Reveille Sept. 2023, Vol. 5, Issue 1

Alumni Association President Update

Hello my fellow Brothers

“It’s the most wonderful time … of the year!!”

We are coming up on Alumni Weekend and a chance for us all to go HOME for a few days. We hope to see you at Old MMA with the events officially kicking off on Friday morning and going through Sunday, including a baseball game in Kansas City between the Royals and the New York Yankees (see schedule of events in this edition of Reveille).

We want to thank all of you who have donated to the MMA Alumni Association and the events we hold on behalf of alumni. Most definitely, a big thank-you goes out to those who donate to the Academy. It is your donations, no matter how big or small, that help keep Missouri Military Academy alive and well.

Not only do your donations matter, but so does the time and talent you give back to your alma mater. We have so many alumni from all the way back to 1947 — our oldest living Battalion Commander J. Ross Fernstrum ’47 (learn more about him on page 4) — who give their time and efforts to the Academy through the alumni association. I believe this time and talent is just as valuable as a monetary donation. Those of you who are donating this valuable service are keeping the spirit of MMA alive. Thank you! (See page 12 for how Jarrod Magee, Class of 1997, is giving back!)

We would love to have more alumni from around the world to join us in building an even stronger alumni association and help grow the Academy back to full

capacity. We have positions opening up for valuable input. Join the MMA Alumni Association Board of Directors and see what goes on behind the curtain — not only with the alumni association, but you’ll also get insight into what is happening at MMA. Over the past decade, the many who have contributed to and are active in the alumni association have given us a voice at the table of the MMA Board of Trustees and communication has never been better.

I look forward to seeing you all soon. Please consider joining the board, or just come in for a peek behind the curtain. I think you will find it interesting. Go Colonels!

In Love and Loyalty, Gregg Center ’91 President Alumni Association of Missouri Military Academy

IN THIS ISSUE

Alumni Association President Update by Gregg Center ’91

Value of a Military School Education by BG Richard Geraci, USA (Ret), MMA President

Summer Camp – MMA Style!

Alumni Armada Sets Sail by Chris Schafer ’89

4th Annual MMA Alumni Float Trip by Mike Misemer ’89

Fallen Army Guard Sniper Memorialized in Marksmanship Competition by Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes

Homecoming 2023

FOREver Golf Tournament by Steven McDavid ’97

Nonquam Non Paratus by James R. Hallam

From the Archives

Alumni Updates & Silver Taps

Alumni BOD Contact Information

The Value of Military School Education

by Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret), MMA President

The value of a military school education today is undeniable. That value is the driving force behind everything we do for our cadets and their families. It’s why we promote and protect the MMA legacy.

everyone, but we also see the incredible benefits for those who embrace the process and find the strength and character within themselves that they before didn’t know existed. As educators, administrators and coaches, we wholeheartedly believe in this mission.

We teach personal responsibility to our cadets in today’s world where differing opinions often leave young people adrift and lost in relativism. We teach them that right and wrong do exist and the impact their decisions have on others.

Through leadership roles, rigorous physical training and high academic expectations, cadets learn to take command of their lives, recognizing that their decisions and actions have consequences.

The proof is in our results.

We are a military academy and stay true to our traditions, core curriculum and core values that define us as such. We challenge young men like they have never been challenged. We ask them to do more, not less, in a world where too many take the easy way out.

We understand our military educational model — based on structure, self-discipline, personal responsibility and accountability — is not for

We teach them how to solve problems, handle challenges and deal with adversity. We teach them how to fully employ their personal strengths and talents as part of a team with respect for others. Just as important, we teach them how to follow a healthy lifestyle and to avoid high-risk behavior.

The Academy’s standards and structured daily routine requires cadets to manage their time efficiently, demonstrate self-discipline, establish goals for themselves and expect to be held accountable.

The value of a military educational model is not confined to the walls of the Academy — it extends into the lives of our graduates, empowering them to lead and persevere with integrity. We teach our cadets to set and work toward goals, with MMA graduation among the most important. It sets a course for them to compete and succeed in life.

In a world where leaders of character are needed more than ever, the unique blend of military traditions, high expectations and academic rigor at Missouri Military Academy creates an environment where young men flourish.

We will remain steadfast, true to our course and fulfill our mission for our cadets and their families.

Summer Camp — MMA Style!

Missouri Military Academy hosted more than 1,500 students, campers and adults this summer, challenging campers to step outside their comfort zones, boosting self-esteem and fostering pride in their abilities.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my son for embarking on an incredible journey at MMA Confidence Camp. It was a week filled with personal growth, courage, resilience, teamwork and a remarkable sense of independence. Thank you to the exceptional staff for creating such a transformative experience.”

— Chi Ho, parent of Tristan Ho, from Schaumburg, Illinois

Alumni Armada Sets Sail on the Jacks Fork River

by Chris Schafer, The Centennial

Class of 1989

On June 22, the Alumni Armada descended upon the River’s Edge Cabins and Campground in Eminence, Missouri, for the fourth-annual MMA Alumni, Friends and Family float trip. Twenty-one members made the two-day float this year. Day 1 was a six-mile float into Eminence, and day 2 was a seven-mile float out of Eminence.

With the generous donation of food from Jarrod ’97 and Jennifer Magee, and lodging from Sanders Roth ’04, we were able to offer a day rate that included food, lodging, a canoe or raft and a float trip T-shirt.

The Jacks Fork River is a crystal clear spring-fed stream with 200-foot cliffs, and it empties into the Current River. The river flowed nicely, the water temperature was cool, and the sky was clear and blue — we could not have had any better weather.

The Alumni Armada prohibits the playing of banjos on our float trips, but there was an appropriately played song, “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard.

The annual float trip is open to all alumni, family and friends. You can join our MMA Alumni Annual Float Trip Facebook page to stay informed about float trip plans. 

4th Annual MMA Alumni Float Trip

by Mike Misemer, The Centennial Class of

1989

The 4th annual MMA Alumni Float Trip was an amazing experience!

Brothers!

After arriving with the anticipation of reviving old friendships, creating new friendships and listening to

This float was even more special for me with the presence of Todd Misemer ’87. I do not get to spend much time with Todd, who was motivated by the float trip to come back and bond with brothers, enjoy some beautiful scenery and realize the peace and beauty of Missouri’s nature.

Todd reflected, “It was a great time! Reconnecting with brothers I already knew and meeting a lot of brothers who walked in the footsteps of the academy after me. I enjoyed the float so much I intend to prioritize the float in the future.

After reflecting on the float and enjoying the trip down memory lane, I feel it is time to get back to the Academy for a visit.”

Think of a brother you have contact with and invite him (and his family) to next year’s float!

Let’s keep it going and growing! 

the stories of our MMA experiences and how those experiences influenced how we have lived our lives, I was not disappointed. Through my eyes, there is an automatic connection amongst all of us through the bond of MMA Brotherhood.

This embodies the purpose of our annual float, which is the reconnection of friendship and brotherhood and the foundation that gives us our common ground. I look forward to the 5th Annual Alumni float trip, and I hope each of us is available next year. Please join our Alumni Float Trip Facebook page for up-to-date information on next year’s float.

MMA’s Oldest Living Former Battalion Commander Reflects on His MMA Years

For J. Ross Fernstrum ’47, MMA was the springboard to success.

It was 1943. Bing Crosby was still filling the airwaves with “White Christmas,” Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller “Shadow of a Doubt” had moviegoers on the edge of their seats and “Oklahoma!” opened its recordbreaking run on Broadway. Accidental inventions brought us Silly Putty and the Slinky. Betty Grable threw a smile over her shoulder in a pinup photo that warmed the hearts of thousands of battle-weary GIs.

War was raging in Europe and the Pacific and Michigan teenager Ross Fernstrum was feeling left out. Fernstrum’s older brother had joined the Navy and gone off to fight. But there wasn’t much a 13-yearold could do for the war effort.

“My dad asked me, ‘How would you like to go to military school, wear a uniform and be a soldier?’ Fernstrum recalls. “My response was immediate and positive. We visited MMA in April, and I was there as an MMA Colonel by September.”

It’s been 80 years and the memories are still clear for Fernstrum ’47, the oldest living former battalion commander at Missouri Military Academy. Now enjoying retirement in Arizona after a successful career in sales, advertising and public relations,

Fernstrum savors his memories of MMA and the impact the Academy had on his life.

“I loved it for four years,” he says. “My dad told me, ‘They made a man out of you.’ ”

Fernstrum’s journey to manhood took an active path at MMA — varsity football and baseball, varsity basketball co-captain, M Club, drum major, dance band, combo band and Glee Club. He won the Silver Tribune Medal as a junior and served as chairman of the Athletic Association and Code of Honor trustee. Rising to the rank of cadet major, Fernstrum became battalion commander his senior year.

The 1947 Taps yearbook dubbed Fernstrum “God’s gift to the women.”

In the classroom, Fernstrum’s interest leaned toward business with courses such as marketing and advertising, business law, accounting, social studies and economics. “Curtis C. Jennings helped steer me in this direction through his economics class,” Fernstrum says. “A great teacher! Never had a bad one at MMA.”

After graduating from the Academy in 1947, Fernstrum went to the University of Arizona. Three months before graduation, the draft board came calling. He served two years in the Army as a personnel

management specialist at bases in Germany and the United States.

“The MMA experience did wonders to make the Army time not only acceptable, but pleasurable as well,” he says. “It made me a better soldier.”

Discharged in 1955, Fernstrum went to work for Detroit-based Marine Products Co., a water pump manufacturer. “Industrial sales was an interesting field but my interests were more consumer-product oriented,” he says. Fernstrum moved on to the CocaCola Co. as a field sales promotion specialist in the Detroit regional office where he developed and approved the spending of co-op dollars between bottlers and the parent company.

He later worked as an advertising sales representative in Chicago’s financial district and in Detroit, garnering experience that would lead him to business ownership in the mid-1960s, heading up an executive search firm in Michigan that specialized in the fields of advertising and public relations.

“MMA instilled in me the confidence to learn and lead when opportunities presented themselves,” Fernstrum says. “We learned early on that education does not end with a high school diploma. It is only the beginning.” 

Financial support for cadets is a growing need.

By supporting the MMA 1889 Scholarship Fund, you make a lasting impact on the lives of young men with a simple monthly gift. Please consider a recurring monthly gift of $18.89 or an annual commitment of $226.68.

Fallen Army Guard Sniper Memorialized in Marksmanship Competition

Annual event honors MMA alumnus Chris Horton ’03.

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes, National Guard Bureau, March 2,

When Jane Horton laid her husband, Spc. Christopher Horton, to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, she had just two lines of 15 characters each to describe the love of her life. She chose “valiant warrior, fearless sniper.”

His former sniper partner agrees that he embodied that warrior spirit.

“The way you think about it going back to ancient times, what warriors are, what warriors do, and the warrior mindset; that was Chris,” says Garrett Grover, a former staff sergeant who was in the same sniper section as Horton when he was killed in Paktia, Afghanistan, Sept. 9, 2011. Both served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Grover adds that Horton was also a fierce marksmanship competitor. Jane Horton says her husband had shot competitively since high school and joined the Army Guard after being recruited by the Army Marksmanship Unit.

So it was fitting when another Army National Guard sniper, Staff Sgt. Tim Grover, decided to honor Horton’s legacy through an annual sniper competition.

“His wife commented to me that she didn’t know how to keep Chris’s legacy alive since they never had kids to carry on his name,” says Tim Grover, a sniper section leader with the Nebraska Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. “This bothered me for years until 2019 when I put together the first sniper match in his honor.”

Last year, the two-day Chris D. Horton Memorial Sniper Competition included 22 teams from throughout the military sniper and civilian marksmanship communities. Tim Grover adds that the competition not only honors Horton but also helps sharpen competitors’ skills and strengthens bonds in the sniper community.

Developing that camaraderie is especially important in a career that Chris Horton had said involves much isolation.

2023

“The path to becoming a sniper is by no means easy, and if you complete your training, it is a very hard and lonely job,” Horton wrote in a letter from Afghanistan. “It isn’t what you see in the movies or video games. It is a very difficult but rewarding career. There is no other job in the military like it.”

more than just long-range shooting and fitness.

“There are a lot of people who can do a lot of pushups and shoot really far, but there are not a lot of people who know how to use the mil relation formula to arrange targets without an electronic rangefinder,” Garrett Grover says.

In addition to long-range shooting, the competition requires skills such as stalking, camouflage and other essential military sniper skills, he notes. Contestants also must complete an obstacle course, water crossings and an aerial event where competitors shoot from a helicopter in flight.

“These are big stages. For instance, the obstacle course goes into the shoot house, which goes into the rooftop. It’s surprisingly complex,” says Tim Grover, adding that conducting the competition takes about 5,000 square acres of land. “A lot of these guys compete all over the country, and they’ve made a point to say, ‘Hey, this is, this will be a staple in our competition circuit for years.’”

The letter was a response to a young boy who wrote and told him of his dreams to become a sniper one day. Today, that boy, now an adult, is a member of Special Forces — the Army’s famed Green Berets, says Jane Horton.

This sort of mentorship was not uncommon for Horton, who pushed his sniper partner into competitive shooting.

“I wouldn’t be a competitor if Chris hadn’t gotten me started,” says Garrett Grover, who shoots in up to 20 competitions yearly. “I wouldn’t own a rifle company if I didn’t get started in competition, and now I’ve made a career out of it.”

Garrett Grover attended last year’s competition and praised it as an exceptional opportunity for military snipers. In addition to the community-building aspects of the competition, He added the event is also unique for sniper competitions in that it focuses on

Developing those skills is precisely what Chris Horton promoted for the community he cherished so dearly, says his widow, Jane. As an advocate for additional training for Army Guard snipers, Chris would be proud to be the competition’s namesake, she adds.

“I can 100% see Chris sitting around the fire on Friday night [the competition’s social gathering], with a cigar, telling jokes, and being the center of attention,” Garret Grover says. “But that wouldn’t have been as big for him as the competition. He was driven and motivated, unlike anybody I’ve ever met, and to try to embody that bit of his personality, I think competition is the best way to do it.”

Jane Horton, who attends the competition each year as the guest of honor, agrees.

“I think this competition would be one of the most humbling and exciting things for him,” she says. “He really felt that during this time in our country’s history, his generation was called to war. And that if he was that good at shooting, he needed to use that. So, it’s not just honoring him but bringing the sniper community together.” 

Reveille editor’s note: Chris Horton ’03 is one of two MMA alumni killed in action during the Global War on Terrorism. The 2023 Chris D. Horton Legacy Sniper Competition will take place October 6–8, 2023, in Jackson, Nebraska. For more information or to volunteer, visit the competition website. (Courtesy photo)

Membership Has Its Privileges

Lifetime Member — $350

No yearly Alumni Association fees for life

Maroon Lifetime Member — $500

No Alumni Association fees and $25 off a Senior Walk brick

Gold Lifetime Member — $750

Lifetime Member and Maroon Member benefits, Homecoming lunch and alumni company T-shirt fees waived

1889 Lifetime Member — $1,889

Lifetime Member, Maroon Member and Gold Member benefits and 10 percent off QM purchases during Homecoming weekend

In addition, alumni referral of cadets corresponds to Alumni Association membership status. If an alumnus refers…

2 cadets — Maroon Lifetime Member

3 cadets — Gold Lifetime Member

4 or more cadets — 1889 Lifetime Member

Any alumnus who makes a cadet referral that results in an enrolled cadet will automatically become a Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association.

Payment plans are available for lifetime memberships and upgrades. Contact the Development Office for more information.

BECOME AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LIFETIME MEMBER TODAY!

Celebrate Homecoming 2023!

Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, 2023

Missouri Military Academy will celebrate Homecoming (alumni weekend) on Sept. 29 - Oct.1, 2023. Parents, friends and other MMA community members are invited to attend and help celebrate the MMA Brotherhood. This year’s celebrations will recognize the 50th Anniversary Class of 1973 and the Honor Classes (years ending in 3 and 8) between 1948 and 1998. Please find the complete schedule and registration information online.

The weekend of events will begin Friday, Sept. 29 with the annual MMA Alumni Association golf tournament at 7:00 a.m. at Arthur Hills Golf Course (10717 Audrain Rd 929, Mexico, Mo). Kemper

Mo.) An invitational cocktail party will be held at the president’s quarters from 3:30-5:30 p.m. All alumni are invited to the Alumni BBQ at 6:00 p.m. at Stribling Hall (back veranda).

On Saturday, Sept. 30, the battalion/ alumni review and drilldowns will take place at 9:30 a.m. at Colonels Field. The alumni annual meeting and luncheon begins at 12:15 p.m. at the dining hall in Barnard Hall. Class photos will begin at 2:00 p.m. on the front side of Stribling Hall, followed by the Alumni vs. Cadets Slow Pitch Softball Game at 2:30 p.m. at Calvert Baseball Field.

from 8-10:30 a.m. at the dining hall in Barnard Hall. A non-denominational Sunday service will be held at 9:00 a.m. in Memorial Chapel.

The Missouri Military Academy Color Guard will present the colors at the Kansas City Royals

Military School and College and Wentworth Military Academy alumni will join MMA alumni for the tri-military shootout at 11:30 a.m. at Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports (1420 County Rd 276, Columbia,

n the evening, MMA will host the Sunset Silver Taps Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. (in front of Stribling Hall) to honor MMA alumni, family, and friends who have recently passed away. The Alumni Recognition and Awards Banquet will be held immediately after the Silver Taps Ceremony from 6:30-10:00

p.m. at Centennial Gymtorium.

The celebrations will conclude on Sunday with a Farewell Breakfast hosted by the MMA Alumni Association (proceeds will support the 1889 Scholarship Fund)

vs. New York Yankees game on Oct. 1 in Kansas City. A limited number of tickets are available for MMA alumni, family and friends to purchase. The Academy will also take a limited number of cadets to the game. Buses for the baseball game will depart at 10:30 a.m. from the front of Barnard Hall. The MMA Color Guard will take the field at 1:45 p.m., and the game will begin at 2:10 p.m. Pre-registration for this event is required. 

Alumni vs. Cadets Drilldown, Homecoming 2023

Friday night Alumni BBQ, Homecoming 2023

Friday night Alumni BBQ, Homecoming 2023

Alumni Recognition and Awards Banquet, Homecoming 2023

REVEILLE! 9

Homecoming 2023 Schedule

Friday, September 29

Registration, Stribling Hall

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Quartermaster Open, Stribling Hall (lower level)

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Golf Tournament, Arthur Hills (10717 Audrain Rd 929, Mexico, MO, 65265)*

7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Open to alumni and parents.

Tri-Military Shootout,* Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports*

11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

President’s Cocktail Party (invitation only)

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Honoring Battalion Commanders from all years, the 50th Anniversary Class of 1973, Honor Classes (years ending in 3 and 8) between 1948-1998, Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Board of Trustees.

Alumni BBQ,* Stribling Hall (back side)

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Catering by Pig Up and Go. Beer provided by the Alumni Association. Cash Bar by TJ’s Roadhouse, DJ.

Saturday, September 30

Registration, Stribling Hall

8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Quartermaster Open, Stribling Hall (lower level)

8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Battalion/Alumni Review, Drilldown, Fusileers Demonstration, Colonels Field

9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Alumni Annual Meeting & Luncheon,* Dining Hall, Barnard Hall

12:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Catering by the Alumni Association Ladies Auxiliary. Sponsored by the Class of 1997.

Class Photos, Stribling Hall (front side)

2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Alumni vs Cadets Slow Pitch Softball Game, Calvert Baseball Field*

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sunset Silver Taps Ceremony, Stribling Hall

6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, October 1

Farewell Breakfast,* Dining Hall, Barnard Hall

8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

*Hosted by Alumni Association. Proceeds support 1889 Scholarship Fund. Catering by Sage. Vespers Sunday Service (Non-Denominational)*,

Memorial Chapel

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Sermon delivered by Chaplain Cotton. Alumni candlelighters. Cadet attendance is optional.

Kansas City Royals Baseball Game*

10:30 a.m.

Watch the MMA Color Guard in action! Buses depart from MMA campus at 10:30 a.m. MMA Color Guard takes the field at 1:45 p.m. Game begins at 2:10 p.m.

*Pre-registration required.

Homecoming Challenge!

The Missouri Military Academy Alumni Association is excited to announce the “50th Anniversary Gold Standard Challenge.” Our last challenge, the Class of ’84 Challenge for the Memorial Chapel renovations, was an overwhelming success! Now, beginning at this year’s 2023 Homecoming/Alumni Weekend, we are introducing a new challenge from the alumni association.

Will you help us meet the 2023 fundraising goal of $15,000?

Click here to join the challenge!

The challenge is set forth for all members of our Honor Classes — those celebrating their 25th, 30th,

Colorado Camp –

The summer school and camp of Missouri Military Academy

On Sunday, March 25, 1923, MMA President Col. E.Y. Burton packed up and left Mexico, Missouri to head west. MMA had run a successful summer school in Mexico the previous few years, with attendance growing steadily each year since at least 1919.

By 1923, it had been determined that the camp would be even more attractive if it was moved west and “located in some delightful spot in Colorado – in or close to the mountains.”

The new home was to be just outside of Colorado Springs. A 1923 newspaper ad indicates it was three miles from downtown and within walking distance of Garden of Gods and Cave of the Winds. The first Colorado Camp started July 2, 1923 for an eight-week term. The same faculty from the regular school year assisted with running Colorado Camp.

It appears Colorado Camp only lasted a few years. There are records for the camp in 1923 and 1924. The next record of an MMA summer school and camp is in 1926, when the school leased a cabin on Lake Taneycomo, near Branson, Missouri. Major C.R. Stribling, Jr. spent two weeks in the area preparing to run the first camp in that location.

35th, 40th, 45th and 50th anniversary. This year’s goal is to raise $15,000 to support the 1889 Scholarship Fund,* and to assist the alumni association in achieving our objectives of supporting cadet life programs along with promoting the Brotherhood for graduates and former cadets of Missouri Military Academy. Please consider giving to this very important challenge to support the Alumni Association and the cadets of our beloved MMA. 

By 1927, the camp found a home at Rockaway Beach on Lake Taneycomo and officially advertised under a new name – Camp Mismilaca.

Eric Martinson ‘96 Alumni Association Historian

FOREver Golf Tournament

By Steven McDavid ’97

Here we go! It’s once again time for Homecoming and with it comes the Missouri Military Academy Alumni Association FOREver Golf Tournament. Whether you are a seasoned golfer or just like to swing the clubs around every once in a while, the Annual FOREver Golf Tournament is always a great time to catch up with old friends and even make new ones.

The tournament will take place at the Arthur Hills Golf Course in Mexico, Missouri, on Friday, September 29, 2023.

The schedule of events is below:

7:00 AM – Sign-in, Breakfast, Driving Range Opens

8:00 AM – Course Brief and Group Photos

8:30 AM – Tournament Begins

11:00 AM – Lunch

12:30 PM – Awards

sponsor, Ricky Uriegas ’91, breakfast will be provided at the course for all registered golfers. Additionally, drinks will be provided before, during and after play for registered golfers, thanks to our beverage sponsor, Greg Holten ’88. Alumni QM items, presented by the MMA Alumni Association, will be for sale, including the limited edition 2023 Challenge Coin. Other events will take place during the golf tournament including a raffle, the 19th hole and a brand-new surprise event — you must attend to find out what it is!

Sponsor opportunities are still available for this year. If you would like to be a sponsor, you can select and pay for a sponsor level on the Annual Golf Tournament Registration form online, or contact Alumni Events Committee Chair Steve McDavid ’97 at mmaalumni97@gmail.com

• Course Sponsor,* $1,500

• Tournament Sponsor,* $1,000

• Closest to Pin Sponsor, $500

• Longest Drive Sponsor, $500

• Women’s Longest Drive Sponsor, $500

• Shortest Drive Sponsor, $500

• Hole Sponsor, $200

• Course Marshall, $50 (Individuals will receive a golf cart to drive on the course during the tournament but will not participate in the round of play)

*Course Sponsors and Tournament Sponsors can enter a four-person team at no additional cost. All proceeds from the golf tournament go towards the Alumni Association support of MMA development projects and cadet life initiatives.



Even if you don’t play golf, the Alumni Association encourages you to join the gathering, eat lunch and spend time with your fellow alumni brothers.

When you register for Homecoming on the MMA website, you can sign up to play or attend lunch. The cost to play is $60 per individual or $240 for a fourperson team. On the day of the tournament, individual players will be placed on a four-person team. For those who only want to enjoy lunch, the cost is $15 per individual.

For those registered to play, lunch is included with your round of golf, and thanks to our gracious breakfast

Photos from 2022 golf tournament.

Nunquam Non Paratus (Never Unprepared) Reflections on the 2022 Tri-Military Shoot-out

by James R. Hallam, President, Kemper Military School & College Alumni Association

As I sit here thinking about the upcoming reunion of the Missouri Military Academy and Wentworth Military School Alumni Associations, the motto “Nunquam Non Paratus,” meaning “never unprepared,” means so much. This Kemper Military School and College slogan, at no time, has been more fundamental than during the Tri-Military Trap Shoot of 2022.

Heading into the event, Wentworth Alumni Association had been on an eight-year winning streak with no end in sight. As an outdoorsman, I consider myself competitive when it comes to handling clay pigeons. However, during this particular year, it felt right for me to be part of the KMS alumni department cheering squad. My job was to go from station to station to support the shooters and judges by simply participating from the sideline. Well, this one decision has changed the course of my trajectory as a Kemper trap shooter — or at least for the foreseeable future. As you might recall, the Kemper Trap Shooting team brought home the trophy last year.

On that sunny Friday, September 30, 2022, at Prairie Groove Shotgun Sports complex, it seemed like a normal day as we all prepared for the event. We were driving over, sipping coffee and discussing who was going to shoot, the order and our goal of bringing home that trophy. Upon arriving, we unloaded the gear, had a few words and headed into the event.

I had planned to shoot and had my shotguns with me. Once inside, I met up with some KMS alumni who needed a shotgun, so I loaned out a couple and, in that moment, decided to support the shooters.

It was a glorious day for the Yellow Jackets since our shooters were very prepared, which was reflected in their scores. I will never forget walking into the judges’ scoring meeting and seeing the face of my friend and Wentworth competitor Bill Heltzel. He said, “You won.” My immediate reaction was, “Let’s count it again.” But Bill said they had counted it two times already. And just like that, there was a new winner.

As the Yellow Jacket shooting team prepares for the upcoming Tri-Military Shoot at Prairie Groove Shotgun Sports Complex, it is safe to say that I will be on the cheering squad again. Honestly, I am happy to support my brothers as they are competing for a second win — and that is most important.

In closing, the Kemper motto of “Nunquam Non Paratus,” meaning “never unprepared,” has taught all Kemper Alumni that upfront preparation for any event, meeting, family outing — or whatever life may throw at you — is a sure way to be successful.

2023 Missouri Tri-Military Shootout

When: Friday, September 29, 2023

Now more than ever, it is so important for all of us to be involved with our school, alumni associations and brothers and sisters. I would like to challenge the alumni from each school to come out to join the shoot or to cheer on your alma mater while sharing old war stories.

Go Yellow Jackets!

Where: Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports, 1420 County Road 276, Columbia, Missouri.

Open to Kemper Military School and College, MMA and Wentworth Military Academy alumni, plus invited friends and family.  Participants must pre-register online for the shootout. Click here to register.

The registration fee of $60 (cash only) per person must be paid upon arrival the day of the event.

Shotgun shells and targets are included in the price of registration. Lunch will be provided. Participants should bring their own shotgun, if possible. The range will have a limited number of shotguns on hand for those who need to borrow one for the event.  Sponsorships are available! See details with online registration.

2019 Tri-Military Shoot-out. Photo by Dean Davison ’78.

MMA Alumni Sightings

“A quiet destination — cheap to travel, fresh and abundant fruits and veggies, fresh mandarin juice every day in your tent — and a total black sky with shooting stars. MMA taught me to be inquisitive.” — BG Frank Sierra ’58 (Ret) working in Tunisia

What a small world!

Jason Falbo-Gwinn ’88 and Gregg Center ’91 met up in St. Petersburg, Florida, earlier this year. The St. Pete sign in this picture was designed by MMA alumnus John Scheffel ’88.

A BIG thank you to Jarrod Magee ’97 and his wife Jennifer!

They recently gave their time and talent to support the Academy by painting the exterior of one of the Academy-owned houses for faculty and staff. The Magees own and operate OnDemand Painters, a business they founded more than 20 years ago.

Alumni Updates

Walter Gebel ’48 lives in Milwaukee, WI. Now 92 years old, he is interested in connecting with any classmates still around. Reach him at waltritarb@ gmail.com.

Steven Cothern ’69 (attended junior school) lives in Lee’s Summit, MO. Reach him at rollsowner67@ gmx.com.

James Cusack ’71 may be reached at newts2nd@ gmail.com.

Charles Shiels ’75 lives in Washington, MO. Reach him at washmo5800@gmail.com.

Hector Trujillo ’76 lives in Cutler Bay, FL. Reach him at hectortrujillofinol@hotmail.com.

Greg Holten ’88 lives in Columbia, Illinois. Reach him at gregholten@yahoo.com.

Daniel Hemler ’99 lives in Live Oak, TX. Reach him at txcountryboy1999@gmail.com.

Copeland Grahmann ’18 lives in Garland, TX. Reach him at copelandgrahmann99@outlook.com.

Nathaniel Espinoza ’24 lives in Miami Beach, FL. Reach him at n4h.zzzy07@gmail.com. 

Share your news!

Complete the alumni update form at bit.ly/MMA-Alumni-Update.

Silver Taps

The following alumni, faculty, staff and family will be remembered during Silver Taps on Sautrday, Sept. 30 during Homecoming.

Alumni

Guy Troy Sr., Class of 1940

Col. Jack Logan, USA (RET), Class of 1948

Richard Meinert, Class of 1952, brother of Joseph Meinert ’55 and Glen Meinert ‘63

Benjamin Jones, Class of 1954, father of Gregory Jones ’79

Lawrence Rockel, Class of 1954, brother of Brian Rockel ’57 and Michael Rockel ’58

Hallock Reisel, Class of 1960

James Powell, Class of 1962

Norwin Heimos, Jr., Class of 1974, brother of George Heimos ’78, Bernard Heimos ’79, and John Heimos ’81

Gerold Jerez Solis, Class of 1977

Richard ‘Brad’ Nelson, Class of 1977

Louis White, Class of 1977

“MMA changed my life. They were three intense years where I met many colleagues. I will always remember John Hall, captain of the Echo Company Class of 1976, who died that year. I was there sitting next to him at dinner the last day he was at the Academy. Many fond memories and thankful for being an MMA cadet.” — Hector Trujillo ’76

Pedro De Leon Garcia III, Class of 1979, brother of Eduardo De Leon Garcia ’83

Yamil Grayeb Shehin, Class of 1986

Owen Taylor, Class of 1995

Nathan Brinkle II, Class of 2025, brother of Julian Brinkle ’26

Faculty and Staff

LTC Samuel Saxon III, USAF (RET), 7 years of service to MMA as the junior school headmaster and principal

“MMA was not my ideal place to be when I first got there, but after all these years and the things life has challenged me with, I can say now that I’m really thankful for having been there and graduated from MMA.” — Daniel Hemler ’99

William ‘Bill’ Chrismer, 35 years of service to MMA as the assistant commandant and as a part-time driver

Family and Friends

Ronald Hopple, parent of MMA alumnus Christopher Hopple ‘84

Terry Curry, parent of MMA alumnus Maxwell Frederickson ‘01

Jane See White, daughter of MMA alumnus Robert M. White III ‘33 and an honorary member of the MMA Class of 1968. Jane had a distinguished career in journalism and will be inducted as a member of the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame.

Leta May Hodge, author of “Soldiers, Scholars, Gentleman: The First Hundred Years,” a history of MMA published in 1988. Daughter-in-law of the late Cpt. Edward Hodge, former MMA faculty member.

James Koons, stepfather of BOT member and alumnus Jim Obenshain ’86 

Leave Your Legacy on Missouri Military Academy’s Senior Walk.

Located in the heart of campus beneath the glow of the Gold Dome this convenient and central location is within steps of Stribling Hall, Memorial Chapel, Barnard Hall, and the 125th Anniversary Cannon.

Net revenues from brick sales will help support the cherished traditions of MMA, which include the Alumni Scholarship Fund to help other young men realize their potential through the MMA experience. MMA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

For more information about the Senior Walk Bricks please contact the Advancement office at Advancement@MissouriMilitaryAcademy.com or 573-581-1776.

Alumni BOD Contact Information

BOD Mailbox ……………………………………………………………………………………………… MMA.Alumni.Brotherhood@gmail.com

Gregg Center ’91………President ……………………312-636-5153………………………………………….. Gcenter13@gmail.com

Jarrod Magee ’97 ……...Vice President ………………618-530-2981 ……………………………...………… ..Jmageepainting@gmail.com

Kurt Bilsel ’81 ………...Secretary ……………………314-238-4050 ……………………………...………… ..kabilsel@gmail.com

Clay Grant ’88 ………...Treasurer ……………………214-616-7233 ……………………………...………….. ...................................................... sclaygrant@gmail.com

Jason Falbo-Gwinn ’88.. Dir. Class Agents …………..913-904-2567 ……………………………...………….. JFalbo@hyalogic.com

Steve McDavid ’97 …...Executive Advisor…………910-797-9277 ……………………………...………….. mmaalumni97@gmail.com

Ricardo Uriegas ’91……International Officer…………956-278-6022 ………. 52.1.81.2575.9429 ……………… rickuriegas@gmail.com

Jose Bours ’94 ………………………………………..+52.644.159.4425 …………………………………………… .......................... ……. jfbours@gmail.com

Heinz Leigh ’99 ………………………………………573-999-0700 ……………………………...…………………….. heinzleigh@gmail.com

Eric Martinson ’96 ……………………………………512-922-2990 …………………………………..…………... eric_martinson@outlook.com

Garrett Stockum ’87 ………………………………….309-275-1997 ……………………………..…………………….. ............................ garrett@stockum.com

BOD Committee Members – Non-Voting

Larry Wylie ’88 ……………………………………….618-670-5660 ……………………………..………….. Larrywylie@gmail.com

Jorge Yarta-Sada ’89 ………………………………….+35.1.962498294 or +52.81.2350.2380…..………….... .................................................... jorgeyartesada@gmail.com

Mike Misemer ’89 …………………………………….941-328-2511 ……………………………..………….. michaelmisemer@yahoo.com

John Davis ’92 …………………………………………618-339-9125 ……………………………..………….. jdavis151@gmail.com

Scott Hamilton ’01 …………………………………….252-626-1728 ……………………………..………….. ...................................scotthamiltonnc@gmail.com

Meng Shixuan ’08 …………………………………….706-949-5899 ……………………………..………….. jonyoung82@gmail.com

AJ Vassen ’07 …………………………………………618-210-0646 ……………………………..………….. Chicagoeconomist1@gmail.com

Scott Szopinski ’04 ……………………………………319-361-3904 ……………………………..………….. sszopinski10@gmail.com

Brenton Stuehmer ’97 …………………………………816-799-4962 ……………………………..………….. ................................ brenton.stuehmer@gmail.com

Ian Wolfe ’91 ………………………………………….361-510-3772 ……………………………..………….. seadragon72@gmail.com

Sanders Roth ’04 ……………………………………… 816-787-5782 ……………………………..………….. sroth@starporttech.com

Auxiliary

Jennifer Magee ………………………………………..618-250-7747 ……………………………..………….. jennifer.n.magee@gmail.com

Amy Obenshain ………………………………………405-234-0309 ……………………………..………….. asobenshain@gmail.com

Barb Falbo-Gwinn ……………………………………816-550-3771 ……………………………..………….. ..........................................barbarafalbo@comcast.net

Jentrie McDavid ………………………………………910-583-4636 ……………………………..………….. jentriebo@yahoo.com

Kasey Szopinski ………………………………………319-361-8510 ……………………………..………….. mamaszopinski@gmail.com

Brenda Doerhoff ………………………………………573-220-9235 ……………………………..………….. Guccigoo2016.gmail.com

Gina Stockum …………………………………………309-275-1331 ……………………………..………….. gina@stockum.com

Jeanne Gentry …………………………………………308-458-8250 ……………………………..………….. jeannegentry63@gmail.com

Karen Martin …………………………………………. kkmartin57@gmail.com

Theresa Wolfe …………………………………………………………………...…………..…………..………. ............................theresamcdaniel1@gmail.com

Stephanie Merrill ……………………………………….913-568-7472 ……………………………..………….. stephaniescarey71@gmail.com

Karen Jones …………………………………………… 816-223-8036……………………………...………….. kjones2030@gmail.com

Mary Harrelson ………………………………………..816-344-4088 ……………………………..………….. Mharrelson676@gmail.com

Brooke Stuehmer ………………………………………816-506-1005………………………………………….. brookrod@yahoo.com