotopaxi volcano (19,347 feet) in Ecuador. What next?

Wilson and Anne Johnson’s year was highlighted with theater: Wilson as Bob Ewell in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and the annual historical “Twelfth Night” drama at the Kenmore House in Fredericksburg ... son Matthew and his wife, Sarah, in “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying” and “White Christmas.” Anne’s vacation Bible school ministered to over 400 children this year. Daughter Catherine works for the National Park Service, husband Mat is with Permatreat, and they share Evelyn (9) and Elijah (7) with Wilson and Anne. 2026—break a leg ... break three legs!

The 28th year of Christmas tripe sent by Charley and Debbie Banning (mostly Charley) is a cleverly written, laugh-out-loud rag filled with tales of Christmas fashion, Disney in Paris, and dancing in the Moulin Rouge. They are spending No. 1 son’s inheritance like drunken sailors—so they claim. A very informative and entertaining read. Other than some minor “medical crap,” all is well with the Banning clan. Looking forward to the 29th edition.

Tim and Pat Bosse’s Christmas note, according to Tim, could have two titles: “The good and the bad” or “the planned and the unplanned.” The plan as of January 2025: Spend 2025 Christmas holidays in Europe. The unplanned: Spend 2025 Christmas holidays in Georgia. The good: January–July filled with family gatherings at the beach, skeet shooting and rodeo in Wyoming, and a German cooking class. The bad: Aug. 11, Tim takes a fall resulting in two ruptured quadriceps and a 9-month recovery process—hence the 2025 Christmas holidays in Georgia. The good news— thanks mostly to Pat (aka Nurse Ratchet want-tobe, I suspect), Tim is on the road to recovery, and the Christmas holidays in Europe are on for 2026.

Chuck Ward has had a year of tough change and wonderful memories captured on the 34 pics sent with his Christmas epistle—a letter of hope, not despair. You will see Louise again!

Andy and Marcie Eason did some traveling— national parks in Utah, a trip to Phoenix, and finally back to Virginia. Son Chris was nominated for his second star—top U.S. Air and Space Force JAG. In the heat of July, seven of their eight grandkids paid a visit and did a lot of swimming to stay cool!

Kent and Brenda Wheeless have both retired but have not slowed down. Health issues presented some challenges, but they seem to work through it and have continued to support their teams, leagues, camps, and players ... coaching, mentoring, officiating, umpiring, and scorekeeping. They did manage a trip to Disney in November and plan to go back in May.

Bob and Pam Johnson stay busy in retirement. Bob is on five local boards and is the commander of the local VFW. Pam works on sewing projects, plays bridge, and stays busy with the League of Women Voters and Daughters of the American Revolution. They did some traveling: New Orleans; D.C.; Chapel Hill many times; Poquoson, Virginia; Paris; Strasbourg Christmas Market; and The Villages to visit Steve and Ann Ham

Mark, Michelle, and the Prentice clan had another great year. They are healthy and in good spirits. Travel this year: Hilton Head; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Thibodeau, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Destin, Florida; and Savannah, Georgia ... and the annual family trip to Virginia Beach.

Saw on Facebook where Rick and Darlene Hissem met John “J.R.” and Linda Davis for lunch, I think Dec. 28. J.R.’s

Class Notes

daughter and son-in-law live close to Rick and Darleen. Whenever J.R. and Linda visit, they try to meet for a meal and a visit. Rick and J.R. were together in Little Rock, Arkansas, after pilot training. Rick and Darleen set John and Linda up on a blind date—the rest is history!

Paul and Rose Van Doren had a busy year visiting family. Paul is still wrestling with medical stuff. His AML remains in remission. His leukemia cutis has reactivated, so chemo resumed in September. Rose has been a blessing. Paul continues to beat the odds and credits God and prayers. Keep Paul ... and Rose ... in your prayers!

Charlie and Linda Gardner finally got time to take a vacation, a trip to Miramar Air Show outside San Diego, hoping to see their Marine nephew, an F-35 pilot. No joy—his orders had not come through. Charlie is still doctoring—just recertified! Thanks for the note, Charlie.

Short note from Chip Beaman. All is well. Chip (and Cathy) are planning a trip to Italy in April and plan to be back for Roland’s induction ceremony.

A big year for T.J. and Kerri Wilson. Son John married Hannah. Daughter Madison named PACU Nurse of the Year at Johns Hopkins. Travel highlight: T.J. and Kerri’s safari in Kenya.

Rob and Joan Bacon had a good year highlighted with trips to Gulf Breeze on Pensacola Bay to visit grandchildren and to Key West for some boating and snorkeling with some fabulous friends (happens to be my high school sweetheart and her husband). Hope to see Rob and Joan in

Richmond in July if all works out. Thanks for the note!

Received a nice note from Richard McGurn. He and his wife, Elizabeth, are working hard at their Questa Farms in the backcountry of San Diego County, California, raising sheep and goats for milk and meat. Richard said it is hard to get away when one is caring for over 20 livestock, so attending any kind of mini reunion or celebration is a challenge. Thanks for the note, Richard!

Walt and Karen Wilson have now hunkered down in their “snowbird” home in an active over55 retirement community in Palm Desert, California. Thanks for the note and enjoy that good weather.

Keep Mike Dugan (Russellville, Alabama) in your prayers. He is receiving radiation and chemo treatments for the 6 weeks January–February. Call/text to wish him well: (404) 775-1859.

On the second Wednesday of the month, the VMI ’74 Richmond ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) breakfast club tends to meet at the Eggs Up Grill on Huguenot Road. I made the Jan. 14 meeting. Thomas Walton is the POC. Usual attendees: Donnie Ross, David Lester, Robert Taylor ’75, Mike Coleman, Terrell Williams, Mick Ernzen, and Ricky Kastelberg, with guest appearances of Billy Stephens ’73, a collection of Class of ’71 characters, and others.

Phil and Randy Parker sent a Jan. 16 update from Bologna, Italy. They were on a train through the Alps to Munich, where they were to meet son Brian in Hohenfels. They had spent a week touring Venice, Florence, and Bologna—their first time in Italy. Son Brian is an Army artillery lieutenant colonel headed to the War College in 2027. All six of their kids are doing well, and they just welcomed grandchild number nine. Phil’s retirement gig—starter at the local golf course where he and Pete Shelley occasionally donate balls to the woods. They have registered a foursome for Gene Williams’ COW golf outing. Phil and Dave Stormont attempt to solve the world’s problems over flapjacks and joe a couple of times a month. This past October, Phil returned to Black Mountain, North Carolina, where he lived/worked for 10 years as a plant manager to work on flood-damaged homes for a week. The homes of several former employees of the plant were washed away in the flooding. Thanks for the note, Phil. I’m planning to visit—bringing my clubs and a chainsaw.

Received a nice card from John and

Class of 1974: Gathering at the Outer Banks of North Carolina in November 2025 are (from left) Penny Stormont, Karin Toomey, Randy Parker, Susan Shelley, Pete Shelley, Phil Parker, Lane Toomey, and Dave Stormont.

Jayme Kaniss. They lament—another year has flown by. John, volunteering at Habitat for Humanity and home projects, Jayme using her nonprofit expertise administrating part-time for the Junior League of Chattanooga. Mallory (Dynatrace in Boston, senior salesforce developer remotely), Mac and Kaylee (operate Alexandar’s School of Natural Therapeutics and Beyond Bodywork) are all doing well. Their travels: Florida; Arizona; Waynesville, North Carolina; Callawassie Island, South Carolina; Cabo San Lucas; and a bucket- list item—Corvette factory tour in Kentucky. Sounds like all is well. Thanks for the note, John. Paul Van Doren forwarded remarks about the class Tom Dick’s daughter, Leah, included in her Christmas card: “The biggest thanks of all is for showing up with immense love and support at my dad’s funeral. It has been an absolute pleasure learning about what it means to carry the torch of being a brother rat. What a joy to witness that comradery!”

Christmas cards received: J.W. and Pam Simms (Midlothian, Virginia), Sam and Karen Powell (Burlington, North Carolina), Stewart and Vickie Childress (Ararat, Virginia), Stephen and Pat Orr (Ijamsville, Maryland), Terrell and Sarah Williams (Richmond, Virginia), Bruce and Peggy Pence (Roanoke, Virginia), Lane and Karin Toomey (Southern Pines, North Carolina), Charlie and Tommie Toler (Hernando Beach, Florida), Randy and Martha Gleason (Salem, Virgina), Ted and Susan Telle (The Villages, Florida), Craig and Debbie MacFarlane (Woodbridge, Virginia), John and Irene McLaren (Chesapeake, Virginia), Jack and Sandra Karns (Greenville, North Carolina), John and Suzanne Pate (Chesapeake, Virginia, and Mexico), Ken and Betsy Terry (Williamsburg, Virginia), Tony and Peggi Maietta (State Line, Pennsylvania), Russ and Cheryl Takata (Waipahu, Hawaii), Tom and Patti Mascot (Litchfield, Arizona), Pete and Susan Shelley (Raleigh, North Carolina), Jim and Robin Garten (Oro Valley, Arizona), Bert and Cherryl Graham (Berwyn, Pennsylvania), Ted Zajac and Deb Klembara (Avon Lake, Ohio), Bill and Pam Shumate (Stafford, Virginia), Mike and Lera Andriani (Alexandria, Virginia), Bob and Jeanne Slupik (Canyon Lake, Texas), David and Jan Lester (Midlothian, Virginia), John and Tracey Crawley (Newport News, Virginia), Sam and Colleen Mattocks (Fairview Park, Ohio), Arnie and Maria Leonard (Wilmington, North Carolina), Bruce and Sue Jones (Richmond, Virginia), Donnie and Barbara Ross (Glen Allen, Virginia), Chip and Cathy Beaman (Chesapeake, Virginia), Wilson and Anne Johnson (Fredericksburg, Virginia), Tim and Pat Bosse (Suwanee, Georgia), Charley

Class Notes

and Debbie Banning (Annandale, Virginia), Mick and Debbie Ernzen (Littleton, North Carolina), Rob “Kid” and Vivian Fulks (Richmond, Texas), Bailey and Doree Hurley (Ellisville, Missouri), Mike and Sarah Fisher (Rochelle, Virginia), Patricia Dick (Winchester, Virginia), Clarke and Brenda Peele (Glendale, Arizona), Frank and Jeanee Richardson (Newport News, Virginia), Craig and Cathy Carlock (Lexington, Virginia), Russ and Mary Stuart Harlow (Lexington, Virginia), Bob and Pam Johnson (Hendersonville, North Carolina), Rich and Ann Forbes (Nashville, Tennessee), Kent and Brenda Wheeless (Rocky Mount, North Carolina), Andy and Marcie Eason (Moore, Oklahoma), Chuck Ward (Charlottesville, Virginia), Mark and Michelle Prentice (Williamsburg, Virginia), Ed and Jaime Blake (Kilmarnock, Virginia), Jeff Huckabee and Kathy (West Chester, Pennsylvania), Paul and Rose Van Doren (Winchester, Virginia), Pat and Sue Flynn (St. Augustine Beach, Florida), T.J. and Kerri Wilson (Harrisonburg, Virginia), Rob and Joan Bacon (Jacksonville, Florida), Walt and Karen Wilson (Palm Desert, California), Mary Ann Valenstein (Cambridge, Maryland), Jim Pavlou (Verona, Wisconsin), and John and Jayme Kaniss (Cleveland, Tennessee).

That is all for this set of class notes. Like I am quick to say every chance I get—we, as BRs, are getting longer in the tooth, so I encourage you to travel while you still can ... and can enjoy the adventure. And by chance, if you have an opportunity to contact and/or visit a brother rat, by all means, take it! It may be your last chance—you never know! BTW, VMI Class of 1974 river cruise is a go: March 30–April 6, 2027, Burgundy and Provence, France! Check your email. Contact me if you have questions or need assistance. That is all for now!

Class contacts: snookieparker1974@earthlink.net. 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 Innocent Bystanders, Chapter 6, Episode 2: Once again, my quarterly banishment to the castle dungeon dictates I

produce something, anything, for the readership, sparse as it is, ha! Welcome to still another carelessly prepared dossier chronicling our escapades. This episode of the long-running serial (of the Class of ’75 at 50-plus years) peeks into your lives from mid-November ’25 to mid-February ’26.

After the annual holiday straitjacket, shackles, and ball-and-chain task that begins as an endless conveyer belt of cards, leaky pens, ink smears, envelopes, address labels, stamps, and return address stickers, I’m reminded of the movie “Papillon” in which one scene shows Steve McQueen, beaten down after 2 years in seclusion, shoves his head out of the aperture of his dank solitary cell in preparation for a prison haircut, looks [to] the left and to the right at another prisoner and hoarsely whispers, “How do I look?”

In return, an abundance of holiday greetings arrived this year, some as early as Thanksgiving, some yesterday (lost/delayed en route). None of this year’s cards shed glitter, which, when opened, spills into the keyboard! For all of them, I’m grateful!

In no particular order, photos and handwritten notes came from near and far. Please excuse my zeal in using way too many exclamation points of punctuation.

Charlie Hoon and Sharon Haga sent adventurous greetings from Norco, California, having just returned from their Montana spread. Charlie’s mention of pleasant pheasant hunting with plenty of birds was spiced with his experience of retrieving a rooster while detouring around a bear. He carries bear spray and wears a chest holster, as birdshot in his shotgun is little prevention to becoming a meal.

Bobby and DeDe Hunter sent a holiday photo greeting with no less than 17 sons, daughters, and grandies, all happily beaming for the camera!

Nat and Nancy Hamner, too, sent a festive family photo with their home bedecked with decorations for Christmas and news of their travels to New Mexico and New Zealand in 2025!

In his note, the always genial Felix Wolkowitz proclaimed gracious goodwill to all!

Dr. Billy and Lee Hunter offered warm blessings!

Uncle Dave and Tana Schuyler sent a warm note of gratitude and memories of our time in Crozet Hall as cadet waiters.

A much-awaited card came in from Bill and Cindy Witherow, in which Cindy disclosed that after an arduous 5 years searching for answers, Bill has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Unable to come to the 50th Reunion, they purchased one of the beautiful photo albums chronicling that weekend. Please keep Bill in your prayers.

Greg and Kathleen Stultz sent the happy note of Greg’s PSA status remaining in the low range!

A lovely card and note arrived from Mrs. John Y. Richardson. Karen stated 2024–25 has been a year-plus of gradual adjustment. She has reread the many letters John Y. wrote her from VMI and the Room 122 madcap antics of Bob Keller, Tom Jones, our dykes, and me.

Jim Turpin and wife Susan Prokop enclosed pictures and a lengthy note sharing 2025 adventures with friends to Savannah, Georgia, then spring travel to Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Valencia, and Barcelona, Spain. August took them on a whirlwind tour of Poland, visiting Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk. Jim is currently back in Richmond representing clients before the Virginia General Assembly.

Scott, Barb, and Ziggy (the pup) Risser’s annual letter is always comprehensive in content. The Reader’s Digest version appears to be trips planned to Europe in May 2026 with return to the USA by Queen Mary II, history seminars, volunteering in Lexington/Rockbridge County, church ministries, and monthly pinochle. The Rissers annually host/mentor cadets. In 2025, they graduated three seniors—two sophomores and three new cadets; several from the Philadelphia area remain in the mentoring fold.

Dean and Denise Armstrong enjoyed a busy year of travel with our class reunion, several WWII tours, both in the Pacific and Europe, and a lot of flying, as airplanes are often now their home!

Always imaginative, Glenn Garland sent a card with a brilliant send-up of “T’was the Night Before Christmas.” Specific lyrics will remain sealed in the vault.

Dan and Laura Schultz’ photocard taken at their home on the James River displays their two daughters and their extended families, plus two excellent canines (Nola and Dutch), all bearing winsome, radiant grins!

Occasionally indolent, Bill Kobus’ note sang of having sold his home in Jersey City, thus making St. Petersburg, Florida, home base and freeing up his time to permanently unpack and respond

Class Notes

to mail and the many overtures he receives from BRs!

Larry and Fran Groome sent greetings of joy and gratitude!

From Memphis, Tennessee, Charlie Freeman checked in with glad tidings!

Tom and Peggy Jones’ card relayed the happy news of their 50th anniversary in late 2025, and the sad news of the November loss of his mother at age 95. She will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in February beside his father.

John and Cathy Maples’ cheerful card expressed his pleasure at seeing so many of us at reunion and the memories of those special bonds experienced by few ordinary collegiate alumni.

This year, Bob and Jan O’Connor’s Christmas card was missing their always witty and interesting annual letter to friends and family ... I hope I wasn’t omitted as a recipient!

Marty Matlaga sends best wishes!

David “Salvo” and Karen Lape’s card brimmed with best wishes!

Loyal supporter Jerry DeWaters’ card expressed his good-natured holiday wishes!

From Wilmington, North Carolina, Harley and Nancy Myler said, “Happy holidays!”

Mike and Sloane Hunter Jr. had a busy 2025 with the birth and christening of grandson C.M. Hunter IV; golf tournaments; family reunions; a wedding in Vail, Colorado; and various VMI gatherings and games.

Tom and Kathy Schultze’s charming greeting heralded of learning to safely operate a new boat, catching crabs off their Maryland dock, and travel to Rome and Taormina (Sicily), Italy, in 2025. Tom enclosed a heartfelt, handwritten note expressing his gratitude over how welcomed he and Kathy were received at our 50th Reunion and how the connections and memories were immediately rekindled!

Dr. Jim and Nancy McCriskin’s annual Christmas letter (a two-pager!) contained a lengthy family update and news of Jim’s third and final retirement from any clinical cardiology practice as he has stepped down as a U.S. Coast Guard medical officer. As these notes publish, Jim will have enjoyed another “ole guys” trip to Las Vegas.

Jeff and Feri Abravesh sent a

Class of 1975: Guy Conte, Jerry DeWaters, Bernie Cobb, and a friend play golf near Seattle, Washington.

Class of 1975: Attending the Keydet football game versus Western Carolina University Nov. 22, 2025, are (front row, from left) Vic Arthur, Rich McFarland, Paul Bernard, Ellett Smith, (second row) Steve Chapin, Garland Isaacs, Stew Fleming, Al Morgan, Billy Hunter, (third row) Glenn Garland, Rick Davison, and Scott Risser.

Class of 1975: Attending a Keydet basketball game Feb. 7, 2026, are (from left) Mike Hunter, Rob Taylor, Oliver Way, Billy Hunter, Art Nunn, Scott Risser, Allen Morgan, Lowrie Tucker, Tom Mason, Stew Fleming, and Steve Chapin.

message of happiness and joy and of their enjoyment attending the 50th Reunion last April.

Bob and Paulette Keller know of my fondness for the pets among us. Their whimsical photo displayed Maggie, Dani, and Sprite (the pups) and Olaf (kitty) all wearing vintage Bavarian alpine Tyrolean headwear, posing on a mountainside German snowscape setting ... oh, the wonders of Photoshop!

Ellett and Fran Smith’s card and note tell of planned travel in April 2026 to Turkey and Greece to participate in a pilgrimage following the path of apostles Paul and John. They will also go on Len Reidel’s big class trip in May, which you will read about in August (one hopes)!

Art and Judy Nunn always send a bright note of patience and hope, both of which they know I need!

A cryptic card addressed to “The Class Swiss Army Knife” came in from San Pedro, California, care of Arthur John Sigsbury!

Mike and Teresa Mulligan’s card expressed thanksgiving that Mike’s leukemia is in remission!

Tony and Teresa Farry’s note sent news of their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandbabies all being close to Leesburg now. I, personally, remain grateful for Teresa’s gift of a lifetime supply of Chapstick received last April at reunion weekend!

Bill and Barbara Fowlkes card spoke of peace and joy and of a new Missouri address!

Bernie Cobb’s note trilled happily of the class reunion and of golf outings in Charleston, Florida, and the Seattle area (seven rounds in 7 days) with Guy Conte and Jerry DeWaters

Bill Terpeluk’s card forewarned your scribe to stay alert as 2026 will be a crucial year!

Lowrie and Kathy Tucker’s lovely card appears to be of Kathy’s handiwork as our man Lowrie was off in the fields on his tractor!

Rick and Stella Davison’s holiday photocard (no note or words) as mysteriously vexing as to where it was taken ... oh, well!

The P. Allen Morgan family photo and greeting was both handsome and gracious in the words Sandy wrote.

Oliver and Bonnie Way’s card and letter can be summed up with happy times with their two sons, their lovely spouses, and six grandchildren. They enjoyed frequent exotic travel, going to Riviera Maya, Siesta Key, Alaska, New England, Europe (cruise), Bermuda, and Waynesville, North Carolina.

I received my first (and only) e-card from Guy and Mary Conte!

Finally, closing the cavalcade of cards was one from the Alumni Agencies signed by 39 different folks (I counted them all!) and displaying a photo

Class Notes

of a Christmas-bedecked Moody Hall, which will begin being razed around the time you read these notes.

I enjoyed an excellent phone visit with Randy Robertson Jan. 21, 2026, our first in 50 years. We covered Randy’s U.S. Army and his engineering career and his family. He asked after, and I responded as to what I knew about his former roommates, Wade Bowman (slim) and Bill Glasgow (none).

Dave Jensen checked in with a hearty “all right” from Charlottesville.

So too, did John Young III, registering nothing significant to report, thus, “all right.”

Rich Mines will have a full-body CT scan in late February to determine if any traces of cancer remain. He and Beth vacationed at Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, in mild early January, hiking and enjoying several local sites.

Rick Hening’s quarterly dispatch found much of the family in Boone, North Carolina, volunteering at the Operation Christmas Child distribution center in December. Rick has also continued organizing and attending many of the Raleigh VMI alumni chapter breakfasts and luncheon meetings. Like many of us, the Henings survived 5 inches of ice and snow. Ably trained years previously during his U.S. Air Force service stay in North Dakota, he handled the big North Carolina freeze! He will continue shuttling CSX rail employees for a new company beginning in late February. Rick will be immersed in single- A baseball in the Carolina League when these notes release.

And from Cincinnati, Ken and Lu Anne Gerard send their “all right” status, and that pickleball keeps them fit and trim!

Likewise, Charlie Freeman reported in as “all’s well” in Memphis, Tennessee!

On Jan. 4, 2026, I talked with the ever-upbeat Paul Bernard. Please keep Paul in your thoughts.

A slowly thawing John Whitworth shouted an “all right” from the Florida manse.

While en route to Hawaii, Randy Frank enclosed photos and (grating, for us in the East) commentary on the “mild” winter weather in Bellingham, Washington, and of his impulsively signing up for running the Last Chance Half-Marathon on New Year’s Eve and then participating in the Birch Bay Polar Bear Plunge the next morning. The organizers had arranged for the Guinness Records people to be there to document the event, which included some 5,000 entrants. Alas, not all adhered to the stringent rules set, and no record was set. His little community once again yielded to a town in Norway for the official record.

Feb. 7 found no fewer than 11 of ’75’s finest in Cameron Hall for a home basketball tilt against

ETSU. The rowdies documented were Allen and Sandy Morgan, Stew Fleming, Lowrie Tucker, Scott and Barb Risser, Mike and Sloane Hunter, Rob and Sandy Taylor, Art Nunn, Oliver Way, Dr. Billy Hunter, and your scribe. Post-game, all gathered for a photo and then an impromptu gathering at the lovely home of Steve and Sherry Chapin in Lexington.

Class of 1975: Randy Frank takes part in a New Year’s Day polar plunge.

Class of 1975: Dan and Sandy Brooks near Queenstown, New Zealand.

Next—the class travelogue: Dan and Sandy Brooks’ 2026 strategic plan was to get out of the Northeast in the winter. So, step one, spend 6 weeks in New Zealand. Auckland first and the surrounding area of dormant volcanoes offered endless opportunities for hiking and seeing beautiful gardens, as the moist, temperate climate allows the flora to thrive. Many pests were introduced to New Zealand (stoats, rats, wildcats, Australian opossum) that threaten the many species of birds. They visited a glowworm cave, observing how they (the glowworms) illuminate like our lightning bugs, to attract mayflies for sustenance.

Over to the South Island (Te Waipounamu) with initial stop at Stewart Island, off the southern tip of the large South Island for night sighting of kiwi birds and fishing for blue cod (hooked 21 in 2 hours). A helicopter tour took the Brookses to an alpine lake, where the accompanying photo was taken near a mountaintop above Queensland. Dan expounded at some length on the Alpine parrot and the working dogs of the sheep ranches. They headed back north to Christchurch for pub and dining reviews before arriving at the Abel Tasmin National Park at the far north end of the South Island. Dan and Sandy commented that the Kiwis love Americans, beef, lamb, and ice cream!

From New Zealand, our brave, benevolent buccaneers wandered the South Pacific Ocean and traveled to the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and finally, Hawaii ... arrggh, Matey!

Coincidentally, Mrs. Thomas S. (Judy) Baur was also in New Zealand, first on the North Island (Te Ika-A-Maui) landing in Auckland for her first 5 days of sightseeing, shopping, and sumptuous dining. A ferry boat excursion to Waiheke Island for a tour of a winery, wonderful local food, olive groves, and the beautiful vegetation. Travel continued by motorcoach to Rotorua with a stop at Hamilton Gardens and a kiwi hatchery. The group was immersed in the Maori culture and took day trips to the Waimanga Volcanic Valley and the town of Murapara for an overnight with the Ngati Manawa people.

Then it was on by plane to the modern city of Christchurch on the South Island. The group enjoyed a walking tour, wonderful restaurants, ziplining, shopping, a sheep-shearing demonstration, and a lamb barbeque at a local ranch. More bus travel south on the coast of Highway 1 to Ashburton, Oamaru, and Dunedin, observing sea lions, penguins, and albatross on the way. Then, all the way across the New ZealandSouth Island to Milford Sound (a fiord) for kayaking and an overnight in Kingston. The next stop was Queenstown, the adventure capital of the South Island. Seen there were mountain bikers,

Class Notes

hikers, parasailers, and taking a thrilling jet boat ride on the Dart River. One of Judy’s dispatches voiced of the delightful properties of the Pinot Noir grape and the sampling of said grape juice at four different wineries. The group also saw some of the sites where the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was filmed, but no hobbits. After a fortnight in this enchanted land, will Judy B. return to Virginia, and if so, will she have a Kiwi accent?

Are you out there, Thomas Reeder? If so, phone home ...

I reside as your resident worm at the bottom of the bottle. None of the above manuscript was influenced by ChatGPT or signed by the autopen. Humbly and devotedly, I remain, Never above you, never below you, always beside you ...

Your Friend, BR, and Dedicated “Swiss Army Knife,”

Thomas A. Mason

1976

William Bhatta

February is never a great month for writing class notes. Last year, I was tapping away in the middle of a snow and ice storm with the power threatening to go out. This year, I am at it again Feb. 7, during the great Virginian ice age of 2026, with temperatures stuck in the teens.

Here is an update from Dave and Toni Bright: Dave retired 3-and-a-half years ago after a 44-year career supporting the nuclear Navy. He spent over half that time operating research and training reactors used to train Navy personnel that operate nuclear-powered warships, and the rest running a materials test lab used for the development of future naval nuclear capability. Toni retired a year later, just as both of their 99-year-old parents needed more hands-on care, which they have been providing. Despite the demands, Dave has taken up golf and restoration of his old cars, finally getting them dependable enough for future road trips. And the best news: His son and wife welcomed their first child, their sixth grandchild, last year Oct. 8.

Jim and Leigh Anne Delisio welcomed their sixth grandchild Oct. 15 last year, Carter James Thompson, future VMI Class of 2047. He has two older sisters, so Jim and Leigh Anne are hoping he learns to hold his own after he learns to talk! Leigh Anne is recovering remarkably well from a right knee replacement. At the time of Jim’s note,

she had already set aside the walker and relieved him of “stair duty.” I will bet by now she is driving! In his note, Jim mentioned John Coleman’s interment at Arlington Cemetery March 26. Jim noted that Pelham Felder rests in Section 6, and his cousin, Joseph Delisio, who earned the Distinguished Service Cross as the first man across the bridge at Remagen in World War II, is in section 12.

Last December, Ken Harbin shared a story with me about his lost ring: “In 1979, while ashore on an exercise in the Philippines, the safes in the barracks area on our ship were pilfered by some of the ship’s sailors, and a lot of money and jewelry was stolen, including my class ring. Never caught [them], but a lot of folks lost a lot of money and valuables.” Sad news, but Jim started the VMI Alumni Agencies’ process to get a new ring from Jostens!

John Otocka checked in with a great update. He reports that all is well: He retired, completed his “honeydo” list, went back to work, retired again, and now keeps himself “busy and out of trouble” as a part-time teacher for Virginia Beach City Schools. The Otockas will welcome their fourth great-grandchild this year, which may very well be a BR Guinness World Records record! John notes that this brings the family total to three children, five grandchildren, and the growing crew of greatgrands. He added that he never imagined he would be attending so many school events and sports games at this stage of life, but he is enjoying every minute of it.

Jeff Wall made an appearance in the Rose Parade Jan. 1, 2026. He rode with the group “They Are Spirit of the West Riders,” a team he has participated with in past years. This time, Jeff portrayed a cavalry officer from the 1916 Punitive Expedition. I watched the parade but missed him. He was slated at Position No. 52, and naturally, the TV coverage cut to a commercial right after Position No. 51 passed in review. Timing is everything. Michelle and I were able to attend the VMI Alumni Agencies reception at Moody Hall held Jan. 17 to celebrate the ’76 and ’77 basketball teams. Teri Coleman, Rocky and Betsy Glass, Evan and Margaret Haberman, Buzzy Moncure, and Rand Sompayrac were there, along with Curt and Carole Reppart and Duff Joseph. After the reception, we headed down to Cameron Hall for The Citadel–VMI basketball game, where we also saw Grigg and Cindy Mullen and Bill Karnes During halftime, Duff and Curt led the team onto the court, and the crowd gave them a warm welcome. It brought back memories of the good old VMI basketball days; I still have my half of the March 20, 1976, NCAA Eastern Regional ticket.

Class Notes

The current team could have used help from the honorees, though; VMI fell to The Citadel, 82–68. Between family visits and other trips, last year Jim and Tish Dittrich managed to stop in Sturgis, South Dakota. As Jim put it, “We spent a night in Sturgis during the bike rally, which was unexpected, and can only be described as very loud and more motorcycles than we’ve seen in our lifetimes.” On the home front, the year brought challenges and bright spots. Their son, Addison, is going through a divorce, while Taylor has moved to Truckee, California, where he is thriving as the culinary chef at the Palisades Tahoe Resort. Chelsea and Joaquin are remodeling/expanding their home, while Chelsea continues teaching and Joaquin is now a captain of a 101-foot boat with crew, chartering into the Caribbean. And of course, no Dittrich update is complete without a couple of classic Jim stories. Fortunately, this year he delivered two. No. 1: Buddy, their dog, “is a bit of a wanderer and wears a buzz collar to bring him home from his walkabouts. One day, I couldn’t get the TV remote to work and kept pressing it over and over, until I realized Buddy kept jumping up from a nap. I had been buzzing his remote collar and not the TV remote. Poor Buddy!” No. 2: “We recently learned that the game and fish folks in Arkansas have put alligators into nearby Lake Maumelle, hoping to control the beaver population. Problem is, they didn’t tell anybody. A neighbor down the road heard a commotion in his pig lot and shot an 8-foot alligator looking for a pork dinner. His accomplice, a 10-foot alligator, escaped and is still at large.”

Rocky and Betsy Glass bought a house in Annapolis, Maryland, so they can be closer to their kids and grandchildren. After debating a move to the area for a long time, they finally pulled the trigger. They plan to move from Midlothian, Virginia, this spring. They have lived in Midlothian for 45 years, so I know they are not exactly looking forward to sorting through all the stuff they will need to move or get rid of.

Jack and Charlotte Christy checked in. Jack said, “Just a short note to summarize 2025, another year in the history books. We are doing as well as can be expected, as we’re discovering the truth of the adage that old age isn’t for sissies. We’ve only got minor issues, so we consider ourselves lucky, with no complaints. We’re mostly staying put in Anacortes, Washington; it’s a wonderful place, hard to leave it, few places better.”

Mack Curle, Rocky Glass, Maury Gatewood, Lee Godsey, Tom Hawthorne, Greg Hedley, Jim Mallon, Tom Moody, and Kavie Thrift attended the Richmond BRC Jan. 16 at McLean’s Restaurant in Richmond. Greg is our newest member and

has already become a fan of the place. He enjoyed McLean’s so much that he brought his daughter’s family there for breakfast last December.

Hunt and Penny Ozmer just returned from an 8-day cruise (ziplining in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, snorkeling in San Juan, Puerto Rico, etc.) in the Eastern Caribbean. I cannot believe they abandoned us back here on the East Coast while we froze our butts off during ice age 2026! Hunt is enjoying retirement and staying busy. He said, “I’m coordinating food donations for the First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, Florida, who is hosting our 11th annual Tim Tebow Foundation Night to Shine prom. We have over 200 special needs adults and children who enjoy an evening that includes being crowned kings and queens for the evening, limo rides, red carpet entrance, plenty of food, and music and dancing. We are blessed just to see the faces of these special needs adults and children.” Hunt and Penny’s daughter, Abby Rowzee, completed her first full marathon in the Houston Marathon this January; daughter Brooke Rowzee Graham visits them every 2–3 months, and their oldest daughter, Kelly, and her husband, Eric, are stationed in Germany for the next 2 years. Pete Friesen enjoyed his first full year of retirement! His wife, Mary Ann, continues to work part-time as a registered nurse and stays active as a Master Gardener and working on native plant projects. A February 2025 pilgrimage to Guadalupe, Mexico, with friends was a deeply meaningful experience for Pete and Mary Ann. They traveled with Father John Boughton ’87, which made the journey especially memorable. Pete and Father Boughton enjoyed comparing VMI notes, and the group returned with a renewed sense of gratitude and faith. The year also included a nephew’s waterfront wedding in Maryland, a summer visit to Charlottesville, Virginia, and their first-ever trip to Wisconsin for a family wedding. By happy coincidence, the nearby town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, was celebrating the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons the same weekend of the wedding, giving Pete an unexpected bonus adventure.

Grigg and Cindy Mullen are grateful for their good health and the joy of watching their children thrive. As Grigg said, “If somebody tried to design a perfect retirement, I think we’ve got it.” Their year was filled with travel and family time. They began with a 3,500-mile winter road trip to Albuquerque to visit Andrew, Melissa, and Cora and a small-ship cruise through Panama and Costa Rica, where Grigg checked the Panama Canal off his bucket list, and Cindy confirmed that tropical heat is not her preferred vacation climate. Grigg made several trips to St. Michaels, Maryland, to

Class of 1976: Hunt and Penny Ozmer finished second in a pickleball tournament on a Caribbean cruise in January 2026.

Class of 1976: Jim and Sharon Joustra with their son, Andrew, and his wife, Tina, in Laguna Woods, California, on Andrew and Tina’s wedding day, Oct. 4, 2025.

Class of 1976: Mark Sculley’s Corvette, with VMI license plates, parked near the ski slopes in Utah.

work on his boat, Mr. Dickie, then spring break took the whole family to Hawaii, where Cora spent plenty of pool time with Pops and Cici. Their spring timber-framing project, a pavilion for the Concerned Citizens of Glasgow, brought 120 volunteers together over 5 days. In June, they traveled to Norway, cruising from Bergen up the fjord-lined coast to Alesund and returning home from Oslo. In September, Grigg fulfilled another bucket-list dream: A bird shoot in Scotland, followed by a 15-day road trip around the North Coast. From there, they flew to Paris for a 10-day river cruise to Normandy, where Grigg visited the D-Day beaches and the American cemetery for the first time. Their fall timber-framing project supported the Buena Vista Community Garden, a 3-day effort with 70 volunteers, and then, in October, they attended the Timber Framers Guild conference in Suquamish, Washington.

Ted and Melany Mouras marked their 25th anniversary in their Arizona home and will reach their 47th anniversary next week, a milestone they will celebrate at home—giving Ted time to joke that they “pondered” the occasions quietly. Ted continues his active volunteer work, adjusting his volunteer commitments, while Melany maintained her sense of humor by insisting that not practicing the piano would somehow improve her playing. Much of their year was shaped by the loss of Melany’s sister and brother-in-law in Florida, which kept the Mourases traveling back and forth between Arizona and Florida. Amid that sadness came something interesting: Melany’s sister and brother-in-law chose to have their remains incorporated into reef balls— environmentally safe concrete structures placed on the ocean floor to help restore and protect marine habitats. As EternalReefs.com describes it, this unique memorial “combines a cremation urn, ash scattering, and burial at sea into one meaningful, permanent environmental tribute to life.”

1977

Steve Kelly

Greetings, Super ’77!

It is very cold in North Carolina in early February as I write these notes. I experienced the fun of dealing with about 3 inches of ice on my driveway, and Mauri had to deal with the 11 inches of snow that came afterward. I was deployed for a week in Linden, Tennessee, doing chaplaincy disaster relief work with North Carolina Baptists on Mission. Those folks had some serious ice and tree damage! Hopefully, by the time you read this note, it will be spring and warmer temperatures will prevail.

The first item to report is that we finally have a date for our 50th Reunion! The dates are April

23–24, 2027. Our headquarters will be at the Wingate, with overflow at hotels close by. We will have our hospitality rooms set up Thursday night, April 22, for those who arrive early. Lots of great things in the planning stages right now as our committees work to put this great event together. Please plan on coming back for this time of fellowship and remembrance with our brother rats. You will be getting a call/email from our outreach committee soon—please let them know if you plan to come so we can get an accurate count. On behalf of the giving committee, I would also ask that you consider a financial gift to VMI. As I have said in the past, if you do not want to give to the VMI Foundation/Keydet Club, then please consider a gift to our ’77 scholarship fund. This scholarship directly benefits a cadet with financial need. All gifts given for the last 5 years will count toward our 50th Reunion class check to VMI. Also, please be aware that the reunion planning committee members do not want the costs associated with the 50th to keep you from coming. Please contact Steve Neas (SteveNeas77@gmail.com) if you need financial assistance in order to come to our 50th. This request for help will be kept confidential. Second item of note is our annual class mini reunion Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11–12, 2026. Tommy Cole will be heading the charge for the VMI Memorial Golf Tournament Friday (location TBD). VMI hosts Bucknell that Saturday in football. In addition to the golf tournament, tailgate, and football game, I hear that Kerry Mullings, Steve Billingsley, and crew are planning a “VMI summer camp” that week with all kinds of exciting new adventures. Stay tuned for more

So, believe it or not, in exactly 76 days we’ll be gathering for our 50th Reunion April 24–25. Hard to imagine that it’s been half a century since we first stepped onto post. But we learned quickly how to rack it in, take the shouts of upperclassmen in stride, and find our footing in a demanding environment. When you read these notes in May, I hope I saw you back in Lexington where it all began, shook your hand, and traded a few stories from the early days that set the foundation for our lives that followed.

Class of 1977: Gen. Somnuek (The Citadel ’82), Yai Kasemsant, P. Phataralaoha, Don and Nipa Browder, Oaw and Doug Sebert, and Gen. Charumas (guest) in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 28, 2025.

Class of 1977: Mark Hunt, John Krovic, Mike Lindsay, Keith Gibson, Rich Humenuck, George Borojevich, and Will Bynum at the 1976–77 championship basketball teams recognition Jan. 17, 2026.

information on the mini reunion activities, but if you plan to come, it’s already first round for a motel room!

Next up is that January witnessed the inaugural launch of the Super ’77 prayer ministry on Zoom, which is a nondenominational Christian community of prayer for VMI Class of ’77 members. The prayer group meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m. If you would like to join the adventure, please email Joe Molina at chapsmo@ gmail.com, and he will place you on the monthly Zoom invitation. Fifteen brother rats participated in the first meeting, and there is room for plenty more!

Brother Rats John Krovic, George Borojevich, and Will Bynum were honored at halftime Jan. 16 at the VMI versus The Citadel basketball game as members of the legendary VMI basketball teams from 1976–77. Mike Lindsay helped organize a social event after the game, where some reminiscing about basketball teams of the past took place. Participating in this social were Mark Hunt, John Krovic, Mike Lindsay, Keith Gibson, Rick Humenuck, George Borojevich, and Will Bynum. Bobby McQueen sent a picture taken at the VMI versus The Citadel football game last November in Charleston, South Carolina. Brother rats attending were Bobby McQueen, Jeff Reynolds, and Eric Radford. Also received a note from Kip and Beth Hamilton. After wintering in Florida for several years, they have purchased a home in The Villages in Florida and are moving there full-time. Next month, Kim and Beth are headed for their annual trek to Brother Rat Mark Abernathy’s place in Port Charlotte. Kim and Beth—let us know when you are settled in Florida and ready for guests!

Don Browder sent a picture from Bangkok of Brother Rats Yai Kasemsant, P. Phataraloaha, and Doug Sebert having dinner with several Thai

Please keep Steve (and Dickie Moore) in your prayers for cancer, as well as Mark Abernathy, as he recovers from tendon repair surgery. I believe that is all the news and pictures I have room for at the moment. Look forward to seeing many of you at our fall mini reunion and at our very special 50th Reunion April 23–24, 2027. Stay warm and dry out there!

Tick

1978

Tom Brown

general officers. Tim Thompson continues to smash bricks and teach karate students in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His students and teams continue to excel in local, state, and national competitions. Our class was well represented at the Institute Society Dinner at VMI this past November. Those present included Steve Neas, Mark Bryant, Dickie Moore, Mike Davis, and Bland Massie. Likewise, our class had representatives share in the Class of ’27 Ring Figure in November 2025. Brother rats present for this event were Mark Bryant, Steve Neas, Kimber Latsha, and Keith Gibson

Received a note from Steve Gallahan. He retired from Dominion Energy after 34 years some time back. He and his wife, Sherri, have a precious granddaughter turning 3 this April. Steve asked for prayer as he was diagnosed in 2023 with stage IV metastatic prostate cancer. At the moment, Steve is in a good place as aggressive treatment has left the cancer dormant. He mentioned that the BRs should get checked for prostate cancer.

Greetings and Salutations to the Class of ’78 and Friends!

Winter this year was quite full of surprises, subzero temperatures, snow, even in Florida! Let us hope that this summer proves to be a bit more predictable.

Time for the news from around the class.

George Relyea: “I have been retired for a year now. Shortly after I retired, my wife and I moved to Henderson, Kentucky. We are living right on the Ohio River and love to sit out on our deck watching the boats and barges go by. I am still doing a lot of baking these days and teaching a lot of classes on baking artisanal sourdough bread. Our health is good, and we’re doing a lot of traveling; Europe, the Northwest Pacific Coast, and Georgia to visit grandkids are our favorite spots.”

Greg Gearhart: “Judy and I are well, as our area narrowly missed the worst of the ice storm in northern Mississippi.”

Blaine Vorgang: “Wendy and I are in an ‘all

Class of 1977: Debbie McQueen, Bobby McQueen, Jeff Reynolds, Sally Radford, Ivonne Rhudy, and Eric Radford at the VMI versus The Citadel game in Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 1, 2025.

Class of 1977: Steve Neas, Mike Davis, Kimber Latsha, Bland Massie, and Dickie Moore at the Institute Society Dinner Nov. 7, 2025.

Class of 1977: Mark Bryant, Steve Neas, Keith Gibson, and Kimber Latsha at Ring Figure for the Class of 2027 as part of the Pass in Review program in November 2025.

right’ status for your email ‘stick check.’”

Mark Seely: “Rosemary and I have moved back to our favorite San Francisco neighborhood and are settling in. We’re enjoying everything this wonderful city has to offer.”

Mike Freeman: “All is well in central North Carolina. Survived the ice and snow and cannot wait for spring to begin. Not much going on and slowly working on some easy home project that will keep me busy till I can golf again. “

Vagel Keller: “All right.”

Tom English: “All is well in Draper, Utah. Enjoying retirement and spending time with the grandkids.”

Tim Berkhimer: “All good and right in Virginia Beach.”

Rick Wetherill: “All right!”

Kevin Callanan: “Hope all is well down South. Nothing new here in the frozen tundra that is the Shenandoah Valley. We’re actually heading down your way for 3 weeks to see what sunshine looks like. So, all OK, as we said in Airborne School.”

Pete Manoso: “All OK in Newport News, Virginia.”

Bob Fricke: “All right in Colorado Springs. For the first time in the 21 years I’ve lived in Colorado, we’ve had practically no winter. We’re praying for snow or rain.”

Steve Craig: “All right in San Antonio!”

Sam Saunders: “Mary and I are doing well here in Charlottesville. Right now, we are trying to stay warm. We had a good year in 2025 with a trip to Belgium and the Netherlands in the spring. We also traveled to Scotland and Ireland last September. We are blessed to be in good health and able to travel. We are keeping busy with volunteer projects, church activities, and keeping up with our three grandchildren. I continue my parttime job at Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, as we prepare for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Peace and blessing to all the ’78s.”

Jim Mackin: “January 2026 finds Regina and I recoiling in horror from the 2 inches of snow we received here in coastal North Carolina and from the one-two punitive law punch foisted against VMI by the legislature up yonder in Virginia. The former was dispatched using an old long-handled flat-blade shovel. ... Nevertheless, we say ‘Never Say Die!’ These two evils were ameliorated by news from our oldest daughter and son-in-law (VMI ’11) that they have delivered our second granddaughter, Della Claire. Perhaps a provisional appointment is in order?”

John Tucker: “All right in Columbus,

Class Notes

Ohio. I do not remember it being this cold for so long before.”

Jimmy Leech: “We are doing well here, although on a sad note, a beloved VMI biology professor, Dr. Fred Swope, passed away back in October. Steve Craig and I were apparently of one mind about writing an After Taps submission for the Alumni Review. Steve took the lead on that in consultation with Fred’s daughter, and in collaboration with Brion Smith, Steve Thompson, Dave Colonna, and Clyde Long, we put together an article which will hopefully be published in the May Review. I also knocked out a little letter to Governor Spanberger of Virginia about VMI. No need for explanation there. Otherwise, nothing new to report.”

Bob Longwell: “All right!”

Leland Horn: “All good here, shivering like the rest of Florida.”

Gary Braswell: “Still retired in Bastrop, Texas. Plenty of time for doctor visits and physical therapy, ha! Enjoying my 8-year-old grandson and still married to my bride of 38 years! Having fun Carnival cruising in the Gulf of America. Rah Virginia Mil!”

Bruce Kay: “All is well here. Spending lots of quality time with my granddaughter. Looking forward to the end of winter so I can spend more time outside.”

Anthony Moore: “I attended the 50th anniversary celebration for the ’76/’77 NCAA basketball teams as a guest of roomie Dave Montgomery Johnny Garnett flew in from the left coast to join in the celebration. Steve Oddi and Paul Mitchell also attended the event. Ron Carter was not able to attend, but we spoke to him on several occasions during the celebration.”

Brion Smith: “‘All right’ here in Keswick despite the chill and frozen snow. Driving down to Lynchburg next week to hear the superintendent speak and hoping for a Room 460 weekend reunion with Placzek, Tulskie, and Murray in April.”

Paul Campbell: “All right!”

Steve Murray: “All is well from Annapolis, Maryland. Just retired and trying to adjust to new lifestyle and to the future.”

Mark Lambert: “All right in St. Charles; can’t wait for spring, as we have had some really cold weather here in the Chicago area. Denise and I have our birthdays next week—looking forward to celebrating my 70th and her 60th! So far, so good!”

Chris Stone: “Status is ‘all right,’ though winter in Richmond has been a bit of a

Class of 1978: George Relyea teaching the art of sourdough bread making.

Class of 1978: Chris Stone with his daughter and three grandsons in Aviano, Italy, for her promotion to U.S. Army chief master sergeant.

Class of 1978: Bill Hardy, current president of the Commonwealth Club in Richmond, Virginia, with Anthony Moore, Steve Oddi, Wad Bugg, Bill Way, Ronnie Milligan, Andy Faulconer, and Paul Mitchell.

grind. I didn’t leave the house the first week, the second week was better, and now we’re into week three with plenty of ice still around. Thankfully, the Mini Cooper handles it better than it has any right to. I’m more than ready for spring. Thanksgiving was a bright spot. I spent it with my daughter and my three grandsons in Aviano, Italy. She was recently promoted to chief master sergeant, and I’m planning to return in April for her promotion ceremony. That’s something I’m really looking forward to. Living in Richmond and staying politically active, I’ve been visiting and following the Virginia General Assembly closely, including the bills affecting VMI. I was encouraged to see HB1377 amended to shift away from questioning whether VMI should exist as a state institution and toward a focused task force on accountability, culture, and responsiveness. That strikes me as a far more practical and constructive approach. Studying expectations and improvements makes more sense than threatening funding or dismantling an institution that has served the Commonwealth for nearly two centuries. To me, the amendment reflects common sense and responsible stewardship, and it offers a path to strengthen VMI while preserving its core mission and traditions for future generations.”

Class Notes

of the prayer group steering committee. In Johnny, the committee welcomes a man of strong faith and much wisdom to our team, and we look forward to Johnny’s contributions and guidance, and to having him alongside in our continued journey through our shared fourth quarter.

Mike Oelrich: “Life is good in the old Panhandle. We are very excited with our first grandchild expected in April. I haven’t set a firm retirement date, but I’m looking at sometime in 2027. Hope you and the rest of our class are doing well.”

Dave Mecredy: “Just before Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of joining the VMI ’78 prayer steering committee for a retreat weekend at the palatial log home of Ron and Linda Dolan in Gainesboro, Tennessee. Bill Robertson and Jay Hutt shared the 8-hour drive from Virginia, and I flew in from Minnesota. Brother Rats Ken Blythe, Tom Brown, and Bob Beaver joined via Zoom for several teachings and testimonies presented by members of the committee. Our guest speaker, Tom Harvey, joined us via Zoom to give real meaning to Paul’s declaration: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The weather was great, the scenery was stunning, and the Dolan hospitality was heartwarming.

Jay Hutt: “Just after Christmas, Paula and I visited Bill Robertson in his big-boy playpen, better known as the terrific River City 3 Railers Christmas train display—and ‘terrific’ hardly covers it! It seemed like the display took the entire building at the Great Big Greenhouse, with yards and

yards and yards of various O-scale train configurations and all sorts of highly detailed scenery. He and other club members had several trains running simultaneously—so much to see we probably missed more than we noted. Of special interest was a very familiarly decorated caboose, lovingly restored from all original parts dating back to 1947. Very impressive. A fun afternoon spent with Bill and Nancy, who also came out for a visit. Great to see them both!”

I would like to acknowledge all the great Christmas greetings you all so kindly sent. Thanks, Tim Pishdad, Keith Barber, Cliff Seibel, Clyde Long, Scott LaCagnin, Bob Zaccardi, Bil Greg, Paul Mitchell, Dave Gray, Ed Little, Terry Dorn, Don McGinnis, Bob Beaver, Tim McGreer, Alec Earle, and Paul Campbell. Pat and I thank you all so very much.

’78 prayer group news: Johnny Garnett has graciously agreed to serve all of us as a member

The group celebrated 5 years in February with a special remembrance of our departed BRs, a devotion by Karen Burke, Robby Burke’s widow, and a benediction by Johnny Garnett. Please join your BRs the third Tuesday of each month at 8:30 p.m. Eastern via Zoom. We have worked to make sure we are prompt and that there is time afterwards for chatting with your brother rats.

Time for the 50th Reunion is getting closer. Please make sure your contact information is current. If you are not getting emails, birthday, or Christmas cards, it may be due to wrong address or you chose to opt out of correspondence at some time. If you desire to change preferences or update your address, either contact the VMI Alumni Agencies by emailing Norma Robinson at Nrobinson@vmiaa.org or me at ezbvmi78@ gmail.com.

I realize that the events in Virginia regarding the Institute have stirred emotions within our class. I have refrained from joining in the fray. I feel there are enough other sources available to cover the issues. Keep yourselves informed and remember, never say die!

That concludes our happenings from around the class. Stay connected to your BRs.

In the Spirit, Tom/EZ Bear

1979

Howard “Chappy” Lucas

Hello, BRs! I trust these class notes find you and your family well. I am writing these notes having learned of the passing of Col. William “Bill” Cedric Noell Jr. ’53. Bill was a very special friend of our class. If you are not aware, Bill was Col. William Buchanan ’50B’s rat.

We were first introduced to Bill during our initial class tailgate when Bill and his lovely wife, Judy, walked up to our tailgate. It was during that

Class of 1978: Ron Dolan, Jay Hutt, Dave Mecredy, and Bill Robertson at Ron’s home in Tennessee.

Class of 1978: Bill Robertson with a VMIthemed model train car, part of a Christmas train display put on by the River City 3 Railers in Richmond, Virginia.

conversation we learned that he was Col. Buchanan’s rat. Bill was happy to share stories of his rat year with then-Regimental Commander Buchanan, as well as stories from their lifelong friendship. It was interesting to learn that Bill was a regular guest of Col. Buchanan during Col. Buchanan’s tour as commandant. We were honored to have Bill and Judy as our invited guests during our 45th Reunion, where Bill entertained us with stories from his lifelong friendship with Col. Buchanan. Our thoughts and prayers are with Judy and the family.

Turning to class notes, John Colonna wrote, “I had a wonderful weekend Jan. 17–18, 2026. Abbas Erfani drove from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and picked up Ray Duffett. Jeff Smith drove down from Princeton, New Jersey, and I drove up from Norfolk, Virginia. We met at Dan and Patrice Foster’s house outside Richmond. We then all drove to a very nice restaurant in Short Pump for lunch. We had great food and even better company. Dan and Patrice looked great and have had a full house with their son, Andrew, and his family back from Grenada, Spain. They are getting ready to return to Spain for another 4-year mission tour. Dan and Patrice’s youngest daughter had her first child recently. After we left Dan and Patrice, we headed to Lexington to attend the events celebrating those amazing basketball teams we had our first 3 years at VMI. The reception at Moody Hall before the game was fun, and the presentation at halftime of the basketball game brought back so many fond memories. We were a win over The Citadel away from a perfect weekend. Many thanks to Ray Duffett for coming up with the idea for this trip and arranging everything. I enjoyed catching up with Ed Johnson at the reception and at the game. Teresa and I have a grandson due Feb. 7 and another grandson due May 22. That will give us 10 grandchildren. We couldn’t be happier.”

Also attending the basketball game with The Citadel at VMI Jan. 17 were Grady Andrews and George Eliades. They ran into Ed Johnson at the game and reported all is well! It was great to hear from Thitinant “Nong” Thanyasiri, who reported that after a long-awaited anticipation, he hosted John Hash on a visit to Thailand Jan. 9–Feb. 5, 2026. The

Class Notes

27-day period seemed quite short for them, with a long list of things to enjoy in Bangkok, Chiengmai, the northeastern provinces, and the coastal provinces of eastern Thailand. One of the most memorable activities for John was to pay respects to the royal remains of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the queen mother, inside the Disit Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace, Bangkok. Only during the national mourning period from November 2025–October 2026 are Thais, as well as foreign visitors, allowed to enter the magnificent and mesmerizing Throne Hall. Another memorable activity, with a less serious note for John, was to become a close friend with a Thai elephant through a rather unique elephant trunk and human head greeting, followed by an elephant-riding experience in a theme park near Pattaya Beach. Among their packed agenda and many activities, John and Nong had the opportunity to meet with Surapong “Pong” Suwana-Adth. John and Nong enjoyed a gourmet dinner generously hosted by Pong in Bangkok in early February 2026 prior to John’s departure. They also joined with Pong to attend the funeral ceremony for Pong’s motherin-law Jan. 31, 2026. We send our deepest condolences and thoughts and prayers to Pong and his wife, Kai, and their family.

Nong concluded by writing, “Like all members of the VMI Class of 1979, John, Pong, and I have many fond memories with the Institute and all of our classmates.” For Nong, the bond of brotherhood with John is very strong and unique, because John’s parents always treated Nong as their third son, beginning during our rat year at VMI.

Eric Schwarz reported in sending, “Since the last report, momentous things have happened! I was formally inducted into the Tortuga Hiking Club. I am happy to relay that the vote was unanimous among the three members present. Whew, I was really sweating it out. I have hiked our local National Forest and a battlefield five times with various combinations of BRs and made the hazardous ascent of Little House Mountain with Brian Tollie and Phil Southers This hike totaled 8 miles, with 1-anda-half miles each way on the climb portion alone. We had generally dry conditions, although there was ice on the trees and large boulders as we neared the top. All the yoga I do three

Class of 1979: Frank Jester; Gen. Dan Caine ’90, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Jim Owens at the VMI versus Navy football game in Annapolis, Maryland, Aug. 30, 2025.

Class of 1979: Pictured in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 17, 2026, are (from left) Jeff Smith, Ray Duffett, Dan Foster, John Colonna, and Abbas Erfani.

Class of 1979: Attending Ray Duffett’s induction ceremony into the Youngstown State University Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2026 are (from left) Ben Green, Dana Duffett Green, Andrew Duffett, Ray, Shelley Duffett, and Ross Duffett, M.D.

to four times per week is thankfully beneficial to my flexibility and general movement. Becky and I traveled to California in January 2026 to link up with our son, Michael, and his family, who came down from their Coast Guard duty station on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Michael will move to Niagara Station, New York, on Lake Ontario this summer to be the executive petty officer (deputy to the officer in charge). They will be closer to family there but still in the heavy snow belt. Becky and I have trips to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Spain and Portugal in the next 2 months before a 2-week trip to Greece this summer. We also will attend her high school reunion in Kansas. I hope everyone is well and look forward to our next gathering, whether on the trail or in a more civilized location.”

I heard from Bill Albro, who wrote, “Happy day after Breakout day!” Bill reported that he got a text from Pete Alvarez reminding him that they both went up the stairwell, and Pete did not want to remember what had to be cleaned off his uniform! Pete reminded Bill of the advice he had gotten from Bill Smithson, which was to “keep your mouth shut and don’t look up!” Bill reminded Pete that, in addition to being a class, we also got the right to cut our eyes in ranks and have a radio. As Bill said, “Oh, the simple joys of 5 decades ago!” Bill also wrote that he and Reggie Sadler have played several rounds of golf together, usually playing together about once a month. Bill added that “Barbara and I also meet Reggie and Linda about once a month for dinner. We have several new places down here that we like to frequent.”

Frank Jester reported in regarding three events. Frank attended the Williamsburg Chapter dinner Nov. 17, 2025, where the new superintendent, Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, spoke to alumni. Joining Frank at this dinner were Anthony Pais and Ed Johnson. Frank then reported that he and Butch Manning had gotten together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Breakout. Frank also wrote that he and Jim Owens had the honor and privilege of meeting Gen. Dan Caine ’90, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the VMI versus Navy football game tailgate Aug. 30, 2025. Definitely check out the picture of Frank and Jim with Gen. Caine ’90!

Congratulations to Ray Duffett! I learned that Ray was inducted into the Youngstown State University Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of their class of 2025 inductees. Ray was honored as a contributor to Youngstown State University Athletics with the hall of fame’s award citation stating, “Duffett served as the Youngstown State team doctor from the late 1980s until 2025. He is retiring from his service to the Penguin community, and he has been practicing here in the Mahoning

Class Notes

Valley since 1988. Prior to coming to the area, Doctor Duffett worked with MLB and NFL players in Cincinnati, where he honed his skills and later benefited the YSU athletic community, including our four national championship football teams in the 1990s. Doctor Duffett, an accomplished surgeon, has been on the forefront of his field, implementing that extensive knowledge toward his local patients at Southwooods Health and to our Penguin student-athletes.”

I am happy to report that Jeff Goldhardt has relocated back to Virginia! It is great having Jeff

back here in the Commonwealth. Jeff wrote, “As we headed to Farmville to celebrate our 41st anniversary and my birthday, the front neighbor’s buffalo looked at us. While we were gone, at least one came across the icy snow-covered yard to the back neighbor’s fence line. I used to get excited seeing peacocks and chickens outside the Texas post office!” Welcome back to Virginia, Jeff!

Bill Bersson wrote, “Ann and I have moved to Pensacola, Florida, permanently. We left Roswell, Georgia, earlier this year after living there for close to 38 years. I am in the process of retiring and hope to do that by the middle of this summer.”

Continuing in retirement, John Kailey wrote he had a bit of a health scare, which turned out, thankfully, not to be a health problem. John added he is a volunteer on a horse farm and has even joined the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. John wrote that joining the auxiliary “is interesting, because 9 months ago I couldn’t spell boat.”

I want to thank Randy Atkins and Al Soltis for their great work in establishing and managing a monthly virtual prayer meeting for our class. This meeting is being held the last Tuesday of every month at 8 p.m. Eastern. The initial meeting was held in January 2026 with an excellent program including devotion, prayer, and extended fellowship. If you are interested in joining fellow BRs in this meeting, contact Randy or Al for details.

On Jan. 24, 2026, 49 years and 362 days after our Breakout, the Rat Mass of 2026+3 broke out of the Rat Line to become the new VMI Class of 2029. As you may recall, our class has been paired with this new VMI class under the new VMI Alumni Agencies program called Pass in Review. This program pairs an upcoming 50th Reunion class with the graduating class the year of their 50th Reunion, starting as the new class matriculates. The program’s objective is to create a mutually beneficial relationship from which current cadets receive mentorship, while members of the 50-year class have an opportunity to assist in the development of our future military and civilian leaders.

The Pass in Review program identifies six basic “touchpoints” between the cadet class and its respective 50-year alumni class—matriculation, Breakout dinner, Ring Figure, 1st Class BBQ, paired class 50th Reunion, and cadet class commencement. We elected to pursue an expanded engagement strategy, starting with participating in rat send-offs prior to the Class of 2029’s matriculation in August 2025. Our thanks to all those BRs who volunteered to attend rat send-offs, as we attended 20 rat send-offs held last summer.

For matriculation, our class was represented during the matriculation ceremonies by our Pass in Review class representatives, Anthony Pais and

Class of 1979: Al Soltis (left) and Tom Trumps attend the Class of 2029 Breakout Dinner Jan. 24, 2026.

Class of 1979: Attending the funeral of Surapong Suwana-Adth’s mother-in-law in Thailand Jan. 31, 2026, are (from left) Thitinant Thanyasiri, Surapong, and John Hash.

Bill Hamlin. Anthony and Bill did a great job representing our class! Our thanks to Anthony and Bill, as well as the BRs who also attended in support of Anthony and Bill. We also invited the Class of 2029 to our class tailgate Nov. 8, 2025, where we enjoyed meeting members of the now Class of 2029.

Unlike back in our day, the current Breakout activities include a Breakout dinner. This is a dinner held in Crozet Hall for the entire new VMI class, which is attended by the superintendent, commandant, and their staffs, as well as the leadership of the 1st Class and representatives of the paired Pass in Review alumni class. Unfortunately, a winter storm impacted some BRs from attending, but we were fortunate and thankful that Al Soltis and Tom Trumps were able to attend to represent our class. They shared our congratulations to the new Class of 2029 on achieving this significant milestone in their cadetship and told them that the Class of 1979 stands ready and looks forward to supporting their continuing journey as cadets. Be on the lookout for additional opportunities to engage with and support these cadets in the coming months.

I want to thank all of those that checked in with me during the past 3 months, including Greg Quinn, Burley Byrd, Bart Cramer, Larry Betz, Masoud Bajestani, Bruce Pearson, Tom Bright, Jim Harrington, Tom Baltazar, Jim Leavitt, Jim Elliott, Robin Winn, Mark Cheek, Asa Page, Keith Ranker, Steve Scaglione, Lee Moise, Carl Jackson, Tim Bridges, Jose Gomez, Mike Ogden, John Blake, Greg Weaver, Mike Vela, Rich McGruder, John Poffenbarger, Brian Tollie, Joe Jenkins, Tom Manley, Phil Southers, and Gleb Taran.

Before closing these notes, I want to send a special thank you and congratulations to Ed Johnson on his retirement in December 2025 as the VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer. Under Ed’s leadership, the Alumni Association saw increased alumni engagement as evidenced by the over 40% increase in chapter activities, and a focus on building meaningful connections between alumni and cadets with signature events and programs such as the 1st Class BBQ, the Pass in Review program, and the Cadet–Alumni Career Networking Forum. We thank Ed for his lifelong support of cadets, alumni, and the Institute!

In closing, I have two requests. First, please mark your calendars for April 2029 (most likely one of the last two weekends of April) for our 50th Reunion. Second, if there is a BR you have thought about reconnecting with but have not yet done so, take the time to reach out and reconnect today! Thanks for your continuing support! RVM!

Class Notes

1980

John Gibney Jr.

Hello, Brother Rats!

These notes cover the period Nov. 15, 2025, through Feb. 13, 2026, as we are traveling over Presidents Day weekend. They include the sad news of the passing of Walt Bellamy in November and the notification that Dave Sadowski passed in April 2025. As noted in the last set of notes, Jonathan Ives sent an email from Germany, where he is stationed, with an update on his daughters, Peyton and Hadley. He also wrote of the passing of Dave Sadowski. I have not been able to obtain a formal obituary, but the information I have is that Dave had a fatal heart attack in April 2025. Further, a full military burial is planned at Arlington National Cemetery, where there is a long wait list. I will send an update when the date is known.

The period began with a call with Jay Melvin on his birthday. Jay and Trudy’s daughter, Sarah, had her second child in October. Jay and Trudy plan to visit NYC in December with three other couples—see below. In advance, Jay sent an itinerary.

I spoke with Andy Ludlum on his birthday. Andy is retired, and he and Nicki are doing well, as are their children and grandchildren. Walt and Mary Lynne Wood stayed with them in Maryland before our reunion. I exchanged text messages with Josh Priest on his birthday. Josh and Karen hosted Walt and Mary Lynne Wood and connected with Mike Luning, Ali Mahan, Dixon Tucker, and Bob White during their visit. Josh also wrote that he spent the weekend of Nov. 9 at Ole Miss with John Blankenship, Hugh Fain, and Allen Ramer. Matt Griffin was their host.

I received an email from Mark Sobota following the receipt of his birthday card. Mark wrote that he and Darleen enjoyed our reunion. Mark is busy with volunteer work on the board of the Dayton Area Air Force Association. They traveled to England and Scotland in 2025 and took a road trip through North Carolina and Kentucky on their way home to Ohio following our reunion.

I exchanged email messages with Walt Kreitler on his birthday. Walt swam for 68 minutes (each year he swims 1 minute for his age) before heading off to Coronado for Thanksgiving. I exchanged email with Boyd Gaines on his

birthday. Boyd lives in The Villages in Florida and was enjoying a warm fall.

On Wednesday morning, Nov. 26, Jim O’Connor sent a text message with the sad news of Walt Bellamy’s passing. Walt had cancer. Jim and Walt were rat roommates and have stayed in touch for 49 years. Jim connected me with Walt’s wife, Sue, who provided Walt’s obituary and funeral service details. I had two blast emails sent—the first containing news of Walt’s and Dave’s passing, and the second containing Walt’s obituary. Our BRs replying to the messages were Joe Belkoski, Mike Bellamy, Steve Chace, Dan Conn, Kevin Davis, Hoss Eshaghi, Dave Hagemann, Bob Hillard, Tim Hodges, Robby Jones, Tom “Gunny” Kelly, Bruno Loefstedt, Patrick McCarthy, Dennis Maguire, Mike Molhoek, Brian O’Neil, Bob Osler, Joe Paustenbaugh, Rick Penn, John Stallings, Wade Stinnette, Doug Walker, Bob White, Tracy Wilson, and

Class of 1980: Jonathan Ives’ daughters, Peyton and Hadley, in Germany in November 2025.

Class of 1980: Rick Gilbert and Robby Wheeler in Dallas, Texas, in September 2025.

Rich Zott. I attended Walt’s funeral service Dec. 5, where I visited with Sue and her daughters. Mike Bellamy, Aaron Bush, Ed Kopsick, and Bob Osler also attended. As I do for all our deceased BRs, I sent red, white, and yellow flowers to the service and a sympathy card to Sue. Rob Robinson also sent flowers. In a follow-up message, Aaron asked for Michael Smith’s contact information. I forwarded his mailing address. I spoke with Phil Munisteri on his birthday and with Steve Andrews on his birthday. I also spoke with John Alerding on our shared wedding anniversary and communicated with Ed Bower and Rob Quarles on Thanksgiving. A group Thanksgiving text included Tom Bersson, Paul Burkholder, Pat Griffin, Frank Hilton, Dwight Pearson, and Rob Robinson. John Casamassa sent a text with a link to a VMI-related YouTube video. John Caplice sent a text asking for BRs in the Columbus, Georgia, area, where he and Margie were planning to spend Thanksgiving. I am only aware of Tim Mecredy in Augusta and Jody Weatherwax in the Florida panhandle. Apologies if I am missing someone. Mike Barnes sent a text message with copies to Ken Baybutt, John Blankenship, Hugh Fain, and Josh Priest with a photo taken with Bob White at the Norfolk airport. Mike has a boat docked in Hampton and was preparing for a voyage south. Bob drove him to the boat.

December began with a call with Ed Baker on his birthday. Throughout the period, I spoke with Ed about his Carolina Hurricanes (NHL team)— specifically when they played my NY Rangers. I exchanged text messages, then had a call with Steve Letts. Steve was unable to attend our reunion but enjoyed the photos and video. Steve is retired and currently lives in Dallas. In the spring, he and Bonnie will be relocating to Waco to be closer to their oldest son and grandchildren and to their youngest son and grandchildren in Austin. We also discussed Robby Wheeler, who Steve reached out to via text and plans to visit. Robby replied that he is recovering from surgery and radiation, has 90% of his speech back, and a CAT scan showed negative for cancer (more below).

I exchanged email messages with Frank Leech on his birthday with copies to several of our fellow Marines, including Steve Chace, Dan Conn, Rob Gearhart, Tom Gelles, Dennis Hackemeyer, Tom “Gunny” Kelly, Steve Letts, Wade Stinnette, and

Class Notes

Robby Wheeler—apologies for omitting others, as I replied to an old message rather than starting a new thread. Frank lives in the Philippines and was unable to attend our reunion but did see the photos and videos. He plans to continue working for another 3 years. He spent Christmas and New Year’s in Albuquerque with his wife and daughters. He hopes to attend our 50th Reunion. Dan, who lives in the Roanoke area, wrote that he attended the 250th U.S. Marine Corps birthday at the VMI NROTC celebration.

I spoke with Tim Hodges and Tuck Masker on their respective early December birthdays. I also exchanged text messages and spoke with Ken Trotman on his birthday. Tim is retired from the VMI faculty and lives in Lexington. Tuck lives in North Carolina and still works as a consultant. I exchanged several email messages with Tracy Wilson regarding the English Premier league; I am a Tottenham fan, while Tracy is a Man City fan. As noted above, in early December, Jay and Trudy Melvin visited NYC with three other couples from the Lexington area. Patti and I met them at The Frick and joined them for lunch at a deli and dinner at a steakhouse. We also took them to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Don Bradshaw sent an email after receiving his Christmas card. Don lives and works in Hawaii and wrote that he knows it is cold in the Northeast and that he longs for some brisk weather during the holidays. Tom Gelles also sent a message after receiving his Christmas card. I exchanged text messages with John Blankenship on his birthday and with Ken Baybutt on his birthday. Dusty Boyd, John Caplice, Hugh Fain, Gene Scott, and Jeff Washington were copied and replied with birthday wishes and photos. Walt Wood replied to my message requesting his mailing address. Walt and Mary Lynne returned to Peru following our reunion but will be leaving in March, spending time on the East Coast, then relocating to Alaska. I also exchanged email messages with Mike Rellins regarding his mailing address. Mike lives in Mexico but has a Laredo, Texas, address. He returned to Mexico after our reunion. I received an email message from Jeannine Madden, Dave’s wife, with a link to photos of Dave being honored at the Los Angeles Air Force Base’s ceremony in recognition of his accomplishments in Space –Space Systems Command. Dave is now a farmer, having purchased a place in Tillamook, Oregon. Christmas brings well wishes in the

Class of 1980: Bob Osler, Aaron Bush, Ed Kopsick, and Mike Bellamy at Walt Bellamy’s funeral service in December 2025.

Class of 1980: Patrick McCarthy being sworn in as a chaplain in the U.S. Army National Guard in September 2025.

Class of 1980: Jack Keane and Dennis Jacobs in Vermont in January 2026.

form of email, text messages, and cards—many with photos and/or enclosed notes and letters. Hossein Eshaghi sent a merry Christmas email message. Cards arrived from Ed and Dianna Baker, Tom and Amy Bersson, Don Bradshaw, Mickey and Jo Cole, Pat and Beth Griffin, Gary and Karen Levenson, Phil and Lynn Logan, Rob Robinson and Kristel, Wade and Lannie Stinnette, and Rich and Beth Zott. Cards with notes arrived from Steve and Cathy Andrews, who wrote that their daughter, Virginia, lives in Richmond with her husband, where she teaches high school, and their daughter, Caroline, lives in New Jersey; Vince and Sheila Copenhaver, who wrote that it was good seeing everyone at our reunion; Patrick McCarthy, who wrote that 2026 will be incredible; and Robby and Mary Anne Wheeler, who wrote that they plan to attend our 50th. Cards with photos arrived from Ed Elliott (photo comments below); Robby and Beth Jones, their daughters, and their grandchildren; Bill and Patty Kelly and their extended family; Rick and Debbie Legere with photos of Jocelyn (5), Juliana (5 months), Harper (10 months), and Cameron (3); Tim and Becky Mecredy with photos of Emily, Qi Sun and Arlis, and Michael, Elise, Evelyn, and Braden; Phil and Kathy Munisteri with photos of their grandchildren and their new home in Southold, Long Island; Bob and Mary Osler and their extended family; Terry and Kelly Stoneman and their extended family; Elliott and Amy Wolffe and their grandchildren; and Bud and Kate Zirkle with photos of Thomas and Sally. Aaron and Nancy Bush sent a card with a photo and a note that included Wes, Daniela, Luke, Ava, and Areina. They live in Annville, Pennsylvania, and wrote that their door is always open. Brian and Kim O’Neil sent a card with a photo showing 11 grandchildren. They wrote that they enjoyed seeing everyone at our reunion, and they hope to retire in 2 years. Joe and Michelle Paustenbaugh sent photos taken biking in Bryce Canyon, on horseback, and hiking. Mark and Darleen Sobota’s card contained a page of photos and an extensive narrative of their year. They also wrote that they enjoyed our reunion and the relationships they treasure. Tracy Wilson’s card contained a page of photos and a recap of 2025. Jennifer is still at IMF. Their daughter, Siena, is a junior at Savannah College. Their daughter, Ellie, is a freshman at the University of Florida. Paul Keel, who lives in Hawaii, sent a 2026 Hawaiian calendar. Steve Letts, Bert Schneider, Jeff Washington, and Craig “Wiennie” Wilson each sent a merry Christmas text message. Ed Elliott’s card contained a note challenging me to identify the BRs shown in the picture taken our rat year.

Class Notes

I failed miserably, only able to pick out Ed. The others are Mike Bajorek, Bob Osler, Bill Roelofsen, and John Tinsley—all 4-year roommates. Patti retired Jan. 1. We celebrated with a party that Lewis Toms attended. I also spoke with Lewis, who has retired and is relocating from New York City to North Carolina. I spoke with Wade Stinnette on his birthday. Wade and Lannie are well. Wade continues to work in financial services in Columbia, South Carolina. Wade serves on the VMI Foundation board as a trustee. I spoke with Gary Levenson. Gary is retired from VMI and is transitioning to the house he and Karen own in Chester. I explained that Patti and I were planning to attend the VMI Volunteer Leaders Conference in March (since canceled— see below) and wanted to connect with Gary in Staunton.

I exchanged text messages with Rick Gilbert on his birthday. Chal Glenn, Robby Jones, and Jody Morgan offered birthday wishes. Tom “Gunny” Kelly, president, board of directors, VMI Class of 1980 Foundation (vmi80.org) sent an email announcing Mike Barnes joining their team of advisers and an attachment providing a summary of 2025 performance. Dennis Jacobs sent two messages with photos taken skiing with Jack Keane in Vermont.

I spoke with Rob Quarles. Rob has made plans to attend the NCAA lacrosse championships in Charlottesville over Memorial Day weekend. Rob and Elizabeth have attended the championships in the past and invited me and Patti, but we always had a conflict. As retirees, we are now able to join and plan to possibly extend the trip to include visiting other BRs in Virginia. Rob also told me about Pat Griffin’s surgery. Phil Munisteri also reached out with updates on Pat’s surgery. I exchanged email with Jim Mikle on his birthday. Jim lives in the Atlanta area and works in real estate with no immediate plans to retire. I exchanged email with Russ Long on his birthday. Russ lives in the Dallas area and referenced the cold weather sweeping across the South. He wrote that all is well except for the Cowboys (no sympathy from a New York Giants fan). Russ has worked for the same company for 40 years and plans to work another year or 2. I also spoke with Ed Baker and Wade Stinnette about the snow that fell on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and in Columbia, South Carolina.

Tom Bersson sent a text message with a photo attached after attending a VMI breakfast in Virginia Beach. Ali Mahan, Mike Luning, and Dixon Tucker also attended. I exchanged email with Vince Copenhaver on his birthday and with Ed Carter on his birthday. Ed wrote that he is doing

well, having retired from his job in telecommunications more than 8 years ago. I exchanged email messages with Ben Gore on his birthday. Ben is retired and also serves as a trustee on the VMI Foundation board. Ben lives in Charlottesville and is active in his homeowner’s association as treasurer and president of the residents’ council. I informed Ben of our plans to attend the NCAA lacrosse championships, and we will try to connect then.

I exchanged email messages with Brian O’Neil on his birthday, which coincides with the anniversary of our Breakout. Scott Sayre sent a “happy birthday” text Jan. 28, and I replied that he was our only BR who remembered the 49th anniversary of our becoming a class. We then spoke. Scott and Mary are retired and currently living in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but will be relocating to Charlottesville, Virginia, in June. Later that day, Tom Bersson sent a text message with a photo of our spirit sheet hanging from Moody Hall announcing the arrival of the Class of 1980. We also spoke, as Tom has an end-of-January birthday. Breakout for this year’s rats brought text messages with reminders of our Breakout. Many recalled the evening as being very cold. They also noted the smell. Included were John Caplice, Kirk Deadrick, Hugh Fain, Chal Glenn, Allen Ramer, Rob Robinson, Gene Scott, and Jeff Washington

I exchanged email with Massoud Tahamtani on his birthday. Massoud retired from the federal government in October and is looking forward to his daughter graduating from Harvard Law School in May. I offered to connect Massoud with our Boston area BRs. He will reach out as the time draws near. I spoke with Larry Hupertz on his birthday. Larry is still practicing law in Cleveland, but Vera retired in January. I spoke with Dennis Maguire and separately with Chris Dombalis on their shared birthday. Chris was in Saigon on business and happy to be out of the winter weather in New Jersey. We plan to connect upon his return to the U.S. Dennis lives in Boston, and we discussed the winter storm and the Patriots advancing to the Super Bowl. Dennis has a house on Cape Cod where he sees Elliott Wolffe

I exchanged email with Doug Reddington, who lives in the Boston area, following the Patriots advancing to the Super Bowl. I also spoke with Pat Griffin, who is a Pats fan. Walt and Mary Lynne Wood sent an email with photos, noting that after 26 years, they will be departing Peru—probably the end of May or early June— and returning to Alaska, with a side trip to Anchorage Feb. 27–March 25.

February began with a call with Dan Sweeney on his birthday and Pat Griffin, who patched us in. Pat is recovering from his early January prostate surgery. I spoke with Robby Wheeler. As noted above, Wheelz is recovering from his cancer surgery and can now eat solid food. He also was scheduled for hernia surgery. I exchanged email with Kirk Cole on his birthday. I spoke with Craig “Wiennie” Wilson on his birthday. Typically, Wiennie plays golf on his birthday. However, 20-degree weather in Virginia Beach had postponed his round. He reported that his construction business was good, save for the cold weather, and that he plans to continue to work for a few years. I also exchanged email with Tim Mecredy on his birthday.

Patti and I planned to attend the VMI Alumni Association Volunteer Leaders Conference in March with a 10-day drive through the Southeast to escape the winter. However, VMI canceled the event, and I have been summoned to serve grand jury duty. So, we are delaying our trip. We are planning to attend the NCAA lacrosse championships in Charlottesville, Virginia, over Memorial Day weekend with Rob and Elizabeth Quarles. Rob is making the plans, but as noted above, I plan to connect with Ben Gore and will reach out to Bill Roelofsen and Bud Zirkle, who also live in Charlottesville, and possibly extend the trip to visit other BRs.

I exchanged email with Scott Hodge on his birthday. Scott lives in Roanoke and was thawing out. He coaches girls softball, and his birthday coincided with tryout day.

I was copied on numerous email messages and text messages related to the proposed bills in the Virginia legislature regarding VMI’s funding and governance, many with attachments. Included were John Alerding’s wife, Anne, who is a professor in the biology department at VMI; John Blankenship; Dusty Boyd; John Caplice; Kirk Deadrick; Hugh Fain; Chal Glenn; Brian Hub; Jay Melvin; Jim O’Connor; Josh Priest; Allen Ramer; Doug Reddington; Rob Robinson; Jeff Washington; and Tracy Wilson

Jim Lunsford, your birthday card and your Christmas card were returned as undeliverable. BRs, please take a few minutes to confirm that your information on the VMI database (vmialumni.org/ranks) is up to date. Accurate information is essential to keeping you informed. Finally, some alumni opt out of receiving communication from VMI. This can be accomplished while still receiving communication (email, cards, etc.) from me. Please contact me if you have any questions or need assistance. Thank you for your continuing support and for keeping me in the loop via phone calls, text messages, and email.

Class Notes

1981

Jerry Manley

My Brothers,

These notes were written in early February 2026. By the time you read this, we will be just 6 months away from our 45th Reunion this coming November. I do hope to see everyone who is able to attend our gathering so we may be able to celebrate our bonds and our brotherhood! I will make another shameless plug for the up-and-coming reunion at the end of this article.

This edition of class notes has been one of the most difficult for me to write in quite some time. It has been just 3 months since our last notes submission and a busy time for many of us. But just shortly after losing our dear chaplain, our collective hearts were stung with the loss of two beloved BRs—Ed Oast and Greg White

Our notes in the last Review covered a period that ended in early November, just before we celebrated the memory and life of “our Chaps,” retired U.S. Air Force Col. Chaplain Charles Caudill (HBR ’83). The services for our Chaps were held Nov. 15, 2025, on post at the VMI Memorial Hall chapel with his loving wife, Jan, and sons, Michael, Marcus, and Christopher Caudill ’83, in attendance. It was humbling to see so many great men and women there in honor of our Chaps and to recognize him for the positive influence he had on their lives. Special VIPs in attendance included Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent, and U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan “Raizin” Caine ’90, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Even more notable—of course!—was the collection of ’81 BRs (several with brides at their side) that included Jeff “Wiver” White, Bob “Gator” Underwood, Greg Wolven, Jim Holloway, Mike Placzek, Jorg Ronke, Bart Price, Rob “Cos” Costello, Ed Boylan, Jeff “Julio” Davies, Gene Loving, Gary Morgan, Bruce “Repeat” Gitchell, Hal Worrell, Jerry Manley, Lou Darden, and Brian Quisenberry. I was honored to be chosen by the Chaps’ beautiful bride, Jan, and her family to represent our class by giving reflections and tribute, along with three incredible alumni: Teddy Gottwald ’83, Steve Hupp ’84, and Kyle Goldsmith ’85. I was truly humbled by the words shared by these three great men and the impact their reflections had on the packed Memorial Hall. It was truly a loving and just ceremony for the man who was our friend and mentor,

a true image bearer of Christ, Chaplain Charles Caudill. He shall always be in our hearts.

On Dec. 5, 2025, our treasured BR Edward “Ed” Oast III passed away peacefully at the Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk after a 2-year battle with complications from multiple strokes. Ed was a true warrior to the end. While he silently fought his own battle, he was instrumental in bringing many of our BRs closer together and closer to God. As the class knows, Ed and his family had tremendous support from our Tidewater BRs known as Ed’s mighty men, who visited with him virtually every week for 2 years. I won’t list them out of fear I may overlook a name, but we all know who Ed’s mighty men are and are grateful for their selfless support. It is hard to describe the positive impact these BRs had on Ed, given that he was non-verbal for an extensive part of his ordeal. However, the way Ed visibly relished shared prayers and scripture, the way his eyes would light up when the BRs arrived, how he laughed and cried at the stories shared, and how he made it a point to hug everyone on their departure ... well ... it was clearly evident that he not only loved the visits but that he cherished his brother rats. Ed’s services were held Dec. 18, 2025. The class attendance was, yet again, reflective of our bonds. Those in attendance included Reg Ridgely, Jeff Davies, Paul Brier, Hank Lee, Gary Morgan, Jerry Manley, Clarkson Meredith, Mackay Spears, Tim Nitz, Tim Hillegass, John Holloway, Vince “V” Wood, Louis Rolan, Geoff Hinshelwood, Grover Outland, Ken “Catman” Morris, Tom Albro, Wirt Shinault, John Locher, Larry Butler, Rob “Cos” Costello, Jim Hart, Mike Denton, the infamous Bruce Kitchen, and Ray Moschler. Ed was survived by his wife, Stewart; his daughter, McKenzie, and son, Edward IV, along with their spouses; Ed’s three precious granddaughters; and his sister, Elizabeth, and twin sister, Carolyn.

On Jan. 30, 2026, our beloved BR Greg White tragically passed away at the Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg from complications following a cardiac arrest just days prior. As I write this, his adoring partner of 15 years, Paige Kent, is still working to coordinate details for services in keeping with Greg’s wishes. Greg was another BR who was one of a kind. He was a joy to be with, always carrying a smile and a kind word. While Paige was truly the love of his life, Greg still maintained a great love for VMI and his brother rats. Many of his fellow Delta Company rats will remember his antics on the fourth stoop with rat roommates John Dixon and Tom Stent. Later in life, he remained that same caring BR who often wrote or called in response to class

emails, particularly when such communications addressed a BR in need or one who was dealing with a medical issue of their own. He was a regular at the Northern Virginia brunches coordinated by Jeff Adler and George Depaoli. Most recently, Greg had a long and cherished phone call with BR John Cawthorne just days before his medical emergency. Paige later reflected upon how excited Greg was after talking to John. During that call, Greg shared with John how much he hoped to stay in routine contact with him and how he was looking forward to reconnecting with many other BRs at our up-and-coming 45th Reunion. Greg was also focused on planning future mini reunions with his 1st Class roomies, Ed Brown, Mike Denton, and John Dixon. It would not be a stretch to say that Greg loved all of us and the bonds that were formed while we were at VMI. We will share more on Greg’s future services, as appropriate, in the next edition of the Review (November printing). Greg is survived by his loving partner, Paige Kent, and their blended family of five children: Kristin White, Kyle White, Jordan Matta, Emery Matta, and Sophia Matta. Greg, like BR Ed Oast, was a good and faithful man who is dearly missed.

So, with that heavy news addressed, on to individual BR inputs:

Our BR Bob Munno and his lovely bride, Agnieszka, went on another adventurous scuba trip. They dove Truk Lagoon over Christmas and New Year’s. They made 28 dives over their 12 days on the island. They dove on many casualties of World War II’s Operation Hailstone, a significant U.S. Navy air and surface attack on Truk Lagoon in February 1944, which was part of the broader American offensive against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific. They were the first divers of 2026 to dive on the San Francisco Maru, which is arguably the most famous wreck in the lagoon. (Some may say that Munno was actually the most “famous wreck” that day, but I digress ... Haha!) Per Bobby: “Great dive trip to a remote archipelago with spectacular wrecks. Wife said she would not have gone had she known that hot showers were unavailable. Two weeks there was plenty. Two-day commute each way was rough.” Bob later shared that the February edition of the online scuba magazine, Undercurrent (Vol. 52, No. 2), published his travel article on Truk Lagoon. The article is a good read and definitely with a little “Munno flair.” (Keep on diving, Bobby! I enjoy reading of your underwater exploits, BR.)

I received a welcomed update from BR Jorg Ronke that spanned a few months of coverage. In late September, he and Meg journeyed to Europe

Class Notes

for a 3-week self-guided tour. They began by spending 4 days in Iceland, which turned out to be an awesome experience that he highly recommends. Afterward, they continued on to Germany, where they spent several nights in Cochem on the Mosel River. When Jorg was stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base in the mid’80s, he and Meg routinely enjoyed drives down to the river, and he recalled how nice it was to enjoy the area and the wonderful German wines again. From Cochem, they went on to Berlin for a quick visit with his step-mother, followed by a first-time visit to Leipzig, the beautiful city where Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his wonderful music. On their way back to Berlin, they were impacted by the cyberattack against several European airports the day they were scheduled to fly to Athens. The airport was in turmoil, with all airline check-in and baggage computers hacked and unusable. All boarding passes and luggage tags had to be written by hand after clearing names on paper manifests. It took hours to process them for the flight, and once they finally arrived in Athens later that day, the airline was unable to allow anyone to claim their checked luggage until they could sort through all the handwritten tags. Two days later, their checked bags were finally delivered to their hotel. However, even with that “snag,” they thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Greece. Jorge and Meg did return in time to attend Chaplain Caudill’s memorial service and were able to spend some extended time visiting with Mike and Lynn Placzek. Jorg wrote, “Like many others, Chaplain Caudill had a great influence on how I have reflected on my faith and faced life as I journeyed forth.” (Well said, Jorg!)

Ray Lawson chimed in with an update. He is still teaching a course at USC Aiken but has backed off tutoring math significantly. He also passed the torch at Tulane University and is no

Class of 1981: Greg White and Paige Kent on Grand Cayman Island in 2015.

Class of 1981: Meg and Jorg Ronke in Cochem, Germany, in September 2025.

Class of 1981: Brother rats attend a memorial service for Ed Oast Dec. 18, 2025.

longer teaching there. He is still planning to fully retire at the end of 2026. (We shall see, Ray ... we shall see! Haha!) He is on the interview panel to help select the new EE faculty member to take over for him and hopes to have that wrapped up before this edition goes to print! He and Gale are continuing with their art classes together, and Ray has set up a studio for Gale in their bonus room. On the health side, many may recall that Ray had a cancerous kidney removed some 9 years ago. He reports that his kidney function has improved significantly with some changes in diet, exercise, and water intake. Ray is also a reliable and recurring member of our regular class Bible study and prayer group Zoom meetings. He says he learns a lot from our BRs, but I can attest that what he contributes is of benefit to us all.

Trip Lloyd wrote to say, as previously reported, he started receiving a partial retirement annuity from the Office of Personnel Management. However, he received notification Jan. 7 of his final annuity, which was off by 2 years. Per Trip, “A warning for all my BRs. As we learned at the Institute; trust, but verify.” Trip and Anne embark on their Caribbean cruise in February that left from Puerto Rico and will take another Caribbean cruise in April! (Retirement ain’t so bad, Trip!) Another milestone to report for Trip is that this March marked his 14th anniversary of being heavily involved in the Virginia Renaissance Faire as an actor, director, and now board member.

I was blessed to see BR Chet Thompson in January. Chet was in Midlothian for a quick business trip, and we were able to arrange a quick get-together for burgers and beer. Always great to see Chet and catch up. The only downside to his visit is that he did not bring his lovely bride, Terry, with him! But, alas, I will give him a pass

Class Notes

since he did buy the beers!

Jim Frishkorn was in Lexington the first week of February. He enjoyed touring the VMI post with his son-in-law and grandson, Chance, who will be matriculating in August! Jim shared that “Colonel Gibson ’77 was very giving of his time as we toured the VMI Museum. I didn’t know that the museum had a Roman helmet ... we got a glimpse of it as we toured their back room that had a variety of donated items that are not yet on display.” He shared that it was cold when they departed in the early afternoon and that it snowed his entire drive to Williamsburg! Jim came all the way up from the Sunshine State just so he could experience some of the coldest weather we have had so far in Virginia. (Great planning, Fish!)

Lastly, I will add huge kudos to the BRs who worked diligently at the end of January through early February to support VMI in the face of proposed destructive legislations (i.e., the original

HB1374 and HB1377). While many supported VMI and the superintendent in a number of ways, in my humble opinion those that were visibly out in front where BRs Mike Denton, Jeff Hinshelwood, John Holloway, Bruce Kitchen, and Mark Vasco with their engagement at the capitol during VMI Day in Richmond Feb. 11. Kudos go once again to Mike Denton for his exceptional opinion piece titled, “VMI Occupies an Important Place in Virginia Higher Ed” that was published in the Feb. 1, 2026, edition of the Virginian-Pilot. All of these efforts, as well as edifying social media postings by others such as Adrian Bogart and Paul Brier, benefitted the cause and were in keeping with the superintendent’s guidance and communication plan. As of this writing, these BRs—and many others who supported VMI—made a positive impact on the proposed legislations to date. As one representative I engaged stated in part: “Clearly [VMI alumni] have gathered together and made an impression. The thing that really was notable to me was the quality of the emails that we got from VMI alumni. They were simple, direct, strong messages; really; they shattered the whole counternarrative of the people who had those attacking bills.” There will certainly be much work done, more communications made, and results to be seen before this edition of the Review is published—the “hazard” of submitting these inputs 3 months earlier. Let’s keep the faith and stand with the Institute. Pray for a positive outcome for VMI and the Corps of Cadets. Take time to know and even communicate with the current cadet leadership and their positive views on the Institute. You will undoubtedly be impressed by these future leaders of America.

Now, that shameless reunion plug: Undoubtedly, I will have inundated the class with emails and Facebook posts about the reunion by now. As everyone should know, our 45th will be held the weekend of Nov. 13–15, 2026, the same weekend as the VMI versus The Citadel football game, just 6 months away by the time this edition of the Review is distributed. Your Reunion Committee has been working hard to make this another outstanding and enjoyable event! I am constantly working to update our contact list and can use continued help in that regard. Accurate contact information is critical to ensuring reunion details and other non-reunion updates on BRs and life events are getting out to everyone. If you have not been receiving my class update emails, please reach out to me as soon as possible. I want to ensure the broadest communications and contact with all of our BRs. As I have stated before, that includes every BR, as you are all cherished as brothers.

Class of 1981: Ed Oast with his dog, Scout, in 1998.

Class of 1981: Brother rats attend a memorial service for Chaplain Charles Caudill (HBR ’83) Nov. 15, 2025.

Well, my brothers, that is all the news that is fit to print. I never claimed to be as articulate or polished in my writings as most of you. (Though Grover Outland may disagree!) Just remember that “I are a engineer.” Thank you for simply tolerating these narratives. Thank you for your continued support, as well, and for keeping me in the loop by way of emails, texts, and phone calls. I hope you will all consider sending in a brief note or update for the next Review. Inputs were a bit light this go around, but I hope I did them justice. Stay in touch with one another. Life is far too short and far too precious not to be considered a gift. Cherish our bonds. May God bless you all. In the Bonds of VMI and the Class of 1981, Jerry

Class Notes

a great friendship with Paul and Lisa over the past several years. Both families spending time together either in Florida or Georgia. Alex is still in the Navarre area, on the panhandle of Florida, and still running his entertainment business for games and laser tag and plans to keep at it for a few more years.

Rat Henry Sanchez ’85 also came to Paul’s celebration. Henry was on the track team and remembered running with Paul and Ed. Thanks, Henry, for coming and standing with Alex and me and sharing VMI tales.

Will Council

Happy Winter, BRs!

Has anyone seen that dang groundhog? I wish to have a conversation with him regarding his weather prediction algorithm. Besides that, how’s everyone doing?

It’s been a rough few weeks down this way recently, but the good has been in balance with the bad. I know not everyone has joined our Facebook class page and may not be aware we lost Paul Webb in January after a bout of pneumonia, which put him in the hospital right after Christmas. Right on top of that, we found out Jacob Wamsley’s wife, Kelley, died unexpectedly. Both were from the Atlanta area, and I was able to drive down and attend the services on the first weekend in February.

There was a celebration of life for Paul, which really was a celebration of friends and family, and I learned a lot about what he had been doing over the past years. He was a successful businessman with his own insurance agency, and he enjoyed taking his friends out on his pontoon boat every chance he could. He also was a fitness fanatic, although I don’t think he continued the distance running from his VMI days. His daughter, Erika, was quite proud that he set the record for fastest time in the 10,000 at VMI and beat Ed Daniel’s time by 9 seconds. Sorry, Ed, but she had a picture of that announcement on the table display!

The weather for that weekend was also the second weekend in a row that the snowpocalypse was streaming through the Southeast. This had the effect of preventing smarter and wiser people from attending the services or postponing them. I reached out to the BRs in the Atlanta area to see if they were planning to attend and realized we really don’t have that many living there. I called Jay Freeman, and we spent a long time catching up. Jay retired from Delta Airlines a few years ago when he passed the 60 cycles around the sun

(like most of us now). He was not planning to attend, as he has become the ultimate homebody and hates the drive up I-75 to Atlanta. Don’t we all?! Jay explained to me that after leaving the Air Force, he joined Delta and was most happy sitting in the right-side seat as the first officer, as he had better chances of choosing flights and locations. He and Keri are happy doing staycations and taking care of the grandkids, who live nearby. Closing out the call, Jay says he has not heard from roommates Joe Bouchelle and Rich Reisch lately. So, you two are now challenged to give us your latest news!

I felt much better when I contacted Rusty Wood to see if he planned to attend. Well, I say that, but Rusty and Andrea live on the south end of Atlanta, and the snow report was keeping them on the safe side of the oncoming blizzard. But Rusty did invite me to come stay Saturday night with them, and then I could attend the Wamsley funeral on Sunday afternoon. Best decision of my year so far! Rusty and Andrea were the best hosts, and they have the most beautiful homestead out in the country. Those 24 hours together were like a mini reunion. Between catching up for decades of personal stories from the military, Delta Airlines (retired), and Venturing Scouting trips, we didn’t go to bed until well after midnight. Then we got up, and I went to church with them the next morning. Well, they did promise me donuts! Unfortunately, when Rusty checked the funeral home website for Kelley’s service for that day, we found that they had decided to move it to Thursday because the roads were still treacherous on that side of Atlanta! Rusty and Andrea were planning to sell their place and relocate to Bath County, Virginia, where they own some property right down the road from Jay Wamsley! (Small world, which we will come back to here in a minute.) They were looking at a much larger piece of land that has an old 1700s cabin on it, but they finally thought it out, and it would have been way too much work to rehabilitate the cabin. When we get them back for the next reunion, please ask Rusty to tell you his story of his death match with a crazy rooster that did not end as well as planned.

Thursday rolled around, and I drove back down to Atlanta to attend Kelley’s service. I surprised Jay by arriving a little early and was fortunate to catch him as he came out of the room from the family’s first viewing. He introduced me to his wonderful 13-year-old daughter, Addison, who not only wants to go to VMI but wants to be a Navy pilot! Wow! Nothing like setting your life’s goals early. I hung around long enough that Rusty and Andrea came in, and we got to start the mini reunion again, but with Jay this time! So, there 1982

Alex and Robyn Kuchnia drove up from Florida for Paul’s celebration. They had really developed

Class of 1982: Paul Webb drives his boat.

Class of 1982: Paul and Lisa Webb.

is old history between Rusty and Jay, as their families had been visiting those farms in Bath for a long time. Ownership had changed over the years, and we were entertained by stories of fly fishing on the Cowpasture River and floating a keg in an innertube while drifting along the same river. It all sounds like something we need to investigate and invite other BRs who are into fishing or just drinking beer. Scott Wooddell and Joey Keyes, are you up for fishing? Maybe a smaller keg this time.

I must say, I really enjoyed our attempts to explain to Andrea the whole “VMI thing” of being a cadet and living within or outside of the rules. This was continued after the service when I joined the Woods for an early dinner of Ethiopian food at a nearby restaurant. Maybe you recall that several years back, they took their family to Ethiopia for a 2-year mission project to help teach English in a community. The wait staff was thrilled when they used their language skills to tell of their experiences and to help educate me about the food and traditions of their culture. I am ready to go back anytime to have more of that food and camaraderie. Thank you, Rusty and Andrea.

Randy Parker used my email broadcast about Paul’s passing as an opportunity to check in. Randy almost retired this past December after 43 years of combined active duty, reserve, and civil service. His boss, a U.S. Air Force major general, asked him to stay on another year as director of installations for Air Force Materiel Command (5-and-a-half years now). Yes, Randy is still at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. He did get to travel to Hill AFB, Utah, last year, which allowed him to meet up with Buddy Briesmaster, who is also gainfully employed at the Air Logistics Center as director of maintenance, sustaining our AF fighter fleets. He loves the work and has no intention of retiring anytime soon—a real inspiration!

Randy has also received several job offers from the private sector, but he is pondering what he wants to do next, including full retirement. Michelle is still teaching accounting at the University of Dayton and wants to work for a few more years, growing our next

Class Notes

generation of business leaders. They will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in April and are planning a trip to Europe.

I believe Pete Foster is so well organized that he has me in his calendar for the new year. The rest of you should take a note from his playbook. The Pete and Laura Foster family are doing well. Peter (the son) has taken command of the Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Battalion. The extended family were all fortunate to attend the Marine Corps annual ball commemorating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in D.C. Eric (son) is also a Marine and is currently grudgingly recruiting but moving toward chief warrant officer and more exciting assignments. Kelly and her husband own a small farm in Elkin, North Carolina, they are transforming into a self-sustaining operation, and Keith’s new business is doing very well, even with Pete being called in for some manual labor at times.

Laura and Pete are still heavily involved with the local humane shelter, where they spend a lot of time caring for and training the dogs. Pete attached a picture of himself working with a beautiful shepherd playing on a lead—not sure who was having more fun. They have also recently joined the world of RVing, purchasing a 32’ motorhome, as well as a Jeep Wrangler to tow behind. At present, they have seven trips planned for 2026 with more in the works. Pete has recently attended some events at VMI lately, mostly focused around soccer. I think we should look for their RV in Lexington area more often.

The world’s most interesting guy is David Kohler He has delivered, yet again, a year-end travel log with a double-sided photo postcard of his adventures. Oh! And it includes baby goats! Dave traveled this year back to Austria and then to Taiwan with longtime friends. (Hey, Dave ... I am a longtime friend.) Dave is located in Richmond, Virginia, with the baby goats, and is doing well with his real estate holding company— both residential and commercial properties. I like David’s philosophy on life that there are no guarantees, no certainty, just that we need to stay grounded, flexible, and grateful.

Chuck and Hope Fanshaw sent me their annual Christmas letter and card ... and I have lost it! I will say they are still going strong in Northern Virginia with their family scattered across two continents and one still in college. I promise to do better next time, Chuck.

I mentioned in the last notes while talking with Dennis Adams that we both get Christmas cards from Mike and Heather Albert And on queue, they did not disappoint. Mike and Heather are really enjoying retirement, although they both still do some part-time work during tax season and with AARP and the Navy-Marine Corps every week. Mike also helps build handicap ramps a few times a week when he is not playing pickleball. (I see a challenge with Mike Eden in the future). The Alberts are probably going to need new passports, as they keep filling them up with travels to the U.K., Norway, Ireland (or Iceland ... Mike, I can’t read your handwriting!), Canada,

Class of 1982: Alex Kuchnia, Will Council, and Henry Sanchez ’85 attend Paul Webb’s celebration of life.

Class of 1982: Rusty Wood and Will Council with Jay Wamsley at the funeral for Jay’s wife, Kelley.

and Hawaii. Oh, they hit four cruises, as well! When are you going to start a travel blog?! Randy Parker, are you taking notes here?

Andy Balding checked in that he and Brenda had attended eldest SFC David’s retirement ceremony after 24 years in the U.S. Army at Fort Campbell, 101st Div. HQ in December. Said it really made him feel old having a kid retire from the military. I tried to include the photo Andy supplied, but it was small and would not pass the muster with the Review editors. But do you recall Andy gave us a picture of himself and David in Saddam’s palace when they were both over there during the hostilities a few decades ago? Yeah, we are that old!

All right, let’s close this out. It’s been a stressful quarter. We are each approaching our retirement period in separate ways, which could mean you might have more free time to visit friends and BRs. If you cannot make a trip, then how about an email or a phone call? Nag! Nag! Nag! Make it count! And if you do take a picture of your mini reunion, make it big and share it with us. Don’t forget to update your information on the VMI Alumni Agencies app and use it. I get lots of requests for contact information ... it is all right there.

Peace be with you until we meet again. Will Council

1983

Brother Rats,

As you read this update, I imagine you are now fully recovered from the winter months. Based on notes, cards, and email updates, we have been a busy group. The winter did not seem to hold anyone back.

Last November, many of our brother rats gathered in Lexington to honor Chaplain Caudill (HBR) at his memorial service and to stand with the Caudill family. It was a sad day, to be sure, but it was also filled with unmistakable joy and deep gratitude for the role our BR, Chaplain Charles Caudill, played in our lives. What a tremendous blessing he was to all of us. In tribute to a life defined by selfless service, representatives from four classes—including our own Teddy Gottwald—shared reflections on their personal friendships with Chaplain Caudill. Their heartfelt testimonies spoke for us all, honoring

Class Notes

a man of extraordinary character whose influence shaped and uplifted everyone he encountered. The love within Memorial Hall chapel was palpable. The service itself was a powerful and fitting tribute to a wonderful man—a devoted shepherd, a loyal brother rat, and a humble servant of God whose legacy will endure in the lives he touched. Among our BRs attending the service were Scott Belliveau, Tim Craul, Hugh Daughtry, John Dodge, Steve Goddard, Charlie Luck, Dan Martin, Malachi Mills, Cal Murray, Lynn Seldon, and Jay Williams.

Billy Akers sent me a short update in which he shared some pictures of him, Lisa, Scott and Pam Horan, and Jim and Audrey Tribble ’85 on a trip to Page, Arizona, and Antelope Canyon. Billy reports that a good time was had by all, and they enjoyed the fellowship. Billy and Lisa welcome all our BRs to come out and see the beauty of the West. They have an Airbnb and ranch in Cortez, Colorado, and would love to see ya.

Scott Horan provided a short update highlighting his linking up with Wilson Enoch ’84 and Hal Hamner ’84 hunting in North Dakota, and then he and Pam took a quick trip out to Arizona in December to connect Billy and Lisa Akers Scott added that Jim Tribble and his wife, Audrey, were part of the visit.

In his update, Steve Amato wrote that, on Veterans Day 2025, he and BR Stephen Ross were invited to participate in the SmurFit Westrock Company’s Veterans and Allies Veterans Day Program at their Innovation Facility in Richmond, Virginia. SmurFit Westrock has an employee leadership team that provides various information to their military veteran employees, to include a guest speaker program. Stephen was the

Jamie MacDonald

Class of 1983: Andy Jones with his son, Samuel Alexander Jones, born Feb. 5, 2026.

Class of 1983: Al Toler and Steve Amato at Christmas 2025.

Class of 1983: Pictured attending the memorial service for Chaplain Charles Caudill (HBR) on post Nov. 15, 2025, are (from left) Tim Craul, Dan Martin, Scott Belliveau, Jamie MacDonald, Lynn Seldon, Chris Caudill, Jan Caudill, Cal Murray, Malachi Mills, Hugh Daughtry, Teddy Gottwald, and John Dodge.

guest speaker, and he explained the mission and focus of the Drew Ross Memorial Foundation. Stephen and Steve also answered questions about their respective military careers and their experiences of what quality skills a veteran brings to any organization. The program was virtual, and over 60 SmurFit Westrock military veterans were online viewing the program.

In mid-December 2025, BR Al Toler and his wife, Cheryl, invited Steve and Mary to their Christmas party. Steve reports that Al and Cheryl hosted a great party with many of their friends and relatives, the food was so yummy, and of course, Al ensured there were ample quantities of beer. When entering BR Toler’s home, one immediately meets a life-size VMI Keydet nutcracker. For the Amato family, they enjoyed a wonderful Christmas holiday. On Christmas Day, Steve and Mary hosted their sons and their families for Christmas dinner. The family gathering included six grandchildren, and all had a great dinner while celebrating the birth of Jesus. Steve wished to share he only has 70 class coins (from a total of 300) available for purchase. If BRs are still interested, just call him or email him at amatostevemary@gmail.com.

Mark Benvenuto checked in to say hello. He expects that by the time these class notes are published, it will be nice and warm again, but right now we are in that deep freeze. Mark added, “These didn’t used to seem so rough.” A benefit to being stuck inside is he has more time to write. Mark’s current work-in-progress topic is industrial nuclear chemistry.

Will Creekmur expressed his greetings from way out West. At the time of his update, his daughter, Khailani, was within a week of her first birthday. Will admitted that saying, “I’m busy,” seems an understatement. He is wondering if it’s too early for a provisional appointment for the Class of 2047. He is enjoying dad time and closed his update with a standing invite to all BRs that if you’re in San Diego, call him and enjoy a coffee.

John Dodge shared a brief update. John’s dad passed away last year; he was over 101 years old. John and his dad attended the Marine Corps birthday, where Capt. John D. Dodge was the oldest Marine in attendance, thus bestowing the honor of cutting the cake in front of 500 other Marines and family at the Quantico Marine Corps Museum. This proud event was featured in the 2024-Issue 1

Class Notes

Alumni Review. John added, “He was my hero and a friend to many BRs.” John continued his update with, “Professionally, I was honored to receive the top performance award for the year at Sandoz. Retirement is on the horizon, but I still love what I do: Making a difference in the world of oncology.” Regarding sailing: “I was humbled and honored to be selected on the USA sailing team to compete in the Ocean Racing Congress Big Boat Offshore World Championships in Newport, Rhode Island. As long as I can stay healthy and avoid injuries, I hope to continue racing at a high level. A busy racing season lies ahead in 2026.” In the realm of advocacy, John reported, “I won the Triple Crown for the second time, finishing top fundraiser and top results on the water in the three charity regattas. It would not be possible without my outstanding crew and generous donors.” About his love for VMI: “VMI— my love and commitment to VMI continues to

shine brightly, as I have begun my 14th year on the Board of Governors and my third year as a member of the Executive Committee. In December, I was selected by AD Jamaal Walton ’07 and new Superintendent Furness ’87 to be on the Selection Committee to hire the new football coach. We found a fantastic coach in Coach Ingram. Honestly, I have not been this excited about our football team since we were in school.” John also had a moment to catch up with teammates Jay Lasek and Chi Mills in Richmond. John and several of our BRs have been most helpful in getting the word out to “stand with VMI.” Among other BRs are Craig Palmore, Mark Airaghi, Andy Woolwine, and a slew of Virginia-based BRs, along with some out-of-staters like Tim Shobbrook. Recently, I attended events hosted by the Alumni Association where Lt. Gen. Dave Furness was the guest speaker. In supporting VMI, the superintendent’s guidance to alumni continues to be most meaningful, and at the conclusion of each event, I knew our Institute was in the best of hands.

I also heard from Tim “Moses” and Tracy Fitzgerald. Currently, Tim is busy in Olympia at the state capital, working with legislators and the judicial branch to make a lasting impact for all Washingtonian constituents. Tracy shared that Tim, who is currently the elected Spokane County clerk of the court, announced his official retirement effective Dec. 31, 2026. By that time, he will have served 13 years as the clerk of Spokane County. During his tenure, he has made significant contributions to the Washington state legislature, with 18 laws passed that were drafted by Tim, particularly in improving the criminal justice system, which have been recognized by both legislators and the judicial branch of the state. Tracy concluded with how she and Moses are looking forward to retirement in 2027 and reuniting with VMI friends in upcoming reunions. Bryan Henderson provided a short update in between his running on tracks and trails. He is still running ultramarathons. In Bryan’s own words, “You might ask, why? Don’t worry—so do I!” He was quick to point out that running gives him an incredible education about persistence when everything says to stop. Bryan ran his first 48-hour race in July up in Dahlonega, Georgia, at the Army Ranger School (Merrill’s Mile). Out of the 88 runners, he placed third with 159 miles. The firstplace guy (203 miles) was 30; the

Class of 1983: Whit Owens, Jon Hannah, Tim Craul, Mark Waters, and Jamie MacDonald at Gadsby’s Tavern in Alexandria, Virginia.

Class of 1983: Billy and Lisa Akers, Jim and Audrey Tribble ’85, and Pam and Scott Horan at Antelope Canyon, Arizona.

second-place guy (174 miles) was 21 ... so Bryan didn’t feel too bad. Ultra Running Magazine officially ranked Bryan as 2025’s No. 1 in all North America (Canada, U.S., Mexico, and Greenland) for 48-hour races for age 60-plus. Now he is setting new goals—perhaps a 200-miler or a 72hour race. Congratulations, Bryan, and good luck seeking greater challenges.

Andy Jones shared some great news with us. On Feb. 5, his son, Samuel Alexander Jones, was just born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Andy said his sister is joking with him and calling Sam a “do-it-yourself grandson.” Andy is very thankful to say that mother Dalin and baby are happy and healthy and doing just fine.

I received an informative update from Brad Norwood, who wrote that he is tremendously excited to be 65—sarcasm. He’s still working for the federal government and doing some “important science-y stuff for the Department of War at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, so I guess I’ll keep doing that as long as they keep sending paychecks.” He plans to retire at 67. His mom, who lives at his home, just celebrated her 100th birthday. Brad’s wife, an RN, is a blessing beyond measure helping Brad’s mom through day-to-day needs. Brad continues to tinker on old cars, and somehow managed to convince himself that two unfinished projects simultaneously were not enough, so he invested in another project. The post-retirement queue is now full. Hopefully, Brad will have the current project, a 1991 Jaguar XJS V12, done before pleasant weather returns. Next in line will be “finally” finishing the 1962 Lincoln Continental convertible he’s been working on (and off) for the last 25 years, and finally the 1953 MG he recently acquired. Brad’s queue is full. Brad and Robin are considering vacation options and the pros and cons of RV travel and vacationing. We shall see how that turns out. I look forward to those updates, Brad.

Whit Owens continues to sponsor periodic luncheons in the Pentagon where alums catch up. In addition to Whit and myself, attending these events were Lee Wimbish ’84, Brig. Gen. Rhett Cox ’93, Steve Ward ’02, and Travis Miller ’11 Before the snow and ice slowed things down in NOVA, Whit hosted an ’83 dinner at Gadsby’s Tavern in Old Town. Joining Whit for dinner were myself, along with Tim Craul, Jon Hanna, and Mark Waters. We had a great evening catching up and applauding Jon’s determination to travel 2 hours to join his BRs for a meal. Jim Stader provided some good news. He was referred from the Walter Reed National Medical Center to the University of Maryland Medical Center for his cancer CAR-T procedure

Class Notes

in mid-September. He was hospitalized from mid-September through mid-October, and then he stayed at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge for another month for follow-up medical appointments through mid-November. Jim said it was great to use the Hope Lodge resource at no cost to himself and his family, and he wanted to pass this along in the event others need to utilize this resource, provided it is in their area and they are accepted. Jim added that after a few bone biopsies and PETSCAN tests, the doctors determined that he was back in remission, for which he is very grateful. He enjoyed being home in time for the holidays, and he decorated the house like his late wife would have desired. Jim closed his update by expressing his appreciation to the BRs who reached out to him during his journey, to include his roommates, Tony “Snake” Arnold; Dave Clarke; and our former class representative, Steve Amato

I received an update from Doug Urbanek. In his note, Doug wrote, “So after I left VMI, I graduated in September 1983, enlisted in the Army, and spent 21 years as an intelligence analyst 96B, retiring from the Army in 2005. Then I worked as a contractor and a govy in the EUCOM AOR (area of responsibility) from 2005–20. In 2020, we moved from Lyon, France, to Winchester, Virginia, where I still work for FEMA. First as a situation unit leader (FEMA equivalent of a G2), now in FEMA’s ops center near Bluemont, Virginia. I have two sons, Kim, 44, and Patrick, 34, who are also Army veterans. Kim teaches elementary school in Thailand, and Patrick lives in Phoenix, where he is learning to be a motorcycle mechanic on the GI Bill. I met my wife, Dorothee, in 2004 in Esslingen, Germany. She is fantastic, but she was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy back in 2022. So that has sort of upended our plans, as my life is focusing on how to balance job and caregiving. Just last week, we had to drive to Richmond and back (6 hours) for a 30-minute appointment with the specialists there. This is probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do. Not much else to update; we are debating how to move on with this unexpected phase of our lives. I am considering going with Dorothee to Germany so she can spend her last years at home, or we nestle in somewhere in America where the job pace is not as brutal as the 12-hour swing shifts I’m doing for FEMA.” Thank you for the update, Doug. Best wishes to you and Dorothee.

Many thanks to Mary and Steve Amato, Gregg Bartlett, Sherrie and Trent Boggs, Boomer Saxon, Joann and Milt Scarpa, Cindy and Dortch Warriner, and all others who keep connected. I also remain in regular contact with Marty Curry,

Hugh Daughtry, John Geis, Ivan Marcotte, Whit Owens, Mark Waters, and Spence Westbrook. It is always great to hear from our BRs, even if it is just to say hello.

Now that spring is upon us, I wish all of you all the warmth, enjoyment, and promise of a new season and for the season to follow. Stay well and stay connected with one another and keep us informed of your activities.

Jamie

Sam Browne

Dear Brother Rats,

Some sad news to share. I learned that Eric Leif Keck passed away Jan. 29, 2026. Eric was from Providence Forge, Virginia. Eric is survived by his wife, Brenda; daughter, Jennifer; sister, Virginia Blaska; and brother, John Michael Dedeian. His funeral was held Feb. 5.

I am reminded of the fast-approaching 45th anniversary of our Breakout. We were the first class to break out outside of Old Barracks. On Feb. 25, I hope each of you joined me in raising a glass in honor of a class that has accomplished much and in remembrance of brother rats no longer with us.

Seems like VMI is always in the news these days. Thanks to Jeff Roach, Keith Samuelson, and others for providing suggestions for outreach to state legislators in Richmond to advocate for our alma mater. Your leadership is appreciated. On Nov. 10, 2025, Betsy and Frank Ehrenberger provided an update on son John Henry’s progress in barracks. John Henry, a member of the Class of 2029, is following in his father’s footsteps on the wrestling team path. According to mom and dad, J.H. especially enjoyed climbing House Mountain during Matriculation Week and returning to post for home games with his BRs. Being a rat parent is unique, but Betsy and Frank have found it rewarding. Congratulations to Frank, Betsy, John Henry, and the Class of 2029 on successfully completing the Rat Line. In December 2025, I heard from Chris and Kristin Caplice, based in Boston. They moved half a mile to a high-rise condominium (deluxe apartment overlooking Boston Harbor, the North End, Rose Kennedy Greenway, and Logan Airport). Their dog, Higgins, adjusted well, while C.J., their deaf Great Pyrenees, now barks at each departing aircraft. Kristin has been busy taking

her company, Saluda Medical, public in Australia. Chris continues his work at MIT and DAT after an attempt at partial retirement. Kristin plans to retire in 2026. In 2025, they traveled for weddings, Jazz Fest, to Ireland and Vegas, enjoyed new family arrivals, and celebrated Kristin’s mother’s 80th birthday. Their new condominium features a guest bedroom, and visitors are welcome—must love dogs, though.

I heard from several brother rats: Jeff Roach, Keith Samuelson, Jeff White, Mike Hicks, Jim Scalon, Jerome Brinkley, Bob Doyle, Matt Martin, Neville Anderson, Bill Seaver, Bill Janis, Ashley Johnson, and Frank Kollmansperger

Speaking of Frank, he emailed to say he and Phil Shied plan to “run” the Monument 10K again in April in Richmond. Frank shared Phil will be at a faster pace, and one that qualifies as running, while his pace could be described as a fast walk—no doubt some “walkers” will be passing him. Frank noted he was looking forward to the Richmond ’84 supper club dinner with Wilson Enochs, Hal Hamner, Steve Hupp, Mark Morgan, Anderson, Steve Barsamian, Mike Melton, Steve Reardon, and many others who are not forgettable, but he may be forgetting. Frank mentioned he had wonderful phone calls with two younger alums, Adam Volant ’88 and Palmer Hamilton ’85, both five-star dudes.

I neglected to add this to the Nov. 15 updates: On Nov. 12, Frank emailed that he just returned from North Dakota with Jamie Shoemaker, Mark Morgan, Alex Thompson, and Steve Hupp, along with younger alums, to include sons. They have enjoyed this wonderful hunting trip for over 5 years or so. Frank noted he had a chance to catch up with the fifth member of the 101 club, Bruce Haulk. Bruce is doing well. David Pruitt joined Alex and Frank (and the wives) for a football game last season. They were hoping to descend on

Lexington for the VMI versus The Citadel game in January.

I received several cards, including a wonderful family Christmas picture from Glenn Omans (let’s follow up on the Europe trip) and Steve Mang. (Loved the peanuts gang!)

Jeff Roach wrote in to share on Chaplain Caudill’s (HBR ’83) service in November 2025, sharing the following: “What a privilege it was to travel to Lexington to attend the celebration of life for his spiritual mentor, Chaplain Charles Caudill. What a blessing to be able to gather with so many VMI graduates to honor a great and godly man who influenced generations of cadets. It was also an honor to be able to speak to Chaplain Caudill’s wife

Class of 1984: Cadet John Henry Ehrenberger ’29 with Hannah and John M. Ehrenberger.

Class of 1984: Neville Anderson with Jasmine Barrow, one of his former athletes.

Class of 1984: Neville Anderson at his induction ceremony into the Georgia Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Class of 1984: Frank Kollmansperger, Steve Hupp, Mark Morgan, Alex Thompson, and Jamie Shoemaker on a hunting trip to North Dakota in 2025.

Class of 1984: T.J. and Cathy Palmer on a trip to Sedona, Arizona.

and sons and tell them how much he impacted my life and the lives of my family. A testament to his impact, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Raizin’ Caine ’90, flew to VMI to attend the service. A true servant leader, General Caine refused to be recognized and sat in a VIP seat in the front row. He had no speaking role and was not officially recognized in the service. Insisting on sitting off to the side, he focused the attention on Chaplain Caudill and his family. This is why he is a true leader; he is the most powerful military officer in the most lethal fighting force in the world, yet he was there to celebrate a chaplain who had ministered to him during his cadetship. His willingness to take time out of his busy life to fly to VMI is yet another picture of how special Chaplain Caudill is. I am a better man because of Charles Caudill, and I look forward to his hug when he welcomes me into heaven someday. For now, I hope he and my dad are enjoying fellowship together and finding some small joy in knowing how much I love and miss them both. I hope you are doing well, and thanks again for all you do for us!” Jeff, the honor is mine to serve my brother rats and VMI!

Congratulations to Neville Anderson, Athens Academy’s track and field coach, on his recent induction into the Georgia Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place in Douglasville, Georgia, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. Neville was honored with six other distinguished coaches from across Georgia.

Neville’s induction into the Georgia Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame recognized his over 25 years of leadership in Georgia track and field. Since joining Athens Academy in 2003 and becoming head coach in 2017, Neville has led the Spartans to several state championships (boys and girls alike) and helped athletes like Henry Dwyer, Anna Marian Block, Jackson Scruggs, and Olympian Graham Blanks reach collegiate and international levels. The hall of fame honor highlights Neville’s commitment to student-athlete development and success. Well done, brother rat! Last but not least, T.J. Palmer and Kathy emailed Feb. 14 to share a picture from their visit to Arizona. T.J. noted he and Cathy just returned from a great trip to Sedona, Arizona. They enjoyed lots of great hiking. T.J. took on some technical climbing that maybe he should not have, but it was quite a thrill. T.J.’s retirement from his systems engineering job at Raytheon is set for April

Class Notes

... there, he said it; now he really must retire. Welcome to the club, brother rat; the water is fine! Wishing a good night to Toby Jones and Chuck Pruden, wherever you are.

1985

Bill Wieners

’85:

Hi, everyone. I hope all is well with all of you. I didn’t hear from any of you, so this entry will be a brief one.

All is well in Lexington. Please remember to support VMI giving campaigns. You can show your support for the Corps by giving as much as you would like.

Take care, and good luck in all things.

Best, Bill

edition will be abbreviated.

Unfortunately, we have to lead off with some sad news, as we’ve lost two brother rats this quarter. Paul Simroth passed away in December, and Chris Poage took his leave of us in February. Two good men and good BRs.

BR Simroth was living in Charlottesville, Virginia, and had last been working near Verona, Virginia. In the last 2 years, Paul had developed some significant health issues that necessitated him moving into a nursing home as his health deteriorated. Tom FitzPatrick made contact with BR Simroth’s brother, and I believe Tom FitzPatrick, Paul Burch, Dave Shin, and Mike Chapman may have all made it to BR Simroth’s graveside service in late December. (Thanks, men.) We are saddened to lose Paul Simroth but sadder that he left us, and no one knew of his health condition. His brother shared with Fitz that Paul was intensely private, and we all respect that but, nonetheless, would like to have shown him more love and support when he was still with us.

Greetings, brother rats of the mighty Class of 1986, and welcome to those who wish to join us for another quarterly update. On the near horizon is our (gulp) 40th Reunion coming up in April 2026. The momentous event will be history by the time you receive these notes, but a full after-action report will come in a subsequent edition. Not a lot of real news this quarter, so this

Chris Poage was living in Tucson, Arizona, and had a stellar career as a rocket scientist with Raytheon. Chris had tacked a master’s degree from Southern Cal onto his VMI BS in mechanical engineering. I believe Raytheon was the only place he worked his entire career. Chris had some long-term health issues; he was a diabetic and had a serious heart surgery several years ago. Nevertheless, his passing was sudden, and it was a shock to all of us. Steve Gray had been stationed in Tucson several times in his U.S. Air Force career, and his family and BR Poage’s family had become close. BR Poage is survived by his wife, children, and his BRs. Perhaps these losses are a harsh reminder to keep in touch. We are 40 years removed from living together in barracks but still an integral part of one another’s formative years. As the days pile up behind us, we need to always be mindful to close ranks and keep in touch. To the families of Paul and Chris, we loved your guys in a very special way, as they were both well-liked and respected members of the VMI Class of 1986. We will miss them and wish you peace in the loss of two very good men. For the 40th Reunion, several BRs are making a supreme effort to bring Michael Laban in from Africa. BR Laban is still living in his homeland of Zimbabwe and seems to be doing well, all things considered. A tip of the old steel pot to Mark “Duke” Ellington and Troy Heskett for their good work and financial support in the effort to get Mike

Class of 1985: Tom Roltsch, Graham Rose, and Don Monday at Brock’s Riverside Grill in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

1986

Clint Hubbard

back to the States. Surely, BR Laban has led one of the most interesting lives of all of us since May 1986.

The other alleged attendee will be Henry Ingram. BR Ingram has recently retired from a career in San Diego as a police officer—bet he has some stories to tell! Henry reached out that he is planning his first visit to the “Mother I” in a long time. It will be great to see him. Safe travels, BR Ingram

Perhaps you are aware that the Class of 1986 established a scholarship at VMI that is utilized as an athletic scholarship. This year’s awardee is Cadet Rowen Choi ’29, a stalwart member of the men’s soccer team.

Class Notes

Annually, the Keydet Club sponsors a scholarship dinner where the scholarship sponsors are invited to dine with the cadet scholarship awardees. This year, the scholarship banquet was held in early February in Marshall Hall. I represented the Class of ’86 and had the great pleasure to meet Cadet Choi, as well as three other members of the men’s soccer team: Anthony Pate ’26, Adam Senna ’26, and Jordan Savage ’28. They are all stalwart young men and fair specimens of citizen-soldiers. Hopefully, we will be able to get them out to one of our reunion events in April so the rest of you may meet them.

Finally, on a lighter note, in the “there’s someone for everyone department,” Gordon White announces his engagement and forthcoming nuptials to Ms. Jami Turner in North Carolina. Not sure of the wedding date, but Gordon says he’s bringing Jami to the reunion in April. Anyone want to lay odds on the over/under of whether or not we’ll scare Jami away? Actually, if she’s agreed to marry our BR White, probably not much scares that girl.

That’s it for this quarter. Remember our fallen BRs with a toast. This edition should come to you around New Market Day and hopefully we’ll have seen many of you at the reunion in April. Take care, BRs, and let me know who we need to shine a light on.

Ken Devero and Drew Campi. This is a perfect way to use me as the class agent. Tell me you are going somewhere, and I will connect you with BRs who would love to hang out with you. The myVMIalumni app is also a great way to find alums from all classes. These days, more brother rats are retiring and have time to meet you on your schedule or are traveling.

Speaking of traveling, I have not talked with Terry Sutherland this quarter because my international calling plan does not operate in many of the countries Terry has visited. A quick review of his Facebook page would make any WestPac Navy float look like a cruise of Smith Mountain Lake. Terry and his wife, Joy, have been all over Southeast Asia on what seems to be a 3-month tour.

Father John Boughton was down in Texas catching up with family during the Thanksgiving holiday. He is still living the word of the Lord and spreading the gospel as the superior general of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. If you Google Father John, you will see many of his talks and sermons online. John and I spent 1987–88 running around D.C. after college, and I always considered him a close friend. We also roomed next to each to each other our 2nd Class year and kicked the room spittoon over many times.

Carl Feddeler texted me that he was out of town when I called. He was visiting his new grandbaby! Hard to believe we are getting old enough to have grandkids, but we are all happy for you, Carl.

BillMcCarthy

Brother Rats, I really turned over some rocks this quarter. I was

able to track down some stray sheep, and hopefully I brought them back into the fold. Happily, they all read the Alumni Review, and I was happy they either picked up the phone or called me back. We have 14 months until our next reunion in April 2027. It is great to expand the active roles, and I expect all of you to attend. I will be forming a Reunion Committee soon and am happy for any and all the help you can provide.

Dave Smith is living his best retired life in Fairfield, Virginia. Dave had a distinguished military career and now is enjoying the good life with his wife and family. For those who forget, Fairfield is an exit or two north/east of Lexington. It is a hotbed of Shenandoah Valley retirees on Route 11.

Alan Tolley is a fishing machine and offers anyone wanting to bag an 80-pound catfish in the Santee Cooper Reservoir. Alan also sent pics from his trip to Myrtle Beach, where he connected with

Talked to Alan Cowan on his special day. He is now down in Pamlico County, North Carolina, not far from New Bern. He is semi-retired now and teaching at a local charter school. He said he and his bride had dinner with John “Herbie” Nolan while he was on his way to Charleston, South Carolina.

Talked with Tom “Snapper” Brooks. This was an absolute blast from the past and what makes me enjoy the class agent role. Tom and his wife, Kim, live on the water in Montross, Virginia, in a semi-retired state. After a career in accounting, Tom was CFO with Solutia in the Midwest and moved back to Virgina to help run the family business, Trucking Thunder. TT customizes trucks for a variety of applications for commercial use. His birthday is Christmas Eve, which makes “light the tree” so much more meaningful. He has promised me to come to the reunion.

I had a nice chat with Steve Glenn. Steve was a Lexington High graduate who stayed local. Due to an unfortunate accident that derailed a military

1987

Class of 1987: Drew and Kelly Campi with Adrian and Kathy Garcia.

Class of 1987: Capt. Mike Upton and Capt. Jon McLean on the tarmac at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas.

career, he decided to finish up at UNC Pembroke with the fear of penalty tours and possible expulsion. He has kept in touch with a few BRs over the years but still gets the Alumni Review and reads it diligently. Steve lives in Raleigh and works for a FEMA contractor after a career in the hazmat world.

Paul Brannigan and I texted on his birthday in January. He is still living outside Atlanta and working for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Both his kids are in graduate school. His roommate, Jerry Ledlow, also celebrated a birthday in January. Jerry is a professor at University of Texas at Tyler. Jerry’s career has focused on healthcare policy and economics.

I talked with Russ Mitchell over the quarter. He is currently a manufacturing engineer with Tuff Torque, which makes engine parts. Russ spent 9 years in the Air Force, and he has moved across the South with stints in Augusta, Georgia, and now in Morrisville, Tennessee. He reminded me that he was 4-year roommates with Kevin Sincavage and Chinawat Noiwan. For those who do not track on Facebook, Chinawat is finishing his studies to be a Buddhist monk.

Rennie Sullivan is living the empty nest life in Rhode Island. He has four boys spread across the country, so he and his wife have joined the VMI ’87 RV community and will be touring the Southeast soon. Rennie spent 8 years in the Army and the last many years working in the biotech field for a large biopharma company.

Mike Upton and I talked in between flights. He and Jon McLean caught up on the tarmac during the big ice storm that hit the Southeast. Mike and Jon are both pilots for American Airlines. Mike flies out of Dallas, and Jon flies out of the metro New York area.

More to come, but I finally got some decent contact info for Ernie “The Hammer” Sacco. I knew Ernie had moved back to Voorheesville, New

Class Notes

York. I caught him at the end of the quarter, and he did not have time to update, but it will be in the next issue.

My Nashville crew have been prolific this quarter. Kevin McClung has been doing a 30-day social media campaign to promote his new album that is coming out. For those who do not follow Kevin on Facebook or other sites, he has had a long career in Nashville as a songwriter and musician. Will Fuller (my co-dyke) and I have bonded over our love of collecting watches. Now that my kids are out of the house, my level of discretionary income has increased, and I have a newfound love for and amazement for Swiss watch manufacturing. If anyone else shares this passion, I am happy to start a subgroup.

Warren Michaelson said he is never moving back East. He has been working for the Trane Corp in the Northwest region and is building his retirement home out in Washington state. Work has prevented him from participating in reunions, but he promises me he is a lock for 2027.

I am sure there was a lot more I missed than I am reporting, but it’s been a busy 3 months for me. As always, I am appreciative of all those who contribute, respond, and answer my call. But in the words of every cadre corporal over the last 50 years: “Don’t thank me ... I am not your mother!” Best Class in Barracks, ’87, ’87, ’87.

1988

John Keppeler

Brother Rats,

Greetings. I hope everyone is doing well and the weather is warmer as you read this than it is

in mid-February as I write this!

First off, I have a saved alibi from last quarter. On Nov. 5, 2025, the Metro D.C. Region hosted lunch with the VMI Alumni Association at the Army Navy Club in Washington, D.C., with the superintendent as the guest speaker. Lt. Gen. Furness ’87 provided his current impressions of the Institute, his vision for the future, and took questions from the audience. I don’t think there were any surprises from his comments, and we all wish him well as he leads our Institute forward! Our class was well represented; unfortunately, I failed to catch the superintendent before he left the premises to join our picture. In attendance were Tony Davilla, John J. Keppeler, Ed Wetherell, David Hickey, Drew McKone, Carlos Lofstrom, and Hugh McGloin

A few of us were invited out to Derek McFarland’s cabin in Flintstone, Maryland, for one last campout before the end of the year. If you have been to one of Derek’s campouts, then you are familiar with the layout and general scheme

Class of 1988: Rick Blocker (left) and James Sigmon in Omaha, Nebraska, Jan. 14, 2026.

Class of 1988: Having lunch at the Girlfriend’s Taphouse in Stafford, Virginia, Feb. 6, 2026, are (from left) John Keppeler, John Wanat, Wayne Sinclair, Scott Stachelek, Hugh McMenamin, Doug Jacobsen, Mike Beyer, Mike Owen, Tony Davila-Bonazzi, James Sigmond, and Mike Pannell.

Class of 1988: Pictured at Derek McFarland’s cabin in Flintstone, Maryland, Dec. 13, 2025, are (from left) John E. Keppeler ’18, Wayne Sinclair, Chris Goff, Derek, and Nick Pierce (Wayne’s son-in-law).

of maneuver. This campout was just on a smaller scale with colder temperatures. As usual, Derek outdid himself cooking and hosting! If you haven’t been to one of his campouts, you are missing out! Once again, yours truly totally forgot to get a picture with everyone, but I did take a picture after breakfast one morning. In my defense, there was a good amount of alcohol consumed that weekend and lots of guns to shoot during the day, so I was slightly distracted! Total in attendance were Derek McFarland; Todd Friewald; Todd’s son, Jake Friewald ’17; Chris Goff; Wayne Sinclair; Wayne’s son-in-law, Nick Pierce; my son, John E. Keppeler ’18; and myself.

It appears the Richmond breakfast is going strong. Sean “Red” Cantrell reported in after having breakfast with BRs at McLean’s Restaurant in Richmond, Virginia. According to Red, everyone is in good health. Chris Long is retired and living in Goochland, Virginia. Charles Nelson is still working, and Tom Munno is still at Phillip Morris. Bill Reagan is a senior analyst at D&G Solutions. John Scarpino just moved to Pungo, Virginia, and is working in financial planning, as is Rob Campbell. Ted Wagner is the vice president and SISO at SAP National Security Services. Andy McAllister is grinding away at the Federal Reserve. And Mack Carr and Red Cantrell are continuing to make the world a better place at River City Rubbish. If you live in or anywhere close to the Richmond area, contact Charles Nelson and get on his breakfast invite list!

James “Lew” Sigmon visited Omaha, Nebraska, in January for a work trip and caught up with Rick Blocker at Hooters for dinner. Lew is still making things happen at the Defense Logistics Agency. Rick works for a defense contractor in Omaha and reports his daughter just got married.

Bill Cronenberg was making one of his stateside visits from Estonia and squeezed in an impromptu lunch with Mike Coleman, Ed Wetherell, and myself. Bill and his family are doing well, and it was really nice catching up with Mike Coleman, whom I don’t get to see much.

We had our recent NOVA lunch in Stafford, Virginia, and had a pretty good turnout. In attendance were John Wanat, Wayne Sinclair, Scott Stachelek, Hugh McMenamin, Doug Jacobsen, Mike Beyer, Mike Owen, Tony Davilla, James Sigmon, Mike Pannell, and me. Nothing new to report, but everyone is doing well. We talked about some of the current events with VMI

Class Notes

and the new Virginia legislature, transitioning from work to retired life, and job opportunities for those still in the fight.

I received a text from Bobby Gardner. While some of us are suffering from the polar vortex of 2026, Bobby is enduring mid-70s temperature in Southern California. Other than that, he said his scans came back in mid-January, and all were stable! Next scans aren’t until mid-April. Please keep Bobby in your prayers as he fights lung cancer and reach out to him if you feel so inclined.

Well, I think that’s about it for this quarter. Again, thank you for all the photos and updates. Please keep them coming, and I will try and do my best to get your photo in the Alumni Review. Until next quarter, God bless, stay healthy, and stay in touch! I can be reached at 540-429-9041 or john.keppeler@gmail.com.

RVM and Semper Fi!

Rock

Class of 1988: Pictured at the Army and Navy Club in Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 5, 2025, are (from left) Tony Davila-Bonazzi, John Keppeler, Ed Wetherell, David Hickey, Drew McKone, Carlos Lofstrom, and Hugh McGloin.

1989

David

A. Martin

These notes cover the period Founders Day 2025–Feb. 1, 2026. We will dispense with the usual administrativia, as I’m about to catch a plane to Hawaii for my annual social media detox, super mai tai intox, and lei; the swim-up pool bar is open! Grab your two-sizes-too-tight rat swimsuit dyke and let’s dive right in, the water is fine ...

Kent Doane, Reunion Development Committee RDC president, exceeded the standard and sent not one but two photos for publishing to the Alumni Review class notes! Not to be outdone, Mitch Fridley, his executive officer and RDC vice president, sent in a photo of his BR hunting party. Kent, Mitch, and Harrison Bresee had a very enjoyable duck and goose hunt in early January on the Chesapeake Bay off Virginia’s Eastern Shore near Onancock. According to Mitch, as often happens with these hunts, the shooting was mediocre at best, but the bourbon and camaraderie were excellent. Harrison and Mitch didn’t miss a single duck ... since they never pulled the trigger. Kudos to Harrison and Mitch for conserving ammo! Kent killed two buffleheads. They stayed at Harrison’s recently renovated cabin and ate, drank, and slept well in preparation for daily forays of unsuccessfully trying to find and kill waterfowl. Mitch added in a postscript that he and Gary Bissell went to a Washington Commanders game in D.C. in November, “which in a way was similar to the duck hunt—great fun experience, lousy results,” notes Mitch.

But back to Kent. Notes sometimes write themselves and revolve around a theme, and this one smells no different! Kent walks his dog, Scotch, to almost every home football game and sent in a picture of the appropriately-named-canine inquisitively sniffing the usual suspects’ nether regions before game time: Pete Lampman, Keith Sykes, and Brian Pannell. One might call that a tailgate? Lol! This quarter, Coach Pete, who coaches the local high school football team right there in Rockbridge County, noted that his application to coach the Keydets somehow got lost in the mail. Pete was waiting for his telephone to ring for

Class of 1988: Having breakfast at McLean’s Restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 9, 2026, are (from left) Charles Nelson, Sean Cantrell, Tom Munno, Bill Reagan, Jill Perretta (John Scarpino’s girlfriend), John, Amelia Scarpino, Mack Carr, Andy McAlister, Chris Long, Rob Campbell, and Ted Wagner.

days! Maybe they lost his number? In fact, according to a recent poll on the ’89 Facebook page, Pete received a motherlode of votes as a write-in candidate for head coach, but not enough for a supermajority. Speaking of the page, this quarter, 12 requests for membership were rejected for failure to answer membership questions. Four even went so far as to say they graduated VMI in 1989, but I could not find them in any of the Bombs 1985–89! Methinks there is something rotten in Denmark! In fact, one request even came from just outside of Denmark, as in northern Russia, but I can’t seem to recall any BRs from Arkhangelsk. Can you? Artificial intelligence and spam have infected the page faster than the (in)famous barracks plague of 1988!

Speaking of 1985–89, this is the new blast from the past paragraph! Kudos to Tom Spivey, who quickly and adroitly responded with a picture denoting a rite of passage during spring: The burning of the woolies! Who can forget the day-after-remnants of the charred sentinel box? Emanating from it, the woolen ash-flotsam floating on Old Barracks courtyard crosswinds like the warm malodorous Tuesday-eveningembrace wafting from the Crozet Hall kitchens on Chinese beef and pepper night. Very similar smells. Alliteration aside (get it?), Raf Barsamian wrote in to disagree with this recollection (nightmare?) of the beef and pepper taste at supper dining (PTSD) experience, expressing his proclivity to instead gorge himself on baked ziti nights. Raf also gets bonus points as the first BR to RSVP to my call for notes input, cleverly writing in without saying anything that can be published! Well played! Likewise, Buzzard Spivey gets bonus points as one of the first BRs to respond to a request for photos 1985–89 to mark this new “blast from the past” section in the notes. It’s tough to find pictures greater than 1MB suitable for publication in the Review; we’ll repurpose photos that do not make the cut to our Facebook page. Keep those pictures coming!

The ’89 sommelier and vintner, Quinn “Mad Dog” Donovan, continues to do God’s work and bring joy to the people. The Mad Dog of the Mondavi has 100 gallons of potent potables suitable for bottling. Interestingly enough, recent tariff pressure increased the price of glass bottles 50%; I suggested the Class of ’89, ever environmentally conscious (a veritable plethora of you were green the Sunday after reunion), could recycle all our cheap wine bottles and send to Quinn. Quinn poo-pooed that suggestion as “poppycock! What do you want me to do? Wash the putrid stench of BR-wine out of 2-year-old bottles? It doesn’t work that way.” Point taken, Mad Dog, point taken! Apparently, I

Class Notes

have much to learn when it comes to winemaking. Along those lines, Quinn continues to reiterate that any and all BRs and wives are welcome to visit for a few days to learn about winemaking. He and his wife, Tracy, are in the Sonoma Valley, where Quinn officially works to help keep California water drinkable.

I don’t think Quinn wears a tie to work, but this is a “tie-in”—many of us recently retired, or are about to, vowing never to wear a suit and tie again. Not Steve Warren! Millions of viewers see Steve, always looking sharp, on television as a military/ national security analyst on NBC—in particular, the Meet the Press program. Steve looks great in a suit on the big screen TV and weighed in recently on potential domestic troop deployments, foreign and domestic.

Speaking of foreign deployments, Steve Breheny has visited almost every country in the world. Steve wrote recently: “Feliz año nuevo de Antigua, Guatemala, just a quick update. I wrapped up 2025 in Antigua, Guatemala, celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve with my good friends here. After a rough start in early 2025 with a bit of a scrape in Ethiopia, the year closed out peacefully. I am proud to share that my current tally is 132 countries (VMI One-989! ring in tow to everyone). As I begin 2026, I have my eyes set on 193 (official UN count) or bust. I have been to a number of unrecognized countries, as well (Holy See, Palestine, Taiwan, Kosovo, N. Cyprus), so my total will be well over 200 if successful ... God willing. I have a cruise scheduled in February in the Caribbean and should hit seven more countries there. That will just leave Venezuela and Cuba in the Western Hemisphere. If the current situation continues to develop nicely, the visit of those two countries may be less hectic than before. That will leave Belarus and Russia in Europe ... praying for a speedy end to hostilities so that might happen. Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the Middle East. My greatest concern was Iran, but that, too, is developing. I have a plan to visit Pakistan in November with one of my former co-workers at AT&T; 46 countries in Africa ... since there isn’t much infrastructure to work with, this will be quite the challenge. The geopolitical climate in much of Africa is not so good. That will leave North Korea. I may see if my buddy, Dennis Rodman, can assist with a visit there.”

Steve is crazy! Not because he wants to visit every country, but because he wants to visit Afghanistan! Anyone else been there? Um ... hard pass. But having lived in Moscow for a while, I strongly recommend it and the Bolshoi. I also technically stepped foot in North Korea while touring

the United Nations facilities in Panmunjom in the DMZ in mid-July a few decades ago ... the rotten kimchi in the fields reminded me of something wicked on the margins of Chinese beef and pepper nights (see above). I can still smell it. PTSD. No, thanks. Good luck, Crazy Steve. Safe travels. Sticking with the international theme, Sean and Natalie Raborn completed a 12-mile hike around Cradle Mountain, South Australia, in one day. Interestingly enough, as they live in the Colorado mountains, they traveled halfway around the world to see more mountains!

Finally, we close with this quarter’s brother rat unsung heroes (BRUH) paragraph. UHs are BRs or friends of the class who went above and beyond this quarter, epitomizing the spirit of One989! and offering encouragement, lodging, refreshment, or helping ’89 (or the management thereof) in some silent but meaningful way. Ruth and Jim Masella for offering lodging (had to take a rain check, as the Volunteer Leaders Conference was postponed); Brandon Bissell ’98 for taking the time to talk for half an hour; bear spray; Tom Fanshaw; Mitch Fridley, RDC vice president; Kimber Arms company; Scotch the dog; Scotch the drink; Scotch tape (the Christmas card envelopes didn’t always stick); everyone who completed the ’89 survey; Becky Ratliff, who continues to stay engaged with us on the ’89 Facebook page (we will never forget our fallen BR the Big Man Michael Ratliff! And wives are welcome at all ’89 events!); the Hale Koa Hotel; Kramer Reeves for cocktails at The Citadel; the people who work in Crozet Hall; Jay Lawson; Pete Kelley; Billy Miller; and John Piedmont for duties as the guest scribe for the next edition of the ’89 class notes! RVM and One-989!

Class of 1989: Keith Sykes, Pete Lampman, Brian Pannell, and Kent Doane on post.

Brother Rats,

Greetings from snow-covered Lexington. Unfortunately, I have to start this note off with the sad news of the passing of our Brother Rat Elson Hin. Elson was in Charlie Company, a soccer player who matriculated from Lancaster, Virginia, and was with us through 2nd Class year. He passed away Jan. 27, suddenly at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He spent a good part of his career working in IT and had a long stint with Hummingbird (the company that makes fish finders and depth finders for boats) and lived most of the past few years in the D.C. area. Jim Hynes recalled, “I remember him well; we were sucking it up in Charlie Company together rat year. He was my sparring partner in Colonel Caulkins’ rat boxing class. ... I swear he boxed with a smile on his face. He was a great guy, adored by all ...” A service was held in February in Silver Spring, Maryland. He leaves behind a daughter and his mother, as well as a number of other relatives. Big thanks to retired Brig Gen. Weedon Gallagher for taking the time out of his schedule and representing ’90 at the services in February. Weed actually served in the Army with Elson’s brother, Sherwin, in addition to being friends with Elson at VMI.

On a better note, I was able to talk with U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Bill Bowers, who served as our guest speaker at graduation in December and was also on hand for the December commissioning ceremony. Bill delivered the kind of energetic and entertaining address that he’s become known for

and was completely fit for the occasion. Speaking of December graduation, I got the following tale from Jim Cox: “I wore civilian clothes to watch John Golden graduate in December of our 1st Class year. General Knapp ’54 boned me for civilian clothes outside of barracks. Captain Wilcockson either threw it away or gave me one demerit as I was leaving post immediately afterward. He thought it was pretty funny and commented that I didn’t have a lot of friends in Smith Hall!”

For another happy note, I want to congratulate our BR Damon Williams for being reappointed to the Board of Visitors. This will be his second stint as a BOV member, and he brings a wealth of experience and perspective to the board at a critical time for VMI. I was fortunate enough to be able to take in the Radford basketball game with Ramon and Damon—two hoops legends—over the Christmas break, and their insights are always invaluable.

Regarding the various bills proposed in the General Assembly, as of this writing, they are still in process with the session going until early March. I really appreciate the outpouring of support from our class for VMI in opposing these bills. Over the course of the session, I heard from Kelly Musick, Greg Hatchett, Chris Phillips, Charles Plageman, Bob Butler, John King, Scott Spellmeyer, Bill Gaspar, and Chuck Smith, among many others. I really enjoyed everyone’s comments posted on various forums, and Class of ’90 support did not go unnoticed. In addition to BR Williams’ service with the BOV, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize Matt Hemenez, Alumni Association president; Lee Havird, commandant; Pablo Martinez, Keydet Club vice president; and Mike Kemp, Keydet Club Board of Governors member, for their service during some very “interesting” times. Bob Butler sent the following after I mentioned capturing a cadet with an air fryer during room

inspection. “If I recall correctly, one of our BR rooms had a bookshelf with a carefully crafted cassette tape storage area ... which concealed a microwave or other contraband. Does anyone recall? And at least one room had a hole in the wall behind the frame which held the class schedules for the day ...” For the microwave, Laurence Farrell took ownership: “Bob, you are correct. It was our room. Manning, Kaulfers, Farrell, and Swanson. We had a full microwave and a full mini refrigerator behind bookcases. It really was a nice setup.”

Mike Ferguson chimed in with a reminder to not “forget a full-size, live-cut Christmas tree every year” in the room. How that never came to the notice of the TACs, I’d love to know. As for item No. 1 with the hole in the wall behind the schedule cards, I can claim Ratliff, Hoover, Mehl, and myself in Room 261 had such a hiding place for contraband.

On the job front, Rob Gudz let me know he is now working as an executive director with BR Carlos Fernandes. Carlos spends a good bit of time in Portugal overseeing a major cybersecurity contract with NATO in addition to his other business ventures. Charles Plageman also got a promotion here at VMI to director of major gifts with the Alumni Agencies. Also, apparently starting a new position with I2PURE is Doug Spitz, while Dave Kaulfers has started a new job in construction after retiring from VDOT when he’s not hiking the Appalachian Trail. John Hahn was in town for a basketball game and let me know he is about to retire from his civil service job and start a new position as a TAC officer at Fork Union Military Academy. It was also rumored Pablo Martinez recently moved to a new job in finance. On LinkedIn, I see a lot of folks— most notably Mike Trahar, Thad Tegtmeyer, George Palomar, Sal Bora, Jim Dufford, and Randy St. Clair are frequent correspondents and

Class of 1989: Kent Doane, Mitch Fridley, and Harrison Bresee on a duck and goose hunting trip on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Class of 1989: Sean and Natalie Raborn with friends Ali and Jack Darmody on a hike of Cradle Mountain in South Australia.

Daren Payne

contributors. Eliot Assimakopoulos messaged me on LinkedIn with a podcast interview he participated in discussing microgrid financing, which is really cutting-edge stuff and pretty technical for a history major Marine!

In January, a big trip to Florida was planned by Jim Hubbard with Todd Northrop, Brad Lawrence, Tim Feagans, Bill Ator, Mike Kemp, and myself. Unfortunately, Lawrence, Kemp, and I were hit by the big snowstorm and unable to make it, but the others enjoyed both the beautiful Fort Lauderdale weather and talking smack to the rest of us for “backing out” (they used another word) out of the trip; I must admit Kemp took the brunt of their attacks. In fact, bashing and posting old pictures of Kemp via text messaging seems to be a popular pastime among this group. I will say I admire Mike’s sense of humor and ability to absorb the insults in good character. Overall, the trip to Florida looked like a really great time, and I’m hoping for a do-over next winter. Big thanks to Jim for pulling everything together.

Around the same time, I heard from Paul Tallat-Kelpsa, who was planning to head to Lexington for some trout fishing, and I also heard from Barry Johnson, who I unfortunately missed as he was passing through town. Barry stays in touch regularly with Mike Doczi, Hal Jones, and Kelly Bledsoe, among others in the Roanoke area. I also need to thank Andy Kvasnicka, Hunter Trumbo, and Mike Herbaugh, who all sent great Christmas cards for us.

I got messages in January from Dr. Gordie Byrne and Pete Tunnard. Pete was expecting his first grandkid out in Texas, and Gordie was surviving the winter in Ohio. Mike Mullori was also kind enough to return one of my calls to help me out on a legal case I was dealing with. As always, his advice was sound and legally bulletproof. I was able to catch up with all of my roommates recently. Sean Hoover, after retiring from ATF, is now back at work for ICE in addition to his Army Reserve duty. Dave Ratliff is still living high up on the mountain overlooking Roanoke and feeding bears in his spare time. Rich Mehl made it up for a ball game with his son and, last I heard, was snowed in down in Wilmington, North Carolina, of all places. Rich is regularly in touch with Raynor Garey and Jeff Kaster. Kaster is planning a move to Florida this spring, and Raynor is in the process of building a boxable home in Wilmington. Of course, I hear regularly from Dave McGraw, who, like Kaster, is also contemplating a move to Florida. On the same text group, I also hear from Jamie Setze, who was actually snowed in down in New Orleans this winter.

Locally, I’ve heard from Matt Schwarzmann,

Class Notes

who is always on the front row in the VIP seats for the basketball games, and John Burleson, who sent me a picture of him and Keith Kornegay hanging out for New Year’s Eve at Keith’s house. (Guess my invite was lost in the mail?)

I’ve also been chatting routinely with Neil Whitmore, who’s been an invaluable help to my EZ Permits business from his position as the deputy director of planning for Rockbridge County.

In January, I heard from Joey Jones. He was dealing with a health issue but should be back on the mend in time for next football season. As the head coach of the local middle school, Joey’s team went unbeaten this past year.

During a wrestling match here recently, Rob Uhorchuk’s son was wrestling for Chattanooga against VMI, and I was also reminded that both he and Rich Treanor had sons wrestling at West Point. (Not sure what we gotta do to get some of these star athlete sons to VMI?)

As for me, I’m keeping busy with my day job in construction plus my various additional duties as TAC officer, room inspector, Honor Court defense advocate, football chain crew chief, etc. It keeps me young and active being around all these young people and seeing what a great caliber of product this place continues to produce. I’m looking forward to the summer and spending some more time down on the boat and on the water after this winter weather we’ve had.

That’s all I have for now, so until next time, everyone stay safe and go Keydets!

Daren

1991

Chuck Story

Chris Edmonston

Well, BRs,

The stars aligned, a unicorn was born, and fortune smiled upon me. How do I know? Because BR Brian Snider did something which very few of you all do—he actually sent in some notes for the Review! I gave him a shout and spent some time talking with him; here’s how he is doing: Brian decided in middle school that he wanted to fly for a living. “I didn’t like the idea of going to college and then dropping six figures on flight

school, so I decided that the military would be a better option for getting my wings.” He applied to all the service academies and got into West Point. But, he realized that flying helicopters might not lead to a career as an airline pilot (like it did with the phrog Hans Peeders), so he chose his “back-up” plan and came to VMI, where he got an ROTC scholarship and a chance to fly. Brian had a cousin, Greg Otey ’87, who gave him information on how to survive the Rat Line. Brian actually chose—and stuck with—civil engineering for his degree. Brian credits Pete Brindley for getting him through the program. “Pete literally re-taught me everything that I didn’t understand in class that day.” He also credits his roommate, Matt Sprouse, for making VMI more fun and enjoyable. “I lived by the motto, ‘VMI is a great place to be from, but not a great place to be,’ so I went home to Roanoke as often as possible.”

Upon commissioning, he became a C-130 pilot after completing flight school in Lubbock, Texas. Brian was able to participate in the “Palace Chase” program, which allowed him to transition to the National Guard. His first duty station was Martinsburg, West Virginia, as a first lieutenant. The guard wasn’t full time: “I didn’t do anything else; they gave me enough to do to get by. I fished a little, too.” He eventually moved to New York and went to work for a regional airline and joined a guard unit in Buffalo.

He applied to multiple airlines in the late ’90s and had options with American, United, and Delta. “It was a toss-up between United and Delta, and I just decided to go with Delta, and I love it.” 9/11 changed all that. Delta, like many airlines, furloughed pilots, and Brian was out for 2 years. But he was still flying for the guard and deployed several times, participating in the second Gulf War and also Afghanistan. (As well as Puerto Rico).

At that time, he was dating his future wife, Robin. He decided he wanted to be around for his future family and left the guard as a major in 2006 and resumed flying for Delta full time.

His base today is Kennedy Airport in New York. (He commutes from Buffalo to NYC.) He’s done international flights for the past 15 years; recently, he’s been flying to Tel Aviv, Athens, Rome, and Paris. His favorite destination is Frankfurt, Germany.

“There are advantages to being home every night, but I sure love the view from my office.”

Brian and Robin have two children. Their daughter, Sophia, is a high school senior with plans to go to Liberty University and study business. Their son, Trent, is a sophomore, and Brian is a sports dad who follows Trent’s baseball

games. Their family is involved in their church, and they do a bit of camping, with annual trips to Wellesley State Park in Upstate New York.

In closing, I asked him about lessons learned on the hill. “A lesson that VMI taught me was to lead by example—modeling the behavior you want to see. If my stuff wasn’t perfect, I wasn’t going to hassle you if yours wasn’t. Another is that if you don’t come out of VMI knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are, then you missed something. VMI is a humbling experience.

Class Notes

“When we were in the Middle East, I’d work with the crew to unload the C-130 or do whatever needed to be done so that we could all be done together. The flight crew and I got along pretty well because we were in it together. We flew support for both Iraq and Afghanistan, flying out of Qatar. The teamwork mentality I learned as a rat stayed with me.”

I’d love to chat with all of you and get you in the Review. One of my great joys is hearing about how all of you are doing. Feel free to send me a note if you are interested to cnedmonston@ gmail.com.

Our 35th Reunion is this fall, scheduled for Nov. 13–14. More details to come; please check your emails and our class Facebook page. Hope to be seen there and to see all of you there!

William Woodward

BRs,

I know we are all extremely busy (I can personally attest!) and some may be upset with the current situation between the Institute and the Virginia General Assembly, but please keep forwarding me information (and pictures) on what is going on in your lives; your BRs want to know! Here are the latest updates on our classmates and their families.

First off, I got an update from Stephanie Morris (Stephen Morris’ widow) back in December in which she said, “Can you believe it’s been 10 years since Stephen’s passing? Our little family

has grown up, and the kids are forging their own paths. They were 15, 13, and 12 when he died, and (my gosh!) it was hard. We stumbled through together and became a really tight unit. We’ve had some considerable peaks and valleys—always pulling together and honoring Stephen’s memory through it all. Ryan, 25, is continuing his collegiate lacrosse career as a defensive coach. He’s been coaching in North Georgia high schools, club programs, and enjoyed a year with the Georgia Swarm, all with a goal of becoming a collegiate coach. He is relocating to the greater mid-Atlantic area to plug back into his network and live steeped in communities with a high lacrosse IQ. He graduated from Virginia Wesleyan in 2021 with a communications/business degree and was a 4-year athlete and worked as a Christian camp counselor each summer in Vermont. Daniel, 23, is living and working full-time here in

North Georgia as a water jet engineer with Echols Mirror & Glass, a division of IBP. He let go of his lacrosse career when VMI rescinded their scholarship offer in 2020. Sophie, 22, graduated from Berry College in May 2025 with a psychology degree and is now on staff with Campus Outreach, working as a missionary. She deploys next month for a 2-year posting in Lima, Peru, to share the gospel with students. As for me, I am blessed to say that I retired from full-time employment in July 2025 and am enjoying a slower pace. Stephen never wanted me to work outside the home; he wanted me at home raising children. After his death, his life insurance policy was denied, and I had to fight for that claim. In the meantime, I went back to work and relied heavily on savings that quickly dwindled. That’s when I decided to relocate to Georgia for a lower cost of living than the affluent area outside D.C. A confluence of events blessed our family in 2021: We sold our home for twice what the home in Georgia cost, I secured a job that paid almost three times what I’d been making in NOVA (I was barely above the poverty level), and we finally won the life insurance lawsuit. It took 10 years to recover financially from

Class of 1991: Brian Snider with his wife, Robin, and children, Sophia and Trent.

Class of 1991: Brian Snider with a bass he just caught.

1992

Class of 1992: Jerry Allen’s daughter, Maggie, and Ed Davis at Jerry’s celebration of life in October 2025.

losing Stephen, and I’m happy to say that I’m now doing exactly what Stephen wanted: Dedicating my time and energy to his children. I’m doing a little bit of work with local nonprofits as a business and marketing consultant to affect generational change in families. I’m also beginning to do some of the things Stephen and I always dreamed about. I recently traveled to Italy, and while it was a stunningly beautiful trip, I found myself deeply saddened that he wasn’t with me. Thankful for the deep bonds of VMI and the brotherhood Stephen had.” On a side note, Stephanie told me that her son, Ryan, was going to possibly relocate to the Lexington area to potentially volunteer as an assistant coach with the W&L lax team. I put him in contact with the VMI lax coach to see what assistance he could be. Tom Timmes also provided some info on potential VMI job openings.

Ed Davis sent me a picture of him and Jerry Allen’s daughter, Maggie, at Jerry’s celebration of life Oct. 12, 2025.

Hopefully, everyone saw my email that went out in February announcing the 27th annual Allen Stone Braveheart Memorial Race in Virginia Beach at the 31st Street Park Saturday, July 25, 2026. I appreciate Greg Lee sending me the link and information I sent out in the email. Please search the above on the internet for more specifics on the race. It is always well-attended by our BRs, so for those who do attend, please send me pictures and summaries I can submit in my August entry to the Alumni Review, which will be published in November. I just wanted to apologize to all of you having birthdays early this year and not receiving digital birthday cards on time. Hopefully, by the time you read this, late digital cards made it to your inbox. I certainly submitted the entry on time. The Alumni Agencies instituted a new software system to take care of this function Jan. 1, and as of mid-February, it was still not functional. I have been a hound dog on them about it, as I find the situation intolerable. Perhaps I never should have stopped sending the hard copy cards, and for that, I apologize! Finally, I got quick status checks from the following BRs: Al Saunders and Rick Walker

Please let me know of any major life events such as marriages (including for our children), births, deaths, and advanced degrees so I can inform the Alumni Review. If you have a change of address or change in email address, let the Alumni Agencies and I know so we can make sure you get all VMI correspondence. In the Bonds, Woody

1993

Lincoln Swineford

Brother Rats!

As we roll into 2026, I hope everyone is well and that you all had great holidays.

Starting with an update regarding the memorial service for Chaplain Caudill (HBR ’83). The service was 1 day after the submission date for the November notes. When I sent in those notes, Mary Price, the very nice lady who manages the class notes section of the Alumni Review, sent me a note saying she remembers that Chaplain Caudill came to Lexington High School when she was there and gave a talk. “He was a very inspirational and motivating speaker. Since his passing, I’ve come to realize just how generous he was to drive across town to speak to us kids. I’m quite sure he wasn’t paid to do that. He just did it out of the goodness of his heart.” That’s just who he was. And we’re all better for it.

I thought his memorial service was very well done. Bob Phillips ’87, the chaplain emeritus, and John Casper ’04, the current Institute chaplain, both spoke—as did Kyle Goldsmith ’85, Steve Hupp ’84, Teddy Gottwald ’83, and Jerry Manley ’81—relating personal stories and lessons about Chaplain Caudill. Col. Brodie (Hon) also played taps. I thought it was a touching ceremony and a moving tribute to a man that lived his faith so very well.

Mike Zamalis, Don Spears, Stephen Allison, Dave Hurst, Tony Hatzis, Tuck Worsham, Scott Coleman, and Marron Hak were all in attendance. Marron had to leave, but the rest of us got a picture together in front of Memorial Hall after the service.

While I was there speaking with one of the chaplain’s sons, I mentioned that I was Class of ’93. When I was done speaking to them, Matt Bowers’ parents, who overheard me say my class, introduced themselves to me. Very nice people, and very nice of them to make the service. Matt

Class of 1993: Lincoln Swineford (left) with U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine ’90, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Class of 1993: Brandon Freel, Kevin Morris, Lincoln Swineford, Darin Ramsey, Matt Williams, Margaret Thatcher (dog), Jim Romasz, Tim Ervin, Raleigh Trumbo, Don Spears, Harry Oldfield, and Steve Hunter on the balcony of Moody Hall in fall 2025. Not pictured are Vic Kane, Brian Piccioni, and Stephen Allison.

couldn’t make the trip because of family obligations in Denver.

While I was there, I was perusing the bookstore, as we do, and ran into Gen. Dan Caine ’90, who was also there for the service. Completely low key, self-depreciating, and gracious. I had noticed three guys walking around in dark suits and thought, “That’s weird,” and right about then I noticed a man in an Air Force uniform with a bunch of stars on his shoulders, and it clicked. He actually walked over to me when he saw I recognized him. I introduced myself, and he just said, “I’m Dan Caine ’90.” Low key. When I went to take a picture with him, he wanted the picture taken while we were shaking hands. He told me he really liked our class and thought we were great. I feel like I acted pretty cool about the whole thing, but I was fanboying, no doubt.

Now, to our updates.

Casey Cox sent an update: “Checking in for Room 144. I was able to visit Jim Delk in Waco, Texas, in December. We had some steaks and bourbon. Jim is doing much better following his stroke several years ago. He is currently receiving great treatment from the VA by working with a TBI group. Jim’s mobility is limited, but he is always ready to answer a text message or phone call. We reached out to Curtis Barker and Dave Charlton for a status check. Curtis lost his father on Christmas Eve but otherwise is doing well. Dave is a pastor in Tavernier, Florida. I have been living in the Philadelphia area for the past 8 years and will be spending much of the next 6 months in Houston, Texas, for work.” Thanks for the update, Casey. Glad to hear Jim is doing better and that his rehab is progressing.

Spencer Gill and I messaged briefly. He let me know that they “have our last two graduating from high school. I’ve been grinding for 25 years. Over 2 million flight miles spread out over 20 different countries. It’s been a good run. I plan to retire this spring and focus on some back-burner projects.” Congratulations on the upcoming retirement, BR! That’s great news, and good luck on your next chapter!

Kevin Morris also checked in: “Mike Howard, Don Spears, Darin Ramsey, and I (along with the ladies) spent the Fourth of July weekend in Hilton Head at Mike’s beach house. And just like clockwork, all the greatest stories, legends, and sagas were recounted yet

Class Notes

again. Luckily, some new memories were also made, including a night out to see an ’80s cover band. Fast forward a few months, and this same crew, along with a ton of BRs, descended on Lex for the final home football game. To my memory, it has been a long time since I’ve seen that many guys from our class together (other than at reunions). It was bittersweet having a final drink up on the Moody Hall terrace before it is demolished to make way for a new building.” I was there for those drinks, and bittersweet is a good word for it. More to come on that. Kev, thanks for the update and glad you had a chance to hang out in Hilton Head.

John Moore also sent an update from Port Moresby: “Just entered my 13th year supporting ExxonMobil operations here in Papua New Guinea, still having fun dancing between warlords and saints. With our youngest kid, Zach, having graduated high school in Australia, my wife, Kirsten, and I are officially empty nesters, and she is now based up in Port Moresby with me. Not much else to report—hoping to get back to the U.S. a

bit later this year for a bit. If so, I’ll touch base to see if there are any BRs in the vicinity for a beer or three.”

Jeff Williams also got a chance to leave Oklahoma and visit the Commonwealth: “Just returned from VMI, where I conducted a clinic for the pistol team under the watchful eye of Coach Dale Hybl ’94. Really had a good time interacting with the cadets. I am painfully aware of the academic load and other expectations on them, and it entered my mind that I could not gain admission to VMI nowadays with my high school grades and test scores from 1989, let alone succeed academically over the duration of a cadetship. I mean, I guess I could and would, but I would struggle. A lot. Even more than I did from 1989–93. Anyhow, I also worked with the commandant’s office and guard team to fly a flag at half-staff in honor of a VMI alumnus, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and attorney here in Oklahoma who passed away last year. I will present the flag and the certificate signed by the cadet guard team OD to his widow in the near future. Stephen Allison and I had a wonderful visit discussing ways to fix all the world’s problems. It was refreshing to visit with him. Still pressing up the hill of science, with [more or less] noble emulation, and wishing the best for you, yours, and our BRs.” Jeff, that’s a really good thing you’re doing presenting a flag flown at VMI to the widow. Glad you’re getting a chance to do it, and thank you for your efforts on that. And visits with Steve are refreshing. Dave Hoy reached out to me to let me know that he is touring Japan and having a great time. In February, he’s heading to “Southeast Asia ... likely Thailand next, then Vietnam and the Philippines, and then we’ll see where I end up. No real ‘plan of attack,’ just slow traveling and taking in as much of the local vibes as possible. Hitting some of the tourist spots along the way but mostly just trying to experience ‘local life.’ Typically hang out at a pub or coffee shop long enough to meet a local and/or expat that leads to meeting more, and then the adventures begin. This approach has worked well for us in Europe and, so far, working here as well.” That’s a pretty awesome lifestyle, BR! Glad you’re getting to experience it.

Rusty Smith and I talk fairly often, and he also had a recent trip to the

Class of 1993: The 1993 flag flies from the Moody Hall balcony one last time.

Class of 1993: Mike Zamalis, Tony Hatzis, Dave Hurst, Lincoln Swineford, Don Spears, Scott Coleman, Stephen Allison, and Tuck Worsham at the memorial service for Chaplain Charles Caudill (HBR ’83) Nov. 15, 2025.

Land of the Rising Sun and said it was awesome. Rusty and I also ran into each other at a store recently and spent about 20 minutes discussing and solving a fair amount of the problems currently plaguing the world and, in particular, the Commonwealth.

And in our final Far East check-in for this update, Neil Osbon let me know: “I’m writing from Japan, where I took 10 days to come back to catch up with some friends. I went from Florida snow to Tokyo snow. Music is going well. After 35 years of being self-taught, I’ve been taking guitar lessons for the last 2 years, and it’s made a big difference. We (Andria Shinn and the Loyal Souls, available under Andria Shinn on your favorite streaming platform) recently opened for the Brothers Osborne at Tannahill’s at the Fort Worth Stockyards. Good show. I also finally got me some cowboy boots and a black denim pearl snap shirt. We’ve also been recording new originals with producer Mike Moore and with Rodney Mills, who was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s recording engineer. No, we are not on that level yet. But it’s cool to think that when Ronnie van Zant said, ‘Turn it up,’ Rodney is the guy he was talking to. Anyway, new songs will hopefully be coming out every couple of months. We’re also looking to evolve from restaurants and bars to music venues, concert halls, and festivals, which has started to happen. All is well here.” Congratulations on the trip and the music-making, BR! And being a second-level connection to Lynyrd Skynyrd! That’s really cool you’re getting to work with their engineer.

And there was one other Osbon music-related sighting: I was in OBX for a long weekend and got a text from some friends of mine, the Gibsons, who are parents of Griffin Gibson ’25. Our families have been friends for years, and I wrote Griff a letter of recommendation to get into VMI. He interned with me one summer and came to work with me after he graduated. The text was a picture of Neil and the Gibsons in a bar. They had gone in, and Neil spotted the VMI spider on a shirt and came over to say “hi” in between sets. Pretty cool to get that text. It is a little, tiny world we live in.

Jim Sharp and I caught up when he gave me a call. The Sharps are about to start college tours with their oldest. Apparently, UVA and Washington and Lee are on her list, but no love for the Institute. Other than that, they’re doing great. I did get to VMI for the last home game of the season. The game didn’t go the way we wanted, but it was still a good time getting to see and hang out with Matt Williams; Brandon Freel; Kevin Morris and his wife, Helen; Darin Ramsey;

Class Notes

Jim Romasz; Don Spears and his wife, Stephanie, who were gracious enough to host a tailgate; Tim Ervin; Raleigh Trumbo; Harry Oldfield; Vic Kane and his wife, Susan, and their kids; Stephen and Regina Allison; and Steve Hunter, who has a daughter at the “I” now. It was a great time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Also got the chance to fly our reunion flag one last time from the balcony at Moody. I brought the flag from its normal place of honor in my garage, then walked around Moody until I found where they keep all the flag poles, “borrowed” one (there was no sign-out sheet), and let the ’93 flag fly. Also got a great picture of most of the guys at the weekend, which has been submitted. As Kevin Morris said, it was great to be there and hang out, but it was a little bittersweet as the demolition of Moody is scheduled to begin in spring 2026.

Life is good for the Swinefords. No complaints. The oldest daughter gets married in May, and the middle and youngest daughters keep on keeping on nursing and colleging, respectively. Thanks to everyone who sent an update or reached out. If you’ve never sent in an update or it’s been a long time, I’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to call, text, or email.

I hope you’re all well. RVM. ’93, ’93,’93.

1994

Clay Campbell

Clay Mountcastle

Brother Rats!

Hope springs eternal, and here’s hoping that this spring has been good to you and your families. It was a difficult beginning to the year, with a number of brother rats losing loved ones. I won’t revisit the bad news out of respect for them and their healing process, but we all continue to keep those BRs in our prayers. Better yet, let’s check on our BRs—all of us—and make sure that ’94 is taking care of our own. Here’s a challenge: As soon as you are done reading these notes, pick up your phone and call or text a BR. Just to say, “Hey.” It’s important. It’s like that one time I caught John Cunningham singing “I Just Called

to Say I Love You” to one of his many exes on a pay phone in the concourse. Johnny C. could really put some soul into it.

I got a cool update from Craig Freeman. Craig is still living in Poquoson and running charter fishing trips in the Chesapeake Bay. Craig said, “I am the Marine technology service instructor for New Horizons regional education center in Hampton, Virginia. People who take the class earn a Yamaha maintenance certification that they can go and start a career as a maintenance tech for Yamaha at the marina or boatyard. Get to work on boats and boat motors pretty much every day with the students, so it’s a pretty cool job.”

It was great to catch up with Rody Grant, who called from down in Houston, Texas. Rody has been in Texas since graduation, and he has yet

Class of 1994: Rody and Rebecca Grant with Lt. Gen. David Furness ’87, superintendent.

Class of 1994: Craig Freeman.

to make a reunion, so I’m going to say it’s Jim McCoy’s duty to get him to the next one. Rody co-chairs the Houston area VMI Alumni Chapter. He sees Mike Peacock, Herb Parsons, and Berk Clare every so often. Rody raved about his recent visit to Matt Losquadro’s place in Maine, near Acadia National Park. Rody highly recommends it to any BRs who want to vacation up that way. Give Matt a call.

Paul Whitmore is still going strong in the Space Force arena, writing, “I’ve returned to the U.S. Space Force as a civil servant, working as the technical advisor and civilian deputy for the Military Policy and Management Directorate, where we develop guidance and direction for military Guardians from the day they first meet a recruiter to when they separate or retire. Building a new service from the ground up has been interesting and intense.” Way to go, Paul! You’re the closest thing to Buzz Lightyear our class has!

James Anastas works for Nasdaq. That’s right, Nasdaq. James reports they will put your face on a big billboard in Times Square for certain milestones. I suggest we get a “Have You Seen Me?” billboard for Johnny Beggs or Mud Michael Pigs must have started flying because I got an update from Jim Bratina. Phat Jimmy reports, “I’m still living in Charlotte and have been working for Newell Brands for the last 28 years. My daughter graduated from UNC Greensboro and works locally, running a restaurant. My three boys, Beckett (8), Milo (11), and Eli (15), are keeping me busy, as they all play either travel soccer or lacrosse. Beyond the kids, I still keep busy working out and watching repeat episodes of ‘Beverly Hills 90210.’” It’s good to know that Jimmy is doing deadlifts in C-ville. I wonder if Jimmy knew he would end up there when he and Hernan Barrero took that rat weekend to UVA. They provided the rest of us Golf Co. BRs with a nice heat shield for at least 2 weeks after. Legends, I tell you. BR legends.

Brother Rat Matt Payne is always good for an update from the rolling hills of Bedford County, or as I like to say, from the shadow of the Peaks of Otter. Matt wrote in, “Kate and I celebrated 27 years of marriage this past November. Our eight kids keep us as busy as we have ever been. Highlights this year include my third daughter, Anna Payne ’29, who just broke out. She did 4 years of JROTC with me before matriculating last August. Two more of my former JROTC cadets, Levi Nichols ’29 and Jacob

Class Notes

Tinsley ’29, also matriculated last August, and all three are now part of the newest class in barracks. Funny enough, Anna, just like me, has a Brother Rat Payne, and guess what? It’s Brother Rat John Payne’s son. What a coincidence. All four of us got to link up during tailgating at the Family Weekend football game this past fall. Anna wound up just one room over from my rat room; she is in 432, and I was in 430. Speaking of the old rat room, Brother Rat Vince Porter visited last May. I invited, and he graciously accepted my invitation to be the guest speaker at our JROTC end of year awards banquet. He did a great job, and af-

terward, he overnighted at the Payne house. We sat up quite late—probably too late, as he had to leave early the next morning, but there was a lot to catch up on, and it was a good time. As you can probably tell at this point, JROTC is a lot of what I do. We’re not a big program, but we are quite active in the community. We are up at the National D-Day Memorial multiple times a year, and we work with the American Legion, Elks, Bedford Boys Tribute Center, Bedford International Alliance, and others on a wide variety of efforts and activities. This year, two of my sons are in JROTC with me, so ‘take your kid to work day’ continues for the 8th straight year for me. I’ll be taking one of them along with four of my other cadets up to Camp Perry, Ohio, this week. This team qualified to compete in the Army JROTC Three Position Air Rifle Nationals. This summer, I’ll be putting on a JROTC summer camp at VMI. I’ll be bringing about 300 high school Army JROTC kids to post for a week. Hopefully the Institute sees some of them back in a year or two as matriculants.” Super-duper, Matt. Thanks for training future leaders and for the great update!

Max Bulloch shared some great photos of a bittersweet reunion of brother rats in Waynesboro and Crozet as they celebrated the life of Curt Crowder’s mother. In attendance were John Campbell, Dan Price, Steve Ward, Rob Brumley, Brian Froehlich, Camillus Musselman, Mike Weaver, Nub Phelps, and (holy cow) Tic Burr. Yes, we have proof of life for Tic! I’m sure everyone drank in moderation at that get-together. It’s great to see that so many of the boys made it out to support Spanky and his family.

Douglas Estes, our extremely prolific publishing BR, is in his second year teaching at New College of Florida in Sarasota and is having a blast. Douglas was elected as vice chair of the faculty and co-host of the faculty podcast (gotta check it out). He published his 14th book (that’s correct—14!), an edited volume called ‘Artificial Intelligence for Bible Translation and Interpretation,’ which was released in February. Simply amazing, Douglas.

Ed Henning recently retired after three decades of federal service in the DEA. We are proud of you, Ed! Thank you for your work and sacrifice to make our neighborhoods safer. I’m not sure you know how to relax, but you’ll need to figure it out.

It’s been a few months since it happened, but Matt MacNeilly and Kimberly tied the knot down in Southern

Class of 1994: Max Bulloch, Camillus Musselman, Mike Weaver, and Tic Burr in Crozet, Virginia.

Class of 1994: Dee and Charlie Evans with Matt and Kimberly MacNeilly (center) at Matt and Kimberly’s wedding in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Pines, North Carolina. Charlie and Dee Evans helped put the ceremony together (well, Dee did). As Matt put it, Kimberly “has saved me from myself on multiple occasions.” Congratulations to you both, Matt, and good luck to Kimberly having to hear the same VMI stories over and over for decades to come.

Ro Browning left me a message stating that Rusty Stein bought a new denim jumpsuit. That was it. That was the message.

And Eugene Long is still living the dream in San Diego and traveling to New Orleans for work in May. Mean Gene in the French Quarter—watch out!

I was fortunate enough to lure a number of BRs back to the Richmond area for our annual Christmastime link up. Charles Downs, Stu Copenhaver, Jeff Guild, Gerald Escobar, and their lovely wives joined Brittney and me for an evening of festivities. In the end, we learned that Gerald likes vanilla scented candles, spiked eggnog is not for everybody, and Charles sings Christopher Cross songs louder than he should. (Let’s be honest, Charles does everything louder than he should.) We all survived—except my trash can. Great times!

In all, ’94 continues to do great things and lead great lives: Weddings, graduations, career achievements, and supporting each other when needed. The bonds are only growing stronger as we age. Now, as I mentioned earlier, I ask you to pick up your phone and call that BR. Send a quick text. Check in on one another. Do it now. You no longer have to put on your robe and walk down to the concourse (and hear Cunningham singing).

Red, white, and yellow floats on high!

RVM, Clay

Brother Rats,

The holiday season always seems to slow things down a bit—family gatherings, travel, and welldeserved time off mean updates have been a little sparse lately, but that’s completely understandable and expected. As we head into spring, there’s so much to be thankful for: The continued strength of our class bonds, the inspiring ways alumni are stepping up, and the timeless values our Institute instills. That said, the recent developments

Class Notes

concerning the future governance of VMI are certainly cause for concern, and I’m sure we are all part of text chains discussing every update. Bills have moved through the Virginia legislature with amendments, and after dropping the original proposal to transfer oversight to Virginia State University, the new bill looks to establish an advisory task force to examine VMI’s programs, culture, and progress since the 2021 SCHEV report, with a report due by late 2026. While VMI’s leadership, including our superintendent, has expressed support for the amended versions as opportunities for constructive review, these efforts highlight ongoing external pressures on our institution’s independence and traditions. Yet, even amid these challenges, it’s incredibly encouraging to see the overwhelming support pouring in from alumni across the board—our class included. The rallies at town halls, letters to legislators, public statements, and sheer determination to defend VMI have been nothing short of impressive. This groundswell from every class reminds us that when the Institute faces scrutiny, the VMI family responds with unity and resolve. As we’ve always done, we’ll press forward with steadfastness and humility, making our voices heard to ensure VMI remains the unique producer of citizen-soldiers it has been for over 180 years.

On a more uplifting note, I received this inspiring update from David Johnson about a recent gathering honoring one of our own. Over the Dec. 6–7, 2025, weekend in Quantico, Virginia, a group of brother rats, former Marines, active duty Marines, friends, and family came together to mark the 20th anniversary of Greg Wright’s sacrifice in Iraq. More than a hundred people traveled to pay their respects at the Marine Corps National Cemetery, where Greg was laid to rest Dec. 14, 2005. Present were Hayden Fisher, Matthew Howell ’96, Dave Johnson, Drew Dunnington, Ryan McCarthy ’96, Rick Franco, Chris Yeatts, John

Kolokos ’96, Sean Burke, Jeff Guild ’94, Edward Randall IV, Chris Hartwell, Rich Pitchford, Bob Staley, Drew Warren, and Sid Mitchener. The others were former and active duty Marines who served with Greg.

Over the weekend, this group raised $17,000 for the Greg R. Wright VMI Scholarship Fund. What a powerful testament to the enduring bonds of our Rat Line and the VMI spirit—honoring Greg’s sacrifice while investing in our next-generation VMI cadets.

Shifting to some lighter updates from our class: I was sent a photo of Rick Blaylock showing his support for all things USA while over in the U.K. during Christmas. Rick’s been threatening to move back to the States, but we’ll believe it when we see it. After all, once you’ve been institutionalized into British culture—queuing for everything, sipping tea at precisely 4 p.m., and calling fries “chips”— coming back to the land of drive-thru everything and supersized freedom might feel like culture shock. Don’t forget your umbrella, Rick, but leave the jellied eels behind!

Then there’s my illustrious roommate, Michael Young, who decided to leave Texas and move back to Virginia Beach. Using that econ degree, he apparently ran the numbers and decided, “You know what? Screw it—I’m taking a voluntary pay cut and signing up for Virginia income taxes.” Must be those ocean views and fresh seafood doing some serious voodoo on the old supply-and-demand curve. Either way, welcome back to Virginia.

Finally, I saw a fun update from Thailand about our BR Wichit Saiklao (better known as Chit) and his Chit Beer Brewery, which continues to thrive. For those who might not know, Chit is widely regarded as the godfather of craft beer in Thailand. He started Chit Beer back in 2012 on the scenic island of Koh Kret near Bangkok, turning his homebrewing passion—picked up during his time in the U.S., including at VMI—into a

Michael Fellows

Class of 1995: Brother rats, fellow alumni, and friends of Greg Wright gather at the National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, Virginia, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Greg’s passing.

full-fledged operation. What began as a riverside brewhouse with a London porter as its first brew has grown into multiple taprooms (affectionately called “Chit holes”) and a brewing academy that’s trained thousands of aspiring brewers. Recent buzz highlights how he’s leading the charge in Thailand’s independent beer scene, challenging old laws, and fostering a community of craft enthusiasts. If you’re ever in Bangkok, swing by for a pint—it’s a true taste of VMI ingenuity going global!

And here’s some exciting family news: Our BR Bill Kelly must be bursting with pride as his son, Jack Kelly, has committed to play football at VMI! Jack, a standout defensive lineman from Natick, Massachusetts, is set to bring some serious size and depth to the Keydets’ defensive front as an edge rusher. How proud Jack must be to follow in his dad’s footsteps at the Institute—and how lucky VMI is to have such a talented addition to the team. Congrats to the Kelly family; we’re all rooting for you, Jack!

Let’s keep the momentum going. If you have updates, achievements, or ways we can further support VMI, please reach out.

Fraternally, Michael

1996

Brother Rats,

In February, Max Casteleyn is graduating from the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Academy and will be getting sworn in as a sheriff’s deputy. Anyone traveling through that county should now feel safe knowing Max is on the case. In March, Corrie Brice will be promoted to the rank of colonel! Well done, Corrie; we are all excited to see you reach this impressive milestone in your career.

As many of you know, VMI has recently returned to the public spotlight through developments

Class Notes

in the Virginia General Assembly. I would like to recognize the leadership and clear, principled voice of Stephen Johnson. He has authored eloquent letters that have been cited by multiple local media outlets and have powerfully conveyed to both legislators and the broader public the true spirit and character of VMI. Well done, brother rat—you are a formidable writer and have once again proven that the Class of 1996 is, without question, the best of the best.

I ran into Trey Kirby on a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Trey told me he had returned to playing soccer in a local league in Nashville, but unfortunately, he was recently banned from the league following an outburst with the refs where a sprinkler head popped up from the ground and tripped him while he had the ball on a breakaway. He later ran back onto the field from the sidelines after disagreeing with a blatant missed call by the referees and, resurrecting his old record-breaking VMI soccer skills, stole the ball from the field players and kicked it to the sideline, unfortunately hitting a fan directly in the face in the front row

of the stands. In a proud moment while he was being dragged off the field, you could hear Trey shouting the “Four V’s” and go Keydets! Just like old times at Patchin Field, Trey!

This past November, the core of the 1996 Big Red club—Jon Sherrod, Josh Lewis, and I (Jon Dano)—met in Naples, Florida, for a quick getaway and the chance to watch VMI basketball compete in a tournament in Fort Myers. It was a welcome escape to the sun and an absolute pleasure to spend the weekend with these two unforgettable characters. The team, unfortunately, did not come away with a victory, but the weekend itself was nothing short of outstanding.

In a surprising turn of events, Vern Wilkens sent me the following note: “I’d like to thank Jon Dano for chronicling the 5 craziest years of my life. I’ve decided to settle down in Baltimore, Maryland, and just be a pharmaceutical rep with my CPA wife, Amy. We are proud to have Jakob, The Citadel grad ’25; James, Salisbury University class of ’28; and Julia, Catonsville High class of ’27, along for this totally normal lifestyle: O’s, Ravens, crabs, Old Bay, VernCoin, an Nati Boh hon!” I think I speak for the entire class when I say there will never be anything normal about our BR Vern Wilkens

By the time you read these notes, we will have celebrated our 30th Reunion—the mighty Class of 1996. It hardly seems possible that 5 years have passed since our last gathering; time moves faster than any of us care to admit. On behalf of Nick Latsios and myself, I can say it has been both an honor and a privilege to serve as your class agents over these past 5 years. The greatest privilege of all has been reconnecting with so many of you—learning about your lives, careers, and families.

We have witnessed countless brother rats ascend to remarkable heights in both government and military service. Many have retired after distinguished military careers, while others have assumed influential leadership positions across industry or have built thriving enterprises of their own. Still others have pursued meaningful work in skilled trades and have become impactful leaders in the nonprofit world. The breadth and depth of success within our class is nothing short of extraordinary. We are truly blessed to be counted among such an accomplished and principled group of citizen-soldiers—and, for some, soldiers still serving our nation. Of course, with the passage

Jon Dano

Nick Latsios

Class of 1996: The Wilkens family at Jakob Wilkens’ graduation from The Citadel in 2025. Pictured are (from left) Amy, Jakob, Julia, James, and Vern.

Class of 1996: Jon Dano, Jon Sherrod, and Josh Lewis in Naples, Florida, in November 2025.

Class Notes

of time, we have also experienced the pain of loss and the heartache of saying goodbye to loved ones. Yet even in those moments of sorrow, we have seen the very best of our class— the strength, compassion, and loyalty that define what it means to be a brother rat. At our 25th Reunion, we honored all our fallen brothers with a poignant and unforgettable ceremony at the Parapet. We came together once again, unwavering in our support, following the tragic losses of Travis George and Ken Mears. We welcomed and celebrated the family of Jamie Edge back to VMI for a weekend filled with remembrance and love—a time when Jamie’s daughters came to know their father more deeply, and his mother and brothers saw firsthand how enduring his memory remains among us.

Our class also rallied in steadfast support of our Brother Rat Dave Hall, whose wife, Vicky, has fought valiantly against an aggressive cancer. In speaking with Dave, he conveyed his profound gratitude for the outpouring of care, support, and encouragement from this class. He shared that he could not continue to weather these incredibly difficult times without the unwavering support of his brother rats.

This Class of 1996 community that supports one another so deeply is, in truth, our greatest achievement and most defining trait. The closeness, generosity, and selfless spirit of this brotherhood stand out above all else. Having come to know so many of you more fully over these past 5 years, I am confident that this enduring bond— this unwavering community of brother rats of the Class of 1996—will be our lasting legacy.

With Immense Gratitude, Jon and Nick

David M. Hudock

Gentlemen of the Old Corps!

Hopefully, your 2026 is off to a great start because if you’re like me, you can best summarize 2025 by visualizing the passed-out raccoon in an Ashland, Virginia, ABC store bathroom that blew up the internet toward the end of November. I’m not at all implying we were all drunk for the entirety of 2025, though it certainly would have helped. I am instead inferring that fresh starts are always welcome, especially if what you’re trying to leave behind is a smoldering, smelly dumpster

fire. So, bring on 2026! (By the way, I was later notified by an anonymous source, since no sources are willing to go on the record anymore, that after some investigation, authorities determined the racoon had just left Kevin Ash’s house following a Thanksgiving hootenanny hosted by the Trash man himself, attended also by Puxatwney Phil, where they plotted 6 more months of winter starting Feb. 3, 2026, which explains a lot about the racoon’s condition, if not the whole of 2025, and what will likely be most of 2026 if the first 6 weeks have been any indication.)

Anyway, moving on to more sobering news, let’s talk about the fact we are now closer to our 30th Reunion than we are our 25th Reunion, and just to remind us of that fact, I was alerted this month by the always-happy-to-make-alumni-feel-youngagain VMI Alumni Association that the dates for our 30th Reunion have officially been set for April 23–24, 2027. I can safely predict a good time will be had by all BRs who can attend our next reunion! Speaking of celebrations, a few of us DMV-ers finally agreed on a date that was equally inconvenient for everyone to get together in between

Christmas and New Year’s for a holiday luncheon at the Yardhouse in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Thanks to John Bushman, who took time away from his sprawling, luxurious, multi-acre compound in New Market to pull as many of us together as he could over a traditionally difficult time of year for any of us to do anything other than hunker down at home and wait for the festive craze to blow over. Fortunately, a sufficient number of us were anxious enough to get away from families and continue the long-held holiday tradition of overeating. Jake Hickman was so excited to join the group that he scheduled a work phone call at the precise time we were scheduled to meet, which he kindly finished while ordering his first round of beers. Chris Hobbs put his weekly commute for the U.S. Air Force between Dayton, Ohio, and Gainesville, Virginia, on hold to join the party. Other locals at the table included Win Gaulding, Jim Smythers, Justin Chezem, and Taylor Edwards. See accompanying photograph for proof of life; it took about 15 tries to hold all our attentions long enough to look at the camera’s direction and smile at the same time. Success was achieved (thanks, Stacey Gaulding!), I think, and we even had a good time doing it. Until next year!

At the above-mentioned luncheon, I was reminded just how many of our BRs currently have Keydets grinning and bearing their ways through the VMI experience. Jake shared that at a recent Family Weekend, the Class of 1997 was heard from, in force, along with their Keydet offspring. I received a photo which, miraculously, also shows everyone’s eyes open and forward-looking. On the far left in the photo is Josh Hickman ’29 and his sister, Susan Hickman ’26, next to their dad, Jake. Next to Jake is the unmistakable Flounder Ogletree and his beard (which is an honorary member of the Class of 1997), followed by Flounder’s son, Evan Ogletree ’29. Next to Evan

Class of 1997: Brother rats attend a memorial service for Daniel “Dano” Owens in January 2026.

Class of 1997: Brother rats and their cadets on Parents Weekend in fall 2026.

is Vahin Middough ’29 with his dad, Jason Middough. Next to Jason is Brad Aughinbaugh with his daughter, Marin Aughinbaugh ’28, and son, Kern Aughinbaugh ’26. Next to Kern is Tyler Hagan ’27 with his dad, the omnipresent Addison, on the far right. Quite an impressive showing of family legacy in a single gathering! And this motley crew joins an already extensive showing of 1997 legacy graduates such as Jacob LaMountain ’21, Nate Coley ’22, and Addison Hagan V ’24. (If I missed any 1997 offspring graduates, please let me know immediately!) Thanks for sharing the photo, guys, and I wish you and your kids the best of luck as they race toward graduation, which I know cannot come soon enough for all.

Class Notes

beard! I am bringing my son along on the tail end of his spring break, so we are hoping the opening day leads to some more pictures for the next edition! Pat, thanks again for checking in; I cannot wait to see you guys in a few short weeks!

Unfortunately, there is some sad news to report this quarter. Just before the new year, word came from Donnie Hasseltine of Dano Owens’ sudden passing Dec. 18 in Waconia, Minnesota. A service was held in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, Jan. 7 in his honor, which was attended by a few of our own, including Will Martin, Matt Smith, Andy Staich, Ed Bonham, and Donnie. On behalf of the class and Dano’s close friends, they presented Dano’s wife of 22 years, Kathleen, with flowers. At the time of his death, Dano was working for Partners Behavioral Health Care, a social recovery and re-entry program for men, where he was fulfilling his lifelong passion for supporting and helping others. I feel there is nothing I could write with sufficient eloquence to summarize anyone’s life, least of all Dano’s, and I don’t think I have to. Re-reading Dano’s note to our class at the very back of the 1997 Bomb captures more about our BR than I could ever put on paper and reminds me of the light-hearted, funny, selfless, and completely sincere human Dano was and how entirely too soon he was taken from us. I recommend digging out your copy of the Bomb and reading his note; it is pure Dano. Thank you, brother rat, for being.

enjoyed Breakout in arctic-worthy temperatures. Somber start for Room 101, as Sean Hicklin and I were thankful to gather with Dale Paxton again during the holidays; however, it was to attend a funeral for his father. We are thinking about you, buddy, and hope to hear from you soon. Big news from the Class of 1998 professionally, as our very own Rockbridge County Wildcat, Brandon Bissell, has taken on the post of the VMI Alumni Association chief operating officer! Immensely proud of Brandon and thankful to see our class so well-represented by his leadership! Congrats, Brandon, and we need to grab a beer! In other career news, Sean Hicklin finally turned in his undercover game warden badge and traded for one on the W&L campus patrol, where he is learning about people locking themselves out of their rooms, middle-of-the-night fire alarms, and giving VMI cadets a ride back to barracks at taps! Congrats, Huck—very happy for and proud of you!

Additional apologies to Sean Williams for the typo in the edition that went to press two editions ago. His submission for August 2025 (which you all received in November) mistakenly stated that he “will not expose” his children to VMI, and it was quite the opposite! Sean, thanks again for extending me a little grace on that; I am very sorry. In all the years of doctoring these into third-party messages, I am unsure if that had ever happened before, but I am thankful you followed up! Please reach out if you all are hitting a game this fall!

Happy 2026, where here in Lex Vegas on Valentine’s Day, the snow is finally starting to melt from about a month ago, the Class of 2029 just

Apologies to Pat Baker, officially, after he reached out just after the deadline in August 2025, and I failed to submit the update and photo in the November 2025 submission (which you are all receiving in house now as I write these notes in February). He is a law professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, and he also has his own corporate/business law practice in Martin. In March 2025, he took his boys, William, 15, and Thomas, 17, fly-fishing in Highland County, Virginia, and they took a break to visit VMI. His other son, John, 15, did not make the trip with them. Pat and I have shared quite a few texts since connecting, and pictures of their whitetail conquests this past fall are quite impressive, with the youngest lad having nabbed a monster six-point (biggest one I have seen) with his bow. He graciously extended an offer to my crew for turkey hunting in West Tennessee this coming April, which we are gladly taking him up on. We will also be taking William out to see if we can get his first long

Tim O’Bryant clocked in just after the November bell, admitting he had not provided any updates in a while, but on the heels of turning 50 a few days prior, he was feeling a bit reflective. He and his wife, Morgan, snuck off to France for a few days to celebrate his birthday and followed that up with a low-key family dinner at home. He shared that he has some contact with a few folks from time to time, which has been made more difficult since he has given up social media! He talks with Brendan Toolan, Andy Beaman, and Andre Thornton but did not add any other details. Tim and family are living in Stuttgart, Germany, and inching toward retirement from active duty with each day that passes. He decided to hang on until the end because he was enjoying it so much and likes working for SOCAFRICA.

Class of 1997: Brother rats gather over the holidays for lunch.

1998

Joey Bates

Class of 1998: Maj. John Robbins (HBR) and U.S. Air Force Col. Jason Mitchell in Germany.

They officially retire June 1 and will most likely stay in Stuttgart or perhaps explore opportunities back in Italy. He has spent his free time training and doing triathlons during the last few years and had just completed, “keyword is finished,” his fourth Ironman 70.3 in Italy in September 2025. He says he is looking to do some amateur cycling stage races in France this coming summer and admits he loves the triathlons, but the last one hurt, so he has started questioning his adult decisions! Tim, thanks for sending the note, and congrats on the pending retirement. Please send some pictures along with an update!

Class Notes

Thierry LeMercier and his wife, Jessica, welcomed a healthy baby boy to complement the three girls, as the snow was hitting, so I am going to prod him for an update prior to the next submission so they have time to assimilate. Congrats, Thierry and Jess! He also sent me a text announcing that Room 152 (Aaron Frazier, Thierry LeMercier, Jon Spitzer, and Jimmy Stanley) fully reunited in Greenville, South Carolina, after 27 years apart. They picked up right where they left off as if no time had passed. He wrote that it was one for the books and many more mini reunions to follow. He shared a picture of them from our 3rd Class year and their mini reunion, which I collaged together for submission, but it violates the class agent guidelines. I had to remove one and chose to go with the most current versus removing one of the other pictures. (We are capped at five total—sorry!) Good to see you fellows (including my 155 co-dyke, Frazier). Send in some updates when you have a second!

Our honorary BR Maj. John Robbins (HBR) sent me an update in early January and shared that he was in the commissary at Ramstein AB, Germany, when a full bird colonel came up to him and said, “Major Robbins,” to which he replied, “Yes,” and asked him how they knew one another. Needless to say, it was one his former AFROTC cadets at VMI, Jason Mitchell. Maj. Robbins was overjoyed that Jason recognized him after 30 years and even more impressed that he had obtained the rank of colonel. They agreed to meet for lunch and had a great conversation

relating to their lives for the past 30 years and the journey that VMI was a key portion of. Jason noticed that Maj. Robbins still wears his class ring, for which he is very thankful and proud that our class invited him to join its ranks so many years ago as an honorary BR. He wrote that Jason is getting ready to retire after a very successful career and is an outstanding representative of the spirit of VMI, producing the highest standards of military officers in our country. Maj. Robbins hopes to someday come to one of the ’98 class reunions, but in the interim, he has an open invitation for any ’98 BRs that happen to be in Germany (email address robbinsnest818@gmail.com). He would be more than happy to hear from you. Maj. Robbins, thanks for taking the time to check in and for the chills I got as I read the note and modified it for the submission. Jason emailed me separately and shared that Maj. Robbins was a mentor to him during his time at the AFROTC and that he set him up for a successful career in the Air Force. He is looking forward to our next reunion! Jason, thanks for the update and for your service. Congrats on the pending retirement; please send an update and pictures when you do. What a great story, and we, too, are honored that you accepted the invitation to join us on that muddy hill Feb. 21, 1995, Maj. Robbins! Read above and you will see that Tim O’Bryant is making Germany home right now, and my son wants me to take him there for his 16th birthday (but he may change his mind in 2 years); however, if he does not, then I shall certainly reach out. Be well!

Dave Nash sent me a quick text with a picture of himself, Brandon Bissell, and Pat Roberts. He said it was great to catch up with all things “I.” Good to hear from you, Dave. Stay in touch, and good luck with the pending retirement just after this edition arrives in May!

I am happy to share that our Class of 1998 Endowed Scholarship fund continues to grow, and future cadets will continue benefitting from it. As of September 2025, it has a market value of $248,000, and the spendable income for this year will be just shy of $7,500. Well, that is it for this edition. All has been well

Class of 1998: Dave Nash with Brandon Bissell and Pat Roberts.

Class of 1998: Aaron Frazier, Thierry LeMercier, Jon Spitzer, and Jimmy Stanley.

Class of 1998: Tim O’Bryant and his wife, Morgan, with their children, Zoey and Maxton, in Germany.

Class Notes

here in Lexington this winter as I was able to sneak up to Huck’s and kill my first bobcat, which took 6 minutes to call in once I was officially set up. Another one has taken over its den, and two hunts in the books later, my son and I have been unable to apprehend it. Although our last hunt did manage to call in a small bear with the bobcat hot on its trail, the distraction allowed it to escape for another day. We are hoping to get up there very soon and take out the creature that keeps the resident turkeys from gobbling at me in the spring. Our family just returned from a ski trip to Big White Ski Resort, which I would highly recommend for several reasons, and we may return next January.

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 tirelessly to make sure we all enjoy the trips to post in the years ahead.

I hope you are well and, when you read these notes in May 2026, that you take a few minutes to shoot me an email, Facebook message, or text message so I have more to share. If you are coming to town this fall/winter/spring for any activities, please give me a shout in advance. Rah Virginia Mil! ’98, ’98, ’98.

John Bolt checked in to share that after more than 4 years in Normandy, he has been appointed superintendent of the Cambridge American Cemetery in the United Kingdom with the American Battle Monuments Commission. John is looking forward to continuing the important work of honoring Americans who fell during World War II. He also welcomes all VMI alumni, especially ’99 BRs, as well as friends and family traveling to the U.K., to visit him in Cambridge.

I received a wonderful note from Travis Quesenberry, who is strongly supporting VMI financially this year with not one but two cadets. Travis and Sarah’s oldest, Andrew, is wrapping up his 1st Class year and plans to commission into the Army after summer camp. The family is incredibly proud of the hard work Andrew has put in and his determination to get out of barracks. Andrew, I understand the feeling, though something tells me you took an easier path than I did. Travis’ youngest, Ryan, has just broken out of the Rat Line and is now a proud member of the newest class in barracks, Class of 2029. Ryan’s Rat Line journey began with a trip to the hospital due to the football lineman not drinking enough water and suffering from severe dehydration. Shortly thereafter, he figured out how to be a rat and began draining dad’s bank account by funding the coffers of Smith Hall. Travis says the best part of having two sons connected to the ’99 dyke line—one in ’26 and one in ’29—has been running into other BRs and friends with kids in barracks all sharing the same experience. He notes that his sons have now seen firsthand the brotherhood that makes the struggle worth the effort.

Kris Turpin and Shane Stille had an accidental run-in while both were in Las Vegas recently. I didn’t hear about any big winnings, so I assume they both contributed generously to the next major casino renovation. Shane sent along a quick selfie.

Patrick Henderson and I recently caught up

Greetings, Brother Rats and Friends of the Class of 1999,

Class of 1998: Pat Baker with his sons, William and Thomas, on a visit to post in summer 2025.

Jeff Golden

Class of 1999: Shane Stille and Kris Turpin in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Class of 1999: Cadets Andrew Quesenberry ’26 and Ryan Quesenberry ’29, sons of Travis Quesenberry, at Breakout for the Class of 2029.

Class of 1999: Bill Steinbach and Van Carson in Norfolk, Virginia.

Class of 1999: Scott Fontanelli (left) and Patrick Henderson in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

while he was in Florida. It’s always great to see Patrick and spend time with his incredible kids. I had just missed a meetup Patrick had with Scott Fontanelli; the two grabbed lunch in Port St. Lucie while Scott and his girlfriend, Carla, were returning from a concert in Okeechobee. From what I heard, their waiter was a young Marine fresh out of boot camp who was trying to impress Scott, who spent 10 years in the Marines. Smart kid.

I had too many great pictures last quarter and got cut off, so this time I’m including a photo of Bill Steinbach and Van Carson. The two BRs grabbed dinner together in Norfolk, Virginia. Thank you for all the updates. I love hearing from each and every one of you!

In the Bonds, Jeff Golden

2000

Chris Abbott

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2000.

2001

Tony Gelormine

Rich Groen

Brother Rats,

As we move closer to our 25th Reunion, this year carries a different weight. Twenty-five years ago, we walked across the stage, stepping into a world that would soon demand more from our generation than any of us anticipated. The responsibility we were given at VMI did not end at graduation. In many ways, it was only the beginning.

Earlier this year, on behalf of the class, a letter was submitted to the Virginia General Assembly regarding legislative proposals affecting VMI’s governance. Beginning with John Koubaroulis’ call to action and words crafted by Charlie

Class Notes

Bunting, the message reflected not politics, but perspective. We reminded lawmakers that our class stands as evidence of VMI’s ability to evolve while maintaining its standards. We integrated women into the Corps when many doubted it could be done. We graduated into the aftermath of 9/11 and served across the globe. Some of our brother rats did not return. Our letter urged that the Institute be evaluated by the character, leadership, and sacrifice of the men and women it produces. For us, that measure is not abstract. It is personal.

That same sense of obligation drives our 25th Reunion campaign. The Class of 2001 has committed to fully funding the Class of 2001 Memorial Scholarship Endowment. This effort supports cadets who possess the character and leadership potential to succeed at VMI but may not yet have the financial means to attend. For our class, the scholarship represents more than philanthropy. It is a living memorial to the brother rats we lost since graduation and an investment in future citizen-soldiers that ensures their sacrifice continues to shape opportunity.

We currently stand at 24% participation with $231,500 raised toward our goal of $1,200,100.01. Participation, not equal giving, remains the priority. Whether through a one-time gift or a multi-year pledge, every commitment reinforces that the Class of 2001 continues to lead from the front.

Looking ahead, Taylor Mawyer, who is leading our Reunion Committee, has announced that our 25th Reunion will take place Nov. 13–14, 2026. Planning is underway, and additional details will follow as they are finalized. The opportunity to return to post together to remember, reconnect, and honor those who cannot stand beside us is approaching quickly.

On the personal front, Tony Gelormine shares proud family milestones. His son, Anthony, has been accepted into the Virginia Tech School of Business and is pursuing a degree in accounting. His daughter, Brenna, graduated from William & Mary in May 2025 with a degree in public policy, completing her studies in just 3 years. Since graduation, she has supported multiple political campaigns across Virginia in finance and fundraising leadership roles. With Brenna now based in the Virginia Beach area, Tony and Heather make regular visits, often pairing them with time spent with Tony’s parents in Norfolk along the Chesapeake Bay.

Tony also recently reconnected with Josh Shiley, who retired last year from the U.S. Army Reserve and took early retirement from his federal government position. Now living in Stafford,

Virginia, Josh is adjusting to civilian life while staying busy with two young children. Though retired from uniform and government service, he still makes a point of returning annually to Chesapeake for time at the beach with his family.

In a reminder that the VMI story continues across generations, Jeremy Guy’s son, Jonas Guy ’29, recently broke out of the Rat Line and joined the Corps as a member of the Class of 2029. Watching the next generation endure the same system that shaped us reinforces how enduring the Institute’s traditions remain.

As we approach our 25th, this moment feels less like a reunion and more like a reaffirmation. We were given responsibility early. We carried it into war, leadership, family, and profession. Now we carry it forward through engagement, giving, and returning to post together.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Lexington in November 2026.

VR, Rich Groen

2002

Brother Rats,

I hope this edition of the Review meets you and yours well! Spring is in the air as I write these notes, while an inch of ice is still on the ground, which has ostensibly shut Richmond, Virginia, down for 10 days now.

On to the notes!

Class of 2001: Cadet Carlee Scott Alley ’28, daughter of Will Alley, with Cadet Jonas Guy ’29, son of Jeremy Guy, during Breakout for the Class of 2029.

Salmaan Khawaja

Leven Harrison is doing well and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in late 2024. As far as this adventure, he hiked to the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, and sent a photo of his hand holding a representation of our class. Congrats on climbing the highest mountain top in these 49 lower states, Leven! I guess when they said, “One more hill,” this is perhaps what “they” meant ...

Cy DeKeyser’s eldest son participated in VMI baseball’s prospect weekend in October 2025. There, Cy ran into Ross Booth, whose eldest son was also participating in that baseball prospect event. Ross retired from the Virginia Army

Class Notes

National Guard in 2023, and Cy continues to work as deputy inspector general for the Virginia National Guard.

Matthew Thompson was named president and chief commercial officer for Socure in December 2025. Socure is the AI-first platform for global identity and risk decisioning. Matt has been tasked to partner with Johnny Ayers, founder and CEO of Socure, to lead the company’s global expansion, commercial, public sector, and workforce hypergrowth, and to accelerate the building of the industry’s first decacorn. “Matt is a true pioneer and a disciplined, effective leader shaping the future of identity innovation,” said Johnny Ayers.

“[Matt] brings a clear and compelling vision for how identity has become the cornerstone of the digital economy, and he has consistently exceeded every expectation and stretch goal we’ve set in scaling Socure. From launching our public sector business to driving extraordinary growth as our chief revenue officer, Matt has delivered outsized impact both financially and culturally at every turn. Over the years, Matt has become my trusted partner in shaping and leading the company, someone who pushes my thinking, elevates our speed and quality of execution, and strengthens— from a leadership and development perspective— every part of our organization. Matt is the right person to stand with me as we guide Socure into a new era of AI innovation, global expansion, and category leadership.”

Jason Breeding and I have begun the planning for our upcoming Class of 2002 25th Reunion. We will be the primary celebrated class during that reunion weekend and look forward to greeting all of you and yours in Lexington! We will be reaching out with communications soon, and we hope you will join us in celebrating all

of you and our alma mater!

Again, I hope all is well with you and yours, and Rah Virginia Mil! The Khawaja seven are still living the zoo life every day ... and surviving ...

In the Spirit, Salmaan

2003

William “Bill” Talley V

BrotherRats,

It is currently 1 hour, 58 minutes until this set of notes is due Feb. 15. By the time you read this, it’ll be early May and hopefully much warmer weather. It seems like I just sat down to write the last set of notes in November, as it’s been a blur with the holidays, ringing in 2026, and everything thathasoccurredinthefirst45daysof2026.

I’ve had the honor and pleasure of speaking and seeing many of you and/or your family over the last90days,anddespitethetopicorcircumstance, it’s always good to connect with a member of our class family! Off we go, since I’m truly on the clocktogetthissubmittedintime!

I had the pleasure of running into T.J. Claytor’s wife,Holly,atagrantawardceremonyinearlyDecember.Hollyisthevicepresidentofdevelopment and communications for the Special Olympics of Virginia. She was down in Hopewell to accept a grant on their behalf. The entire Claytor family is doing well.T.J. remains with the Hanover County Sheriff’s Department, making sure law and order ismaintained.Iveyisactiveinvolleyball,andTrey insoccer(nosurprisethere).

Beforetheyear’send,IheardfromDerekOverstreet; Kelly and their family are doing well and are a few levels of chaos above where our family operates.

Our family headed up to Snowshoe, West Virginia,forChristmasandwereabletocatchupwith Phil Harris and his wife, Deb, and their daughter, Kennedy. They have a place at Silver Creek and areuptherealmosteveryweekendduringskiseason. While we don’t get up there much at all, Savannahgetsuptherefrequently,andIcan’ttellyou howmuchitmeanswhenIhearthatshe’sconnected with Phil or Deb when she’s there. I got a random selfie from Savannah of her and Phil on the liftandlearnedtheydidafewslopestogether,and Deb hooked her up with a nice hot chai tea on a daywhenitwascloseto-20degreesoutside.

In mid-January, I caught up with Andy

Class of 2002: Leven Harrison atop Mount Whitney in California, the highest point in the contiguous United States, in 2025.

Class of 2002: Cy DeKeyser and Ross Booth at VMI baseball prospect weekend in October 2025.

Class of 2002: Matthew Thompson, president and chief commercial officer of Socure, a cybersecurity firm, is portrayed on an electronic billboard in New York City’s Times Square in December 2025.

Biesterveld at the VMI versus The Citadel basketball game. He made the trip down with his boys, Lincoln and Alden, and a couple of friends. We also ran into Tom Gorski at the game, as well.

At a VMI Club of Richmond Chapter event in early February, I saw and caught up with Adam Britt and his wife, Laura. Adam is still with KBS in Richmond, and both he and Laura are doing well.

I think the biggest news that occurred in our class since the last update is that Chaz Wagner and his wife, Briana, welcomed their daughter, Chandler Ann Wagner, into the world Dec. 11, 2025. Chaz officially becoming a father is something that is likely still sinking in for many of us. He’s

already begun his fatherly duties of making sure Miss Chandler Ann is raised right, as he sent me a picture of the two of them watching “Top Gun” together. Chaz, we know you’ll be a great dad! Congratulations to both you and Briana! Despite having a newborn, Chaz continues to make the social circuit stops, of which I’m tremendously appreciative, as he keeps me supplied with photos for the AR. He caught up with Mel Ward and Doug Warner in early December and then with Jason Lambert and Derek Brown in early February.

On a totally different note, it was a very difficult December for the Annis family and the Class of 2005, as Jimmy Thoms ’05 unexpectedly passed away. Jimmy was Jason’s brother-in-law. Jimmy played on the baseball team and was commissioned into the Marines after graduation. Please keep Jason, Theresa (Jimmy’s sister), Kourtney, Kierston, and Piper in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn the loss of Jimmy.

Hopefully, by the time you read this, the political waves will have settled down for VMI, but I’m going to assume that most everyone has seen or learned of the drastic bills that were proposed in the Virginia General Assembly in January. These two bills would have done extensive and permanent damage to VMI as proposed. Fortunately, at this moment, both bills have been amended to a state where the Institute is no longer in opposition of them, even though it would be nice if they had just been killed in committee. To say it was a crazy 2 weeks would be an understatement. However, one of the positives that I take from what’s occurred

was the ability to speak with several BRs about what was occurring and what could be done. The rallying of the VMI family was real, felt, and heard by so many! Over the last few weeks, I’ve been able to chat with Matt Brady, Lara Chambers, and Kyle Haire personally, and I know there has been chatter on various text threads and other forums amongst our class about how to best support VMI. I will tell you that VMI has a great leadership team in place, and I have the utmost confidence in Lt. Gen. Furness ’87. Hopefully you’ve taken advantage of opportunities that have been put out by the Alumni Association to meet/ hear/talk with Lt. Gen. Furness virtually or in person. If you’ve not done so, I encourage you to watch the recordings or find an opportunity to meet him in person. The battle is far from over, and we still need the support of the Whole Damn Team!

That’s it for this set of notes. Don’t forget to send me pictures and updates for the next set, which is due May 15! Until then, rah Virginia Mil ’03, ’03, ’03!

Scott E. Campbell

Editor’s Note: We did not receive notes for the Class of 2004.

Class of 2003: Phil Harris and Savannah Talley at Snowshoe, West Virginia, in January 2026.

Class of 2003: Mel Ward, Chaz Wagner, and Doug Warner in December 2025.

Class of 2003: Jason Lambert, Chaz Wagner, and Derek Brown in Northern Virginia in February 2026.

Class of 2003: Chaz and Briana Wagner with their daughter, Chandler Ann Wagner, born Dec. 11, 2025.

Tom Hardinge

Greetings, Brother Rats, I did not receive any new notes or updates to pass along to the class this quarter, but I did want to take a moment to remember our BR James Michael “Jimmy” Thoms II, who we lost last December. Below is a portion of his obituary in case you missed it.

“James Michael ‘Jimmy II’ Thoms II of Newport News, Virginia, age 42, passed away in the early morning of Dec. 11, 2025, due to sudden heart issues. Jimmy II was born in 1983 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Henrico County, Virginia. He graduated from Denbigh H.S. (2001) and studied at Virginia Military Institute (2005) in business/ finance. Jimmy II was a significant contributor to the resurgence of the Denbigh H.S. and VMI baseball teams as a pitcher. He also played with the Peninsula Pilots Prospect League in Hampton, Virginia, during the summers.

After 9/11 and graduation, Jimmy II served in the United States Marine Corps, attaining the rank of captain. He completed 8-and-a-half years of service as a worldwide logistics expert. His major duty assignments included Low Altitude Air Defense, Marine Air Support Squadron, NATO Training Team adviser, and Marine Forces Special Operations Command. Significant awards received: Navy and Marine Corps Commendation 2; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon (Afghanistan); Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal (W/1 Star); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan; letter of commendation by CO; Expert Rifleman; and Expert Pistol Shot Medal. Jimmy II was a highly respected Marine Corps officer who took care of his Marines and accomplished the mission. Upon leaving the service, Jimmy II worked in various logistic jobs in Norfolk, Virginia, and Kennesaw, Georgia. Jimmy II is survived by his fiancée, Simona Sochorová. He also leaves behind his parents, Jim and Chris Thoms of Newport News, Virginia; his sister, Theresa (Jason [’03]) Annis; and nieces, Kiersten, Kourtney, and Piper of Chesterfield County, Virginia, as well as aunts and uncles, Geno (Pat) Bausone of Sutherland, Virginia; Harry Jr. (Vinnie) Thoms of San Diego, California; Cindy

Class Notes

(Jim) McDonald of Flat Rock, Michigan; Trudy (Rich) Grantham of Howard County, Maryland; and Mike Thoms of Wixom, Michigan.”

Jimmy’s funeral was held Dec. 22, 2025, at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Newport News, Virginia. I did not know Jimmy very well personally, but through the shared bond of the VMI class brotherhood, we will all be bound together in this world and the next.

It was great to see many of you share condolences through email and our class Facebook page. Rob Gibson even made it to the funeral service and reports, “It was a good service. Healthy turnout of people and Marine Corps honor detail. His three awards/citations from his time in the Corps were on display, as well as a high school portrait, a Louisville Slugger, and even a Rat Bible. Red, white, and yellow floats on high, fellas. Hug your loved ones.”

Thanks for representing the best class in barracks, Rob. We all share our collective condolences to Jimmy and his loved ones.

That’s all for now, BRs. Keep those updates coming in, and as always, stay safe and be well, and please look out for each other.

Rah Virginia Mil, Tom Hardinge

2006

Will Collier

Chris Gilliland reported that “My wife, Kristen, and I were happy to welcome our fourth child, Lola Anne Gilliland, Jan. 2, 2026, at 1:18 a.m. Mom and baby are both doing well. Jackson (7), Oliver (4), and Hazel (2) are going to be wonderful big siblings.” Congratulations, Gillilands! Andrew Dernovsek shared the following: “A little update from me. I was ordained a Catholic priest for the Paris Foreign Missions Society (Missions Étrangères de Paris) Sept. 6, 2025, in my home diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. I was blessed to have two brother rats present for the ordination—Greg Stronko and Johnny Garvey—both of whom are doing very well. After a month celebrating first masses and hearing confessions in Colorado, I spent about 6 weeks in France, where I had been studying for the past 7 years. During that time, I visited with friends and celebrated with the parishes that welcomed me throughout my 7 years of formation. On Nov. 16, the MEP celebrated my sending-off mass, during which I received my mission crucifix, and I departed for Madagascar

Brother Rats of the Commanding Class of 2006,

Class of 2006: Greg Stronko and Johnny Garvey with Andrew Dernovsek at Andrew’s ordination as a Catholic priest for the Paris Foreign Missions Society (Missions Étrangères de Paris) at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo, Colorado, Sept. 6, 2025.

Class of 2005: James Michael “Jimmy” Thoms II.

Class of 2006: Lola Anne Gilliland, daughter of Chris Gilliland and his wife, Kristen, was born Jan. 2, 2026.

the following day. I am currently living in the capital city, Antananarivo, where I am learning Malagasy. After completing language study, I will be sent elsewhere in the country, likely to an area with a low Christian population, as the charism of our congregation is to work in ‘unreached’ regions and help build up the local church. My congregation sends missionaries to one country for their entire lives, so Madagascar will be my new home. If any of you ever find yourselves in the area, please don’t hesitate to let me know—I would love to catch up. I haven’t come across any singing lemurs yet, but I’m keeping my eyes and ears open! I’ve also heard from Joel Burger, who is doing well and continuing his work with the State Department. He was recently assigned to a nearby country, and we are hoping to plan a time to get together since we will be somewhat ‘close’ again. I still do my three sets of 20-plusthree every morning. Rah Virginia Mil!” Great update, Andrew, and congratulations!

Chris Stolle sent over the following: “Attached is a picture I took of Brad Steidle at his change of command after he successfully completed his command tour onboard USS McFaul (DDG-74). I had the opportunity to get underway with him and his crew during a training exercise last year. Despite rough weather and equipment casualties, Brad and his team did an incredible job! Other than being forced to hang out with Brad for several days straight, it was a great experience, and he is arguably the best CO I have witnessed. I took command of USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) late last year for a few months after an unplanned loss of her CO. I led her decommissioning availability. I had commanded and decommissioned USS Vicksburg (CG69)the year prior. Currently, I’m with a training and development command working on autonomous and counter-autonomous systems. I hope to be able to make the reunion.” Thank you for the report, Chris. Congratulations on all the great accomplishments to you and Steidle!

Burgess Lindsay said, “Ian Camper and I traveled out to Colorado to spend a long weekend with our rat Room 423 roommate, Nate Parsons. He generously hosted us at his wife Lindsey’s family cabin in Granby, Colorado. We had a great time on a guided snowmobile tour

Class Notes

and hiking in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. We had excellent weather and a nice break from the extreme cold in Virginia.” It seems like a great trip!

Please continue to send in your pictures and updates. If you need anything, please let me know. Until next time!

Your BR,

Will

2007

Whitney Matthews

Brother Rats,

Summer is approaching quickly and so is our 20th Reunion. You will begin to receive save the dates and reminders as we get closer to April 2027. Here are a few updates I have received: Dustin Schultz writes that he received his pastoral license in November 2025, as well as finished his first seminary degree in December 2025. He started his Doctor of Ministry in January. In October 2025, he put on commander in the Navy Reserve and finished his boat platoon CO/Security Squadron XO in November 2025. He started what he hopes will be his final tour in December 2025 with the Office of Naval Research working with science and technology.

Deuntay Diggs writes, “On Feb. 6, 2026, on behalf of the board of supervisors and as chair, I had the honor of welcoming the Venerable Monks to Stafford County. They were undertaking a remarkable peace walk from Texas to Washington, D.C., spreading a message of mindfulness, compassion, and unity along the way. The Stafford community was proud to support their journey and share in this inspiring mission for peace.”

In December 2026, there was a holiday party for the VMI community in Hampton Roads, and ’07 was well-represented with Justin Chetney, Sean Hingley, Phillip Saunders, Daniel Hennelly, and Whitney Matthews A good time was had by all, especially hearing Lt. Gen. Furness ’87 speak

Class of 2006: Brad Steidle at his change of command after he successfully completed his command tour on board the USS McFaul (DDG-74).

Class of 2006: Nate Parsons, Burgess Lindsey, and Ian Camper snowmobiling in Colorado.

Class of 2006: Burgess Lindsey, Nate Parsons, and Ian Camper in Colorado.

about VMI. Sean’s son has been accepted at VMI, and I believe he will be matriculating in August 2026!

As many of you know, VMI was under tough scrutiny in January and February by the Virginia state government. A letter from the Class of 2007 was sent to legislators in support of VMI. Below is the letter that was sent:

“We write to you as members of the Virginia Military Institute Class of 2007, with deep respect for your office and a shared commitment to the Commonwealth VMI proudly calls home.

“For us, VMI has always been more than a college. At most colleges, your class is just a group of people who come together for a short time and then part ways. VMI is just the beginning of our class. Our class is a living, breathing network forever connected. Our friendships are lifelong, if not generations long. We began as a mass of teenagers and have taken the world by storm.

“The Class of 2007 has gone on to produce military leaders and civilian leaders alike—brother rats who serve in uniform, who lead businesses and organizations, who teach, mentor, and give back

Class Notes

to their communities. We are neighbors, parents, volunteers, and public servants. Our brother rats live and serve across the Commonwealth, across the nation, and across the globe, carrying with them a deep sense of duty and responsibility rooted in our VMI experience.

“Our achievements are vast and far reaching, but our feet always know the way back to VMI. It is our constant. VMI welcomes us home, supports our successes, stands by us through tough times— just as it taught us to do for one another. The values instilled during our years at VMI continue to shape who we are, how we lead, and how we serve.

“VMI’s mission—to develop citizen-soldiers prepared for leadership and service—remains as vital today as ever. The Institute’s graduates contribute meaningfully to Virginia’s economic strength, civic life, and national security. We believe strongly that continued support for VMI is an investment in people who are committed to service, resilience, and the common good.

“We offer this message not simply in defense of an institution, but in gratitude for one that shaped us and continues to shape generations of Virginians. We are proud of VMI, proud of its mission, and proud to stand as alumni who believe in its future.

“Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your continued service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“Respectfully, Jamaal Walton, class president; Rich Meredith, class vice president; Whitney Matthews, class agent, Class of 2007, Virginia Military Institute.”

Keep checking your emails and mailboxes for more information about our upcoming 20th Reunion! In case anyone needs to get their ring resized, you can reach out to Balfour by emailing

them at collegerings@balfour.com.

In the Bonds, Whitney Matthews

2008

Robert Hill

Greetings from Chocolatetown, USA. I hope everyone is having a good spring! While thinking about the spring, this a good time to remind you that the next reunion (our 20th) will be in spring

Class of 2007: Whitney Matthews, Justin Chetney, Daniel Hennelly, Sean Hingley, and Phillip Saunders attend the Hampton Roads Region XIII holiday party in December 2025.

Class of 2007: Deuntay Diggs meets the Venerable Monks in Stafford County, Virginia.

Class of 2008: Chris DarConte and Brian Peeler in Front Royal, Virginia.

Class of 2008: U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Adam Barr with his wife, Megan, children, and father-in-law in front of a U-2 Dragon Lady at Beale Air Force Base in California after Adam took command of the 48th Intelligence Support Squadron there.

2028. The increments of tens (20, 30, 40, 50) are typically in the spring, and the fives (25, 35, 45, 55)will be fall reunions. For example, this year’s 20th Reunion for the Class of 2006 is the last weekend of April. I still have plenty of tumblers from our reunions if anyone is interested.

Last summer, Adam Barr and family relocated from Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, to Beale AFB, north of Sacramento, California. The relocation was triggered by Adam taking command of the 48th Intelligence Support Squadron. They are making the most of the time in California by visiting Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and other touristy locations around Northern California. Congrats on the command assignment, Adam!

Congrats to our BR Brian Corley for completing his degree at George Mason in December 2025!

2009

Bradley Simpson

Brother Rats:

I hope this edition of the Review finds you and your families well. I got a chance to talk to a good many of our class for this edition.

Mark Turner and I got to catch up a little. He got married in January and moved to Asheville to start work as GM of beverage operations for Biltmore. Primarily, he will be running the winery for now. Also, he told me he was expecting his first child in late January.

Well, that is all I have for this go-around. Please stay in touch and keep me posted on all the good things happening for our class.

2010

David Messina

Chris Dommert

Class Notes

out in the bay and to the water park with the kiddos. We’ll be traveling up to VMI for Legacy Day again in the spring. I hope to see some of you up there; it was a really good time last year. My family will be doing a big cruise over the summer to celebrate my dad finally retiring, too. So a lot of fun stuff coming that hopefully won’t be ruined by unexpected back surgery like last summer, lol.

Ed Burton is still living up in the New England area (New Hampshire), where he works at a cabinet shop, getting to run some CNC machines and other sweet machinery while trying to find as much time as he can to be outside and enjoy nature. He does a lot of cross-country skiing and ice climbing when he can find the time.

Scott MacDonald is still serving the nation in the U.S. Navy and has the pleasure of still getting to fly helos. He’s stationed out in San Diego but was on duty in Japan helping to do some joint training with two of the squadrons that are

stationed there. Scott said he’ll get new orders in December and hasn’t quite figured out where the Navy will station him yet. My vote is to come back to the East Coast, lol!

Nelson Page dropped a quick line to me sharing a picture of himself and Capt. Alex Caporaletti ’21. They were able to spend a few weeks together in Hiroshima, Japan, working on designing various missile storage facilities for the U.S. Army Japan.

Jason Barnes is living down in North Carolina. He officially out-processed from active duty Navy life, and while he is still doing the reserve thing, he spends his time flying for American Airlines, chasing his 5-year-old son around, and doing home reno.

Angie (Gomez) Hall, formerly Angie Gomez, tied the knot with James Hall back in November. They are happily residing in California still. Congrats to Angie!

I caught up with Steve Cary; he’s still living in the Richmond area in Virginia and is surviving day to day in the daunting field of public accounting.

2011

Thomas H. Pace

2011,

I hope everyone is off to a great year. I look forward to seeing y’all at our class’ 15th Reunion this September.

Both Henke and Drew Luxhoj are still in the military (Henke Army, Luxhoj Air Force) but still found a time to link up for a parents-only trip to the Bahamas. It was a total blast.

Rah Virginia Mil,

Tom Pace

By the time you all read this, it should be rounding up on summertime and starting to warm up— at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. I’m looking forward to a summer filled with trips

Class of 2010: Angie (Gomez) Hall and her husband, James.

Class of 2011: The Henke and Luxhoj families on vacation in the Bahamas.

Class Notes

2012

Bruce Howard

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.

First off, congratulations to George Piccirilli and his wife, Allie, on the birth of their son. Luca Piccirilli was born this past March, which means he should be walking just in time for BaseCo season in spring 2026! Wishing you all the best!

We also have several members of our class who are expecting children before the end of the year.

Quinn Adams and his wife, Danielle, are expecting a girl this time around, who will be named Charlotte. The Adams’ son, Ambrose, has told his uncles Ben Denton and Justin Dwight that he will dutifully watch over his sister in a military manner, always on the alert. We couldn’t be happier for the Adamses and look forward to tailgates this football season with the whole damn team!

T.D. Hoover and his wife, Kelly, are expecting another boy! T.D. is looking forward to spending time with both boys on the squash court, as well as teaching them about the finer points of managing performing artists. We’re all excited about watching both Hoover boys march in parade at the Institute one day!

Stephen Davis and his wife are expecting their first child this year! Funny enough, it was my wife who told me about the exciting news, as she met Stephen’s wife and made the VMI connection. Per Will Wild, Stephen has told trusted sources that he expects his son to enroll at the Institute and would prefer that he become a member of Echo Company; he wants his son to be a part of a “company with a winning tradition of military excellence and a deep roster of notable alums.” We wish the Davises the best of luck and are excited to see them out and about in the Richmond area.

Vinny Jarrells and his wife, Lacey, are still in Eastern North Carolina, where Vincent is stationed. Vincenzo would like everyone in the Camp Lejeune area to reach out to him as soon as possible because he’d like to start up a VMI alumni trivia team to compete at the local taverns. You can find him on social media or by cell phone, where applicable.

Dan Fiasconaro has been quite busy on the music scene. He is forming a new band called

The Whispering Rascals, which will be managed by none other than T.D. Hoover. The new band will perform music from the 20th century’s greatest silent films in their entirety. If you find yourself in the greater Richmond area this summer, reach out to T.D. or Dan to find out where The Whispering Rascals are booked.

Ben Denton has been adopting stray animals in the Washington, D.C., metro area as fast as humanly possible. He would like everyone to know that if you have an animal that needs to be rehomed and are within a 5-6 hour drive, he is willing and able to rehome your formerly beloved pet.

Gabe Dongieux has been traveling a good bit lately and is thinking about putting together a cookbook based on recipes he has experienced. He would like you to send him recommendations on where to travel this summer, as well as any interesting or exciting recipes you have found in your own travels. He is thinking of calling the book “Supper Roll Call: A Cadet’s Guide to Fine Cuisine Around the World.” Good luck and safe travels, Gabe!

Jon Colon is still doing well in NYC. His vending machine company has received Series B funding from a Chinese venture capital firm, which will allow him to expand further into South America. The legal matter holding up the expansion (see last report for details) seems to have no end in sight, although Colon is not deterred. Please reach out if you have any experience with South American import-export laws. Good luck, Colon!

Thanks again to the special ghostwriter who helped me with this edition ... and by that, I mean BR Will Wild! I do greatly appreciate all 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

&AnnieMarieIncontro

Scaplehorn

We have a pretty light update this quarter, but we wanted to introduce a new idea (thank you, Michael Scaplehorn) to hopefully make

our quarterly notes a little more interesting. We want to open up notes to include any memorable stories (suitable to be printed) from our years at the Institute now that we are creeping up on 13 years from graduation. Also, we hope this will involve more of our BRs, as it is something more than just the birth announcements, promotions, and meetups that get sent to us. So please, send us some stories!

With that being said, Jackson Sain married Taylor Lavery in August 2025 at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, surrounded by BRs and other alums. Congratulations to you both!

Dr. Sam Conde continues to make us proud, having recently received her American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology certifications in both general psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. She is very excited about the double board certification! She also accepted a forensic psychiatry and general psychiatry faculty position at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and started last October.

While that is certainly a tough act to follow, I’m happy to share that Rob Incontro was promoted to sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department and is assigned to the downtown LA area. He’s having a great time leading officers and happy to be back in the field, even if it means less fun and more paperwork.

2013

Rob

Michael

Class of 2013: Sgt. Rob Incontro on duty with the Los Angeles Police Department Dec. 31, 2025.

2014

Johnny Partin

Samuel Guidry

Happy 12th Anniversary, BRs!

Can y’all believe it has been 12 years since we graduated from “Mother I!?” The speed of which time is rolling on by makes Molly (Western) MacDonald, Keith MacDonald, Wilkes Barber, and Kyle Corwin look like turtles! I kid; y’all can still outrun me any day of the week. As I am typing up these notes, I am reflecting on all the great things we have accomplished individually and as a class. It is remarkable to see BRs stepping up for increasingly more difficult leadership positions, growing their small businesses, taking the leap to enter public service, and so much more. It is very inspiring!

We have a great set of class notes for this edition.

Pierce McKean and his wife, Emily, celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary with a trip to Germany. They visited Mainz, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Cologne, Nuremberg, and Rudesheim. Congratulations, Pierce and Emily, and cheers that the next 10 are even more fun than the first.

On Nov. 15, Sean Fish cruised through the

Richmond Marathon and set another grand PR. He finished that bad boy in 3 hours and 11 minutes! Congratulations, Sean, on another great achievement. Keep pushing; you are almost at Boston qualifying time! Slim that run down by 17 minutes, and you will be on your way!

Near the end of November, I received some very exciting news. I picked up my O-4 and was approved to take the Joint Contingency Public Affairs Course at the Defense Information School located at Fort Meade. Ben Kier, all your advice and good words of wisdom paid off! Still the best S-1 captain and AG officer to date!

Speaking of Ben Kier, he had the privilege of promoting another VMI alum. Ben promoted Brendan McKee ’22 to captain Nov. 12, 2025, in Zagan, Poland. Both Ben and Brendan are

Class of 2013: Attending the wedding of Jackson Sain and Taylor Lavery at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, in August 2025 are (from left) Hunter Colt, John Wilson, Thomas Stallings ’15, Donald Martin, Sean Rogers, Jackson, Taylor, Justin Dalton, Thomas McConnell, Patrick Leet, John Trant ’02, and Tim Quinn.

Class of 2014: Attending Will Thompson’s wedding are (from left) Jacob Lysher, Cabell Willis, Will, and H.P. Paultre ’15.

Class of 2014: Jack Dixon speaking at a Farm Bureau roundtable meeting.

Class of 2014: Gathering at the Ono Brewing Company in Centreville, Virginia, are Loren Rolls, Eric Triasssi, Nick Emison, Eva Edelbrock, Flora Edelbrock, Johnny Partin, and Lucas Champion.

serving with the 3rd Brigade, “Greywolf,” of the 1st Cavalry Regiment as a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Congratulations, Brendan! The Class of 2014 applauds this great achievement!

Jack Dixon is continuing to grow his business, Riverbank Farms. This year was Jack’s first year attending the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention, both as a competitor in the VFBF Young Farmers Discussion Meet and as a voting delegate representing Rockingham County. Congratulations, Jack, as you continue to excel and do great things! We are super proud of you; keep it up!

I don’t know about y’all, but December was a really busy month for me. I had to go up to Fort Meade for a 2-week course in public affairs, which was actually really interesting. One of our instructors was a SES for the FBI, and she was in charge of their communications and public affairs department. She was spectacular. Also, I had to start Phase 2 ILE Common Core, which, lucky enough for me, was also at Fort Meade. But while I was up there, I learned that both Chris Barefoot and Daniel Oberlander left the base and are at Fort Leavenworth doing the year-long Command General Staff Officer Course. Wishing y’all the best of luck and great success!

While up at Fort Meade, Will Thompson and I caught up for a bit over the phone. I was soliciting input for future marathons up North that I may be interested in. He highly recommended the Sugarloaf Marathon, which, after looking it up, is now on my bucket list of races. Anyway, he sent me pics from his wedding, which caused me some concern because he wasn’t smiling in any of them. Hahaha! 2014 was well represented at the wedding. Cabell Willis, Jacob Lysher, and Robert Macias were there. Even my man H.P. Paultre ’15 was there! Billy Cheatham was missed at the ceremony, but we all know “he can take it.”

The good news just keeps on flowing! Matthew Ray was promoted to major in the Army Dec. 8. Congratulations, Matt, on a job well done. Couldn’t have come at a better time, too. With that promotion, a nice pay raise followed that I am sure went to extra Christmas presents for the kids and wife.

On Friday, Dec. 12, Eva Edelbrock, Flora Edelbrock, and I hosted a fun BR dinner at Ono Brewing Company. It is a Hawaiian BBQ Brewery Company in Centreville. If you haven’t been, I would highly recommend it. Nick Emison, Loren Rolls, Lucas Champion, and Eric Triassi came out for the fun. Sam Guidry sent his regrets that he couldn’t attend. He and

Class Notes

his lovely wife were up in NYC for dinner and show. Ethan Bailey sent me a note saying he couldn’t attend, as well, because he would be in New York for a party. New York must be the happening place. Jon Mattingly, you may be called up by the New York National Guard to break up these wild parties.

After dinner, we all went back to Eva’s house to have a movie night, and we all sat on the couch. As the movie was starting, you could hear some slight cracking and then a loud thump. Lucas and Eva (who were sitting in the

middle) fell through the couch. Lol! Never in my life have I ever contributed to breaking a couch before, but I guess there is always a first time for everything. We all died from laughter. At the beginning of January, I went down to Disney World to do the Disney World Marathon Weekend Series Dopey Challenge—4 days and races! Day 1, 5K; Day 2, 10K; Day 3, half marathon; and Day 4, full marathon. It was a total blast. I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone of all running abilities. It is such a friendly course and lots of restrooms and nutrition/hydration stations along the way.

Speaking of friendly, I ran into Nate Myers on the half marathon course! He and a good friend were dressed as Ursula and Ariel from “The Little Mermaid.” Me, I just had my patriotic running colors on. We were very disappointed to not see Riley Newsom, Ray Montolin, and Christian Beale. We expanded the shame and disappointment to Flora Edelbrock, Eva Edelbrock, Matthew Reardon, Jonathan Reardon, Cabell Willis, Jacob Lysher, Will Thompson, and the entire track and cross country team. Nate and I couldn’t believe we were outrunning these speedy BRs. Hopefully, they will all be able to join us in 2027!

Right after I got home, I got a nice note from Carly (Day) Anderson. Carly has had a lot happen this past year. She now works with the Marines as an aeromedical safety officer, and she welcomed a fine new American into the world. Congratulations, Carly; motherhood looks great on you!

Also speaking of motherhood, Abby (Dawson) Waterbury and Ben Waterbury ’13 had their first baby! She is such a cutie. She is going to grow into a fine Keydet. Congratulations, y’all!

Glad to see everyone survived the crazy winter ice storms we had. Hopefully everyone got to have some fun with the snow. Me, personally, I slipped and fell nine times. One time, I fell so hard I broke the solid ice in my yard ... the butt imprint definitely showed I have gained some winter weight.

While surviving this crazy frigid weather, Clayton Gant sent me a nice note. He informed me that our most intimidating BR, the honorable Billy Cheatham, was selected for the Foreign Area Officer Association Award for Excellence in International Affairs during his Naval Postgraduate School. Congratulations, Billy! Super proud of you. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to watching your Senate confirmation hearing as secretary of state one day!

Class of 2014: Johnny Partin and Nate Myers at the Disney World Marathon Weekend Race Series.

Class of 2014: Tyler Cross with her wife, Crystal, and their newborn son.

Clayton Gant is also doing very well. He survived all the holidays and three kids’ birthdays without going into bankruptcy, so he isn’t complaining. He has 2 more years in Monterey before his next exciting assignment. Keep up the good work, too, BR!

Also, near the end of January, I heard from Ben Kier. He is still doing well in Poland. He actually came across Colin Blake’s, Cory Reiniecke’s, and Phil Pryor’s dyke, Maj. Korey Tighe ’11. Crazy how small of an Army and how small the world is!

I’ll finish up the notes with one more BR announcement. Tyler Cross and her wife, Crystal, welcomed a fine young baby boy into the world in February. Wishing y’all all the best as y’all begin this new life chapter. Cheers to your growing family!

Friendly reminder: Please do not forget to update your contact information, mailing address, etc. I want to make sure you get your BR birthday and Christmas cards!

Happy Memorial Day, and wishing you all a fun-filled summer!

’14, ’14, ’14!

Johnny P.

Class Notes

Keydets!

Jumping right in, I received a note from Katheryne Ruck. She wasn’t able to join in the reunion because she was pretty far along on her third baby. Everyone is happy and healthy. Congrats, Katheryne!

Speaking of babies, Taylor Monfort-Eaton and his wife are expecting their first baby, a girl, in April, and they couldn’t be more thrilled!

Warner Thomas shared a photo from deployment with a fellow Keydet from 2019.

Joel Hoisington is the VMI alumni chapter president in the D.C. area, and he encourages folks to come join events; they had 40-plus in this recent one at The Light Horse in Old Town Alexandria.

Hope everyone is doing well! Reach out if you have any updates.

Best, Henry

2016

MurphyKerner

HunterMorgan

Mark your calendars for Sept. 11–13, 2026: We are closing in on our 10th Reunion this fall. It is crazy to think it has been that long since we graduated and 14 years since we matriculated. If you are interested in being on one of the planning committees, please reach out; any and all help is welcome.

The 10th Reunion is one of the key times for classes to come back together at VMI, and we hope everyone can make the trip. There have been a few informational emails that have gone out in the past few months on it, and if you need more info, please feel free to reach out to either of us. There are a variety of events planned for the weekend, and you can choose how many you’d like to attend.

Not a lot of other notes to report this time from the class. We hope everyone is saving their updates for when we are in person this fall!

RVM 2016.

2015

HenryMeredith Johnny McDonald

Class of 2015: Katheryne Ruck and her husband with their children, including Audrey June (newborn).

Class of 2015: Warner Thomas and Jonathan Martinez ’19.

Class of 2015: Joel Hoisington, James Whippo, Hardy Hendren, and John Richards at a Northern Virginia alumni happy hour.

Class Notes

Michael P. Griffin

These notes cover the period from Nov. 16, 2025, to Feb. 15, 2026.

2026—I have to write that out again so it really sinks in—2026 means we are 9 years past graduation and 13 years from matriculation! More than that, according to my roster, by August, every member of the class will be into their 30s! Many of us have experienced changes upon changes in that time. Some of us have gotten married, pursued additional degrees, had kids, and moved across the country—maybe even the world! If you think of the 4 years at VMI as the “main series” and everything after as myriad spin-off stories and franchises, I think you’ll get a good understanding of how it feels to chronicle these many adventures you all have. When we were at VMI, it was easy to keep tabs on each other. In many cases, we knew more than we should or even wanted to; the perks of living in such confined spaces, I suppose. Now, it takes much more deliberate effort. In recent months, I have found myself struggling to keep up with it all! Now, let’s be clear, I’m not saying I didn’t put off these notes until the day they were due again; we all know I did. What I’m saying is life makes slowing down and reconnecting to hear about all these changes a bit difficult. I don’t even have a wife and kids, and never before has it seemed quite so busy in my life. It gives me a renewed respect for what Ben Stewart did when we walked out of the “I” in spring ’17! Unfortunately, life being as chaotic as it is these days, I haven’t heard from Ben in a while, but I do hope he is well and look forward to reconnecting at some point in the near future! Perhaps at the reunion, where I hope to converse with many of you!

I won’t barrage you too much with reunion stuff this time, but I do want to give you a few important updates/reminders. First, the 10th Reunion is coming up pretty quick! In about 1–1.5 years, it’ll be upon us! That being said, Lexington and VMI are not 100% the same. Some hotels have remodeled or closed, some restaurants are new, some areas on post are different now, the PX is a bit different, a few academic buildings and parking spaces have been modified or removed, and some large spaces are under construction or likely will be when we come

into town. Keep all this in mind when you’re thinking about future plans! Lexington also does not have an airport, but there is an airport over the mountain in Lynchburg, as well as a train station. I figure most of those attending will be driving, but for those who are not, take the above into account! Dates and specific details will likely follow in the next issue or two of the Alumni Review! Second, the VMI email we have all used (or at least had access to) for the last 9 years is closing down. The system is moving to cadets only from now on, which means we will lose access this summer. Many of you received an email warning that this would come sometime in July. I highly encourage you to establish a new email address if you are currently using the “@mail.vmi.edu” one still. Moreover, please send me the updated address once you set it up! That way we don’t lose connectivity in the coming months and years. Please note that my email listed above has been my VMI email for several years. That has now changed. You can still call me at my cell (508-505-1413), but emails need to go to gryphoncreations25@ gmail.com.

Third, Legacy Day and provisional appointments! Some of you know what I’m talking about, but for those who do not, let me explain. VMI does a great job recruiting prospective cadets, but they do an even better job at drumming up interest among the children of alumni, the “legacy” cadets. With several members of ’17 now having kids of appropriate age, I highly encourage you to look into these events. Legacy Day is a special recruiting event where alumni can come back to post with their kids and familiarize them with the place they went to college. While many are not of age to apply, it gets them exposed to VMI and Lexington early on and helps them make an informed decision when the time comes. In contrast, or maybe in addition, provisional appointments can be applied for by alumni with young children to assist in the application process, should that child one day decide to apply to VMI. If you have questions, contact the VMI Alumni Agencies for more details! Fourth ... I’m just kidding, that’s enough updates for this issue! And, I even stacked them all right in the front! What a sicko to make you read those before the good stuff! Still, don’t forget those important updates; you never know when you might need that knowledge. With all that out of the way, let’s get back to the story. Last quarter, I finished off by promising to reach out to Kasey Kettle, Collyn Dashner, and Jason Bass. You all did your part and waited patiently! So, let’s begin with Mr. Bass!

Jason reached out to me just as the last notes were closing. Evidently, he had moved to a new address and was making sure I was aware for any VMI publications. What a guy! But for those of you who regularly socialize with Jason, fear not, his move was pretty local. He’s still active in the greater Richmond, Virginia, area. Before I could get a hold of the other two on my list, I actually got a message from Shu-Hao Yang Yang is still working on constructing his house with Elva. The two were well on their way to being finished with the project, targeting late spring for completion—at least when we spoke sometime around Thanksgiving. He also sent me some updates later in 2025 showing him out with a few friends for a Christmastime meal; his efforts to prepare for an upcoming triathlon; and his cat, Orange. As you can tell from the context clues, the cat is orange. Always the pinnacle of kindness, Caskey invited me to come visit, which I do intend to do one day! But may not be able to in 2026. Why, you ask? Well, after having so much fun with the Force Support Squadron in Kansas, and even more fun with the F.S.S. in Al Udeid, I decided I just can’t possibly fathom how much more “fun” a body can take. With that, I decided in January 2026 that I would be separating from active-duty Air Force life within a year. Now, many of you are thinking, “But Mike, what will you do as an English major with limited real-world experience?” Well, to that I say, more than likely pursue a full-time position in a company called unemployment. Now, I did hear they have a pretty sparse benefits package, but I think I can make it work, mostly because I intend to use the G.I. Bill to go back to school! (Phewf! Don’t lie, you were scared where that train was going.) Time will tell if this plan actually materializes, but I’ll keep you informed in the pages of the Alumni Review! Consider it a kind of back-up story alongside the main plot. But with that, let’s get back on track again. Man, this is the most A.D.D. issue I think I’ve ever written!

After hearing from Shu-Hao, I got a surprise message on Facebook from Grant LaRock. He had recently received his VMI Christmas card in the mail. I’m glad those are actually making it to you all! He was doing well out in North Carolina but didn’t have too much in the way of updates this time around. Don’t be disappointed, though! True gold takes time regarding storytelling! I’m sure we will get the scoop in more detail soon! As always, great to hear from you, man!

Kasey Kettle gave me a short update, as well. She is down in Pensacola, Florida, these days as

a flight instructor at Whiting Field. Sounds like she primarily flies helicopters and trains future chopper pilots at Helicopter Advanced Training, which is based out of Whiting. Looking forward to hearing more about your time in Florida in future issues, BR!

Speaking of updates from afar, I got a mysterious message addressed to “Mr. Snicket” from Justin Rose over at Kirtland AFB. His family is moving out that way ... probably about as you read this, after welcoming another child into the mix! This time, a daughter named Lydia. Congratulations to the newly expanded Rose family! Now, Justin, being a Space Force guardian, does lots of cool things that we are unfortunately not privy to, and while I would love to pry for more details, after seeing a picture that appears to be us doing something with a very Death Star-esque laser, I think some things are better off as mysteries. All that said, I’m glad Justin is the guy at the helm if we do go to war with the Jedi! He enjoys finally being able to apply his Ph.D. to his work with the DoD (or are we DoW now? It’s so hard to keep up) and is very much looking forward to spending some time in the beautiful Sandia Mountains. Wishing you and the family all the best!

Now, a few issues back, I had some inputs from Danny King (bonus points if you can figure out which issue they were in). We even had a picture or two, if I recall correctly. But in my haste, I realized I never actually replied to Danny! So almost a whole year later (yeesh!), I finally got back to him via a short text message string, to beg pardon for taking his inputs without the common courtesy to have a conversation with the man! Long story short, because Mr. King is a scholar and a gentleman, he held no grudges for my oversight. We spoke of current assignments and the possibility that I might go back East again in the near future. Also, he and his girlfriend just reached the milestone of a joint pet! Some people say commitment starts at one point or another, but I think it comes with joint animal ownership. Like so many of you all, they opted for a cat, which means we have quite a few cat owners here in ’17. Myself, Joe Baumann, Malcolm Thomas, Ashley McManus, and now Danny King. Though I’m sure there are a few more I am not tracking. Nevertheless, this makes me wonder if there was something about our class and cats. Didn’t Blaise Boullianne and Sebastian Chavez have a cat in their room for a while? I definitely recall Ellie the War Turtle. I think there was also a fish tank, a cat, the bat that Matt Johnson and I released into their room once, and probably

Class Notes

some others I’m missing. Man, either I’m really embellishing here, or they had the whole animal kingdom in there. In any case, it was great to hear from you, Danny! I’ll be sure to touch base with you more often or hit up Nick Mullet and Sierra (Payne) Mullet for the regular crossovers you all seem to have.

But speaking of some of these aforementioned names, let’s discuss someone I don’t often get a chance to touch base with: Malcolm Thomas! Now, those who remember 3rd Class year will recall that Joe Baumann, Cody Bottoms, Matt Johnson, Malcolm Thomas, and I shared room 321 over in Old Barracks. But after that year, Malcolm moved out to explore the wild wonders of New Barracks with Trajan Crocker and Ryan Asuncion. At least, I think that’s who he roomed with. Anyway, Malcolm and I have only spoken maybe once or twice since graduation, as life took us in two radically different paths. However, I was elated to see his name in my messages back in December 2025 and quickly set up a call with him to see what was new. Evidently, lots! He moved way out to Arizona a few years back and seems to be loving the climate and the job. He even has a trip lined up (or maybe still in planning) with Ashley McManus and a few others to see the Grand Canyon. I look forward to hearing how the trip went and sharing details with you all in future issues! I had a similarly long call with Zach Bugalla shortly thereafter. Zach is another one with whom I haven’t been able to converse with in a bit, so it was great catching up. Looks like he’s out in Colorado right now but looking to come back east with his wife, Alex, and their dog soon. We discussed having him stop here in Wichita along the way if the timing lines up. I hope we can meet up in person soon, but if not, we may set something up after I call it quits with active-duty life.

The very next day, I had a brief call with my rat, Chris Milliken ’20, to catch up with him and all that’s happening in his life in Virginia. Seems he and Ashley have come to really enjoy the Roanoke area, where they moved after she got out of the Marines. I’m thinking we might be able to meet up in the winter months of 2026, depending on work schedules and all that, as the last time we visited was all the way back at his wedding! Dang, how time really flies!

Matt Johnson and I spoke several times this quarter, mostly while Matt was trying to clean, dress, and generally maneuver his young son, Logan, through daily life. He and Alyssa seem quite happy as young parents, though I don’t typically hear from Alyssa as much, so I’m thinking she’s either knocked out from Logan

keeping them up all night, or perhaps her rather high-paced work life. With all that and Matt’s ever-chaotic life in the Army, there truly is no slowing that couple down! Matt even managed to find a photo of one of our rats in the wild, Fielding Quarles ’20, at the Petersburg YMCA, which I will have to tease him lovingly about when next we speak. Mack Shehee sent me a message around Christmastime to wish me and the family well. Looks like he and Deelan went to Florida to spend the holidays with their relatives. Mack’s mother recently overcame cancer, following a surgery, and is now firmly on the mend, so they were feeling very blessed this holiday season. I’m glad things are progressing so positively, Mack! The next classmate I found (or perhaps, more accurately, found me!) was Matt Lombardi. He had reached out regarding the 10th Reunion, which I am still in the process of getting information on. The Alumni Agencies has been great getting the ball rolling, and we do have our reunion committee set to go (myself, Ryan Asuncion, Casey (Field) Haeg, and Joe Baumann); I just got sidetracked this year with the deployment and then the holiday season. So, hang tight, Matt! More information to come soon! Thanks for reaching out though; your enthusiasm is great! ... And a quick sidebar to the committee: Sorry for the delay in replies on my end! I’m actually off this next week (at least as I am writing this), so I’ll reach out and get the ball rolling again! I appreciate you guys being so patient! OK, where was I? Oh, that’s right! Back to Matt. Mr. Lombardi is working at the Pentagon now and seems to be enjoying the local area, but he is actually looking to separate from the military, as well. In truth, he may be separating just about when you read this. What timing! Matt and his wife have quite the large family now, with a 7-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 2-year-old all keeping them on their toes. As Matt looks to transition to civilian life, he has found a few promising local opportunities— namely in recruiting for military officers. I hope it goes well! Wishing you and the family all the best, BR!

Joe Baumann and I had a few conversations this quarter. Big news for him, since I don’t think many were aware—he’s married now! He and Kristi are happily settled in New Mexico with their two daughters and have no intention of moving back East again, as far as I can tell. Well, other than the obligatory reunions! Joe was a huge help at the last one, after all, and if I’ve learned one thing from the military, we don’t let anyone like that escape ... I mean, get away. That being the case, however, Joe and I

talked about a visit in Alamogordo, New Mexico, this summer. I have a wedding to go to up in Colorado, so I may just elongate the trip a bit and take a flight down to see him and the family. Joe, I’ll send a reply to your questions on that timeline soon! Mr. Baumann has built himself quite the workshop out there and was kind enough to show me on FaceTime. Let me tell you, if you need literally anything, I’m pretty sure he can produce it in that garage. What a shop! Thanks for the tour, BR!

Now, shortly after this point, I got a rather confusing and unexpected email through a chain of VMI folks. Apparently, there was a kid named David Meise ’18 looking to set up some VMI networking and gathering events in the Fort Riley area. I ended up reaching out to him, but unfortunately, Wichita is a bit far from Manhattan, Kansas. Still, if any of you all are in that area and want to connect, just let me know! I’ll pass along his number. It was at this point in writing the notes that I dramatically stepped away, recalling a letter that had been set aside for me while I was deployed last year ... pause for effect. Tyler Watts actually reached out to me while I was gone, and I have yet to reply! Man, I must be off my game here! I’ll reach out to him now, but we may have to wait until next issue to get his updates ... or not! Look at that, a fourth wall break of sorts! He’s replying in real time. What an off-the-wall issue we’re having this time. Even I don’t know where it’s going next. Tyler is doing well; he had reached out after getting the VMI birthday card in 2025. He is newly stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, so not too far away! Dang, and I was just in Oklahoma for the Ghost concert! (Help received: Matt Johnson for introducing me to them in 2015.) Next time, I’ll be sure to check in with him to see if he wants to meet up! Our conversation was brief, but I’m looking forward to getting him more involved in the class post-graduation and hopefully into more of these Alumni Review issues, too!

I actually missed an email message from Joe Bobay, as well, but I didn’t get a cell number included there, so I’ll have to email him back. This may be a longer payoff, but stay tuned for updates in the next issue or two!

As with every update, you know I heard from the Bottoms clan a time or two, also! Cody is still in Missouri with his wife, Amanda, and loving life out there. I had a few conversations regarding Christmas cards with Lin, Cody’s father, and Amanda before eventually getting some time to catch up with Cody. He actually showed me their new gaming set-up, which looks pretty cool! Once I finish up this course I’m taking right now, I think most of my free work nights will become gaming sessions with them! Provided

Class Notes

we are all free at the same time, anyway; that is always a challenge. It has been too long since we got a chance to play some Minecraft together, and last time we tried, the server went down the very moment we attempted to log on! On the upside, he and Amanda are able to play “Red Dead” with Cody’s father, thereby enabling them to be modern-day cowboys in fiction, as well as reality. Cody actually went on a cruise just before Christmas with Amanda’s side of the family, as they visited his side of the family for Thanksgiving. Shortly after finishing their seasonal travel, they were rewarded with some substantial snow, and having gone up that hill at the entrance to Cody’s neighborhood before, I’m pretty sure that effectively locked them down for a few days. Hope it was a quiet winter for you guys!

Speaking of winter, I was pleasantly surprised to get a few cards in the mail. One from the Manarin family and another from the Gazzillo family. Garrett Manarin and his wife PCS’d to Pensacola a little over a year ago (as I write this) and got a Basset Hound they named Atticus. Isn’t that from “To Kill a Mockingbird”? Since they got into town, they have crossed paths with Easton Haslam, Mason Malone, and Hunter Guill, some of whom were also present at Tom Moriarty’s wedding a while back. Plus, Kasey Kettle and even Alastair Young! Garrett was selected for O-4 and will be promoting this May at the World War II memorial in New Orleans. Congratulations, BR, and thanks for all the updates! It’s awesome to hear so much good news.

The card from the Gazzillos was extremely

thorough! If I ever check out unexpectedly, I hereby appoint Andrew and Meghan Gazzillo as my successors. Andrew, at the time, was deployed to the 22nd MEU (not the Pokemon); meanwhile, their son, Jack, was hard at work mastering the art of the two-wheeled bicycle. (Something I feel like I forgot how to do about 40 pounds ago ... but moving on!) Their son, Sean, is now in preschool, and their youngest, Owen, has become adept at politely greeting new people with an energetic wave. Meghan has held down the fort with unmatched enthusiasm, caring for the community as military spouses so skillfully do. She has therefore dubbed their abode “the frat house” due to the constant influx and outflux of friends and neighbors while Andrew comes and goes, currently doing squares around Venezuela. While Mrs. Gazzillo did lightly chastise her husband for not sending updates to the Review on a consistent basis, I am happy to report he did send us something this time, in addition to the holiday card! Can you spot it? It is the only picture in this issue—he and Evan Reineman in St. Croix with the 22nd MEU. As always, it is great to see all these updates and hear all you have going on!

Shortly after that, I was lucky enough to have a critical package that was sent to my parents’ home saved by none other than my father’s neighbor and BR, Mr. Dan Sweeney ’80, and his wife, Cindy. Thanks so much again for your help! I did have a bit of a story here about what the mysterious package was ... but unfortunately, I’m out of space! So, if you really want to know, I’ll request all hate mail and angry letters go to Lexington, please. Thank you!

Well, folks, that’s all for this issue! Don’t be a stranger, if you ever think, “Hey, this would be great for the Review ...”, then, to paraphrase “The Wolf of Wall Street,” pick up that phone and start dialing! Take care, all!

Until next time, rah ’17!

2018

Will Woodward

ReaganGoulla

Hello, all, I hope the new year has been treating you well.

Class of 2017: Andrew Gazzillo (left) and Evan Reineman in St. Croix with the 22nd MEU.

It certainly is chugging right along—nearly halfway done already. And as if time weren’t flying fast enough, our rats are set to have their 5th Reunion this year. Their reunion will be on the first fall reunion date, Sept.11–12. Reach out to your rats if you want to catch up with them; many will be in the same place. It’s been over 9 years since many of us met our rats for the first time, and now they’re having their first reunion. I’ll say it again— time flies.

For some updates for you all from the class: Steven Foster and his wife, Sophia, have two updates. They welcomed their daughter, Virginia Rose Foster, Sept. 13, 2025, and Steven began a new role as the Department of War general counsel.

Julia Daly got married to Chelsea Twemlow Dec. 12, 2025.

In addition, Joey McCarty is closing on his new house in Stafford and has been officially reassigned to the presidential protective division of the Secret Service.

As an announcement, I’m seeking assistance from our Taiwanese BRs. I will be traveling to Taiwan in February 2027, both for vacation and on a mission on behalf of VMI. Many of you may not know that one of our most militarily accomplished alumni—in my opinion, second only to George C. Marshall ’901—served as a general in the Nationalist Chinese forces during both the Chinese Civil War and World War II: Sun Li-jen ’927 He was named a commander of the Order of the British Empire by George VI for his leadership during the 1942 Yenangyaung campaign, where his forces rescued more than 7,000 surrounded Allied personnel. He also received the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun, the Republic of China’s

Class Notes

second-highest military honor, for extraordinary contributions to national defense during foreign invasion, as well as the Legion of Merit (Commander Degree) from the United States for his outstanding service in the China–Burma–India Theater during World War II.

I have secured a Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets flag from the Institute that will first be carried in a parade at VMI. Afterward, I will

personally bring the flag with me to Taiwan, where it will be formally presented to the Sun Li-jen Memorial Hall in Taichung, along with certificates of authenticity and dedication.

If anyone has contacts or can assist with reaching the museum, I would greatly appreciate the help, as I have had difficulty contacting them directly to coordinate an event to present the flag on behalf of our alma mater.

Enjoy this coming summer and the warmer weather.

Rah ’18, Will and Reagan

Class of 2018: Pictured at the wedding of Josh Willard and Nayely Esparza Flores in Roseville, California, Nov. 8, 2025, are (from left) Micah Ellington, Tripp Fitch, Jacob Novak, Luke Phillips ’17, Nayely, Josh, Stephen Trayer ’15, Spencer Jefferson ’17, Brandon White ’17, and Bethany White.

Class of 2018: Julia Daly and Chelsea Twemlow at their wedding Dec. 12, 2025.

Class of 2018: Steven Foster and his daughter, Virginia.

Class of 2018: Dan Holmes with U.S. Army Capt. Kyle Karadayi ’21 at Kyle’s promotion ceremony in Germany Nov. 26, 2025.

Manning Fisher

JordanFArmer

Brother Rats,

We hope warmer weather has found you and that you are doing well in what is often a busy time of year with PCS moves, kids out of school, vacations, etc. Also, lots of y’all are busy with babies!

Colin Smith and his wife, A.J., welcomed their daughter, Violet, Dec. 8, 2025. Ricky Wilson and his wife, Jessica, also welcomed a daughter, Rosalia, Nov. 21, 2025. Rives Worsham and his wife, Laralin, welcomed their second child, Brooks, Feb. 14, 2025. However, we think that Kori (Hadinger) Gehman might have the most parental responsibilities right now with her four children, June (5), Jethro (3), Violet (2), and Tobias (1). We welcome all our new arrivals into the 1-9 family! To the parents, you have a host of BRs behind you; reach out if you need anything.

We also have many BRs with other big life events, including moves, promotions, and career changes. Sam Green informed us of Rives’ less-than-stellar performance in their fantasy football league this season; however, he scored big landing his dream assignment at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts! Rives and his family will be assigned there for the next 4 years.

Andrew Mortensen was recently certified as a C-17 instructor pilot and is now at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. Andrew also found a new passion for rescuing foster kittens thanks to his loving wife, Kathleen.

Brigitta Borinstein and her husband, Drew Borinstein ’17, and their family are now in San Francisco, California.

Roger Quiroga relocated to the Washington, D.C., area to take an active-duty operational support assignment for the Marine Corps.

Connor Keane somewhat recently promoted to captain in the Marine Corps and is wrapping up an assignment in

Class Notes

Okinawa before moving to California to pursue a master’s degree.

Stephen Kochy moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, in November for a job in general contracting after leaving the active duty Army.

Graham Allison is also in the middle of transitioning out of the Army.

Sydney (Hays) Sposato and Anthony Sposato are a couple of years removed from Anthony’s transition from the Marine Corps. After being stationed at Camp Pendleton, they decided they liked the area enough to stay and currently are residing in San Diego, where Sydney is working as a wealth management consultant, and Anthony is working as a civil engineer.

Should you find yourself near our recently relocated BRs, reach out and say hey! And if you update your contact information on VMI Ranks when you move, you can see all the alumni who live nearby (we promise this is our only plug for

using VMI Ranks in this note)! It’s great to see the class plant our feet across the nation and beyond in both private and public sector roles. We hope that by sharing these updates and collecting current contact information, we can, in some small way, facilitate connections between BRs.

Jordan Farmer spoke with Riley Neary a few months ago about our upcoming 10th Reunion.

Yeah, 10 years! Just a few months ago, we celebrated our 10th anniversary as a class, but just like the 3 years between the end of the Rat Line and graduation flew by, I know the time will move quickly between now and our next reunion. If you have event planning skills you want to contribute to the class, please reach out so we can form our team and start getting some plans in place for 2029. And thank you to Riley for putting this on our radar and offering insights from the many Naval Academy reunions she has coordinated while living in Annapolis, Maryland.

For so many of us, life is crazy busy, and in-person connections feel like a dream rather than a reality. Don’t fret. We have

Class of 2019: Ricky Wilson and his daughter, Rosalia.

Class of 2019: Rives Worsham with his wife, Laralin, and children, Lainey and Brooks.

Class of 2019: Kori (Hadinger) Gehman’s children.

been diligently updating our class roster to ensure its accuracy, as well as developing a livelier social media presence. Both have proven successful in their ability to reconnect BRs. Manning Fisher used the 1-9 Facebook page to reconnect with his old STP roommate, Jacob Ferraro, who leads a big city life in White Plains, New York, and is now rivaling Cesar Millan’s dog training capabilities. Andy Hunt also used the class social media accounts to discuss current affairs at the Institute (probably a better outlet than getting on the Jodel and making “back in the Old Corps” posts). Find us on Facebook or Instagram, and as always, if you have something you’d like to share with the class, don’t hesitate to reach out to either of our class agents or email your update to 19erforlife@gmail.com. Rah, 1-9!

Class Notes

HollyK.Njabo

Brother Rats (what a privilege),

I hope everyone back in the States survived the winter, which is something I can’t quite comprehend anymore after living out in tropical islands for so long. I know everyone’s morale is shooting through the roof though, as we end the holiday season of spending time with family and friends, eating great meals, and spending some much-needed time away from work—just to now get back in the saddle and continue the glorious caffeine and nicotine-fueled daily grinds in both the civilian and military work forces. I am still out in Okinawa, along with Brittany and our 3-year-old, Leo, and we can definitely get homesick sometimes being away from you all and our families. But overall, we are loving it and got to take our first trip off the island recently to check out Bali, Indonesia, which was a blast. I recently got to attend the retirement ceremony for Maj. Matthew Starr, who, as my fellow Marine-option NROTC midshipmen will remember, was our MOI. It was a beautiful retirement ceremony and awesome getting to link back up with him out in the fleet, which is something I never expected, but it is a small world and an even smaller Marine Corps. The

officer conducting his retirement thought it was fitting that Maj. Starr got his degree in elementary school teaching and had his first practical application of that at VMI teaching us, which I got a kick out of.

Stirling Martin reached out to me not too long ago to deliver the awesome news that he will be a father soon (which I can now announce since he has finally told his parents)! And coincidentally, the same night, my other roommate, David White, also became a father, which was amazing news. Now we are just waiting on Wyatt Novak to find love, who continues to bag and tag prize buck and bass on his very successful hunting and fishing escapades.

I got to chat with Skylar Birdie recently, as well, who is also out here in Japan with me, but on the mainland just outside Tokyo serving as a naval aviator. Unfortunately, he will be traveling to Okinawa for an exercise just as I am heading to Korea for a different exercise, so it looks like we will have to link up at another time. Godspeed, Skylar!

I also had the honor of bumping into Dakota Kurtz not once but twice out here in Okinawa. The first random encounter was at the mall, and the second time was on Camp Hansen. He was doing well, and we got to share some time together over breakfast burritos and coffee.

Stew Spurry got to attend our great-grandrats’ Breakout this year, which is wild that our dyke line is now on the fourth generation since we graduated (hooah). Stew is still in Roanoke serving as the officer selection officer recruiter for the region and continuing to make a mission for God’s favorite branch of the Department of War (oorah).

Lastly, I want to close out with a note regarding the state of VMI and my perceptions of the current situation. I see passion and courage from the cadets, alumni, and community of supporters in their fierce love for VMI. They do this not out of a sense of nostalgia, but out of respect and honor for the institution of proven excellence that VMI upholds. In a world that pushes young adults to go find themselves, VMI pushes young men and women to build themselves. It is an institution that has, does, and will promote compounding growth and excellence in its honorable youth. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” So let us continue to live by this daily—sharpening each other, our peers, and our mentees within our organizations and communities, so we can continue to exemplify what it means to be a graduate of Virginia Military Institute.

Mizpah!

2020 Alexander Dragan

Class of 2020: U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Stewart Spurry attends Breakout for the Class of 2029 with four generations of his dyke line. Pictured are (from left) Cadet Brogan Davis ’29, Cadet Jack Ericsson ’26, Collin Fitzpatrick ’23, and Stewart.

Class of 2020: Dakota Kurtz (left) and Alex Dragan at Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan.

Jonathan Krauss

LeviKennedy

Hello, Once Again!

Before we get started, if you haven’t heard the news by now, our 5th Reunion will be Sept. 11–12, 2026! Make sure you’re updating your address and info on VMI Ranks at vmialumni.org/ ranks. See the class Facebook and Instagram pages for more details!

By the time you’re reading this, it will be May, and summer temperatures will be climbing. However, as of this moment, I’m looking at the 11 inches of snow that fell last night. A historical event for coastal North Carolina! Let’s get into these updates, shall we? This set of class notes encompasses the period of Nov. 16, 2025–Feb. 15, 2026.

Seemingly right after I submitted my last set of class notes, Brendon Lloyd got engaged, and Noah Cook found out he passed the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing Exam. He’s officially a trauma-certified RN!

We have another kind of doctor in our ranks. Back in December, Bennett Smith got his Ph.D. in electrical engineering with a focus in semiconductors and microfabrication (whatever that means).

On Nov. 19, 2025, John and Emily Duncan welcomed Junia Renée Duncan!

The Class of 2021 decided to end the year on an amazing note. Grant Clemons got engaged to his fiancée, Bailey; Bryce Sanford got engaged to his fiancée, Abigail; and Brad-Edward Davis married his wife, Payton, all on New Year’s Eve!

To close us out, LeAndrew Jefferson started a new position as a Marine Corps JROTC instructor at River Rouge High School right outside of Detroit, Michigan, and Brandon Hornung got engaged to his fiancée, Maddie, Jan. 25.

Friends, a reminder to update your contact information on VMI Ranks so that the Alumni Agencies and myself can have accurate addresses to send reunion info! That’s all for now; stay safe, and we’ll see you hopefully in September!

Mizpah, Jonathan and Levi

Class Notes

2022

Seth McRoberts

Kelly Rollison

Brother Rats of 2022,

The best class that has ever been through barracks has been busy the past couple of months. As always, we have had a lot of engagements and marriages that have occurred. Toby Little got engaged to his fiancée recently, and so did our favorite Base Co. BR Nathan Light And Gen Petrassi got engaged to her fiancé, as well. To let the wedding bells ring first was Max Burke, who married his wife, Karolina. But we received the two-for-one special when Andrew Broecker and Sarah Anschutz got married soon after! We wish you all massive congrats on your blessed futures together.

As far as members of ’22 serving our country, we have had two of our own perform the first-ever Apache attack helicopter flight that has had graduates of the same class in the cockpit.

Andrew Broecker and Logan Lamm are both members of the 1st battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, in the Air Cavalry Brigade at Fort Hood. In this historic flight, Broecker was the backseat pilot in command, while Lamm was on the stick in the front seat. It’s nice knowing the BRs are watching over us and keeping the skies cleared for us ground pounders. I actually ran into Broecker at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, this past November. We caught up a bit, but Lamm was too busy flying.

On a more serious note, and as many of you know, over the past few months, VMI has been in the limelight with the state. What we need from you for this reason is to stay informed and help others to stay informed. This will make sure VMI has all the help it needs to stay as a great leadership lab and producer of great American leaders for the next 186 years. So please send us your updated contact information to either Kelly or me, and we’ll make sure you stay in the loop. For now, we hope everyone in ’22 is doing well and will continue to do great things for our nation and our communities at home and abroad.

Many Blessings,

Seth “Spanky” McRoberts and Kelly “Possum Police” Rollison

2023

Jacob C. Sekerak

DennisonC.Kelly

Brother Rats!

We hope you are well!

The first and most important order of business for this edition: Congratulations to our rats, the Class of 2026, on their graduation from the Institute! Your dykes are all tremendously proud of you for completing the most unique and hardearned academic endeavor in the country. To those commissioning, we wish you strength and fortitude as you prepare to begin your military career leading others with honor and integrity. To those going into the workforce or continuing education, we hope you remain “imbued with love of learning” and “confident in the functions

Class of 2022: U.S. Army 1st Lts. Andrew Broecker (left) and Logan Hamm at Fort Hood, Texas.

and attitudes of leadership.”

While you were rats, we ensured the teaching of these values and enforced them to the VMI standard. Since then, you have carried those traits through 3 more years of early wakeups, arduous PT, and challenging academics, all in the pursuit of a 100% self-earned diploma. That’s no easy feat. Just as you have passed on these traits to your own rats, be sure to remind yourself of the VMI standard in your own lives outside the walls of barracks as you join your dykes in the coveted alumni ranks. Don’t forget to be there for your rats as they continue their journey and pass important milestones, as well! (Brother rats, if you attended commissioning and/or commencement to support your rat, send us a photo!)

And now, the class updates!

First, congratulations to Will Caulfield on earning his master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech! Wishing you the best as you now apply this newfound knowledge to your passion and career in the field. You’re a wizard, Harry!

Next, congratulations also go out to Kevin Linko, who recently graduated from George Washington University with a master’s degree in engineering management! In addition, he also received a promotion at work that presented him with the opportunity to move and work in the greater D.C. area. He also shared that Connor Rawlings also moved to the area and the two are now roommates in Alexandria, Virginia. If you’re in the area, Kevin is happy to encounter

Class Notes

and connect with some BRs!

Lastly, we want to thank all of you who wrote comments and showed support for VMI during the legislative process for Virginia House bills HB1374 and HB1377. Your positive experiences and memories of VMI shared publicly through social media and official commentary have gone a long way in support of VMI’s future remaining in the hands of the VMI family. It is a true display of VMI’s mission—a statement we all repeated numerous times during our Rat Line—where we are charged to be “advocates of the American Democracy and free enterprise system.”

At the time of writing, HB1374 has been restructured to allow the VMI BOV to continue providing experienced, non-political oversight focused solely on the Institute’s mission HB1377 establishes a task force to determine VMI’s responsiveness to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s 2021 report on the institution. HB1377 passed the House (71-Y 24-N 0-A) and has since been referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations.

Again, as these notes are written 3 months ahead of time, there have likely been updates to each bill, so be sure to check the Virginia Legislative Information System (lis.virginia.gov/home) for the most recent information. As discussions on each bill continue and where public commentary is appropriate, be sure to continue sharing respectful and insightful stories of why our alma mater made such an impact on your academic, military, and professional journeys.

Until next quarter, BRs! Thanks to all who shared; we always enjoy hearing your updates and are honored to share them with the rest of the class. Don’t forget to share stories and posts online between each quarter’s notes with our class

Instagram @vmi_2023, as well. Rah, ’23! Mizpah, Denny and Jake

2024

Justin Peterson

AllenStewart

Brother Rats,

We hope this Alumni Review finds you well. By the time you are reading this, it has almost been 2 years since we graduated, and our rats will somehow have rats in the coming months. It has been remarkable to see the achievements and accolades that everyone has been earning. Without further ado ...

Let’s congratulate Anna Kay Heidepriem for completing OCS and TBS. Heidepriem graduated as a financial management officer and moved to Camp Lejeune. Congratulations!

Trey Wister got married and bought a truck to tow their RV. Congratulations to you and your wife; we look forward to you hosting the class reunion at the RV!

Will Reid recently went to the wedding of Brad Davis ’21 and met up with many of our brother rats and our dykes. He stated that Davis was an amazing dyke and mentor to him. Congratulations to him and his wife!

Class of 2023: Will Caulfield at his master’s degree graduation Dec. 19, 2025.

Class of 2024: Will Reid, Austin Doyle ’23, Cole Holtz, Jeb Wickham, and Melsy Bonilla at the wedding of Brad Davis ’21.

Finally, if you haven’t reached out to a BR in a while, send them a text. Just because we are across the country or overseas doesn’t mean we can’t stay in touch. Thank you all for sending in updates, and we can’t wait to see you all again. If anyone has any life updates, please send them to us at the contact information listed above or follow us on Instagram @VMI_2024. God bless, and rah, ’24! Proverbs 3:5-6.

Class Notes

to him and his beautiful wife, Kiersten, as they head to Hawaii—aloha!

Kevin Garroway and the ever-handsome John Kennedy went “62 and through” at Ranger School, which I’m pretty sure is scientifically proven to decrease quality of life for the next (at minimum) 30 years. At least you can get that cool white stitching on your tab for being a “real”/“winter” Ranger.

Mike Wakefield clocked a sub-3-hour marathon, which is surprising to nobody—and was somehow probably still a Zone 2 pace for him. I think all of us would like a little bit of whatever mental illness you need to put up those kinds of numbers.

Thomas Langston completed a half Ironman, which makes me feel exhausted just writing about it. Hopefully they give full credit for completing their race to the HPW Department— more specifically, the “rat drowning” class.

other three horsemen, naturally, are marriage, babies, and mortgages with outrageous interest rates.

Speaking of babies, Gretal Murray is expecting. Hopefully, when her child inevitably attends VMI, they will also somehow win approximately 50% of all fine-arts-related contests at VMI—earning a mediocre oil baron’s fortune in prize money as a result.

Least surprising of all the announcements (but included for the sake of formality): Henry Sheets received infantry as his MOS, and Justice Rozic received ground intel. (Hell yeah!)

Daniel Brishke is headed to the state trooper academy. When he inevitably pulls a BR over, we encourage him to “remember his roots,” or something to that effect.

Thanks for checking in on your class notes. We’re glad to see you have nothing better to do in the first 12 months following graduation. First in the hot seat is Luke Mayr, who managed to sneakily avoid telling anyone he was the first in our class to graduate Ranger School— after graduating early from VMI. Best of luck

Charles Masters is working on his master’s degree in business administration, which we are almost entirely sure he only did because he thought it would sound cool with his last name. Regardless, good stuff, Chuck.

Congrats to all of the December-commissioned second lieutenants and ensigns. Please do not put your newly earned housing allowance toward online gambling. However, if you choose to do so anyway, go ahead and put $25 on black.

Ryan Peterson, Alex Haley, Sam Chopper, Max Kleeburg, Melanie Jimenez, and Hunter Rice have all faced (at least) one of the four horsemen of your early 20s: Engagement. The

Your incredibly classy and self-promoting class agents have not been exclusively doomscrolling YouTube Shorts but have instead had some significant life events, as well. Danny just started his job at Homeland Security Investigations as a criminal investigator, so we can all sleep better at night knowing Gotham City is safe. Emma just wrapped up her master’s degree in human biology, which can only worsen the human condition of Gotham City because I doubt she will ever use her degree.

Whether you’re living the dream or you did something exceedingly stupid, we’d like to know either way. Be sure to keep in contact with your favorite class agents, and best of luck to all of you in your endeavors.

Until Next Time,

Emma Kennedy and Daniel O’Neal

Please visit vmialumni.org to find contact information for your class agent(s) 2026

Editor’s Note: Congratulations, Class of 2026! Please be sure to visit the VMI Alumni Agencies website at vmialumni.org. There, you can update your contact information, find information about your local chapter, register for upcoming events, read news and special updates, and more.

You will also be able to locate your class agents’ contact information under the For Alumni section. Send them your updates to publish quarterly in the Alumni Review: Engagements, marriages, births, advanced degrees, meet ups with brother rats and other alumni—your brother rats care and want to know what is going on in your life.

Emma Kennedy

DanO’Neal

Class of 2024: Trey Wister and his wife.

Class of 2024: Anna Kay Heidepriem at her TBS graduation.

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.

Vernon A. Jackson ’46

M. Eugene Witcher ’50A

Roger P. Rosenfield ’47

Donald T. Doherty ’47

G. Harrison Whitten Jr. ’49A

Arthur D. Violette ’48B

Robert A. Lettas ’48B

Charles R. Nixon ’48B

Robert N. Watkins ’49A

Angus M.G. Crook ’48B

Baby Keydets

Sept. 21, 1925

Jan. 3, 1926

June 16, 1926

July 20, 1926

Feb. 4, 1927

April 19, 1927

July 2, 1927

July 4, 1927

Aug. 31, 1927

Oct. 10, 1927

Do you enjoy viewing photos from cadet and alumni events?

Be sure to visit the VMI Alumni Agencies photo website! Photos include both alumni and some annual VMI events, such as Matriculation Day and Breakout. While these photos are copyright VMI Alumni Agencies, they are free for personal use and can be downloaded directly from the site. You may also purchase prints or merchandise directly from the website with the “Buy Photo” button.

Or scan the QR Code with your smartphone or tablet camera to access the website.

JONES—a son, Samuel Alexander, to Dale and Andy Jones ’83, Feb. 5, 2026.

2030

Jack M. Bradford

2032

Joseph Carbone

Mia S. Kwon

Michael W. Muir

2033 Cheyanne Wood 2035

Emily Manor

Jameson Wood 2036

Anna Thornton

2037

Reagan G. Wahesh

Cordelia Wood

2039

Ava M. Hume

2041

Connor A. Valente

2042

William J. Hume

2044

Holland C. Valente

2046

Quinn P. Colombo

Henry S. Hall

Luca A. Iuliano

2047

Vincent L. Bishop

Legacy Provisional Appointments

Provisional appointments are ceremonial and do not provide an admissions advantage. Admission to VMI is based solely on meeting the Institute’s established requirements.

Eric J. Letendre ’77

Andrew T. Carbone ’01

Samuel Kwon ’91

Matthew D. Cichy ’02

James R. Wood ’74

Jonathan W. Spitzer ’98

Ryan P. Manor ’02

James R. Wood ’74

Jonathan W. Spitzer ’98

Jack A.Thornton III ’00

William C. Thornton ’94

Elias G. Wahesh ’96

James R. Wood ’74

Jonathan W. Spitzer ’98

Shannon S. Hume ’96

Kyle A. Valente ’11

Grandfather

Father Father Uncle

Grandfather Uncle

2047 (cont.)

Vincent A. Colombo

Michael J. Duckworth Jr.

Luke H. Goodall

Leo P. Goodwin

Charles M. Hauari

John L. Hutt II

Benjamin H. King

Vincent J. Colombo ’12

Michael J. Duckworth ’16

Richard T. Goodall ’03

Richard B. Goodall ’931

Richard L. Goodall ’66

Scott R. Armstrong ’87

Cameron R. Armstrong ’14

Mark I. Armstrong ’16

Michael H. Locher ’84

John P. Locher ’81

Joseph W. Hutt III ’78

Meade B. King ’85

Calvin A. Lloyd III ’90

Henry W. Moncure II ’74

Calvin A. Lloyd II ’62

Casey P. Kitchen

Garrett L. Louthan

Daniel P. Kitchen ’14

Christopher E. Kitchen ’12

Bruce R. Kitchen ’81

Robert P. Louthan ’82

C. Blake Louthan ’14

Frank G. Louthan Jr. ’41

Frank G. Louthan III ’66

B. Richard Hill ’68

Charles M. Louthan ’75

Mason A. Louthan ’18

Michael R. Louthan ’10

Frank G. Louthan IV ’91

Father

Father

Father

Great-grandfather

Grandfather

Grandfather

Uncle Uncle

Grandfather

Great-uncle

Grandfather

Grandfather

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Great-great-uncle

Father

Uncle

Great-uncle

Grandfather

Father

Great-grandfather

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Uncle

Cousin

Cousin

Sofia A. Sholler

Zachary J. Showalter

Beau G. Szczepanski

David W. Sholler ’79

James C. Showalter ’82

Stanislaw P. Szczepanski ’19

Joseph G. Gray ’58

Grandfather

Grandfather

Father

Great-grandfather

Shannon S. Hume ’96

Kyle A. Valente ’11

Vincent J. Colombo ’12

Stephen F. Hall ’86

Alexander H. Hall ’18

Giustino Iuliano ’16

Michael J. Smith ’77

Bristol A. Szczepanski

Jason V. Gray ’89

Steven G. Gray ’86

Stanislaw P. Szczepanski ’19

Joseph G. Gray ’58

Jason V. Gray ’89

Steven G. Gray ’86

Carter J. Thompson

Frances L. Trotter

Hunter O. Humrich

Lazarus F.S. Lucier

Theodore G. Piersanti

James A. Delisio ’76

Louis C. Delisio ’52

Vincent A. Wood III ’81

Richard E. Baltimore Jr. ’00

Jacob T. Humrich ’14

Jeremy T. Lucier ’11

Elburn H. Daughtry ’83

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Father

Great-grandfather

Great-uncle

Great-uncle

Grandfather

Great-grandfather

Grandfather

Cousin

Father

Father

Grandfather

Selden S. McNeer Jr. ’46

Selden Spessard McNeer Jr. ’46 of Huntington, West Virginia, died Oct. 16, 2025. He was 101.

He matriculated from Huntington and spent less than 1 year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Washington and Lee University.

He is survived by his children, Gregory Alexander McNeer, Julienne Jo McNeer Burns (James), and Susannah McNeer Laney (Robb); grandchildren, Josephine, Chanson, Roberta, and William; and great-grandchildren, Abigail and Jac.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Julienne Jo Shinn McNeer; son, Selden Spessard McNeer III; and siblings, Jean McNeer McCurry and Richard Gregory McNeer.

Roderick W. Kallgren ’48B

Roderick Wager “Rod” Kallgren ’48B of Dearborn, Michigan, died Nov. 29, 2025. He was 98.

He matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Roderick Jeffrey Kallgren (Jean), Douglas Kallgren, Scott Kallgren (Cynthia), Christopher Kallgren (Joni), Theodore Kallgren (Gina), and Peter Kallgren (Dena); 18 grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Jean Moser Kallgren.

Harvey H. Bradley ’49B

Harvey Hubert Bradley ’49B of Atlanta, Georgia, died Nov. 27, 2025. He was 97.

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; four children, including Cary S. Bradley ’75; six grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

John G. Hayes ’49B

Retired U.S. Army Col. John Grier “Jack” Hayes ’49B of Hayes, Virginia, died Jan. 28, 2026. He was 97.

He matriculated from Newport News, Virginia, and spent 1 year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Omaha.

He is survived by his wife, Wiyada “Paula,” and sister-in-law, Betty Edwards Hayes. He was preceded in death by his brothers, William P. Hayes and Robert H. Hayes.

Mitchell P. Lawrence Jr. ’50B

Mitchell Payne “Mitch” Lawrence Jr. ’50B of Ashburn, Virginia, died Nov. 2, 2025. He was 97.

He matriculated from Clifton Forge, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Mary Beth Hill and Mitchell P. Lawrence III; seven grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Edie Lawrence, and great-grandfather, Robert S. Burks, Class of 1851, who died Sept. 17, 1886.

Hoge T. Sutherland ’50B

Hoge Tyler Sutherland ’50B of Fairfax, Virginia, died Nov. 28, 2025. He was 97.

He matriculated from Bedford, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his children, Tyler Sutherland (Lisa), Allison Sutherland, April Villavicencio (Olmedo), and grandchildren, Brendan, Sean, Aidan, Marcelo, and Vanessa.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Sutherland, and grandson, Liam.

James L. Smith ’51

James Larue “Jim” Smith ’51 of Tupelo, Mississippi, died May 1, 2025. He was 95.

He matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his daughter, Cindy.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Hildegarde Smith.

William S. Hillman ’53

William Scott Hillman ’53 of Arlington, Virginia, died June 25, 2025. He was 93.

He matriculated from Arlington and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

Joshua W.R. Langhammer ’54

Joshua Wright Ring “Jay” Langhammer ’54 of Roanoke, Virginia, died Jan. 3, 2026. He was 94.

He matriculated from Roanoke and earned a

Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Page Langhammer; children, John Langhammer, Page Pest, Shreve Menk, Marshall Langhammer, and their spouses; and seven grandchildren.

Donald R. Howland ’56

Donald Raymond “Don” Howland ’56 of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, died Dec. 15, 2025. He was 91.

He matriculated from Chicago Heights, Illinois, and spent less than 1 year at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Kay Mitchell Howland; daughters, Donna Cooke, Cathy Whisler, Nancy Howland, and Jill Frankie; grandchildren, Kate Howland, Aaron Mosher, Quinn Mosher, Jessica Scarino, and George Scarino; and great-grandchildren, Avalene, Asher, Isla, Noah, Emme, and Elijah.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Gerald, and grandchildren, Cherryn Whisler and Matthew Whisler.

William O. Nelson Jr. ’56

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. William Olaf “Bill” Nelson Jr. ’56 of Richmond, Virginia, died Dec. 4, 2025. He was 91.

He matriculated from Richmond and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Beth Anne Shelly (Bob) and Bill Nelson; grandchildren, Marden Shelly Martin (Brian), Mary Grace Collins (C.J.), and Will Polson; and great-grandchildren, Bo Martin, Baylor Martin, Gardiner Collins, and Ford Collins.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Melissa A. Nelson, and siblings, Richard and Judy.

Edmund Pendleton Jr. ’56

Edmund Pendleton Jr. ’56 of Wytheville, Virginia, died Dec. 17, 2025. He was 91.

He matriculated from Wytheville and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Missouri.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Stuart Massey “Beth” Pendleton; children, Edmund Stuart Pendleton (Laura Harris Pendleton), William Pendleton ’89 (Sue Hester Pendleton), and Elizabeth (Jack Igelman); grandchildren, Edmund Harris Pendleton, Margaret Elizabeth Pendleton, Wyatt Hester Pendleton, Isabel Massey Pendleton, Henry Stuart Igelman, and

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Jonah Pendleton Igelman; and brother, John Pendleton (Jill).

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Catherine Pendleton Caspole, Felton Pendleton, and Frank Pendleton.

Guy E. Murray Jr. ’57

Guy Earnest “G.E.” Murray Jr. ’57 of Bedford, Virginia, died Dec. 13, 2025. He was 90. He matriculated from Bedford and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Rosalie; daughters, Melinda Bhandari (Harish) and Jennifer Kovel (Jeff); grandchildren, Guy Walker Laughon (Allison), Lola Kovel, and Violet Kovel; stepson, Chris Tharp (Sarah); step-grandchildren, John Tharp and Ted Tharp; and sister, Sue Craghead.

He was preceded in death by his son, Wade Duval Murray, and grandson, Charles Joseph “Tripp” Laughon III.

William T. Kump ’58

Rev. William Turner “Bill” Kump ’58 of Henrico, Virginia, died Nov. 9, 2025. He was 88.

He matriculated from Elkins, West Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from West Virginia University and a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary.

He is survived by his wife, Agnes; children, Dr. Cyrus S. Kump II ’86 (Molly) and Sterling Coulbourn (Tommy); grandchildren, Wyatt Kump, Turner Kump, Case Kump, Anna Kump, Page Kump, Carson Coulbourn, and Thomas Coulbourn; and siblings, Meredith Beaver and Cyrus Kerr Kump (Susie).

Anthony R. Lash Jr. ’58

Anthony Remigius “Tony” Lash Jr. ’58 of Portland, Oregon, died Nov. 17, 2025. He was 89.

He matriculated from Alexandria, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI.

He is survived by his brother, Carlyle M. “Chad” Lash ’70.

Jerome T. Paull ’58

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jerome Thomas “Jerry” Paull ’58 of Arlington, Virginia, died Dec. 8, 2025. He was 90.

He matriculated from Arlington and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Arts degree from Catholic University.

He is survived by his wife, Karen, and daughter, Elizabeth.

He was preceded in death by his son, James.

Robert L. Hobson ’59

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Larrie “Bob” Hobson ’59, Ph.D., of Provo, Utah, died Jan. 30, 2026. He was 88.

He matriculated from Arlington, Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He earned a Master of Science degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

He is survived by his son, Scott.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois.

William O. Giles III ’60

William Oscar “Bill” Giles III ’60 of North Chesterfield, Virginia, died Nov. 11, 2025. He was 87.

He matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his children, William “Sam” Giles IV (Carol), Linda Wojcieszak (Bob), and Jennifer Camacho (Moses); grandchildren, William G. Giles (Abby), Katherine Bradtke (Kevin), Brady Mangus (Allison), Ryann Mangus, Kelsey Hague (Austin), Mareena Bowen (Brandon), Matthew Knowles (Brandi), and Sarah Mackenzie Lambert (Hunter); and great-grandchildren, Lizzie, Luke, Jack, Grey, Kace, Sunny, Archer, Atlas, Elijah, and Joelle.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen Higgins Giles; son, Brian P. Knowles; brother, Robert Giles; and father, William O. Giles Jr., Class of 1931, who died March 28, 1977.

David A. Haycock ’60

David Archer “Dave” Haycock ’60 of Lancaster, California, died Nov. 12, 2025. He was 87.

He matriculated from Falls Church, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Dana; children, Whitney, Christopher, Tolley, David, and Eleanor; and grandchildren, Milian, Jonas, Gabriel, Zoe, Jack, and Julian.

David M. Maddox ’60

Retired U.S. Army Gen. David M. Maddox ’60 of Arlington, Virginia, died Jan. 3, 2026. He was 87.

He matriculated from Union, New Jersey, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in math from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Southern Illinois University.

He is survived by his wife, Ethelmary McCleskey Maddox; four children; and 15 grandchildren.

Joseph L. Morabit ’60

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Joseph Lee “Joe” Morabit ’60 of Kennesaw, Georgia, died Dec. 5, 2025. He was 87.

He matriculated from Butler, Pennsylvania, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Joseph Lee Morabit Jr., DMD (Carol) and Alane Marie Morabit Oglesby (Mark), and grandchild, Sydney Lorelei Morabit.

He was preceded in death by his wife, MaryAnn Incatisciato Morabit.

Roy G. Quinn ’60

Roy Gilmer Quinn ’60 of Summerville, South Carolina, died Dec. 20, 2025. He was 87.

He matriculated from East Point, Georgia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Carolina.

He is survived by his daughters, Kelly Elizabeth Larsen, Melissa Ann Cruse, and Susanna Leigh Auf der Maur (Donat); grandchildren, Luke Larsen, Mason Cruse, Aidan Auf der Maur, Lydia Larsen, Anna Auf der Maur, and Aaron Larsen; siblings, Marcia Elaine Quinn and Frank William Quinn; and brother-in-law, Monte Turk (Erla).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Ann Turk “Patti” Quinn; brothers, Samuel Howard Quinn and Thomas Edward Quinn; and sisters-in-law, Myra Quinn, Joye Quinn, and Hazel Quinn.

Allen T. Schomaker III ’60

Allen Thurman Schomaker III ’60 of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, died Jan. 18, 2026. He was 88.

He matriculated from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and spent just over 1 year at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; children,

Scott (Alyssa) and Matthew (Bridget); and grandchildren, Gavin, Greyson, Charlotte, Anna, Allison, and Jude.

He was preceded in death by his children, Allen and Blair, and siblings, Shirley Culver and Bruce Schomaker.

Robert E. Burks ’61

Robert Edgar “Bob” Burks ’61 of Rincon, Georgia, died Jan. 13, 2026. He was 86.

He matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and spent 3 years at VMI. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Burks; son, David Burks (Martha); two grandchildren; and four siblings.

Willard D. Hoskins III ’61

Willard Dunbar “Will” Hoskins III ’61 of Newport News, Virginia, died Dec. 9, 2025. He was 86.

He matriculated from Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Virginia.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Ansley Hoskins; children, Catherine LaCivita (Chris), Susan Fairfax (Chris), Genny Beaver (Guy), and Ruth Rainey (Jay); nine grandchildren; and brother, William Hoskins (Anne).

Montgomery C. Williams III ’62

Montgomery Cecil “Monty” Williams III ’62 of Suffolk, Virginia, died Nov. 27, 2025. He was 85.

He matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Lewis Williams; children, Sheri Taylor (James), Wendy Taylor (Greg), and Melissa Williams; nine grandchildren; and step-children, William Sykes Jr. (Emma) and Stacy Stroh (Edward).

He was preceded in death by his sister, Antoinette W. Utter.

Harry F. Tatum ’63

Harry Fletcher Tatum ’63 of Matthews, North Carolina, died Dec. 15, 2025. He was 84.

He matriculated from Anchorage, Kentucky, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Hodges

Tatum; daughters, Beverly Tatum Grimes (Tim) and Jenny Tatum Kaeppler (Kevin); and grandchildren, Emma Kaeppler, Jarrett Kaeppler, and Isabel Kaeppler.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Beverly, and brothers, Roger Tatum and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Walter F. “Walt” Tatum Jr. ’56, who died Sept. 16, 2023.

Clyde W. Bragg Jr. ’65

Clyde Wesley Bragg Jr. ’65 of Mechanicsville, Virginia, died Dec. 17, 2025. He was 81. He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He is survived by his daughters, Jennifer Bragg Jones (Jon), Julia Elizabeth Bragg, and Johanna Bragg Midgett; grandchildren, Jared Wesley Jones, Jaelyn Elaine Jones, Olivia Jane Midgett, Luke Anderson Sheppard, and Mason Alan Midgett; and sister, Debbie Bragg Newcomb (David).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Carey Bragg.

David K. Hillquist ’65

David Kent “Dave” Hillquist ’65 of Bridgerton, Missouri, died July 16, 2025. He was 82. He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Richmond.

John P. McCarthy ’65

John Patrick “Pat” McCarthy ’65 of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died Dec. 6, 2025. He was 82. He matriculated from Alexandria, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Michael McCarthy (Amy Currans) and Shannon McCarthy, and sisters, Rose Van Hartsveldt and Mary Westphal.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie McCarthy.

John G. Yager ’65

John Gilmore Yager ’65, M.D., Ph.D., of Salters, South Carolina, died Jan. 26, 2026. He was 83.

He matriculated from Memphis, Tennessee,

and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, both from the University of Tennessee. He is survived by his wife, Betsy; step-son, Rusty McCarver (Dianna); and sister, Sara Sue Yager (Sherron).

Sam E. English II ’66

Sam Earl English II ’66, D.D.S., of Glen Allen, Virginia, died Nov. 27, 2025. He was 80.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI. He earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

He is survived by his daughters, Allison English Watkins and Stacey Elizabeth English; grandchildren, Stan Watkins, Monty Watkins, and Drew Watkins; and siblings.

James E. Freeman Jr. ’66

James Eli “Jim” Freeman Jr. ’66 of Noblesville, Indiana, died Sept. 17, 2025. He was 81. He matriculated from Anderson, Indiana, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University, Bloomington.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Lively Freeman; sons, Lee C. Freeman ’94 (Rose) and Mark Freeman (Lucia); 10 grandchildren, including Brooks D. Freeman ’25; and step-son, Ryan Fite (Natalie).

Nelson S. Groome III ’66

Nelson Smith “Nellie” Groome III ’66 of Sarasota, Florida, died Dec. 19, 2025. He was 82.

He matriculated from Hampton, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Johan; children, Tris Groome, Nelson S. Groome IV, and Mariah Lee Groome; grandchildren, Kelsi Mae and Gatin Groome; and sister, Debby Groome Wilkerson.

He was preceded in death by his father, Nelson S. Groome Jr. ’41, who died May 18, 1971; brother, Randolph “Randy” Groome; and the mothers of his children, Terry Ann Rogers Montgomery and Bridget West Groome.

Randolph M. Blanks ’67

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Randolph Mason “Randy” Blanks ’67 of Suffolk, Virginia, died

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Nov. 19, 2025. He was 80.

He matriculated from Clarksville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Central Michigan University.

He is survived by his wife, Anne Williams Blanks; sons, James Blanks ’91 (Kathy) and Joseph Blanks ’94; grandchildren, Morgan and Sarah; and sister, Marlise Crowe.

James S. Branyon ’67

James Staniel “Jim” Branyon ’67 of Fort Myers, Florida, died May 28, 2022. He was 76.

He matriculated from Williamsburg, Virginia, and spent less than 1 year at VMI. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of William & Mary.

He is survived by his wife, Carroll Branyon; children, James Branyon Jr. and Darby Branyon; grandchildren, Eliza Chamberlain, Sarah Branyon, Emma DeFonzo, Ella DeFonzo, and Jack Branyon; and sister, Lorraine Tooley.

Robert W. Klink ’67

Robert Winfield “Bob” Klink ’67, M.D., of Gloucester, Virginia, died Dec. 5, 2025. He was 81.

He matriculated from Roanoke, 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 and a Master of Medical Management degree from Tulane University.

He is survived by his wife, June Sutton Klink; sons Rob Klink Jr. (Julie) and Jason Klink; and grandchildren, Caroline and Hudson Klink.

Roderick P. MacKinnon Jr. ’67

Roderick Paul “Rod” MacKinnon Jr. ’67 of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, died Jan. 21, 2026. He was 80.

He matriculated from Princeton, New Jersey, and spent 5 years at VMI.

He was preceded in death by his father, Roderick P. MacKinnon ’44, who died July 13, 1947.

Joseph S. McGinnis Jr. ’67

Joseph Sherwood “Joe” McGinnis Jr. ’67, Ph.D., of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, died Nov. 18, 2021. He was 76.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia,

and spent 1 year at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from American University.

He is survived by his daughter, Claire; sister, Cheryl; brothers, Gary McInnis (Betty) and John McGinnis; and former wife, Joceyln McGinnis.

Douglass A. Taylor ’67

Douglass Anthony “Doug” Taylor ’67 of Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, died Jan. 21, 2026. He was 80.

He matriculated from Pleasantville, New Jersey, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his children, Megan (Adam) and Ethan (Megan); grandchildren, Liam, Katherine, Madison, and Samuel; and brother, Randolph S. Taylor ’70 (Linda).

Gordon W. Van Hoose III ’68

Gordon White Van Hoose III ’68 of Vivian, Louisiana, died Jan. 6, 2026. He was 79.

He matriculated from Belcher, Louisiana, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from VMI.

He is survived by his daughters, Alice Faye Van Hoose and Mary Caroline Van Hoose; grandchildren, Alex, Brittany, Summer, Meagan, Chris, and Olivia; step-children, Eoin Dunn (Elisa) and Margie West (Vik Bhide); and sister, Penny Crevoiserat (Michael).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Billie Vic Van Hoose; father, Gordon W. Van Hoose Jr., Class of 1939, who died March 8, 2000; and sister, Nan Stewart.

Lewis R. White ’68

Lewis Richard White ’68 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Dec. 20, 2025. He was 79.

He matriculated from Suffolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Pelham Hutton White; children, Lewis Richard White Jr. (Maricruz López Martínez) and Anne Kendrick White; and siblings, Alice Llewellyn Trainer (John) and Herbert Franklin White (Leslie).

Harry W. Butler III ’69

Harry William “Spunky” Butler III ’69 of Doswell, Virginia, died Jan. 4, 2026. He was 78.

He matriculated from Winchester, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from American University.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Snyder Gobbi Butler; sons, Harry William “Brett” Butler IV and Morgan Wyatt Butler (Casey); grandchildren, Ruth, Evelyn, Austin, and Lexi; step-children, Melissa Gobbi and Scott Gobbi (Kate); sister, Elizabeth Carrington Butler; and former wife, Nancy Madagan Butler.

John Scott IV ’69

John Scott IV ’69 of Huron, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida, died Nov. 30, 2025. He was 78.

He matriculated from Elyria, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Baldwin Wallace College.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and step-children, Hallie Pettegrew (Ed) and Jeff Temple ’87 (Patricia).

He was preceded in death by his step-children, Jane Bettcher and Lane Bettcher.

Larry A. Smith ’69

Larry Allen Smith ’69 of Boerne, Texas, died Dec. 24, 2025. He was 79.

He matriculated from Staunton, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Donna Smith; children, Aaron Smith (Paige), Josh Smith ’97 (Jennifer), Lance Smith (Kristen), and Jessica Sachanowicz (Ed); and 14 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his brother.

Thomas P. Dinwiddie II ’71

Thomas Pierce “Tom” Dinwiddie II ’71 of Linwood, North Carolina, died April 10, 2025. He was 76.

He matriculated from Lexington, North Carolina, and spent 1 year at VMI.

Edward R. Channel ’72

Edward Runyon “Ed” Channel ’72 of Williamsburg, Virginia, died Jan. 31, 2026. He was 75.

He matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI,

earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

He is survived by his wife, Liz, and brother, Warren W. Channel ’66.

Marc L. Fielder ’72

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Marc Layne Fielder ’72 of Cape Coral, Florida, died Dec. 18, 2025. He was 75.

He matriculated from Roanoke, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from VMI. He earned a Master of Science degree from Troy State University.

He is survived by his partner, Doreen Tolley; children, Layne Fielder (Lauren) and Taryn Fielder (Ryan Forsythe); grandchildren, Sophia “Soda” Fielder, Alexandra “A.K.” Forsythe, Connor Forsythe, and Elizabeth Forsythe; and siblings, Robbie, David, and Ann.

Mark W. Simmons ’72

Mark Wilbur Simmons ’72 of Pearisburg, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2026. He was 75.

He matriculated from Narrows, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Denise Anderson Simmons; children, Andrew Simmons (Jennifer), Brittany Simmons (Joe), and Olivia Yost (Kyle); grandchildren, Abby, Kylee, Abigail, Summer, Isaac, and Beckett; siblings, John Simmons (Donna), Bill Keith Simmons (Sarah), Kevin Simmons, Jeanne Armentrout (Kerry), and Merry Simmons; and sister-inlaw, Gina Dalton (Mike).

Paul T. Collins III ’73

Paul Tulane Collins III ’73 of Norfolk, Virginia, died April 20, 2025. He was 74.

He matriculated from Norfolk and spent 2 years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Old Dominion University.

He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Bakun (Bill).

He was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda Plymale Collins.

Steven R. Ray ’73

Steven Robert “Steve” Ray ’73 of Sharpsburg, Georgia, died Jan. 10, 2026. He was 74.

He matriculated from East Point, Georgia, and spent 2 years at VMI. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University.

He is survived by his wife, Lou; children, Rob (Renee), Kelly (David), and Lauren (Chris);

grandchildren, Haylee, Braden, Madie, Maisyn, and Marlee; great-grandson, Kashton; step-granddaughter, Adrianna; and siblings, Carol and Mike Doman, Mike and Debbie Ray, and Chris and Rick Day.

Walter H. Bellamy ’80

Walter Hershell Bellamy ’80 of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, died Nov. 26, 2025. He was 67.

He matriculated from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and spent 4 years at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Nace; daughters, Kimberly Nicole Samah and Kristin Renee Bellamy (Josh); grandchildren, Sadie, Mae, Corinne, James, and Farrah; and siblings, Deborah Hopper (Jake), Michael Bellamy (Nancy), Victor Bellamy (Marla), and Curtis Bellamy (Constance); sisters-inlaw, Ann Gause and Rev. Carlease Bellamy; and brothers-in-law, Steve Nace (Kim) and Jim Nace (April).

He was preceded in death by his brothers, John Gause, Charles Gause, and Rev. Dr. Edward Bellamy, and son-in-law, Jamal M. Samah.

P. David Sadowski Jr. ’80

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul David Sadowski Jr. ’80 of Hampton, Virginia, died April 29, 2025. He was 66.

He matriculated from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of West Florida.

He is survived by his daughters, Jessica Marie Garza (Raul) and Rachel Leigh Sadowski; grandchildren, Adrian, Anthony, Gianna, and Orion Garza; brothers, Michael Sadowski and Andrew Sadowski; sister, Elizabeth Sadowski; and former wife, P.J. Sadowski.

Edward L. Oast III ’81

Edward Linscott “Ed” Oast III ’81 of Norfolk, Virginia, died Dec. 5, 2025. He was 67. He matriculated from Portsmouth, Virginia, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

He is survived by his wife, Stewart; children, McKenzie Lazar (Dale) and Edward L. Oast IV (Michelle); granddaughters, Roma Jean, Mirabelle, and Frances; and sisters, Carolyn Oast and Elizabeth O. McCombs.

He was preceded in death by his father, Edward L. Oast Jr. ’50B, who died June 13, 2014.

Gregory D. White ’81

Gregory David “Greg” White ’81 of Paeonian Springs, Virginia, died Jan. 30, 2026. He was 66.

He matriculated from Manassas, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI.

He is survived by his partner, Paige Kent, and children, Kristin White, Kyle White, Jordan Matta, Emery Matta, and Sophia Matta.

Paul H. Webb ’82

Paul Hyten Webb ’82 of Cumming, Georgia, died Jan. 19, 2026. He was 66.

He matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Webb.

Eric L.G. Keck ’84

Eric Leif Gardner Keck ’84 of Providence Forge, Virginia, died Jan. 29, 2026. He was 63. He matriculated from Providence Forge and spent 1 year at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda Keck; daughter, Jennifer Keck; and siblings, Virginia Blaska (Skip) and John Michael Dedeian (Bonnie).

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Jessica; father, Andrew Guerpillion Keck Jr.; mother, Hannah Moxley Keck; and brother, Andrew Keck III.

Paul A. Simroth ’86

Paul Alan Simroth ’86 of Charlottesville, Virginia, died Dec. 11, 2025. He was 61. He matriculated from Charleston, West Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at VMI.

He is survived by his siblings, David Simroth, Karen Simroth James, Steven Simroth (Laura), and Kathleen Dergis (Mike).

Elson H. Hin ’90

Elson Ho Hin ’90 of Arlington, Virginia, died Jan. 27, 2026. He was 58.

He matriculated from Lancaster, Virginia, and spent more than 3 years at VMI.

He is survived by his daughter, Florence; mother, Margaret; and siblings, Sherwin and Sandy (Chris).

He was preceded in death by his father, Ho Chang, and brother, Grant.

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Heath S. Wilson ’95

Heath Swinnerton Wilson ’95 of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, died Jan. 26, 2026. He was 52.

He matriculated from Woodstock, Connecticut, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Kristin; children, Teagan and Roan; parents, Franklin and Ruth Wilson; and sisters, Marnie Hitchew (Jim) and Lynne Roccisano (Anthony).

Daniel R. Owens ’97

Daniel Richard “Dano” Owens ’97 of Waconia, Minnesota, died Dec. 18, 2025. He was 50.

He matriculated from Minnetonka, Minnesota, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and father, Dennis.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lynn.

Steven R. Ball ’04

Steven Richard Ball ’04 of Bassett, Virginia, died Dec. 14, 2025. He was 44.

He matriculated from Collinsville, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI.

He is survived by his parents, Roger Alan Ball and Diane Nicholson Ball.

James M. Thoms II ’05

James Michael “Jimmy II” Thoms II ’05 of Newport News, Virginia, died Dec. 11, 2025. He was 42.

He matriculated from Newport News and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business from VMI.

He is survived by his fiancée, Simona Sochorová; parents, Jim and Chris Thoms; and sister, Theresa Annis (Jason Annis ’03).

Karl W. Cutler ’11

Karl W. “K.C.” Cutler ’11 of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, died Oct. 26, 2025. He was 36.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Jackie Cutler; mother, Mary Fitzpatrick-Cutler; and in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. James Milazzo.

He was preceded in death by his father, Karl Thomas Cutler.

VMI Family

Thomas E. Atkinson

Thomas Ervin Atkinson of Buena Vista, Virginia, died Nov. 3, 2025. He was 71.

He formerly taught military science at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Lovie Atkinson; children, Tonya and Michael Thomas Atkinson; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and siblings, Delton Atkinson, Darryl Atkinson, Judy Best, and Terryl Atkinson.

Charles Bodie

Charles Bodie of Lexington, Virginia, died Nov. 24, 2025. He was 88.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William & Mary and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Indiana University. He formerly taught Western civilization at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Adrienne Bodie; son, Matthew Marshall Bodie (Laura Niemeyer); grandsons, Vaughn Marshall Bodie and Robert Vincent Bodie; great-grandson, Carson Gaines Bodie; and sisters, Sylvia Bodie Howell and Sallie Virginia Bodie.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Jeanne Bodie Sizemore, and brother, William J. Bodie Jr.

Carol Bozeman

Carol Bozeman of Lexington, Virginia, died Dec. 26, 2025. She was 83.

She formerly coached cross country at VMI.

She is survived by her children, Gioia B. Giltz (retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. John R. Glitz), and retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert K. Bozeman (Jennifer); grandchildren, Wade (Katie), Ashley, Reilly (Leah), Luke (Kaytlynn), Caroline, and Christina Carol; great-grandchildren, Jennifer, Gary, Bozeman, and Poppy; and sister-in-law, Anna B. Kinsey.

Lisa Hazelwood

Lisa Hazelwood of Buena Vista, Virginia, died Dec. 6, 2025. She was 60.

She worked in facilities management at VMI.

She is survived by her children, Kelly Patterson Mills and Jonathan K. Patterson; grandchildren, Dax Patterson, Robert Mills, Kaylee Patterson, Madelynn Patterson, Knox Dancy, and Weston Patterson; and siblings, Jan Rogers and Kevin Hazelwood.

Lewis I. Jeffries

Retired U.S. Army Col. Lewis Ingles “Bud” Jeffries of Radford, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2026. He was 83.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He formerly taught military science at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Veirs Jeffries, and children, Mary Jennifer and John Travis (Brit Richey).

James E. Moore

James Earl “Gus” Moore of Buena Vista, Virginia, died Jan. 29, 2026. He was 78.

He formerly worked as a VMI security guard.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Mays Moore; daughter, Jordan Moore Czekner (Joseph); grandchildren, Austin, Ethan, Madison, and McKenna Moore and Eden Czekner; daughterin-law, Robin Adams Moore; and sister, Rita Moore Blackwell.

He was preceded in death by his son, Christopher Scott Moore.

Daniel A. Troppoli Jr.

Daniel Anthony “Dan” Troppoli Jr. of Lexington, Virginia, died Jan. 29, 2026. He was 98.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Francis College.

He formerly served as director of financial aid and director of admissions at VMI.

He is survived by his wife, Pat Troppoli; children, Danielle Arvanitakis (Steve), Jude Troppoli (Suzie), Julia Yeager (David), and Danny Troppoli (Gina); 20 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; step-daughters, Tammy Cash (Jeff) and Marcy Volk (Rick); daughterin-law, Cecelia Troppoli; brothers-in-law, Steve, Roy, David, Rodney, and Keith Sorrels, Stover Dalton, and Mike Carter; and sisters-in-law, Ruth Dalton and Nina, Kim, Katie, and Linda Sorrels.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary Beth Bigley; son, Eric Troppoli; grandson, Michael Yeager; and sister-in-law, Gaye Carter.

Retired U.S. Army Col. John “Jack” Hayes ’49B

By Jim Dittrich ’76

Retired U.S. Army Col. John “Jack” Hayes ’49B began his military career with the Class of ’49B, joining as World War II was ending in 1945. His father and two older brothers served in the military, and he came from a very loving but “poor” family, in his words. Before VMI, he worked in a coal mine and had some success as a boxer. He struggled at VMI with academics and left after three semesters, but he always considered himself a VMI man. He stayed in touch with his brother rats.

Jack joined the U.S. Army and earned a commission via Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned as an armor officer and, before long, landed with his tank platoon on the beach at Inchon during the Korean War. He was wounded four times in that war, and later, his Purple Hearts would total six for his wounds in combat, including Vietnam.

Jack would join the Army Special Forces during its earliest years in the 1950s. Soon after, he served five tours in Vietnam, with four as a Special Forces soldier. Jack also commanded a brigade in the 9th Infantry Division. One of his closest friends was David Hackworth, who has been known to be Vietnam’s most decorated

soldier. Jack and Hack were always playing jokes on each other, and Jack’s pet cobras were often in play until the commanding general told them to knock it off. Most of Jack’s time was spent going “over the fence,” sending his soldiers on classified missions into Laos or Cambodia. He also sent indigenous soldiers into North Vietnam. Our nation did not recognize these forays, and the risk was all on Jack. He trained these men, and he was always flying above them in his helicopter as they operated covertly. Not everyone made it back, and he carried this pain his entire life.

After Vietnam, he spent 3 years in Thailand advising the Royal Thai Army with their fight against communist insurgents. The positive that came from that assignment was meeting Paula, who became his wife and best friend. Jack left the Army and continued serving as a civil servant. He was completely disabled from his service but soldiered on. He lived to be almost 98 years old. Those last years were especially difficult, as all the wounds he had received in war now bothered him: His back, shoulder, arms, legs, and feet. He never complained and kept trying to work out daily up to the very end. He fell often

Bill Nelson ’56

By Charlie Luck ’83

Bill Nelson ’56 worked for our family business, Luck Companies, for 25 years. He served in numerous roles related to our engineering and construction and developed many of our facilities. My father, Charlie Luck ’55, was president when he asked Bill to lead our Architectural Stone Center Division, which was a totally unique business, selling stone from all over the world for commercial and residential projects with very specific and unique specifications.

In 1989, 6 years after graduating from VMI,

I started to work in our Architectural Stone Center Division, and I reported directly to the “colonel.” Bill was a VMI graduate of the Class of 1956. He went into the U.S. Marine Corps and, after completing his basic and combat engineering school, he was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division. Six months later, he received orders for a 16-month unaccompanied tour in Okinawa, Japan, much to the dismay of his newly married wife, Melissa.

His experiences at VMI developed his hard work ethic, attention to detail, and keen sense

in his last years, yet persevered like the soldier he was, always with Paula’s help.

Jack wore a remarkable 14 combat or service stripes on his uniform, denoting his 7 years in combat, which doesn’t include all the time he spent in hospitals recovering from combat. His awards included four Silver Star medals, four Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 12 Bronze Star Medals with Valor devices, six Purple Hearts, 38 air medals, and two soldier medals, among his many awards. No one in the modern Army has earned this number of awards.

In today’s high-tech world, Jack was among the last warriors who understood what close combat was about. Thirty-three years of service, with 17 years overseas, attest to his dedication to service. Jack passed away Jan. 28, 2026. I wrote his story a few years ago, and he asked I hold it until just before his death, when we published it in the Alumni Review. He hated attention and just was proud to have served in the finest Army in the world. Humble, devoted, and honorable are words that describe this old soldier. Heaven is a better place with Jack, and we are left with many memories of this good man.

of responsibility. His leadership development went on an accelerated pace while he was in the Corps of Cadets, and he rose to adjutant of the 2nd Battalion his 1st Class year. In the Marines, he was constantly developing people, whether he was on a construction project in the Caribbean or leading the 105th Howitzer Battery as a forward observer. He received the Meritorious Service Medal for exceptional leadership of his company. Bill was ultimately promoted to lieutenant colonel in the volunteer training unit before retiring from the reserve in 1994.

Bill had great pride in being the first president of our Architectural Stone Division. This business grew to be one of the largest in the eastern half of the United States, with Bill leading the visionary work of our sales, production, and acquisition of products from the United States and around the world. He was a pioneer in the industry, and his leadership and organization of people and processes resulted in customer

service and quality of projects that exceeded most everyone else in the industry. Myself and many others within our company are forever grateful to Bill for his dedication, commitment, and investment in us. He was constantly giving us feedback on how we could be better and more effective in our business decisions, as well as our development and leadership of others. Surely VMI and the Marine Corps

developed these attributes, along with who Bill was as a person. His impact on thousands of us will never be forgotten.

Although Bill was organized, direct, and stubborn at times, he was a big teddy bear, and underneath the surface was a heart of service, curiosity, kindness, and devotion to his family. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

Fred C. Swope, Ph.D.

By Stephen C. Craig Jr. ’78, James J. Leech ’78, Stephen W. Thompson ’78, and David M. Colonna ’78

Fred C. Swope, Ph.D., retired VMI biology department chair, died Oct. 7, 2025, in Decatur, Alabama. Fred’s life began on a dairy farm in Rockbridge County March 25, 1935. In December 1957, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a chaplain’s assistant in Germany. During his time in the service, Fred became an excellent photographer. Some of his photographs were proudly displayed in his home. Upon discharge from the service, he studied at the University of Maryland, graduating in 1961 as a member of the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi fraternity. From there, Fred moved northwest to Michigan State University, where he entered a Ph.D. program in food science. His research project, which demonstrated the fat globule membrane material in cow’s milk was plasma membrane derived from mammary gland cells, earned him the MSU Chapter Graduate Student Sigma XI Meritorious Research Award. Upon graduation from Michigan State in 1968, Fred became a member of the Virginia Military Institute biology department in Carroll Hall.

Fred was not merely a teacher, but a mentor and a patient sounding board when our dreams of medical or dental school, or postgraduate studies in the life sciences, seemed tenuous at best. He supported us through homesickness, stress, self-doubt, (and occasionally rat tears). In his quiet manner, he instilled both dedication and perseverance to the task at hand. He made us want to succeed, not only for a grade but because we respected Fred Swope.

Fred was the pre-medical and pre-dental advisor for 15 years. James Leech ’78, M.D.,

remembers Fred’s support in that role. “Having miraculously survived ... under the tutelage of Fred and others, the same tearful former rat was arranging interviews in Texas medical schools. Upon learning over the phone that he had not been selected for an interview by his school of choice, he dejectedly reported the news to Doctor Swope. With barely contained indignation, Fred telephoned the school and spoke to the dean personally.” And successfully.

From 1986–92, Fred served as biology department chair. He also taught rat chemistry. He was the only professor at the time to teach in two departments. Chemistry was mandatory for all 4th Class cadets; hence, Fred’s teaching style and educational philosophy touched every VMI graduate during that era. And, in 1990, he began an undergraduate summer research program, in which selected cadets conduct supervised research projects for course credit. The program continues today as the Fred C. Swope Summer Scholar Research Program in Biology.

With friend and colleague Oscar Gupton, Ph.D., Fred engaged his love of nature and photographic skills in the mountains around Lexington, photographing the local flora. The result was five very successful books, beginning with “Wildflowers of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains” (1979). The reception of this first book brought in substantial royalties, which neither Fred nor Oscar expected. All subsequent royalties went to the Virginia Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

David Colonna ’78, M.D., noted that Fred had a “down-to-earth sense of humor, a ready smile, and seemed to be a genuinely kind man.” Indeed, this is quite accurate. Around 1983–84, the Craig family was invited to the Swope home for dinner. Steve Craig ‘78, M.D., who was sitting next to Fred, began a sentence by saying, “Well, Doctor Swope ...” Fred stopped him and said, “Steve, it makes me proud and so happy when cadets go on into medicine or dentistry. Just call me Fred from now on.” This pleased Steve greatly, and he replied, “And you know, Fred, it makes me feel so good to be done with medical school; you can call me Doctor Craig.” Steve thought Fred and Agnes were going to fall out of their chairs, they were laughing so hard!

Fred retired in 1998. The following year, he won the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State.

Fred made an indelible mark on many of us who “pressed up the hill of science with noble emulation”—and trepidation—during his 30year tenure. Stephen Thompson ’78, PA, captures our experience and Fred’s legacy quite well: “I remember him as a great instructor and greatly admired him. I cannot remember a specific event or interaction but generally remember him as a sponsor who believed in me and supported my ambition to pursue a career in medicine. He reminds me of the power of education. By supporting me and countless others through his career, imagine the compounding power his influence has had on thousands of patients through the years.”

Robinson Bradshaw, a Carolinas-based corporate law firm with national practices, named R. Michael “Mike” Hozik ’10 among the 13 new attorneys joining the firm.

Hozik, who joins Robinson Bradshaw’s Charlotte office, practices in the areas of investment management, fund formation, and general corporate law.

He represents corporate clients and fund sponsors in private and public offerings, fund governance, and acquisitions, and also advises clients on U.S. securities law, commercial contracts, and transactional matters.

Hozik previously served as assistant general counsel and senior vice president at a global alternative asset manager. Before that, he was an attorney in the private equity funds group at Fried Frank. He also served in the U.S. Air Force.

Hozik graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business and earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a CFA® charterholder.

Staff News

Boyer ’08 & ’11

In September 2025, Providence Hill Real Estate—founded by Dawson Boyer ’08 and Caleb Boyer ’11—was named Best Real Estate Firm by the Richmond Times-Dispatch for the second consecutive year.

Founded in 2021 with co-owner and broker Elliott Gravitt, Providence Hill has distinguished itself by championing Richmond homebuyers at every stage of the homeownership journey. The firm pairs personalized, expert guidance with a deep understanding of Central Virginia’s housing markets, while continuously investing in the mentorship and development of its growing team. In just 5 years, Providence Hill expanded to more than 70 agents and was recognized as one of the Richmond region’s Top 25 Fastest-Growing Companies in 2025—further cementing its place as a leader in the market.

Dawson and Caleb matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in Spanish and a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies, respectively. They currently reside in Richmond, Virginia.

Dowdell ’16 Joins Alumni Agencies Staff

Ryan R. “Red” Dowdell ’16 joined the VMI Alumni Agencies staff in December 2025 as a development officer, assisting with fundraising for the VMI Foundation and Keydet Club.

He was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in exercise science.

Dowdell spent the first 10 years of his professional career in sports performance at the professional, collegiate, and private-sector levels, working with the

Washington Nationals, Old Dominion University, and D.C. United. In 2021, Dowdell opened Rockbridge Barbell, a fitness center located at the junction of Main and Jefferson streets, which he continues to own and operate.

“We are excited for the addition of Red to the development team. He carries a strong passion for VMI, and he will be a great ambassador and member of our team,” said Andrew Deal ’12, VMI Keydet Club chief operating officer and Alumni Agencies chief development officer.

Dowdell resides in Staunton with his wife, Honestie.

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 each year. Scholarships are awarded in July.

Hozik ’10

Dowdell ’16

Cadets in the Class of 2029 navigate low-wire crawls during Breakout.