Sabre Now - May 27, 2016

V ol um e I , Is s ue 6: G ra du at i on E di t i o n

A Life of Faith, John 16:32 Written by: Cadet Micah Giszack

Graduat ion Editi on Ma y 27 2016

“ Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will

States have been forsaking their spirituality for ideas of equali-

be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet

ty and universal acceptance. I have never heard of a human on

I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” — John 16:32

Earth more universally accepting than Jesus Christ, who open-

NKJV

ly healed socially-dejected lepers and restored sight to begNo more fitting a passage came to my mind when I

thought of the end of the school year. Within mere hours, we will all be gone from this campus, some never to return. For many, this is a time when a new book is opened in our lives, not just a new chapter.

Calling the journey through Fork Union a “chapter” of our lives is certainly insufficient; we live a volume of many books in our years on Earth,

gars. He talked to unbelievers, spoke to those who denounced His name, and never ceased professing the Truth of the Gospel, even unto his physical death at Pilate’s hand. Christ was and is the only true beacon and constant source of equality that the world has ever known. No actions by any government or administration will ever treat all of God’s children with the love, equality, patience and grace that Christ Jesus always has.

and the unique experience held

To those readers among you

by all at this great school is one

who’ve proclaimed Jesus Christ

of them. In the above verse,

as not only your Savior but your

Jesus is talking to His disciples about his near future, and He

Lord, hold strong to the core of your beliefs. College will put

follows it by saying in verse 33 of the same chapter: “In Me you your faith t o the test in many ways. The Atlantic puts it like may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be

this: “[Freshmen] leave their church, the community incentives

of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Is that not reassur-

to attend it, and the watchful eye of parents who get angry or

ing?

make them feel guilty when they don’t go to services or stray Seniors: in the twinkle of an eye, you will be embark-

ing on a new journey, and yet a new book in your life’s volume.

There’s simply no need to say that you will all do great things, it’s foreknown from all of your great success in making it through the slalom of life here that you will. Your colleges will be lucky to have you; whether you applied for the hopes of

in their faith. Suddenly they’re surrounded by dorm mates of different faiths or no faith at all.” It’s a problem for sure, but being a churchgoer does not equate to a relationship with God. With vigilance, a young man of strong faith will shine his light into the darkness that envelopes many universities in America.

A tad shorter, admittedly, but as a note to you under-

making it big in athletics, or prefer trigonometry to track, your

classmen who will not see college life just yet, take this sum-

hard work will result in success wherever life will take you.

mer vacation and use it to the fullest. You all deserve it for

Upon departure, you will undoubtedly realize that Fork Union Military Academy’s five core values do not necessarily permeate college life. In fact, universities in the United

your fantastic work this year. We’ll see you again soon.

V ol um e I , Is s ue 6: G ra duat i o n E di t i on

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Fork Union’s Edifice of Discipline Crafted by Cadet Luke Burton

Discipline is the practice of training people to obey

was pain as my body ached from the long, gruelling practice

rules or a code of behavior, employing punishment to correct hours, but at the end of those two weeks I began to recognize disobedience. What have I learned while at Fork Union Mili-

the skills I had gained and how much I had learned. While

tary Academy? I learned that closing the gap between my

discipline is difficult, it is essential to becoming everything

goals and myself is entirely dependent on not just discipline,

you are capable of being. CQ, the dreaded evening study ses-

but self-discipline, a trait that Fork Union instills in cadets,

sion that cadets bemoan, is what grows them and teaches

even if they only view the tasks at hand as trite or bland. The

them how to be successful in a college and in a working envi-

system of organization provided by FUMA continues to allow ronment; students at regular high schools just never so comme to grow and heighten my abilities which will cause me to

pletely learn the immediate consequences of falling behind in

be successful both here and in the outside world. In my first

your work as we do with the One Subject Plan. Tasks given to

two weeks at Fork Union, discipline came across by more

us by FUMA are what give us an edge in life to do better, ac-

instantaneous means: football pre-season began and so did

complish more, and go above and beyond. Discipline closes

the rush to become a winning team did . At the time, all I felt

the gap between failure and triumph.

Plans of a Post-Graduate: The Clayton-Johnson Experience Conducted and written by Cadet Charles Minlend

FUMA is an academy that has garnered a reputation for bringing people in from all sorts of backgrounds, whether as a seventh grader from Florida or a postgraduate from its very state of Virginia. I had a chance to sit down and interview one of this year’s current postgraduate basketball players, Eddie Johnson-Clayton as we talked about his experience at FUMA. Johnson-Clayton is a six-foot-six power forward from Chesapeake Virginia. He was a successful player at his alma mater, Deep Creek High School, earning 1st team allconference in his senior year, but he wished to hone his skills and improve his game, which was one of the reasons he decided to attend Fork Union.

When talking about the PG basketball season this year, he stated that he did just that and explained how he believes this team has, “set a standard for future players to come.” This is safe to say considering how this has been Coach Matthew Donohue’s first twenty-win season (25-7) and the first time Fork Union has ever played in the national prep school tournament. Johnson-Clayton credits much of the success to the chemistry that the team acquired through spending so much time together. “The team got along, we are actually brothers here. It is literally like a family”, Said Johnson-Clayton when talking about his teammates. He feels that he has obtained some long-term relationships evidenced how he plans to stay in touch with some of the guys during and even after college.

Eddie said that he has developed in rebounding, defense, and in his mindset toward the game but he feels that there has been an improvement off the court as well. He expressed how Fork Union has helped him to deeply instill “a discipline of learning” with which he had never been familiar.

He said that FUMA has helped him to make better decisions big and small and that he even plans to take things as simple as tidying habits with him in the future.

Johnson-Clayton has a lot of great memories from Fork Union but when I asked him which one he would put at the top, he responded with the home victory against Hargrave. “The experience of beating the number one team in the country and having all of the fans storm the court was incredible.” That unlikely win is definitely something Johnson Clayton and his teammates will cherish for a long time.

Johnson-Clayton has completed his goal of finishing the year at Fork Union as a postgraduate but he has even greater goals to achieve once he leaves especially “Getting a degree,” according to him. His family has a tradition, which they call the “Johnson Quota of learning,” in which everyone in his family that graduates from college has their high school picture on one side, and their college graduation picture on the other. Johnson-Clayton is the youngest of his family but plans to keep the tradition going on strong, as he will attend Virginia Union in the fall. He has finished one leg of his journey, but has many more ahead of him and is excited to take them on with full force.

V ol um e I , Is s ue 6: G ra duat i o n E di t i on

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My Life and Fork Union: A Recount by Coach Micky Sullivan Written by Coach Micky Sullivan

Well, I guess it’s finally time to leave. I know the sen-

and for others. They taught me how to face adversity, and to

iors & PGs who have spent anywhere from one to seven years

stand accountable for my actions, that I need to get up and

are not only excited to venture out, but nervous, too as they

press on; persevere always—even when immediate success is

await graduation day.

unattainable. These invaluable skills and lessons were learned

My mother dropped me off at Fork Union in 1965, and I am still waiting on her to return. Well, mom or not, I am finally going to leave FUMA. I have been a part of this place for forty-two of the fifty-three years since September of 1963. So, I guess I am a little excited to see what my new life will bring.

There have been many changes since I first arrived here, and there will surely be slews more in the next years.

The library where I did all my research is now Flag Hall, the band’s practice facility. I dissected frogs for my biology class right where Major Krogh now sits in Perkins Technology Cen-

on and off the field, through steady observation of these mentors and teachers living their lives as men of character and morality.

I chose to come to Fork Union in 1963, and alongside my wife Kathy, chose again to return as a teacher in 1975, then again after that in 1983. It was at this time that I finally understood that I was meant to be a teacher and coach, not a businessman. I never regretted any of these decisions. As a cadet on ED, however, I did start to wonder…

These forty-two years from my old days have been

ter. We ate corps meals in the basement of Hatcher Hall, which filled with names the likes of Doug, Dickie and Josh, not to is now the home of the Academic Center. I sat down for Mess

mention Coaches Blair, Pulliam, Miller and Clark, Cols. Spencer

III where Coach Brian Haney sits today. We watched movies in and Ruttman. In my coaching and teaching years, I think of the Vaughn Hall, which has been used as both the Commandant’s

names of good, now-men, like Shuman and Banch to George,

Department and now our social center, we played tag where

Perry, Bodine and Hackenberg and interns Lee and Sposato.

Wicker Science Hall now rests.

Mixed in with these players’ names are my current or former

As an instructor, I have coached and taught in the former Middle School Gym, a building which even current cadets may have never entered. I watched the Estes Center rise up from the ground, then nearly a decade ago, our Aquatics Center followed suit. I watched the Estes Dining Hall and Jacobson Hall pop up over the course of a few years. I witnessed the destruction of Snead and Memorial Hall. Through all of

co-workers including Donohue, Hazlett, Hooper, Hardy, Shuman, Hitchcock and Brown. All of these boys and men have taught me merits like teamwork, respect, character, truth, and honor, both through actions and through their words. The memories that I have will surely last me a lifetime. I will always be thankful for the time I have spent on this campus.

My Fork Union brothers from the graduating class of

this, I’ve lived under presidents named Wicker, Whitescarver,

1966 use the term “home” to refer to this place a great deal,

Clanton, Pulliam, Jackson and Burhoe guiding the FUMA ship

but they did not always think of it in that way. The graduates

through times good and bad, spending untold hours trying to

this year will not all immediately link the words FUMA and

make this school a better place for the teachers and the boys.

home immediately, but as it happened for me and my class-

I experienced Viet Nam, the assassination of President Kennedy, September 11th, and the war against Bin Laden in the Middle East. I lived through these things with men and

mates, so it will for the young men who will go forth on Saturday. I will always know that this small place in Central Virginia is my home.

women of Fork Union as we learned about what it means to be Over the run of my life, I have been known by many titles a patriot, faithful, and charitable. I was able to witness these

which include cadet, PG, graduate, husband, dad (and pop, of

things through them by their words and their actions, too; the

course). Today, I will get to add another to that list: retired.

way they lived their lives was enough.

As we all leave this hallowed place, I want to wish each of you

I and many other fortunate men like me have learned good luck. May God Almighty bless and keep you, and allow firsthand from great men like Blair, Pulliam, Clark, Shuman, Hardy, Hitchcock, Nicholson, Arritt, to name a few, the virtues of mind, body and spirit, and the precepts of respect for self

you to find a place to call “home” like I do and always will.

Go FUMA class of 2016!

V ol um e I , Is s ue 6: G ra duat i o n E di t i on

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A Year of Interaction Crafted by Cadet Dalton Fowler

Throughout this past school year, the Fork Union chapter of

cember, a few members of the club volunteered to take part

the Interact/Rotary Club has made it their mission to end

in Happy Face. In this magnanimous endeavor, a charity ac-

strife and support the community around it. To this end, they cumulates donations in order to gather gifts for underpriviengaged in a plethora of volunteer projects with compassion- leged families during Christmastime. As an active participant ate hearts and firm resolves. In October, the entire club

in Happy Face, I can personally attest that the smiles on the

played their part to end poverty in Stop Hunger Now. The

children’s faces as you hand them a Hot Wheels car are un-

cadets operated a sort of human assembly line, passing bags

forgettable… to say the least. Moreover, in March, cadets Ed-

of vitamins, vegetables, protein mix, and rice for the benefit

ward Thomas and Ryan McEnroe enlisted to jump in the frig-

of those stricken with destitution. At its conclusion, the ca-

id waters of Lake Monticello [1] to raise pledges for a collec-

dets and supporting members of the community surpassed

tive sum of $250. Combined with the other participants in the

their goal, packing a grand total of 18,000 food parcels for

Penguin Plunge, they raised $21,000 for charity. All these

immediate consignment to the needy. Furthermore, in De-

projects show just how much good one organization can do.

Faith Is...

Originally Crafted by Mr. James, FUMA staff

Faith is believing, although you are not seeing—faith is knowing that there is a heavenly being Faith is maintaining your hope when it seems there is none. Faith is knowing you have won the war before the battle is won

setback. Faith is belief that you’ll get back on track Faith is knowing that there’s a power greater than you, realizing that no giant can keep you from going through

Faith is believing yes, when others say no! It is determination on the go

Faith is finishing the race even though your legs ache. It is not letting evil make you break

Faith is not giving up when you have a

Faith is belief in God’s holy word, know-

ing that as His child, you’re set apart Faith is living in, but not confirming to the ideologies of this land; overcoming adversity—again and again Faith of any strength is acknowledged by God. You just believe and he’ll do His part Faith lets you avoid life’s fiery darts, faith is the key to God’s loving heart.

Faith is...

A Thank-You to Mrs. Cathy Hitchcock A Message from The Sabre

This year, we at The Sabre have produced a lot of

mittees and classes of her own. In this situation where we

content. Right now, you are reading the sixth edition of the

must meet a tight deadline whilst ensuring utmost quality,

Sabre Now, the up-to-date newsletter that we trialed this

auxiliary help is needed.

school year, for the first time ever. We had three printed editions of The Sabre, our iconic print newspaper, all of which were received fantastically.

One notable hindrance in a cadet-run newspaper is

If it were not for the fantastic work of Mrs. Hitchcock this school year, our team of writers and editors could not have done all that we did. Last year God blessed us with a large team of writers and editors. This year, He blessed us

that the ebb and flow of articles and editing changes with the

with her. From all of us at The Sabre, thank you, ma’am for all

terms; if a particularly active writer finds himself in an inor-

of your work. You did not have to do any of this. You used

dinately busy class, his productivity is crimped. The same

your skills to do God’s work with our young men, and that is

goes for the editing of the articles. We have one cadet editor

more than any of us could have ever asked for.

and one faculty editor who is also tasked with various com-

V ol um e I , Is s ue 6: G ra duat i o n E di t i on

Page 5

A Send-Off Message... Are You Listening for God? Crafted by Chaplain James Benson

As we look back on this past academic year, it might

remember each message specifically, I pray that each of us

interest you to know that we had 95 chapel services this

connected at a spiritual level with at least one chapel message

year. In addition to myself, Fork Union’s chaplain, we had 20

this year. As we move on along life’s journey from this school

individuals present special messages to the corps. Six of these year, we will all have various experiences in different placwere Christian Leadership Series speakers, three were alumni, es. But the constant for all of us will always be God. No matter and three were current cadets. Also, six current faculty or

where we are, and what we are experiencing, God is and will

staff presented a total of 16 messages between themselves. In always be ever-present: omnipresent, and He chooses many all, 30 times in chapel this year, there was someone other than different ways to communicate with us. Sometimes the delivyours truly speaking to you.

All these different voices presented personal mes-

ery method is varying, and many times, the voice He uses will change.

sages of faith and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Fork Union

My question for you is this: are you listening for Him

community. What a wonderful opportunity for us to hear

in the midst of your busy life?

from God in such diverse ways! And while we may not all

Have a great summer, and always keep listening for God!

Tree Dedication for 2016’s Retirees, Seniors & PG class Created by Cadet Jared Giszack

As we arrive at the conclusion of this school year,

the Global Citizens’ Club hosts multiple fundraising events,

yet another beautiful tree has been added to the FUMA arbor. including doughnut sales (the cadets enjoy this one), in order This marks the third year in which a tree has been dedicated

to raise the money they need both to fund their club’s ex-

to the year’s cadet graduates, as well as retirees. This year’s

penses, as well as the community service acts that they as-

retirees honored by the dedication of this tree are Mrs. Cindi

pire to complete in any given year.

McIlnay, Mr. J.R. Smith, Mrs. Henri Cobb, COL Micky Sullivan, and LTC Ed Moore.

The trees, of the weeping cherry variety, have been donated

As the close to this fine school year is upon us, the Global Citizens’ Club, as well as all other faculty members, staff, and cadets, wish all of our graduates and retirees both luck in

annually, starting in 2014, by the Global Citizens’ Club, found- success in all of their future academic, or otherwise, endeaved and lead by Mrs. Katherine Giszack since 2013. Each year,

ors.

FUMA’s All-State Baseball Players Created by Cadet Zachary Miller

Just recently, Fork Union’s Prep Baseball’s team had

Cadet Jacob Grabeel finished the season with a .286

two cadets selected as 2016 VISAA Division 1 All-State play-

batting percentage. He also pitched 7 games with 38

ers. Junior Jacob Grabeel and Sophomore Adam Hackenberg

strikeouts and only allowing one home run in 191 at bats.

earned All-State honors. Both cadets were named to Virginia

Cadet Adam Hackenberg held a .407 batting average and 30

Prep League’s All-Prep team as well. In order to be selected to runs along with two home runs to add to his totals. We are the All-Prep team, the player’s averages are totaled and if they very proud of these two cadets and their athletic achieveare in the top percent of the Prep League then the player re-

ments, and are certain that they will continue doing great

ceives a vote for the team. A committee then narrows the se-

things in the future.

lections down until a certain number of players are reached.

Fork Union Military Academy Phone: 434-848-3212 Address: 4744 James Madison Hwy Fork Union, VA 23055 Comments for Sabre Now: Sabre@fuma.org All back issues can be found here Or, visit www.tiny.cc/sabre or bit.do/fumasabre

Editor’s Note

Lifetime Brotherhood Time at Fork Union is not easy. It is not simple. It is not always fun. It is not boring. It is not common. Time at Fork Union is not time spent alone. There will always be a comradery that extends even well beyond the reaches of our campus.

Even without parents and siblings, even without our houses, we will always be family and this will always be our home.

What now can I say that has not Editor’s Note

We are almost there!said?

It’s almost point of the year in already been Thetheend-of-year

which cadets’ mouths begin to water at the prospect of summer s vacation.

It really seems like it just two or three cliche are never-ending, would months, rather than six, that we’ve been in this academic session. The third legin of truth, the “marathon” on March seem, though manybegins of them 14th. This is already the fourth edition of the Sabre Now, and though hold true.

I myself On may thebefirst partial, page, it seems I talked to have been successful thus far. Although only time will dictate the about you willa all find inWe future of the Now, success all signs point toward bright future. have only attained increasingly greater support from cadets your adult lives, and surely others and faculty for not just readership, but also contributions toward this newsletter. This edition was filled with highhave It may seem quality said writingthe fromsame.

Sabre staff members, anda FUMA faculty, with a special thanks to Captain Greenspon for his broken record at times, but excellent lacrosse piece. In the box above, there is a hyperlink to Sabre Now’s online library, and this is a nonetheless true. Undoubtedly, secondary link. We encourage anyone who enjoys this newsletter to share it with absolutely anyone interested in you’re receiving advice and tips from keeping up with events both on campus and the ones that are happening elsewhere, intrigue our friends writers. The parents and other but family and Sabre wishes all cadets and their families a happy spring break, we look to seeing this aboutandwhat to forward do in college, butschool it’s year through with all of you. Until next time.

not something you need to stress

about. Remain steadfast in your faith and follow the rules (as if it needed to be said) and soon enough, you will be closing the book that was your time at college. Whether or not you began your high-school career at Fork Union or some other place, you all remember your first day of high school, and you will not soon forget it, nor this one. Your graduation is a lifetime memory, and you should be proud that you are about to walk across that stage. Until next time.

Above: A group photo of the International Students’ Picnic from the end of April 2016 Right: Fork Union class of 1966 on Alumni Day. Below: Ceremony for distribution of rings for the classes of 2016 and 2017.